USA > Pennsylvania > Erie County > The history of Erie County, Pennsylvania, from its first settlement > Part 32
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" The total amount of cash that has come into the Chautau- qua and Northeast grape belt from the sale of grapes this season will not fall short of one and a half millions of dollars. In consequence of the great profit this year on vineyards the value of grape lands has gone up appreciably, aud there is a stroug demand for them as an investment. Probably no other form of producing property in Chautauqua County has yielded anything like the rich returns that have been received by the owners of vineyards on the lake shore.
" A private letter from a London (Eugland) commission house to its representative in Ripley states that its customers say the grapes are bitter at the core. Growers here thiuk that all that is indicated by this complaint is that the English buyers chew the pulp and seeds.
" Northeast, Nov. 10, 1893 .- The secretary of the Chautau- qua and Northeast Grape Union has received a telegram from Great Britian of great interest to all along the Chautauqua grape belt. The Dispatch has already noticed the fact that two car loads of grapes were sent to England as an experi-
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
ment or trial trip across the Atlantic. The Liverpool car sold for 39 cents per basket and the London car from 45 to 57 cents. The freight from here there was about 15 cents a basket, nearly 10 cents less than it cost to Seattle, Washington. It goes with- out saying that the success of the Liverpool and London ex- periment is of much importance to the grape growers along the lake shore. The broad new field for marketing grapes must certainly have a tendency to enhance the future price in the Chautauqua belt.
"The sale in Europe will net some 6 or 7 cents more per basket than the fruit marketed this season in America.
" More than a quarter of a century has gone by without a single failure of the grape crop in Northeast, and now there is a good showing for a fine yield of fruit this coming fall.
"Never were real estate transfers so lively here as during the past winter and spring. Never was there so much building and rebuilding and beautifying of private residences as at present."
Another correspondent advises caution as follows : "All along the lake shore and especially in this locality thousands of acres of good bearing apple orchards are being torn out to make room for vineyards. Peach, pear, and plum orchards are going the same way, and it is an undeniable fact that all fruit excepting grapes will be at a premium the coming fall. A prominent Fredonia shipper of small fruits said yesterday :
"Everything is giving away to grapes, and unless we can get into the English markets and get there to stay, the grape growers of this section will be sadly disappointed. Last year the grape union had to hustle to secure a market for the product at eighteen cents per basket. This season we will have nearly 2,000 acres more of bearing vines, and next year over 2,000 acres; this spring nearly 2,000 acres of new vines will be set out, and fully as much a year hence. The grape industry is being overdone, and those who are tearing out good bearing orchards to make room for vineyards will see their mistake in a year. The grower will receive about fifteen cents per basket for his product the coming fall, and should the price drop one cent below this figure it will
362
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
certainly mean disaster and ruin to this entire section of country.
"The business men in different towns in the grape belt are becoming alarmed, and are awake to the necessity of pushing the grape crop into the English market. To this end they now propose to establish a fund, taking the money from their own pockets, to be used exclusively for the purpose of secur- ing the English market. They are aware that should the grape industry go down it would not only ruin the growers and the business men, but the property of this entire section, now considered so valuable, would be a drug upon the market. All classes of people are watching just now with deep interest the movement of the grape union in this important mat- ter."
" Northeast, January 4, 1893 .- A conference was held here yesterday afternoon between the grape growers of this section and Mr. J. C. Walker, chairman of the Pennsylvania World's Fair Horticulture, Viticulture and Floriculture Committee, and Mr. Benj. Whitman, member of the Pennsylvania World's Fair Executive Board.
"Mr. Walker said the object of the meeting was to give an opportunity to make a display of grapes and wines at the World's Fair, and that there is no reason why Pennsylvania should not be at the top at the great Chicago Exposition. Erie County is doubtless the banner county of the State, and although New York is older in her grape industry and has a larger area, it is believed by good judges that the territory here is equal if not superior to any in the grape belt.
" He said the State is willing to meet the grape men half way in whatever is necessary to make a creditable display, and the result of the conference showed that the grape men are ready to do their part. Mr. Whitman made a number of practical suggestions and was very patriotic to Erie County and Penn- sylvania. Both gentleman, in fact, Walker and Whitman, took a very lively interest in planning for a fine display of the products of the vine of Pennsylvania.
"By a unanimous vote the following was adopted: Resolved, That the grape growers of Erie County will join with the board of World's Fair Commission of Pennsylvania in mak-
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
ing an exhibit of grape culture and grape products such as will be creditable to the State and an object of interest to the World's Fair.
" Resolved, That the president of the meeting be authorized to appoint a committee of five to act in co-operation with the committee of viticulture of the board of World's Fair Com- mission of Pennsylvania for the purpose of carrying out the objects of the above resolution."
"The president, Mr. James H. Phillips, appointed from Northeast, Robert Dill, Charles H. Mottier, John B. Scouller, John A. Stetson ; Harbor Creek, Charles Leet. It was decided to ask for one thousand (1,000) square feet of space at the Chicago Exposition.
"Mr. Foll stated that the South Shore Winery would have a display of wines at Chicago."
Northeast, October 5, 1893 .- The Grape City Packing Com- pany is putting up 10,000 baskets a day. There are two forces, each working ten hours. The proprietor, Mr. Morse, has 12,000 tons yet to pick, pack, and ship. There was no time last season when the grapes came into the different depots as fast as they have for the past few days, but the quality is fine, and there is a ready market.
The idea has been conveyed that the yield for this season is the greatest in the history of the grape industry, but this is a mistake. The crop in almost every vineyard will be found less than the estimate of three months ago. Old vineyards are not yielding on an average much more than three fourths what they did last year, owing to hail and wind in the different parts of the belt. The season will probably close two or three weeks earlier. The fruit is exceptionally fine, the clusters large and compact, with a beautiful bloom. At Dunkirk the grape crop this year is unusually large, the fruit large and sweet, and the weather favorable. Grapes are being put out at the rate of fifty or sixty car loads a day. The Ohio crop has just gone out of the market, and for that reason good prices are expected in this section.
At the close of the season of 1893 we find that more than a million of baskets of grapes were shipped at Northeast- which does not include those marketed in wagons. Some of
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
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the vineyards have yielded so bountifully that the fruit has brought over a hundred dollars an acre,
Messrs, Ryckman, Fuller & Fay, of Brocton, N. Y., gave the following interesting statistics regarding the shipments by the Grape Union last season, and including transient shipments as far as it has been possible to obtain the figures :
OTHER
UNION.
SHIPMENTS.
TOTAL.
Northeast
225
167
39
Ripley
209
201
413
Westfield.
308
1371%
41512
Portland.
512
479
991
Pomfret.
326
1721/
49811
Dunkirk.
7014
7017
4
Sheridan.
74
16
90
Hanover.
183
11
194
Totals
1837
1257
3094
The Northeast report includes Harborcreek, Ripley, North- ville, State Line, and Forsyth ; Westfield, West Portland, Portland, Pomfret, Brocton, Concord, Prospect ; Pomfret, Fredonia, Laona, Van Buren, and a part of Dunkirk ; Han- over, Silver Creek, Forestville, and Perrysburg.
In filling small orders, 3,000 baskets were taken for a carload.
The Grape City Packing Company will erect a house two hundred feet long, also a new depot will be built by the Nickel Plate Railroad Company on the McNeil property, which was recently purchased for $5,000, Mr. C. H. Morse negotiating the sale.
In Washington, according to the Northeast Sun, they talk of putting a strong internal revenue tax on wine made from domestic grapes. This will interest this section. California is reported to be arranging to oppose it. The grape unions here and in the neighboring States should confer regarding it.
POSTOFFICES.
Erie is a postoffice of the first-class, having the salary $3,200. Corry is of the second class, with salary $2,300. Union City is of the third class, with the salary $1,700, Edinboro is also third class, with salary of $1,200, and Northeast has a salary of $1,700.
Erie, Corry, Northeast, and Union City are known as " Presidential offices," the incumbents being appointed by the President, and confirmed by the Senate, the others are ap- pointed by the Postmaster General.
365
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
The money order offices are : Albion, Corry, East Spring- field, Edinboro, Erie, Fairview, Girard, Lundy's Lane, Mill Village, Northeast, Union City, Waterford, Wattsburg, West Springfield. Erie is the only letter carrier office.
POSTOFFICES IN ERIE COUNTY.
Albion.
Hammett.
Northeast.
Arbuckle.
Harbor Creek.
North Springfield.
Avonia.
Hatch Hollow.
Northville.
Bascobel.
Hornby.
Ovid.
Belle Valley.
Itley.
Pennside.
Cherry Hill.
Juva.
Philipsville.
Clipper.
Katan.
Platea.
Corea. Corry.
Keepville.
Sampsonville.
Delhil.
Lake Pleasant.
Sterrettania.
East Greene.
Lavery.
Swanville.
East Springfield.
Le Bœuf.
Tracy.
Elgin.
Lovells Station.
Waterford.
Elk Creek.
Lowville.
Wattsburg.
Erie.
Lundy's Lane.
Wesley ville.
Fairview.
McKean.
West Greene.
Ferdinand.
McLane.
West Mill Creek.
Frances.
McLallen Corners.
West Springfield.
Girard.
Mill Village.
Washby.
Godard.
Moorheadville.
Greenfield.
Mystic.
CENSUS OF ERIE COUNTY, 1890, BY MINOR CIVIL DIVISIONS.
The cities, wards, boroughs, townships and villages, as shown by the census, compared with that of 1880: (From Census Buletin No. 105.)
1890. 1880.
1890. 1880.
Albion borough.
366
433
cluding Miles Grove
Village
Miles Grove village 570 2,280 2.338
Greene township .. 1,511 1,531
Conueaut township 1,386
1,546
Corry City ..
5,677
5,277
Greenfield township. .... 1,432 Harborcreek township 1,660 1,020 1,781
Le Bœuf township. 1,215 1,420
345
Ward 3d, 1,737. Ward 4th, 1,626.
Mckean township 1,330
1,394
Edinboro borough. 1,107 876 Middleboro borough 195
210
Elgin borough. 169
154 Millcreek township .. 3,279
3,279
Millvillage borough 320
388
Northeast borough. 1,538
1,396
Ward Ist, 6,492.
Northeast township 2,124 Springfield township ... 1,642
1,792
Summit township 903
1,047
Ward 4th, 7,292.
Union City borough 2,261
2,171
Ward 5th, 4,360.
Union township .. 1,366
1,377
Ward 6th, 5,187.
Venango township. 1,351
1,445
Fairview borough 305
425
Washington township 1,790
1,880 784
Fairview township. 1,295
1,482
Franklin township. 963
1,020
Waterford township ... 1,537
1,822
Girard borough.
626
703
Wattsburg borough 382
389
Girard township, in-
Wayne township. 1,124
1,306
Totals
86,074 74,688
Amity township.
912 1,033
Concord township. 991 1,171
Ward 1st 957
Ward 2d, 1,357
Lockport borough. 240
Elkcreek township. 1,325 1,564
Erie City. 40,634
27,737
2,152
Ward 2d, 9,985.
Ward 3d, 7,318.
Miles Grove.
Wheelock.
Franklin Corners.
Little Elk.
Union City.
Edinboro.
Kearsarge.
Pont.
Waterford borough .. 838
366
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
It will be seen that outside of Erie City the only minor civil divisions that have gained population are Corry, North- east borough, Edinboro, Elgin, Union City, and Waterford. Millcreek township shows no change ; all of the remaining divisions outside of the city show a loss.
The City Hall is located on the southwest corner of Peach Street and the West Park. It is a substantial and elegant edifice, and not surpassed by any other municipal building in Western Pennsylvania. The hall is 124 feet on Peach Street, 64 on the Park, 88 from the basement to the ridge of the roof, and 156 from the foundation to the top of the main tower. The basement is occupied by the police department, City Engineer, Street Supervisor, and Health Officer. There are sixteen cells strongly constructed for temporary confinement of prisoners.
The first floor has the offices of the Mayor, City Treasurer, Solicitor, Comptroller, and Water Commissioners. The second floor has council chambers and city clerk's office. The third floor has two halls, one 56 x 56, and the other 32 x 38 ; also committee rooms and the office of the fire department.
The cornerstone was laid with Masonic ceremony in July, 1884. Mr. D. K. Dean was the architect, and Erie contractors did most of the work. The iron cells were constructed by Cleveland parties, and the massive vault by Diebold & Co., Canton, Ohio. The brown stone trimmings (for it is built of, brick) are of superior quality, from Twinsburg, Ohio. The foundation and entrance are of Medina stone. The heavy plate glass was from a Pittsburg manufactory. The joiner's work is of hard wood, the floors of marble, and the cells have boiler iron sides, and the floors are of solid stone, The best of ventilation is secured. Bath rooms, drinking fountains, and gas jets abound,
The entire cost of the building will be about $200,000. In the cornerstone were deposited the city ordinances, news- papers, a photograph of the edifice, this History of Erie County-but a copy of the Bible was not mentioned, though we trust its principles were included. Hon. William A. Gal- braith, being introduced by Maj. P. A. Becker, made a fine oration.
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367
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
The Government Building. - This the most elegant public building in the city, is on the southeast corner of State Street and the Park, which was purchased at a cost of $36,000. In 1882 an act was passed appropriating $150,000 for a new govern- ment building in Erie, which was afterwards increased to a limit of $250,000. Ground was broken for the foundation in April, 1885. The basement is of Maine granite, and the super- structure is of Amherst, Ohio, sandstone. The basement stone work was done by an Erie contractor, Mr. Henry Shenk ; and the superstructure by Messrs. Straub & Schmidt, of Buffalo. The roof is of tinned copper, and the plumbing was done and steam heating apparatus put in by Mr. J. W. Butler. Mr. Jacob Bootz served as superintendent. The basement is used for heating and storage-the entire first floor for postoffice purposes, with main entrances on State Street and the Park.
The offices of Collector of Customs, Internal Revenue Col- lector, United States District Attorney, United States Com- missioners, etc., are on the second floor. The third floor has two court rooms with judge and jury rooms, and the fourth is occupied by the United States Signal Service. A large clock in the tower on the corner was purchased by the citizens.
The entire structure is absolutely fireproof, and the vaults provided for the postal service are burglar proof. Broad, easy . . iron stairways lead to the different stories, with the walls wainscoted with highly polished American marble. The whole building is beautifully finished and furnished, without exceeding the appropriation. Its dimensions are 114 feet on the Park, and 72 on State Street. The postoffice has 723 lock boxes.
In 1887 a sad accident occurred, resulting in the untimely death of two of the workmen, Andrew Guenther and Mark Shannon, who fell from a lofty height and were instantly killed.
"It will not be long before an elevator will be in full operation at the government building, and people having business with the signal officers will no longer have to climb up four flights of stairs for that purpose. The elevator, of the hydraulic passenger variety, is now being built by Eaton & Prince, of
368
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
Chicago. A representative of the firm took the necessary measurements yesterday. The elevator will cost $6,800, and will be run by steam, which will keep the building uncom- fortably hot during the summer season. Those best able to judge are of the opinion that a dynamo should have been put in and electricity used as a motive power."
GAS COMPANIES.
The officers of the Pennsylvania Gas Company are C. N. Payne, President : J. P. Jefferson, Vice-President. General office at Warren, Pa. Offices at Jamestown, N. Y., Erie, Pa., Corry, Pa., and Clarendon, Pa.
Main line from the wells to Erie 82 miles ; low pressure lines in the city 38 miles ; service lines in the city 26 miles ; gas turned into low pressure lines Thanksgiving 1886. First ap- plication for natural gas in Erie made by Mr. Frank E. Woods ; first consumer Dr. H. A. Spencer. Regulation meters were introduced in 1889. Number of consumers, about 4,000.
The Pennsylvania Gas Company furnishcs fuel in Erie for 9,000 fires. The gas is piped from the Ludlow field, near Kane, and on the main line there is a pressure of 125 pounds. New wells are constantly being bored to keep up the supply.
A letter, "Erie's big card," in the Gazelte of 1870, alludes to our advantages over Pittsburg as a location for manufactories. Some newspaper clippings on the subject are as follows :
" At that city, coal is convenient and cheap, but at the best it is a never-ceasing item of expense, and every year the sup- ply will become more scarce and costly. Here our fuel lies right underneath our feet, is brought to surface at a cost that bears no comparison to that of opening a coal mine, and when once reached the expense ceases. In respect to shipping facilities Pittsburg has no better railroad conveniences than Erie, while we have the great lake in addition, where the 'Smoky City ' has nothing but an uncertain river."
A company of Pittsburg capitalists have leased several hundred acres near the location of the old Bootes well on French Creek, and will put down a well immediately. Mr. John M. Arters, of Pittsburg, was in Waterford looking after
369
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
the company's interest. This is an old field, and the Bootes well that was drilled years ago was a paying gas well, but that was before natural gas was used to any extent, so the territory was not developed.
" A few days ago Janitor Avery, of the courthouse, noticed that all the grass within a radius of four feet in the rear of the yard had been killed. A little investigation proved that natural gas was escaping through the ground in small quan- tities. Some of the older men at the courthouse then remem- bered that in 1869, while Gen. Thomas Walker was acting Sheriff of Erie County, a well had been drilled in the jail yard to the depth of 700 feet.
" A small vein of gas was struck, but it was not obtained in paying quantities. A little investigation with a shovel brought to light the end of the pipe which was placed in position nearly twenty-five years ago. A plug through which a half-inch pipe was inserted was placed in the end of the old casing and as a result there is a small flame which is allowed to burn night and day at the end of the pipe."
" Mr. Colt's gas well at the corner of Ash Lane and Sixth Street, is now down 800 feet. The drillers say Mr. Colt has now all the gas he can use in his house, but the drilling will be continued."
" UNION CITY, April 20 .- Mr. Rice, of Waterford, who has been drilling a well for oil or gas on Oak Hill, three and a half miles west of this city, has found the latter at a depth of about 800 feet in sufficient quantities to feed the boiler, and to-morrow will make the necessary attachments. The indica- tions for a big well are said to be first-class, the sand resem- bling that found in the best gas territory. As soon as the boiler connections are made the drill will be again started and will be run night and day until the well is completed."
June, 1893, Mr. Casper Doll, who is building a house at the corner of Cherry and Eighth streets, has struck a very heavy flow of gas for this territory. The drill at 100 feet got a good flow and every ten or fifteen feet found a new vein. At 500 feet, the drill struck a vein of gas, the pressure of which was so heavy that it threw a shower of stones out of the hole. It is the in- tention to go down to 800 feet as soon as the pressure eases up.
370
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
Dr. Francis N. Thorpe says : "One matter has interested me in the History of Erie County : it is the effect of the discovery of oil. It is known that the climate and soil of the lake shore region are both the same as in the oil region. As soon as oil was made profitable, many of the best families in the oil country, selling their farms for much money, moved into the lake shore country, purchasing farms at advanced prices, locating in Erie, Northeast, etc., and there building costly and superior dwellings, The effect
was to raise all values in Erie County along the lake; im- provements were at once begun, the grape interest received an impetus and schools and churches were improved. Manufac- tures followed and social changes, incident to an influx of wealth and energy, at once were observable. It is an inter- esting phase of the country's history."
In 1850-56, while the railroad difficulties were pending in Erie, not far distant in Northwestern Pennsylvania another important matter was developing in the oil region of Venango County. In 1854 "Brewer, Watson & Co.," for the sum of $5,000, sold to Messrs. Eveleth & Bissel, for ninety-nine years, the territory where the principal oil springs were located. Prof. Silliman, of Yale College, had reported favorably on the value of the oil, and Col. E. L. Drake became superintendent of the "Pennsylvania Rock Oil Company."
Col. E. L. Drake was furnished with all necessary funds, but it required strong courage to bore the earth or solid rock- for he had no precedent, and was looked upon as Noah was by the antediluvians. It was supposed by some that the manu- facture of salt was the main object. Rock oil was the princi- pal one, and faith was rewarded by success when at a depth of seventy feet, on August 28, 1859, a cavity in the rock was reached with evidence of the pressure of oil in large quan- tities. At first ten barrels a day was the yield, soon after, forty. This was near the upper springs, in the northern por- tion of Venango County. Thousands rushed to the scene and speculators abounded in Franklin, Tidioute, up French Creek, the Two-Mile Run, and Oil Creek region. Companies were organized, lands leased or bought, machinery invented, and now the influence on general trade could hardly be overesti-
371
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
mated. Its importance to the manufacturing interests of the country was great. New branches of mechanical business have been called into existence and all branches stimulated to new life and energy. For instance, the steam engines that were required, the cable and rope, the establishments in Pitts- burg for the manufacture of lamps and chimneys-of the latter 4,000 dozen being made weekly. The influence upon the ocean trade has been felt in two ways: lessening the whale fisheries and building up the carrying of petroleum to foreign parts.
Dr. Mills Eaton describes a flood that visited that region on March 16, 1865, which was unexampled in modern times. Not only had snow fallen in quantities at the headwaters of the Allegheny and French Creek, but on the 16th rain descended in torrents and as though the clouds were rent asunder. The Allegheny was absolutely frightful - fifty houses, derricks, oil tanks, lumber, staves, and oil barrels floated down. A bridge in Franklin was lifted up in two pieces ; Oil Creek bridge and Sugar Creek also. Oil City was completely inundated and the railroad swept away. The flood of 1806 was of much smaller dimensions. The loss in money was many millions, and yet only a temporary sus- pension of business ensued.
"Millions in Petroleum " is the title of the following article from the Erie Morning Dispatch, of October 10, 1893-eighty- two years after the discovery : "Fifty-nine freight steamers are now employed in transporting petroleum to foreign countries. The capital in Pennsylvania wells and lands is estimated at $87,000,000, and $65,000,000 is invested in plants for producing the crude petroleum. This is exclusive of such accessories as pipe lines, tank cars, refineries, docks, fleets of vessels, etc., and an estimate of $300,000,000 as the total valua- tion of all branches of the industry is not excessive."
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