USA > Pennsylvania > Erie County > The history of Erie County, Pennsylvania > Part 10
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27
11
118
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
and a loan of $150,000 authorized should the appropriation be expended before another could be had. In 1837 the Governor borrowed $200,000, at an interest of four and a half per cent., authorized by the resolution of 1835. In 1838 two appropriations were made : January ninth, one of $100,000, and April fourteenth, one of $300,000. July 4th, 1838, the breaking of ground for the canal was united with the celebration of American independence. A procession was formed under the direction of Captain Dobbins, consisting of the orator of the day, (J. H. Walker,) the clergy and commit- tee of arrangements, forty or fifty of the earliest settlers with plows, wheelbarrows, spades, shovels, etc., and a large con- course of citizens. The breaking of ground was by one of the pioneers, Captain M. Strong, who had resided in Erie County since 1795, and who detailed some very interesting facts and reminiscences.
In 1838 the route from Conneaut Lake was not deter- mined, the commissioners insisting that the legislature decide. Shortly after the western one was chosen.
The Erie Canal Company was incorporated in 1843, and accomplished the work which united the Ohio and the lakes, and which had been talked of a quarter of a century. The State had expended upon it upwards of $4,000,000, and but $211,000 was required to complete the one hundred and thirty-six miles, which was the shortest connection that could be made between the Ohio and the lake, and which opened to the market immense fields of coal of a superior quality.
The stockholders elected for managers of the company R. S. Reed, (President,) T. G. Colt, William M. Watts, B. B. Vincent, J. A. Tracy, Erie; M. B. Lowry, Craw- ford ; Jas. M. Power, Mercer; C. M. Reed, Treasurer; and William Kelley, Secretary.
December 5th, 1844, the first boats came through to Erie. First the R. S. Reed, Captain Drum, laden with Mercer County coal ; next the packet boat Queen of the West
119
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
Captain Armstrong, her deck and spacious apartments liter- ally crowded with a dense mass of human beings, each de- sirons of being numbered among the first pioneers by the canal to the lake.
When the Queen entered the harbor, the deep-mouthed cannon gave out its thunder tones, and a shout, long, loud, and hearty, went up from the multitudes. To W. Milnor Roberts, chief engineer, special thanks were due for the early completion of the work after its abandonment by the State. The Wayne Greys paraded the streets during the day, and a ball at the Reed House concluded the celebra- tion.
In December, 1840, two tons of stone coal were brought from Evansburg, Crawford County, a distance of forty miles, partly by canal, and sold at five and a half dollars per ton, at which price it was thought cheaper fuel than wood at one dollar per cord. The amount of coal received at Erie by canal is as follows :-
In 1845 15,000 tons.
In 1853
123,031 tons.
" 1846
27,000
" 1854
95,611
" 1847 51,000
" 1855 141,184
" 1848
70,000
" 1856 112,811
" 1849. 79,613
" 1857 126,159 66
" 1850
57,741 66
" 1858
99,924
66
" 1851
72,943
“ 1859
128,856 6
" 1852
76,650
" 1860
129,807
The officers of the Canal Company, 1860, are C. M. Reed, President; J. C. Marshall, A. Scott, P. Metcalf, D. Mc- Allister, J. A. Tracy, J. Hearn, Directors; D. McAllister, Treasurer ; A. H. Caughey, Secretary ; William W. Reed, Superintendent.
Tolls for 1858
$52,968 38
" " 1859 68,574 65
4 1860
104,336 12
Water rents
975 32
Total receipts for 1860 $105,311 41
120
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
Expenditures for repairs and supervision $45,783 70
Building a new aqueduct over Walnut Creek. 17,039 60 Salaries of secretary, treasurer, superintendent, and collectors. 6,370 50
Incidental expenses, including legal services,
printing, rent, etc. 1,185 38
Expenditures for 1860 $70,379 18
By a resolution of the directors, $25,000 was appropri- ated to the payment of three per cent. interest on the bonds and interest certificates of the company for the year ending January 1st, 1861.
Railroads .- In 1831 a railroad convention met at Fre- donia, for the purpose of making arrangements for the con- struction of a railroad from Buffalo to the State line of Pennsylvania. Erie sent C. M. Reed, P. S. V. Hamot, and T. H. Sill, a delegation having been invited. The president of the convention was Thomas B. Campbell ; secretaries, Oliver Lee and Jas. Mullet. It was understood that their road should be met on the part of Pennsylvania.
In 1835 a railroad from Philadelphia to Erie was first talked of; it was to be laid out by way of Harrisburg, West Branch, Clarion River, and Franklin, and it was thought to possess the great advantage of not requiring one inclined plane.
A Macadamized road was petitioned for about this time, to connect Erie with the National road.
In 1836 books were opened, and the capital stock sub- scribed of the Erie Railroad Company. This was to con- nect with the Cassadga Road, a branch of the New York and Erie, thirty-five miles in length, extending from the mouth of the Creek, three miles from Jamestown, to the State line, three miles from Wattsburg. The Erie Railroad would have been twenty-three miles in length, but the New York and Erie was not completed for many years, and con- sequently by that means there could be no connection withi
1
121
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
New York. The Erie and Northeast seemed to meet the views better of all parties.
In 1837 the Sunbury and Erie Railroad bill passed, which was to form the last link in the chain of improvements between Lake Erie and Philadelphia. From Harrisburg to Philadelphia was completed ; from Harrisburg to Sunbury was incorporated. At Erie and Warren the event was the cause of rejoicings, and a new era seemed to dawn on Pennsyl- vania. The stock necessary to secure the charter was taken by the United States Bank. During the years 1838 and 1839 a corps of engineers, under Edward Miller, explored the country between the points mentioned in the charter.
The whole distance from Sunbury to Erie is 270 miles ; from Erie to Warren, 66 miles ; Warren to Lock Haven, 136 miles; Lock Haven to Williamsport, 28 miles; Williams- port to Sunbury, 40 miles.
This road is ninety miles less, in distance to the sea-board, than the New York and Erie, and the local trade of the road it is supposed will maintain it. An unsuccessful effort was made in 1852 to have the road terminate at Cleveland.
In 1854 the City of Philadelphia subscribed $1,000,000, and shortly after doubled the subscription. The City of Erie subscribed $300,000 and 150 acres in water lots, and Erie County $200,000. The State of Pennsylvania conveyed her canals to the company for $3,500,000 of Sunbury and Erie Railroad bonds.
December, 1854, the completion of the road to Williams- port was celebrated by about five hundred citizens of Phila- delphiia, including the president of the road, Hon. James Cooper, the directors, city councils, etc. The party arrived at Erie via Elmira and Niagara, and were hospitably enter- tained by the citizens. At a ball and supper given them at the Reed House, Hon. James Thompson presided.
The rails used upon this road are from the Montour and Rough and Ready Mills at Danville, Pennsylvania, and the 11*
122
IIISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
Lackawanna Mill at Scranton. Lock Haven is the site of the company's workshops.
The company in 1859 had just one-half of the road (135 miles) ironed : 81 miles being on the eastern, and 54 on the western division. More than half the work on the remain- ing 135 miles was finished, and 68 miles actually graded and ready for the superstructure. Liddell & Marsh, of the Erie City Iron Works, constructed twenty-five or thirty cars for the western division.
A celebration, numerously attended, was held at Warren, December, 1859, on the opening of the road to that place.
The earnings of the road have equaled nearly $3000 weekly, or six per cent. on the cost of construction.
The discovery of oil in Northwestern Pennsylvania has added materially to the receipts of the Sunbury and Erie Road, which has been a very great convenience in getting the commodity to market.
Receipts of oil at the Erie station for -
1859.
July
1432 barrels.
November
21 barrels.
December 304
1860.
November
3069
December 6131
1861.
January 15,092
February
9421
May
1159
66
March
4383
June
772
August.
2341
September 2227 66
October
2775
January. 63
February 115
March 414
April
980
April
5521 66
A bill supplementary to the act incorporating the Sun- bury and Erie Railroad Company was passed in the spring of 1861. The first section changes the name of the com- pany to the Philadelphia and Erie Railroad Company.
The second section authorizes the company to issue five thousand bonds, not exceeding in amount the aggregate sum of one million pounds sterling or five millions United States currency. The bonds are to draw six per cent. interest
123
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
per annum, payable semi-annually, the principal to be paid in twenty years. The bonds are not subject to taxa- tion, and as security for the payment of principal and inter- est the company is authorized to execute in trust a mortgage of the whole line of its railroad, finished and unfinished, from Sunbury to the harbor of Erie, and its appurtenances, including all locomotives and cars which may at any time be placed thereon, together with all its real estate, rights, and privileges. The mortgage to be delivered to trustees therein named, and recorded in the several counties in which the property may be situated, and shall remain the first mort- gage on all the property therein described until fully satis- fied, excepting the road extending from Sunbury to Williams- port, on which a mortgage of one million dollars now exists.
The third section authorizes the company to issue forty bonds for $100,000 each, payable in forty years from the date thereof, bearing six per cent. interest from and after Ist of January, 1872. A second mortgage on the road to be executed to secure the payment of said bonds, which bonds and mortgage the company are to deliver to the com- missioners of the sinking fund, to be retained as collateral security for payment of the five per cent. bonds for $3,500,000 now in the sinking fund. The Treasurer of the Common- wealth shall cancel and surrender all the bonds belonging to the company and deposited in his office for safe keeping, under the provisions of the act for the sale of the State canals.
Section fourth extends the time for the payment of the $3,500,000, now in the sinking fund, till the maturity of the $4,000,000, which when paid will be in full satisfaction of the said $3,500,000 bonds : provided that the whole amount of principal and interest so to be paid by the company shall not be less than the debt now owing by the company to the State with the stipulated interest thereon till the time of payment.
When this and other railroads in progress are completed,
124
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
it is expected that Erie will assume her true importance, so that the census of 1870 will find it a flourishing, noisy, and ambitious city, rivaling in size and trade the two large cities of Cleveland and Buffalo, which have hitherto overshad- owed it.
"Pennsylvania is blest in having three border outlets through ports on the three great water ways-the Atlantic Ocean, the Ohio River, and the great lakes. Philadelphia, Pittsburg, and Erie City are the portals of the Common- wealth, all other ways of ingress and egress being only as windows in the stately edifice. The public men of an ear- lier generation purchased and annexed the Triangle which made Erie City a harbor in Pennsylvania, and yet, down to this day, there is no direct communication between that lake port which was acquired, and the sea port where the State was cradled, although a route to the lakes was one of the. objects of the acquisition." [The Sunbury and Erie was in- corporated for this purpose, and in 1846, in the incorpora- tion of the Pennsylvania Central, a branch was authorized deflecting to Erie.] "Here we have the proof that in the minds of men devoted to the consideration of commercial subjects, and to carrying lines, the thought was ever pres- ent, that the three custom-house cities should have direct and unclogged railroad facilities, uniting each with the other, and opening from the interior of the State to its border cities a cheap and convenient transit." In its unfinished condition the Sunbury and Erie Railroad is a double failure, for it fails to pay interest on the bonds held by the State, and fails to meet public expectations inasmuch as it is not all open for traffic.
The Erie and Northeast Railroad Company was incor- porated April 12th, 1842, with a capital of $5,000,000. March 11th, 1846, the capital stock was reduced to $600,000. Books for subscription were opened October 19th, 1846, and sufficient stock subscribed to secure the charter. Letters- patent on the charter were granted 16th December, 1846.
7
125
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
The first election was held January 22d, 1847, and resulted in the choice of C. M. Reed, President; William Kelley, Henry Cadwell, Smith Jackson, A. W. Brewster, M. Court- right, James Williams, Directors; and G. Sanford, Treas- urer.
In the spring of 1849 the road was surveyed under the direction of M. Courtright; 26th July, 1849, contracts were made for the construction of the road.
By an agreement entered into, 27th of April, 1850, with the Dunkirk and State Line Railroad, the Erie and North- east agreed to lay a six-foot track, that the cars of the New York and Erie might run directly to Erie, and this city be virtually the terminus of that road. Previously the Dun- kirk and State Line Road had adopted the Erie and North- east to do their business on the same, and by this arrange- ment expected to have an advantage over their great rival, the New York Central.
This led to a warm controversy between the two compa- nies, and a parallel road was contemplated, which was the Sheridan Road, with a six-foot track, to connect with the Erie and Northeast via Westfield and Fredonia, and stock sufficient to secure the charter was taken. Finally, a com- promise was effected by which it was intended that neither company should have the advantage, and a gauge foreign to both was adopted, viz., the four foot ten inches, being the gauge of the road constructing from Erie west to Cleveland.
The Erie and Northeast being laid according to agree- ment, a six-foot track compelled two changes of all freight and travel within nineteen miles, viz., at Erie and at the State Line.
The first cars came in on this road January 10th, 1852. The Franklin Canal Company had constructed a railroad to the Ohio State line, and a connection through to Cleveland was effected in November of the same year. The formal opening of this road was Novemher 23d, 1852, when the cars left Erie at nine A.M. for Ashtabula, and returned at
126
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
three o'clock, with their numbers greatly increased. A party of three hundred partook of a sumptuous dinner at Brown's. Speeches were made by Judge Galbraith, Alfred Kelly, William S. Lane, and M. B. Lowry, and a change in the gauge law, which law compelled a break at Erie, was denounced.
The Franklin Canal Company was incorporated on the 27th of April, 1844, for the purpose of reconstructing and repairing the Franklin Division of the Pennsylvania Canal from the aqueduct on French Creek to the mouth of that creek, it having decayed and become dilapidated. On the 9th of April, 1849, a supplement was passed, authorizing the company to construct a railroad instead of repairing the canal, the graded line or towing path of the canal to be the bed of the road, and giving the company the privilege of increasing its stock to $500,000, and extending northward to the lake and south to Pittsburg. In the building of this road, Judge John Galbraith was the influential manager.
A few months after the completion of this road, the Penn- sylvania gauge law was repealed, and a contract was entered into November 17th, 1853, between the Buffalo and State Line and Erie and Northeast Companies, by which the latter agreed to alter their track to one of four foot ten, thereby making a continuous gauge from Buffalo to Cleveland.
The first attempt of the Erie and Northeast Company to change their gauge occasioned the contentions of 1853 and 1854, better known as the " Railroad war."
The particulars of this severe but bloodless struggle can doubtless be more profitably discussed at a future period. The citizens of Erie felt highly aggrieved, and not less so the railroad company and the traveling community. The loss financially to each of these parties was immense. In the fierce and prolonged excitement men grew prematurely old, and the tax on temper and nerves to all concerned was not of small account. In the course of time the courts and laws settled the exciting question; the two breaks between
127
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
Buffalo and Cleveland have disappeared, and the city, once distracted by civil discord, is again peaceful and prosperous.
An act of the legislature, passed in January, 1854, an- nulled the charter of the Franklin Canal Company, always considered doubtful, and invested the Governor with plenary power to make such a disposition of the road as in his judg- ment would best promote the interests of the State and the great objects to be attained.
The same winter Governor Bigler visited Erie in person, and was received with the greatest enthusiasm, being met at the depot by the military and firemen with torchlights, and a large concourse of citizens.
In June, 1854, the Franklin Canal Company was dis- posed of to the Cleveland, Painesville, and Ashtabula Rail- road Company.
In 1855 an act passed the legislature repealing the char- ter of the Erie and Northeast Road, on the ground that it did not come to the borough, as stipulated in the act of in- corporation. Hon. J. Cassey held it for the State, and afterward our late Governor, Wm. F. Packer.
April 22d, 1856, it was reincorporated by the directors subscribing $400,000 to the Pittsburg and Erie Road.
The earnings of the Cleveland and Erie Railroad for 1860 amounted to $1,063,405 23; operating expenses, $429,758 49. The road has paid during the year, as divi- dends, five per cent. in cash January 1st, 1800; five per cent. in scrip January 1st, 1860; and five per cent. in cash July 1st, 1860.
Number of through passengers on the road. 162,172
Number of way passengers. 88,199
Total tonnage of freight carried over the road 254,594 tons. Merchandise carried over the road. 68,815
Lumber
5,096 66
Iron
2,004 66
Live stock
74,712
Flour 66 198,802
128
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
The Pittsburg and Erie Railroad Company was incorpo- rated in 1850. C. M. Reed, President; M. Courtright, William Kelley, Jas. Williams, A. W. Brewster, C. Mc- Sparren, Jas. C. Marshall, John A. Tracy, P. Metcalf, J. McClure, B. B. Vincent, Smith Jackson, Directors ; and David McAllaster, Secretary.
This road was made to Jamestown, sixty miles, in 1859, and its final completion is soon expected.
Erie City Railroad Company was chartered in 1853, to extend from the harbor at Presqu'ile to a point on the New York and Pennsylvania State line in Northeast, Greenfield, or Venango townships. This, as a communication with New York, will have an advantage over the Dunkirk Road of twenty miles.
The first officers were M. Courtright, President; C. M. Reed, J. H. Walker, Jas. Skinner, P. Arbuckle, M. W. Caughey, J. C. Spencer, J. W. Hart, J. McClure, William M. Arbuckle, J. A. Tracy, William C. Curry, and P. Met- calf, Directors; J. C. Spencer, Secretary and Treasurer. The road between Little Valley and Jamestown was put under contract in 1852.
The Erie and Waterford Plank-road was completed 1851; Irvin Camp, President. The Erie and Wattsburg the same year ; J. H. Williams, President. The Erie and Edinboro Plank-road was completed December, 1852 ; John Galbraith, President.
The plank-roads have all been a benefit to the country and to the towns through which they pass. The one connecting with Wattsburg has wrought a great change in the aspect of the county. It was estimated in the summer of 1859 that one hundred cords of hemlock wood were brought in daily, besides large quantities of hemlock bark, which was shipped for the West.
129
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
CHAPTER X.
Shipping-The Washington, the First Vessel built on the South Shore of the Lake-Hudson's Bay Company-British Government Vessels- American Government Vessels-The Salina-Valuable Cargoes-Walk- in-the-water-First Lighthouse-William Penn-First Steamer at Chicago-Cholera-Tonnage and Number of Vessels in 1810-20-31- 36-47-60-Lake Disasters-Commerce of Port of Presqu'ile-Vessels and Tonnage registered at Presqu'ile in 1860-United States Steamer Michigan-Revenue Cutters.
CAPTAIN WILLIAM LEE'S vessel, (name not known,) pro- pelled by sails and oars, was the only one on the south side of Lake Erie in 1795. Captain Lee had no crew, and made trips only when he could have "passengers enough able and willing to man his boat." He resided at Chippewa, and it was in his boat Colonel S. Reed, family, and goods came up in the spring of 1795.
Mr. Colt's journal says : " May 30th, 1798, Mrs. Colt and myself took passage at Fort Erie in sloop Weasle, Dennaw, master. Set sail about two o'clock P.M. The wind con- tinuing from the east, we were under way until about twelve at night, and lest we should run past the harbor of Presqu'- ile, the vessel was hove to, and lay in that situation until six o'clock in the morning of Thursday.
"31st .- We found ourselves off Chataqua Creek, about twenty miles from our desired haven ; at evening arrived in the harbor of Presqu'ile. We were much sea-sick during the passage."
In September, 1798, Eliphalet Beebe launched a sloop of thirty-six tons at the mouth of Four-mile Creek, (east of Erie,) called the sloop Washington. This was probably the first vessel built on the south side of the lake. It was built for the use of the Population Company, was sold in Novem- ber, 1801, to Joshua Fairbanks of Queenston, for land and
12
130
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
salt, taken across the portage from Chippewa to Queenston, and lost on its first trip on Lake Ontario.
In 1799 Captain William Lce built the Good Intent, thirty tons, R. S. Reed part owner, at the mouth of Mill Creek. Lost at Port Abino in 1806, with all on board.
In 1800 Eliphalet Beebe built the Harlequin, which was lost her first season, with all on board.
In 1805 Thos. Wilson built a schooner at Erie, called the Mary, of one hundred tons; in 1808 one-half was sold to James Rough and George Buehler, and the remainder to Porter, Barton & Co. It was sailed by Captain Rough until the war, when it was purchased by the United States.
The Erie Packet, a sloop of twenty tons, was built by Captain William Lee, at Fort Erie, in 1796, for the Presqu'ile trade-Presqu'ile being the principal settlement at that time.
In 1803 the Niagara, of thirty tons, was built by the United States government, and bought by Porter, Barton & Co. Her name was changed to the Nancy ; sailed by Captain R. O'Neil.
In 1802-3 Porter, Barton & Co., contractors for the army, built at Black Rock the sloop Contractor, of sixty- four tons. Sill, Thompson & Co., at the same place, built the Catharine. These were both purchased by government in 1812; the name of the former was changed to the Trippe, and the latter, to the Somers.
In 1808 Major Carter built a schooner at Cleveland (which was the first built there) of forty-five tons, called the Zephyr. She was sailed by Captain Cummings.
We have alluded, in Chapter II., to the Hudson's Bay Company and British vessels on Lake Erie in 1789. The Speedwell is heard of at Malden in 1792, and in 1796 they had in commission two armed vessels-the Ottawa, com- manded by Captain Cowan, and the Chippewa, by Captain Grant, each of about ninety tons.
In 1804 they built the brig Camden, of one hundred tons and six guns; in 1806, the brig Hunter; and in 1807, the
131
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
armed sloop Hope, which was lost near St. Joseph's, on Lake Huron. In 1809 the Queen Charlotte was built, and in 1810 the armed schooner Lady Prevost. These vessels did not belong to the royal navy, but to what was called the provincial marine service ; or, as a London newspaper stated the matter, (and which was true before 1812,) after Commodore Perry's victory : "It may serve to diminish our vexation at the occurrence to learn that the flotilla in ques- tion was not any branch of the British navy, but was solely manned, equipped, and managed by the public exertions of certain Canadians, who had formed themselves into a kind of Lake Fencibles. It was not the royal navy, but a local force-a kind of mercantile military." A fictitious conso- lation, truly ! Commodore Barclay, Captain Finnis, etc., were not distinguished from "mercantile military," in the editor's mind.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.