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publishes bg
Cbe Central Ibiob School
Syracuse, mew $orfe
Wovember, 1912CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING	Phot-, by H. A. Bordenpreface
T is the intention of the editors of this work
to place in circulation a brief, authentic
history of the development of Syracuse
from its beginning, as a trading po& at
the intersection of the Oswego Trail and
the trail leading Weft to the Niagara,
to its present status as the Central City
I of the Entire State.
i This history is arranged from reports
made by various committees appointed
by the teachers of the four American History classes. There were
several reports on each event and the editors who were elected in
each class read and rewrote each article which is included in
this history.
This history is compiled, edited and published by the pupils
of the American History Classes of Central High School of
Syracuse, under the supervision of Mr. C. L. Hewitt and Miss
Edna M. McKinley.
THE BOARD OF EDITORS
Editor-in-Chief............E. Howell Baldwin
Associate Editors:
Irene Backus	Newton Smith
Jenny Coffee	Maude Van Der Yoort
Harold E. Mason	Margaret Zohe
Business Manager.............Harry A. Borden
Asst. Business Manager.. .Arthur T. E. Newkirk
DEHLER PRINTING CO.
476 SOUTH	SAUNA ST.
SYRACUSE, N. Y.
List of Contributors
tt-----------------
Ruth Aungier
Albert Anthony
Irene Backus
Alfred Bailey
Elizabeth Baldwin
Howell Baldwin
Mildred Barker
Jay Barth
Marion Billings
Viola Blowers
Harry Borden
Helen Boss
Robert Boyd
Francis Britt
Wilhelmina Butler
Grace Cain
Cady Churchill
Jennie Coffey
Elizabeth Collins
Lambertine Coon
Nina Cornish
Georgia Daley
Mabelle Davis
Ellen Davis
Mary De Frank
Ellen Dempsey
Arthur Dodge
Ethel Du Bois
Ronald Dunkerton
Donald Eager
Nellie Early
Alfred Emmons
David Epstein
Helen Farrington
Margarite Fischer
Dorothy Foster
Lora Friedman
Celeste Fuller
Charles Garofolo
Gertrude Gilmore
Nora Gleason
Sue Gleason
Joseph Goldner
Lionel Grossman
Marion Heaui
Margaret Hurd
Marie Hogan
Geraldine Holland
De Etta Holmes
Ralph Holsworth
Nora Hudson
Byrne Hueber
Mildred Inglesbe
Harold Jalonack
Edith Johnson
Aldwy th Jones
Sarah Kane
Edward W. Kearney
Florence Keiser
Leonard Kenyon
Anna Klock
Hampton Klumbach
Jeanette Lanigan
Ida Lavine
Reuben Lavine
Franklyn Lawyer
Hazel Leonard
Jerome Liberman
Edson Livington
Glenn Lowell
Florence McKeegan
Harold E. Mason
Ruth M. Miller
Edna V. Morrison
Katherine Morris
Esther Mullin
Max Newer
Arthur T. E. Newkirk
Alta Orr
Arthur Owens
■n
j
Sadie Park
Sam Pearlman
Ethel K. Phelps
Le Grand Piron
Harold Prigoff
Dudley Roberts
Mildred Rood
Jesse Rosebloom
Francis Rosenthal
Hilliard Rosenthal
Leland Rounds
Harry Rubenstein
Harold Sargent
Martin Schlecht
Joseph Schriro
Fred Seager
Anna Sheppard
Newton Smith
Paton Stephens
Ina Stuart
Gladys Sullivan
Kathleen Sweeney
Eunice Swift
Marguerite Tarr
Grace Taylor
Francis Theisen
Lulu Van Allen
Maude Van Der Voort
Katherine Vroman
Florence Wagner
Jennie Weaver
Walter Webster
Rosetta Weisberg
Walter Welch
Mary Wicks
William Wildridge
Bessie Williams
Vera Womack
Anna Zimmerman
Hyman Ziskind
Margaret ZoheContents
Contributors ...................................................  4
Bibliography ...................................................  7
Noted Artists.................................................... 9
Chronology of Syracuse History.................................. 10
Climate and Geographical Conditions............................. 11
Historical Places in the Vicinity of Syracuse.................. 12
Earliest Settlement in Syracuse................................. 14
Erie Canal and Syracuse.......................................   16
Disasters in Syracuse........................................... 17
Map of the Village of Syracuse.................................. 18
Webster’s Speech................................................ 20
Jerry Bescue.................................................... 21
Special Events in Syracuse and Onondaga County.................. 24
Syracuse in the Civil War....................................... 26
Military Boll of Honor of Syracuse High School................. 27
Land Marks in and Around Syracuse............................... 28
Belies of Syracuse.............................................  35
Syracuse Hall of Fame..........................................  37
Syracuse Industries............................................. 41
Syracuse University............................................. 45
Syracuse High School............................................ 47
Memorial to George Herbert Clark...............................  48
Conclusion ..................................................... 48
/t .....	u
Bibliography of Books and Pamphlets
n_________________!________________________________________1
Abbott, Wm. E.—Scrap Book, Yols. I and II. Clipping, “The Founders
of Syracuse.” Page 2, Yol. 1.
Agan, P. H.—Articles on Local History. Published by Syracuse Her-
ald, 1880-1881.
Bruce, Dwight H.—Memorial History of City of Syracuse. Published
by H. F. Smith & Co., 1891.
Bruce, Dwight H.—Onondaga Centennial, Yols. I and II. Published
by Boston History Co., 1896.
Beauchamp, Wm.—Archaeology and Indian Lore. The Iroquois Trail.
Bosford, E. and E.—New York Canals, Yols. I and II, 1825.
Clark, J. Y.—Clark’s Onondaga, Yols. I and II. Published by Stod-
dard & Babcock, 1849.
Clayton, Prof. W. W.—History of Onondaga County, 1615-1878. Pub-
lished by D. Mason & Co., 1878.
Hand, M. C.—Syracuse, “From a Forest to a City.” Published by Mas-
ters & Stone, 1889.
Hammond, Jabez D.—Life and Times of Silas Wright, late Governor
of State of New York. Published by Hall & Dickson, Syracuse.
A. S. Barnes & Co., New York, 1848.
Northrup, A. Judd.—History of the First Presbyterian Society.
Newman, W. W.—South Onondaga and Yicinity. Published by C. W.
Bardeen, 1904.
O’Cvdligan. E. D., M. D.—Documentary History of New York, Yols. I-
IY. Published by Chas. Yan Benthusen, 1851.
Sweet, Homer D. L„—Atlas of Onondaga County. Published by
Walker Bros., 1874.
Sweet & Merrit.—The Great Wilderness of New York and a Sketch of
Border Settlements.
Schneider, Philip.—New Exposures of Eruptive Dikes in Syracuse.
Notes on the Geology of Onondaga County. Printed by Hall &
McChesney, 1895.
Strong, Gurney S.—Early Landmarks of Syracuse. Published by
Times Publishing Co., 1894.
Spofford’s Gazetteer of New York, 1813-—
Smith, Carroll—“Pioneer Times in the Onondaga Country.”
Smith, Edward.—History of Syracuse Schools. Published by W. W.
Bardeen, 1893.
7Spalding, George B., D. D., LL. D., Pastor.—The First Presbyterian
Church of Syracuse. Printed by E. M. Grover, 1895.
Pamphlets
Charters of the City of Syracuse.
Revised Charter of City of Syracuse. Printed by F. L. Hagadorn in
1857.
Charter of City of Syracuse. Printed by T. S. Truair, 1854.
Charters and Ordinances of City of Syracuse. Published by Syracuse
Journal, 1877. Republished 1885.
Charter and Ordinances of City of Syracuse, 1894. Published by E. M.
Grover.
Reports
Annual Reports of Bureau of Labor and Charities—Syracuse, N. Y.
Annual Reports of Department of Charities and Corrections, 1902.
Year ending Dec. 1, 1894, also 1895.
Annual Report of Syracuse Water Board, 1895.
Annual Reports of Comptrollers of City of Syracuse, 1905-6. Printed
by Dehler Press.
# # * *
Tax Books of the Town of Salina, 1842.
Report of the Syracuse Public Library, 1905.
Report of the Syracuse Public Library. Lyman Press, 1900.
Biographical Sketches of 1,000 Prominent Syracusans, 1897.
Clippings from Syracuse Journal, 1875.
Blue Book of Syracuse. Elite Pub. Co., 1889.
Blue Book (Society.) By Dowe, 1898.
Blue Book (Political.) By M. J. Kingsley, J. C. Knauber, J. J. Neville,
A. C. Buckenberger, 1902.
Common Council Manual of City of Syracuse, 1886-1888. Compiled at
City Clerk’s Office, 1895. Published by E. M. Grover.
Constitution and By-Laws of Citizen’s Club. Published by Syracuse
Pub. Co., 1894. Same, published 1896. Republished 1906.
Constitution of Century Club.
Cultivator, The, 1838-9. Published by Onondaga Historical Associa-
tion.
Daily Record of Mechanics’ Fair of Syracuse, 1858.
Ethnological Pamphlets.
Early History of Syracuse, by People’s Savings Bank, 1869. Published
by Rhodes & Miller.
Fifty Years in Park Church. Press of Hall & McChesney, 1896.
Gospel Messenger, 1894-6.
Journal of Board of Supervisors, Town of Onondaga, 1906. Ernest
Edgcomb, Chairman; Lieber E. Whittic, Clerk. Published by
Pinzer-Union Press, 1907.
Memorial Sketches of Elias Warren Leavenworth, 1803-87.
8Notable Men of Central New York, Syracuse and Vicinity. Published
by Dwight J. Stoddard, 1903.
Records of Syracuse Musical Association, 1856. By H. N. White,-
President.	x	'
Rules of Common Council of City of Syracuse.	-
Souvenir of Syracuse, 1897.	‘	l v *
Supervisors’ Journals—12 books, 1876-1891.
Syracuse Citizen’s Corps, by John Horton, Sec’y. Published by Syra-
cuse Journal, Feb. 24, 1896.
Syracuse Art Club, (Illustrated Catalogue.) Printed by Masters &
Stone, 1884.
Syracuse and Its Resources, 1893., H. J. Southland.
Salina in Olden Times (1868,) By L. H. Ried.
Syracuse and Its Surroundings, 1887.
Semi-Centennial of the Founding of Syracuse. S. B. Gifford and S. H.
Stone.
Early History of Syracuse. Pamphlet.
Syracuse Commerce and Resources
Resources of Onondaga County with Complete Review of Manufac-
turing and Jobbing Interests, Historical Sketches, the City’s
Elements of Wealth and Advantages as a Business Center, 1883
By G. W. Benedict.
Commercial History and Police Department. A. E. Costello.
New Syracuse—A pamphlet issued in Municipal Campaign of 1901.
The Royal Road to Wealth, also a History of Successful Business
Houses, 1873. PI. P. Smith.	r
Noted Artists
Charles Loring Elliott.
George Kasson Knapp.
Dr. Comfort.
Sanford Thayer.
James Cantwell.
Henry Ward Ranger.
Hattie Dingman.

®i
Allen Big Knife, (a deaf mute
at Indian Reservation.)
Peter Baumgrass.
Clark Mills (Sculptor.)
Augustus Rockwell.
Mrs. Gail Sherman Corbett.
n'
n
Chronology of Syracuse History I
’** --------------------------------»
1786— Ephraim Webster came
and established a trading
post.
Asa Danforth, the first per-
manent farmer in the vicin-
ity, settled here.
1787—	December 7, Benjamin
Neukerck died; the first
death in Syracuse.
1788—	Comfort Tyler came and
started the salt industry. .
1793—Mr. Van Yleck brought
from Albany a large coffee
mill which was used for
grinding corn.
1795—The first white man’s mar-
riage was performed, that of
Thomas Osman and Kathrine
Van Derwricher.
1800—December 28, Birth of Abi-
athar Jackson, the first white
child born in Syracuse. 1
Syracuse was named
1806-1809 Bogardus Corners.
1809-1812 Milan.
1812-1814 South Salina
1814-1817 Cossitt’s Corners.
1817-1820 Corinth.
1819—	Judge Forman moved here.
1820—	In February the first post-
office was established. The
place wias then named Syra-
cuse by the first postmaster,
John Wilkinson.
April 21, the packet boat Mont-
ezuma arrived on the Erie
Canal from the west.
1823—April 2, the first newspa-
per, ‘ ‘ Onondaga Gazette ’’
was printed.
1824—	The first church was built
in Syracuse . proper by the
Baptists.
1825—	April 13, Syracuse was in-
corporated as a village.
June 9;~LaFayette visited Syra-
cuse.
November 1, Governor Clinton
and party passed through
the city bearing water from
Lake Erie to New York Bay.
1832—July 17, the first case of the
cholera epidemic broke out.
1838—	The Auburn & Syracuse
Railroad was opened.
1839—	Syracuse & Utica Railroad
was opened.
1841—August 20, the powder ex-
plosion occurred.
1847—	December 13, Syracuse be-
came a city.
Salina merged with Syracuse.
1848—	May, Harvey Baldwin was
elected the first mayor.
October, the Oswego & Syracuse
Railroad was opened.
1849—	The State Fair was held
in Syracuse and Henry Clay,
was present.
1851—In May the American Anti-
Slavery Convention was held
in Syracuse.
June 10, Daniel Webster spoke
on the fugitive slave law.
October 1, the Jerry Rescue oc-
curred.
1854—October 23, the Syracuse
Binghamton & New York
Railroad was opened.
1856—John Brown spoke at the
National Theater.
101860—	Stephen A. Douglas . visit- 1877—February, a, snow blockade
ed here.	lasted for a week.
1861—	February 18, Abraham Lin- 1880—September 9, General U. S.
coin passed through Syracuse	Grant visited Syracuse.
and gave a brief address. 1882-^September 21, Grover
April, Colonel E. S. Jenney’s	Cleveland was nominated for
. battery went to the war.	Governor.
May 2, the Old Twelfth went to 1884—September 24, James G.
the front.	'	Blaine visited Syracuse.
1862—	August 31, the One Hun- 1887—The village of Danforth
dred^ Twenty-second Regi- united with Syracuse,
ment departed for the war.	1888-—The State Fair was per-
September 23; the One Hundred manently located in Syracuse
Forty-ninth Regiment went May 8, the new City Hall law
to the war.	was signed.
1863—	March, the funeral of Gen- 1889-^May 15, the Skaneateles
eral E. N. Sumner occurred.	water act became a law.
August 21, the Old Twelfth re~ June 4, a special election was
giment returned from the	held at which it was voted to
war.	bond the city for water
1868—March 15, Charles Dickens	works.
gave a reading at the Wiet- 1890—October 16, the Leland Ho-
ing Opera House.	tel was burned.
1871—August 31, the comer stone 1892—In March a great snow
of Syracuse University was	blockade occurred,
laid.	April 30, the new City Hall was
September 27, the Conkling	opened.
Fenton Feud broke out in the May 31, the May convention of
Republican State Convention.	the Cleveland Democrats,
1874— June 23, the Central Bap-	“Ariti-Snappers” was held,
tist Church disaster occurred. 1894—June 6-7, the celebration of
September 17, Samuel J. Tilden	Onondaga County Centennial
was nominated for Governor.	was held.
1875—	July to October, the small- 1895—The Law College of Syra-
pox epidemic prevailed.	cuse University was opened.
«—--------------——;------------------———«
I Climatic and Geographical Conditions
tt______________________;------------—-----,--------; —.... ,t
Climate and geographical conditions had much to do with the early
settlements in this region on the hills north, south and east of the pres-
ent site of Syracuse. The intersection of natural Indian trails north
and south, east and west, through the 4‘Long House of the Iroquois/9
determined the location of fur trading stations; while the beautiful
surroundings, fertile soil and plentiful water supply tempted settlers
11to locate and make the trading post -the'nuclei ofvpermanent villages.
Onondaga Hollow and Onondaga Hill at the south of the city,
were early settled and might have become the seats q£ considerable:
village communities, had not later developments in canal and road
building, (particularly railroad building), mane the present location
of-the city inevitable.	u
The salt springs made Salina. The geological conformation of our
locality is responsible for this circumstance. The great ‘‘Iroquois
Lake” of prehistoric times, left the great level beach plain,-which de-
termined the location of the Erie canal and the two railroads which
have pierced their way through ihe “gateway of the West” at Schen-
ectady on their way to the frontier, f urther on in the book, the im-
portance of the Erie canal to the development of our city will be fully
discussed.
The long level between Utica and Syracuse is one of the marvels
of the engineering world—not a lock in sixty miles. This same level
which made the work of the surveyors easy in determining the’ path
for the canal and railroads, made much of what is now Syracuse, little
more than a miasmic swamp. The history of Syracuse as a village,
<shows that local pride and patriotism, as well as the desire for gain,
had much to do with the draining and filling of these old swamps. One
of our recent buildings is built on piles sunk fifty feet through the old
swamp muck. These old Swamp levels have made ideal grades for the
business portion of our city, while the surrounding hills have gradu-
ally been seized by the advancing population and turned into beautiful
residence districts. But the hills give no finer foundation than the well
drained and thoroughly conquered swamp land of a century ago. ;
-------‘-------------'------------------------- ll
Historical Places in the Vicinity |
______________ _________________——.—-,■■■-■— ---------------n
The Origin and Growth of Pompey
The largest of the Onondaga Indian villages was situated on tvhat
is now known as Lot 9, Pompey, and is some two miles south of
Manlius. Beauchamp says, ‘ ‘ Everywhere there "are traces of the
Erench rmisiions of the Seventeenth Century and a vast amount of
metallic work has been carried away, as well as trinkets of all kinds. ’ i
Npt less than twelve burial grounds are described by Clark &
Beauchamp,1 in; this vicinity, each having considerable interest. All of
these things and much more of early accessible history go to make lip
theubfiditions which^existed1 here in the last quarter of the ISthuen-5
tury wheti thb New England emigrants -came into the Onondaga Valley
and settled upon the heights of Pompey and Otisco.	t^x'-ri
The first settlers shunned the deeper and darker valleys where*~th&luxurious and excessive vegetation was fraught with disease and death
and placed their homes upon the hilltops, where they had air and light
and an outlook over the land covered as by a great ocean of green
and waving foliage.
Pompey was originally Township 16 of the Military Tract and
consisted of 100 lots, which were later reduced to 68. The pioneers
worked hard and were rewarded with simple food and scanty clothing
and, for these, they thanked God and were happy. At an early day,
only those who were able to put up comfortable homes could enter-
tain travelers, hence the inn-keepers were among the leading men, and
the inns were the places where men of all classes—lawyers, doctors,
clergymen and business men—met, and discussed the affairs of the
town and nation.
Pompey led in educational enterprises. The early teachers were
from New England and were imbued with the spirit of that region.
The Pompey Academy, established in 1811, gave to the town a fine
literary reputation. The first building of the academy was commenced
in 1803 by William Lathrop and completed in 1806. There was great
difficulty in raising money to complete the structures, but in 1810
enough was raised to finish payment on the buildings. Pinal steps
were taken in February, 1811, for the incorporation of a school.
The industrial interests developed rapidly. Grist and saw mills
were situated on favorable sites.
Pompey Hill was for years one of the most prominent places in
Onondaga County. It was noted for the wealth and refinement of its
people and the educational features it enjoyed. It was the center of
statesmanship, law and literature. Pompey is a widely recognized
mother of public men, who have left their impress upon the affairs of
the State and Nation.
!	Fort Brewerton
This old fortification is accounted as one of the most interesting
historical places in Central New York. It is located on the eastern
shore of the Oneida River, just across from the present village of Brew-
erton. The fort was erected by the British in 1758 as a defense against
French invasions of the Mohawk valley. The fort was named after
the British officer, Captain Brewerton, who commanded several fron-
tier stations. In 1795 a block house was erected near the fort. Fort
Brewerton was never beseiged, nor was any battle fought there, never-
theless it was deemed as a valuable defense in the line of fortifications
extending from Oswego to the Mohawk valley.
Old settlers relate that when the fort was dismantled the cannon
were drawn into the swamp to the south and buried, but diligent
search has failed to reveal the missing ordnance. Until about 1850
the old fort was in excellent state of preservation; then it was plowed
over, but since has been carefully preserved in its original outlines.
The block house long ago disappeared. In a sand hill nearby many
13human remains have been unearthed. Baldwin’s Island, now known
as Iroquois Island, has possessed a great interest from the large num-
ber of relics found there. In this respect the shores of the river for
several miles have been wonderfully productive of Indian curiosities.
Ancient Fortifications Near Green Point
The eastern shores of Onondaga Lake between the present villages
of Salina and Liverpool are very interesting in their ancient remains.
The mission house, church and fortifications at the Jesuit; wells
are the best known. This fort was probably built by Frontenac at the
time of his invasion in 1696.
In 1797, James Geddes acting as deputy surveyor, while laying out
the salt lands, found traces of an old stockade which he surveyed and
mapped. It was near a fine spring of water and situated in a pleasant
Jocality on a commanding location and was evidently made by skilled
engineers. All traces of the earthworks disappeared at least 75 years
ago, but the locality has been prolific in relics, brass kettles,1 gun bar-
rels, musket balls and hatchets.
Johnson’s Fort in the Valley
On Webster’s mile square, in 1756, Sir William Johnson built a
stockade, the remains of which were left when the valley was settled
in 1768. The graded way of fieldstone from the terrace still exists and
is called the Military Koad. Traces of the fireplaces of the block-
house are well remembered by living persons. Two Onondaga villages
further up the valley were burned by Yan Schoick’s expedition in
1779. Prehistoric hamlets are noted in various adjacent localities and
some interesting relics have been unearthed. The stockade on lot 3,
Lafayette, was burned by Frontenac’s expedition in 1696.
-----------;----------------1------------------1-------—tt
The Earliest Settlement In Syracuse
3-,	■ __ —............... ■■	,	..
In the center of our great Empire State, is a small and narrow
valley known as the Onondaga. It extends north and south between
two long hills, and, as the southern end is somewhat higher than the
northern, there is a small creek, called Onondaga Creek, that flows
northward and empties into Onondaga Lake at the northern extremity
of this valley. In the eighteenth century this region was the home of
the Onondaga Indians, the historic leaders of the Iroquois. It was
here that the chiefs of the six nations assembled for all their councils,
camp fires, and war dances. The streams were filled with salmon and
trout and the ground in certain places was dotted with salt springs,
the brine of which was used by the Indians as a medicine. Part of the
present site of the city of Syracuse was then a dark and almost im-
penetrable swamp. The entire valley was covered by a dense forest
and was a favorite resort for wolves, bears, wildcats, etc.
14In 1784, Ephraim Webster, an enterprising young fur trader, who
had just distinguished himself for three years as captain under Wash-
ington, set out for the country of the Onondagas. He traveled by way
of an old waterway, up the Mohawk to Port Stanwix, where a short
portage was made to Wood Creek, thence by way of Oneida Lake,
Seneca Kiver, and Onondaga Lake. He built a trading post on the
eastern bank of the creek where it empties into the lake. He became
a great friend of the Indians and was granted about a square mile of
land in that region. In three weeks’ time he had such a stock of furs
and other things-that he employed several Onondaga Indians to help
in taking them to Albany. He continued his trading here for several
years and prospered.
In 1800, Calvin Jackson built a small log house near the present
site of the City Hall. In that dwelling was born Albion Jackson, probr
ably the first white child born in the vicinity of Syracuse. At this
time there were fifty-eight inhabitants of the town of “Salina,” a new
settlement north of Syracuse. These people were engaged mostly in
manufacturing salt.
There was also a town just south of the city. In 1788, Asa Dan-
forth and a few friends had migrated from Massachusetts and settled
at Onondaga Valley. In 1803 there were eight frame houses and sev-
eral log cabins at this place. It also had an established postoffice and
a court to its credit. A year later the state made a treaty with the
Onondagas at Port Stanwix and acquired the title to the forest be-
tween the two settlements.
In the same year the state authorized the Surveyor-General to
sod two hundred fifty acres, of what is now the business section of
Syracuse, to Mr. Abram Walton with the stipulation that he build a
mill and a public house on the land. The proceeds of the sale, $6,500,
were to be used to build the Genesee turnpike in this county. Mr.
Walton immediately built the first mill in Syracuse, where the Techni-
cal High School now stands. He laid out part of his land into village
lots and sold to Henry Bo gar dus a half acre for $300. The contract
compelled Mr. Bogardus to build a tavern on his land and this he did
on the site of the present Empire House. The place soon became
known as “Bogardus Corners” and the tavern was calledSouth Sa-
lina Hotel.” Here the old stage coach stopped on its trip between
Albany and Buffalo.
The Erie canal project had been under discussion since the early
part of 1800. In a few years it became a political issue and in 1807
Joshua Forman, an enterprising lawyer of Onondaga Valley, was
elected to the State Assembly on the canal ticket. He became one of
the greatest advocates for the building of this waterway and tried to
have it put through his home village, but the people at the Valley did
not want it. He went to Salina and the people there were pessimistic
about its ever being a reality. So Mr. Forman decided it must go be-
15tween the two towns. He formed a company which started to forward
the settlement of the swamp. Previous to this time the locality had
been very unhealthful and many inhabitants had suffered severely
from sickness and some had died. The company obtained an appro-
priation from the State Legislature and deepened and widened the
outlet of the lake. This Towered the level of the lake and thereby took
all the water out of the swamp. He himself built a little white house
where the Wieting Block now stands, and transformed the land into a
beautiful grove of trees and flowers. The first celebration of the
Fourth of July in this county took place in this grove.
3	i	:	-n
The Erie Canal and Syracuse
** , _ , . - , . . , ■ **
To the Erie Canal may be given the credit for the existence and
present status of Syracuse. It was the canal which decided that the
great swamp was to be converted into a progressive and enterprising
hamlet and finally a great city.
Judge Forman was instrumental in obtaining the passage of the
bill by the State Legislature appropriating funds for the excavation.
When the building of the canal was almost a certainty Judge Forman
organized a company, “Forman, Wilson & Co., which purchased the
Walton Tract at a cost of $9,000. During the next few years, the Judge
did all within his power to recommend Syracuse, although the only fea-
tures of the place were a few houses beside the great swamp.
On April 20, 1820, the first packet boat on the canal arrived at the
town of Lodi (now a part of Syracuse.) The boat was a small craft
named the “ Montezuma. 7 7 This notable event had been extensively
advertised and- the inhabitants for miles around had gathered on the
banks of the canal, eager to witness the great spectacle of a boat sail-
ing in the ‘'Big Ditch.77 The majority of the crowd was composed of
sceptics who thought the whole project an impossibility. After hours
of wraiting many more were inclined to agree with this class. The
patience of the hopeful ones was rewarded when suddenly came the
cry,, “There she comes!’7 The boat was towed by a team of spirited
horses, which passed the crowd on a fast trot, The sight evoked great
enthusiasm and applause from the excited crowd. This successful
|rip silenced all. doubters and the hopes of its promotors were realized.
This event opened a new era in the history of Syracuse. Men of
ipeans were attracted here and the hamlet began to develop. Storage
$nd shipping houses, mills, and other evidences of industry were
.erected. The great salt deposits here also attracted many. The for-
ient was soon replaced in large areas by houses, taverns and other
essential buildings. The growth of the town was hindered consider-
ably by the presence of the dangerous infectious swamp, but in 1821,
16after a careful survey, it was thought that it was possible to drain
this swamp by widening the outlet. The experiment was a pro-
nounced success, and removed a deadly menace. After the reclama-
tion, the growth of Syracuse was rapid. The canal was the link
which connected Syracuse with the West and the ocean.
The Erie canal is still a significant factor in the commerce of
Syracuse, and with the completion of the new Barge canal, we may
expect another, epoch in Syracuse history and development.
-----------'-----------------:-------tt
Disasters in Syracuse
a-----------------------------------------------------------1
Cholera Epidemic
In the year 1832, the first case of cholera in America occurred at
Montreal.
As soon as the news became known in Syracuse that the disease
was in America, every precaution was taken. Every incoming boat
was examined before the passengers were allowed to land. The city
was divided into wards with a health officer at the head of each ward.
His duty was to superintend the cleaning of yards and streets, using
lime where it was necessary.
In spite of all precautions, however, the disease invaded the com-
munity. The first case in Syracuse was on July* 17, 1832. The victim
was a laborer, who died the same day that he was afflicted. After
this case, the disease spread rapidly. Most of the influential men of
the town were victims of the malady, among them being Dr. Jonathan
Day, Dr. Wm. Kirkland, and Rev. N. J. Gilbert. The total number is
estimated at two hundred and fifty in the towns of Salina and Syra-
cuse.
Powder Explosion
On the night of Aug. 20, 1841, occurred the ever memorable gun
powder explosion, which killed 26 citizens and injured over sixty
others.
About 9:30 P. M., $ fire of unknown origin started in a joiner's
shop on the tow path of the Oswego Canal, almost in the rear of
the County Clerk's Office. The fire soon enveloped 'the whole build-
ing and soon afterward the twenty-six kegs of powder which were
stored there exploded with tremendous force' and completely demol-
ished the building and checked the fire.
The night air was filled with shrieks and groans of the injured and
dying. When lanterns were brought, the appalling results of the
explosion were seen and the cries of relatives and friends mingled
with those of the victims. Many had been swept into the canal and
drowned.
1718Fortunately the force of the explosion was in a southeasterly
direction, across the canal, a locality which was not overcrowded
with people. A house on the opposite bank of the canal was almost
torn from its foundation. Glass was broken in houses one hundred
yards distant. The report was heard as far away as Fulton, a dis-
tance of twenty-six miles.
In some towns around Syracuse it was thought to be an earth-
quake.
The victims were removed as soon as possible and services were
held in all the churches, while all the city was in mourning.
Central Baptist Church Disaster
The church parlors of the Central Baptist Church presented a
lively scene on the night of June 23, 1874. It was the music festival
held for the children and the church was crowded.
The first intimation of danger was a slight trembling of the floor.
Few heeded this warning. A few moments passed and suddenly a
terrible crash was heard. This was accompanied by the collapse of
the floor and ceiling. Heavy timbers, stifling plaster dust, broken
furniture, debris, and people were all hurled downward in one con-
fused mass.
There was a momentary silence and then shrieks of terror and
agony, from young and old alike, arose in one pitiable chorus from the
struggling throng.
The firemen and police rendered great assistance almost immedi-
ately. Everything possible was done to assist the unfortunates, it
being daylight before all were removed from the debris. Fifteen
deaths occurred as a result of the disaster.
Smallpox Epidemic
Syracuse was destined to suffer severely in the summer and fall
of 1875 from the ravages of smallpox and the disease attracted suffi-
cient attention in August to demand a public meeting to prevent an
epidemic. Either in anticipation of the disease or for the general rea-
son that there had been mild visitations of it in previous years, the
Common Council on January 4th, directed the clerk to advertise for
a city pest house. This action led to the purchase of eight acres of
land on Beech Street and the erection in August of the hospital with
necessary outbuildings for patients afflicted with the contagious dis-
ease.
Meanwhile, in spite of all the efforts the disease spread, forty
cases being reported about the first of September. On the sixth there
were six burials from the scourge; up to that date a total of 128 cases
had been reported, with 36 deaths. The disease progessed without
very much contagion until late in the autumn.
The press boldly asserted that it was on the wane and confidence
ivas restored as early as October 1st. On the 8th of the same month
19& manifesto from the leading business men was issued, concluding
that ihe disease was about stamped out and that there was no danger
to Visitors. The fact is that there were 52 cases on the first of No-
vember and the disease was not eradicated until the first of the year.
On the 10th of November the city physiciars reported that there
had been 810 cases and 182 deaths, which number was increased after
that date. Business suffered seriously on account of the loss of coun-
try trade and the epidemic cost the city more than $60,000 loss
directly and a vastly larger sum indirectly. The hospital grounds cost
about $12,000.
Leland Hotel Fire
(As told by Chief J. P. Quigley.)
The Leland Hotel was located where the New York Central sta-'
tion now stands.
The fire which destroyed the hotel occurred on October 16, 1890.
Chief Quigley remembers it as the most terrible fire he has seen dur-
ing his service in the Fire Department. The place was known to be a
fire-trap. The fire, which was caused by electric wires short-circuit-
- ing, was discovered by Lewis Leland, a cousin of the proprietor.
Intimately connected with the fire were Barney Harvey and
Henry Rucker. The former entered the flaming building and rescued
several who had been entrapped by the smoke and flames. Henry
Rucker, the elevator boy, “stuck to his post” and ran his elevator as
long as it was possible to do so.
p’------------ »
Webster’s Speech
«____________________________________________________________tt
Among the noted visitors to Syracuse was Daniel Webster. His
reputation as an orator was gained during the great abolition agita-
tion.
Syracuse contained many anti-slavery sympathizers, but there
were also a number of “friends of the Union,”' who asked Webster to
speak here on the subject of the Fugitive Slave Law. He arrived.on
4he ninth of June and was escorted to the Courier Building, from the
baUony of which he was to speak.
A large crowd had gathered to hear him. His speech was very
satisfactory to the “Unionists,” but entirely the reverse was its effect
on the abolitionists. In fiery language he" condemned as traitors all
those who refused to enforce the Fugitive Slave Law. He accused
ihem of disobeying the law and ranking their judgment superior to
Ihe Constitution. He charged them not only to yield up all slaves, but
I o punish those guilty in the treasonable act of resisting its execu-
tion.
20In conclusion Mr. Webster said that he was a Northerner and
irreconcilable to human slavery, but since the Constitution contained
the Fugitive Slave Law, he felt in duty bound to obey it. He asked
them the question, “ Will you do justice to the Southern States, that
they may have no pretext for leaving the Union, and will you sustain
the Union?” His closing remarks were, “Those persons in this city
who mean to oppose the fugitive slave law are traitors! traitors! This
law ought to be obeyed and it will be enforced and in the midst of the
next antislavery convention, if there shall be any occasion so en-
force it.’ ’
This speech aroused in the hearts of the abolitionists an insatiable
desire to demonstrate their disregard for the Fugitive Slave Law.
This desire was fully gratified by the incident of the “Jerry Rescue.”
X
The Jerry Rescue
J
Eye Witness
The following account was ob-
tained by Misses Wilhelmina But-
ler and Ethel Du Bois from col-
ored people who were witnesses
of the famous event of the Jerry
Rescue:
Jerry McHenry was a supposed
slave, belonging to Mr. Reynolds
of Missouri. He was an athletic
mulatto, who had been living in
Syracuse for a number of years,
working quite expertly as a
cooper.
In 1851, his former master had
in some way discovered Jerry’s
whereabouts and on the first of
October, 1851, Jerry was arrested
and taken to the Commissioner’s
office and tried before the District
Attorney. The bell of the Congre-
gational Church, then located on
Genesee Street, between Warren
and Montgomery Streets, (where
Convention Block now stands),
gave notice of Jerry’s arrest.
His trial was a one-sided pro-
cess, in which the agent of the
Secondary Authority
Daniel Webster’s fiery speech
was instrumental in bringing on
the Jerry Rescue, which made
Syracuse famous as a station on
the “Underground Railway.”
Jerry was a slave who had es-
caped from his master a number
of years prior to his arrest. He
had made his way north and had
settled in the towin of Salina, ply-
ing his trade as a cooper. He was
well known in the town and there
were few who would have seen
harm done to him.
In October, 1851, an officer from
the South quietly entered the
town and planned to arrest Jerry,
who was ignorant of this fact, as
well as his friends. The latter
were surprised when one day,
about dusk, Jerry was arrested
and quickly dispatched to the Col-
lins Block (now known as the
“Jerry Rescue Building.”) He
was given a speedy trial by the
Federal Court, only the agent be-
ing permitted to testify. Jerry,
21Eye Witness—Continued
claimant alone testified that the
prisoner was an escaped slave, be-
longing to Mr. Reynolds of Mis-
souri. The accused was not al-
lowed to defend his own case, nor
to refute the testimony of the
agent, however false that might
be.
While the trial was in progress,
Jerry, who was not closely guard-
ed, quietly slipped out of the room
under the guidance of a young
man, and in a moment was in the
street below.
The crowd approved his action
and made way for him, but as no
means had been provided to facili-
tate his escape he was entirely de-
pendent on his ability as a runner.
He had run a half mile before
the police and the agent overtook
him, Jerry resisted very strenu-
ously, but was finally subdued.
With two policemen sitting on
him, Jerry, bruised and bleeding,
was brought back in a cart to a
small back room by the police
officers and was securely guarded.
The citizens of Syracuse were
very indignant, to such an extent
that they boldly made threats to
release Jerry. Jerry meanwhile
was also enraged. Mr. May, an in-
fluential citizen was asked to
counsel with him and pacify him.
It was sometime before Jerry
could compose himself, however,
and he asked Mr. May, “Would
you be quiet with these things on
you,” indicating the shackles and
handcuffs. Mr. May assured him
that he would soon be rescued and
that he must be calm.
A party of twenty had met at
Dr. Hoyt’s office to plan the rescue
Secondary Authority—Continued
manacled and shackled, was
brought into the room and his ap-
pearance in this humiliating man-
ner aroused the ire of all the spec-
tators, who had gathered.
While the trial was in progress
some one overturned the lamps
and the room was in complete
darkness. Taking advantage of the
confusion, several men seized Jer-
ry and deported him out of the
building. They ran down the bog
of what is now Clinton Street,
pursued by the sheriff. As Jerry
was encumbered by the shackles,
rapid progress was impossible
and finally numbers had to yield
to the law.
Jerry was placed in a cart and,
with two policemen upon him, he
was brought to the Court House.
His rescue was effected that
night by twenty men, who bat-
tered the doors and windows
of his prison and made off with
Jerry.
Enraged at his failure to recap-
ture the slave, the sheriff immedi-
ately placed the perpetrators un-
der arrest. Among this number
were the most prominent men in
the town. Such men as Rev. Sam-
uel May, Gerrit Smith, and Moses
Summers, editor of the “Stand-
ard.” A jury could not be draft-
ed to try them.
Public indignation was roused
and affairs came to such a crisis
that Mayor Prendergast called
out the militia to prevent a serious
riot. This act incensed the citi-
zens more than any measures
which had been taken in the ease.
22Eye Witness—Continued
of Jerry. It was decided that a
bold, skillful driver should be sta-
tioned not far off with a strong
buggy and a team of the fleetest
horses obtainable, to receive Jer-
ry. He was instructed to drive
about the city and, when he had
outdistanced the persons to return
to a certain point in the center of
the city where two men would be
waiting to rescue Jerry.
Accordingly, at a given signal,
the doors and windows of the po-
lice office were shattered and the
rescuers rushed in, seized Jerry,
and placed him in the buggy.
About nine o’clock that night Jer-
ry was delivered by the driver to
Mr. Jason S. Hoyt and Mr. J.
Davis. These two men guided
Jerry up Chestnut Street (now
Crouse Avenue) to a blacksmith
shop, where Mrs. Susan L. Watson
and another lady relieved him of
his shackles.
For a number of days there
were only a few people who knew
where Jerry was, many thinking
him on the way to Canada.
The next Sunday evening a cov-
ered wagon was seen standing
near the door of Mr. Davis’ house.
Mr. Davis and Mr. Hoyt"appeared,
and assisted an apparently infirm
man into a wagon and drove off at
a rapid rate.
Suspicion was aroused and sev-
eral ‘"patriots” set off: in pursuit
of the ""traitors.” They followed
for eight or ten miles and aban-
doned the pursuit. Jerry was
taken about twenty miles to the
home of a Quaker in the town of
Mexico.
After being concealed there sev-
Secondary Authority—Continued
Meanwhile Jerry had been at
the home of Rev. Samuel J. May
on the corner of Mulberry (now
State) and Genesee Streets. He
was concealed there’ for two
nights and was then given over to
the care of Mrs. Susan Watson, a
colored lady residing on Railroad
Avenue. Here his shackles were
stricken off and Jerry was free
from any physical encumbrances.
Plans were then made for his
escape, as there was still a vigor-
ous search being made for Jerry.
Early one morning, he was hid-
den in a butcher’s wagon and was
driven over the old Oswego road
to Lake Ontario. Here he boarded
a schooner, bade a grateful fare-
well to his benefactors, and was
soon on his journey to freedom.
He arrived safely at St. Cath-
erines a free man.
Syracusans communicated with
him through the ""underground
railway,” and it was with great
sorrow that they learned of his
death, four years later.
Shackles and Key to Jerry’s Cell
This event brought fame to
Syracuse and is only one of theEye Witness—Continued
eral days, lie was placed upon a
schooner with a friendly captain
who took him to Kingston. He
soon opened a cooper’s shop there
and maintained it until his death
four years later.
Secondary Authority—Continued
examples of deeds parallel to this-
one, which occurred constantly
throughout the North.
(The above account was taken from
secondary authority, and the report of
eye witnesses is placed opposite for
comparison.)
The key to Jerry’s cell and the
shackles are now in the possession
of the Historical Society, (see il-
lustration.) Below are transcripts
of the original orders issued in
connection with the case.
Sheriffs Office,
Onondaga County,
Syracuse, Oct. 1, 1851.
To the Commandant of the Syra-
cuse Corps (sic.)
You are forthwith required to
have yourv company armed and
equipped (sic.) and ready for
duty and at my office to aid in the
keeping of peace and assist in ex-
ecuting the law.
Yours, V. C.,
WM. B. GARDNER,
Sheriff.
Lieut. Chandler,
SirThe sheriff and I have
consulted and we think the serv-
ice of the military will not be
needed this evening.
Very resp.,
0. VANDENBERGH,
Col. 51st Regt.
Oct. 1, 1851.
To Lieut. Chandler,
The Citizen’s Corps are (sic) re-
quested to disband immediately.
0. VANDENBERGH,
Oct. 1, 1851. Col. 51st Regt.
8-------------------------------;------;-8
| Special Events in Syracuse & Onondaga Co.J
During the growth of Syracuse,
many events occurred which, al-
though not generally known, are
no less interesting and important.
Onondaga County contributed her
share of troops in the Revolution-
ary War, and were the stories of
the deeds of these unknown he-
roes known, they would afford
great interest, but unfortunately
there are no records.
It was customary in early years
for the veterans to participate in
Independence Day celebrations
and other public demonstrations
of patriotism. The first celebra-
tion of the anniversary of Ameri-
can Independence held in Syra-
cuse was on Monday the 5th of
July, 1824. About thirty veterans
took part in the ceremonies and
added materially'to the day’s fes-
tivities. These were only a small
percentage of the veterans who
were residing in the county at
that time. In the year (1824)
there were one hundred and
twelve Revolutionary soldiers
drawing pensions in Onondaga
County.
24During the great slavery agita-
tion, preceding the Civil War, the
system called the “ Underground
Railway” was established. Syra-
cuse was one of the stations on
the lengthy list. The inhabitants
at first abhorred the idea of har-
boring runaway slaves, but soon
became the warmest supporters of
the “system.”
Two colored clergymen of Syra-
cuse were the heads of the move-
ment here. The co-operation of
the leading bankers and business
men was readily secured. Among
the few that complained were the
hotel men, who asserted that
Southern gentlemen refused to
stop here, because of the danger
that their slaves might be easily
induced to leave them.
Some of the slaves rescued by
the “system” preferred living in
Syracuse to crossing into Canada.
The directory of 1852 gives the
names of ninety-two negro resi-
dents.
The passage of the Fugitive
Slave Law in 1850 caused great
indignation throughout the North,
Syracuse asserted her anger by
holding an “indignation meet-
ing ” at the City Hall. The hall
was crowded and the people
passed a set of thirteen resolu-
tions referring to the Fugitive
Slave Law as “a most flagrant
outrage upon the inalienable
rights of man and a daring assault
upon the palladium of American
liberty.”
At the next meeting a signed
petition was sent to Congress.
Syracuse gained a widespread
reputation as an abolition center.
In May, 1851, the “American An-
ti-Slavery Society” met at Syra-
cuse, among those present being
William Lloyd Garrison, Gerrit
Smith, Frederic Douglas, Parker
Pittsburg, Abby Kelly, Foster
and Samuel May. Mr. Garrison’s
opening remarks showed the
great opposition to the society in
New York City. His words were,
“This Society has heretofore met
in New York, but we are not per-
mitted by a power that is greater
than liberty in our land to hold
the anniversary in that city this
year, as neither a meeting house
nor a hall could be obtained. If
driving this Society from New
Ydrk has covered that city with
historical infamy^ the receiving of
it in Syracuse will cover this city
with historical renown.” There-
after Syracuse was the rendez-
vous of many Anti-Slavery con-
ventions.
On April 22, 1861, after the
bombardment of Fort Sumter, a
mass meeting was held and $10,-
000 was appropriated for the fam-
ilies of volunteers.
253----------------------------■—'-------u
Syracuse in the Civil War
«----------------------—----,-----------X
Syracuse sent in all five regi-
ments of infantry (12th, 101st,
122nd, 149th, 185th), nine com-
panies of the 15th Cavalry, Com-
pany B of the Light Artillery, and
a company of Zouaves command-
ed by John G. Butler, aggrega-
ting in all over ten thousand vol-
unteers.
The first to be sent to the front
were Butler’s Zouaves, who left
the city immediately after the fall
of Sumter, and were soon fol-
lowed by Jenney’s command, Bat-
tery B, 1st Light Artillery. The
Zouaves were conspicuous in the
battles of Big Bethel, Ft. Wagner,
Bermuda Hundreds, Petersburg,
Ft. Gilmer, Chapin’s Farm, Ft.
Fischer, and Wilmington, N. C.
The artillery participated in the
battles of Fair Oaks, Malvern
Hill, Antietam, Fredericksburg,
Chaneellorsville, Getty sburg,
Spotsylvania, Petersburg, and
Hatcher ’s Bun.
The next regiment to leave was
the gallant ‘ ‘ Twelfth, ’ ’ under
Col. E. L. Walrath, later under
Col. Weeks, which entrained on
May 2, 1861. This regiment
rendered invaluable service at the
battles on the Peninsula. It was
especially prominent in the siege
of Yorktown, and the battles of
Malvern Hill, 2nd Bull Run, and
Fredricksburg.
On Feb. 17, 1862, the second
regiment from Syracuse left for
Hancock, N. Y., and was there
absorbed into the 101st N. Y.
Vols., and soon left for the front.
This regiment lost so many men
in the Peninsular campaign that it
was in turn absorbed by the 37th
N. Y. Vols. in October. They also
were in the battles of Chancellors-
ville, Gettysburg, Wilderness, and
Petersburg.
In August of 1862, the 122nd
Regiment was mustered in and
started for New York the 31st.
This regiment was led by Col. Si-
las Titus. All the brigade and di-
vision commanders testified as to
the unsurpassed gallantry of the
122nd at the battles of Chancel-
lors ville, Gettysburg, Rappahan-
nock Station, Wilderness, Spot-
sylvania, and Cedar Creek, especi-
ally at Chaneellorsville. The regi-
ment lost many of their most valu-
able officers, besides, a large per-
centage of men. Such men as
Lieut.Col. Augustus W. Dwight,
Lieut. Theodore Poole, Maj.
Joshua B. Davis, and Capt. Mor-
ris Church and Horace Walpole
served in this regiment.
Recruiting was still carried on
and by the 18th of September the
149th Regiment was ready to go
to the front. Col. Henry A. Bar-
num commanded it. Col. Barnum
was wounded at Malvern Hill and
Lookout Mountain, and was pro-
moted in 1865 to Brig. Gen. for
conspicuous gallantry. The 149thequalled the reputations of its
predecessors from Syracuse and
did gallant service at Lookout
Mountain, Missionary Ridge,
Chattanooga, Gettysurg, and in
Sherman’s great campaign around
Atlanta.
The last full regiment from
Syracuse, the 185th, left for the
war Sept. 23, 1864, commanded by
Col. Edwin S. Jenney, who had re-
cruited Battery B at the begin-
ning of the war.. The regiment
fought in a battle around Peters-
burg sustaining a slight loss.
One of the deeds was the de-
struction of the Weldon Railroad,
which connected Petersburg with
the Confederate base of supplies
at Weldon. In the second battle
of Hatcher’s Run the 185th sus-
tained severe losses. It also fought
in the battles of Five Forks and
Petersburg, the attack on Fort
Steadman, and was present at the
surrender at Appomatox. Though
one of the later regiments, the
185th saw much service and
gained an enviable record.
To enumerate the deeds of
these brave regiments would re-
quire a larger volume than the
present one, but it is sufficient to
say that no other city in New
York State sent a more gallant
collection of men th^n those who
left our city during the War of
the Rebelion, many of them never
to return.
Military Roll of Honor of Syracuse High School
1861
James A. Allis—Maj. 4th N. Y.
Prov. Cav. Yois.
William P. Burdick—1st Lt. 102d
N. Y. Inft. Yols.
H. Wadsworth Clarke — Capt.
3d N. Y. Light Art. Yols.
Charles W. Barnes—Battery “D”
185th N. Y. Inft. Yols.
George Knapp Collins — Capt.
149th N. Y. Inft, Yols.
Joseph A. Davis—2d 149th N. Y.
Lt. Inft. Yols.
Thomas W. Durston—Q. M. Sergt.
15th N. Y. Inft. Yols.
Frank B. Garrett—Capt. U. S.
Colored Cav. Yols.
Charles H. George—1st 76th N. Y.
Lt. Inft. Yols.
Elisha B. George—Sergt. Major
149th N. Y. Inft. Yols.
Byron Gilbert—1st Sergt. Co.
“E” 12th N. Y. Inft. Yols,
1865
Foster B. Gilbert—Asst. Paymas-
ter, U. S. Navy.
George H. Gilbert—Capt. 122d N.
Y. Inft. Yols.
William F. Hubbard—149th Inft.
Yols. Chaplain U. S. A.
Charles M. Kinne—Col. 100 2nd
Mass, Cav. and Capt. and A.
A. G., U. S. A.
Theodore Y. Kinne—Asst. Surg.
184th N. Y. Inft. Yols.
Edward Leonard—Hos. Steward,
3d N. Y. Inft. Yols.
Maurice Leyden—Major 4th Prov.
N. Y. Cav. Vols.
Alexander McKinstry — Captain
149th N. Y. Inft. Vols.
James S. McVey—1st Lt. 3d N. Y.
Art. and Staff Maj., Gen’l
John J. Pack.
Morton L. Marks, Maj. 122 N. Y.
Inft. Yols.
27Thomas Merriam—Maj. 149th N.
Y. Inft. Vols.
Charles H. Merrick—Sergt. Bat-
tery “F” 3d N. Y. Light Art.
Yols.
Smith Norway—1st Sergt. 112th
N. Y. Inft. Yols.
Herbert D. Peck— Capt. 22d N. Y.
Cay. Yols.
John A. Prindle—Capt. 7th Ver-
mont Inft. Yols. and A. A. G.
Rossiter W. Raymond — Capt.
Staff Major GenT John C.
Freemont.
Joseph Seymour, Jr.—2nd 149th
N. Y. Lt. Inft. Yols.
Teall 0. Seymour—Q. M. Sergt.
3d N. Y. Inft. Yols.
Chas. F. Spear—122d N. Y. Inft.
Yols.'
Samuel S. Sumner—Capt. 5th
Cav. LT. S. and Maj. GenT U.
S. A.
Osgood Y. Tracy—Col. 122d N. Y.
Lt. Inft. Yols.
William G. Tracy—Maj. U. S.
Yols., Staff Maj. GenT H. W.
Slocum.
George G. Truair—Maj. 149th N.
Y. Inft. Yols.
John F. Wheeler—1st 149th N. Y.
Lt. Inft. Yols.
Will W.Wheeler—Sergt. Co. “H”
16th Heavy Art. Yols.
Andrew W. Wilkin—Major 122d
N. Y. Inft. Yols.
Augustine H. Williams — Corp.
12th N. Y. Inft Yols.
I* Land Marks In and Around Syracuse
U—___________________________________l
Long before the advent of pres-
ent civilization in Onondaga, there
was an advanced age of civiliza-
tion. However, a few landmarks
remain to remind us of the time
when this section of the country
was covered with wigwams be-
longing to the Red Men.
One of the landmarks is the
Pinnacle, a cone-shaped hill about
half \yay between Elmwood and
Onondaga Yalley. From its sum-
mit the Indians sent messages by
signal fires to the top of the other
hill across the valley, which in
turn sent signals to what is now
the Indian Reservation. At pres-
ent, the hill is being dug away for
the fine sand and gravel found
in it.
Two distinct landmarks are lo-
cated at Onondaga Hill, the Pres-
byterian Church, erected in 1818,
and nearer the city on the same
road, two graves. Both men who
lie buried there were stationed at
and died in Onondaga Yalley, one
a captain, the other an unknown
private.
At Onondaga Yalley stands the
Academy which was built in
1815, repaired in 1853 and again
in 1890. Another building with a
long and interesting history is the
hotel at Elmwood.
In 1800 Nicholas Michels built
a blast furnace on the preseht site
of Morris’ greenhouses. At the
same time he built a long, low
building across the street for stor-
ing the castings. This building
was one and one-half stories high
28and flaming red in color. On one
door post was carved a spread
eagle over a shield and beneath it
were the words “Built in 1800.”
During the war of 1812, Michels
cast shot for the store of supplies
at the State Arsenal. Michaels aft-
erwards sold the property to one
Jerathmiel Hunt and it has since
passed from hand to hand. Lem-
uel Clift used it as a residence for
ten years and then sold it to Rus-
sel Eastman. Very little of the
original remains.
The State Arsenal at Onondaga
Valley was in the early part of its
existence a one and one-half story
building and stood gray and im-
posing upon a side hill with two
cannons side by side upon the roof
indicating its use. Nov/ the re-
mains consist of two walls and the
diagonal half of the third. Por-
tions of the decayed beams extend
from their former position and yet
those two walls are silent and for-
bidding.
One of the oldest houses. in
Syracuse is at the corner of Oak
and Robinson Streets. This house
was occupied by E. P. Bates as his
residence for nearly twenty-five
years. The construction is unique.
It has no upright timbers, and the
floor joists are made of small logs
hewn to a face on the top side
only. The upright walls are made
of two inch planks covered with
boards on the outside and plast-
ered on the inside. The original
building was of two rooms, nine
by fifteen feet and about seven
feet high. The house was built as
a farm house in a large apple or-
chard and overlooks a large por-
tion of the city.
The Indians were of course the
first ones who knew the present
location and neighborhood of
Syracuse. After them, the white
men began to settle here—one at
a time, and we find that a man
named William Dean, in 1795 set-
tled on the road to Salina which
was a continuation of Clinton
Street.
Ephriam Webster, another old
settler, came about the time of Mr.
Dean, and he had his camp where
the Onondaga Creek flows into the
lake, on or near the site of the
proposed barge canal harbor. But
from further investigation we
come to the conclusion that there
must have been others who were
here before them, for we learn
that the famous Chateau Oriand
camped close to where Long
Branch is now located. Also in
the Oakwood Cemetery is a small
but conspicuous antique stone
which bears the inscription, “Ben-
jamin Nukerck, died the 7th Dec.,
1787, aged 37 years.” This stone
was found near the creek, but was
removed to the cemetery, and it is
believed that he Was the first
white man to have died in the
present city limits.
In a log cabin where Genesee
29and Montgomery Streets meet,
Abiathar Jackson was born, De-
cember 28, 1800, and was the first
white child born in this settle-
ment. About this time there were
quite a few settlers and land was
being claimed, bought, and sold.
Mr. H. Bogardus bought from Mr.
Watson a one-half acre plot of
land in 1805 for $300 with the un-
derstanding that he must build a
hotel on this ground. This hotel
was built within two years, and its
historic value comes from the fact
that it was the first building lot
sold in Syracuse. It was called
the Empire House and stood on
the present site of the Empire
Building. About 1805, the first
blacksmith and cooper shop was
built on the present site of the
Amos Hotel. In 1811, Cossett’s
Tavern was wihere the University
Building now is.
The famous Syracuse House was
built between 1820 and 1822, and
stood where the Onondaga Bank
Building now stands. Two years
later the Coffee House was built,
on the corner of Washington and
Warren Streets, wihere the Van-
derbilt Hotel now is. This old
Coffee House stands at present on
the corner of Jackson and Mont-
gomery Streets. It is a two-story
wooden building which is used on
the ground floor for a grocery
store and meat market. The Van-
derbilt Hotel was built in 1868.
Mr. Cook, the owner, named it
after Commodore Vanderbilt, and
its first guest was Charles Dick-
ens, who stopped at this hotel,
when he visited this city. The
Syracuse House and the Coffee
House were famous meeting places
for distinguished politicians, and
high government officials, while
on the road, would stop off at
either one.
To guard against the Indians a
block house was built in 1795 in
front of the Salina Pump House,
which was near the canal. Also a
building which was built about
1820, by a Mr. Webb, was used,
some say, as early as 1835 for a
recruiting station. This structure
was located on the south side of
West Water Street between Clin-
ton and Franklin Streets.
Some Indians say that in 1793
the last council of the Indians was
held where the Onondaga Bank is
now. Other councils were held on
the Bastable Block site. The water
works’ reservoir was the place
where General Sullivan had a bat-
tle and defeated the Indians.
The large old fashioned wooden
dwelling on the northwesterly cor-
ner of West Onondaga and West
Streets, (now occupied by Mrs.
George Everson), was once the
center of the most fashionable so-
ciety in this city, being the former
residence of the first mayor of
Syracuse, Harvey Baldwin. The
land was sold March 9, 1839, by
David S. Colvin to Horace White,
a banker, for $800. Mr. White
built his residence on the proper-
ty, but considered that it was too
far out in the country 'and away
from his office, so he sold it to one
James Voorhees in 1841 for
$4*000. Mr. Voorhees sold the
property to Harvey Baldwin for
$5,000 in 1844, where Mr. Baldwin
continued to live until his death in
1863.
Another early landmark is the
30old, dilapidated wooden building'
on the northwesterly corner of
Madison and Montgomery Streets.
It is the oldest ecclesiastical land-
mark now remaining in Syracuse.
It was the first Episcopal as well
as the first Catholic Church in the
village of Syracuse; and it was
the third building to be used ex-
clusively for religious purposes.
The old building was completed in
1827 for the St. Paul’s Protestant
Episcopal Church and in Febru-
ary, 1842, the edifice with all its
fixtures was sold to the congrega-
tion of St. Mary’s Roman Catholic
Church for $600.
The city of Syracuse was first
settled on the shores of Onondaga
Lake and so we expect that some
old buildings still remain in the
northern part of the city. On the
northwesterly corner of North Sa-
lina and Exchange Streets stands
the old Alvord Building, which
was erected in 1808 by Elisha Al-
vord and his brother Dioclesian.
It is the first brick building
erected within the present limits
of Syracuse and one of the oldest
landmarks in this part of the
state. It was the strongest and
most durable building in this city
in 1894. Its walls are two feet
thick up to the second story and
eighteen inches above that to the
roof. The bricks were made by
David Marshall on the banks of
Yellow Brook, near where it
crosses South Salina Street, be-
tween Jefferson and Onondaga;
the stones in the cellar were quar-
ried in the line of what is now
Center Street in the First Ward.
The Alvord Brothers kept a hotel
in this building until 1813 when
they dissolved partnership. The
upper floor of the structure was
used as a public ballroom for some
years until it passed into other
hands. It is now known as the
Freeman Block.
On the corner of West Genesee
and North Clinton streets is an in-
teresting old building, part of
which has been recently tom
down in order to widen North
Clinton Street. It was considered
a very handsome building in the
early days and was known as the
Dana House having been built by
Deacon Daniel Dana. Its correct
name, however, was the City
Boarding House, the whole upper
part being used for a fashionable
boarding and rooming house. It
was erected in 1846.
When the Erie Canal was built
in Syracuse many buildings were
built along its banks for mercan-
tile business. One of these is the
weighlock house at the foot of
Market Street on East Water
Street. The house, a low, dingy-
looking brick building was‘erect-
ed by the state for the enlarge-
ment of the canal, and the con-
tract was given out in 1849. It
stands to-day practically in the
same condition as when erected
for the purpose of weighing canal
boats. Now, as the canal is a free
highway this is not necessary so
it is used for offices of officials and
weighs boats only upon request of
the people.
A picturesque old building lo-
cated in the middle of Exchange
Street, between North Salina and
Park Streets, is the one now
adorned by a sign which shows
that it was once used as a brewery
31by Dalton & Fleming. This build-
ing was erected close to the Os-
wego Canal, a short branch of
which runs directly behind it. The
brick block was erected in 1828
by Williams & Co., a mercantile
firm, and the signs which now
adorn the north side, facing the
canal, show that at some time
grape wine was manufactured
there.
The old Salt Building on the
southwestern corner of North Sa-
lina and Exchange Streets and oc-
cupied for many years by the
superintendent of the Onondaga
Salt Springs, is by far the most
important landmark in the city of
Syracuse; for it was in that build-
ing the State government exer-
cised parental control over the
isalt industry to which the city
owes its beginning and much of its
prosperity; and from which a rev-
enue that more than paid half the
cost of building the Erie and
Champlain Canals. The building
was erected by the state govern-
ment* in 1828 when Exchange
Street was opened.
In 1801, the Board of Supervis-
ors—then composed of the wisest
men in their respective towns, be-
gan to take measures to build a
court house and jail for this coun-
ty. Previous to raising the house,
the people of the hill gathered to-
gether and made a ‘4Bee” for the
purpose of cutting away the trees
to make room for the new build-
ing. In order to have the use of
the Court House, a temporary
floor and seats were put into it
and the courts were held there un-
til the year 1804. The Court
House was completed in this year.
The jail was a wooden building
—fifty feet square, two stories
high, with a square pitched room
four ways to the eaves. It was
not painted either. The first story
was appropriated for the jail and
the dwelling of the janitor — a
hall separating them from each
other. The cells were constructed
of heavy oak planks, fastened to-
gether with wrought spikes. This
Court House was used until 1829.
Syracuse, having in 1825-26
grown to be the largest town in
the county, the question of mov-
ing the county buildings to that
place began to be agitated. In
1828, a law was ganted, author-
izing the Supervisors of the coun-
ty to erect a Court House and Jail
within the corporate village of
Syracuse, so it was decided to
build it midway between Syracuse
and Salina. This was somewhat
like the old building in structure,
being fifty feet square, two stories
high, with a hall and stairs in the
center. The cells were of the
strongest kind and were replaced
in the next Court House in Clin-
ton Square. The jail was aban-
doned in 1850, after the erection
of the Penitentiary. This Court
House was destroyed by fire on
January 4, 1856, and then it was
decided that the site of the Court
House should be changed to Block
81 on the corner of Clinton Square
and Clinton Alley.
The first burying ground in
Syracuse comprised a little knoll
on Fayette Street, near its junc-
tion with Clinton Street. Fifteen
or twenty persons were buried
there and these bodies have never
been removed. Thousands areconstantly passing over the
ground wholly unconscious that
they are passing over the last rest-
ing place of those who once as
proudly trod the walks of Syra-
cuse
Situated on Warren Street be-
tween Adams and Harrison
Streets, stands an old frame house
known as the Huntley estate. The
exact date of its erection is not
known, but it has- been built at
least seventy years. The house is
of colonial architecture and is
painted dark green. A broad pi-
azza extends along the front and a
smaller one along the side of it.
The roof of both piazzas are sup-
ported by massive columns. All
the shutters on the house were
made by hand as the house was
built at the time when conveni-
ences for building houses were not
known. At the time when the
Huntley house was built, Warren
Street was called Pill Row, be-
cause all the doctors settled on
this street.
One of the most picturesque old
houses on James Street, is the
Leavenworth house, which wjas
built by General Elias W. Leav-
enworth in 1835. It is a large
house of colonial style with a
large piazza across the front. The
roof of this porch is supported by
pillars of Corinthian architecture.
Several flights of steps, guarded
by lions conchant, lead up to the
house. It is painted white with
yellow trimmings and green
blinds. This place has been the
scene of many brilliant social af-
fairs including a reception to
Henry Clay. ;
The old stone castle known as
Yates’ castle w'as built in 1852 for
Mr. C. Tyler Longstreet. It was
then known as Renwick Castle or
“Longstreet7s Folly.’7 The build-
ing was then considered a long
way out in the country and there
was no way of raching it except
by walking or driving. Mr. Yates
bought the castle and it received
his name. It now belongs to the
University and is used as the
School of Pedagogy. There are
beautiful grounds surrounding it,
and, altogether it is one of the
most beautiful spots in Syracuse.
Qn the corner of West Fayette
and South West Streets stands a
four story wooden building
known as the Frontier House. It
is not known whep it was built,
but it was standing in 1832 and
received its name because of its
location on the frontier. This
building was formerly used as a
public house, and belonged at one
time to Mr. John Greenway. It
has recently been raised and a
lower story of stone has been
built beneath it. The building it-
self is black with age.
It is not definitely known in
what year the Courier building, at
the corner of Montgomery and
East Genesee Streets, was built.
It is made of red brick, and on the
east side of the second story is a
little balcony from which, on June
10, 1851, Daniel Webster made his
famous speech to the people of
Syracuse, concerning the Fugitive
Slave Law.
The Jerry Rescue Block was
erected in 1828 by Mr. Raynor.
It is a red brick, four story build-
ing on the bank of the Erie Canal
at the corner of West Genesee andClinton Streets. There is a very
interesting event connected with
this building, that is, the Jerry
Rescue from which it obtained its
name. It was a station of the
‘'Underground Railway” and aft-
er Jerry McHenry was rescued
from jail he was concealed in the
building until he was sent safely
to Canada.
On the corner of Montgomery
and East Genesee Streets is a busi-
ness block which was built in the
early fifties. This is a light col-
ored brick building, four and a
half stories high, shaped some-
what like a flatiron. When it was
first built it was used as a "select
school,” conducted by Mr. A. G.
Salisbury and patronized by Syra-
cuse ’s wealthy families. After-
wards it became the first home of
the present Syracuse University
in this city and was used for that
purpose until 1873 when the pres-
ent Hall of Languages was com-
pleted and dedicated. At present
the Meyers’ Block is used for busi-
ness purposes.
The following are some very in-
teresting facts which the Rev.
William Beauchamp writes:	In
1800 Calvin Jackson built a log
cabin near the junction of Mont-
gomery and East Genesee Streets.
Rufus Stanton opened a tavern on
the east side of North Salina
Street and south of the Oswego
Canal, while Sidney Hole and Mi-
lan Taylor had the first store on
the site of the present Weiting
Block, in 1804. The first postoffice
was on the ground now occupied
by the Syracuse Savings Bank
Building in 1820. When the Post-
master, who was John Wilkinson,
moved his office, he carried every-
thing in one load on his shoulder.
In 1820 the first school house was.
built at the corner of Franklin
and Church Streets. It cost $250’
and was 22 feet square. Hiram
Herning was the first teacher. In
1824 the First Baptist Church was.
built just west of the old Court
House on West. Genesee Street. In
1825, Syracuse had fifteen stores..
Mrs. Eliza Spencer, who died
April 2, 1824, was the first person
interested in. the cemetery at
Franklin and Water Streets.
James Street was known in 1827
as the "Foot Road.” Mr. Kirk,
a wagon maker, erected in 1869
the first Kirk Block, his son .hav-
ing built the present one. In
1852, the Bastable, Hillaye, Nor-
ton and Sheldon Blocks were
built. The Reformed Hutch
Church was built in 1848 on
James Street, and is still stand-
ing, and in the next year the
Syracuse Savings Bank, the old-
est in the city, was erected.
The Teall residence, built in
1819, near the canal on South
Beech Street is a very old build-
ing, and the Hausenfrat house
built in 1824 at the corner of Sa-
lina and Jefferson Streets was.
leased and the land was cultivated
as a farm—at present, the center
of our 'busy city.
The Mills’ house, a small, one
story structure was built by a Mr.
Watson ^or the man in charge of
his mill, in 1806. The building was
put together with wiooden pegs,
not a metal nail being used. It is
now the oldest building in Syra-
cuse and stands on the second lot,
east, on Wallace Street in West
Genesee Street.**■
Relics of Syracuse
a.
i
-.j
The Onondaga Historical Soci-
ety’s rooms contain many interest-
ing relics connected with Syracuse
history from the time of the In-
dian regime to the Civil War.
In the Indian section are some
of the weapons used by the Iro-
quois; the tomahawk and stone
war clubs for defense against hu-
man and animal foes, and the
wooden masks of the medicine-
men for defense against the evil
spirits. Here is also a large collec-
tion of arrow heads of all sizes
and materials. Snow* shoes, moc-
casins, and papoose boards are
among this collection.
Of great historic interest are
very old broom making machines
and wool and flax spinningwheels.
A unique relic is the lock/ of the
County Clerk’s Office in 1794, the
lock measuring about fourteen
inches long and eight inches wide,
and requiring a key with a flange
about 1Y2 inches square.
A metal foot stove, used in
1830 is one of many peculiar and
interesting relics.
Probably the most interesting
relic in the building is the pair of
shackles which were used in the
“Jerry Rescue,” one of the epi-
sodes of the “Underground Rail-
road” of which Syracuse was a
station.
In the Civil War case are many
necessities which were carried by
the regiment from Syracuse. A
Federal uniforcn, a snare drum,
swords, muskets and the complete
accoutrement of a soldier are dis-
played here. Not a few shells,,
balls, and bullets adorn this case.
In another case are the battle torn
and tattered standards carried by
the Syracuse volunteers.
Some very old photographs and
maps of Syracuse serve to illus-
trate its growth since the Erie
Canal was constructed.
Of physiographical interest is a
large metoric rock found near
Pompey. It weighs 33 pounds and
is composed largely of iron, con-
taining also some nickel and co-
balt and a large spot of red jas-
per.
Some of the many other inter-
esting relics are named below:
A human skull was found hur-
ried in the earth and it is now
in perfect preservation.
A very valuable relic connected
with the red men is a painting of
the burning of an Onondaga chief
in 1696. The occasion was Fron-
tenac’s Invasion in Onondaga Vil-
lage, just south of Jamesville. It
is a large picture showing the
chief bound to a tree, at the foot
of which a fire was started. The
other warriors are grouped
round about.
An article connected with the
Civil War is a drafting wheel used
in Syracuse in 1863, for selecting
men for the army. It still contains
the names of all the men, which
fact greatly increases its value as
an heirloom.
In the collection is a fireman’s
85hat. worn by Benjamin Lathrop
of Syracuse during his service
from 1831 to 1841. It is a long
oval shaped hat made from some
kind of metal.
Of no little interest are two
keys which were used to lock the
first two dry goods stores in the
village of Syracuse. They re-
semble the keys of today differing
only in respect to size* these be-
ing about six inches long and cor-
respondingly thick.
There is also a lire bucket such
as each family was forced to keep
in the house in Syracuse before
the time of fire engines, which did
not come into use until the early
forties. This fire bucket is about
a foot high and as large in diame-
ter as a common plate.
A trowel used in building the
first brick house in the village of
Syracuse.
A silver service is another inter-
esting relic. It consists of a pitch-
er and four goblets which were
given to Judge Joshua Forman by
the citizens of Syracuse in token
of appreciation of the valuable
services he had rendered them.
On the pitcher is engraved the
following inscription:
A Tribute of. Respect
Presented by the Citizens of Syra-
cuse
To Hon. Joshua Forman
Founder of this Village. *
In the same building are also
found: the sign of the old Syra-
cuse House, which was located
where the Onondaga County Sav-
ings Bank now stands; a picture
of Camp Onondaga, where the sol-
ders were trained for the Civil
War. Kirk Park is thought to be
the site of this camp. A leather
brass nailed trunk used in 1831,
by the Longstreets, some of the;
earliest settlers of Syracuse; a
basket over 100 years old, used by
the Longstreets; a banjo clock
given in 1895 by Mrs. Longstreet;
a ballot box used in the town of
Salina in 1843 when G. Gardner
was elected town clerk. It is be-
lieved to be the original box used
when the town was organized;
and a pitch pipe or whistle taken
from the organ of St. John’s
Church at Hampton, near Fort
Monroe by Lieutenant E. B. Je-
rome. This was the oldest church
in America, Brick for the build-
ing was imported from England.
It was burned by the rebels May
6, 1861.
On the wall of one of the rooms
hangs a large picture of an old In-
dian woman. This is Aunt Dinah,
an Onondaga squaw, who died in
1896 at the age of 102 years. The
picture is hung in a rustic frame
made from the bark of the birch
tree, and the gray bark of the tree
harmonizes with the gray coloring
of the picture.
Aunt Dinah has a kind but very
wrinkled face. She is dressed in
gray with a gray shawl around
her shoulders. In her hands,
which are folded in her lap, she
holds a pipe with a very long
stem. Altogether Aunt Dinah is a
typical Onondaga Indian of a
time past.	^4 .•?,
Celeste Fuller of 200 University
Avenue has in her possession a
picture of a dog guarding the key
to the safe of the old Bank of
Syracuse.c
Syracuse Hall of Fame
~a
J
where he lived for several years.
U A
Tracing from the history bf an-
tiquity to the present, time,' down
through the centuries,’ each little
community has ever been ^ the
proud possessor of a score of dis-
tinguished men. These men have
won renown for themselves, for
their city, for their country, often
under the most distressing condi-
tions, little thinking that their
names would appear On “His-
tory’s Pages.” Why these men,
(comparatively few when we con-
sider the population of the globe),
have achieved success may be
summed up in two words “They
dared.” Syracuse cannot boast of
being the home of great rulers, of
brilliant inventors, or of eminent
statesmen, but she is justly proud
of those men who have made her
a cit}^ and many of whom have
performed some noble act which
has no doubt materially influ-
enced the world. A few, we here
mention, who have stood out
prominently:
EphriamWebster
Ephriam Webster obtains his
fame from the fact that he was the
first white ^settlerc in Onondaga
County. He; was a roving sort of
an individual and liyed in many
different places before- settling in
Onondaga County.- He lived with
some Indians of the Onondaga
Nation and was of sgreat aid to
them as an interpreter and inters
eessor. Afterward he received a
state grant of some land on the
west side of Onondaga Valley
He died in TonaWanda in 1826.
Asa Danforth
Mr. Danforth was bom in Wor-
cester, Massachusetts, July 6,
1746. He served through the
Revolution with a Major’s rank
and commission. After the war
he settled in Montgomery County
and while there was induced by
Ephriam Webster to move to On-
ondaga. He was the most promi-
nent man of the county in his
time, and was identified with
every interest which tended to
promote the welfare of his fellow-
men, and advance the prosperity
of the - country. Thus he was often
called upon to fill offices of im-
portance in the county and he per-
formed his duties w-ith credit to
himself and satisfaction to every-
one concerned. Among his higher
positions were, Senator for the
Western District and Superin-
tendent of , the Onondaga Salt
Springs. He was also the highest
military officer in Onondaga
County, ascending . the several
grades from Major to Major Gen-
eral. After a life of service and
actiyity he died at his home in
Onondaga Hollow, September 2,
1818.. ■
y s Comfort: Tyler
Another of the earliest settlers
in Onondaga Was Comfort Tvler.
He accompanied" Sir James Clin-
ton on the expedition tp establish
the" boundaries between NewYork and Pennsylvania, and lo-
cated permanently in Onondaga
in the year 1789. He was person-
ally prominent in every effort of
advancement made in the vicinity,
and in connection with Mr. Dan-
forth manufactured the first salt
and established the salt industry.
He served as Assist. Commissary
General with the rank of Colonel
during the war of 1812 and was
an early advocate of the canal pol-
icy of the State. He died at Mont-
ezuma in August, 1827.
Joshua Forman
Mr. Forman, the founder of
Syracuse, was born in Duchess
County, 1777, and after gradu-
ating with honor from Union Col-
lege he took up the practice of law
in Onondaga Hollow in 1800. His
influence led to the establishment
of a church, academy and stores
in the Hollow and he was one of
the promoters of the Erie Canal.
On account of his prominence in
this line he was chosen to address
Governor Clinton as he passed
through from Buffalo to Albany
for the first time. In 1821 he ob-
tained the passage of the law
which provided for the lowering
of the water in Onondaga Lake
two feet. This made Syracuse a
healthful place, but before this
lowering of the lake the region
around was infected with dis-
ease. He found Syracuse a
collection of perhaps three or
four rude houses, but under his
efforts were laid the broad and
deep foundations of this flourish-
ing city and he is with justice
-called its founder.
Dr. William Kirkpatrick
Dr.Kirkpatrick was born in New
Jersey of Scotch parents. He was
graduated from Princeton College
and took up the study of medi-
cine in Philadelphia. He after-;
ward gave up medicine and in
1805 located at Salina, now a part
of Syracuse, as superintendent of
the Salt Works. Three years later
he was elected a member of the
tenth Congress under President
Jefferson and, although not exact-
ly prominent in political affairs,
he was highly esteemed by all
who knew him and his opinion,
had great influence. In conjunc-
tion with others he elected the
canal ticket ini Onondaga County
and accompanied Judge Forman
on a call at the White House to
discuss the canal question with
President Jefferson. He died in
1832 and was buried at Salina.
Gen. Thaddeus M. Wood
Mr. Wood, one of our famous
military men, came to Syracuse to
take up the practice of law after
being graduated from Dartmouth
College. At this time, 1794, he was
the only lawyer in Onondaga
County. In 1809 he was commis-
sioned Lieutenant Colonel Com-
mandant and served during the
War of 1812 as Colonel and Briga-
dier General. Within twenty-four
hours after the news of the de-
scent of the British upon Oswego,
he was on his way to the front
with nearly a whole regi-
ment. And again when Sackett’s
Harbor was invaded he des-
patched messengers at a mo-
ment’s notice to the Indians and
started north with his regiment
and Indian allies. He also took a
great interest in politics and was
never known to be idle. Still, he
38had his faults and was not very
popular, but when, in 1836, he was
laid at rest in the Hollow, his no-
ble and generous qualities found
recognition in the hearts of his
fellow men.
Gen. Gustavius Sniper
Although born in Germany, Mr.
Sniper received his education in
the public schools of Syracuse.
Early in life he evinced a great
desire ior military life and his
career was as honorable as any
soldier could hope for. He organ-
ized a company known as the
Monroe Cadets and was their cap-
tain at the oeginniing of the Civil
War. In the militia, as a member
of the 51st Regiment, he went
tnrough all the grades from Cor-
poral to Colonel and Brevet Brig-
adier General. In the closing cam-
paign at the war he won for hnn-
seit a name and fame that was
spread across tne country in news-
papers ana magazines. At Qua-
ker Road, March 29, 1865, when
the colors had been shot down
three times,. General Sniper
sprang forward, raised the hag
and, waving it above his head, led
his regiment on to victory. He
also has a good politicial record,
having served in the -Legislature
and as Deputy Collector of Inter-
nal Revenue.
Elias Warner Leavenworth
Elias W. Leavenworth was born
in Columbia County in December,
1803, and moved to Syracuse in
1827. He won his way rapidly in
the legal profession and later
achieved great political success.
He also was a man of military dis-
tinction and held at different
times the following offices: Lieu-
tenant of Artillery, Captain of
Artillery, Lieutenant Colonel, and
Colonel. He was President of
Syracuse village for two terms
and began a series of public acts
which contributed much toward
making Syracuse what it is today.
Later, when Syracuse became a
city, he was elected Supervisor
from Salina and while in this
office his- measures gave the city
Vanderbilt Square, Fayette Park
and the trees on each side of East
Washington Street. He was also
Mayor of the city for two terms;
Member of the Legislature at two
different times; and in 1853 was
Secretary of State. Moreover, he
was honored, as a corresponding
member of several historical and
geneological societies. While in
the Legislature he held positions
of importance and honor and as
Chairman of the Select Committee
on the Equalization of State Tax,
he drew up the bill wdiich estab-
lished the Board of State Asses-
sors. He also was appointed one
of the Commissioners to amend
the State Constitution and was
one of the Regents ’ of the Univer-
sity. He was also a member of
Congress for one term besides
holding positions of purely local
importance. He died in the fall
of 1887, a man who had served his
country and his State as few men
are permitted to do.
William Jervis Hough
Another Syracusan- of national
importance was William Jervis
Hough. He was a general in the
New York State Militia and dur-
ing the Mexican War was tend-
ered a Brigadier Generalship by
President Polk. He served both
39in the . A^sembjyv abd in Congress.
While in Washiugtom he .was in-
fluential in ther erection of the
Smithsonian Institute, was one
of its first Regents and served on
th& Board for the remainder of
his life. He also held positions of
local interest and died October 4,
1869.	U).	f
Amos P. Granger
Mr. Granger was bom in Hart-
ford, Connecticut, and came to
Syracuse in 1821, Although his
renown is connected mostly with
local history, he also served a
term in Congress and his record
was most honorable. His interest
there was primarily in connection
with the Republican War and Re-
construction Policy of which he
was a firm supporter. He was also
a general and commanded a regi-
ment of Militia on duty at Sack-
ett’s Harbor in 1812.
Among other prominent men
who will long be remembered by
the people of Syracuse and vicin-
ity are the following,:
Joseph Slocum, the owner of the
first line of boats for transporta-
tion on the Erie Canal and the one
who first introduced the Ameri-
can plow in Russia.	*	. r
Horace White, who,took an
active interest Jin the , building of
the first railroads in the state and
was on the first board of directors
of the New, ,Ydrk Central & Hud-
son River Railroad.
Hamilton j White, another rail-
road man* who. was at one lime a
director in every railroad i cbm-
phny between ; iAlbany andj Chi-
cago except' the Cleveland* and
Toledo, <. and who also gavedibje*4
ally iof ^tinie and money during
the Rebellion..•	-	"
John Wilkinson, also interested
in railroads, who for two years
operated^ the Terre Haute, Alton
& St. Louis Railroad in his own
name as Trustee and Receiver,
and who, as president of the
Syracuse Water Works, adopted
the plan of collecting water
from springs and streams into a
reservoir.
-H o n . Daniel P. Wood, the
great legislator, who accompanied
President Lincoln on his journey
to the Capital, and Was appointed
chairman of the special committee
to conduct President Lincoln’s
remains through the State.
John Crouse, the philanthropist
to whom Syracuse owes the dona-
tion of the beautiful John Crouse
College of Fine -Arts-on Univer-
sity Hill.
Robert Gere, philanthrophist
and contractor, who was a heavy
contractor for the rails and ties
of the' first two railroads that
came to our city and also for the
Salina locks and section work for
the Liverpool level of . the Oswego
Canal.
Prof. A. B. Blodgett, - whose re-
cent death was mourned by alt
Syracusans, has had an enviable
record as an instructor. Jn Syra-
cuse he was principal ofySalina
School and Plater*- -ofl Present-
School.' -He held * :he position of
Superintendent of Schools front
1889 dill his death in 1910.Hon. William B. Kirk, builder
*and owner of the magnificent
Kirk Block, won distinction as a
Democratic Mayor.
Hon. Charles B. Sedgwick, an-
other popular lawyer, served
twice in Congress and held other
positions of trust. He died in
1883.
Hon. Carroll E. Smith, a gradu-
ate of the Seward Institute,
learned the printers’ trade in the
office of the Syracuse Journal. He
became a local reporter for the pa-
per and later an assiciate editor of
the “Daily Chronicle.” In 1860
he took editorial charge of the
Journal and continued at its head.
Mr. Smith has also served as
County Clerk and as Postmaster.
He was a member of the Assembly
and a member of the Board of Re-
gents.
Dr. John W. Wieting worked
earnestly teaching school in win-
ter and during the summer attend-
ed the Clinton Liberal Insti-
tute. At the age of twenty
he acted as civil engineer
for the construction of the
Syracuse & Utica R. R. He after-
ward studied medicine and be-
came a physician and lecturer of
great promience and success. The
present Wieting Block and Opera
House were built and named after
him.
So might we continue with
notes in praise of those citizens
who have brought to Syracuse the
stones with which to lay her poli-
tical, religious and educational
foundation, a foundation which
we trust will stand firm for many
years to come.
SYRACUSE INDUSTRIES
J
THE SALT INDUSTRY
The salt springs, more than any-
thing else, were responsible for
the settling and eary prosperity of
Syracuse.
About the middle of the seven-
teenth century, several of the Jes-
uit missionaries in what is now the
State of New York heard of cer-
tain springs which were regarded
with superstition and said to be
possessed of demons. Upon in-
vestigation these were found to be
saline and the Indians were shown
that the demons could be exor-
cised by fire.
In the ‘ ‘ Relationsf ’ of the Jesuit
Fathers Jerome, Lallemont, Chare-
voix, Crauxius an a Simon Le
Moyne we find the earliest records
of the salt springs. This discov-
ery of salt springs led to the man-
ufacture of salt by the Indians
and traders. In 1770 salt was in
common use among rhe Delaware
Indians.
The systematic manufacture of
salt was begun in Syracuse in
1788. At this time Asa Danforth
and Col. Comfort Tyler undertook
its manufacture in a primitive
way, their outfit consisting of a
five-pail kettle suspended over an
open fire.
On September 12th, 1788, the
state of New York purchased the
41so-called salt reservation, compris-
ing some 20,000 acres of land, sur-
rounding Onondaga Lake, from
the Onondaga Indians, one of
the Five Nations. The condition
of the sale was that “it shall re-
main forever for the common
benefit of the people of the state
of New York and the Onondagas
for the purpose of making salt.”
William Van Fleck and Moses
DeWitt built the first arch with
four potash kettles in 1793.
The first laws regulating the
manufacture of salt were passed
in 1797 and William Stevens was
Tully Hills, seventeen miles south
of Syracuse where a bed of rock
salt forty-three feet in thickness,
was reached at a depth of 1218
feet. A second bed of over fifty
feet in thickness was found under
a layer of shale at the bottom of
the first bed. This rock salt de-
posit is the source of the Onon-
daga brine.
Two methods of manufactur-
ing salt were at one time in vogue
in Syracuse. The first consisted
of gradually reducing the brine to
salt by boiling in large kettles.
The second consisted of forcing
THE SALT LANDS
elected the first superintendent of
the salt reservation.
The first large salt hole was
sunk by Supt. Kirkpatrick in
1806 and in 1820 the first brittem-
pan was introduced for the remov-
al of impurities found in the brine
in the kettles.
In 1821 were erected the first
solar vats for the manufacture of
coarse salt and at the same time,
the first attempt was made to bore
for rock salt north of what is now
Syracuse, by Major Benajah By-
ington. This was a failure, but in
1881 a well was sunk at the foot of
water into the beds of rock salt
and withdrawing it after it had
become saturated. Then it was ex-
posed to the sun in large wooden
vats until the water evaporated
and the salt deposited. This lat-
ter is the solar system.
In the year 1797 the salt, beds
yielded 25,500 bushels of salt to
the efforts of the Indians, In 1808
the work of the white men had
brought the production to 320,000
bushels. Salt was the leading in-
dustry up to and including 1860.
In that year the value of the pro-
duct was $1,300,000. From that
42year the salt business has been
gradually declining. In 1861 the
yield was 7,000,000 bushels. From
that time to 1899 the output has
varied from 5,000,000 to 8,000,000
bushels. In 1911 it was 2,000,000
bushels.
The salt industry is now some-
thing like the 24th industry in
point of value of the product, with
one-tenth production that there
was 50 years ago. If a process to
manufacture salt cheaply could be
found so that Syracuse could com-
pete with the great Michigan salt
mines, the industry would again
reach its height, as the capacity of
the Onondaga Salt Springs has
been estimated at 15,000,000 bush-
els annually and with the Tully
salt beds this could easily be dou-
bled.
On June 13,1908, the state went
out of the business of making salt
by selling the Onondaga Salt
Springs, which cost about $30,000,
to private individuals for half of
that amount. The Legislature of
1898 ordered this sale of property
because for many years the state
had not realized a cent from the
manufacture of salt. The receipts
from duties up to the time of sale
amounted to between $18,000 and
$20,000, which was expended in
salaries and necessary repairs.
The last state superintendent was
Hoyt H. Freeman. The property
was bought by the Onondaga
Coarse Salt Association and the
Mutual Pipe Line Co. On March
13, 1912, the Union Salt Company
sold its old salt reservation in the
West End to P. I. Johnson.
It is surprising, that this indus-
try, which so helped to build up
Syracuse should now be one of the
least important industries of the
city.
References—Booklet of the On-
ondaga Coarse Salt Association,
Syracuse, N. Y. Newspaper Clip-
pings.
The Franklin Automobile Co.
In 1893 the Franklin Die Cast-
ing Co. was organized and located
in one room of a building on W.
Onondaga Street. For the next
two years the company continued
in its first quarters. From 1895
to 1899 a building on Franklin
Street was used. The upper floor
of the C. E. Lipe Building on So.
Geddes Street became temporary
quarters of the firm in Feruary,
1899.
Until 1901 the Franklin Com-
pany manufactured die castings
by a special process which Mr.
Franklin patented. In July of this
year the company became inter-
ested in an air cooled motor. The
ideas of Mr. Wilkinson, the in-
ventor, were developed and in No-
vember the first motor was com-
pleted. It was the first successful
air cooled motor built in America.
The first stock car was sold in
June, 1902.
Quarters in the Lipe Building
were becoming small and work on
the permanent home of the H. H.
Franklin Mfg. Co. began in July,*
1902. Originally a single building
was erected, but additions have
been made until the factory now
consists of 15 buildings, covering
six acres of land.
Many fine records are held by
Franklin cars, among them the
San Francisco to New York rec-
43ord and the Chicago to New York
record are most prominent.
The first trucks of the Franklin
type were built in 1905.
Syracuse Chilled Plow Co.
In 1876 the Robinson Plow Co.
of Canandaigua was removed to
Syracuse and incorporated as the
Syracuse Chilled Plow Co., with a
working capital of $100,000. The
company manufactures the only
adjustable steel beam plow on the
market. The capital has been in-
creased from time to time until it
is now $300,000. The John Deere
Plorw Co., recently acquired pos-
session of the business.
Crucible Steel Co. of America
The Crucible Steel Co. of
America is owner of two large
steel plants in1 Syracuse. The older
of these plants, the Sanderson
Bros. ’ Steel Co. was established in
1876. The main factory is in
Sheffield, England. The Syracuse
branch, using a secret process pro-
duces some of the best American
steel.
The Halcomb Steel Co., is a
comparatively new company and
is manufacturing very fine tool
steel.
The Straight Line Engine Co.
Prof. John' E. Sweet organized
the Straight Line Engine Co. in
1880 to manufacture an engine he
had designed and patented. The
engine proved one of the best pro-
duced and was sold in all parts of
the United States. The Company
still manufactures this engine
though Prof. Sweet is not as
actively connected with the firm
as formerly.
Onondaga Pottery Co.
Until 1871 the majority of pot-
tery used in this country was im-
ported from England. In that
year the Onondaga Pottery Co.
opened its plant in this city. The
quality of Syracuse pottery was
fully equal to any in the world.
The plant is still in operation in
the city.
Solvay Process Co.
The Solvay Process Co. has the
largest single plant in the vicinity
of Syracuse and is the largest
plant of its kind in the world. The
products are numerous, among the
most important being alkali, soda
ash, caustic soda, soda crystals,
soda bicarbonate and calcium
soda.
These products are all obtained
from limestone taken from the
company’s quarries at Jamesville.
The old quarries at Split Rock
have been abandoned in the last
year because of the decreasing
supply of limestone of the quality
required.
Three thousand laborers are
employed by the company. Since
1881, when the company was es-
tablished its employes have in-
creased constantly.
During 1910 over twenty thou-
sand railroad cars were used in
the shipment of products, an aver-
age of about seventy carloads per
day, Sunday excepted.
Typewriter Industry
One of Syracuse’s thriving in-
dustries, one that has helped
maintain the city’s industrial
standing is the manufacture of
typewriters.
44The Smith Premier Typewriter
Company, is a member of the
“ Trust. ” Their machines are
sold all over the world, foreign
branches being maintained in the
l$rge countries.
However the L. C. Smith Com-
pany appears to be producing
more machines that the Smith-
Premier. The L. C. Smith Com-
pany is an independent concern
and has built its business on the
policy of “One Dollar’s Worth
for One Dollar.”
The Monarch Typewriter Com-
pany also began in Syracuse, but
through various causes has failed
to keep pace with either of the
other two companies.
r
it.
SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY
J
Syracuse University had its
inception in the Centennial of
Methodism in 1866. The Metho-
dist Episcopal Churcii had re-
solved to raise in that year $2,-
000,000 and to make an educa-
tional institution the chief object
of its benefactions.
There were at that time under
the care of the Methodist denomi-
nation several seminaries in the
State of New York, but only one
college. This was Genesee Col-
lege located at Lima, a small vil-
lage distant from a railroad sta-
tion. It had been in operation
since 1851 doing excellent work,
but because of the disadvantage
of its location had not prospered
as much as had been anticipated.
When efforts were made for cen-
tennial educational collections in
New York, the question of a new
university site at once became
prominent. After much discus-
sion it was resolved to seek a cen-
tral location to which the Genesee
College might be removed. Of all
the trustees of the latter institu-
tion only one opposed the remov-
al. Of course the citizens of
Lima violently opposed such ac-
tion, and secured an injunction
against the trustees, prohibiting
it. The work, however, of found-
ing the new university did not
halt. In 1867 the city of Syra-
cuse voted an appropriation of
$100,000 to the university condi-
tional upon the raising of $100,000
additional for endowment. On
February 22nd a Methodist Epis-
copal convention for the State of
New York was held in Syracuse,
at which it was determined to es-
tablish the university in that city
and recommended immediate ac-
tion to raise at least $500,000 for
its endowment. Subscriptions
were solicited and $181,000 was
subscribed. This, with previ-
ous valid subscriptions and the
pledge of the city, made the total
amount of the fund for the new
institution $385,000.
A provisional board of trustees
was elected and steps taken to se-
cure a charter. In January, 1871,
the valid pledges to the enterprise
reached $425, 000 and on the 24th
of April following the city issued
bonds to the university amounting
45to $100,000. In May Eliphalet
Remington gave to the university
an interest in a block in Syracuse
worth $80,000.
During the same month a site
of fifty acres in the southeast part
of the city was presented by
George F. Comstock and plans for
the Hall of Languages were
adopted.
On September 1, 1871, the Col-
lege of Liberal Arts opened its
first session in the Myers Block
with forty-one students and five
professors. It continued to occu*
py that building until the Hall of
Languages was completed and
dedicated in May, 1873. In De-
cember, 1871, the Medical College
was established and began its
work in the autumn of 1872.
The College of Fine Arts was
established in June, 1873, and
opened on September 18th follow-
ing. Thus was Syracuse Univer-
sity founded.
In the autumn of 1886 E. F.
Holden of Syracuse determined
to erect a working observatory as
a memorial to his son, who gradu-
ated in the class of 1877 and died
in Syracuse in Feruary, 1883. This
observatory is built of rock-faced
gray limestone, and is about 40 b>
40 feet in extreme dimensions. It
is equipped with an eight-inch Al-
ban Clark telescope, a four-inch
reversible transit, micrometer,
chronograph, chronometer, as-
tronomical clock and other neces-
sary apparatus. In April, 1877,
Mrs. John Reid of New York pur-
chased the great library of Leo-
pold Yon Ranke, of Berlin, Ger-
many and offered it to Syracuse
University on condition that a
suitable building be erected to
contain it. Accordingly in the
following September a library
building 80 by 90 feet with a ca-
pacity of 130,000 volumes was be-
gun, which was finished in June,
1889.
One of the most magnificent
gifts ever received by the Univer-
sity is the Memorial College for
Women, erected by the late John
Crouse of Syracuse and finished
by his son, D. Edgar Crouse. This
structure is of Long Meadow red
sandstone, 162 by 190 feet, ex-
treme dimensions and is one of
the most imposing of buildings.
It contains a magnificent music
hall, a large organ and has been
amply and elegantly furnished by
its donors.
The University opens all its
courses of study on equal terms
to students of both sexes.
The chancellors of the Univer-
sity have been as follows:	Rev.
Daniel Steel, 1871-72; Alexander
Winchell, 1872-74; E. A. Haven,
1874-80; Charles Sims, 1880-93;
Rev. James Day, present chancel-
lor.
In point of registration the Uni-
versity now ranks fifth among the
universities and colleges of the
country and its faculty ranks
equally well.
At present the University is
beautifully situated on a hill in
the eastern part of the city. It is
one of the prominent places of
the surrounding country. There
are many fine buildings devoted
to the use of six colleges, which
are: the College of Liberal Arts;
the College of Medicine; the Col-
lege of Fine Arts; College ofLaw; College of Applied Science
and the Teachers’ College. A
School of Forestry has recently
been established.
The campus of one hundred
acres is being laid out in drives
and walks and will be a fine ex-
ample of landscape gardening
when completed. The city has
been contemplating bonding itself
further for the improvement of
the campus.
At no other university is more,
attention paid to the physical de-
velopment of the students. The
gymnasium in equipment and size
is the largest and most complete
building of its kind in the world.
The Stadium, modeled after, the
Coliseum at Rome, is the largest
place of its kind for the exhibi-
tion of sports and games in
America. There is a diamond, a
fine gridiron and a track. Outside
of the track is a band of turf five
feet wide, above this a promenade
in front of tiers of seats so that
from all seats a fine view of
everything taking place on the
field is obtained. It will normally
hold 20,000 people and is capable
of holding 40,000.
s---------------------------------n
SYRACUSE HIGH SCHOOL
n--------------------------------1
The Syracuse High School, one
of the pioneers of the secondary
educational movements in this
state, was organized in April,
1854, and its first quarters were
the upper rooms in Prescott
School, then called School No. 5.
Charles O. Roundy was the first
principal and Perz Brown was his
assistant. The Board of Educa-
tion which organized this school
consisted of two members from
each ward: John McCarthy, Wm.
F. Gere, -Walter C. Hopkins,
Mathew Murphy, P. S. Stoddard,
S. A. Johnson, N. F. Graves, J. G.
Wynkoop, H. L. Dunsmore, A. E.
Kinnie, William Bliss, Ashley
William Hall, H. S. Hatch, E. F.
Hayden, W. H. H. Smith and
George Barney.
From Prescott School the High
School was moved to the up-
per rooms of Genesee School. Aft-
er a time this being found too
crowded, rooms were (Secured in
the Pike Block. By this move the
furniture was changed from plain
pine desks and benches to cherry
desks and varnished chairs. In
1867 the membership of the High
School having grown to such pro-
portions as to be entirely too large
for the Pike Block the old High
School in West Genesee Street,
(now the Technical High School),
was constructed, taking the place
of an old red mill, which occupied
the site. The old building cost
$51,950 and the lot cost $16,000.
The principals from the organi-
zation of the High School to the
present time have been: 1854-
1871, Charles O. Roundy; 1871, A.
G. Salisbury, temporary; 1871,
permanent, Dr. W. A. Brownell;
1873-1878, Samuel Thurber; 1878
to October, 1888, Prof. George A.
Bacon; 1888-1905, W. K. Wicks;
1905,-----Charles F. Harper.The teachers now in service
who have been teaching in the
High School for many years aye
Mrs. Emma H. Kingsley, teacher
of German. She became a mem-
ber of the faculty in 1881. The
other teachers of long service are:
Miss M. L. Overacre, who entered
in ’85; Miss Mary Whitford, who
entered .in ’87; George A. Lewis,
W. K. Wickes, C. L. Hewitt, and
Oscar Kenyon.
The oldest High School society
is the Lyceum, which started in
the late eighties. Prof. Wickes di-
vided this society into two parts,
the boys and the girls divisions.
The latter division retained its
name and the boys division was
called Congress.
Some of the charter members of
Congress were, Edward C. Britch-
er, George B. Spaulding, E. Whit-
tic, Walter B. Stone, William J.
Gere, and many others. The other
societies are the Philomathean,
Adelphean, Florimel, Alethean^
Soangetaha and Echeoratia, girls’
societies; Scientific and Senate,,
boys’ societies.
During the existence of the
school two monthly papers have
been published, the Tribune and.
the Recorder. The former started
in the early eighties and was an
interesting magazine. George B.
Spaulding served the Tribune in a
business capacity. A forecast of
the members of the class of ’88
mentions Clarence L. Hewitt, who
is now at the head of the history
department of the schools. The
forecast says that Hewitt’s ambi-
tion of that day was to be a
preacher.
The present High School paper,
The Recorder, is a very enterpris-
ing sheet and is published month-
ly. It is the successor of the Tri-
bune and has been in existence for
fifteen years.
Tribute to George Herbert Clark
‘ ‘ In memory to George Herbert This tablet is placed by his fel-
Clark, who, November, 1903, by low students of Syracuse High
heroic deed lost his mortal life, School.”
but gained youth immortal.
The above is inscribed on a tablet in Central High School to
George H. Clark, who lost his life endeavoring to rescue a fellow stu-
dent from drowning.
In Conclusion
We have now traced the growth
of the city of Syracuse from its
humble beginning to the enviable
standard which it has attained.
But the city has not yet reached
the goal to which it aspires and in
the future we trust that some of
the students who follow us may
amend this work, with a history
of the progress of the Central
City from the present time to
their own.