Book "H'V Lg. 
 
c 
 
DESULTORY NOTES AND REMINISGENSES 
 
 OF THE 
 
 CITY OF ROCHESTER: 
 
 ITS EAKLY HISTORY, 
 
 REMARKABLE MEN AND EVENTS, 
 
 STRANGE REVELATIONS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 MURDERS, MYSTERIES AND MISERIES, 
 CASUALTIES, CURIOSITIES x\ND PROGRESS 
 
 OF THIS 
 
 YOUNG AND GROWING CITY, FOR THE LAST 50 YEARS. 
 
 BY A:E OCTOGEI^AEIANr. 
 
 ROCHESTER, N. Y. 
 18G8. 
 

 "0 * O 7_ 
 
 1 i" 
 
EEMlIlSJ^ISCElSrCES, 
 
 A few months since, " Pioneer," in the daily Union & Adver- 
 tiser, gave his remembrances of early times, relating mostly to Ex- 
 change street and its surroundings, its history and personalities, 
 with remarkable spirit, truth and distinctness ; which were highly 
 relished and approved. He not having followed up a subject for 
 which he was so well qualified, has induced me at an humble dis- 
 tance, to tax my memory for some notable events and incidents 
 relating to Buffalo street, State street and their cotemporaries, 
 many of which were never written, and others only in the public 
 prints, the copies of which through the change of hands, careless- 
 ness, or fire, are lost. '' O'Reilly's Sketches" are very reliable as 
 an elaborate and general history ; but they do not descend into 
 particulars — into the lower stratum — the muddle and minutoc of 
 the mysteries and miseries of a new. struggling and slightly governed, 
 roving population. 
 
 These fugitive notes are the result of a month's long evenings 
 of winter, entirely from memory and consultations with three or 
 four old Fofjies like the writer, without reference to any work ex- 
 cept an old directory of 1827 for dates, and it is now put in type 
 for gratuitous distribution, to keep intact a few notorieties from 
 fading entirely from the memories of those that are now living and 
 perhaps those that shall come after the present generation. 
 
 That part of the city on the west side of the River, was pur- 
 chased of I'hclps and Gorham. owners of near half of western New 
 York, about 1791. by seven purchaser.*^. P. & G. had given in 1789 
 a mill lot of 100 acres to Indian Allen, on condition he should 
 build a mill for the convenience of new settlers. Allen was a vil- 
 lainous scamp, a cold blooded murderer and Tory in the revolution- 
 ary war, and led many Indian massacres. 
 
 This lot afterwards fell into the possession of the English Pult- 
 ney estate, and in 1802 was purchased by Rochester, Fitziiugh 
 
aud Carkoj.l, and iu 1812, was laid out in village lots, and named 
 Rochester Yille, which was afterward changed by the Legisla- 
 ture to its present name. This was the first movement to form a 
 village, of slow growth at first, which in a little less than 60 years, 
 has grown into a city of 60,000 souls, and which is now blessed 
 with a wise aud careful legislative municipality, that are so tender 
 of their dear constituents' interests, that they never suffer the tax- 
 ation to exceed 3 or 5 per cent. 
 
 " Bless the Lord I" as Bioss used to say, for all our mercies. 
 
 It is supposed that not a single individual that came to this city 
 of adult age, is known to be now alive that resided here in 1812, 
 except Mr. A. Reynolds, who came in May of that year. Mr. 
 Hamlet Serantom, 8r., and family, of whom Edwin. Henry and 
 Hamlet his sons are now citizens, was an earlier settler than Mr. 
 R. Mr. S. first located on the Eagle lot. Mr. Ive^ynolds paid for 
 his two lots, on which now stands his Arcade building, ^55 for one 
 and S75 for the other, and was to have the now Elwood corner for 
 $200 ; but by some smart management he lost it. 
 
 There are still several persons who settled here as early as 1815 
 and 1816. 
 
 A bridge across the River was finished this year, 1812. 
 
 Matthew a'ad Francis Brown bought lots — 48 and 49 — and laid 
 them out in village lots and called them Frankfort, its improve- 
 ments consisted of two log huts, and Charles Harford's Grist and 
 Saw Mill, which was located somewhere where Jones' Foundry 
 now stands, though it was gone before I ever saw it, but I remem- 
 ber a large layer of slabs at the foot of the precipice in the rear of 
 this location, for iu 1831, the day before the Fourth of July, a boy 
 in reaching for some berries fell over and we had to run a half 
 mile to reach him ; apparently dead, his fallen the slabs had so flat- 
 tened him, that all his clothes were burst open ; he revived, and 
 the next day he was firing crackers with the boys. That boy. now 
 a man, need never be afraid of Railroad collisions or jumping Sam 
 Patch. The distance he fell was measured next day and was 79 
 feet. 
 
 In 1813, the State opened the Ridge road to Lewistou. About 
 this time a Post Ofiice was established and our venerable citizen 
 Abelard Reynolds, appointed P. M. The first quarterly income 
 was S3. 42, now as many thousands. 
 
 In 1814, Sir James L. Yeo, with the British fleet, came into the 
 mouth of the River, and threatened to come up and burn the bridge 
 aud plunder the log cabins ; all the women and children took to 
 the woods, and the men went along to show them the way. 
 
 1815. The first religious society was organized this year, and 
 the Rev. Comfort Williams, the first clergyman settled in the 
 village, over the Presbyterian society which then consisted of 16 
 members. The first merchants were Ira West and Silas 0. 
 Smith, who opened small stores. The census gave the village 331 
 inhabitants. 
 
1810. Danby & Sheldon this year established a weekly news- 
 paper, called the Gci::ette, afterwards published by Derrick and 
 Levi Sibley, and after by our well known citizen Edwin Scrantom 
 as the Monroe Rejnibb'caJi, now the Union Wealdy. In 1817, the 
 Buffalo street road was laid out to Batavia. and the first Steamboat 
 came into the Genesee River, and the price of wheat rose up to $2.25 
 per bushel, causing great losses to the millers. 
 
 In 1818, the celebrated Carthage Bridge was comment;ed, 
 with a single arch 200 feet above the water, the chord of which 
 was 352 feet and the entire length over 700 feet, which stood one 
 year and one day and fell to " everlasting smash." The only per- 
 son who saw it fall is still alive, Russel Green, then a school boy, 
 now in Indiana. 
 
 The Royal Arch Chapter was installed this year. In 1820, 
 the County of Monroe was set off. The price of flour this year 
 ran down to 82.25 a barrel, and our popular miller CiiAS. J. Hill, 
 bought wheat at 2s. 9d. per bushel, and paid in " stay tape and 
 buckram." 
 
 The First Election for five Trustees was held in 1817, when 
 Francis Brown, Daniel Mack, Wm. Cobb, Evcrard Peck and Jehiel 
 Barnard for trustees, and Hastings R. Bender, Clerk, and F. F. 
 Backus, Treasurer — now all deceased. Of the 16 officers of the 
 Fire Department, only two are now alive, Col. Aaron Newton and 
 Stephen Charles. 
 
 Id 1821, The Old Canal Aqueduct was commenced, and in 
 October, the 22d, the first boat left for Little Falls laden with flour. 
 Mills, stores and dwellings went up as if by magic, and the in- 
 cipient city of log cabins disappeared with astonishing rapidity. 
 The census of 1825 gave a population of 4275. The aboriginal 
 and nomadic wanderers to the far west, turned their faces for 
 Rochester, which brought a strong flood of the eastern " better- 
 THEMSELVEs" population, wlio on starting took an everlasting leave 
 of their friends, made their wills, laid in a stock of quack medi- 
 cines " good for the ager and janders," and left for that far off 
 land, where it was said their crops would be " bull frogs" knee 
 deep and " rattle snakes" enough to fence them. 
 
 There were from 3 to 400 buildings erected yearly ; its rapid 
 growth created a furore of emigration and brought many singular 
 and eccentric geniuses that our present staid, bustling, business 
 population have no conception of. Of the old stock of citizens of 
 this class I only remember John O'Donohue, the witty and eccen- 
 tric auctioneer ; Gil. Everingham the wholesale merchant, who, on 
 his failure owed 2,200 dollars for cocktails to his landlord, and 22,- 
 000 to his creditors ; Wm. C. Bloss, an unappreciated genius, even 
 when devoid of religious fanaticism ; Gardner McCracken, Col. 
 Herman Bissell, Sam Hatt, Joseph Russel, machine poet, and crier 
 to the courts; Sam Drake the sportsman, who kills with his tongue 
 as well as with his double barrels ; Davis C West, Josiah Sheldou, 
 Benjamin 11. Brown, all of whom were gifted with more or less 
 eccentricities — now but one of them alive. 
 
Of the adult early Pioneers now living, 
 in society the following : 
 
 Abelard Reynolds, 
 Dr. Elwood, 
 Preston Smith, 
 Gen. John Williams, 
 Isaac Hills, 
 John H. Thomp.son. 
 Gen. A. W. Riley, 
 Col. Aaron Newton, 
 Wm. Brewster, 
 Chas. J. Hill. 
 
 N. B. Merrick, 
 Jeremiah Cutler, 
 John Haywood, 
 Richard Gorsline, 
 Frederick 8tarr, 
 James Buchan, 
 Hiram Blanchard, 
 Thos. H. Rochester. 
 N. T. Rochester, 
 H. E. Rochester, 
 
 Aristarchus ChampiouEbenezer Ely, 
 Judge Gardiner, Nehemiah Osborn, 
 
 Edwin Scrantom, 
 W. J. McCracken, 
 Ebenezer Watts, 
 Levi A. Ward, 
 Chas. W. Dundas, 
 William Pitkin, 
 
 Darius Perrin, 
 Samuel P. Gould, 
 George Gould, 
 B. M. Baker, 
 Thurlow Weed, 
 
 I only see still moving 
 
 Derrick Sibley, 
 H. N. Curtis, 
 Doct. Jonah Brown, 
 Joseph Medbery, 
 Aaron Erickson, 
 Samuel L. Selden, 
 Samuel Ih-ake, 
 David Moody, 
 Thos. J Patterson, 
 Lewis Selye. .^ 
 E. B. Wh«4w,4 ^\. 
 Ezra M. Parsons, 
 John Robinson, 
 Benj. Butler, 
 Fisher Bui lard, 
 Orrin Harris. 
 Ambrose Cram. 
 
 Here are about fifty names out of over 4,000 inhabitants that 
 resided here from about 1814 to 1820 or '22, all of some notoriety 
 and well known to all business men of that day. There are un- 
 doubtedly others that my memory does not recall. 
 
 I have before me, furnished by a friend, a list of over (300 names^ 
 all of some note, of those who have died and passed away within 
 the last 40 or 45 years, over the Lethean river of oblivion and 
 forgetfulness, to be known no more — a nine day's talk — may be not 
 so much — and our memories " vanish into air, thin air." It is a 
 fearful show of the vanities and penalties of mortal life, and if 
 properly realized is a striking warning and memento to us all, be- 
 fore " shuffling off this mortal coil," to show us " what shadows 
 we are and what shadows we pursue," almost regardless of the 
 great final result. 
 
 On looking over this fearful and lamentable list, I note many dis- 
 tinguished and estimable citizens, with most of whom I had the 
 pleasure to be acquainted. Subjoined are the names of the rev- 
 erend Clergy, Attorneys and Physicians, that resided here in the 
 infancy of this city, and others of later date, well known to the 
 present generation : 
 
 Wm. Miller, 
 Comfort Williams, 
 Oliver Comstock, 
 Chas. G. Lee, 
 
 CLERGYMEN. 
 
 Joseph Penny, 
 F. H. Cumming, 
 Calvin Pease, 
 John T. Coit, 
 Chester Dewey, 
 
 Elon Galusha, 
 Kingman Nott, 
 James Nichols, 
 R. S. Crampton. 
 
J. G. Vought, 
 Solomon Day, 
 John D. Henry, 
 Champion Landou, 
 A. G. Smith, 
 James M. Smith, 
 O. E. Gibbs, 
 David McCrackeu, 
 Anson Coleman, 
 E. S. Marsh, 
 Richard Dibble, 
 
 John Mastic, 
 Roswell Babbit. 
 W. C. VanNess, 
 Joseph Spencer, 
 A. S. Alexander, 
 Samuel B. Chase, 
 Jesse Dane, 
 D. K. Carter, 
 Simeon Ford, 
 T. F. Talbot, 
 Horace Gay, 
 Vincent Matthews 
 
 PHYSICIANS. 
 
 James Webster, 
 Samuel Hamilton, 
 William Bell, 
 A. P. Biegler, 
 Lewis Durand, 
 Matthew Brown, 
 Levi Ward, 
 F. F. Backus, 
 T. Scott Avery, 
 Azel Ensworth, 
 L. D. Fleming, 
 
 ATTORNEYS. 
 
 Frederic Whittlesey, Wm. S. Bishop, 
 
 G. W. Lewis, 
 Moses Long, 
 M. M. Rodgers, 
 Simon Hunt, 
 E. P. Langworthy, 
 U. S. 
 W. W. Reid, 
 Thomas Bradley, 
 Alexander Kelsey, 
 M. M. Matthews. 
 
 Timothy Child, 
 Charles M. Lee, 
 G. H. Chapin, 
 John R. Dixon, 
 Hiram C. Smith, 
 Selah Matthews, 
 Ebenezer Griffin, 
 Calvin Huson, 
 
 D. D. Barnard, 
 
 E. A. Hopkins, 
 
 Hester L. Stephens, 
 M. F. Delano, 
 Jarvis M. Hatch, 
 Eliphalet Trimmer, 
 Henry Hunter, 
 Anson House, 
 Moses Chapin, 
 John C. Nash, 
 Fletcher M. Haight, 
 Alba Lathrop. 
 
 L R. Elwood, 
 
 Each one of all the foregoing individuals has a history, which 
 if written the world would hardly contain the books. 
 
 I have sometimes wondered what gave the name of BuiFalo to our 
 thriving sister city, and I have been told it was adopted from the 
 Indian name of the creek that enters the lake at that point. Now 
 what should give that name to the creek unless the Buffalo ranged 
 that region in olden times. It has generally been held that that 
 animal never crossed the Mississippi River, but it must be a mis- 
 take, and there is no doubt but that they once ranged freely over 
 the Prairie land of Michigan, Illinois and Ohio, and even the wild 
 forests of Western New York. Probably the organization of the 
 powerful Five Nations and the consolidation of their numerous 
 bands in the western wilds disper.'^ed and drove them off. 
 
 Father LeMoine, a Jesuit Missionary to the Onondaga and Illi- 
 nois Indians in 1053, on his passing the rapids of the St. Lawrence, 
 says in his diary, " on the other side of the rapids I perceived a 
 drove of wild cows, which were passing at their ease in great state. 
 Five or six hundred are often seen in these regions in one drove." 
 He then made his way up the Oswego River to the chief town of 
 the Onondagas. " We arrived at a small lake and were led to a 
 spring that they dare not drink, saying there was a demon in it 
 which made it poison ; having tasted it, I found it a fountain of 
 
salt water, and iu tact, we made salt from it as natural as that from 
 the sea, of Avhicli we carried a sample to Quebec." 
 
 On his return in a storm his canoes were driven on an Island, I 
 should think by his vague description of location, somewhere be- 
 tween what is now Sackett's Harbor and Ogdeusburg. He says, 
 " 1st September, 1653, I never saw so many Deer, but we had no 
 inclination to hunt them ; my man killed three as if against his will. 
 On the 2d, traveling through vast prairies, we saw in diverse 
 quarters immense herds of wild Bulls and Cows ; 8d and 4th, our 
 game does not leave us. It seems that venison and game follow 
 us everywhere, droves of twenty cows plunge into the water as if 
 to meet us; some are killed by way of amusement by blows of an 
 axe." Now what could these animals be but the Bison of Zoologists 
 and the Buffalo of the Indians, for there was not a domesticated 
 animal within five hundred miles of that region, if on the American 
 continent ; therelbre it is a fair conclusion, that the Indians were 
 familiar with this animal and named the creek after them. 
 
 They were an animal beyond the ability of the natives to subdue, 
 as they had no horses to follow them, nor atiy kind of fire arms, 
 only rude spears and arrows. Where he found the '' vast prairies" 
 is a little problematical in our heavy wooded country. 
 
 Father LeMoine was the first white man that ever discovered or 
 tasted the heaven-sent blessing, the salt springs of Onondaga, a 
 precious gift that ranges side by side with oauar!?^nd railroads in 
 the settlement and populating the great West. 
 
 If our salt springs should become exhausted, which in time may 
 result, what would become of the teeming millions of the western 
 world, — its inhabitants would^become nonentities and the soil a chaos 
 of hard clay for want of cultivation, or join the Mormons and go 
 to Salt Lake. 
 
 Well. well, what a rambling pacing pony the imagination is, 
 when the ribbons are in the hands of one over 8U years old. who knows 
 a little of everything and not much of any thing ; who cogitates 
 and thinks, sometimes right and often wrong, but as I go in for the 
 27th letter of the alphabet — the letter slide — so j'ou must take my 
 crudities as they run as we take our spare-rihs, for better or for 
 worse. Writing with an indelible steam pencil that never stops 
 and don't know the word ^choa, except when it runs off the track. 
 This exordium brings me back to Buffalo street, which was the 
 goal in view many leagues, back if the rambling afflatus does not 
 send me a " wool gathering" in some remote quarter. In my first 
 number I proposed to give some early recollections of Buffalo street 
 and its surroundings, and having traveled so many times around 
 Robin Hood's barn, it is fully time to begin ; so now, venez a nos 
 moutons. 
 
 This street was probably named from the fact, that it looked 
 toward that thriving city, which about these days claimed great 
 notoriety, being opposite the enemy's frontier, where the greater 
 part of tile war of 1812 was enacted. This street and Carrol, now 
 
9 
 
 State, was a rude apology for a viaduct, for one half of the year 
 it was an aqueduct of mud and water. Some idea may be realized 
 by those who observed the black muck, peat and parts of trees 
 thrown out in excavating last year for the great sewer in that street. 
 
 A story was current in those days, that some one threw out a 
 plank to reach a hat lying on the mud, on raising it a voice issued 
 from under, " Halloo there, what are you at?" " I beg your pardon 
 said the citizen, I was not aware there was a man under it." 
 " Well you give up that hat, or you will find there is one, and as 
 good a horse too as there is in this infernal country ;" at any rate 
 in spring and fall it was a sea — a volcano of mud, — which sought 
 its own level and saved a great deal of engineering and leveling. 
 Buildings began to be erected and stepping stones and slabs placed 
 for side-walks for convenience of locomotion. 
 
 This country was sickly, as all new lands are, particularly at the 
 mouth of the river, where two or three sets of inhabitants died 
 off, and indeed the whole country was infected with agues and 
 fevers, and it is said the physicians of those days helped the 
 destroying angel, by the then prevailing practice of bleeding and 
 calomel, which is now happily gone to the tomb of the capulets. 
 
 A traveler was prospecting the country for a new home, when 
 at the mouth of the river, he observed a man so wasted and thin, 
 that but one man could look at him at a time, sunning himself 
 against a house and entered into conversation with him, and asked 
 about the reputation of the country as to health. " Oh said he, 
 it is not bad, pretty good, take it bye and large." " But my friend, 
 your appearance does not justify that opinion." "Oh said he, that 
 is nothing, everybody must get acclimated you know." " How 
 long does it take ?" " Oh, four or five years." " Well, how has 
 it operated with you ?" " Well the first year I had the shakes, 
 that was pretty tough, I shook so that T split the beams of my 
 house and did some other damage. Well the next year I had the 
 intermittent fever, I got through that pretty well, — a body must be- 
 come hardened to the country you see, — then for about two years I 
 had the bilious fever and then the lake fever, and I am now taper- 
 ing off' with the mud fever ; I shall come out first rate yet." '• Well, 
 my friend. I have no disposition to go through the course your col- 
 lege of acclimation prescribes, so I will be going ; do you think 
 there is any danger of my being infected ?" " No, I guess not 
 if you have a good horse, but you must make tracks I can tell you. 
 
 The wind is in the right quarter, let us try to get back into Buf- 
 falo street again. On the north-west corner of it and State street 
 Dr. Azel Ensworth built a tavern house, which was a patched piece 
 of additions, though he had often fifty or sixty boarders, and was 
 known as the Eagle Tavern and kept for several years by his son 
 Russ, a person of some peculiarities — both deceased for many years. 
 It has been rebuilt and is now Powers Ban/,-. On the opposite 
 corner east was a rude stone building of rough ashlers, guiltless of 
 axe, tool or hammer or any metal tool, and was the store of Hart 
 
 9 
 
10 
 
 ^r Saxton It was burned and another erected of little better finish, 
 Lown as Burns' Block, lately rejuvenated and beautified an^js 
 
 nowthe Elwood property. On t>^,V^'"'^""'f rsiHs O Im^th 
 nnd E^chan-e was a rude stone building owned by Silas 0-j5mith 
 sTncerebt^t: an imposing structure, now Smith s Arcade. The inos 
 ll^h P feature that I remember now about it was Stowell s 
 Xe cockat ParroWhat was hung out of the window, making 
 The most iinearthly screams and screechings to attract visitors to 
 his museum On the south-east corner opposite was a large brick 
 cnvrwith the most -oth and vandalish windows ever got up by 
 fnTn'wewoX architect. It was occupied for many years by 
 lloTt Watts & Langworthy as a Hardware and Iron Store. It 
 has been since demolished and is now 3Iasomc HaU _ 
 
 Having got the four corners established asa^o.«^ '^ "P^^^f^Z 
 ^ Jv^tinn^ of all sizes and fashions crept in by degrees, till most 
 Tth Cund wl^s cupied for considerable space in all directions. 
 '' S: ^t Mim.g I rlnember, going east from the Eagle c^i^er^ 
 was a two story frame house kept for several yeaib by H. Miuai a 
 Is a ta ^n and was the first two-story frame house budtm Rochester^ 
 On the erection of Reynold's Arcade it was removed, and is now 
 So fandtoTsophia^treet, a tenant house, filled in with brick 
 and Is such entitled to the reverential notice and respect of all 
 
 ^'t^^r^lacksmith Shop stood where is now fe corner of 
 Meaae i, jj^ ^trr^Pt^ The river ran then where now the 
 
 '^Z'^' -""^ithf ow orbricl bail Ibgs beyond, stolen out of the 
 tVr Po old ver ! V ochcd and c'rowded out of its egifmate 
 Premises U of t^e fe.uiuinc gender, her lordly master .mpenous 
 ^Z. fairly, kicked ber out of bed ^et soure .mes e phaut. 
 
 SrSf^SuTon'ro^^^btrtir^e Jlted innovations and 
 obstructions with relentless fury. ^.,^ buildincrs were de- 
 
 s4rt^^:^:arf,9£5S;;ri^r 
 2.-s;if:!rt0-|p.oeeu^ 
 
 ItiXiTdi^ruf""^^^^ 
 
 fr^H^'Tb^pt'^Krwe B bbit^- LTn'^A Hnbbel, eoo- 
 S-L";,'I;::?nn Sunth were »o--he^a|ong Ja reg.. 
 
 The first building now standing SO.>"R ;>«'■' beyo"""e 
 that I can call to mind, is a arge 7-^J' J,f "''^j^f^^lTtd a bad 
 f "1" tt°nt is'strcoTd"™ e:anV7^.e<i "-^e a decayed 
 beTuty un«l U mateTuiie'a respectable appearance, and ,s now 
 the Exchange Hotel. , disappeared, 
 
11 
 
 it knew who built it or for what purpose ; it was of two stories, 
 without windows or doors, the boys called it the old Penitentiary 
 and said it was haunted — that a pedlar was murdered there, 
 whether old split foot flew away with it, or it was pulled down, I dis- 
 reniember. 
 
 The next notable place was the notorious Chicken Roiv, on a part 
 of which grounds now stands the best built, and in the severest 
 good critical taste, of any erection in this city, the Rochester 
 Savinffs Bank, whose directors laid out as much money as they 
 knew how. The materials will never decompose and crumble down, — 
 like the bases of the pilasters and columns of the new Court House. 
 Woodworths' chemical works are also on the same ground. 
 
 This in those days celebrated rookery, was a lot of low wood 
 buildings, strung together for renting purposes and filled with all 
 conceivable atrocities, from dusky white to ebony darkness, a per- 
 fect five points Billingsgate. They were all bipeds, though no 
 chickens by any means — a volunteer Pawn Brokers shop, where all 
 lost property was looked for and often recovered. It once took 
 fire at one end, and such getting down stairs was a caution to shins 
 and chemises ; it was early of a Sunday morning and brought to- 
 gether all the loose unwashed loafer b'hoys of the city, and they 
 like an unruly mob, snow-balled the fire out, for the fun of breaking 
 the windows and hitting the flying fugitives by the way of giving 
 them a good start. It has long gone the way of the degenerate. 
 
 On the same side, near the corner of Sophia street, yet stands an 
 old yelloio tico-story house, now occupied as a carpenter's shop, and 
 was built by Lester Beardsley^ a master builder, for his private 
 dwelling, and he laid himself out to produce something above the 
 vulgar of those days, but is now so far behind the light house of 
 modern improvement, that a minnie ball at a long shot would 
 never reach it. He was an estimable citizen and died of cholera 
 in 1832. 
 
 The next noted point that I remember of the mile stones of 
 departed times, is the old Buffalo Pumj) ; and there are many yet 
 living that have worshipped at its shrine. It stood on the north side, 
 about midway between Sophia and Washington streets ; stately and 
 bold, defying with its stout right arm all concocted drinks, and 
 was a fountain of the purest drinking water ; though in those days 
 
 of " do as you d please," it was not in as good repute as in 
 
 these days of the Good Templars. In those days, when milk and 
 water lived " in single blessedness" and whiskey was eighteen 
 pence a gallon, an old hummer said, "what is the use of water 
 any way, when whiskey is so cheap." Yet this blessed fountain 
 was almost the sole dependence of the aboriginals of the incipient 
 city, for their tea, and drink water, and were better off" than we arc 
 now, with the iron water pipes lying in the gutters. The first great 
 sewer ruined its source of water. 
 
 Nearly opposite and not five rods distant, was a fine sulphur 
 spring, which was improved by Dr. Vought with bath and shower- 
 
12 
 
 ing conveniencies ; a bar room and ladies' dressing room, and had 
 a good deal of popularity and patronage, but is now lost in the abyss 
 of brick and mortar. 
 
 The next noted point is the north-west corner of Buffalo and 
 Sophia street, now occupied by a new brick saloon, once covered by 
 the notorious Love's Block, a long row of two story, cheap erections, 
 standing on stilts, under which was a standing pool of green stag- 
 nant water ; the receptacle of all the filth, stenches and abomina- 
 tions of a crowded mass of the lowest grade of tenants. During 
 the cholera season of '32, the nuisance was so palpable, and the 
 danger so threatening, and no immediate lawful means at hand to 
 correct it, that a large collection of our best citizens, knowing the 
 law, tolerated the abatement of pressing and dangerous nuisances 
 vi et a7'mis, took possession of the implements of a hook and lad- 
 der company and at once commenced its demolition. During the 
 operation, some boys set fire to some straw beds in an upper room 
 the tenants had left, and in a few minutes the whole house was in 
 flames. The bells rang and all the fire companies turned out, to- 
 gether with a great mass of the population. The firemen were not 
 permitted to turn a drop of water on the fire, ouly on other exposed 
 buildings. The whole concern in a few minutes was dust and ashes. 
 Some prosecutions grew out of the affair, but were ignored by the 
 courts. 
 
 On the next lot yet stands, about thirty feet back from the street, 
 a two story brick building, now occupied as a boarding house, 
 which was built about the year 1824 or 5, by the celebrated Mor- 
 gan of anti-masonic memory — he being a mason by trade. The an- 
 tecedents of this house, gave it atone period considerable notoriety. 
 
 A little farther up on the opposite side, now stands a queer con- 
 glomerate of traps known as Rohh's Block, which is said to be in- 
 combustible, as it is so packed with tenants that no foot square 
 could be on fire, without discovery, by singing some ones head. 
 For the investment, it is said to be the most profitable concern in 
 all tenantdom, at any rate, it has the finest loater and the poorest 
 tvhiskej/, that ever passed the portals of a drouthy throat. 
 
 To the east and north of Washington street, including part of 
 Sophia and Center Square and that quarter, was originally a most 
 determined, deep, quaggy swamp, where cattle were mired and lost ; 
 now by draining and filling up, is built upon and become good and 
 desirable locations. 
 
 In those early times, an old fat Mohawk Dutchman lived on the 
 borders of this campagna of miasms and malaria. He did'nt seem 
 to mind it at all ; his' cheeks looked like two fresh smoked hams, 
 and his corporate capacity like a sack of hops ; sat one spring 
 morning in all his rotundity in his door, quietly smoking his pipe. 
 A passer-by asked him how he got along in these days. -'Ah, fust 
 rate — dip dop, only if it was not for dat tam Buffalo bump." 
 " Why, what has that to do with it?" " Vel den, you see, it is so 
 hanty to Chones' grocery, dat he buts too much vater in mine 
 
13 
 
 viskey." " Well, what again has that to do with it ?" ■• Veil den, 
 you see dis not very healthy times, so when I first gits up, I takes 
 a glass of viskey, for a eye opener, den I smokes a pit, and den I 
 looks out on de swamp, and ven I sees a bit of fog coming, I dakes 
 anoder triuk and I smokes agin, as he rises T keeps on trinkin and 
 smokiu to keep off de ager, sometimes more den ten times, but dat 
 was tam bad fog, den I trinks mine preckfast and keeps sharp look 
 out for de fog all day." 
 
 To the north and west of thiw is a dry chestnut ridge, where in 
 early times was fine hunting for stjuirrel, patridge, snipe, deer and 
 wolves were killed in what is now the limits of the city and their 
 vicinity. 
 
 As you pass over Bufi"alo street canal bridge, you come to the 
 old burying ground, where now stands the City Hospital. There 
 were probably 5,000 persons buried there, not more than 500 were 
 ever removed to 3Iount Hope, and the balance are now graded over, 
 sodded and used as pleasure grounds. How would the 4,000 sen- 
 tient human beings have felt, in the plentitude of their health and 
 strength, if they thought their osseous structures and fleshy in- 
 teguments were to be desecrated in that manner, — not pleasantly 
 under our prevailing ideas on that subject, but in reality it matters 
 not, 
 
 "For when the spirit free and warm, 
 
 Deserts it as it must; 
 What matter where the lifeless form, 
 
 Dissolves again to dust," 
 
 and it may not be considering it too philosophically to suppose, that 
 our corporeal atoms may in a few decades form a beer jug, or 
 mortar to stop the winters cold. Ohc ! jam satis. 
 
 On going north on Carroll, changed to State street through en- 
 mity and revenge against one of the original proprietors. Col. Car- 
 roll, for some transaction the council thought rather selfish and 
 unjust in him. The spite of changing the name was generally 
 thought ungenerous, improper and ungentlemanly. T recognize 
 but few buildings of those early times. Kempshall & West 
 had a rather imposing front of red cut free stone, located about 
 where is now the Ellwanger & Barry Block, and nearly opposite, 
 Brewster & Blanchard erected a block of stores with a grey sawed 
 sandstone front, with rustic corners and courses — now Concert 
 Hall, both long since displaced to make room for more modern and 
 imposing structures. About this region on the west side, the 
 Presbyterian meeting house was placed, and the first religious 
 society organized, consisting of 16 members; and somewhere in 
 that vicinity was an apology for a Theatre, afterwards Christopher's 
 livery stables. 
 
 Farther along on the east side, at the foot of Piatt street, stood 
 the political old % cdhin in " Tip. and Ti/. — Tippecanoe and Ti/ler 
 too" times, where only hard cider was drank and pork and beans 
 eaten on chips, will be well remembered by many now living. 
 Those were lively times ; candidates were sung into office and sung 
 
14 
 
 out of ofi&ce ; Dagger, Rope and Ratsbane were of no account. We 
 then assassinated with quavers and demis-emi-quavers. 
 
 In 1816, W. J. McCracken, in that part of the city called 
 Frankfort, erected the tavern house now known as the North 
 American Jlotel^ and was the only building of any importance for 
 the convenience of travellers and strangers in the city, and the 
 only frame building from thence to the Eagle corners. Old Bully 
 Mac is still living. 
 
 Tlie ohl Cotton Factory stood about where the Shawmut Mills 
 now are; those and the Pboenix Mill of Doct. Matthew Brown, 
 were the first improvements in that time. The present cotton fac- 
 tory is the third edition of that manufacturing business. The two 
 first, one was torn down, the other owned by Sidney S. Allcott, was 
 burned. 
 
 About these days, the Buffalo street Bridge became unsafe and 
 had to be closed, and Messrs. Mumford & Andrews put over a toll 
 bridge, a few rods above the present Railroad structure, it stood 
 till a new one was built when it went into disuse and decay, and 
 for many years past no vestige of either piers or abutments exist. 
 
 The dwelling house built by Setli Sexton, one of our early mer- 
 chants, stood in the rear of Congress Hall and the Waverly Block, 
 and has long since disappeared. 
 
 Of the early clergymen I only remember Revs. Comfort Williams, 
 Joseph Penny, F. H. Cumming. Williams James and Orrin Miller. 
 Of early physicians, only Drs. Ellwood, Coleman, Brown and Backus, 
 of any note. In 1827 there were 28 lawyers ; they are a prolific 
 breed, their name now is Legion, and the doctors are now as multi- 
 tudinous, from Catmint, Hoarhound and Boneset, though all the 
 patliies up to the clairvoyance and laying on of hands. 
 
 A building of some remark on Buifalo street, is the large struc- 
 ture lately known as the University, built by Martin Clapp in 1828, 
 and thought in early days to be a wild speculation, as it did 
 eventually turn out — ruining the builder. It was afterwards kept 
 by J. L. D. Matthies as the United States Hotel, at the front door 
 of which the Tonawanda Railroad, as it was then called, ended and 
 landed its passengers, which is now one portion of the great Central 
 New York road. 
 
 The Tonawanda Railroad in those days, almost a visionary pro- 
 ject, was commenced in 1835, now near 33 years ago, and was the 
 fir.st rod of road laid in this State, except the road from Albany to 
 Schenectady and the Horse Railroad to Carthage. It was never 
 even conceived, or entered into the imaginations of the half dozen 
 or more capitalists and projectors, that it would ever be connected 
 with the Albany road, great West and the rest of this great con- 
 tinent. Its object was to carry passengers going and coming from 
 the new countries and to bring down live stock and perishable 
 articles, grain and produce during the close of the canals in winter, 
 all for the benefit of our city and home market. 
 
 At that time passengers were the great object calculated upon 
 
15 
 
 for profit, and very little dependence was laid on it for freight, 
 now the great reliance for dividends. The passenger cars got up 
 for this road, if they could be exhibited now, would be laughed 
 into utter insignificance. They were 14 or 15 feet long with two 
 cross seats at each ead, holding three or four persons each, with an 
 upper story in the center for the same number, and the space un- 
 derneath for baggage making 24 passengers, where they now carry 
 from 60 to 100." 
 
 If those cars could be exhibited as excavated from the ruins of 
 Herculaneum they might be tolerated, but compared with our 
 present palaces, would be the incarnation of absurdity. There is 
 no vestige of them left, nor has been for many years. 
 
 The construction of the road was an anomaly among modern con- 
 structions ; it was laid on sleepers 20 feet long ; large logs flattened 
 on one side ; a 3x4 pine scantling and a 2^ inch strap rail spiked 
 down together. This rail after a year or two was found to be too 
 light, liable to snake heads on every trip ; the whole was stripped 
 off and lost and a 3 inch and thicker one substituted ; but 
 the whole concern was soon a total failure and the entire rails 
 and superstructure thrown away, which was renewed on the present 
 plan with the T rail. The whole original capital was nearly sunk 
 and lost, ruining several deserving persons. Not one of the original 
 projectors, that I can think of are, now alive. 
 
 To show how great oaks from little acorns grow, I will give the 
 receipts of the road for the first two weeks it ran, I am not certain 
 whether to Batavia or only to Byron : 
 
 Sept. 22d, 1836, 6 tons of salt; 23d, 500 lbs. ft.; 24th, ft. 25 
 cts.; 26th, pass. 25 cts.; 27th, pass. $1.50, ft. 600 lbs.; 28th, pass. 
 50 cts.; 29th, pass. $1 ; 30th, pa.s3. $1 ; Oct. 1st, 18 bbls. salt ; 3d, 
 pass. 75 cts., 3 bbls. salt; 4th, pass. S1.63, 17 bbls. salt, ft. 200 lbs. 
 
 In comparison with the present trafic it is an infusoria to an 
 Elephant. Now there pass through this city in the period of the 
 foregoing report, more than 10,000 passengers and 100,000 tons of 
 freight. 
 
 What an institution is the genius of man ; he scans and weighs 
 the heavenly bodies, decides exactly the materials that compo.se the 
 sun, and with daring innovation, sends the red artillery of heaven 
 around the earth and hoops it with bands of iron, and compels 
 nondescript monsters to fly careering over and under mountains 
 and rivers, through every part of the globe. Where is it all to 
 end ? With our splendid cars and sleeping palaces ; why not 
 Boarding Houses cheaper than Metropolitans or Osborn Hotels ; 
 yea even ball-room cars, in which a party can dance a figure and 
 piroutte at Buffalo and chasaee back to Rochester. Who knows 'f 
 Only give us a double track, magnetic wheels and cold steam, and 
 we will live on board in these emigrating domicils and go in for a 
 good time generally. 
 
 We are rather a wonderful penple ; we stop at nothing that the 
 wildest- imagination can suggest, imly two steps more and we should 
 
16 
 
 be classed by ancient mythology among the Gods, — flying and 
 perpetual motion — there rests the limits of human invention — the 
 ultima fhulc of Yankee genius, we may add the quadrature of the 
 circle and then we are foundered in the quagmire of impossibilities. 
 It is not generally known that on excavating the Valley Canal, 
 about where Sophia street bridge crosses, that the natural bones of 
 a pre-adamite animal of the Mammoth or Mastodon species were 
 found and are now in the State Museum at Albany. Two citizens 
 were walking on the unfinished work and discovered among the 
 earth wheeled out, large lumps of a white material like chalk, but 
 a closer examination found they were decayed ivory, with the pecu- 
 liar concentric rings of that material. By further search they 
 found, the point, or tip of an enormous tusk, and several rib bones 
 and vertebrae ; they also found the shell or enamel of a part of the 
 tusk, that was eight or nine inches in diameter. On enquiring of 
 the superintendent he referred them to the laboi'crs that worked 
 at that point, but they being Patlanders knew nothing about it, 
 only one said he carried out two or three barrow loads of rotten 
 liickory maple ; but it was so covered by earth that it was a very 
 serious job to search for them, or the entire skeleton might probably 
 have been found. 
 
 This is allowed to be a very meagre country for the mineralogist, 
 with very few mineral specimens, or rare formations worth ob- 
 serving. The scratched and polished rocks underlie the whole 
 drift of this region, and are supposed to be the results of Prof. 
 Agassiz's icebergs, and are in many places very distinct. 
 
 There is a singular formation cropping out going up Buffalo 
 street, this side of St. Mary's Hospital, of the cornitiferous lime 
 rock and is supposed to be the secretion and deposit of a small 
 animal, and is a coralite or rather a madreporite, and contains often 
 very beautiful and rare crystals of the Jiuate of lime, which with 
 a streak of Galena lead ore, just below the river dam at the rapids, 
 are worth observation. 
 
 The most noticeable formation of the rocks of this region are to 
 be examined on the high banks of the river at Buell's Avenue. 
 Their general dip is about 55 feet to the mile, a little west of south, 
 and the strata undulates in waves, and the depressions are filled 
 up with the greatest mechanical nicety, till they reach the general 
 level; when another regular course commences, of which there 
 are several instances. In the immediate vicinity, a strata of 
 the red oxt;de of iron, which underlies this country from near 
 Utica to Niagara Falls, where it wedges out. It is a singular for- 
 mation composed of the broken members of those articulated sea 
 animals called Encrimtcs, and grouted in with iron, and is com- 
 posed of about 40 per cent, iron to GO of lime, and is a fine flux 
 for magnetic and refractory ores. 
 
 The red sali/erous sand stone of the river banks contain no or- 
 ganic remains, except quite on the surface, abundance of fucoides ; 
 supposed to be the incipient action of prolific nature, to produce 
 
17 
 
 f 
 
 the first attempt of vegetable organization, during the deposition o 
 the sedimentary rocks. On a level and a little north of the paper 
 mills there is a lime stone strata very prolific in the remains of the 
 pentamerus ohlongata. 
 
 There have occurred in Rochester three or four criminal trials 
 of extraordinary interest, the like of which can hardly be matched 
 in the calender of criminal jurisprudence. 
 
 The trial of Barron for the robbery and murder of Ljjman, on 
 Franklin street, on the east side, elicited the greatest concentration 
 and array of circumstantial evidence ever brought before a jury, 
 rendering the fatal result as palpable as a voice from heaven. 
 
 The murder of Little^ an attorney, by Ira Stout, in attempting 
 to throw him ofi" the high bank below the Falls, after stunning 
 him by a blow of a hammer, when they went down together a dis- 
 tance of 150 feet, killing Little his brother-in-law, and himself 
 wounded and arm broken. He was hung, and the wife of Little 
 sent to State Prison for seven years, — since pardoned out and very 
 well married. 
 
 The trials of Bleglei\ Hardenhrook^ and liobinson, excited the 
 feelings of the whole city, from the previous high standing of the 
 parties. Being rather recent transactions, are familiar with most 
 citizens. The adage : 
 
 ■ That prisoners must han</ that jurymen may dine," is often re- 
 versed by many of our recondite jurys and escajje substituted. 
 
 The murder, many years ago, of Porter P. Pierce, a popular 
 young man, and Emily Moore, an interesting young lady; both of 
 
 whom were found in the river, and the singular killing of 
 
 Orton, were exciting topics in those days. In neither instance has 
 the remotest discovery been made of the perpetrators of these 
 enormities, on even well grounded suspicious been adopted, and it 
 would seem almost to ignore and falsify the almost scriptural 
 proverb, that murder ivill out. 
 
 On thinking over the varied scenes and events that have passed 
 over my limited vision and memory, I find a few more noted points, 
 that I wish to rescue from the all devouring maw of time, that 
 will soon obliterate their existence from the memories of the 
 present age and be lost to those that shall come after us. 
 
 What digression all this is from a history of Bufi"alo street. 
 But when an old Covet/, who can better remember about men and 
 transactions fifty years ago, than he can what he ate for dinner 
 yesterday, he must be allowed to tap the barrel and let it slide, pre- 
 mising that the food of the old is retrospection of the past, while 
 that of the young is the present and anticipation. So let us jog 
 along. 
 
 As one of the transactions notable in the programme of the 
 drama of the city of llochester, the feats of the immortal Sam 
 Patch must not be overlooked. This amphibious biped, was en- 
 dowed with a very feeble mind and low grade of intelligence ; he 
 
18 
 
 loved the ardent, and resorted to the original device of jumping 
 from great heights to raise the means to gratify his ruling passion, 
 and by a very unintentional exploit, immortalized his feat and his 
 name, and will be read of and quoted, and illustrated, when Web- 
 ster, Calhoun, Douglass and Sumnere^, id omne genus, are lost in the 
 bottomless pit of oblivion Yea, ten thousand years hence, when 
 the brink of the Genesee cataract shall have worn up and destroyed 
 the great ship canal aqueduct, his name and exploit will " point 
 a paragraph and adorn a tale," in the North and South American, 
 West Indian, Kamtschatkan and Cape Horn Magazine," with the 
 caption of Sam's motto, " some things can he done as well as others." 
 
 Having performed at Paterson, N. J., and at Niagara Falls, he 
 came to this city and put up notices for jumping down the Genesee 
 Falls, on the 8th day of November, 1829, and on that day, a large 
 concourse of citizens attended the exhibition, and true to his 
 promise, himself and a tame hear took the fearful leap and came 
 up safely, to the great satisfaction of all the beholders. Not satis- 
 fied with this performance, he then proposed on the 13th of Novem- 
 ber, to leap from a scaffold erected on the brink of the falls, 20 
 feet in height, making the descent considerable over 100 feet. On 
 the specified day, the world, his wife and their remotest relations, 
 apparently, were on the ground to witness his great feat ; the 
 country ran mad on the subject in almost countless numbers. The 
 river banks, roofs of buildings, trees and every attainable foothold 
 were alive with men women and children. He came on the ground 
 at the specified time, quite tipsy, took a last drink, mounted the 
 scaffold, and after a half hours speechifying and cutting up various 
 monkey capers, took the awful plunge — a profound silence pre- 
 vailed over the vast multitude, — every eye bent on the rippling 
 waves where he entered the water ; a hush equal to the primeval 
 chaos existed for near ten minutes, when spontaneously every 
 mouth proclaimed, he is lost — he is dead ! Such a prostration of 
 feeling on this fool-hardy event, took effect on the spectators, that 
 in less than five minutes every animate creature had fled from the 
 premises — silent, sober and melancholy. 
 
 Instead of entering the water feet foremost, he struck on his- 
 side, with a force it was estimated at the time, exceeding 4,000 
 pounds. 
 
 A story extensively prevailed, that he came up under the rocks 
 and played Possum till night, when he decamped. It obtained a 
 considerable degree of credit, so much so, that Mr. Coit, of one of 
 the eastern towns, being in the city some few months after the 
 affair where the subject was broached, said he knew the fact of 
 Sam's being alive, and he could prove it. The late Mr. Jacob 
 Graves being present, said he would not be afraid to risk all he was 
 ■worth that it was not so. Mr. Coit replied, " I have a hundred 
 dollars that I will put up, that I can not only prove it, but that I 
 will produce him alive in 24 hours." Mr. G. drew his check for 
 that amount ; it was put in a third parties hands. 
 
19 
 
 The circumstances that deceived Mr. C, were these : When 
 Sam came first to Rochester, he stopped at Mr. C.'s house and had 
 a meal of vituals, so that he supposed he could recognise him 
 again. A few days previous to the wager, a poor looking tramp 
 came along and asked for lodging, of very much the same size and 
 aspect of Sam Patch." " How are you Sam ?" said Mr. C. " All 
 right," said the counterfeit ; and by Mr. C.'s questions, he entered 
 into all the particulars of his escape, completely satisfying him of 
 his identity. 
 
 On going home after making the wager, and relating the circum- 
 stances of the bet to his man, who he had set to sawing wood, 
 Why, said the pretented Sam, " I am sorry you -have done that, 
 for to own the truth, I am not in reality Sam Patch ; I let you call 
 me so as I was hard up, and I wanted some place to stay, and if I 
 ever get money enough I will pay it back to you." 
 
 The money was cheerfully given up, but I think declined under 
 the peculiar circumstances by Mr. G. 
 
 The writer of this article applied to the municipal authorities, to 
 prevent and hinder the dangerous and useless exhibition, but they 
 paid no attention to it. 
 
 If time is money, together with the unavoidable expenses of a 
 vast multitude, some from a great distance, it cost the city and 
 county not less than 10,000 dollars, to say nothing of one ipositive 
 death, several broken limbs, and whole hecatombs of inflammation of 
 the lungs, andincipient consumptions, from standing on the banks 
 two or three hours, in a raw, severe, suicidal day in November. 
 
 The next spring his body was found at the mouth of the river, 
 and was buried in the Charlotte Cemetery. 
 
 This ends the rather remarkable tragedy of Sam Patch. 
 
 About the year 1830, the Mechanics' Institute, now the Athe- 
 neiim, ordered from Catlin, the celebrated portrait painter, (who 
 spent eight or ten years among all the Indian tribes this side the 
 Rocky Mountains illustrating by his pencil and pen their features 
 and habits,) a portrait of De Witt Clinton, for which they were to 
 pay him 400 dollars. On its completion, he forwarded it by a 
 young brother, a very promising genius and of fine personal quali- 
 fications. After delivering his charge and receiving his pay, he 
 wished to take a sketch of the Genesee Falls, and taking a position 
 on the shore below the high bank, to gain a sand bar in the mid- 
 dle of the river, he disrobed himself and attempted to wade over, 
 but the water being too deep, he sank and was drowned. An old 
 Irishman who was fishing some distance below, saw the whole affair 
 and r'an to his assistance, but too late to save him ; he immediately 
 gave information, and several citizens went to the spot and found 
 his clothes, but no pocket-book, money or gold watch. 
 
 The old man was arrested, his cabin searched, which was a mis- 
 erable hole, equally house or hog pen. A strong sea chest that he 
 had brought over with him was examined, and among the queerest 
 lot of old hats, coats, petticoats, &c., was found an old stocking 
 
20 
 
 containing 300 English guineas, which he accounted for by stating 
 that although he lived by fishing and begging, the money was 
 rightfully his, and he was keeping it for his children, who he ex- 
 pected would soon be over. Nothing appearing against him he 
 was discharged. 
 
 About three or four months after, some boys playing on the 
 shore, on turning over a large flat stone, disclosed the articles all 
 safe and sound. Whether the body was ever found, or what dis- 
 position was made with the property, I disremember, or what be- 
 came of the portrait. It was said at the time of the break up of 
 the institute and change to the Atheneum, that there was some 
 White House operations, this like a thousand other rumors may be 
 mere moonshine. 
 
 One of the most noble and noticeable institutions of the city of 
 Rochester, is its Cemetery, unrivalled in its picturesque and 
 romantic scenery, diversified with plateau, hill and dale, forest trees 
 and second growth shrubbery, and planted with exotic and native 
 trees, — an elevated dry gravelly soil, its landscape is incomparable, 
 and it may not be making too tine a point to say, it was formed by 
 nature and placed in a position — an elective affinity — expressly for 
 the use of the dead representatives of humanity. 
 
 These grounds look down upon the city, the surrounding 
 countrytand the Genesee River as upon a map, — the vast expanse of 
 Lake Ontario is in full view, which renders its position and forma- 
 tion one of the extraordinary features of this region. 
 
 The animal power railroad, fine flagged side walks and iron 
 bridge over the river, render the Cemetery of easy access, and a 
 great resort to citizens and strangers in fine weather. 
 
 Yet with all its beautiful imagery and unsurpassed advantages ; 
 when the purchase was proposed to the authorities, it met with the 
 most vehement opposition ; but better councils prevailed and it be- 
 came what it now is, the great (tgrarian hoarding and lodging house 
 in the cltij of the dead. The patrician and plebian all sit at the 
 same table, " not where they eat, but where they are eaten" 
 (Shak.), no fault finding or discontent, universal silence, peace and 
 brotherly love prevails, yet with all this quietude and peace, how 
 abhorent to our nature is its approach. 
 
 " But to die and go we know not where ; 
 To lie in cold obstruction and to rot ; 
 This sensible warm motion to become 
 A kneaded clod ; oh 'tis horrible! 
 The weariest and most loathed worldly life, 
 That age, ache, penury, and imprisonment 
 Can lay on nature, is a paradise 
 To what we fear of death." 
 
 • S: * * * * * :H * 
 
 Mount Hope is considered a most proper and happy designa- 
 tion, for the last resting place for the frail tenements of humanity. 
 
 Its name combines all the holy and dependent attributes, that we 
 anticipate and trust in life and death. The poet says, 
 
 " The miserable have no other mediciae. 
 But only Hope." 
 
21 
 
 This fortunate name was not the result of long and learned con- 
 sultation, thought and search, but the happy conception of a single 
 individual, a sub-officer of the city municipality, who presented at 
 a meeting of the Common Council, a bill '' for work and labor done 
 on Mount Hope Cemetery," it took the usual course of being 
 adopted and published in the next daily papers. It obtained im- 
 mediate popularity, and was assumed as the act of the authorities, 
 and no further action had, or further question made on the subject. 
 
 At the time the purchase of the lot of 100 acres, it was thought 
 by many as a most extravagant outlay ; but it has already turned 
 out as altogether too limited, and additional territory has already 
 been procured, the best ground there was adjoining, but not of the 
 best quality for its intentions, and this has occurred even at this 
 early period, not more than about thirty years from its adoption. 
 
 When we consider from known facts, derived from the bills of 
 mortality of the civilized world, that a whole generation dies off in 
 33 or 34 years, that is, as many human beings pass the dark portal, 
 as existed on the globe at that time (1,200,000,000) twelve 
 hundred millions in that short period cease to exist. 
 • Now it follows clearly and beyond cavil, that out of our pre- 
 sumed population, 60,000 bodies must be deposited in this and the 
 Catholic burying grounds within 33 years from this time, and it is 
 a proper enquiry to make and ask, where are they all to be laid ? 
 for it is even now a fact, that any one the least fastidious in the 
 ■choice of a desirable, or favorite location, cannot procure one to 
 his satisfaction. 
 
 There seems to be no other resort, but to procure the property 
 lying opposite and across the public highway, which belongs to a 
 gentleman, who duly appreciates its value and means to enjoy it — 
 and does, in a liberal, hospitable and gentlemanly manner. 
 
 There is no doubt but tliat it can be purchased and must so 
 eventuate, but we may have to cover it with golden eagles, and 
 them edgewise. 
 
 The grounds of Mount Hope have been greatly improved and 
 beautified, recently by the present superintendent, Mr. Stillson, 
 and in 50 years it will be a noted point of attraction and visitation 
 by citizens and visitors, as one of the sight-seeing objects so credit- 
 able to our civil and religious community, everlasting in its beauty 
 and sanctity. 
 
 Rochester Kiiochinrjs, as weak and silly an imposture as it is, has 
 conferred upon this city more notoriety and local celebrity, than all 
 other occurrences that ever transpired within its boundaries. It 
 has been spoken of and commented upon in Europe and by every 
 press, man and woman in the Unitnd States. 
 
 An uneducated country girl, Miss Fox, now Fox Kane, and iicr 
 sister Mrs. Fish, with as some have thouglit the sprimj haltov ^onxQ 
 peculiar developed muscle of the huj toe, with occasional assistance 
 from confederates, deceived the most critical examinations before 
 intelligent public meetings, and at her private residence, where 
 hundreds consulted her as one of the sybils of fate. 
 
22 
 
 After setting the whole country in a blaze of wonder and 
 curiosity, thinking this city too limited a sphere for their opera- 
 tions, went to the city of New York, where they have given private 
 seances for several years. 
 
 One of them having failed in securing the property of Dr. Kane, 
 the famous Arctic explorer, claiming to be his lawful wife, and justly 
 as we think, has now opened shop, it is stated, in Philadelphia, un- 
 der the nose of the brother, the successful claimant, probably to 
 follow her vocation and annoy the possessor of the property. 
 
 About the time the advent of the knockings had its day, mes- 
 merism and table tippinij had a great run ; it seemed as if delusion 
 and humbug ruled the hour, engaging the attention of thousands 
 and having many proselytes ; but all the vagaries of the day gave 
 way to the more mysterious and mystified delusion of clairvoyance 
 and modern spiritualism and writing mediums. 
 
 The single fact, that the spirits of those who when in life, were 
 of the highest grade of intellect, of great genius and learning, are 
 called to the presence of pretended mediums, communicating with 
 us freely, and with those, who, while in the body would not be worthy 
 to black their shoes, and yet up to this time, no one instance has oc- 
 curred, by which mankind have been benefited or enlightened 
 on any of those points which are inscrutable to mortals, while 
 they, the spirits, ra.iging with the velocity of thought through all 
 space ; following the tracks of the stellar worlds — familiar with 
 all the arcana and workings of the wonderful machinery that God 
 has constructed in heaven's great workshop of nature ; but not a 
 hint, an allusion to enlighten us in the great mysteries ; no illustra- 
 tion of any science ; no allusion to the nature of diseases ; nothing 
 for the benefit of the toiling millions to improve their condition. 
 In short, not one iota of benefit has been derived from all the pre- 
 tended communications of spirits from the higher .spheres. The 
 Bible, the Saviour, Heaven and Hell are ignored, and every sensible 
 and well established fact and doctrine of the present day, set at 
 naught by visionary theories, without one palpable evidence of 
 their reliability. 
 
 Why cannot they satisfy us, whether the sun and solar system 
 are merely satellites or not, to a stupendous central planet around 
 which they revolve. What the constituency of Jupiter's belts 
 and Saturn's rings. Whether there is an outer planet to Neptune: 
 What the periodical shooting stars. Whether the great planets 
 are inhabited, and by what beings. What is the cause of the spots 
 on the sun, and any of the thousand abstruse and inscrutable sub- 
 jects to us sublunarians. Enlighten us with one question's worth ; 
 if nothing else, say if the moon is made of green cheese. It is a 
 fathomless abysm of airy nothing — the climax of absurdities. 
 
 Balloons. The first attempt at a balloon ascention in this city 
 was made in 1836, now 31 years ago, by a French Aeronaut, 
 named Lauriatt, on the grounds now occupied by the Waverly 
 Block, Congress Hall and the Railroad depot, then vacant lots, all 
 
23 
 
 properly enclosed. There was a large attendance both inside and 
 outside. It being before street gas was introduced, he was obliged 
 to create his hydrogen from acids and iron turnings. On attempt- 
 ing to test its buoyancy, he found it would not lift himself without 
 any ballast, and after adding a keg of nails to his retort, it was no 
 go. He then excused his failure by saying his material was bad 
 by being mixed with cast iron, producing the heavy carbonic gas. 
 He then made proclamation that a fortnight from that day, he 
 would return and do justice to the exhibition. 
 
 A lot of roughs fell foul of the balloon, determined to cut and 
 destroy it, and did make two or three apertures, when some one 
 cut the guy rope and away it went soaring swiftly aloft ; losing its 
 gas rapidly, it fell in the river a half mile or more below. 
 
 On the day appointed he made his appearance and effected a 
 most successful ascension, remaining in sight for over a half hour, 
 and landed safely at Sodus Bay, 24 miles from the city. 
 
 The most remarkable transaction, was the falling of the roof of 
 a blacksmith shop at one corner of the enclosure, which was alive 
 with men and boys, some of whom were slightly hurt, and one man 
 fell on an axe that was screwed in a vice with the handle up and 
 forced it completely through the fleshy part of his thigh, between 
 the great muscle and the bone, and such was h\s situation, that the 
 late Dr. Reid had to saw it in two to extract it, and what is equally 
 singular, it affected him so little, that he was able to perform his 
 ordinary light work, got well, and is now a hearty, hale old man. 
 He was from the country, by the name of Frisby. 
 
 Subsequent to this, some years, Prof. Steiner made several suc- 
 cessful ascensions, in one of which a lady actress of the city 
 theatre was his companion. 
 
 The Pinnacle, a high hill lying south-east of the city, was selected 
 a number of years ago, for a grand and imposing exhibition of the 
 4th of July ceremonies ; the precise year of which my memory is 
 oblivious ; but think it was in 1826, the semi-centenial year from 
 the declaration of Independence. 
 
 Considerable preparations were made ; a 32 pounder cannon 
 was dragged up j a large temporary building was erected and filled 
 with fire works. 
 
 The manager and superintendent was a young man by the name 
 of Gilchrist, who, through some oversight, or accident, set fire to 
 some article of the fire works the night before the fourth, when 
 the whole instantly inflamed, together with the powder for the 
 cannon, blowing the whole concern to atoms, and in a moment 
 killing young Gilchrist. The precise spot where this unfortunate 
 accident happened, I am notable to locate, but think it is was where 
 now is St. Patricks cemetery. 
 
 This transaction is probably not known to one in a thousand of the 
 present inhabitants of this city. So does pass the remembrance 
 of even much more important events, the death of beloved 
 relatives, intimate friends — even war, pestilence and famine, like 
 
24 
 
 " the baseless fabric of a vision," passes away and is forgotten. 
 The openiny of the Erie Canal is a subject passed from the 
 memories and knowledged of most of our citizens now living. It 
 was then thought to be the crowning achievement of a great and 
 patriotic people; of more importance than a mere idle ditch, as it 
 is now fast becoming. The great and increasing Railroad i^y stem ^ is 
 its powerful and determined antagonist, and a most fatal one, and so 
 will continue, until they are forced to pay toll during the 
 canal season. Systematic monopoly, money and corrupt legisla- 
 tion are the bane of this great work ; and as times are now pro- 
 gressing, the day is not far in futurity when the noble structure, 
 the admiration and wonder of the world in times past, that a single 
 state in the very gristle of its maturity, should alone and unaided 
 perfect so stupendous a work, and the day is coming when it will 
 become a stagnant pool, mantled over with green frog spawn and 
 duck weed, and 2,000 boats be rotting down in piecemeal — sinking 
 to ruin without making a ripple — silence and solitude ruling the 
 waste. 
 
 The announcement that the canal was completed, preparations 
 were made to have a grand celebration. Cannon were distributed 
 at proper distances along the whole line from Buffalo to New York 
 city, and on the 26th of October, 1825, the guns were fired at 
 intervals of one minute and reached New York in one hour and 
 twenty minutes, and was returned in the same time to Buffalo, a 
 distance of over 1,100 miles in less than three hours. The boat 
 Seneca Chief, onboard of which was Gov. DcWitt CVm^on and other 
 distinguished individuals, and various committtees from every part 
 of the line, who were addressed by Jesse Hawley in behalf of the 
 citizens of Rochester. A tug boat followed, called Noah's Ark, 
 loaded with a great variety of the productions of the west; among 
 which were two Indian boys in full costume, a large bear, two live 
 eagles, two fawns, and many other animals, birds and fish, among 
 which were two highly finished kegs filled with lake water, to min- 
 gle with the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, at the marital cere- 
 monies of joining hearts and hands of the great lakes and the sea. 
 
 At every village on the line, great preparations were made to 
 receive and honor the celebration and the first through boat. 
 
 On the 27th, at 2 o'clock they arrived at Rochester, where was 
 drawn up at the aqueduct, eight compauies of militia soldiers, who 
 fired a grand feu de joie. and the boat Young Lion of the West, 
 was stationed on guard to protect the entrance, who hailed the 
 pioneer boat. 
 
 " Who comes there V 
 
 " Your brethren of the west from the waters of the great lakes.'' 
 
 " By what means have they been diverted from their natural, 
 course V 
 
 " By the channel of the grand Erie Canal." 
 
25 
 
 '• By whose authority and by whom was a work of such magni- 
 tude accomplished ?" 
 
 •• By the authority aud enterprise of the patriotic people of the 
 State of New York." 
 
 •• All right ! Pass." 
 
 The Youug Lion then gave way and the Seneca Chief was allowed 
 to enter the aqueduct, when Gen. Vincent Matthews and John C. 
 Spencer, offered the congratulations of the citizens of Rochester. 
 A procession was formed and marched to the first Presbyterian 
 Church, where, after an apropriate prayer by the Rev. Joseph Pen- 
 ny, Timothy Chihh, ^'sy., delivered a most eloquent and pertinent 
 address. After which they repaired to Christopher's Mansion 
 House and partook of a most sumptous dinner. Gen. Matthews 
 presided, assisted by Jesse Hawley and Jonathan Child. 
 
 The squadron of boats then departed. The Young Lion of the 
 West, among a large number of citizens, had on board as a com- 
 mittee for New-York, Elisha B. Strong, Levi Ward, William B. 
 Rochester, Abelard Reynolds, Elisha Johnson, Gen. E. S. Beach, 
 Rufus Meech, A. Strong and B. F. Hurlburt. Now, in the short 
 space of 42 years, but one of all the persons named in the whole 
 transaction, are alive, Mr. Abelard Reynolds, now eighty-two 
 years of age, enjoying a measurable state of health, and the respect 
 and veneration of every citizen of this broad city. " None know 
 him but to love him ; none name him but to praise." 
 
 The Great Flood of 1865 was the most disastrous event that 
 ever occurred in this city, by fire, tornado or any other casuality, 
 doing a damage of more than $200,000, demolishing buildings, 
 tearing up pavements and sewers, and causing a large portion of 
 the inhabitants of the first and second wards to leave their places 
 of business in boats — a catastrophe to which we are liable agt^in 
 at every periodical rise of the River, and even one greatly more 
 calamitous. 
 
 The person who had the credit of predicting this great flood, 
 almost precisely as it happened, not only deposited them in the 
 corner stone of the Court House, so certain was he of its fulfilment, 
 lAit a prescient one of a much more extreme damaging occurance 
 to which this city is liable, which, as near as I can remember, was 
 about to this eff'ect : He supposes the obstruction to happen at the 
 Aqueduct, by ice or flood wood, until the whole water of the River 
 pours over like a mill-dam, five or ten feet in depth ; consequently the 
 Canal being of the same level would send the water over its banks 
 of the same depth, from Exchange street bridge to the deep Hol- 
 low, and through the entire territory of the first, second and ninth 
 wards. This great calamity he predicts will eventually take place, 
 and probably within the life time of many now living, the result of 
 which will be a thousand times more disastrous than the flood of 
 1865. It might even form a new channel from near the Jail, over 
 Exchange street to Spring, through the natural valley to Buffalo 
 and Sophia streets, sweeping away every vestige of the Canal, 
 
 4 
 
26 
 
 rushing witli relentless fury, wash away the entire surface down 
 to the rock, the average depth to which does not exceed ten feet — 
 undermining every structure not founded on the rock, and stone and 
 brick buildings would tumble and crush into fragments like an egg 
 shell, and many wood buildings might be carried over the high 
 banks into the abyss below the Falls. 
 
 If this catastrophe should happen in the night, or even suddenly 
 in the day time, a fearful loss of life would be the result. Ten 
 thousand lives might swell the bills of mortality. 
 " An old u-eird looman. who had once been well educated and seen 
 better times, in appearance — a regular Hecate and fortune teller, 
 called the witch woman, who lived in a little hut in the west part 
 of the city, was consulted by hundreds on every subject, present 
 and future ; and what gave her greater popularity was, that she 
 gave all her answers and predictions in doggerel poetry. On a cer- 
 tain time, on seeing a great rise in the River, she like one of the 
 ancient sybils, uttered the following oracular prediction : 
 
 " When the century is filled with 8, 
 Water the city will desolate. 
 When filled with the figure 9. 
 The falls will reach the transit line." 
 
 I see no interpretation of the prophecy, unless it intends to indi- 
 cate the year 1888, twenty years from this time, and the 9, 1999 ; 
 what the meaning of the transit line is is incomprehensible. The 
 ■whole mere twaddle and flummery. 
 
 That there is a great disaster threatening the city even this 
 very year of 1868, no reflecting mind can gainsay. The in- 
 creasing volume of water every year, and its sudden rise and ad- 
 vance, increases a danger that has already shown us its over- 
 whelming fury ; which is increased every year by the clearing up 
 of the natural forests and the drainage of low lands and swamps, 
 whereby instead of percolating gradually through the soil, rushes 
 down to swell the larger streams, and produce great floods, and 
 excessive low water, and whether it is next month or the next de- 
 cade of years, it is sure to revisit us, as the rain is sure to fall, or 
 the water to run. 3Iark loell this prediction. 
 
 The change of the face of the country is undoubtedly the remote 
 cause ; but the immediate and local cause of the danger, is entirely 
 owing to the narrowing of the channel of the River, by crowding 
 large structures even beyond low water mark, aud the faulty con- 
 struction of the Aqueduct and Main street bridge. Arches are 
 worth but little as a water way, when nearly or even half filled, as 
 their capacities diminish in an inverse ratio. The bridge should 
 have been built on strong narrow straight piers, with an iron su- 
 perstructure ; which would have doubled its ability to pass water. 
 The objection urged to this plan was, that the frequent renewal of 
 the plank covering would be a constant and great expense 5 but it 
 is quite clear, that the interest of 60.000 dollars would keep it 
 covered with mahogany. The aqueduct is in the same category 
 
27 
 
 and will sooner or later have to be changed to straight piers and a 
 "wooden trunk. 
 
 Nothing will save the 2d and 9th wards short of a levee on the 
 ntnh bank of the G ^ aal , embracing the whole valley of the Valley /?/'. n>^ 
 (!j/ 'olwwi within the city. A very moderate rise of the River would 
 fill and overflow the canal and its herm banks, and over-run the 
 Erie at every rod from Fitzhugh street to the deep Hollow, doing 
 incalculable damage. 
 
 A large sum was granted by the Legislature to raise the berm 
 bank of the Erie canal, which is totally obliterated in almost every 
 part west of BuiFalo street bridge ; but our municipal authorities 
 did nothing about it, said nothing about it, and apparently cared 
 nothing about it — the fund cannot be accounted for — is lost — 
 engulphed in the maws of corruption and chicanery of the State 
 managers. 
 
 Suspension Bridge. — About 1856 a project was started to con- 
 struct a wire bridge over the Genessee River at that point called 
 McCrackenville, within the city boundaries, and on the same spot 
 where rose and fell the famous Carthage Bridge. 
 
 It was constructed on novel and injudicious principles. The 
 towers that supported the cables which were anchored in the 
 banks, were a combination of four hollow cylinders or tubes of cast 
 iron, screwed together by flangs and bound and braced with 
 wrought iron rods. 
 
 There were fovir of these connected columns, two at each end of 
 the bridge, about ninety feet in height, and placed on the rock 
 terraces below the high bank. It stood for some six or eight 
 months, when, during a night in April, a very heavy, wet snow 
 falling, of about four inches in depth, caused the entire structure to 
 crush and be percipitated into the River, in undistinguishable ruin. 
 
 It is supposed by those who closely investigated the cause of its 
 failure, to be the cripplimj of the columns, as there was no wind or 
 other means to cause the catastrophe. No one saw it fall, and it 
 was stated, only heard by the watchman at the Paper mills. It 
 started from the foot of McCraken street, and there is now no ves- 
 tige left of its existence, and future antiquarians will look in vain 
 for its site. 
 
 The Buell Avenue was a road made at an enormous expense, by 
 blasting the entire road way out of the rocks of the high bank, on 
 the west side of the River, for over half a mile, to the head of navi- 
 gation. There was at the Landing an extensive warehouse, elevator 
 for grain, lumber yards and docks. 
 
 The buildings have all been burned. The Charlotte Railroad 
 absorbed all the business, and the whole concern is a failure and 
 ruin, and in a few years the debris of the high banks will fill the 
 road and obliterate the whole concern. 
 
 Tlie Corner Stone of the new Court House, by its contents, will 
 some day excite the curiosity and ^risibles of those living at its 
 opening, on the destruction of the building, which without the 
 
28 
 
 intervention of fire or flood, will not be a thousand years hence by 
 a long shot, for in a much shorter period, the Lockport cut stone 
 will decompose, crumble and deface every member and part of the 
 architectural embellishment of columns, 'pilasters, base and foun- 
 dation, till it will be as ragged and rough as a singed cat. Even a 
 " certain convocation of politic worms are even at it now." {Hamlet.') 
 
 In this corner stone is deposited a mixed medley of now-a-days 
 aff'airs, now " as familiar as household words," but in one hundred 
 years will be looked upon as antiquities — a Noah's Ark of contrap- 
 tions. The first and last of the City Directories ; a scedule of the 
 city authorities; the military, charity and Masonic institutions; the 
 fire companies, churches and ministers ; a copy of each newspaper ; 
 a bank bill of each Bank ; samples of the United States coins ; 
 shinplasters from 1814 to 1850 ; specimens of the old Continental 
 money ; Revolutionary relics ; daguerreotypes and stereotypes ; a 
 phial of the first gold dust found in California ; predictions of the 
 probable population of Rochester at one hundred years from date, 
 and the stability and duration of our Republican form of govern- 
 ment, (fee, tS:c., totally beyond the reach of my memory. Many 
 items were added to illustrate the state of the arts and trades of 
 that period, and altogether will make an excitable exhibition to the 
 then living humanities of this city, if well preserved. 
 
 Being one of the committee for that duty, we had them put into 
 a galvanized copper box and hermetically sealed, and if well pre- 
 served, will be probably our last appearance on the records of time. 
 
 The Cholera (3/"1832. — Great inflictions of pestilences have been 
 the fate of large cities and the accumulation of human beings. — 
 The great plague that decimated the inhabitants of London and the 
 great capitals of Europe and the eastern world in former times. 
 after along cessation, revisited the present generation of the earth 
 with equal violence, passing over entire countries in the form of a 
 new disease, the Cholera Asphixae. 
 
 Its first appearance in this country was at Montreal, and it broke 
 out in Rochester on the 22d June, 1832, at a house on St. Paul 
 street, near the canal, and spread terror and consternation in every 
 heart, and in July and August carried ofi" between 400 and 500 
 persons, which was a fearful amount for the small population of 
 that day. It was very fatal — without any correct diagnosis of the 
 disease, but little was known of its character or treatment — many 
 were supposed to be attacked and lost through alarm and fear — 
 all vegetable diet was tabooed, and Brandy was the universal pana- 
 cea, it is feared, to the future injury of many. 
 
 It is a fair presumption that this terrible disease can never pre- 
 vail again with anything like the same fatality as heretofore. The 
 better understanding of its nature — its admitted contagion — the 
 sanitary precautions — disinfection of exposed locations, and imme- 
 diate medical assistance and removal, renders it but little more 
 fatal than many ordinary diseases. 
 
 It is now held by experienced physicians and physiologists, that 
 
29 
 
 the whole routine of vegetable or animal food has no connection in 
 the production of this disease ; unless in its injudicious use to dis- 
 turb the stomach and bowels, by repletion or destitution, producing 
 in those whose vital functions and the seeds of disease are in equeli- 
 brio, when diarrhoea creates a preponderance in favor of the pesti- 
 lence. 
 
 During the prevalence of this unknown and fearful sickness, so 
 terror-stricken was every one, that the greatest difficulty existed to 
 find assistants and nurses for the sick ; and although there were 
 many unselfish and humane individuals that exposed their health 
 and existence, yet from my position to observe and judge, I cannot 
 omit bearing testimony to the constant devotion and active benevo- 
 lence to the sufiFering and aflSicted in those calamitous times by Col. 
 Ashbel W. Riley, who since, for twenty-five years, has devoted his 
 whole existence to the Temperance cause, both in Europe and 
 America. I trust he will pardon a friend for thus making mention 
 of his name and services. 
 
 Being one of the Board of Health, such was his strong sense of 
 duty to alleviate human suffering, fully imbued with his religious 
 faith for sustaining him through this reign of terror and contagion, 
 that he worked fearlessly through the shadows of death, and saw 
 almost every case, and particularly those that were poorly situated 
 in life, and often alone had to set the coffin on its side and roll 
 the corpse into it without any after adjustment — nail it up, when 
 the driver of the dead cart would venture to take one end and help 
 carry it out. 
 
 Those were dark and perilous times, when every countenance 
 was filled with gloomy forebodings of the sudden flappings of the 
 wings of the angel of death ; but our friend's faith and trust sus- 
 tained him bravely through this terrible visitation, and entitled 
 him to a credit that I can never forget, which I am not aware was 
 ever publicly known and accredited to him. 
 
 If good deeds are of any avail in the theology of future happi- 
 ness, he is, in my humble opinion, entitled to advance some steps 
 on Jacob's ladder — the first three rounds of which are said to be 
 Faith, Hope and Charity. 
 
 Number of Inhahitants. — No good reason can be assigned why 
 Rochester in fifty years shall not contain 100,000 or more inhabi- 
 tants. Surrounded as it is, by one of the best soils of laud in 
 Western New York — with the River, Canals and Railroads passing 
 through the city — its important water power — the best harbor on 
 the Lake, and no possible site for an opposition town in its vicinity 
 — it is b ound in time to become an important manufacturing, mill- 
 ing and commercial community ; especially when the Canadas 
 change masters, an event that only requires time and the success 
 and stability of our government to cff"ect — a contingency that may 
 result in either utter dissolution — or the ruling of the world. 
 
 Being neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, the unsophisti- 
 cated opinion of a simple individual may be indulged in a haphaz- 
 ard guess or indication of fears as to the result of futurity. 
 
30 
 
 There are many dangers that threaten the system of the best 
 government that ever was — ever can be or ever will be. Our ex- 
 tensive and constantly increasing States and Territories, embracing 
 so great a variety of local interests and opinions, may prove an 
 incubus to drag us into a worse state than that contemplated by 
 the Southern rebellion. The reckless demagogueism of Congress 
 and the mulish bullheadism of the President looks ominous. 
 
 The negro question is bound to inflict great troubles and intes- 
 tine commotions, and may result in the annihilation of the race, at 
 the expense of another half million of lives — a fearful contingency, 
 in which the drama may not be worth the lights. 
 
 But the great and threatening cloud that hangs over the nation, 
 portending a desolating storm, is the national debt. When we see 
 that government cannot pay the interest and carry on the present 
 system of expenditure without increasing their liabilities by adding 
 millions yearly to the enormous amount, it almost induces one to 
 think they ought to go into vohuitary hanJcruptcy — repudiate at 
 once, and get rid of the wasteful expenditure — the profusion of war 
 traps, rotten ships and shoulder straps — demagogues and shoddy 
 politicians — blood-suckers of the body politic. We are now play- 
 ing with millions as boys play with marbles. 
 
 Few persons realize the enormous sum the nation owes. It ex- 
 ceeds three dollars per head on every soul that now inhabits this 
 globe — man, woman and child — all the Indies, China, Turkey, 
 Europe, Africa and America — the countless hoards of Russia and 
 the islands of the oceans. 
 
 Allowing our population to be thirty millions and the debt to be- 
 three thousand millions, it would amount, if taxed on the inhabi- 
 tants of the United States to one hundred dollars per head on 
 every soul, from the infant in the nurse's arms, to the hoary head 
 of the centenarian, or five hundred dollars on every family, rich 
 and poor. It never can he paid, nor ever iciU be jjaid. Mark well 
 this prediction, an unjust and unpleasant subject to contemplate — 
 but as such, we may as well look it in the ftice first as last. 
 
 The Age of Invention. — That we live in a most remarkable age 
 cannot be controverted ; such an age of invention and discovery 
 as never existed before and never will or can occur again. There 
 is not room and verge enough to increase the important devices 
 of labor-saving machinery, locomotion and the exact sciences. The 
 field of invention is almost exhausted, and man to advance much 
 further must become a God. 
 
 We have from the introduction of the discoveries of man become 
 '' condensed Methusalahs" by enjoying all the wonderful conven- 
 iences and luxuries in our short life which those who lived a thous- 
 and years of life before us, knew nothing of 
 
 There is scarcely an implement or machine, or household or 
 mechanical necessity, but what are now as " familiar as household 
 words ;" in fact, there is hardly anything worth knowing or using 
 but what has been introduced and come into general use in my day. 
 
31 
 
 Of the most important items are Canals, Railroads, Locomotive 
 Engines, Magnetic Telegraph, Steam Boats and Propellers, Iron 
 Ships and Iron Clads, Gas Lights, Wool carding, which was for- 
 merly performed by hand cards on a woman's knee ; paper making, 
 which was made on a sieve, by hand ; Nail and Pin making, all by 
 powers other than taxing the organized thews and sinews of vitality; 
 the Iron Plow, almost as important an invention as the magnetic 
 Beedle ; Fanning Mills, Threshing Machines, Grain cutters and 
 mowers, the Daguerreotype, Photograph, Stereotype, Lithograph, 
 Steam Printing Press, Electro Magnetism, Calcium Light, Fric- 
 tion Matches, Chloroform, Nitrous Oxide, Nitro Glycerine, were all 
 born after I was. The various uses of India Rubber, Percussion 
 Caps, Patent Lever Watch, cheap Yankee Clocks, cooking Stoves, 
 pegged Shoes, the turning Gun stocks, Shoe Lasts and Axe handles. 
 Cast Steel. Malleable cast iron and Zinc, German Silver, Galvan- 
 izing, Sewing and Knitting Machines, Clothes Wringers, Kerosene 
 lights and Steel Pens, et id omne cjenus in a thousand forms, of 
 which my memory runneth not. 
 
 All these are now prime articles of necessity, which the present 
 generation, if deprived of, would think themselves a ruined com- 
 munity. For example, so simple and unpretending an article as 
 the friction match; how could we get along without it? It 
 would be Milton's " darkness visible." 
 
 Chemistry and Geology have only become fixed sciences in my 
 day ; and medicine has undergone as important improvements and 
 changes ; quinine and morphine have been discovered and come 
 into use in the same period. 
 
 The battle of life is now fought with steam and inert substances ; 
 every art and subject that can be important to man, his interests 
 and comforts, seems almost exhausted, and may even indicate and 
 portend that coming time when the chief of staff of the great 
 Creator — the summoning angel — shall stand with one foot on land 
 and the other on the sea, and proclaim the union of Time and 
 Eternity; when the globe and all that it inherits shall be resolved 
 a gassious globe and dissolved into its original atomic elements in 
 space ; the home of immortal spirits that God breathed into life as 
 his own image, which we hope and trust he cannot, nor will suffer 
 to be more than a thousand times worse than lost, but bring 
 ;home to everlasting happiness, every iota of that immortal part 
 derived from his own form and nature, without loss or repudiation, 
 to that mansion not made icith hands, eternal in the Heavens, that 
 others beside sectarians most ardently believe. 
 
 One of the noted events that took our population by storm, was 
 the Navi/ Island raid ; which was one of those volcanic eruptions 
 fchat moved the excitable people of this city, and even the whole 
 western region. 
 
 There had been for some time murmurs of discontent and rum- 
 bling of a coming storm in the Province of Canada West, which 
 was fomented and blown into a blaze during the Summer and Fall 
 
32 
 
 of 1837, by the intemperate ravings of the celebrated McKenzie^ 
 who controlled a Paper of the Brick Pomeroy stamp ; until it 
 broke out into actual rebellion, by incendiary fires, and taking up 
 arms against the authorities, which produced a friendly feeling 
 among almost the entire country on this side. 
 
 Some time during the Fall, one Van Rensselaer, a man of intem- 
 perate habits, with no character, or qualifications for the situation, 
 except his family name, with a few mad caps took possession of Navy 
 Island in the Niagara River ; issued proclamations and was soon 
 joined by a large number of our loose population. Without any 
 commissariat, arms, or clothing, houses or tents, they suffered 
 greatly from hunger and want of clothing ; but still men kept 
 flocking to them from all quarters. 
 
 An active committee in this city advanced large sums of money 
 to procure and forward men and means, by post coaches and wag- 
 ons, and organized the school districts in the country to contribute 
 means to carry on the War, and so successful was the project that 
 wagon loads came pouring in of all inconceivable things almost, and 
 was accumulated in one wing of the River Market. Stacks of old 
 muskets, almost without Lock, Stock or Barrel, rusty Cavalry and 
 Militia Swords, old Boots, Shoes and Stockings, great Coats, Pants 
 and Comforters, Pork, Beans and Corn, and Blankets and Coverlids 
 enough to cover the whole Island, when the whole community 
 was startled one Saturday night by the astounding news that the 
 British had come over and cut the Caroline Steamboat adrift, set 
 her on fire and sent her over the Falls with sixty souls on board. 
 The whole city was aroused — the 3Iayor had repeatedly to read the 
 dispatch from the Eagle Balcony — the whole militia organization 
 was in conclave and on the point of ordering out the militia en masse ; 
 the feelings of the populace were up to the fever point and ready to 
 volunteer to annihilate the British Government and conquer 
 Canada. 
 
 Sunday intervened and Monday's news confirmed the Steamboat 
 disaster, but without the loss of life, except one man on the dock 
 at Schlosser, where the boat was lying. 
 
 The excitement was kept up through the whole campaign, by 
 great public meetings and " high-faluting" speeches, and by the 
 tone of one of our city papers, the editor of which rode post to the 
 Island and published the most inflammatory stories of their ability 
 and certainty of success. 
 
 Gun Houses were broken open here and in the country, and Can- 
 non dragged off to the frontier, — the whole population apparently 
 became crazy mad on the subject ; when the government interfered 
 and sent Gen. Scott with troops, who cleared off the Island double 
 quick, and sent the miserable concern adrift, which wound up the 
 concern. 
 
 The Canadian authorities condemned about a dozen men to trans- 
 portation for life to Botany Bay. Those that were American citi- 
 zens were afterward pardoned and returned. 
 
33 
 
 Shortly afterward a Col. Abby, with 17 men, expecting to be 
 joined by the inhabitants, made a raid from Ogdensburgh to Pres- 
 cott, where he was taken prisoner and hanged. 
 
 Bill Johnson, a noted brigand, and his daughter, a beautiful dare- 
 devil woman, hung around the Thousand Islands for a time, and 
 disappeared after tiring a large Steamboat ; and so ended the Navy 
 Island War. 
 
 Near forty years ago, during the great religious revival excite- 
 ment, under the ministration of the Rev. Mr. Finney, the first 
 Presbyterian Church, during the exercises of an evening assemblage, 
 was packed from floor to dome, when one of the king post braces 
 supporting the roof became detached and fell on the lathing of 
 the arched ceiling and projected three or four feet through the plas- 
 tering with a great crash. An uncontrollable panic seized every 
 soul in the house, and an indiscriminate rush was made for the 
 doors and windows — men, women and children were trodden down 
 and trampled on, until the alleys were a perfect human pavement. 
 No lives were lost, but many were maimed and bruised severely. 
 
 One of the most singular features of this stampede, was the 
 debris of the frightened, rushing streams of humanity. On gath- 
 ering up the fragments, there was a stack as large as a cock of hay 
 in a farmer's field, consisting of bonnets, vails, shawls, combs, pock- 
 et-hankerchiefs, skirts of dresses, shoes and stockings, (ladies wore 
 shoes in those days,) Jewelry, &c., &c. ; mens hats, watches, walk- 
 ing canes, coats, and almost everything detachable but shirts and 
 pants. They were gathered in a promiscuous pile, but one-half were 
 never reclaimed. 
 
 This Church Building is not now, ndr never was considered a 
 permanent structure. It was overhauled and buttresses built on 
 the outside to support the walls, rendering them safe up to the 
 present time. 
 
 Another Rochester notoriety deserving mention, is the institu- 
 tion of a singular combination called the Fantastics, got up to 
 ridicule the old militia si/stem, and which was so effectual, not only 
 in this city, but run like a prairie fire over the whole State, and so 
 completely knocked the entire concern into the middle of all time 
 to come, that the institution ceased to exist, and in one year there 
 was not an organized company of country militia, called Floodwoods, 
 in the State. 
 
 This burlesque upon the useless fooleries of Company and Regi- 
 mental training, orignated in this city near thirty years ago, and 
 Mr. John Robinson^ then exercising the Tonsorial art, was the 
 originator of this powerful engine of ridicule, that conquered more 
 than ninety thousand old muskets, mullen stalks and broom handles, 
 in the hands of brave men, thoroughly disgusted with puerile and 
 useless tom-foolcry. 
 
 It originated at a company training, the originator appearing on 
 parade with complete equipment, but dressed in fantastic style, 
 
 5 
 
34 
 
 with a German cap with an enormous long leather front; green 
 goggles ; a very tall shirt collar ; a cut-away hunting jacket ; yellow 
 short knee breeches, with large bunches of ribbons of all colors at 
 the knees ; long stockings and patent leather pumps. His dress 
 was of the best material, got up in good style. He conducted him- 
 self with strict order, obeying every command with sobriety and 
 regularity. 
 
 His company not being a uniformed corps, he had an undoubted 
 right to dress as he pleased. His unique and fanciful demonstra- 
 tion, took such instant effect with the members of the company that 
 the officers could do nothing with them. All order was lost, and 
 they finally ordered a corporal's guard to march the innocent Mr. 
 R. into a retired location, and drill him the rest of the day on 
 bread and water, all of which he endured with the good nature and 
 quietude of a martyr, like a good, obedient soldier as he was, which 
 so angered and disgusted the company that they enacted confusion 
 worse confounded, and indulged a feeling ready for any fun that 
 would render the institution ridiculous. 
 
 A few days after, a motley assemblage of several hundred 
 marched through the streets in the paraphernalia of all things con- 
 ceivable and inconceivable. A masquerade ball was child's play 
 compared with the outre devises of the wearers. The officers had 
 cocked hats large enough for a jib to a small sail boat, with corn- 
 broom brush for epaulets; the Adjutant on horseback, with a 
 live white goose fastened on top of his cap, flying and flapping at 
 every step ; the surgeon witL laddle bags made of two sides of 
 sole leather, with a complimcf^p' ^f meat saws and squirt guns ; the 
 chaplain with a robe ample as i-^e mantle of charity ; in short, the 
 whole affair, with many repetitions, was absolutely such a palpable 
 hit and so irresistably laughable, that it was published in all the 
 papers through the country, and became at once the fashion of the 
 day, and so effectually used up the trumpery concern that although 
 the Legislature enacted a new law as long as a Mormon Bible, with 
 three or four hundred sections, it had no effect, and there has never 
 since been a single Jioodwood company organized in this State. 
 The revolution was effected almost as quick as one can say Jack 
 Robinson. 
 
 The old discipline of a militia training was, to dress company by 
 the cart ruts in the streets ; march in serpentine straight lines, 
 filling each others coat pockets with cobble stones, apple chankings 
 and horse droppings ; halt ; stand at ease ; drink a pail of rum and 
 go to dinner. 
 
 The accoutrements were old muskets without lock, stock or bar- 
 rels ; shot guns of all sizes and lengths ; broom sticks, mullen 
 stalks and ax handles, and with crupper and belly band, they passed 
 muster. What they learned in the yearly three or four days' 
 fatigue, if anything, had to be unlearned before being of any use in 
 service. 
 
35 
 
 The only militia organization of any value to the country, must 
 be simple and unoppressive to the people. We are so constantly 
 changing and drifting on the waves of free principles — universal 
 suffrage — womans' rights — short hours' work, and the extended priv- 
 ileges of "doing as wed please," that the overbearing brief 
 
 authority of cocked hats and tinsel epaulets, will no longer be toler- 
 ated. 
 
 If each town was designated a Military Beat, and a deposit of 
 arms and equipments (of which the State has thousands) made in a 
 suitable building, a man appointed to take charge of them, with a 
 small salary at a County charge, with the appointment of proper 
 officers to take the census of those liable to duty, and to call them 
 together one day in the year without arms ; wheel into line simply 
 to answer to their names, with a fixed fine for non-attendance, or 
 sufficient excuse ; all of which need not consume over one hour, 
 and it might not be a breach of good morality to let the time be on 
 a Sabbath morning ; and when finished, march them in a body to 
 Church. 
 
 Let the government find arms and the country men. In case of 
 war or civil commotion, all that is wanted is, who are liable and 
 where they are to be found. The simpler the wheels of machinery 
 and of governments, the more efficient and valuable. 
 
 Fires. — The city of Rochester has been remarkably preserved 
 from great and desolating fires : although as many single ones as 
 any city in the Union of its size, often destroying many valuable 
 structures — one half of which were i endiary, either by the owners 
 or the demoralized members, or b'hoys " dat run wid de 
 
 machine," who were delighted with a rousing fire and the plunder 
 they could effect, and the treat at the erlnne house, which became 
 a perfect school of demoralization, and every enormity from marbles 
 to manslaughter, was concocted and perfected among that class, 
 which is now happily done away with, by the introduction of 
 steamers and a paid fire department, the evidence of which is shown 
 by the rare recurrence of fires, and cessation of that desolating 
 music of Big Tom, at the Court House. 
 
 One cause of the decrease of fires must be attributed to the gen- 
 eral use of Anthracite or hard coal, which makes no soot or blaze 
 in the chimney — especially when charcoal is used for kindling — 
 throws no sparks from stoves or grates, and may be trusted at all 
 times, and left without fear or care by night or by day. 
 
 What a blessing is hard coal, and yet it lay encumbering the 
 earth for fifty years after it was discovered before the inhabitants 
 of the Key Stone State of brotherly love found out that it would 
 burn ; as did the Hydro Carbon Petroleum, which for many year.i 
 troubled their salt wells, under the name of mvd oil^ which now is 
 as common as monkey hats and bobtails. So we improve in pro- 
 gress, until we arrive at the pitch of physical and j)olitical perfec- 
 tion, that it will be just as easy to impeach a man for kissing his 
 wife as for committing a homicide or the breach of the reconstruc- 
 
«6 
 
 tion laws. How things do change ; the world and all its inhabitants, 
 in customs, habits and principles, from puppyhood of youth to man 
 in his curhood ; all have their exits and entrances. One day it is 
 marbles — rolling the hoop — shinny — kite flying — ball playing and 
 croquet — every dog has its day with the juveniles; while with the 
 whiskered youths of a larger growth, ap])eara7ice is the god of their 
 idolatry, and fashion is his prophet. High heels, loafer hats, paper 
 collars and paper skulls ; coats " without never a tail," makes the 
 man. The ladies, God bless them, with an old white sheet for a 
 skirt and a long tailed dress with all the signs of the zodiac em- 
 broidered, to clean the streets ; and clamshell bonnets, like Gen- 
 eral Jackson at the battle of Orleans, they attack, defend and 
 conquer behind cotton breast works and veiled escarpments. 
 Well, let them all slide ; the world turns round, and night and day 
 succeed each other, notwithstanding all these mutations. 
 
 Now, what about fires ? the pen is off the track. A city with 
 a River and two Canals running through its centre, could hardly 
 be supposed to lack water, yet there are many points beyond the 
 reach of hose, that suffer and will until the introduction of water- 
 works, if such a long looked -for prophetic jubilee shall ever trans- 
 pire. 
 
 It has been mooted, what will the consequence be of the water 
 passing through twenty or thirty miles of pine tubes, on account of 
 the turpentine and resinous matter dissolved by the water, as pine 
 barrels and churns are well known to spoil the taste of pork and 
 butter. However, if such is the case, we must take it as medicine, 
 as it is a valuable diuretic, and good for kidney complaints. At 
 any rate, if objected as a beverage, it will no doubt extinguish fire 
 if we are ever so happy as to secure its streams. 
 
 On looking over these desultory sketches, I have some misgivings 
 as to the tenacity of my memory as to some immaterial particulars, 
 which the reader must charitably overlook and extenuate, as well 
 as perhaps the indiscretion of publishing, which may be attributed 
 to the lack of conventional perception and the idiosyncratic effects 
 of age and its enervating consequences. Vale, Vale. 
 
 Rochester, February, 1868. 
 
i 
 
t 
 
 I