The Pioneer Press Hand-Book to the Pan-American Exposition
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T 485 fl2 P6 Copy 1 lONEER PRESS FALLS ILLUSTRATED .^-.-^Z .,.rm % ^ % Buffalo's Great Departm ent House | % m I % % EVERYTHING FOR WEAR % I EVERYTHING FOR THE HOME '% largest store between I The New | I York and Chicago. No visit to the | Pan-American City is complete with- \ | % out calling at this store. A cordial % ^. /ft % welcome for all strangers to the % % Queen City of the Lakes. No matter % ^, /ft «/ where your home is, if you are | among our customers, you are a I | Sg satisfied customer. | The Wm. Hengerer Co. *I | i %^^ 1 Great Gorge Route THE MOST MAGNIFICENT SCENIC ROUTE IN THE WORLD Running through the Grand Canon of Niagara close to the water's edge at the foot of towering cHffs. The only way to see the Great Niagara Gorge, the wonderful Whirljjool Rapids, the Grand Whirlpool, the picturesque Devil's Hole Rapids, and the whole series of magnificent pictures in Niagara's wonderland below the Falls. " One always experiences a vivid emotion from the sight of the Rapids, no matter how often one sees them. * * * i had schooled myself for great impressions, but I had not counted upon the Rapids taking me by the throat, as it were, and making my heart stop. I still think that the Rapids are the most striking part of the spectacle." — William Dean Howells, Cars leave Prospect Park, Niagara Falls, every fifteen min- utes, passing all the principal hotels, and railroad stations for Lewiston, where connections are made with Niagara River Line Steamers for Toronto and all Canadian points. GODFREY MORGAN, General Manager, WM. KELLY, Jr.. General Pass'r Agent, NIAGARA FALLS, N. Y. YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN who desire to attend the Pan-American Exposition and at the same time prepare themselves for a GOOD POSITION should investigate the advantages offered by Bryant & Stratton's BUSINESS A.ND SHORT HAND SCHOOL 95 West Genesee Street, BUFFALO, N. Y. This well-known school, established in 18'4, has had 46 years' success- ful experience in preparing young people for business life. It has a line, new building of its own — planned and equipped for this special work- offering unrivaled facilities. It not only gives a thorough, complete, and practical training* of the right kind, but is able to secure good business position for many graduates. It is the only "REGISTERED" Business College in Western New York, authorized to issue Diplomas through the State Regents. Visitors welcome. Catalog free, on request. Et^= Thorough Courses also given by Mail, at Student's Home. TO THE GOLDEN WEST Cheap Rates to California, Oregon, Washington, and Colorado. Our business is the shipping of household goods to and from the above States at greatly reduced rates. As the goods are all shipped in our through cars, they do not get the severe handling that they would if shipped in the usual wa}^, consequently they reach their destination in very much better shape. Write for rates and map of Cali- fornia — free. TRANS-CONTINENTAL FREIGHT CO., 38 Market St., CHICAGO, ILL 244 S. Broadway, LOS ANGELES, CAL. 722 Mission St., SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 1506 Welton St., DENVER, COLO. 4/ THE PIOIS^EEE PBESS HAND-BOOK TO THE PAN-AMERICAN EXPOSITION BUFFALO AND NIAGARA FALLS ILL USTRATED Chicago akd New York: RAND, McNALLY & COMPANY, PUBLISHERS. THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, Two Cowea RecEfvED MAY. 16 1901 Copyright entry CLASS <5UxXc. N«. COPY B. Copyright, 1899. by Kand. McXally & Company. Copyright. 1901, by Rand, ]McNally & Company. ^^' Buffalo. THE CITY OF BUFFALO. TT WAS on the seventh day of ^ August, 1679, that Father Hen- nepin, the celebrated Franciscan missionary, set foot on the shore of Lake Erie, near the spot where is now the flourishing city of Buffalo. With his company of thirty-four men, he had come down from Squaw Island, where his little explor- ing vessel, the Griffin, had been built by La Salle. After celebrating mass, and amid the pious intonations of the sailors, the worthy father had proceeded on his voyage of exploration and proselytizing. Thus the 6 > Buffalo. future city received its baptism at the hands of those re- markable men, the early French missionaries, who pos- sessed, in large degree, the qualities of adventurer, explorer, and churchman. In 1687, Baron La Hontan followed, and in his celebrated expedition through this region his trained military eye saw the advantages which the site possessed for a stronghold, and in his journal we find the spot marked upon his map as "Fort Suppose;" but the bold Baron's supposition was not realized until a much later date. The surrounding region was dominated by the Senecas, that courageous and warlike tribe, who kept in check their less numerous and less belligerent neighbors of the Five Nations. Slowly and by degrees a few white men found their way to Buffalo Creek in search of peltries, and the "Old French War" gradually reduced in numbers the power- ful confederation of the Five Nations, The devastating expedition of General Sullivan during the Revolutionary War almost exterminated the once powerful tribes, and the long and severe winter of 1779-80 completed that work. A remnant of the Senecas and other tribes sought the shelter of Fort Niagara, carrying with them several white captives, men, women, and children, whom they compelled to work in the fields, and who appear to have been the first white inhabitants of that neighborhood, if we can except the British garrison at Fort Niagara. The captives could hardly be called settlers, as they were not by any means attracted to the spot by their own free will, and escaped whenever opportunity offered. Soon after the events just related, however, the first genuine white settlers built their cabins on Buffalo Creek. To William Johnston, son of Sir William Johnston, and his Indian wife, Molly Brant, a sister of the famous chieftain, Joseph Brant, be- longs the honor of first holding in possession the ground at the mouth of Buffalo Creek, which, in the year 1781, by reason of his influence and address, he obtained from the Indians, over whom he wielded great influence. Now gathered a heterogeneous crowd of white adventurers, trad- Buffalo. 7 ers and hunters, out of which unpromising material was hatched the village of Buffalo. CONFLICTING TITLES TO THE SITE. The importance of the value of the country forming Western New York after the Revolutionary War is best seen in the scramble for possession between the Indians, or the Six Nations, on one hand, and the General Govern- ment, the States of New York and Massachusetts on the other, not to speak of the numerous private interests seek- ivlabien Hdrk High School. ing control. Treaty after treaty, concession after concession, were made, until finally, in 1797, the lands passed into the hands of the Holland Land Company. They consisted of four tracts, described in as many deeds. The Indian title to these lands was finally extinguished, in that year, at a council at Geneseo, and the ownership of the site of Buffalo passed practically to Holland. With a resident agency at Batavia, N. Y., the Holland Land Company proceeded, by circulars and otherwise, to people their tracts. Joseph i 8 Buffalo. Ellicott was the first agent, and for his labors in opening up for settlement and occupancy the land now forming the city of Buffalo, he has been called the "Romulus of Buffalo." In 1795, the first tavern, that beacon of cities, was estab- lished by John Palmer. It was a two-story log house on the terrace nearly opposite Exchange Street, and a few rods west of Main. Its first distinguished guest was the Due de Rochefoucauld Liancourt, then on his travels, who records that he "ate a very indifferent supper," and was obliged to sleep on the floor; but, having evidently become used to hard fare and scant accommodations, he naiyely adds, "we slept as soundly as we had done in the woods." Among the first to seek residence in Buffalo after Elli- cott's survey was Dr. Cyrenius Chapin, an able young physician, who visited the village in 1801, and made it his home for life in 1805. He was held in high esteem by his fellow citizens, who in 1836 presented him with a silver service as a testimonial of their appreciation for his en- deavors, both in peace and war. GROWTH OF THE VILLAGE. Almost imperceptibly but steadily the town began to enlarge. The Land Company disposed rapidly of their lots at prices ranging from $120 to $400 each. At this time land beyond Chippewa Street, on Main, was selling for $11 and $12 per acre. The first death in the young community occurred in 1804, when John Cochrane, a migratory Yankee from the land of steady habits, departed this life, and was buried in the little cemetery, laid out by William Johnston, on land belonging to him, now covered by the building known as the Washington Block. In 1807, William Johnston, so long identified with the settlement, died at the ripe age of sixty-five, and was buried in the cemetery which he himself had provided. He left a son, John, a young man educated at Yale, and of exemplary conduct. About this time the first religious society was formed, under the ministration of Rev. Thaddeus Osgood, (9) 10 Buffalo. assisted by Deacon Callender, who officiated in the ab- sence of a clergyman. In 1808 the County of Niagara was erected, embracing all the territory of the present counties of Erie and Niagara, Buffalo being made the county seat. This assured per- manent prestige to the little town, and gave it immeasurable prominence over its lusty though ephemeral rival opposite Squaw Island.