Letters of Uncle Jonas Lawrence Upon a Partial Early History Of

T NO E . ,

Seventy - ﬁ ve years ago Jonas Lawrence was born in the village

f ew ow n . o N t , now the city of Elmira He grew to manhood in the l ittle hamlet on the banks of the Chemung, was educated in the s chools of that day and a t a suitable age entered into active bus i n es s as a merchant , lumber dealer, grain dealer and shipper . His business brought him in contact with the citizens of New tow n and a ll t h e surrounding country and gave him a very extensive acquaintance u h p and down the Chemung river, north to the head of t e Seneca l t ake , and northeast to Owego , Spencer , Ithaca, Bingham on , and westward to Big Flats , Painted Post , Bath , Addison and Hornells vi h lle , and sout ward up Seely creek, across the Pennsylvania li ne W to Burlington, Troy, Alba , Canton and illiamsport , and also on i i W illa r dsbu r the T oga river at Lawrencev lle , g (now Tioga) and ’ u Deerﬁ eld pon the Cowanesque at Beecher s island, Elkland , , Knox W ﬁ eld ville and est . Jo nas La wr ence took an active part in agitating the construction o f the Chemung canal and witnessed its completion . He also w a s a w arm friend and advocate of the construction of the New York a n d h e 1839 1840 Erie railroad in t years and , and took a great interest in its construction, which commenced in the valley of the

C 1840. d 1841 hemung in the year But when the company faile in , and work ceased and the whole country w a s in a state of bank ru tc w p y , Jonas La rence closed up his business as best he could , making large sacrifices , took a few hundred dollars and turned his - l face towards the west . The farm lands of Ohio and Il inois were then the objective points towards which the people of the east were directing their attention . Mr . Lawrence went to Ohio and remained i there temporarily and from thence to Illinois, settl ng in the l outskirts of Chicago , then a mere vi lage , and purchasing a quar ter section of land . For a few years he and his family struggled a gainst malaria and adverse circumstances but the tide eventuall y turned in their favor . Chicago commenced to increase in p opu la tion and become a more central point . Every year the possessions f w v . o Mr . La rence became more aluable Chicago spread out wider a n d wider and continued to lay deeper and deeper the foundation of her present and future prosperity . Although Uncle Jonas , as h e i is now famil arly called , generally prospered, still there were t imes in his history when the financial shadows cas t a cloud over h i w a s . s . . affairs But he successful upon the whole His wife , r w a s Har iet , about five years ago, laid tenderly to rest in the silent h t . omb His c ildren were married , the older ones many years ago , n a d grand children have come , in whose young life the venerable man y i r enews h i s outh . His nephew resided w th him many years and ll h ca ed im Uncle Jonas , and thus was that title bestowed upon him . - fi fth h Uncle Jonas is now in his seventy year , ale . hearty and l r e s trong . Age sits ightly upon his person , and with a memory rt w m arkable for one of his years , he can reve to the inhabitants h o dwelt in and about Elmira fifty or sixt y years ago with almost; unerring accuracy . He came to Elmira not long ago to spend a h few months in the ome of his childhood, look over familiar grounds , search for old acquaintances , and mark the changes that have taken place in southern New York and northern Pen n sy lva nia . He is comfortably ensconced in the home cf one of our best - w h o v citizens on West Water street , has promised to spend se eral months with him in driving our principal streets , country roads , and visiting villages and towns in the surrounding country . The readers of the Advertiser will therefore permit us without further ceremony to introduce to them Uncle Jonas Lawrence, a former h onored citizen of Elmira, one of the early business men of this v w h o alley, has come among them to make their acquaintance a nd to talk over bygones in a friendly manner . His friend, Harry

. l Sampson , needs no introduction He will usual y accompany Uncle Jonas in his walks and drives and assist him in locating the homes of his old - time friends and imparting such information concerni ng them as w e hope will prove interesting to the readers of th e Adver t iser . J NAS LAWRE LETTERS or UNCLE O NCE.

RAMBLES ABOUT ELMIRA .

— ~ OME OF ARLY SETTLERS AND THEIR WORKS CHANGES AND S THE E ,

IMPROVEMENTS .

L r This , Uncle Jonas , is the corner of ake street and Wate

" i . street , the place you said you wanted to be d rected to Oh ,

es . y , Harry Well, in my first recollection of these corners , William u h l Dunn, father of the D nn boys , C arles , James and Wi liam , kept v a ta ern on that corner . He had formerly resided in Bath, and 1 96 was the first sheriff of Steuben county in 7 . He went to Bath li n under the auspices of General Wil amson , and was appoi ted sheriff when Steuben county was organized from Ontario . He came to Newtown about the year 1800 and built the first grist mill 1804 v in Newt own , and about the year opened a ta ern on that d corner . After his death his wi ow married the late John Davis , and the stand thereafter was known as the John Davis stand . w a s When I left here , Harry , it still occupied as a tavern , and one of the most popular in the village . Where that fine structure is n w o , on the opposite corner, John Arnot occupied a brick store, d li and was engage in sel ng goods , although he was quite a large o w a s d stockh lder in the Chemung Canal bank , which establishe

h . so on a f . r t e completion of the Chemung canal The Hon . John McDow ell h Gr. , of C emung, I think, was the president of the insti i . H l t u tion and the Hon . Will am Maxwell cashier arry, I recol ect ” well when th e bridge across the river was ﬁrst built . There h a s b een t hree bridges here, Uncle Jonas . The one you refer to was t e 1845 w a s th e -rebuilt about h year , and that one replaced by ” “

r s . I pre ent tru cture a few years ago Oh , yes , so have been “ e l a c o v told W l , H rry , ntinued Uncle Jonas , down the ri er, belo w the bridge , Miles Covell had a store and shipping dock . He a n d his brother Lyman Covell , were formerly associated in the mercantile business . But they dissolved partnership and Miles i c ontinued the old store , where Will am Roberts is now located, and L xt I yman opened a store ne to John Arnot , on Water street . h nk l oc s ee Harry, that the old C emung Canal ba building is sti l ”

i ed . c u p Yes, Uncle Jonas , soon after you left Elmira, John

Arnot got the control of the institution , placed it upon a sound and r eli able ﬁnancial foundation and continued the principal owner of 6

it s hi s 18 3 he stock until the time of death in November, 7 . He c n i n ame one of the most prominent ﬁ anciers southern New York, lr and was largely interested in the New York and Erie rai oad, hav : o ing with him four other gentlemen John Magee , C nstant Cook,

k ~ Cec . . Charles , I S Stranahan, who built the road from Bingham ll ville 1848—9—5 0 Horn e s . ton to , in the years He also constructed the Junction Canal from Elmira , connecting with the North Branch w a s canal at Athens , and largely interested in real estate in Elmira n d i a in coal m nes at Arnot, in Tioga county, Pennsylvania , and e elsewhere . He l eft the care and management of his very larg

r . w h estate to his sons, Stephen, John, j , and Mathias, o have added ” l to their patrimony . Yes, yes , Harry, I reco lect him well , also ” - - i n . his father law, the late Stephen Tuttle Your old friend Lyman Covell Uncle Jonas still lives at the advanced age of ’ ” - ? h i m ni nety two . Is that possible, Harry I remember as one a ll of the most energetic business men in this country . Quick and. i impulsive , but w th a kind and warm heart . Before I return I m l h i . must call on But let us wa k up to the old stand of E . Jones ,

I want to see how it looks up there . We will take it slow, for I ’ want to witness the changes Well, the old Mechanics hall I see

has been replaced ; in fact there is not a single building standing , here now that was here when I left . Over yonder where that

- large four story building is located w a s the site of Colonel Willi am . ’ “ u dson s R . J harness shop ; the opera house stands on the site of ’ ni the John Arnot foundry . Miles Cook s grocery has va shed also . ’ ’ . n Im Here "whose magniﬁcent building is this John M Robi son s ,

i n . glad to see " Here used to stand a low wooden build g . What ? does this mean , Harry Here is where Elijah Jones used to hold Th e Ad ver ti s er ” forth in the Mansion house . association, is it 2 ’ ” L ll . et We , that s good us rest here a moment , Uncle Jonas, on l these cast iron lions , and I wil give you a brief history of thi s ” - place since you left Elmira forty four years ago . THE OLD HOTEL CORNER— MASONIC REMINISCENCES .

After you left Elmira, Uncle Jonas, your old friend , E . Jones, v i kept the hotel for se eral years, enterta ning some of the most di s i n i sh ed ll t gu lawy ers and jurists in the state, as we as many others w a s d less distinguished . He succeede by Silas Haight and Mathew wh McR. o Sly, enlarged the building and made many improvements . After a few months this hotel w a s destroyed by ﬁre and upon the n same site this building was erected by a stock company, consisti g l of such gentlemen as the late Wil iam Maxwell, Samuel Gr. Hath

i . r . away, J . , Silas Haight , Will am T Reeder and others , and Silas li ll Haight and Wil am T . Reeder insta ed as landlords . You must “ recollect Silas Haight , Uncle Jonas Oh, yes, Harry, I recollect

- him as a merchant , hotel keeper, superintendent of the Chemun g ” “

. . w a canal , an energetic business man Mr Reeder, Uncle Jonas, s f l a son of one o your old Big Flats friends , the late Wil iam H . R w a s for r l h eeder . He many yea s constable and col ector in t e F ll f t own of Big lats, canal co ector at Horseheads , deputy sheri f and sheriff of Chemung county . Messrs . Haight and Reeder pu r ch a seth

' ll h ou se for r a majority of the stock and contro ed the several yea s ,

Si nce th e a bove wa s writt en th e ven erable citiz en h as di ed . ’ ma kin it ul g one of the most pop ar hotels in the southern tier . They 1 n C0 . . r ﬁnally sold out their i terests to Samuel G Hathaway, j . , and it was for some time known as the Hathaway house and con sider ed as the headquarters of the democracy of the city and McDow ell county . The Hon . John G . , presented the ship of state ul you see suspended in the vestib e, to the house, and where it has Adver ti s er since remained . The association is the outgrow th of th e Ad ver ti ser founded by the late Charles G . Fairman, in the year 185 3 n . It has increased in strength and useful ess , merging in to a s trong ﬁnancial stock association, known as the Ad ver ti s er associa 1870 i ui di n tion in the year , which now owns the ent re b l g . At w ll some future time Uncle Jonas, I i give more extended hi story r ti s r of the Ad ve e . b What uilding is that on the corner, where Riggs Watrous an d Daniel Stephens formerly had a bla cksmi th shop “ s i That Uncle Jonas, is the Ma on c temple . The corner stone i 5th 18 8 was laid with mason c cerem onies, September , 7 . There

i . were present Cl nton F Paige , grand master of the masoni c frater ni t . N . h D y of the state ; C Shipman, deputy grand master ; Jo n . l n Wil iams, grand warden Sutherland Dewitt , grand ju ior warden ; l r ff P hn . a er Phil ips, grand treasu er ; Gri D , grand secretary ;

. . McDon a ld W P Burdick, grand senior deacon Stephen , grand ll . . junior deacon F D Ramsde , grand steward Cyrus Barlow, grand steward , and Brother E . A . Swan , representative for the M R v . cKni h t grand architect ; the e George H . g , grand chaplain . R v H e . G Addresses were made on that occasion by the eorge .

Kni h . Mc g t and Jesse L Cooley . Those who were largely i n st ru i n L mental bringing this matter to a successful issue were Jesse .

v . . Cooley, son of Le i J Cooley John D Williams , son of your li friend Wil am Williams , the tanner, and Sutherland Dewitt,

Maur ice Levy and Chauncey Shipman . In about a year thereafter ” the temple was completed and dedicated . r Speaking of mason y , Harry, reminds me of my initiation in 1832 ew t ow the year . Old N n lodge had suspended operations in the 182 8 year by reason of the Morgan excitement . At Big Flats there d was a masonic lodge in working or er, or working under special

‘ di spensation . The place of meeting was kept a profound secret for many years . The lodge room was in the garret of Captain ’ George Gardiner s inn . The members at Big Flats that I recollect were George Gardiner, Abram Bennett , John Huey , Isaac Wat McCor m i ck McCor m i ck rous, Henry , Abram , Erastus Beard, Nich olas Winans , Charles Reynolds, Orange Chapman . It was arranged that we should have a sleighing party and quietly invite some of l our Elmira friends , among whom were the late Thomas Maxwel , and go up to Big Flats . The ni ght was one of the most bi tterly cold ni ghts that had been

i n . known many years However, reinforced by some of John ’ vi n Da s s best , we set out , but as we crossed the Sing Si g creek near ’ i the David Reynold s farm , the w nd came down the valley from the northwest with such fury that w e were obli ged to turn in and ’ ni f seek shelter with our Pennsylva a German riend, David Van - h Gorder . A brisk ﬁre was blazing in the old fas ioned ﬁre place, which soon melted the frost from our whiskers and faces . Uncle 8

David brought in some cider and red pepper , and after refreshing

‘ ourselves with the cider and eating a half - dozen doughnuts and a

. ni half circle of mince pie each , we bade our worthy host good ght ’ and reached Captain Gardiner s in a few minutes . o A number f the townsmen were sitting in the bar room , and - a ll du e ci rcu m s ec some of them were outspoken anti masons , and p tion was required in order not to betray the object of our meeting . w n A side issue a s plan ed immediately . One of the leading anti w ff masons a s very fond of ra ling for turkeys and chickens . The captain ordered his colored man to take a half - dozen chickens and a few turkeys and go down to Benjamin Farwell’s cabinet shop f ” and announce a ra fle , instructing him to call into the bar room with his poultry before going to the shop . The colored man was in his element , and was enthusiastic in his work . In less than ten b e minutes rushed into the bar room with a fluttering, squawking ffl lot of poultry and announced a ra e , seven pennies in the pot , ” three shakes for six pence , and de most heads win de rooster . h a ba r T is nnouncement had the desired result . The room was soon cleared, and , one by one , we escaped to the garret or lodge f room . We , I say, but I mean that all my riends went , and left li e me sitting so tary and alone in the bar room . They had gone b

. f fore me, to get the gridiron good and hot After waiting or about w ten minutes I a s invited up stairs . I noticed that my friend was l armed with a long sword , which came down nearly to the f oor, and that he had to raise it up to keep it from hitting the steps as we ascended . At last we reached the garret , and I was suitably prepared and made my entrance , and took the entered apprentice degree , when we took some refreshments . I was again prepared l and was given the fel owcraft degree , when more refreshments m e a ll followed . The brethren then urged to summon of my for i d t tu e . for the grand finale An extra refreshment was taken , upon ’ w a s the strength of that information , and I ready for the master s degree . My friends entered into the spirit of the work before them and I presum e no other man had in years gone through with a i more impressive ceremony . A supper followed in the din ng room b elow, and we were just sitting down to the table , when the anti masons returned from the raffle loaded wi th poultry . We gave ’ them an invitation to join us, which some of them accepted , little dreaming that we had been engaged in the business of maki ng free l . w e masons Had our business been known , wou d have been n b accused of every vile action , and run the chance of havi g een w e v ll l mobbed before left the i age . But Tommy Maxwel adroitly dl turned the topic of conversation to ra ing , shooting matches, fox and deer hunts , which occupied our time at the table . The chief ” - r ffi er anti mason had been very successful as a a , and our party ll purchased his booty for one do ar and a half . And as we were off l driving , he cal ed out to us, that when we came again he woul d ff l try and get up another ra le for our benefit . We l, Harry, this * may not interest you much now in these days , when it is no di s grace , but an honor, to be a free mason, but fifty years ago no such magnificent temple would have been permitted to have been erected b th y e free masons of this state .

Let us stroll along up the Lake road or Lake street , I should 9

h have said . I see new buildings ave been erected on the site of ’

. w e the court house and county clerk s ofﬁce Well, Harry, will talk about them at some future time . Yes here is the residence

h . o f the late John Arnot . I remember well w en it was built By i some it was thought that Mr . Arnot made a m stake in erecting so

. h ﬁne a residence so far up town That seems hig ly absurd now, ewt o w n El b u t you see ﬁfty years ago nobody expected to see N , f h mi . ra , a city A ew predicted it but we t ought they were vision a r 1833 y . When the Chemung canal was completed in , we thought

Elmira would then grow into a city in a few years . But I waited eight years and it only took a spasmodic spring even after the 1836 county w a s formed in , and Elmira chosen as the county seat, i l in preference . to the rival claim of our neighbor ng vil age of Horse N l ﬁ heads, now orth Elmira . I tel you , Harry, that was a big ght between Horseheads and Elmira for the county seat of Chemung

- W tla k en er a l ed . es es county . But we out g them The , Bentleys , a ck son s a dver Conkli ns , Sayres , J , of Horseheads , were no mean li sa ries . Then they had the help of such men as Wil am Bentley ,

Joh n Dean , Jabez Bradley, Elijah Sexton , Sylvester Sexton, Syl C vander Sexton , Daniel Parsons , Erastus randall , Doctor Seaman , h i of Veteran , and C arles Cook , Guy Hinman, El jah Hinman , Wil h k elli n er . li am S g , Dr Watkins and ot ers of Catharine, Hiram h W ite of Cayuta , the Crawfords , and Green and Charlie Bennett , w a s v of Dix . The indifference of Catlin and Big Flats all that sa ed

. us . I tell you , Harry, it was a close thing Horseheads, I am told still maintains her position as the political center of the county, , “

v . where a ll con entions are held Yes, that is so, Uncle Jonas . l But they surrendered graceful y to us last winter, when they con sented to obliterate the name of Horseheads and substitute North ” “ Elmira . Here is the residence Uncle Jonas, of the late David H .

h i] . Tu t , you must remember him “ nl Certainly, Harry . certai y . He was a merchant engaged in s elling general merchandise . His place of business was on Water s treet . At one time he had associated with him B . C . Wickham , W illi a r dsbu r who subsequently located at g , now Tioga, in Penn

i . sylvan a . Mr Tuthill had the conﬁdence of the business men of Elmira and the inhabitants of the surroundi ng country to as great w h o an extent , as any man lived in Elmira during the thirty years ? that I resided here . But what street is this, Harry “ ” This is Church street . ?” Oh , yes . Whose elegant residence is that over the way

That is the residence of Stephen T . Reynolds . He is the son of ” the late Charles Reynolds, of Big Flats . Oh, yes . I knew l Charles Reynolds wel . He was a very enterprising business man l at Big Flats many years ago . He died in the prime of ife in

h 1837 . Marc , n Suppose we take a street car and go home . We can go dow l nl Lake to Water , up Water to Main and then we wil have o y a few steps to walk . “ Nonsense, Harry , We can go up Church street and out to Main , I as you call it , in less time than we are talking about it , besides ” “ a m not fatigued in the least . Just as you say, Uncle Jonas .

Bu t we wont stop to make any observations on the way . Here is 10

i . the F rst Presbyterian church This, I see, has kept pace with r the progress of Elmi a . This congregation or church , Harry, was 5 s 179 . n ow instituted as early as Its a noble tructure . And this is Baldwin street . Over there lives your old friend Solomon ” “ l h i l . . m L . Gi lett Is that so Well, I shall have to cal on at the “ Ra ih ° a d ni . o ﬁrst opportu ty I have This is avenue . Look out ,

h . s uncle , yonder comes the Le igh train There are four railroad u th e sing these tracks, the New York, Lake Erie Western , l h Lehigh Val ey , the Nort ern Central and the Tioga Elmira ” “ e El State Line . Harry, on this corner there was, wh n I left ' mir a an Episcopal church , but I see it is turned into a foundry and ” m a u fa ct or . boiler y , owned by Reid Cooper “ That ni ce cosy little brick on the opposite corner is owned by th e ’ Young Men s Railway Christian Association , one of the very best associations in Elmira . Some day we will drop in and look it over . s Thi s is the Baptist church , and thi park or lawn is where the old “

l . v E mira grave yard was The bodies ha e been removed . Oh, l . t yes, Harry, I recollect this wel Here was where some of the ﬁrs i “ citizens of Elmira were bur ed . This building on the opposite side of the street is a“ memorial erected by one of the late John ’ Arnot s daughters . The church on the corner is an Episcopal church .

That massive structure of stone out yonder is Park Church . The l Rev . Thomas K . Beecher is the pastor of this church . I tel you a h Uncle Jon s , t ere are a great many interesting places in Elmira w which e must visit , and then if you desire we will go out into the country and drive over all the old haunts you used to be familiar ” “ l r with . Well , wel , Ha ry, I am thoroughly in earnest in this bus in es s . I do not want to do too much in one day, so long as I have h i n months before me , but I came here to enjoy myself in t is way f h e stead o going to t e sea shore or some fashionable watering plac , and I am en j oi n g it very much . What did you say this was Har “ “

. i r . s y This is Main Street Uncle Jonas Oh, yes, I see This ” w e u what used to call the back road to Horseheads , that went p ’ ’ ’ McCa n n s f McCon past , Su fern s , Rockwell s, and ll ’ w ne s . When I was a boy, Harry, the deer ould come into the wheat ﬁelds along the road and frequently you could hear the wolves l ’ ” howl up on the hi l west of Wisner s . ‘ w e n Suppose turn down Main street to Water street , U cle Jonas . h Just as you say Harry . I recognize t is corner as being the spot t ’ where Judge Theodore Nor h s residence formerly stood . When I ’ w a s a young man, Judge North s residence , although composed of wood was thought to be one of the most elegant dwelli ngs in the

v . ill age . Now a huge pile of brick occupies its place What is ?” “ l that a bridge across the river Yes, Uncle Jonas, that is cal ed — ” “ the Main street bridge and free, too . Harry this is a great im ” v I . pro ement , assure you 11

’ ELMIRA S DEVELOPMENT .

— THE GREAT BENEFIT CONFERRED BY RAILROADS HISTORY OF THEIR

GROWTH .

’ It is raining, Uncle Jonas , and we can t go out this afternoon, and that will give me an opportuni ty of answering your question ‘ at the dinner t able : What w a s the chief cause in the develop ment of Elmira into a city My answer to that question, Uncle l l w h Jonas , is brieﬂy, rai roads and I wi l tell you y and give you a shor t history of their construction . You will bear in mind that w rt 2 4 1832 the Erie railroad a s cha ered April , , and opened from n r 184 1 r Piermont to Go shen ni e yea s after, or in the year . You e 1840 t sided here in Elmira in , when the company under ook to construct the road from Goshen to Erie simultaneously upon piles driven into the ground and timbers to be placed upon them and

- held tog ether by cross ties, the state guaranteeing their bonds to t n e amount of You recollect how each county through which the proposed line of railr oad would pass insisted that the h l r e r money s ou d be expended in those counties , because their p e sen ta ti ves had been instrumental in securing the appropriation or h the endorsement of the bonds of the company, and ow instead of commencing the road and expending their ow n money and that which the state had given them , in completing the road section by section in one continuous chain , that the company spread their nl money over the entire road from Piermont to Erie , and o y had i e n i a few m l s of road completed and in run ng order, when the money w a s exhausted , the road uncompleted and the compan y bankrupt . h i T at Uncle Jonas , you recollect , was the cond tion in which the affairs of the Erie company were in when you left Elmi ra in the 1841 w a s year . It a matter in which the people of the southern tier of counties of New York and the northern counties of Penn sylvania were deeply interested . The southern tier counties in

New York were more personally interested , but the citizens of f McKea n W Susquehanna , Brad ord , Tioga, Potter, , arren and Erie ll counties of Pennsylvania , would be materia y benefited by the f O construction of the road, or it would have a tendency to pen u p an eastern market for their lumber and coal . After several years of fi n a n ci er i n g the railroad company was reorgani zed and a new a fifa i r set of men controlled the management of s . As I told you h this morning, t e late John Arnot , of Elmira ; the Hon . John

. C Magee , of Bath ; the Hon Charles Cook, of Havana ; onstance tra n a h a n of New C . . S ook and I S , York city, took hold of the enter n d Hor n ellsvill prise a constructed the road from Binghamton to e . 14 The road was ﬁnally constructed and reached Lake Erie May , h f i 185 1. To recapitulate , t e road was constructed rom P ermont t o 1841 1843 Goshen in September , to Middletown in June , to Port v 1848 1848 Jer is January , to Binghamton December , to Elmira Octo 1849 C i 185 0 k ber , to orn ng January , and to Dun irk , on Lake Erie , 185 1 h h i in May , t e event being celebrated all along t e l ne and by h h l an excursion over t e road , accompanied by t e president, Mil ard 19.

F l n W il more , the secretary of state , Da iel ebster, and other dis i i h w t n g u s ed men of this state and nation . It a s in deed a proud l and grand day for E mira . The president and secretary of state W remained in Elmira over night, Daniel ebster making a speech h from the balcony of t e Brainard or Rathbun house . The completion of the road and the consequen t a nd attendent e xpenses connected with its building attracted a large number of persons to Elmira to engage in business and become permanent h a residents . In anticipation of t e completion of the Erie, a railro d “ c ompany was formed early in the year 1849 known as the Che ” mung railroad company, composed chieﬂy of enterprising citizens f V o Elmira , Horseheads, eteran , Havana and Watkins , who con k-ed r 1849 l s truc du ing that year ( ) a rai road from Elmira to Watkins , con at the head of Seneca lake , and a company soon after formed , tinned the road on north to Canandaigua and Niagara Falls . In 85 3 W the year 1 , the Elmira illiamsport railroad company con i - s tructed a railroad from Elmira to Will amsport, seventy eight n 1854 miles in le gth , and had it in operation in . t Thus Elmira had an eastern outle two ways, one by the Che u m ng canal to Albany and the Hudson river, and by the Erie railroad to Piermont on the Hudson , and also through New Jersey to New York . She also had two southern outlets , one by the Chemung river and the other by the Elmira Williamsport rail h a t road, w ich the latter place made connections as far south as

Baltimore . Elmira while she gained much in population lost some o f her best citizens by the construction of the Elmira Willi ams w h o l d port railroad , went to Wi liamsport and engage extensively n in the manufacture of lumber . It was, however, o ly an exchange f i o citizensh p , for Elmira gained a number of enterprising Penn n i n ni sy lva a s . The western outlet from Elmira was to Cor ng and thence to Rochester, (for the Cohocton Valley railroad was completed in the year 185 5) and on west from Corning to r Lake Erie . At Corning a rail oad ran south up into the Tioga val - i t ley to Blossburg, the center of the semi b uminous coal regions of l i Northern Pennsy van a, which was quite an advantage to the citi u z ens of Elmira . The northward outlet reaches p to the shores of — lake Ontario intersecting the Central railroad at Canandaigua .

Thus matters stood for two or three years, Elmira increasing in l wealth and population and spreading out wider and wider , aying t the foundation on a permanent basis for her present posi ion . There w a s a little enterprise which contributed largely to the busi ui ness of Elmira which I have omitted to name . It was the b lding of a plank road from Elmira south west to the Pennsylvania State i l ne upon Seeley creek, which enabled the lumbermen of that sec tion as well as the farmers to get their products to an Elmira mar ket . It was a good investment in every respect . The farmers and lumbermen could well afford to p a y toll over the road and haul two or three thousand feet of lumber at a load instead of worrying

through the mud axle deep with eight hundred or a thousand feet . i I have not the ﬁg ures just handy here , Uncle Jonas , but I bel eve 1848 184 9 the plank road was built about the year or . I remember s I assisted in its con truction , but my books are up stairs in the g arret, and we will let this pass . 13

The people in Bradford county , Pennsylvania , were anxious to extend their can al system from Towanda to Athens on the New h h h York state line , and t ere connect wit a canal , which s ould be constructed either by the state of New York or by private enter prise or by a company . The Pennsylvania had Opened up valuable coal mines at Barclay, southwest from Towanda, and they wanted w a to get an outlet for it northward . The matter s talked over in a n d w a s Elmira, the result the construction of the Junction canal , the capital furnished chieﬂy by the late John Arnot . In fact it ’ w a s called John Arnot s canal . This canal gave the Pen n sy lva n ians an opportunity of shipping northward their semi - bituminous coal of Bradford county and the anthracite coal of Luzerne , and m the citizens of Elmira to ship their lu ber, grain and other pro ducts southward to Philadelphia if necessary .

Public improvements remained for a time, as your old legal “ ” i n friend , James Robinson , would express it , statu quo, giving ui li i the people time to erect s table dwel ngs, publ c buildings , wi churches , schools and colleges , commensurate th the dignity and h a n d importance of t e place, to establish increased facilities for the dissemination of news, and herald to the world the central p osition of Elmira and its ext raordinary location for the transaction of h Da i l Weekl Ad r business . Rig t nobly did the Elmira y and y ve ti s er and th e Elmira Da i ly and Weekly G a z ette respond to the w a r wants of the prospective city . The came on . Elmira was made a mili tary rendezvous and also a military prison for the safe di d keeping of rebel prisoners . For four years she enjoy the dis m n a n d tinction , in the eantime increasi g her wealth population and improving her streets and ext ending the boundaries of her cor i m i ora t e . p l its Her sons had distingu shed themselves in battle , in the halls of legislation , upon the ﬂoors of congress and the councils ff n of the nation . Her Divens , Hathaways , Ho ma s , Beechers ,

Robinsons and a host of others had made a splendid record . Elmira was divesting herself of her quiet village mann ers and assuming w a r w a s sh e w a s i n r r city airs . Before the closed m po a ted as a r city and the Hon . John Arnot , j . , elected the ﬁrst mayor in April , 1 4 86 . In 1866 the Elmira and Williamsport railroad and the Chemung railroad and the Canandaigua and Watkins branch were leased by a Pennsylvania company and has since been know u nder the gen eral head as the Northern Central . The citizen s of Elmira desired DeRu t er railroad connections with Ithaca, Cortland , y , Cazenovia and Utica . They wanted a road that would connect Elmira by rail with these points more directly instead of taking the round w a u about y to Canandaigua , thence east via Geneva, Aub rn Syra

. d cuse and Rome t o Utica The late Dr . Eldri ge and other citizens 5 of Elmira , seconded by that persevering and indefatigable worker, con st r u ct i n a Joseph Rodburn , of Breesport succeeded in g railroad h h i h under t e title of Utica , It aca Elmira ra lroad , whic reached 1875 f Elmira in the year , thus adding one more outlet rom Elmira In and increasing its central position for shipments . the meantime l h i h the Lehigh Valley rai road , under t e d rection of t at master

mi h . n nd , t e Hon Asa Packer , deceased , had exte ded the line of that road from Easton on the Delaware river, up the Lehigh via 14

l Bethlehem , Al entown, Mauch Chunk and White Haven, crossed over the mountain between the Lehigh and the n orth branch of

n ~ the Susquehan a, penetrated the beautiful valley of the Wyoming a n d vi continued and connected his line a Wilkesbarre, Pittston,

Tunkhannock, Wyalusing, Wysox, Towanda to Waverly, where he had made the connection with the Erie and thus reached Elmira, n f using the Erie depot for his passe ger tra ﬁc, but erecting a com m odi ou s freight depot for the discharge and reception of freight . This added materially to the shipping facili ties and business interests of Elmira . The citizens of Elmira were not contented with their almost u n li mited facilities for shipping north and south , east and west but c onceived the idea of constructing a railroad from Elmir a southwest through the town of Southport up Seeley Creek, thence westward, scaling the mountains interveni ng between the Chemung valley in h l P New York and t e Tioga val ey in ennsylvania, making connec tions with the Tioga railroad and the semi - bituminous coal mine at

Arnot , in the Blossburg region . The citizens of Elmira subscribed liberally towards this enterprise and in the year 1876 the road was c onstructed and its completion celebrated in ﬁne style . This has proved to be one of the best investments of the kind for th e city of l E mira, according to the capital employed , that she has engaged in mi for years . It puts the business men of El ra in close contact with the farmers of Tioga county, Pennsylvania, and business men gen er a ll y of that county , while it literally places a coal mine at the v ll a s ery gates of the city , as we a great lumber yard Tioga c di ounty being stinguished for her forests of valuable timber , as ll we as for her coal, likewise for her agricultural products , her but c ter and cheese , her wheat , corn, oats, buckwheat and toba co . As wi you ll perceive , Uncle Jonas , this centennial road as it is termed i n by some, because it was built in that year, added another spoke the wheel of Elmira’s prosperity and added more to her fame as a i u central point and increased her facil ties for man facturing . Three years ago another railroad reached our city from Pen n sy l v ania . This one , the Delaware , Lackawanna Western , came here from New York , by the way of the anthracite coal regions of Penn sylvania and entering the eastern portion of the city and w a thence westward by y of Corning and Bath to Buffalo . It is a lli s trong company with elegant ro ng stock, and a faultless road bed . n Elmira, you perceive , has been continually increasi g in wealth a n d population attracting to it railroads from all points of the com it pass . While cannot boast of as rapid and phenomenal a growth w as some of your estern cities , Uncle . Jonas , she has . steadily a reached out right and left and annually incre sed in strength . But wi f Uncle Jonas , the things have not come to her thout an e fort . Sh e has not sat down and folded her hands and quietly waited for

. h " these events to take place O , no It has taken brains , money, ’ ‘ e . nergy, skill , patience and enterprise I don t want to say too r o r es much , Uncle Jonas , to one who thinks there is no place so p g nl s ive as the great west, but I do believe that there is not an i and h l ’ city in t e east, (out of comp iment to you I won t say the west, ) that can compare with Elmira to - day in facilities for m a n u fa ctu r 15

h i n g and shipping , either for glass , iron , boots and s oes , clothing ,

h i , h li tobacco , cigars , t e malting and brewing bus ness t e mil ng of

ﬂour and feed, the manufacture of cloth, the manufacture of stoves en and foundry and machine work generally, including that of gines and locomotives, the construction of freight and passenger cars , the manufacture of saws and edge tools , the wholesaling of

oods of every description, for the reason railroad freights are g . m et l t l on l co . c heap in a ll directions , and p between rival ines brisk We are substantially at the outlet of mi nes of bituminous and a n

- thr a cit e coal , near the great iron deposits, near the glass sand rock , t h e forests of timber , the center of a great wool and tobacco trade, a e the center of railroads , requiring cars of all descriptions . We r Pa near the great cokeries of Tioga county, . , where the best coke is made in America for the manufacture of iron and steel and the tempering of edged tools, and with plenty of elbow room to spread N W ell sbu r out up to orth Elmira, or down to or up the river to ’ Dan Fitch s old place . We have schools an colleges , churches a n d printing presses we have street railways , water and gas s works , and a fair ystem of sewerage we have broad streets well i n p rotected by shade trees we have professional men eminent their work , and , taken altogether, one of the most desirable places for a residence in the country .

PERSONAL REMINISCENCES .

T RECOLLECTIONS OF INCIDENTS IN THE LIV ES OF HE EARLY RESIDENTS . “ Did you say Harry, that the house was situated on the Billy ” ” “ ” “ Hoffman farm ? Yes, Uncle Jonas . I can remember Mr . Hoff man as far back as sixt y years ago . He was a hatter and furrier by trade , and was considered one of the best in the country . He v or was a Pennsyl anian by birth , born I think in the county of N ’ n d t h u m berla , He was one of nature s noblemen , honest and

i . square in his dealings , k nd and hospitable He carried on bus i n ess on Water street , and was finally succeeded by the late Nelson W . Gardner , and then devoted his entire time and attention to di s farming . As he was distinguished as a hatter, he also became h d ca ts t in g u is e as a farmer, producing the finest wheat , corn and in the country , as well as raising the finest steers and young cattle for the market . Soon after you left Elmira he erected one of the

fin est barns in the Chemung valley and painted it yellow . His place i . h was k nown far and w de T e plain , brick house , and the w a m ammoth yellow barn , were landmarks by which his farm s d escribed . h i n 1849 stim u T e completion of the Erie railroad to Elmira, , ff l ated the sale of village lots . Mr . Ho man about that time com li n m en ced laying out lots and sel g them , until his fine farm of w a s wi about 2 00 acres covered over, not th waving fields of l g rain nor herds of neat cattle , but cottages and costly dwel ings . The yellow barn was torn down to make room for the habitations f l b th e o men, women and chi dren , instead of eing the site where 16

h e fruits of t ﬁeld were garnered or the herds of the farn sheltered . 4 i 867 r a He died July , , aged ninety years , as sincerely mou ned s h any man w h o had ever resided in t e Chemung valley . f r . th e His son , Colonel Hen y C Ho fman, distinguished himself in war for the preservation of the union , commanding the gallant

- Twenty third regiment of New York state volunteers, and di ed quite suddenl y at Horseheads about two years ago . He resided on and owned the farm where the old pioneer, John Breese ﬁrst set

l d 1788 . t e , in the year The colonel had erected upon it a fine man w a s . sion, a creamery and a stock breeder of fine cattle He had twice represented the county of Chemung in the popular branch of a the legi slature and was a gentleman highly esteemed . His g e fi ft - l w a s w a s about y four, and physical y he one of the finest pro portioned men in the southern tier . “ . t Harry , let us walk down street this morning Now you mus ‘ ’ i ca put on your think ng , for I shall , no doubt , ask you a great p ’ many questions . Since have got Uncle Billy Hoffman s place located, I think I can locate the rest along the road . Yes , over li there is where Bil ly Wil ams had his tannery . This is where th e ll li Goulds built their grist mi , and on this side is where Silas Bil ngs l . n ived , and here is the Judge North corner Down below this Mai street bridge , of which , Harry , you promised to give me a history, i is the old ark yard, and a l ttle lower down is where Ben Vail had ” a cabinet shop . “ l ?” How can you locate these places so wel , Uncle Jonas a Because , Harry, I have traveled this road or street more than thousand times when there were not more than a dozen buildings between the Whittingt on Sayre place or tavern upon the corner of ’ what you now call State street up to Billy Hoffman s . I can rec i e collect , Harry, when there were fields of grain grow ng where thes

. t o piles of brick are now laid up Let us move along, Harry, down ” the Eagle . “ ” looki d Wh o is that old gentleman in the carriage, g this way ? ” “ ” “

. ? That , Uncle Jonas , is Judge Gray What , Hiram Gray Yes, ” “ e Uncle Jonas . Well , I declare , he is w ll preserved . He is about “ ten years older than I am He must therefore be in hi s eighty ? ﬁ fth year . Why do you call him judge , Harry He was practic

- h ing law when I left with such men as Andrew K . Gregg Jo n W . Ha th a w a r . . l Wisner, Samuel G y , j , James Dunn , Thomas Maxwe l, ll M i . W Aaron Konkle , Ariel S Thurston, i iam axwell , El jah P . ” “ Brooks , as members of the bar from Elmira . Let us rest a mo ment here in this easy seat in the reception room of the Rathbun

. tw o house , and I will tell you You recollect , Uncle Jonas , that years before you left Elmira Mr Gray had been elected to congress, and had associated with him the young and rising lawyer Samuel r a r t n er i . s r G . Hathaway , j The p p was a very fo tunate combina w a s tion . Hiram Gray was a cool, logical lawyer , while Hathaway h ) li sh ed c t a smo ot , p and a complished gentleman, not hen so deeply v l a w n ersed in , but a ﬁne scholar, excellent man ers , ﬂuent in speech and almost irresistable before a jury . Gray and Hathaway were l both graduates of Union col ege , Schenectady, presided over by the famous Dr . Nott, so distinguished for his scholarly attainments, and particularly for his faculty of imparting to his students th e 17

a cien ce of elecu ti on and rhetoric . When a client appli ed to the a n d h s ﬁrm , Hiram Gray looked up the law t e decisions in the ca e , and Colonel Hathaway selected in addition to the la w which Gray m l referred to him , the points upon which he ight en ist the sym pathy of the judge or jury , and if necessary in trying the ca se , la w made his plea, conform to the equity instead of the in the prem i l ses . No man exce led Colonel Hathaway in trying a case in the h court of common pleas , w ere the case should have been decided i r accord ng to law, and befo e the judge or jury were aware of it , decidi ng it a case of equity . I say Uncle Jonas it was a fortunate h w a s combination , Hiram Gray having a clear judicial mind, whic capable of grasping and presenting all the points at issue , calculated i 1845 l . to ca l forth the better feel ngs of the judge and the jury In ,

or . about that time , Alexander S Diven, now known as General D e iven , who had be n a student with Hiram Gray, became a mem f 84 w a s 1 6 . ber o the firm . In Mr Gray appointed by govenor Silas h Wright one of the judges of the supreme court , and in t e year 1847 f i n ew con ti tu ti on , the o fice be ng abolished by the , Judge Gray w a s elected one of the justices of the supreme court in June v a of that year, and ser ed eight years in that capacity . In the ye r 7 f h s 186 Union college con erred upon im the degree of doctor of law , and in 1870 he was appointed as one of the commissioners of a p e a re peals , and , old as as he is now , many cases of gr at importance ” “ W w e wil h im r e yet submitted to him . ell , Harry , l call on and ‘ w new our acquaintance . But hat of Hathaway and Diven “ ‘ After Judge Gray went upon the bench the law firm w a s Di v ’ n l a c en Hathaway , and was additio al y strengthened by the W cession of James L . oods , a great student and a careful counselor , ‘ ’ W w a s on e when the firm became Diven, Hathaway oods, and w of the most tru sted firms in Southern Ne York . Colonel Hath away w a s elected a member of the legislature and w a s several w n w a s . a s o e times a candidate for congress , but not elected He of the most polished democratic campaign speaker i n the sta te . During the rebelli on h e raised a regiment and went gallantly t o

w a . the front . The climate of the south s fatal to him He con h i s h i s tracted a disease , resigned commission and returned to old h l 6th Y . home at Solon , Cortland county , N . , where e died April , 1864 ﬁ ft - ﬁ fth h of , in the y year of his age , one year before t e close

w a r w m . the . He a s a gentle an greatly beloved and respected d r e Alexan er S . Diven continued as a member of the ﬁrm above — ferred to until the year 186 1 i h the meantime having acted as a director in the Erie railroad and been instrumental in its con st r u c h tion , ad also been conspicuously connected with the building of W a h the Elmira illiamsport railro d , had served a term in t e state senate and w a s elected to congress in the year 1860 as a republican . In 1862 he assisted in ra ising the 107th regiment of New York state n e i l - h h e volunteers and we t into s rv ce as its ieutenant colonel , w ere r h w a s su bse ~ discha g ed his duty wit coura ge and ﬁdelity . He n r h quently appoi ted provost ma shal , with eadquarters at Elmira, which duties he disch a rg ed with eminent ability and satisfaction . l b r He is sti l living and is a out one year you senior, Uncle Jonas , - ld f h being seventy six years o . He resides in a beauti ul ome on the h f southern portion of t e old Carpenter arm , on the road to Horse 18

a nd heads, has a winter residence in Florida . His son, George M .

Diven, is a prominent attorney of this city now . James L . Woods , l the junior member of the ﬁrm of Diven Hathaway Woods, sti l

- resides in the city . As a counsellor he stands pre eminent in his w a s profession . I recollect him well when he a student in the w . W a s h ofﬁce of Gray Hathaway Jimmy oods, as he t en called i h 1843 ha boarded w th Judge Gray, who about t e year , purc sed a stony farm on the ridge back from the river road, near the Colonel

John Hendy farm , and built himself a large stone residence made of round cobble stones which were found on his farm . The man sion stoo d back from the road in the fields and scrub oak and yel low pine brush . Judge Gray caused the course of the old highway l eading from Elmira to Big Flats , which , at this point , ran along h near t e river bank , to be changed and straightened, so that it w a s would run within a few rods of the mansion . It situated a tw o f su n bout miles from the o fice . Regular as the Jimmy f Woods , then a pale slender youth , could be seen walking rom the office to Judge Gray ’s for his meals and returning to the office h l again . In t is manner he obtained exercise , gave himse f time for a nd c reflection and thought , developed into a strong man physi ally and mentally and became a perfect dictionary or cyclopaedia of law

a n . o e d court decisions He resides near us , Uncle Jonas , and s m time when it is convenient we may call on him . Harry, I want to go ‘ down again to the Lake street bridge and take a look at ” Clinton island . I have sp ent many a ha y hour upon it . ” Uncle Jonas , there is no Clinton island now . What , no Clin ” nd ton isla ; what has become of it ? Oh , it has been entirely

a . obliterated , not by ﬂoods , but by the h nd of man The ownership w h o of it ﬁnally was vested in a gentleman , cut down the trees , dug out the stumps and hauled away the gravel and earth of which ”

r . it was composed , to g ade our streets What desecration, v t m ul Harry . I ha e of en thought in my western ho e, as I wo d ll h w a s occasiona y hear from Elmira , t at she making splendid pro gress that the corp oration would purchase Clinton island , protect its banks from washing away by the construction of suitable docks d h r rt . h a and piers , and make a public park of it Nature done e pa ll in planting those magniﬁcent button ba , butternut , maple and o w a s ther forest trees . The grass as soft as velvet and the shade of in summer time cool , the air refreshing , while the rippling the waters furnished music that quieted the nerves and made 1t a r e th e sort to which weary might take refuge , when overburdened Y with the cares , the noise and the tumult of the busy street , es, icn 1cs Harry , I have often thought of Clinton island , the p , the a n d l h a d p arties , the celebrations the quiet wa ks I enjoyed upon t d i e hat beautiful island . But if it is now in the condition you escr b I do not wish to look at it , I do not wish to mar the remembrance o f its former beauty and loveliness by gazing now upon i t s deform ity . I want to cherish its memory . m v There is one thing , Harry , that I have re arked in my tra els W o ver this city, and particularly along ater street and Lake street , d t hat there is only one business sign han ging out here to ay, and but few names in the business directory , that were to be seen or

read when I left Elmira . The sign on the Chemung Canal bank

2 0

. h n with their croakings What a c ange, what a change . Come o “ ” h h u Harry , I know t e lay of t e land here even if it is built p w ith ﬁne residences , schools , churches and manufacturing estab ” n . li sh m e t s . This , Uncle Jonas, is the Delaware Lackawanna

hi . railroad w ch I told you about y esterday See , what a perfect ” “ - w e v road bed . Harry, can build in the west railroads ery much “

. e cheaper than you can here in the east Yes, I admit it, Uncl ” Jonas . I see . Harry , that there are still a great many colored “ h people here at the Yes , but Uncle Jonas, t ey have h a nd improved very much in t eir habits character since you left . h They were then a lazy, t ieving, plundering set, as a class . Of o w cour se there were exceptions to this rule . N these colored people have erected churches and chapels , have regular ministers - of their own color, support and maintain Sunday schools and have ” taken commendable steps to advance in morals and education . u I am glad of it Harry . I see that yo r city has erected elegant u and substantial school b ildings , yet no section of the United States excels our western and northwestern cities in their school bui ldings and the apparatus and appliances necessary for imparting informa l tion . Yonder , Harry , is one of the old landmarks of E mira, the l i late residence of the Hon . Wi l am Maxwell . How small it looks comparatively . When I lived here I thought it was large enough for the president of the Uni ted States . It was erected a few years before I went west and considered the finest residence in Chemung count “ ‘ ’ q B l M w ll e must have been acquainted with il y ax e , Uncl ” “ Jonas ? Very well , Harry . He was a son of one of the pioneers t of Chemung county at Elmira , was a lawyer and one of the firs officers of the Chemung Canal Bank , was prominently connected u i r with the early trials and str ggles of the New York Erie ra l oad . l ” . Oh , yes , Harry, I knew him wel “ There is an incident connected with his history , Uncle Jonas , after you left Elmira which I wish to relate You must recollect n u Uncle Jo as , the great str ggle of the citizens of Southern New Yo rk to prevail upon the legislature of the state of New York t o l h pass the bil for t e construction of the Chemung canal, and the sympathy and assistance that Tioga and Bradford counties in Penn

. sylvania rendered in that event You must recollect that Chemung,

i i ts . county sent a comm ttee of citizens , one of whom I believe was 182 5 Judge Gray , as early as to go to Blossburg, in Tioga county,

Pa . , and examine the coal and iron beds , and how one of the enter of e s h f l p rising citizens Hors head , t en the town o E mira, Vincent t h e Conklin , went to Blossburg with his team , and drew a load of coal in a wagon to Albany to show the members of the legislature w hat mineral existed in the mountains just over the state line in h f Pennsylvania , besides showing the immense growt o valuable pine timber there w a s in Chemung and Steuben counties which would be manufactured and taken eastward if the proposed canal Y o u u was constru cted . m st also recollect that prominent among those w h o opposed the construction of the canal w a s Colonel Sam f w h o w a s h uel Young , o Saratoga county , a member of t e legisla ‘ f v h ture o New York , made an ad erse report , using t e term sturdy beggars ’ to those w h o petitioned and advocated the construction of 2 1

l 1846 the canal . Wel , in , ﬁve years after you left Elmira, a con stitu ti on a l convention w a s called to revise the constitution of the state , and delegates from each assembly district were selected to Th e dem ocra ti c sit in the convention . party of the state was then k divided into tw o factions , one was styled the Hun ers and the

- other the Barn burners , two not very euphonious names . Colonel h i Young wished to be a member of that convention, or at least s i friends did . Colonel Young , it was determ ned, after a careful can u u vass of Saratoga county, co ld not be elected from that co nty .

- He was a barn burner, and the hunker or conservative wing of the d emocratic party were too strong for him there . A county con ven ti on of democrats w a s held in Horseheads in February of that year (1846) to recommend to the canal board suitable persons to be appointed as superintendent and collector of the canal, in Chemung l v i county, and in the cal for the con ent on , there was no mention made or authority given to the convention to nominate a person to r epresent Chemung county in the constitutional convention which 46 l st 18 . woul d convene in Albany, June , The county convention i t w a s convened at Horseheads . The Super ntendent and collec or were recommended, and the convention adjourned, and a large w a p ortion of the delegates left the hall . The convention s compos ‘ ” ed of both factions but they had agreed to pool their issues and recommend the ofﬁcers above referred to . The barnburner portion of the convention remained in the hall by a secret understanding , and l v t as soon as their friends the hunkers had substantial y aca ed, a motion was made that the resolution to adjourn be reconsidered, — a which was carried, of course few of the hunkers rushing back i nto the hall and protesting vehemently , but of no avail . The con f v en ti on was restored to li e , and Colonel Young, of Saratoga, was put in nomi nation a s a suitable person to represent Ch em u g county in the constitutional convention . To say that the hunker portion n i i of the democratic party were i d gnant, is too m ld a term . The h n old version of t e scriptures was then orthodox, and the hu ker portion used the King James English in a vociferous manner . The barnburners were evidently in the majority in the county, that is , di d they outnumbered the hunkers, but they not outnumber the W higs and hunkers combined . It was claimed that there had never been such an insult offered to the intell igence and dign ity of the county as the nomination of such a person as Colonel “Sam” Young to represent a section of the state to whom he had appli ed “ ” the opprobrious epithet of stu rdy beggars that it was a virtual acknowledgement that the county had no one capable of r ep r esen ting her i n the convention which would meet to revise her organic w a s w law . A paper dra n up whose reputed author was General f Al exander S . Diven , setting orth the facts and circumstances under which Colonel Young received the nomination , to be signed by the lli l voters of the county requesting the Hon . Wi am Maxwel to a o mi cept the no nation for delegate to the convention . This paper l received the names of such men as Lyman Covel , Colonel Samuel r vi G . Hathaway , J . , Alexander S . Diven , Le J . Cooley, Thomas Eln i r a e Maxwell , Hiram Gray, of ; M derica Rickey, Legrand Bar of h l i low, Horse eads E ijah Sexton, Chauncey Taylor, Dan el Par i . R s ons , of Veteran, the Hon George B . Guinn p, Simeon L . ood 2 2

a n d others in the northern portion of the county, and by Judge

u d e . . h James Hughson, J g John L Sexton, U Hampton Davy, Jo n i . . W . Hughson, Lorenzo D Hughson , George A Gard ner of Big Flats ; ’ McDow ell n oh n . the Ho . J G , of Chemung, and hundreds of others throughout the county . The hunkers had no newspaper in the county to advocate their cause but were supported by the Albany G a z ette Ar g u s at t h e capital . The Elmira was then owned by

li . l George W . Mason and Wil am C Rhodes, and it supported Colone c h i t h e Young . I tell you , Un le Jonas , I ave been famil ar with i t s I polit ical contests in Chemung county since organization, and have never witnessed a more bitter and stubborn contest than W n o that . Mr . Maxwell accepted the nomination ; the higs made wi n s nomination, but as a general thing sympathised th the hu ker and desired to rebuke the insult and voted for Mr . Maxwell thus

‘ securing his election by about 800 maj ority . He ably represented the county in the convention , was a gentleman of pleasing address, w well versed in the fundamental principles of organic law, and kne the necessity of the revision of the constitution of the state , and the necessity of reorganizing the judiciary and eliminating many of the old and crude forms of procedure which had been handed down

. h and continued from colonial times . Mr Maxwell was elected t e next year member of assembly and served with distinction . He 8 ﬁ ft - 185 . died in the year of paralysis, aged about y six years He ” left no children . on What large buildings are those, Harry , away across yonder “ is the back road That , Uncle Jonas, the Elmira state reform r o a t or y prison . We will call there some day in the near futu e and g ” “ ll l n . through the institutio , Very we Is that a rolling mi l over ” “ ‘

h Th e . t ere by the canal ? Yes , that is what is known as Elmira ’

li . 7 Iron a n d Steel Rol ng Mill It was originally chartered August , 1860 ‘ h l ’ d , as T e Elmira Rol ing Mill Company, but has since change f : i El its title . The o ﬁcers were Asher Tyler, president ; Edw n

- drid e . . . g , vice president ; H W Rathbone , secretary and treasurer It is now one of the strongest manufacturing companies in southern It New York . has from time to time added to its original plant, erecting furnaces and plate mills . Did you know General Ransom ” “ Ra th bon eville ? Rathbone , of , Steuben county, Uncle Jonas Oh, “

W . yes . Well , his son, Henry Rathbone , is now chiel stock

of h . holder and manager t is concern Then there is Jesse L . Cooley,

. lli son of your old friend , Levi J Cooley, and John D . Wi ams , son ll of your old friend, William Wi iams, hold responsible positions h h there . T ey ave been with the company since it ﬁrst organized . “ Is that so Harry I should be pleased to make their a cqu a i n ” “ tance . Yonder , Uncle Jonas , is the depot of the Delaware Lack h i a w a n n a and Western railway, and that long building down t ere s h h i the freight depot of t e Le igh Valley railroad , and that new bu l f th e ding you see down this track is the depot o Elmira, Cortland h and Northern railway, formerly the Utica, It aca and Elmira . That building up this track is a tobacco warehouse under the " ll charge of Reuben Lovell Son . Reuben Love is a son of your l ” “ f . i old riend Levi Love l , of Big Flats I declare , Harry, this s m w li ke Chicago i n s o e respects . When I left here this a s swamp y h l land , and in the spring of t e year there were a mi lion of black 2 3

rd birds (is that blackbi s enough Harry), singing in the alders a n d will ows along the canal here . Why it reminds me of Chicago is that a large portion of it when I ﬁrst went there was swampy and ” “ wet . But now it is one of the ﬁnest portions of the city . This ,

Uncle Jonas , is the business ofﬁce of the Northern Central railroad . Al h though t e structure is an unpretending one , there is still a great

. l l amount of business done there As you wil recol ect , this road ex

. W tends from Niagara Falls via Canandaigua, Elmira, Troy, il li a m s or t or th u m ber la n d p , N , Sunbury, Harrisburg to Baltimore . It i i s . a very important l ne Now look out, Uncle Jonas , when cross so ing here . There are many cars arriving and departing here that one has to keep a sharp lookout or he will be run over . We are v k th e safely o er, and suppose we take a wal down the avenue to ’ Union depot . Of course we can t stop to talk over every place we w e pass , must reserve that business for days when the weather is ’ ' ui bad and we can t go out . This b lding belongs to Andrew Hath w h o li orn , son of your old friend , John Hathorn , ved on the back ’ ’ l Mc n n ell road from Richardson s mil to Big Flats , just beyond Co s . “ Oh, yes , I remember John Hathorn . He was a prominent farmer . v Near his house there was an oak gro e , where camp meetings were d Vi h h . h J t i N t held by t e Met odists T at is now calle est unc on, or or h i w 185 0 Elm ra . The grove has been cut do n since , soon after the

u . w a s Erie railroad passed thro gh it Here, Uncle Jonas , the to l bacco warehouse of the John Brand estate , and this is a grist mil , and that is the warehouse of the Hon . John I . Nicks , a prominent tobacconist who came to Elmira about forty years ago , and open ed a li ttle shop on Water street near the bridge . I recollect well Uncle

- Jonas , when he ﬁrst came to Elmira . He was a rosy cheeked ,

- - well informed young man of about twenty two years of age . He l w a s commenced business with a smal capital, industrious, fru gal , saving, sober and punctual in his dealings , and soon wa grew into prominence in a ﬁnancial and political y . He was i elected as a republ can , the second mayor of the city of Elmira in 1865 the year , to the senate the same year, taking his seat in that 2 1866 body January , . He was also for a long term of years Uni ted States revenue collector for the district , and receiving other n ul con ﬁ de ces of the people and the government . He is tr y a self in made man , energetic, thorough and practical all his undertakings . “ ni This , Uncle Jonas , is the U on passenger depot , which is used by the old line , the New York , Lake Erie Western , as it is now l ll cal ed, the Lehigh Va ey, the Northern Central and the Tioga l Elmira and State li ne rai roads . Robert B . Cable is superi ntend ent of the Susquehanna division of the New York, Lake Erie and i Western, together with the Tioga, Elmira and State L ne railroad, which is now a branch of the Erie . He is a gentleman well calcula ll ted to discharge the responsible duties devolved upon him . Wi iam

. W C . Buck , son of your old friend , the Hon George . Buck, or more “ ” familiarly known as Wash Buck, of Chemung, is general freight h h agent for the Susquehanna division, the Tioga branc , and anot er branch leading into the hard coal regions . His father, the Hon .

George W . Buck was prominently connected with the old Erie , w 1849 when it a s completed in , as an appraiser of damages in the “ ” right of way . His son William C . possesses in an eminent 2 4 '

hi s in n n degree the characteristics of father, tra sacti g a great amount of business with accuracy and discretion , and evidently has a bri ght future before him . Over that net work of iron rails is the Eri e car shops which was established by the Erie company soon after t h e 185 1 road was completed to Elmira, about the year , with Willi am - E . d . Rutter as manager and superintendent It has been estroyed w a . s by fir e several times . Mr Rutter, Uncle Jonas , an a ccom pli sh ed gentleman and a kind hearted man . He was the father of e the late James H . Rutt r, president of the New York Central and li . w h o w a Hudson River railroad He had another bright son, Wil am , s injured fatall y about the year 1854 while running to a fi re He oc “ cu i ed p the position of secretary of the Young , America fire com ” 2 5 1854 any, which was organized Sept . , . His funeral was largely l w h attended and greatly mourned by the citizens of E mira , o f sympathised deeply with the a fliction of Mr . and Mrs . Rutter . fir e I attended his funeral , Uncle Jonas . The department tur ned i out in a body, led by the celebrated Will am Wisner brass band, di th e who scoursed a most solem dirge on occasion . “ ” n We had better take a street car, Uncle Jo as . Just as you “ ’ say , Harry . It is one of of y our old friend , Timothy Satterlee s , h sons w o occupies the store on the corner . That is the residence l of the Hon . Ariel S . Thurston . His sisters you recol ect conducted

. illi a seminary for young ladies there for years This is Dr . W am ’ VVe s C . y residence on the west side of the street and that over ’ yonder is Henry W . Rathbone s , of whom we talked in connection li l ’ mi . with the El ra rol ng mil , and that is Charles J Langdon s , son vi of your old friend , Jar s Langdon whom you recollect lived in

Mi ll port , but subsequently moved to Elmira and engaged exten sivel . y in the lumber trade and ﬁnally in the coal trade Charley, as he is familiarly called , has large investments in coal property in

Pennsylvania and is increasing the patrimony left him . This is n Park Church . It is the outgrowth of an independent Co gre in 1845 a i on a l . h g t church , established , Thomas B Covell and Step en Hen for d l H . deacons , and with about forty members , principa ly t Th e R v e . . from the ﬁrst Presby erian church . T W . Graves was established minister in charge in the year 1846 in the month of a n d February, continued until November of that year, was suc

d v ...... lli ceede by the Re Messrs A M Ball, E H Fairchild, Wi am

Bement , and Thomas K . Beecher, the latter commencing his pas 1854 - . di t or a t e in June , , thirty one years ago The church e ﬁce was taken down in 1872 to make room for the elegant and dur able structure . It is a church home , containing an auditorium , session i n m room , parlor , di ing roo , k tchen and other rooms for the con w a ven i en ce of the pa stor and his p eople . It s chieﬂy designed by

Mr . Beecher . Under his ministration the church has annuall y increased in strength and usefulness . There has never been any serious di s

- agreements between pastor and ﬂock, and for the past thirty one years a harmony and unity of purpose have been the ch a r a ct eri s tics of the church . Mr . Beecher numbers among his ﬂock some of

h . t e most , wealthy and inﬂuential citizens of Elmira By some he is called eccentric , but there is one thing certain Uncle Jonas, his m eccentricity has carried joy, peace and happiness into many a fa ily, 2 5

the high, the low, the rich and the poor, and scattered broad ” of ca st the doctrine peace on earth and good will to men . His hi s hand has always been open to the poor, and voice always heard ” pleading for the oppressed .

U . T This , ncle Jonas , is the residence of the late Hon Asher y w h o 1848 ler, came to Elmira in the year , during the construction w a of the New York Erie railroad . He s their general land w a s agent . He a native of the county of Oneida, in this state , 1798 and was born in the year , receiving a collegiate education, studi ed law and was admitted to the bar . He formerly resided in u N Cattaraug s county, ew York, and had been largely interested in real estate in that county and had represented his district in con H ni gress . e was the very perso ﬁcation of a gentleman of the old — . i i n school , kind, courteous and obliging During his early l fe New Oneida county and his later life in western York, he had come in contact with the red man , and had studied their traits of

. l character, their history and traditions After the rai road was completed to Dunkirk and the titles for the right of way and other hi l ea l estate were comp leted, he identiﬁed mse f with several of w the then young in dustries of Elmira . He a s one of the origin a t or s of the compa ny formed under the title of the Elmi ra Rolling l h Mil company, and for a period was t e president of the company . l w a s Physical y, he a man about six feet in height and well pro

portioned, walking erect and dressed with care . As a conversa t i on a li st he excelled in attracting his hearers by his ﬁne diction

and descrip tive powers . In a company of friends, they seemed to have no desire to speak , content to listen to his pleasing and enter

ni n . tai g conversation I have often thought, Uncle Jonas, that the

. u Hon . Asher Tyler and the Hon Horatio Seymo r must have been

instructed by the same model teacher, the two resembling each other so much in their excell ent man ners and gifted conversational ﬁr hi owers . Mr . Tyler died ten years ago the st of t s month vi ul i August) lea ng this beautif residence to his w fe and daughters . w an d We are most do n to Water street , Uncle Jonas, I wil l pull

the bell rope . VISIT TO SOUTHPORT . I Harry, after have looked over the newspapers a few minutes — suppose w e dr ive over to Southport Corners I mean over to the place where so many of the Jones family and Charley Evans for

merly resided . I want to see what improvements have been made

on the south side of the river . You say that Elmira has absorbed quite a portion of Southport and the probabili ties are that she will ” in time absorb more territory . Al l wi right , Uncle Jonas , I ll be around with the carriage in a

few minutes . This , Uncle Jonas, is the Main street bridge . A company w a s organized in the year 185 3 and constructed a bridge 1862 h v here , and in t e company becoming in olved the bridge was ’ M l i . sold at sher ff s sale Moses Cole , of il port, was the builder . In 17 1865 i the great freshet of March , , the trestling over Cl nton island

w a . h 1866 s carried away T e damage was repaired . In the ﬁrst 1865 h span was burned . In t e Lake street , or old bridge company i ni and the Ma n street company consolidated , both compa es charging 2 6

l w h o toll s . This tol business was a tax upon every farmer came to Elmira from Southport to sell the products of his farm or make purchases of dry goods and groceries and a general inter th e e change of commodities , burden of which fell upon the hous w a s holder who purchased of the farmer, for the toll added to every farm product that w a s purchased by the grocer and retailed to the c w a s consumer . The consequen e that the subject of free bridges was ag itated for several years and resulted in the abandonment of h the toll system , and an act of the legislature authorizing t e city of Elmira to expend one hundred and twenty thousand dollars in the construction of two iron bridges in lieu of the old wooden st r u c

r . . tu es , which should be free After the work had progressed for a season it w a s ascertained that the sum of one hundred and twenty w a thousand dollars s inadequate to complete them, and the sum of thirty thousand doll ars was authorized by an act of the legislature s of 1874 to ﬁnish the work , the actual cost being Thu was Elmira ten years ago released from the restriction of trade and ll Th e commerce by means of the abandonment of the to system . tax to pay for the construction of the bridges w a s more equall y d h a s levie , and the result been highly beneﬁcial to all parties con “

Rev . . cerned . The Thomas K Beecher took an active part in t ll bringing about this most desirable objec . I te you , Uncle Jonas, it w a s quite an effort to get the people awakened full y to the n eces ﬁf ho l sity of the outlay of one hundred and ty t usand do lars, but even those who opposed it are now proud of them and point with ni pride to these splendid pieces of mecha sm . Their construction s increased the wealth and population of both side of the river .

. This , Uncle Jonas , is the residence of the late Dr Edwin Eldridge, ” of whom I will tell you more hereafter .

Keep quiet for a moment , Harry . I want to see if I can dis ul cover any old land marks . Since that beautif island is destroyed

I have quite lost my reckoning . Oh I see, yonder is Mount Zoar . w e l It is all right now . As drive along I wi l tell you Harry about the times w e used to have chasing deer with hounds from Mount

Zoar into Seeley creek , or into the river just above the point of l ff Clinton island, opposite the late residence of Uncle Bil y Ho man . All along w here we are driving now were woods then growing or ‘ ou th or down to the river bank . Along the Lake street S p t road i to Wellsburg it was cleared, of course , but th s land along here h w a s the rear end of the farms , covered with a t ick growth of

. u . timber . The Culp and Loop boys , Dr Jotham P rdy, E Jones, t h myself and a few others, would take our dogs in the fall of e

year , say in September or October, and send a trusty man with them up to Mount Zoar or Spanish Hill and distribute ourselves along ’ on e the river and in the road between here and Simeon R . J s s or ’ Soll y Smith s and then wait for the coming game . By and by we

would hear, as Dr . Purdy used to express it , the heavenly music,

the barking of the hounds in pursuit of the deer . Some would l lead off to the south and west , whi e others would come straight

for the point of the island, and if the hunter failed to kill his buck , h whic w a s frequently the case, the deer would swim across the l ff ’ river , crossing West Water street , going between Bil y Ho man s ’ and Dr . Thesus Brook s place and along across the ﬁelds a little

2 8 many others whose names have escaped my memory at the present ll whom I would reca were they mentioned . There is nothing here l , . that I recal at the corner so drive on Along this road, Harry, w a s when I left Elmira, a great forest of white pine timber . I see that it has all been cut down and even the stumps pulled up and bu rned or made into a fence . What little hamlet is this that w e ?” a r e approaching, Harry n That , Uncle Jo as , is Pine City . About forty years ago an attack w a s made on the white pine timber that stood in this vicinity . Allen , Lyman Samuel and W , . L . Gibson, then of Elmira , Seth Marvin and the Webbs commenced

Al . o the attack . len S Gibson rem ved here with his family from Elmira and erected a large lumber shanty and remained for several m years and then re oved back to Elmira, purchasing the lot upon l which the female col ege is new located, and afterwards purchasing lots on the corner of Main and Church streets where the parsonage , memorial chapel and Episcopal parsonage are now located . Samuel

C . Gibson opened a store above this place and subsequently removed to Big Flats and engag ed in the sale of merchandise there . Lyman

li . and Wil am L Gibson , soon after established themselves up on

Baldwin street , above the First Presbyterian church , in the lumber i a n d and mercantile business , purchas ng shipping lumber to Al

. w bany, Troy and New York city Their store a s call ed The ’ ” Lu mber m en s . i Store Of the four brothers only one is now al ve , w h o W . L . Gibson , still resides on Baldwin street , near where the ’ Lu mber m en s . Store was located His wife was Betsy Jones, li w h o daughter of E jah Jones , formerly owned the hotel where the . n Ad ver ti s er buildi g of the Elmira association is now located . The Gibsons were good hunters and fond of spending n ow and then a da y in hunting and fishing . If I were addicted to telling fishing and hunting stories , Harry, I could relate some that were true and h m yet in t is day would seem i probable and entirely overwrought . i f It was no extraord nary event fi ty or sixty years ago , when I w a s e a boy, to see half a doz n fishermen take a ' seine and go to the c l i ck er el sh a d river and cat h a wagon box fu l of p , , bass , perch and i n lf o ther fish less than ha a day . After they had got their wagon ra load, they would drive to some cent l point , select a grassy plat w a s fi sh where there plenty of shade , unload the and divide them . bes t fi sh i n Uncle Johnny owned the land near the g point , had n no share in the seine, but would always, in co sideration of his

t . l locali y, claim a share in the fish Uncle Johnny cou d be easily l excited , and hated suckers , mu lets and chubs as most people do i rattlesnakes . The fishing party understood the an mosity of Uncle la Johnny and would proceed to y in one pile the pickerel , in a n i other the bass and perch , and thus distribute all the most des rable h h fish by themselves , w ile t e inferior class, such as chubs , suckers u and mullets , wo ld be placed in a pile for the benefit of Uncle

Johnny, and in order to excite his ire . While this assorting pro a on l l cess w s going , Uncle Johnny wou d be kept busy samp ing the w et groceries extracted from a gallon jug . When every thing was in readi ness one of the party would turn his back to the piles of ﬁsh h lying on the grass and another would call out to him , Who s all ? ’ ’ have tha t pile of ﬁsh The answer would be , Philo Jones . That 2 9 ‘

' a pile would be splendid lot of p ickerel and perch, or bass and r h h ul e c , the man would t en turn his back and the query wo d then ‘ he W thi s repeated with slight variations, ho shall have pile of ﬁsh ‘ ’

u b e . h i f The answer wo ld , Uncle Johnny T e call ng o his name would attract his attention and Uncle Johnny w h o had hitherto li f been kept busy samp ng the contents o the jug, would make a rush w hi s . h a s h to examine pile or ﬁsh T en w en the ball would open ,

. and the grand. march take place Johnny always carried a strong heavy cane and w a s usually accompanied by a large and ferocious i w h o t br ndle dog , would take delight in mastica ing any offender

l nt . k whom Johnny wou d poi out Johnny would wal around, take

an extra chew of pig tailed or lady twist cavendish tobacco , and l commence breathing like a bel ows, for the moment too full for l utterance . At last he would break out in a vol ey of oaths that

would literally shake the thorn apples from the trees, or the rocks r from thei beds , ending in a peremptory order for every one to leave that place immediately and calling on brindle Bose to enforce the

order . Bose would make a dash , some would take to the wagon h i and others to the trees , leaving Uncle Jo nny and his br ndle com

panion in posession of the field with all the fish, good , bad and i n di fi r en n e t . Someone would attempt to negotiate with Uncle John y t di lom a c w ou ld on a peace basis . The one mos skilled in p y be selected . A fl a g of truce accompanied by the jug would then be sent into th e

camp of the victor . By and by Johnny would order Bose to li e

down , the parties would descend from the trees and wagon and a .

new distribution agreed to . The second distribution , perhaps would

meet with no better success than the ﬁrst . Instead of Johnny get

a ll u i . ting chub and s ckers as he did on the ﬁrst distribution, by th s ul l and that process he wo d get all perch, exce lent ﬁsh but hard t o

prepare for the pan . A second opening of hostilities would com

mence , and the same means of attack and escape resorted to . w a s What Johnny wanted pickerel , or at least his share of them . n l By the same course of diplomacy, peace would once agai prevai . i A new ump re would be chosen , a fairer distribution wo u ld be vi made , and a final and satisfactory di sion of the fish take place . (1t ick er a l fill Uncle Johnny loaded with p and bass , and ed to the w et ni brim with groceries , accompa ed with his faithful Bose , would take their departure— while the jolly fishermen would laugh with i h . great glee at t e farce of div ding the fish I declare Harry, w e are almost back to Elmira again 1”

OLD FRIENDS AND FAMILIES .

UNCLE J ONAS BRING S FORWARD S OME INTERESTING FACTS .

- n . Good morni g , Uncle Jonas We are storm stayed , no riding or - w e walking out to day . But can enjoy ourselves at home , and I ” l old i n wil tell you about your friends Elmira . ” That will please me , Harry . Go on . m f To co mence with your old riend , Aaron Konkle , you of course i la w t h e h knew that he stud ed in ofﬁce of Mat ews Edwards , and i n the year 182 6 was appointed byEG over n or Dewi tt Clinton district 30

b a ttorney for Tioga county, then em racing the territory composed t n ow of the coun ies of Tioga , a portion of Broome , a portion of

Tompkins , a portion of Schuyler and the entire portion of Chemung f county, holding the o fice for three successive terms . He was also c u appointed supreme court ommissioner, and pon the resignation 185 0 of the Hon . John W . Wisner was appointed in the year judge of Chemung county . Ariel S . Thurston succeded him in that 13 1861 - fi v e position . Judge Konkle died October , , aged seventy w a s years . As you recollect, he a very modest and unassuming v i h man , always dressed neatly, ery dign fied in manner, a ripe sc olar

ns . and a safe cou elor Were you acquainted, Uncle Jonas, with Judge Thurston ?” “ ?” Do you mean Ariel S . Thurston ” Yes . “ ‘

l . Oh , I recol ect him well He was a young attorney then , just ” coming into prominence, and a law partner of John W . Wisner . “ 185 1 e Since you went away , Uncle Jonas , he was, in , el cted coun 185 9 a t . y judge, serving four years in that capacity In he was p a ssesor f 1876 p ointed state , serving three years in that o fice , and in he was appointed one of the managers of the state reformatory l prison at Elmira . The judge has been quite successfu financially, h i a re securing a competency for s old age . He and Judge Gray the only members of the Chemung county bar who were admitted to practice at the Tioga county bar before the county of Chemung 6 183 . was formed, in Their certificate of admission to the bar ante

- s date the organization of the county and are the connecting link , in wi yet unbroken , the chain binding the old th the new, reﬂecting honor upon th eir profession and the bar of Chemung county . 2” You of c ourse recollect, Uncle Jonas, Judge James Dunn “ ” Oh , yes , Harry . 1844 h Well , in he became county judge , serving two years in t at capacity, with great satisfaction . He , however, preferred active l " practice to the dul routine of the bench, and became one of the n leading advocates a d attorneys in the county . He was a genial and

i e . social companion , hosp table and charitable in its broadest sens

He had the faculty of making friends and retaining them . He died

- 1 187 . May , 7 in the seventy third year of his age Of course, Uncle ” Jonas , you were acquainted with Major Levi J . Cooley . “ ” Yes he was one of my very warmest friends . “ Well the major, when you left Elmira, was engaged extensive l t xw y in the various stage lines leading into Elmira, wi h Mr Ma ell , - - l i n . his brother law , under the ﬁrm name of Cooley Maxwel He continued in that business until stage coaching was superseded l by the locomotive . He was a po ished gentleman and warm - h 4 1874 is . friend . He died June , , in the seventy third year of age

n e . Benjamin Vail was o of your old friends , Uncle Jonas Well, he came to Elmira in the early days and engaged in the m a n u fa c

ture of cabinet ware upon a small scale , also the manufacture of ﬁ ft - cofﬁns . He resided in Elmira and its immediate vicinity y eight i - years , occupying the same dwell ng for forty four years located in w a s Elmira . He ever the same honest , companionable , upright

h . mec anic , citizen and neighbor He was married to Miss Eliza Smith 2 7 182 3 l F 2 7 February , , and celebrated his go den wedding ebruary , 3 1

182 3 1873 . The marriage ceremony was performed in by the Rev .

h . l Simeon R . Jones , t e pioneer minister Uncle Benjamin Vai died - fi f h 12 1873 h t . July , , in t e seventy year of his age “ W d a Riggs atrous, another of your old frien s , son of Is ac Wat f 1849 rous , o Big Flats , came to Elmira in the year and engaged in the m a nufacture of tin ware , nearly opposite the present site of v r ti s r the Elmira Ad e e association building , and gradually increased his business so that in 1842 he removed to Water street and added the hardware line to his former pursuits . In these branches he prospered , until he became the foremost hardware dealer and tin -fi ve ner, in southern New York . During his thirty years of active busin ess life he met with several severe reverses , but always came w a s o u t of them w ith honor and credit . He prominently connect e d i n t h e establishment and maintainance of the Baptist church . v i t He se eral times held offices of trust and responsibil y, which he d ischarged with fidelity, but he preferred to bend his energies upon f his chosen pursuit rather than accept political or o ficial distinction . 11 1883 - He died Sep . , , aged sixty three years , two months and

- twenty ﬁ ve days . “ n I have incidentally mentioned , Uncle Jo as , the name of John i v Arnot , w th whom you were acquainted, and I will now gi e you Elm i r a fs f a brief hi story of foremost man , after you le t here . Mr . t h e 1819 en Arnot, as you recollect , came to Elmira in year , and w a gaged in mercantile pursuits and s very successful . At one In time he h a d a branch store at Painted Post in Steuben county . 82 4 the year 1 he was married to Miss Harriet Tuttle , daughter of 1830 Stephen Tuttle . In the year he erected the ﬁrst brick store o in Elmira , which stood on the n rthwest corner of Lake and

Water streets , where the present elegant block is now situated . 182 9 h The year previous in , e erected a foundry upon the site of the present opera house and set up the ﬁrst steam engine in southern 1836 New York . In he became a stockholder in the Chemung Canal 1842 i bank . In he sold out his stock of goods , becoming cash er of l the Chemung Canal bank , with the ate Hon . Charles Cook, of 1848 1849 1850 Havana, president . In , , , he and the late Hon . John

h . . Magee , C arles Cook , Constance Cook and I S Stranahan con structed the New York Erie railr oad from Bin ghamton to Hor l 185 4 w a s nellsvil e . . In he largely interested in the construction 185 8 of what w a s known as the Junction canal . In he was pre vail ed upon to accept the nomination for congress in a district that held majority against him . So popular was he and such conﬁdence had the people in his integrity that he was onl y defeated h e by about 300 votes . Had made a personal canvass there is no w doubt that he would have been elected . At this time he a s pres h ident of the Chemung Canal bank , having been chosen in t e year

185 2 . He had previously been interested in the construction of the railroad from Elmira to Watki ns and from Elmira to Williams i n t t port , fact in every enterprise calcula ed to beneﬁ the people at l w a s large or the vil age of Elmira . He also interested in the con n f h l struction of gas works for the proper illumi ation o t e vil age . In the year 1866 he became largely interested in the coal lands and

Pa . railroads in Tioga county , , and the founding of a prosperous h h mining town , which was named Arnot , in is honor, and whic 32

s l tod ay is the most populou vil age in that county . His d eath oc 17 187 3 h cured November , aged eig ty y ears, regretted and mourned by people in all sections of the country . “ I declare , Uncle Jonas , the storm has abated , and I think th e weather will be ﬁne this afternoon . Suppose we take a drive up to

H . orseheads , or North Elmira, as it is now called “ Well, Harry , that will suit me

Which road shall w e take . a Take the old lake road, Harry I w nt to see how it looks and l we wil return by the back way, perhaps, or down the avenue, you told me about . In a Short time Uncle Jonas and Harr y are seated in the carriage on their way to North Elmira . “W hi 2” hat is t s, Harry ni A street railway run ng from here to North Elmira . It is a h worthy enterprise . T is , Uncle Jonas , is the residence of General

A . S . Diven . See how nicely he has ﬁtted up the: old place . He has resided there about thirty years, or it is about that time since h e

r . pu chased it, and perhaps more than thirty Time slips away so fast one really can’t tell without referring to dates how rapidly it ” has passed . “ These lands along here , Harry, when I was a boy, were covered d h f with scr ub oak and warf pitch pines, and so stony t at many arm ers said they would not take the land as a gift . But they made a i u . w l t great mistake . They are warm and q ck See how e l tha corn ” looks . “ This is the Carpenter estate . John Carpenter, who recently

li . died, ved here for many years and kept a hotel This place here ’ OHa n lon f on the right is what is known as the Hugh arm , and here is the old Richardson property . Over yonder is the late resi l Hetﬁ e d . dence of Richard Oh , yes ; I recollect Richard Het

ﬁ eld well . He was a natural landlord . Could make his guest s Mr H tﬁ eld s . e n feel at home . was well calculated for a landlady a d ” acted well her part . “ h Charley Kli ne li ved in t at house for many years . You must 2” recollect him , Uncle Jonas “ ” Very well indeed . n n ell This is the David McCo farm . He has been dead some

n f . years . This is the I crease Mather arm “ ” He must have come here after I left .

Th is is the Sayre property . Wh h ? y, w at has become of the canal Oh, I forgot, Harry, that ” w a s it abandoned, “ That dw elling out there on the left is the late residence of the

Hon . Charles Hulett . “ r Oh , I emember him . He formerly lived in Veteran . Yonder l ’ is where Vincent Conk in s distillery stood when I left . Horse h heads has brig tened up very much since I last saw it . There a r e ” d ni no ol landmarks that I recog ze . “ l -ni ll Wel , Uncle Jonas, when we get home to ght I wi tell you ” all about it . “ v Harry , let us dri e about the town and take a view of it and r e h w e h w ill t a lk turn by t e avenue, and when get ome we the matter 33

ak i n u r i es h w a over . I can m e q of you and I rather like t e y you h converse upon these old people, and those that have taken t eir ” places .

Harry drives north as far as the late residence of John Westlake , then returns and goes west as far as the late residence of Joseph Live h say , noting the churc es , the schools , the depots , manufacturing li h m en i s n n est a b s , banking institutio s , hotels, private dwelli gs and w a h returns by the y of t e avenue , down by the state fair grounds, Eldridge Park to Elmira and home to dinner

96 96 i f

l o d i You may think your uncle a l ttle lazy Harry, but these afternoon dinner naps are very refreshing . We have taken a - u w e splendid trip to day , and I co ld not, as passed along, refrain n from silently co trasting the appearance of the country now, and h - ﬁ ve when I ﬁrst went over t e road more than sixty years ago . I w a s a lad then of ten years . My father sent me on horseback up ’ w h o to Judge Darius Bentley s , lived a few miles north of Horse

w h o w a s . heads , and a surveyor It was in the month of August , about the tenth I should judge . The valley between Newt ow n (we called it New t ow n then) and Horseheads w a s completely enshroud h c f ed in smoke , arising from t e burning fallows . The fallows t h e h were burning here on Hoffman farm , on t e Robert Covell McCa n n farm , on the Wisner and farms on the back road , and on w a s the lake road a fallow being burnt where , a few days ago , you pointed out to me the residence of Stephen T . Reynolds . The lands at the head of Baldwin street and Pigeon point were being off lo cr cleared and great brush and heaps were on fire . The alders h a d e d b en cut down by the roadsi e between where the late Hon . ll Wi iam Maxwell erected his fine residence fifteen years later, and

. . ﬁ r where General A S Diven now resides , and the heaps set on e .

They were so close to the road and made such a h ot ﬁre that it was .

almost impossible to pass , even on horseback at a smart gallop . W hen I got to the stony ridge on the Carpenter estate , long wind ro ws of brush were piled up and ran west to where the Chemun g

w a s . h canal afterwards constructed Just before I arrived t ere , the torch w a s applied to them and great waves of ﬁre twenty or “ l a thirty feet high were ro ling down toward the highw y, driving

me out into the timber on the east side of the road . I took a cow path that led around to a little flat on the banks of the New t ow n h creek , and by a circuitous route reached the ighway again half a i mile further northward . The wind l fted the smoke for a short time and I could look away to the westwa rd and see fallows burning h u f W l h McCon n ell a n d on t e John S fren , illiam Rockwe l , Jo n ,

John Hathorn farms , the great volumes of black smoke risin g up reminding me of the pictur es I had seen of the eruptions of Mount l h Vesuvius . Fal ows were on fire along my path on t e Hetfi eld h G u ilder sleeve and Sayre farms , t e and Breese farms , the Le Homi i n den reserves , and on small lots Horseheads . East of Horseheads I coul d see the smoke arising from the fallows on fire u p Newton h w a s n creek , but to the nort ward , there only one small cleari g on VV l h . est a k e h lands subsequently owned by Jo n E , until you reac ed ’ m J Judge Bentley s on the arsh . udge Bentley subsequently erect fi n e h ed a very residence on igher ground , in which he resided 34

“ ’ wh . I en I left the country At length reached Judge Bentley s , I my eyes swimming with water, from the heat and smoke which had passed th rough . The Judge was away from home and did not return until it was nearly dark . I transacted my business wi th him and after partaking of a hearty supper I started for home .

The air was full of smoke and falling cinders . When I arrived at ’ Con kli n g s tavern at Horseheads and looked down the valleys tow ewt ow n r ard N , the sky was illuminated by a hundred ﬁ es, yet - li w a s ablaze . Vincent Conk ng then the landlord and knew my e father, and tried to persuad me to remain over night, as it was dangerous for me to undertake to ride through these columns of i ﬁre . But I knew that my father and mother would not rest unt l

I . n li came . I determined to go on I stated this fact to Mr . Co k ng v and he said to me Jonas , if that is the case, you must ha e an ’ escort . I thanked him , told him that I did not need any, as I had ’ taken supper at Judge Bentley s . I shall never forget the look that Mr . Conkling gave me when I told him that . After a mo m ent he said Jonas , an escort is not anything to eat, it means a guard a companion . I mean to send my man Hawkins with ’ you down as far as Carpenter s, and from there you can get along safely enough . And he did . Hawkins was a man of all work about the hotel , a person given to large and miraculous stories .

While he assisted me in avoiding dangerous ﬁres, he tuned up my

- nerves to the highest pitch , by relating hair breadth escapes from p anthers , wolves , catamounts and bears . Some of the stories m r ade every hair on my head as large as a rope, and fai ly li fted ’ m . y cap from its place We parted company at Carpenter s , near the present Diven mansion, and I arrived home safely . But Haw k ins had so filled me with terror in the recital of his extravagant and fictitious stories that I expected every moment a huge wolf or panther would sally out from the woods and make a meal of me, and I did n o t breathe freely until I got down to Captain Grant ’ Baldwin s . After I reached home and went to bed , I could see a v those long lines of fire, like so many columns of soldiers , d a n c ing with an irresistible fury . Now and then there would appear a sin gle blaze in the top of some large tree flashing out in the dark ness like a signal ; then woul d appear a soli d column a dva n ci n i n from the west, while the east broken columns in platoons an an di visions were making great exertions to escape . Here d there i n d i the arkness would appear a faint and flickering l ght , where at o n e time the battle had waged in its fiercest fury, then again the columns would mass their strength , sending up high in air huge p illars of fi re and smoke reflecting their light upon a broad field of I b a c . l kened and charred fragments of the contest have seen, v Harry, great lakes of fire in mountain waves , sweep o er the r b p rai ies of the west , which were a grand spectacle to behold " ut t heir march was onward and steady and la ck ed th a t variety of l s cenery of an hundred fal ow fires skirted by forest , and encircled by hills and mountains as seen sixty -fi ve years ago along the valley ” of Newt own creek .

S i eneca Lake at Watk ns , to Elmira on the Chemung river, nor n o oth er fea sible way in which it could be fed by water from th e nl f h Chemung river, o y by constructing a feeder rom Horse eads, th e la k a n d the summit level between e the river, than by starting from Horseheads and running westward through the town of Big as Flats and eastern Painted P t , tapping the Chemung river at or t w o b near the Chimney Narrows , miles elow Painted Post . Thus w a s the citizens of Horseheads positively assured that the canal would be constructed through their town and be made the center “ th of commerce . At that time a great discussion was going on in e county of Tioga in relation to the division of the county or th e

- - e. establishment of half shir towns . The rivalry in the half shire h business was carried on very ent usiastically between Spencer, f Owego and Elmira , which ﬁnally culminated in a division o Tioga f county six years later, and the ormation of Chemung county . In the meantime the canal had been constructed passing through

Horseheads as its citizens had foretold it would, the feeder leading

from Painted Post down into the very center of the village , from ‘ w a s m whence it distributed north to the lake and south to El ira . t Then came the s ruggle, Harry, referred to some days ago about h h n the location of t e county seat , w ich I need not agai speak of, the result being that Elmira secured the prize and has ever sm ce remained as the county seat of Chemung county for the past forty ni 1830 1840 h ne years . From to , Horse eads increased rapidly in

population and wealth . Hotels , stores , warehouses, schools and h churc es, grist mills , tanneries , foundries , distilleries were erected l e 1837 h and the vil ag assuming the name of Fairport in , and at t e

same time a newspaper was established by J . T . Bradt named th e Chemung Pa t r oit which was intended to di sem i n a t e far and wide the a dmirable location of Fairport and the ﬂattering prospects of

w a s w . that energetic little village . It called Fairport hen I left this 4 1 section in 18 . w a s H It changed back, Uncle Jonas, to orseheads, I think, 1845 about the year . t o Well , Harry, I have given you the outline of its history up 41 to 18 . , and I want you to continue it up the present “ Elrn . l r a Very well, Uncle Jonas You state , Uncle Jonas, that

. h became the country seat , wresting it from Horseheads T at is t h n rue , but she has ever since remained the central point for oldi g

c ounty conventions of all the various political parties . She has a lso en j oyed the honor of being the point for great social gather ~

. h ings It is , t erefore , not only the political center , but it has had h w h a ﬁne reputation for its dances and social ops , here t e elite of t hat place and the surrounding country have met to enjoy an even

ing in that innocent and healthful amusement . You neglected t o h state , Uncle Jonas , that under the old militia system of t e state, h w a s h h t at it at Horse eads , t at the regimental trainings , or mus

. h ters took place for the county County fairs were also eld there, an d f u at one time the sporting raternity of Chem ng , Steuben and Tompkins m et there and had a trial of speed with their fastest and ”

t . f most spiri ed horses The Emancipation , a ull blooded Virginia h 185 5 5 6 bred race orse , about the year or , contested a nine mile “ r h m n ” ace, wit another blooded ani al k own as the Virginia Mare . 37

But it is doubtful whether these trials of ‘ speed resulted in any per manent beneﬁt or added much to the reputation or character of c le l . the vil age I merely state this , Jonas , to show it was a i D 1854 h central po nt . uring all these years , up to , Horse eads had been in the town of Elmira . In that year she became an i n dep en

a f . h dent sovereignty, town by hersel C arles Hulett, Elijah Car Ben ni tt en t er . t p , Hiram S Bentley and George were appoin ed as h officers to hold the first election for town officers . T e act went 85 4 14 1 . a h i nto effect February , In April of the same ye r t e Horseheads Building Association w a s formed with Comfort Ben l i vi - ni tt President ; Wi l s B . Sayre , ce President ; Hiram S . Bentley,

. w a s S ecretary ; Charles Hulett , Treasurer Financially it a very

- s trong association . It erected a fine three story brick block during 1854 ni n ll the year , contai g a large ha of greater capacity than any I 185 5 in the county . n the year , the boundaries of the corporation nl 7t h were e arged , and on the of April of the same year a news m C . paper w a s established by Sa uel Taber, under the wise and hi l os o h r ni The P e . I 185 5 eupho ous name of p n November , , the ni li . Chemung County Bank was orga zed by the Hon . Wil am T n wi a ca ita l 185 6 Chemu n Hasti gs , th j p of In the year the g a n Plim t on i n o un t Re u bli c . C y p was established, and Florus B p x vi s talled as edi tor . Thus was Horseheads pro ded with two news papers , not to foster her business interests , but to engage in politi cal quarrels . Horseheads was surely on the road to prosperity . A b ui di etter class of b l ngs had been erected, capitalists from the sur rounding country had sought and made investments , and no vil lage i n Chemung county was more prosperous . Boat building was carried on quite extensively, it had become a center for the purchase and shipment of grain , also for the manufacture of flour and feed , the manufacture of stoves, besides the trade from the surrounding country done by its merchants with the farmers and others . The l lli Chemung canal was at the height of its usefu ness . Mi ons of lli feet of sawed lumber and mi ons of feet of square timber, besides w large quantities of coal and agricultural productions , ere passing l - t hrough the vil age, every boat load of which must stop , while the c aptain of the boat or fleet woul d have his shipping bill examined and the toll adjusted and paid . This enabled the grocery and pro v c r ofi ta ision mer hants , in fact, merchants of all kinds , to do a p ble trade with the boatmen and timberman . Comfort Ben n i tt and r th ee of his sons , from Big Flats, representing hundreds of thous f ands o dollars ; Charles Hulett, from Veteran ; the Moshers, from l ll ew t ow n m Mil port ; the Marsha s , from N Creek ; the Tabers , fro a ll C ortland , representing capital and energy, had located in 12 th 1862 Horseheads , when on the day of August , , a fire broke o u t d r be , which estroyed the enti e business portion of the village fore it could be checked or extinguished . And thus were the a c cumulations of years swept away in a day . With commendable pluck and courage the sufferers went to work again to repair their l Al los s by erecting stil more expensive and durable structures . though outwardly they acted brave and were incli ned to make ill light of the calamity, st there were many who felt for a long s eries of years the results of that terrible fire . It had a tendency t o check their progress . 38

The Chemung railroad was constructed in 1849 (now th e 8 5 h Northern Central , ) having a station at Horseheads . In 1 7 t e

Utica, Ithaca Elmira Railroad was constructed, passing through a Horseheads and having station at that place, and about ﬁve years ago a street railway was built connecting Horseheads and wa s a th e Elmira . A Masonic lodge instituted in Horsehe ds in ’

h . 5 . e 185 . s year Dispensation granted to James A C ristie , Jam

Barlow , Darius Bentley, Waterman Davis, second, Richard Het ’ OHa nl on ﬁ ld i . . . e . H ram S Bentley, George , John Bachman , O D a n ﬁ eld Morder i ca O , Rowland Parker, Vincent Conkling , Rickey,

. i . h a s Adam L . Staring , John A Beers, Charles M Conkl ng . This 18 1 become a very prosperous lodge . In 7 a Royal Arch chapter was instituted . Among the charter members were R . B . Bush , M .

K . l . . . . P . a . E . H . ; C vin Eddy, E ; S A Palmer , E S Evergreen h S . . . 2 5 1870 Chapter, number eig teen, O E , was established July , , wi th Calvin Eddy, Worthy Patron, Sophia V . Humphrey , Worthy

Matron, Ruby A . Brown, Worthy Associate Matron, Lydia J . Car

en t er . . p , Secretary, Jennie S Kies, Treasurer “ A lodg e of the Sons of Temperance was organized about the 8 1869 184 . year , and a lodge of Good Templars in January, A ’ 18 3 7 . farmers grange was instituted in February , The Horseheads steamer and hose com pany w a s organized in 1873 th e August , , which ﬁnally resulted in the incorporation of 2 18 6 7 . Horseheads ﬁr e dep artment, June , 11 1865 The Horseheads Union School was organized October , , d 18 and an academic department was a ded in 77 . “ The Horseheads mills were built in 1837 by Captain Vincent .

Conkling . “ w a s 1840 i The Horseheads brick yard founded in , from wh ch the outgrowth has been the present extensive yard of Benjamin ” Westlake . “ "

t o e . Harry , I want hear som thing about the old citizens of

Horseheads . “ i i Well , Uncle Jonas, there are but very few of them l v ng . n n itt k George Be , whom you new as a farmer, has resided in the village for a number of years . He became interested in a business w h . W . o way with the Hon illiam T Hastings , started a bank in Ben ni tt 5 5 . s . 18 . Mr Hasting becoming involved, Mr , in order to w a s i secure himself against loss , obl ged to take possession of the

v l . bank and other property , and remo ed into the vi lage He is now w li v engaged in banking . Vincent Conkling, hom you knew, is a n d ff ing at an advanced age, still the very courteous a able gentle : . h s man as of yore Colonel Jacob Westlake , Captain Wood, C arle

Hulett, Homer Ryant, Isaac Wintermute , Peter Wintermute , McCon n ell Mor der ica Elijah Carpenter , Joseph , Rickey, Comfort i Ben nitt Hetﬁ eld Ben n tt , Morris , Richard , John Jackson, Albert

. A . Beckwith , John E Westlake , Samuel Westlake , Joseph Mar ll i W shall , William Estes , Wi iam Hastings, sen or, illiam Rockwell, n ell Colvv’ell David McCon , Ebenezer Mather, Orrin Eddy, Hugh , Sh a ee Sh a ee Jacob G . Widrig , David pp , Abner pp , Joseph Livesay, h u d e Cornelius Tenbrook , Angevine Lockwood , Jo n Hathorn , J g De ra ﬁ li Darius Bentley , Legrand Barlow, David A . g , Wil am Rey n n i n lds h . Be tt h as o , and Jo n Breese are dead John , of Big Flats , 39

Ben n itt two sons living in Horseheads, Josiah and Miles C . Ben i Ben ni tt n tt , and there are three sons of Comfort living there B en n itt . . v also , George , Daniel and Andrew J Cyrus Barlow li es w ” there . Perhaps you are acquainted ith him , Uncle Jonas . ” Yes , I had a speaking acquaintance with him . I Well, Cyrus Barlow lives there and is practicing law . think you must have been acquainted with Jacob Weller, of ” Veteran . “ e w V . . h Yes , Harry He has a son Theodor Weller, o resides ” there . Y ll ou must have known Walter Daily, of Mi port . Y w h o es . Well, he has a son Walter resides there and is on e of the prominent lawyers of the county . Hugh Colwell has three l l R . sons iving there , obert, John and Wil iam “ I must say Harry, upon the whole , that Horseheads is a pleas ant place . It seems to be well provided with schools, churches , i lodges and railroad facil ties, and surrounded by one of the best agricul tur al di stricts in th e country that ought to thr ive and

ros er . i n h With n the tow s ip , Uncle Jonas , there is another very i ” thriving and prosperous v llage . I refer to Breesport . Where is Breesport , Harry It is situated near the eastern line of the town of Horseheads on Newt ow n creek about six miles from

. N Horseheads The Elmira, Cortland orthern Railroad runs l a w a s through the vil ge . When the railroad ﬁrst built you r ecol a lect I told you , that it was called the Utic , Ithaca Elmira rail n ew v road ; but the management ha e changed the name . Under the ﬁrst management, the car and repair shops of the road were located at Breesport . But I understand that the new managers

. J l u n have removed them to Cortland But , Uncle onas , I wil not dert a k e to tell you m ore about the place until w e can have an op i p or tu n ty of visiting it . “ n - Harry, we must visit Tioga county, Pen sylvania, to morrow . I want to go up there and visit the coal regions while the weather is pleasant and reserve these short trips for more boisterous weather .

I want to take a ride over your Tioga, Elmira State Line rail Ca n oe road . I want to see Lawrenceville , Tioga, Mansﬁeld , Camp , Run Covington, Blossburg, Morris , Fall Brook , Arnot, Landrus and

- Hoytville . The train leaves to morrow morning at does it ? ’ll ” Al l right " I be on hand .

Y THE TIOGA VALLE .

TRIP BY RAIL — PERSONAL MENTION— OLD AND MODERN TIMES A. .

— We are in good time , Uncle Jonas ten minutes to spare . I h c will buy t e tickets , and the train will soon ba k up to the station .

Here it comes . We will go into the cars and select a good seat , where we can take observations and in the meantime I wi ll tell w h you about the men o run this train . The engineer is Sanford

. v d Gaylord , a veteran in his profession He is a nati e of Mansﬁel , 40

T - ioga county, Pennsylvania, and for the past twenty seven years has been employed in the various capacities by the railroads of n fi Tioga county , servi g as brakeman, reman and engineer . He has served in the capacity of engineer for the past twenty—three years , chiefly employed by the Tioga railroad company . He is called a safe and careful man , but fearless in the management of h n his engine , not esitating to run his e gine at the rate of sixty miles per hour, if necessary . He is annually given a vacation , h h w ich he spends in t e mountains of Tioga and Potter counties, hunting and fishing, thus strengthening his nerves for the labor ious duties of the engineer . He is a genial and companionable gentleman, and I will introduce you to him before we return . His li Dela n e u firem an is Wil am y , a tr sty man , who has served several years in that capacity and is now really competent to take charge of an engine . The gentleman , Mr . Skidmore , who has charge of t h e the express car, has been in the employment of express com - fi v pany for the past thirty e years . He has grown gray in the ser h a s vice , and ever discharged the trust reposed in him with fidelity . Mllli on s of dollars during h i s term of service have been in hi s

c . a dl harge , and every dollar reached its destination Judson H ey, i h the baggage master s an old railroad man . He has been in t e e mploy of the company for the past fourteen years serving in

i . u var ous capacities He sometimes relieves the cond ctor, Mr .

S hattuck , when that gentleman by sickness or otherwise is com p elled temporarily to vacate his position . Mr . Hadley is a trusted - h er i ofﬁcial . Isaac Bowen , chief brakeman, is a son of ex S ﬁ S n tephen Bowe , of Tioga county, and has been in the employment l of the company for quite a term of years . He is kind, ob iging li G r ossbeck a n d . gentlemanly Wil am , an assistant brakeman , has been but a short time upon the road, but has the appearance of a

w . orthy employe . Charles L Shattuck, the conductor, is a rail f road man o long experience , having been connected with the Tioga railroad and Tioga Elmira railroad for the past eighteen years . He is a gentleman with whom , Uncle Jonas , you would be l pleased t o make an acquaintance . He is carefu and obliging and n h h im conscientious i t e performance of every duty assigned . He resides in Elmira a n d is prominently connected wi th the Railway ’ a Young Men s Christian Association , and has done much to d d vance or er, sobriety and Christian principles among railroad men generally . The association to which he belongs you recollect, i Uncle Jonas, owns that cosy brick chapel and read ng room on

Railroad Avenue and Church street, in this city . He did his share towards erecting and maintaining that associat ion . The gentle w h o n man has charge of the U ited States mail car is John C . l r Pa . Whittaker, J . , formerly of Elk and, Tioga county, , but now a resident of this city . He has served twelve years in the capacity o f l railway postal clerk , ﬁrst from Corning to Elk and, on the

C orning, Cowanesque and Antrim railroad, and was transferred s everal years ago to this road, where he has systematized the work in an admirable manner , and assisted the postmasters at Law r en cevill e , Tioga, Mansﬁeld and Blossburg materially in their ‘ i labors , by his process of pouching the mails that are del vered at

f . these several o ﬁces , to be distributed to other points . Mr . Whit 41 taker is a model ofﬁcial and w ill be li kely to be retained in the ser ’

a . . vice . He is pleasant and agreeable gentleman All aboard N off ow we are , Uncle Jonas , for Seeley Creek, the mountains and v h m alley of the Tioga . You can now ave a view of the Che ung river and the bridges that span it . The agent here at Southport is

Mr . Swan, an old gentleman of good business habits and highly regarded by the company . Now, Uncle Jonas , you can have a ’ better view of the La Fr a n ce steam ﬁre engine company s works and also of the shops and round houses of the Northern Central n off railr oad . Uncle Jo as, take a look away yonder on the point l of that mountain opposite of Wel sburg . Can you see that monu ment there 2” “ Oh , yes , Harry .

Well , that, Uncle Jonas, is a monument erected by the citi zens of southern New York and northern Pennsylvania in the year 1879 to commemorate the battle which occurred in the year 1779 ’ between General Sulli van s army and the British tories a n d In ui t dians . Many disting shed ci izens were present from various di 2 6 18 9 u 7 . s ections of the country at its de cation , Aug st , The i governors of several states were present . When we v sit ll Wellsburg I will te you more about it . This station here is called '

W . . t ells . The agent here E J Bailey, who does double du y, that o f agent and telegraph operator . I was busy talking when we

assed the junction between this road and the Northern Central . Kn ifﬁ n he operator at that place is H . P . . We can look across the creek from here and see Pine City, where we visited a few days ago . Wells is quite an important station . There is a large — tannery here , which affords considerable freight to the road lum ber, bark, hides and leather ; besides , it is the point where the Pine City people receive their freight and where they take cars for El l mira or westward into the Tioga val ey . From here, Uncle Jonas , w e wi ll soon commence to ascend quite rapidly . Elmira is 908 - 995 feet above tide and Wells is eighty seven feet higher , or feet

above tide . This is Seeley Creek station . It is feet above R ff tide . The station agent and telegraph operator is E . D . o .

Quite a considerable business is done here . Up , up we go . The w next station, Uncle Jonas , is Millerton . It is in the to n of Jack Pa son , Tioga county, . , and is situated feet above tide . R .

l . A . Mitchel is station agent and operator Millerton is quite a i brisk l ttle village , containing a good school , several churches, a Mi ll er ton Ad voca te h newspaper entitled the , edited wit ability by

Harry Graves , a brave soldier and a good printer and newspaper ’ m a n f h ; a lawyer s o ﬁce , (for they must have justice done t em , l Uncle Jonas , in these Pennsylvania vil ages) , which is presided

. ﬁn over by Samuel E Kirkendall, a good temperance man, a e

scholar and a sturdy democrat . The temperance and the dem ocr a ’ c y , Uncle Jonas , I suppose don t usually accompany each other . i Well, there are except ons to every rule . The population of Mil

lert on is about three hundred , I should judge . Still we are going

. u up . Look , Uncle Jonas See the trestling we are passing, f lly ” - seventy ﬁ ve feet above the highway .

I declare , Harry, this is quite a chasm . l This, Uncle Jonas , is a ﬂag station cal ed Trowbridge in honor 42

n of one of the old citizens of Jackso . We have now arrived at an elevation feet above the tide . The next station is the Sum 700 r mit feet above tide , and nearly feet above Elmi a, to be

685 . li precise, feet above that city This is quite a ttle hamlet .

. The agent here is H . J Tobey . He also is telegraph operator . 1876 When the road was constructed in this was a forest here, not l a house in sight . We shal now commence to descend to the val ley of the Tioga at the rate of about one hundred feet to the mile , l 5 72 w or we shal descend feet to Tioga junction . But before e commence the descent , Uncle Jonas , just step to the rear ca r v door, and look back to the eastward into the alley of the Che mun “ la n dscr a e I declare, Harry, that is a beautiful p , to mark those p l ve lines of mountains as they a pear in regu ar gradations, one abo other . The only fault I ﬁnd, Harry, in the western landscape i s

. n their monotony, so to speak There is othing for the eye to rest on — o n e r i broad expanse of ter itory spread out on a plain . That s w h York ~ a n d y I like the scenery of New Pennsylvania, the grand a n d eur of their mountain valley scenery . How cool and bracin g — ” the air is no malaria in this, Harry . “ N ow, Uncle Jonas , let us sit down , and as we round this next r v cu ve, you can look out of the car window and catch a iew of th e v i hi i alley of the Tioga and the mountains , rising h gher and gher unt l their summits are lost in the clouds away to the southwest on P P ine creek, and the otter county line . This station is about ’ i abandoned . It was called Thomp son s . Lumber ng for several l years was carried on here , a large mi l was in operation, sawing u hemlock l mber and lath and shipping the same by rail . About a fir e year ago the mill was consumed by , and as the timber in this v ui icinity w a s about exhausted it was not reb lt . You related your mi experience with the fire between Horseheads and El ra, but if you had seen the forest fi re that swept over this section a year ag o last May, destroying bridges , mills, barns , dwellings, standing tim ul ber and sawed lumber , I think you wo d have been ready to a o knowledge that your fallow fires of sixty - fi ve years ago could n ot compare with it . “ T 102 1 This , Uncle Jonas , is ioga Junction . We are now feet above tide . The agent here is J . S . Weeks . From here to Law r en ceville the engine will back the cars down to connect with the i ni r e tra ns on the Cor ng, Cowanesque Antrim railroad and will turn here again . We might get off here and look around and get cofl eo wi a fine cup of or tea from Mrs . Chamberlain, the fe of the w h o gentleman has char e of this section . Or do you prefer to go ” g — on to Lawrenceville 2 I prefer to go on I want to see h ow ” that v illage looks . ’ Just as you think best , Uncle Jonas . l This , Harry, is a fine val ey What railroad is that over west yonder ?” i That , Uncle Jonas , is the Corning, Cowanesque Antrim ra l b e i road . We shall soon at Lawrenceville station, and I w ll ex l plain then , so that you wi l understand it, or perhaps I had better l do it now . The old Blossburg Corning rai road ran from Corn ing to Blossburg, and that portion in New York was owned by

o ccupy their splendid farm of the Cowanesque, the widow of Moses Baldwin I think is alive and resides upon the farm on the west bank of the Tioga river but most all of the persons living there in 1841 d h , are dea or gone away and t eir places taken by citizens who e have since made their homes th re . The village has several times

been visited by disastrous ﬁres , destroying the business , portion of

w h h . the town , ic has been very discouraging The village now h contai ns about four undred inhabitants , a good hotel known as a n ew s a er the Daggett House , several churches, a graded school, p p " o e L a wr en cevi ll e Her a ld fﬁc , the , a drug store , a machine shop , several grocery stores , a number of general stores, and is withal n notwithstandi g its misfortunes , a center of considerable trade . T one here is thing that Lawrenceville has ever maintained, that is her fame for hospitality and good cheer . Her people are cordial ,

- frank , open hearted and charitable . “ The train is coming, Uncle Jonas , and we will be movin g s outhward in a few moments . We are in the state of New York n w l 1 86 o . Here is the state ine which was located in the year 7 by c ommissioners from New York and Pennsylvania . We are now ninety miles west of the Delaware river . The ninetieth mile st one ” stands over on the west bank of the Tioga river . i I th nk, Harry, after going up to Blossburg and the mines, that we must return by the highway . There are so many things I ” want to see and talk about . “ We are off again . The farmers in this section for a number of years have been quite ext ensively engaged in the cultivation of t obba cco , which has, upon the whole, proved very profitable . Some years the price is low for tobacco and the farmers become n somewhat discouraged, forgetti g that the price of tobacco is as likely to fluctuate as the price of butter, potatoes , corn, wheat, oats , hay or horses and cattle . Nobody ever heard of a farmer nl - refusing to raise potatoes , because he could o y get twenty fi ve ul cents per bushel , when perhaps the nes t year he co d readily - fi ve e r c ommand seventy cents p bushel . Here we are at Mi cth e lls . This station is feet above tide . The station agent here ” is Mrs . Mitchell . “ w a s ls . Harry, I acquainted with the older Mitchel They were prominent men in this valley y ears ago .

One of their descendants , Uncle Jonas , the Hon . John I . Pen n s l Mitchell, is now one of the United States senators from y

v . ania He resides in Wellsboro , but was born here about forty e w a s six y ars ago , and raised upon the farm and received his edu h e cation principally in this locality , although attended the Louis burg Seminary in Union county , Pennsylvania, for a few terms . h h t He represented t is county several terms in t e sta e legislature, and this district two terms in Congress , and was four years ago l elected to the United States Senate for the ful term of six years .

. t i In politics Mr Mitchell is a republican . The next sta ion s Tioga .

. . f The agent there is H S Al ord , son of one of the early citizens . ”

h . of t at place He also p erforms the duties of telegraph operator . W illa r dsbu r l g or Tioga, Harry, I recollect wel , and its citizens . h I came ere about ﬁfty years ago on a business trip . The rivalry W illa r dsbu r l between g and Wel sboro was great . The Tioga people 45

h h ple h a d just establis ed a newspaper, purc asing the material and W l h ﬁxtu res of one that had suspended in el sboro , thus leaving t e l w county seat without a paper . Doctor Wil iam Willard a s then n alive and a very active a d energetic man . I remember man y of

h h . h t e inhabitants at t at time Among t em were A . C . Bush , ll r W W l W . . Willi am illard , i liam i ard , J , Allen D Calkins , Thomas

. . h J . Berry , Ambrose Millard , Elijah Depue , J S Bus , James Good rich , Uriah Spencer , Harris Hotchkiss, Vine Depue , Thomas Depue ,

. h Benjamin Depue , Mrs Rac ael Berry, Lyman Adams , John Gor W h don , Gershom ynkoop , C auncey Ferry, Ebenezer Ferry, Hobart v Sch i efﬂ ei n Graves , Le i Guernsey, Joseph Guernsey , Jacob , Sr . , H . v M Cu llou h i i Re . c W H . Potter , the Samuel g , ll am Garretson, besides ” many more whose names do not occur to me at present . I believe it will be a good plan to return by the road by private w e conveyance , as do not more than get fairly talking about the people of the town before we are hurried away . Tioga st ation is

f d . eet above ti e Here , Uncle Jonas , is a siding or short track which leads over the coke works in the southwest ern por l l ﬂ a t . e tion of Tioga vil age Mi l Creek is a g sta ion , and y t there is

. considerable shipping done here Lambs Creek is the next station . t h . B . Lamb is t e agent Although there is no hing but that small l h shanty of a depot , stil the freig t and passenger trafﬁc is consider h h able . T e elevation above tide ere at Lambs Creek is feet . Mansﬁeld is the next station and one of the most important on the line . Its elevation above tide is feet . I am particular, Uncle

Jonas , to tell you these elevations so that you may jot them down h w e in your memory , and also show you at w at a rate are asc end i h s . . ing . T e agent here at Mansﬁeld W H Kinney . He has an i assistant . This is Smythe Park, a charm ng place , where fairs are annuall y held . We will visit it on our return . The next station a is Canoe Camp Creek . The station gent here for many years w a s eli ff w h o l n Thomas J , was kil ed by a ﬂash of lightni g while stand h f t ing on t e depot platform in the month o August las . His eliff th e widow, Mrs . J , attends to duties of the station since the li ff e . death of Mr . J The elevation of this station is feet

t , t above tide . The next station is Coving on The eleva ion at Go v e i n g ton is feet above tide . The ag nt and oper ator at C0 It n ow . . fi v i n ton . e g is W H Lamkin is , Uncle Jonas , only miles w e few h to Blossburg, where will arrive in a minutes . T ere is a h h u h w e l fine hotel t ere , t e Seymour Ho se , w ere wil take dinner and make our general hea dquarters while w e remain in this local h t f b ity . T e eleva ion o Bloss urg above tide is The agent is n w h o h t h e B . J . Guer sey , as been many years in service of the s company . He is as isted by Charles Rockwell , Kenyon Kilburn and Jacob Griffith . Blossburg is the most important station on

h . O the line of t e road The telegraph perator is Charles D . Utley , a gentleman every w a y competent to discharge the duties devolved ‘ ’ w a r e e . h upon him . Here at Blossburg Sant has made up t e t w e lost time at Lawrenceville . I though were whirli ng through

l . a the val ey and over the road at a rapid rate Uncle Jon s , this is h . . . h E . L Updike , proprietor of t e Seymour House Mr Updike , t is t is Uncle Jonas Lawrence, come to visi this section of the country

for a few days .

You are welcome , Uncle Jonas . 46

L B OSSBURG AND ITS ENVIRONS .

HOW THE RAILROADS AND THE MINES HAV E DEVELOPED THE

COUNTRY .

The day is so pleasant , Uncle Jonas, suppose we take chairs

n d . a go on the verandah and sit for an hour or more , where we c ill can look over the borough . An in orporated v age in this state ,

Uncle Jonas , is named a borough instead of a village . Bloss burg is an incorporated borough and contains about three thousand i n habitants . Is it too cool for you, Uncle Jonas “ ” Oh no , Harry . W i ell, Uncle Jonas, I will give you a brief history of th s hotel . h w a s h 1840 After t e railroad completed ere from Corning, in , h h capitalists came in here from P iladelp ia , in fact they had arrived 3 5 18 . a s early as As I was relating , after the railroad was com let ed c p , and the mines of oal and iron were opened up , John G . w h o Boyd, of Philadelphia, was directly and indirectly interested in the railroad and mining operations , conceived the idea of erect ing a large and commodious hotel , one that would accommodate i t h e travel ng public , and one at which he could entertain his f riends from Philadelphia and elsewhere . He therefore gave an o utli ne of his ideas to an architect and he drew up plans and speci

ﬁ i on . . w ca t s , which were approved by Mr Boyd The contract a s 1 w . 841 then made ith Phineas P Cleaver in the year , and he com m en ced the erection of this building . For those da 8 it bore the h i ca same relation to Blossburg as the Palmer House to g o . The b a anisters, rails and newel posts were of solid m hogany, were tur n fed and made in Philadelphia and brought here and are still in use . w a s 1842 The house ﬁnished ready for occupancy in , and Edward

Andrews i nstall ed as landlord . The house was subsequently in charge of Philemon Doud and Phineas P . Cleaver . It was aban don ed as a hotel some years thereafter and the various rooms rent i ed as ofﬁ ces . When the Morris Run ra lroad was constructed in 185 2 - 3 th e , ofﬁce of the chief engineer, Colonel Jarrett , was here . The

Tioga railway company for a number of years were the lesses , and in the year 1873 purchased it and renovated and made some altera tions in the interior, occupying three of the rooms on the north th e side on first floor as a ticket office , telegraph office and an office for the superintendent of the road, and the remainder used W dl as a hotel, with Albert Ward and George . Morgan as lan ords . Th ey have had several successors, among whom is the present one , 18 3 . 7 E . L . Updyke Since its renovation in it has been kept in

- ﬁ r st class order . “ That building across the street is the car repair and machine shops of the Tioga Elmira State Line railroad . The foreman in w is . h o vi charge Daniel H Stratton , has been years ser ng in that c apacity . Stephen Holland is assistant foreman in the machine Fu s . hop James Kirkwood , Luke dge, Albert Fudge , Myron Strat t on h a r e , Harry Boyle and T omas Brown machinists . In the b lacksmith shop connected with the car and machine shop a re i Robert Dav e , James Rose, Samuel Landon, Jerry Healey, 47

Edward Rose and David Smith . In the car shop Edward Guern

- sey is book keeper and clerk, and the foreman of repairs is Thomas h Evans . T e shop men are George Richter, Sr . , pattern maker ; l James Husted , George Morganstein, Stephen Randal are also em ployed there . The force is light at present . Usually there are

. h many more employed The watchmen about the car s ops , round f h d houses , depot, reig t depot , are Edwar Gavigan , Edward Bam D lou n e e . n berry , George g , George Bamberry The stationery e

h . . h gine is in c arge of Evan J Evans All t e coal, timber, bark, h h lumber t at you see , Uncle Jonas , passing through ere , is weigh ed a t two offices . One located on the Arnot branch of the rail

h . h road , wit Mart G Lewis as weig master, and the other on the

Morris Run branch of the Tioga railroad , and the Fall Brook road i s weighed by Henry Holland and Frank Stratton . w a s Blossburg , until quite recently , headquarters of the super m i n t en den t h . h f of t e road , but Robert B Cable, at t e El ira o ﬁce , is w h . o now superintendent, and Walter V Calkins, for many years f was chief dispatcher and telegraph operator, has been trans erred to W w e h l Elmira . hile are upon t is subject I wil give you the names of the engineers , ﬁremen, brakemen, conductors and other employes

. h upon the several trains T e Elmira Express , which leaves Bloss m li . . i burg for Elmira at a , is manned by Wil am Green , eng n w h o eer, is one of the oldest engineers in point of service upon h the road , has charge of t e engine , Lloyd Higgins is his ﬁreman . The conductor is Frank Higgins w h o has served many years in i that capacity, and is one of the most obl ging and accommodating

. r gentlemen in the service of the company George Richter, J . , is - ﬁ r st - Reif ld i baggage master, also a class man, and Lewis e e fer is v 10 ’ brakeman . This train arri es in Elmira about o clock in the 5 forenoon , and leaves there for Blossburg about , arriving here at m l h . C a u e e p . m The way freight train is anned by Michael ss y conductor , M . J . Delaney freight agent, and Thomas Kerwin , vi Nichols Nicholas , Charles Ferris and Da d Bauman, brakemen . The men on the train are di stingui shed for their attention to duty and t h e careful manner in which they receive and discharge the freight at the various stations on the line . That train leaves El 6 ’ 5 ’ mira about o clock in the morning, arriving here about o clock .

- n The coal trains are man ed, one by James W . Maher, conductor,

Joh n Loughridge , Michael Kerwin and Samuel Howard , brake men . Another coal train is manned by J . M . Horton , conductor,

. li Samuel Caldwell , John Sutton, Lone Boehm and Wil am Weaver, n brakemen . The train runni g from Blossburg to Morris Run is engineered by James Green , one of the oldest engineers on the

. l road . His ﬁreman is Claude Green The conductor is Wil iam v M . Butler, who for more than twenty years has ser ed in that ul capacity, trusty , caref and gentlemanly . The brakemen are

r . l Albert Welty, John Booth , J , and Henry Hanwe l , all careful ni and painstaki n g men . The train run ng from Blossburg to Arnot r Al i s manned by Wa ren Aldrich , conductor , and Warner drich, McCa rt h Fr ederic Bosworth , Enoch Jones and Michael y , brake i w h o th rot men . The engineer is George Lew s, has handled the tle for twenty years or more and is one of the most trusted em ploy es of the company . His ﬁreman is Drow Gillett . The Hoyt 48 v ll ille accommodation, which runs from Blossburg to Hoytvi e , is

- ll . manned by Wi iam Kerwin, conductor ; L Secrist, baggage mas h M a r th h cC . ter, and T omas y and Mic ael Maloney, brakemen The f h n . e gineer is James Bonney , son o master mec anic P Bonney, n one of the best machinists in Pen sylvania . The ﬁreman is Wil w h o a r e li am Mould . The extra engineers both assigned to reg u S Low n sber r h h lar and pecial duty are Letson y , Ric ard Hug es , h r ﬁ . n Thomas Tremble , Frank Hebe and Jo n Evans , j , all pro cie t i n their p rofession and all respected citizens of Blossburg and occu h i n h . U py g pleasant omes I ave thus been particular , ncle Jonas, . to give you the names and occupati ons w hi ch these railroad and e h shop employ s disc arge , and should be pleased to have you make

n . their acquai tance You would ﬁnd them an intelligent , courteous, honest and good class of citizens . They could relate many an in i n t er est g incident connected with their service , what distinguish ed h men they had met , w om they had safely conducted to their des i n a ti n r - u t o , thei hair breadth escapes from perilous sit ations and give you many valuable ideas in relation to the construction of h engines and t e manner of operating them , give you points upon h t e most approved coal , passenger and freight cars , and many other lessons of value, and which every person should understand .

t . I That is all very rue , Harry have made it a rule of my life to become acquainted with as many different classes of laborers and mechanics as possible, and as far as that is concerned I have endeavored to become acquainted with . every class in society who h lli are engaged in any onorable pursuit or ca ng , and I have listened n with attention to what you have been relati g . I will n ow Speak of my ﬁrst and second visits to Blossburg . The third visit you are w . a s 182 4 here with me My ﬁrst visit to Blossburg in the year , - sixty two years ago . My father had business relations with Judg e

John H . Knapp, and he sent me up here with that gentleman . ew t ow n Judge Knapp was from Elmira, or N we then called it , - - i i n th e . v and was a brother law of late Hon Le J . Cooley . Judge 182 3 Knapp had located here as early as , and had erected a furnace and w a s having a mill built ab out 100 rods southeast from th e fur f E nace . We le t lmira in the afternoon and drove up as far as h ’ Painted Post , and remained t ere over night at Erwin s . In th e I morn ing w e forded the Con h o ct on river and foll owed the Nil lia m 17 92 ﬁ ve m l son road , cut out in , fording the Canisteo i es above f m Painted Post , and fording the Tioga river three miles ro there, ’ n i arrivi g at Robert Patterson s at Lindley for d nner . Robert Pat terson w a s one of the m en w h o conducted General Charles William n 1 9 2 Pa h i 7 f . e son , , rom Northumberland , , to Bath , and and his h brot er Benjamin discovered coal here in that year . After d inner ’ w e A pushed on to Lawrenceville and reached sa Mann s , at Mans

. W l Th a t . e field , night e were quite heavi y loaded next day w e a reached Blossburg little after noon . Then there were n ot more i n than half a dozen dwell gs in Blossburg . Judge Knapp had opened a small store , to accommodate the citizens and his work men . Aaron Bloss had opened a hotel on the banks of the Tioga h river, near the furnace of Judge Knapp , and on t e Williamson 1806— i road . He had lived there since hunting , trapp ng and fi sh ing, making but a small clearing . His woodshed was stored with 4 9 b a ear traps, wolf traps , fox and mink tr ps , while in his bar room t . h f f were g uns and fishing tackle T e orest o s ately pines , hem h i locks and maple came down to s door . The Tioga river w a s h be literally full of t e finest speckled trout, which could caught at t t any time . The first nigh I remained here , the wolves kep up such a howling and yelping over yonder on that island (where you h s h h now see those three pine trees, t e la t of the Mo egans) t at I

. t could not sleep I remained three days with Judge Knapp , get ing t t n i acquainted in the meantime with Cur is S ratto , the m llwright,

‘ n k Absalom Ki gsbury, Samuel Weeks, Isaac Walker, Royal Wal er, and Asahel Walk er and several others whose names n ow escape h my memory . A vein of coal had been opened up near t e furnace , w a s d also a bed of iron ore , from which Judge Knapp inten ing to f f e make pig iron . The lime used was hauled rom the head o Sen ca W lake or from illiamsport , over the Laurel Ridge mount ains . h h h T ere w a s somet ing about the place , notwithstanding t e howli ng w i a s . of the wolves , that very attract ve The mountain and forest w a s n a h scenery gra d , the fragr nce of the fresh blown t orn tree, h f h the clear mountain stream in abited by my riads o ﬁs , made a lasting impression upon me . I returned home on horse back over h h a the same route t at the judge and I ad t ken, making, however, w a s a much quicker trip . When the railroad complet ed I again h 1840 i visited t e place in , and came near selling out in Elm ra and n t In making Blossburg my permane home . the fourteen years i h a that had elapsed since my ﬁrst v sit , quite a change d taken place. Several hotels had been erected , one by Mr . D . P . Free a l man , large and commodious house, as nearly as arge as this , a f S number o tores had been opened , too many I thought for the h ’ business . T e coal had been opened up on the Clemmons property and the Arbon coal company had been formed . The Hon . Horatio h t Seymour , t en a young man wi h his associates , the Hon . Amos New . h P . Granger , and Hon T omas Davis, of York , the Hon . d t t L James Ford , Claren on Ra hbone, and Cur is Parkhurst , of a w r en ceville had made extensive purchases and were selling village l lots . There was no land to be bought only in smal parcels of one h quarter or half an acre . The Arbon coal company a d purchased t f several thousand acres , embracing , with the excep ion o the Sey a ll t h e mour and Granger purchase, desirable land or lands of any kind within a radius of several miles of the village . It w a s this a f h h er e state of fairs whic prevented me from locating at that time . h I I remained here nearly two weeks , but saw no opening whic

. h f deemed advantageous I then made t e acquaintance o Dr . Lewis S a ni sch h y , president of t e Arbon coal company , a very pleasant w h b . o w a s u ri and agreea le German , James H Gulick , their s p e n

k l . h W D tendent , Fran in R Smit , Brown hitney, Philemon oud, i n VVelcli h Y on k . Josep , Francis , Alexander H Gaylord , John L . ld Ch a tﬁ e . . h Evans, David , Dr Joseph P Morris , T omas Turner,

. W h Benjamin Hall , John James , James R ilson , Jo n G . Boyd , v Clarendon Rathbone and a few others . A great ri alry exi st ed i l of v in between the v l ages Co gton and Blossburg . The village of u Si t h h C a n d Blossb rg was uated in t e towns ip of ovington , the h h question of dividing t e towns ip was being agitated very strongly . e f h t Ther was no rivalry rom any place to t e sou hward or eastward . 5 0

H u w a s Th e Block o se, now Liberty , a mere hamlet and ten miles e a d istant , and th re were no settlements to the eastw rd until you MoNett s On reached , twelve miles distant , then the road leading lli : . vi a from Elmira to Wi amsport I returned home Corning . C orning then was not as large as Blossburg ; only a few buildings

a . were erected mong the pine stumps It was , however, quite a h ra ie a d s tirring business place , as t e old Erie was then in course l of construction upon the pile system , which fai ed, and which was ten years later built upon a different plan and successfully Operated n ” up to the prese t . W S th e v ell , Uncle Jonas , you peak of rivalry between Co i ngton and Blossburg and the threatened division of the township . The w a s subject of division agitated until it was accomplished in June , h f t 1841 . , and separate towns ip o ﬁcers elected The ownship and village continued to increase in population, churches and school v h ouses were erected, the mines de eloped and shipments of coal i ncreased . The old furnace had been erected by Judge Knapp and w a s t by him abandoned , repaired and put in opera ion , and in 1847 w a s l Dez a n a manufactory estab ished b William g , of Geneva , for the making of wi ndow glass an other improvements were insti d ’ tu t e . The Arbon coal company had failed and the mines had ll . Co . passed into the hands of William M Ma ory , of Corning . They in turn had failed and their lease about thirty years ago be came the property of the Hon . John Magee, who for several years

em . operated th . with Duncan S Magee , superintendent . About the time I spoke of this morning of the change of the old strap n ew rail to a T rail, mines were opened at Morris Run , four miles eastward, by rail from here , and a railroad constructed to them by w a company entitled the Tioga Improvement company, of hich I 185 9 wi ll tell you more in the future . In a company was formed m e ntitled the Fall Brook Coal co pany, consisting of the Hon . John G u li ck w h o n . Magee , Du can S Magee and James H , opened up mines at Fall Brook and constructed a railroad from Blossburg to that i w a s point , a distance of about seven m les . That a sad blow to n Blossburg, for mini g ceased here , and the miners and their fami lies removed to Fall Brook, reducing the population of Blossburg 1862 from sixteen hundred down to less than eight hundred . In , however , the village began to revive . The Tioga railroad company removed their shops from Corning to Blossburg and that revived m 11 8 h . 1 66 t e business prospects of the village aterially April , , the Blossburg coal company was organized -consisting of Constant

C ook, John Arnot , Charles Cook , Henry Sherwood, Franklin N . m Drake , Ferral C . Di iny, Henry H . Cook and Lorenzo Webber, w h o constructed a railroad from Blossburg iﬁu r miles southwest to h m t eir mines . A ining town was built up known as Arnot , of which I will tell you more about when we visit it . This enterprise materially strengthened Blossburg . Thus you perceive , Uncle h h Jonas, that t ere are three railroads centering ere at Blossburg m — from the mines . But to resu e Blossburg continued to increase h VI" in population . T ere were three villages in the township , f Morris Run , Arnot and Blossburg , with a total population o about l six thousand inhabitants , with on y one place to hold elections , 1871 Blossburg . Accordingly in August, , the borough of Blossburg

5 2

w h o efforts of Mart G . Lewis , has for many years been chief of th e department , and seconded by our efﬁcient burgess , Major George

Mor a n . W . g , and our worthy councilmen You will observe by n casting your eye about , Uncle Jo as, that Blossburg is centrall y located for manufacturing and Shipping . The capacity of the glass f factory y onder is about boxes o window glass annually , the sa w a capacity of the mills are about feet nnually , the tan 5 00 nery about sides of sole leather per day ; besides , the work a l turned out by pl ning mil , foundry and machine shops add much w - to the interest of the borough . One great dra back at Blossburg has been that there has been too much coal in the mountains sur ”

it . rounding , or in this Blossburg region l This , Uncle Jonas , may appear to you as strange logic . Wel , l let me explain . In the ﬁrst p ace these coal compan ies are non e a r e W residents . Th ir local interests in Elmira, Corning and at h a h e kins . T e co l as been so plenty that instead of thes companies seeking to establish a home market near their mines , by fostering m the establishment of foundries , machine shops, edge tool a n u fa c i t w a s tories that would consume their coal near where mined , and f n create a freight tra ﬁc equal to their to nage now of coal, they have been seeking a foreign market for it . You would naturally think th at these several coal companies furnish the people of Blossburg with coal , but such is not the case . They furnish the glass factory w n and their o shops and one or two other places . While indi vidu als w h o ow n mines near here furnish eight hundred families in

Blossburg and vicinity with all the coal they use . These compa nies have so much coal that they are in busy times Shipping right Six through Blossburg from four to thousand tons per day , which

ﬁnds a market as far west as Colorado , south to New Orleans, n i a d orth nto Canada , n east to Boston and the New England states . u Half of that amount Sho ld be consumed in the valley of Tioga, a n d it would be if the companies had been as industrious in foster ing manufactories in the valley as they have been in extending their lines of railroads . As soon as the coal begins to become scarce here these companies w ill either aban don their mines by selli ng out to individuals or companies with less capital and less w h o railroad connections , will take hold and develop a permanent f m home trade , by o fering inducements for industrial establish ents to locate in this valley . “ There was originally about ﬁfty million tons of coal in th e

Blossburg region . About sixteen millions have been mined in

Tioga county and shipped out of the county , a large portion of it at a price scarcely above the cost of production . The owners of h i the mines ave been governed by a mistaken pol cy, to hurry this h u coal upon the market regardless of price , when t ey sho ld have t h e m ou n t a i n s let it remain in as a reserve , or endeavored to have u h h had it consumed by man factories, which would ave given t e r h h rail oads additional freig t , increased the population and t ereby f increased the passenger tra ﬁc . The owners of pine timber did the h h w a s ﬁ v same t ing . T ere originally about one billion e hundred l f h mil ion eet of white pine timber in t is county , and the owners Off h hurried it to a sout ern market , realizing in the gross not more h h than .ten million dollars , whic , ad it been properly managed, 5 3

l would have brought forty million do lars . If a change in policy is h a dopted , and t e coal reserved , other interests will then be devel i o ped . The mineral springs , the ron ore, the glass sand rock and

fir e . clay will then receive attention Here , surrounding Blossburg , a r e some of the very best mineral springs in America . As soon as the mania for shipping away coal ceases , these springs w ill be de veloped and great sanitariums will be erected that will vie with the - h w h e cele brated Baden Baden of t e old orld . T ir medicinal quali ties have been analyzed by the best and most reliable chemists in ‘ the land, and pronounced one of the most remarkable mineral ’ waters in existence . I expect to see in a few years thousands of persons from all sections of the country to regain their health . I fi r e - t i expect to see brick yards es abl shed , and glass manufactories th e in great numbers , for the sand rock is here, fire clay is here , the coal, coke and wood are here . I also expect to see edge tool manufactories established here , for the finest of steel can be temp e red with the run of mines of the Blossburg vein, or if coke is preferable that is also at hand . Although Blossburg may now n ot h present t e most pleasing appearance , she will yet be a city . The d w h o S are to ay, owned by individuals , cannot hip their coal , at li fi ve h h least one mil on undred t ousand tons , in these hills here within the limits of the corporation which will yet be used for ur dr i manufacturing p poses , generating steam for iving mach nery . f Things may look a little discouraging or Blossburg now, but I believe she possesses the location and the elements of a great indus

- trial and health restoring center . Had there been less coal here she would now occupy that position . The principle is taking root , and I have done all that I could to incul cate it into the minds of manufacturers that the place to manufacture cheaply and a dva n t a g eou sly was where the raw material was found ; that a manu 2 facturer, for instance, did not nor could not afford to pa y $ or $3 freight per ton on a ton of coal and iron ore t hat was worth only

per ton at the mines , when for the same money he could ship m w a s a ton of anufactured iron or steel , which worth from $2 2 to

500 . $ a thousand miles The place to manufacture cheaply, Uncle s Jonas, is in the ection where the raw material is cheap, where the in rents and lands are cheap , and the place to sell is the cities . To illustrate , yonder is an island containing eight or ten acres . It p robably could be bought for There is sufficient room to a - establish a larg e gl ss or edged tool establishment . The same amount of land in a city would cost from one hundred to two h u n l di ff dred thousand do lars . The erence in the interest on the invest ment of that one item alone would be from fi ve to ten thousand i dollars annually . Suppose that the establ shment used fifty tons h h 50 70 h of coal per day, whic ere would cost from $ to $ , w ile in a city remote from the mines it would cost $3 per ton that would ' ; a sa vi n 5 0 75 da y be g in favor of the country locality of $ or $ per , f 400 a saving o at least $ per week , or from to per

. n t wo an um . Here , then , are items , cost of site and fuel , which h favor t e country, or such a place as this, by an aggregate of nearly

per annum . Forty thousand dollars saved in these two items would help materially in Oili n up the machinery of the e stablishment , or in paying dividen s to the company who had 54

- i nvested their money in the enterprise . I coul d g o ou at length a n d enter into details which would convince a ny reasonable m a n of this proposition : Manufacture where the raw material is pro

ed . du c , and sell in great commercial centers Have your shop in ” the country and your salesroom in the city . P erhaps I have been a little tedious, Uncle Jonas, but I wanted s to speak of those thing . Suppose we go in and look over th e

Elmira Advertiser and other city papers a n d make arrangements . i - for going to Arnot and Hoytv lle to morrow . “ t i” Are you hrough with the Advertiser, Uncle Jonas Yes , ” “ I Harry . Well , think we had better retire for the night . I b elieve in the old Franklin maxim “ Ea rl t o bed a n d earl t o ri se y , y , ” Mak es on e h ea lth w ea lth a nd wi se y , y .

What a fine room , Harry ; I did not expect to see anything like this here . High walls , good ventilation , a delightful fire in th e grate ; this is as cosy as a sitting room at home . I noticed, Harry , before we left the veranda, that there was a fine brick and stone v on ” building o er yonder the hillside , what public building is that i “

Th . That, Uncle Jonas , is the Blossburg graded school house . e principal is Mr . G . R . Smith , the preceptress Miss Lizzie Gavigan , as s l s isted by Mi ses Dora James , Bel Horton , Miss Dunsmore, Miss Hyde and Mina Doud . It was erected about ten years ago at a cost of about thirteen thousand dollars . There is also another school house i n bor on t w o the southern portion of the h , employing teachers , Miss

Anna Dunsmore and Miss Anna Clement . The citizens of Bloss burg deserve much credit for their intelligence and public spirit i n providing ample school facili ties and the employment of competent teachers .

I noticed several churches .

Yes, Uncle Jonas , there are six church ediﬁces in the borough . The one standing nearly in front of us on the corner of Williams on and Carpenter streets is the Baptist church , and the minister is .

v d . i n th e . m the Re . Fre erick K Fowler , a man highly respected co munity by all denominations . He served gallantly in the army h h during t e late rebellion as a private soldier, and at the close of t e w a r studied for and was admitted into the ministry . He is an able pulpit orator and a worthy christian gentleman . He has been engaged here for the past eight years . The church across the river R v h . e is t e Methodist The minister in charge is the . Robert w h o Brewster, is an able preacher and much respected by the con g r ega ti on and those w h o have had the pleasure to make his a o

w h d f . quaintance . But the trouble is ith the Met o ists, they shi t their ministers around so much that just as they get comfortably located and acquain ted with their congregations and doing a good work they are transferred to another ﬁeld to go through th e ou t m s ame program , thus wearing their ministers in removing fro one section to another and in getting acquainted with their mem h b u t a t bers . The Episcopalians have a ﬁne c urch , no rector th e present . The church is nicely located a few rods north of h h h Methodist Churc . On t is side of t e river the Welsh congrega t h ni h ti on a list s have a snug lit le churc , and a very able mi ster in t e

Rev . . . h n. person of the J M Evans , w o is a young man of more tha 5 5

ordinary abilities, a fine scholar and an elegant preacher . Services l are held in Welsh and Eng ish . The Irish Catholics have a neat Th e Rev . . u church and parsonage Patrick J . M rphy has charge of it . He is a gentleman of fine scholastic acquirements, a good th e com m u n it disciplinarian and is much respected by y . h a s o He m i m t . ster s quite an ex ensive field of labor He at Morris Run ,

Arnot, Fall Brook and Union , besides his home charge , and is an h i indefatigable and earnest worker . During s ministrations three new churches have been erected . In the southern portion of the boro the Catholi c Polanders have a neat church and a parochial

. school In the latter the Polish and English languages are taught . r The congregation is composed of Poles from Blossbu g, Morris Run R v . e and Arnot The minister in charge is the . Father un r on ou n ca ble J an p name, Uncle onas, but who is an energetic i pr est, enforcing order and good morals among his parishioners to Hon - a great extent . The Horatio Seymour , having been a prop ert y holder here , has contributed largely towards the erection of

a ll . these churches This hotel is named in his honor . There a r e l odges of Odd Fellows, Free Masons , Catholic Temperance society, K nights of Honor, with a large membership , which expend qu ite a considerable amount of money for charitable and benevolent pur ’ poses f “ Q” Harry, what music is that b That, Uncle Jonas , is the Blossburg cornet and practicing in their rooms near here . That band has a fine reputation for their r excellent music . It has been o ganized ten years or more w a s at one time the regimental band of the Twelfth regiment of Pen n sy l vania state national guard, and held that position when the regi ment was consolidated by order of the adjutant - general of the state . It was called the Twelfth regiment band . It has gained a fin e reputation in Pennsylvania and New York, and by many it is conceded to be the best in northern Pennsylvania and southern w a s b New York . For a number of years it led y Dr . Nelson Ingram N , a fine musician, but when he removed to orfolk , Virginia , the w a s ul w h leadership assumed by Charles Ely, a skillf musician , o is n ow occupying that position . The band is composed of some of w h o the best citizens of Blossburg , gentlemen are distinguished for h their musical talent and gentlemanly qualities . T ey are finely d W uniforme , and their major is chief burgess, George . Morgan , a f great lover of music and a man o fine and dig nified presence . During the sprin g and summer months the hand give concerts from i the veranda of this hotel every Saturday even ng , the citizens i i turn ng out in great numbers to l sten to their exquisite music . The citizens of Blossburg and Tioga county take a just pride in

. h that organization Per aps , Uncle Jonas , before we leave this w e section may have an opportunity of hearing it play . "4” Is there an op era house here , Harry w . a s Not at present , Uncle Jonas There a fine hall here fifty -fi ve f bu f by eighty eet, with a fine stage and curtains , t un ortunately w a s h i it destroyed by fire a few months ago and as not been rebu lt . There is a very neat small hall here in that stone block you saw ll this afternoon over on Main or Wi iamson street . Any small gathering can be accommodated there . But large assemblies meet ” in the skating r ink . 5 6

What have they a skating rink in this place 2” Y f es , Uncle Jonas, and a very large one or a borough of this h 2” size . Do you object to t em , Uncle Jonas - a - ct - l - Well, not ex y , but I think dancing is preferable to those ’ re uiring amusements of that kind, yet in the abstract I can t s ee q .

i i n i . anything very crim nal roller skat ng But , like any other . i d . I amusement , it can be carr ed to excess eclare , Harry, it is v getting late . Between this cheerful ﬁre and your con ersation the i s tim e has passed rapidly . It understood then, Harry, that we go ” - to Arnot and Hoytville to morrow . “ l ll o n Yes , Uncle Jonas, we wi l take the Hoytvi e acc mmodatio , ’ ” d - I with Billy Kerwin conductor . Goo night 2 ” Did you rest well last night, Uncle Jonas ” Yes , indeed . Well w e have plenty of time to get breakfast before the train leaves for Hoytville . The porter will soon have a ﬁre for you to get up by a nd dr ess . h O , never mind that , Harry, the room is warm enough .

I want to introduce you before we leave to J . D . Shultz , the fi supervisor of the Tioga branch . His of ce is in this building ,

. . ; formerly occupied by the superintendent , L H Shattuck . Mr Shultz i s a practical civil engineer and has had a large experience n i n the construction of railroads , giving them his personal attentio in all of th e details , and consequently . is eminently ﬁtted for the r n respon sible position he occupies . Among the many rail oads u p o n which he has hitherto been engaged was the West Shore , betwee f Syracuse and Bu falo . His supervision now extends from Hoyt

v r . d t ille to Elmira, with headquarters at Blossbu g It is sel om tha

supervisors of tracks are practical engineers , and his employment

in that capacity is a step in the right direction . And his mode of iﬁ r n inspection of the track is d e e t from that usually in practice . Instead of boarding a train running at the rate of thirty miles per ca r v el oc hour, and seated in the rear seat of a passenger , he has a ipede which h e places up on the track and propels himself slowly

over the road , examining every joint , chair , culvert, bridge, frog

. and siding . He is therefore in possession of the knowledge of the h e i n actual condition of t road , and can give the section foremen k n s t ru cti on s what to do from personal nowledge . We will go dow

to breakfast now, Uncle Jonas . w e We had better leave our baggage here, Uncle Jonas , as ” “ ” “ shall return this evening . All aboard for Hoytville . Take il d this seat, Uncle Jonas . Here , Uncle Jonas, is where the ra roa s b R ranch , one track leading to Morris un , the middle track to Fall Brook and the right hand track upon which we are switching to

Hoytville . Yonder to the left is the site of the furnace erected by

182 5 . . Judge Knapp in , now occupied by T J Mooers as a foundry

and machine shop . Here is the Tioga river, rather small stream a n d to be called a river, but in times of high water it is a rapid l S k turbulent stream . This mil here on the left hand ide of the trac is owned by the Blossburg coal company and is a portion of th e r h i n franchise of the Tioga b anch of t e Erie . The mill is usually

operation about eight months in the year, cutting out about

feet of lumber per month or in eight months . It is pro 5 7 vided with a powe rf ul engine and all the necessary appliances for

h . good work . T e foreman is James H Mold , an industrious and w h o careful manager, has just completed the erection of that ﬁne h o u . cottage y see over yonder on t e Williamson road Mr . Mold ha s held the position of foreman for a number of years . The head Leiseri n sawyer is Andrew Parker, the setter is Willard g , the lum

. . n ber measurer and shipper is N B Preston , and the e gineer is a ll Thomas Cowley, trusty and tried workmen in their several ‘ n u mber of vocations . The men employed is sixteen . The large buildings with that tall brick chimney or stack is the Monroeville a r tannery, owned by Messrs . Willi m Hoyt, Olive Hoyt and Mark 72 ﬁ s . Hoyt, under the rm name of Hoyt Bro , No Gold street , New w l York city . The tannery, I said , is kno n as the Monroevil e

- . ﬁ ve tannery , although situated in Blossburg About seventy men are employed here in the manufacture of sole leather exclusively . w h o The superintendent is T . C . Peck, has been in the employment of the ﬁrm for the past twenty years— a gentleman well calculated

- fi ll e . to so r sponsible a charge The book keeper , cashier and bark Bot chfor d measurer is A . E . , who also is an employe , having h fi served thirteen years with the firm , an evidence of t e con dence and trust that is placed in him by the firm . George Ludwig also t n holds a responsible posi ion . This tan ery consumes from ten to t n u welve thousand cords of hemlock bark a nually, and t rns out from one hundred and fifty to one hundred and seventy -fi ve t hou l sand sides annual y . In other words , it would take a drove of seventy - fi ve or eighty thousand of your Illinois four year old steers to supply this tannery one year in hides— and the bark from nine m to twelve illion feet of hemlock to keep it supplied with bark .

You recollect that I told you about the skating rink last night ,

Uncle Jonas , well here on the left enclosed by that high fence is ’ h Brooks bicycle and foot racing t ra ck . So you perceive t at these w d h people , not ithstan ing they ave to work hard , are provided with means of amusements and sports . The track is owned by J .

Brooks , father of the celebrated John Brooks , the bicyclist . That is his residence here on the right . There in that shady re treat are

th e . trout ponds of Messrs Andrews Morgan . There are se ven ponds intended for the hatching and propagation of trout . It is a t pleasant place now, but I am told hat many improvements are in t h o . contemplati n By the way Uncle Jonas , ere is more profit in i raising trout , than there is in ra sing beef and pork . With clear mountain spring water, and with less capital than is required by a a r moderate farmer , trout can be raised and m keted with three times more profit than cattle and swine . The highway leads to ” Liberty or the Block house , Uncle Jonas . a I recollect that road , Harry, as far b ck as when the Bellrn a n s ” i n n kept a wayside on that road a few hundred rods above here . This land upon either side here belongs to the Fall Brook coal company and containing large deposits of coal, which in time will be opened up and developed . They have been holding these fields fi ve in reserve . There are almost four thousand hundred acres in the tract . 5 8

A ND HOYTVILLE ARNOT .

OCIAL FEATURES MERCANTILE MINING AND MANUFACTURING ENTER S , , PRISES .

’ oh n Son s This stream is known as J creek . Do you observe di that ﬁne quality of moul ng sand, Uncle Jonas, there in that cut 2 b It is found here in inexhaustible quantities, eside the same rock, suitable for the manufacture of glass . We are now approachi ng

Arnot . The smoke you see rising is from the coke ovens . There are two hundred of them making the very best quali ty of coke manufactured in America . While perhaps there may be some “ i ts for a n that equal it, none surpass it in adaptability furnace d other purposes for wh ich coke is generally used . For domestic use it

l . can not be excel ed There is no smoke, no gas, nothing disagree i n l able the smel when used in the cooking range , but a clear, w h steady heat, and there is no good reason y coke shoul d not i n

America, as well as England , be used exclusively for locomotive i n ' use on locomotives draw ng passenger trains . In E gla n d a pass enger can ride ﬁ ve hundred miles without soilin g his clothes in t he b a n d least, but here in America the passenger is annoyed y smoke

- a n d l coal dust cinders, his clothes are destroyed in riding ﬁfty mi es . It is an insul t to American machinists to say that they cann ot con struct a locomotive that will burn coke and make as good time and

Speed in America as they can in Great Britain . These ovens were di c . constru ted, Uncle Jonas , under the rection of Simon B Elliott , 18798 0 for the Blossburg coal company in the years . That high building on the right of the track is a coal washer and crusher . All the coal used in the manufacture of coke is ﬁrst crushed ﬁ n e and its impurities cleansed by water, and also all the smithing coal undergoes the same process , thereby putting upon the market a h coal unsurpassed . The capacity of the crus er and washer is about da tons per y , and is the largest establishment of the kind in

Pennsylvania or elsewhere in the United States . The product of these ovens , as well as the coal mines , are controlled by the Erie company . I have referred in a former conversation , Uncle Jonas , ” but I will give you a brief history of it now .

ARNOT .

The Blossburg coal company w a s incorporated by an act of the 11 186 i n 6 . cor o legislature of Pennsylvania approved April , The p ra t or s were Constant Cook John Arnot , Charles Cook, Henry Di ni n n Sherwood , Franklin N . Drake , Ferral C . y , Henry H . Cook W and Lorenzo ebber . Constant Cook was a prominent banker Y w a s and business man of Bath , N . . ; John Arnot a banker and one of the foremost citizens of Elmira ; Charles Cook w a s a banker Y and distinguished citizen of Havana, N . . ; Henry Sherwood was Fr n kli n N w Y a . f . . a s a prominent lawyer o Corning, N ; Drake a prominent business man and lumberman of the upper w aters of Di n i n n the Con h oct on river ; Ferral C . y was a lawy er of distino Y : tion from Addison, N . . ; Henry H Cook was a prominent citizen Y W w a s of Bath , N . . , and Lorenzo ebber a successful business man

. i e Y . k . of Wat ins, N , later of Elmira No stronger or more rel abl

Knights of Pythias and other societies . Many of the miners a r e g reat readers and are well informed . A public readin g room w a s maintained here for several years . They are also v ery fon d of music both vocal and instrumental, have ﬁne choirs , glee clubs, ” o rchestras and brass bands . * h n . . T e superintende t in charge is H J Landrus , a gentleman w h o has served many years in that capacity and is familiar with e very portion of the work . He is a native of the township of Bloss a n d was employed several years before the war as weigh - master at u n h h Morris R . He resigned is position in t at place to enlist in the t h e s ervice of his country . At the close of war he came home a n d was employed as book - keeper for the Blossburg coal company and

ﬁnally promoted to the position of superintendent , served in th at c apacity several years when he resigned a n d w a s elected sheriff of

Tioga county . He is a staunch republican . Before he had com ‘ p let ed his term of sheriff he was prevailed upon to again accept t h w ‘ e position as superintendent , hich he did, appointing a deputy i t o perform his oﬂi c a l duties . He is a gentleman of ﬁne p hysique a n d a person of great practical knowledge in business affairs and t h e management of mining operation . Civil engineer a nd surveyor

“ a ~ ou n e w h h R . A . Wentworth , is y g man of ﬁne acquirem nts o as ’ f recently been engaged . In the paymaster s o ﬁce Frederic Win h g rave , an old employe , is t e cashier , assisted by William M . Duns more, with F . H . Dartt and F . H . Hyde clerks . The overseer at t h e mines is John Dunsmore , a practical miner of long experience , l . ll who is assisted by John Hil Schute boss, Wi iam B . Gilmore ,

Th e weigh master is James N . Patterson . The coke ovens are in c t harge of Alexander Logan , who has competen workmen and

a . . . ssistants In the store J L Higgins is manager . Mr . Higgins e m has ﬁlled this responsible position for many years , is a trusted R lo e . h p y and a ﬁne merchant T e clerks are ichard Smith , John

o . W . Burke, illiam R Logan , Ge rge C Lee and Matthew Blair, g entlemen who have been long employed and thoroughly com pet

. a ent and reliable There are three schools maintained in the vill g e .

Andrew B . Dunsmore is principle of number one , assisted by Miss Kate Va n Nes s ; n umber tw o Miss Kate Neil and Ella McIn r oy ; h Sm ett em number t ree Miss Aggie Logan , Mamie , Laura Brown a n d Mina Hall . The company are owners of a fi r st - class steam fire engine and n the Du smore hose company constitute their fire department . It

ffi . is a very e cient one , too They have about feet of hose

n . a d other necessary appliances . Frank H Dartt is foreman of the ” company . “ : There are four church ediﬁces Catholic, Presbyterian, Welsh h e Baptist and Swedish . The methodists hold service in t school

h h . house . T e resident p ysicians are D . C Waters and Charles S .

. Wa Logan . Dr ters has been many years located here , and is highly esteemed by the citizens : Dr . Logan is a young physician w i n w h o bids fair to an enviable fame . The Arnot cornet band S c onsists of ixteen members , with Thomas Heron as leader . Mr .

* Lan d ru s h a s r esi n ed t h e os it i o n a n d th e su eri n t en d en t n ow i s Mr F F H . J . g p p . . . n a nd ra cti ca l m a n Ly on a very co mp et e t p . 6 1

H ﬁ n e di u eron is a musician , and the band is sting ished for its ex h cellen t music . T e saw mill is in charge of Nicholas Shultz an

old employe of the company . About feet of lumber i s l h ann u al y manufactured . The feed mill is in charge of C arles

h . a Ha n, a very competent miller Frank Ke gle is foreman in the s h h black mith s op and Nathan Edwards in t e carpenter shop . Th e ’ W employes in L . H . Drake s store are , Andrew Bowers , illi am 2 n d B . W h h owers , sen , illiam Bowers, , Jo n Bowers and C arles

W . . . arner . The postmaster is H J Landrus The station agent is w h o . h H . A . Mitchell , also is telegraph operator Mr . Mitchell as been employed several years in that capacity and is an efﬁcient

employe . Th e f : township o ﬁcers are School director, John Hill, president ; “ n h n Fred Wi grave , secretary ; Jo n Du smore , treasurer ; and mem

. s bers , Alexander Logan , Albert S John on , Silas E . Shepard .

Justices of the peace , Samuel Heron , Jonathan Hutchinson ; con Es a r a Mor eh stable , George Allen ; supervisors , Robert g , J mes ess ; W town clerk , illiam M . Dunsmore treasurer, Richard Grant ” r k assesso , Fran H . Dartt ; collector , Fred Wingrave . “ You say , Harry, that this village . consisting of over four hun w h s ch u tes dred d ellings and all of its s ops , stores , , coke yards , i h ” mines , m lls , etc . , belong to t e Erie railroad company ? “ h Yes, Uncle Jonas , toget er with over twenty thousand acres

of land . The railroad boys have about finished switching out th e w ” e . cars , and shall soon move on towards Landrus “ Observe , Uncle Jonas , that pagoda or band stand up yonder on ? n the hill , by the school house The Ar ot band often meet there , th and from eir elevated position , every citizen of Arnot is enabled to sit in th eir ow n doors a n d listen to the fine m usic rendered by that admirable organization . The melody is softened, borne on the even ing breeze and wafted up and alon g the hill s and valleys ’ n a n d and e j oyed by those wearied by the day s toil , their spirits m W enlivened and quickened by the elody that floats in the air . hen there is plenty of remunerating work , no happier community exists fi v t . f e than his For the distance o or six miles now, Uncle Jonas , w e h will pass through t e lands of the company . On either side you perceive that the timber has been cut and removed . A year a t er r ible n ago last May fire raged through this region, co su m h ing muc valuable property and destroying a number of dwelli ngs . ” at Arnot . “ i h The settlement w th t is mammoth saw mill is Landrus . This n a w also belo gs to the Erie railroad company . The s mill if run to its full capaci ty would m anufacture from eighteen to twenty mil lion feet o f lumber annually . This lumbering village is in ch arge w h o of. Robert F . Cummings , a gentleman has had a large exp er i w w a s a ence in ork of this kind . He m ny years connected with th e ’ m a t Fall Brook coal co pany s works Fall Brook , and about three years since took charge of this place , commencing with the mill from its foundation and directing its construction . The company is for ” t u n a t e in securin g his services . h T e village is named Landrus in honor of H . J . Landrus , the n ost offi superintendent at Ar ot . A p ce has b een est a bli s h ed here with R . F . Cummings as postmaster . The station agent here i s 62

‘ William B . Jones , a young man of excellent morals and good busi t ness habits . He is also telegraph opera or . We have passed the a l Summit, Uncle Jon s, and we wil descend grade to Hoytville . ” Th er e r e t w o e a one or ﬂag stations between here and th re .

Hoyt ville , Uncle Jonas, is situated in the township of Morris ’ ” on Babb s creek . “ I . Oh, remember Samson Babb well He was one of the pio i n eer s in northern Pennsylvan a . He came here about the year

1800 l . n , so he to d me He occasio ally came to Elmira . He and i s h sons had quite a ﬁne farm here forty years ago or more . w l We i l talk over, Uncle Jonas, the early history of this place I a t a future time . want you to see the largest tannery in the world , and we have but a little time to look it over and return to

Blossburg on the train . o Very well, Harry , give me its modern hist ry . a b ’ About four ye rs ago , to e brief, Uncle Jonas , the Hoyt Ne w brothers , of York , purchased the Babb property and some twenty thousand acres of hemlock lands surrounding it and com h e v m en ced the erection of this mammoth tannery . y must ha e lli l . a hi expended a round mi on of dol rs in lands and plant . T s vast expendi ture of money attracted persons in here from a ll parts of the country . Stores, shops , dwellings , mills and hotels, were soon w c erected by persons not connected ith the ompany . The com n any , however, in addition to their ta nery, erected about ﬁfty

wellings or more for their employes . Contemporaneous with the n erection of the tan ery, a company was formed , consisting princi pally of those w h o were interested in the Tioga railroad company . , n l C w h k own as the Arnot and Pine Creek rai road ompany, o con s tructed a railroad from Arnot here so that by the time that the tannery was in readiness to commence the manufacture and ship ni ment of leather , the railroad was ﬁ shed . The tannery is known w n n as the Bruns ick tannery . The superi te dent is Samuel S . Van

Etten . The overseer in charge of inside work is Michael Lawler, e ﬁll h r gentlemen compet nt to t eir esponsible positions . The book E keeper and paymaster is A . R . Spicer , assisted by ugene Clark . i n Several clerks are employed the store . The capacity of the t annery is about one thousand sides per day or three hundred and

’ thirteen thousand annually . It would take , Uncle Jonas, a drove of fi ve hundred of your best western steers per day to furnish h fi ft - the raw ides for this tannery , or one hundred and y seven thousand annually . And here let me remark, Uncle Jonas , that the sixteen tanneries in Tioga county n ow in operati on would r e q uire one million four year old western steers to furnish the hides — l a your state of Il inois is not equal to the t sk, so the proprietors of these tanneries are obliged to purchase South American hides . m b This is indeed a re arkable village , Harry, surrounded y a wilder ’ l n l h . ness in t is va ley of Babb s creek Yes , U c e Jonas , and here h n . are all the marks of civilizatio Yonder is a sc ool house , down a there is a church , and up yonder is another, here is fine depot , w a a cross the y is a bakery, there a hotel, yonder a saw mill , and u t l across the track is a handle man factory, while s ores, mil inery

. t a n d shops , drug s ores , dry goods stores , meat markets, other e stabli shments g o to make up a bustling and thriving village of 63

inhabitants . It was commendable foresight which induced n c h t h e Erie ma agers to pur hase this Tioga branch, w ich from here to Elmira runs through so many thriving villages and town s and penetrating these centers of industry— thus furni shing passengers a n d freight to their great trun k line and aff ording the tourist so many pleasin g and roman tic view s . The station agent at Hoyt i w h o v l J . il e is John Gav gan, a young man has from boyhood been w . e a trusted employe of t h e company . Now are off to Blossburg ” a g am . “ - I declare, Harry, this has been a very pleasant trip to day . I have seen many things new to me and upon which I shall reﬂect e in the future . The imm nse tanneries, the coke yards and ovens, - n the mines of semi bituminous' coal, the mountai s and forests, the ‘ t busy hum of industry , in the grea mills here made a deep impres m o ” s e . ion upon , which I shall not soon f rget

Here w e are in Blossburg again . We will get a room and pre v pare for supper at once , for this mountain air has gi en me a sharp ” a ppetite .

- To morrow, Harry, you say we are to go to Morris Run and ” Fall Brook . “ Yes, Uncle Jonas, that is the intention . I had intended to give you an idea of the township south of u s— Union and Liberty — - w off m to night, but as you seem fatigued I ill put it to a ore convenient season . Perhaps , too , we may ﬁnd time to take a trip t o the Block house , and thence east into Union to Ogden sburg , and t n v n he ce to Blossburg before we lea e this vici ity . If we do not, I ” w ill describe them to you .

R N F K MO RIS RU AND ALL BROO .

I TERESTING STATISTICS AND PLEASANT PERSONALITIES N .

All aboard for Morris Run .

That is meant for us , Uncle Jonas . Yonder is the train , in

. w h c harge of that veteran conductor, William M Butler, o for h a s more than twenty years , in sunshine and in storm , made his regular trips . The engineer is also a veteran of thirty years or

i . more service in ra lroading I allude to James Green, heretofore ”

h . spoken of . Uncle Jonas , t is is William M Butler, the conductor . l Are you a son of Wi liam Butler, a former citizen of this place? ” “ l Yes , sir . I am very g ad to meet you, Mr . Butler ; your father and I met years ago at Elmira in a masonic lod e . There w w h o ll a ccom a ni e a s another gentleman also usua y p him, the ” Hon . Clarendon Rathbone . “ r h Yes , Mr . Law ence , t ey were both free masons and frequently went to Elmira to attend masonic meetings before any were insti Y u h t u t ed . o . in this county will ave to excuse me, Mr Lawrence, ”

l . for the present . I wil see you again h f This, Uncle Jonas, is the weig o ﬁce , where the coal is weighed 64

o from Morris Run and Fall Brook . I menti ned this before . Henry ” n w ei h m a st er s Holla n ds a d Frank Stratton are the g and shippers . ”

t H . What cemetery is tha , arry

That , Uncle Jonas , belong s to Arbon lodge of odd fellows .

’ They are beautiful grounds . Here on the west side of the track is the union cemetery . Many of the old pioneers of Blossburg and surrounding country are laid to rest there . Adjoining that is the cemetery owned by the Catholics . It is well kept . Right opposite the Union cemetery on the banks of the Tioga river is where Judge m l Knapp erected a saw il sixty yea rs ago . No trace of it is seen now . W e n v " . n Look , Harry must be asce ding a ery steep grade O ly bu t a few minutes ago we were on a level or nearly with the river, ” n ow w e are at least eighty feet above it . “ 100 The grade is nearly feet to the mile , Uncle Jonas . Bloss w a s th e burg , you recollect I told you , above tide , and mines v at Morris Run are a little o er three miles distant , making the elevation of th e mines at Morris Run 330 higher than Bloss bur “ n . w e ere we are at Morris Run Now, Uncle Jonas , suppose d walk up to the Morris Run hotel , kept by Matthew Wa del , and where w e can look over the village and rest ourselves . I can from e this porch point out the various places of interest , and at the sam time give you a brief history of t his interesting and busy mining v h w e i . s illage . T is creek that are crossing over is Morris Run It

. l named in honor of the late Hon Samuel W . Morris , of Wel sboro, w h o w a s prominently connected wit h th e construction of the Corn

. a o ing and Blossburg railroad , nearly ﬁfty years ago I was

d i . qu a i n t e w th Judge Morris , Harry He represented this district in congress in the years 1836 “ m e wi y h t . Oh , yes , Harr , I ave him But we ll speak of him ”

. again . Go on with your history t h e Well to continue , over thirty years ago a company named Tioga improvemen t company opened up the mines here and con structed a railroad from Blossburg here . The mining superintend w w h o ent in charge a s John Young , resided in that log house you r s ee here to the left of us . The Tioga imp ovement company oper 1862 th e ated the mines until the year , and then leased them to a salt company of Onondaga, who soon made prep rations to carry h w - . sa on mining on a more extensive scale T ey erected a mill, n sch u t es de store , and a number of dwelli gs , built new and ma 1864 h t many improvements . In t e sal company sold out their ‘ w h o lease to the Morris Run coal company, continued to enlarg e the capital of the mining operations . About nine years ago the Morris Run coa l com pa n y surrendered its charter and the Morris a h Run Coal and Mining comp ny was incorporated, w ich has oper ated the mines up to the present , a controlling interest being held

f . . by the trustees o the estate of the late Hon John Magee Mr . i Waddell , th s is Uncle Jonas Lawrence, who has come to make ” this village a visit . “ Glad to meet you , gentlemen , walk in . w . W e No , thank you , Mr addell, will sit here a few minutes

h t . . e on the porc and ake a look at the town Mr Waddell, Uncl 65

n . Jonas, is one of the pio eer miners in this village He has been a b f . resident here or many years, is a Scotchman y birth He has been prominently connected with the establi shment of an Odd ’ — Fellows lodge in this place , and also at Blossburg holding all the responsible positions in the lodge and discharging the dut i es with

l . marked abi ity and ﬁdelity That large store across the track , b h f Uncle Jonas, elongs to t e company and is in charge o Major T .

f e . . B . Anderson , orm rly of Syracuse , N Y The major came here in the year 1803 and took charge of the mercantile business for the ' salt company previously referred to , and when it sold out to the Morris Run coal company he w a s retained by the incoming com t hf pany, and has continued to occupy mos fait ully and honestly h t t at position up to the present , with the prospec of remaining 0 t d many years to come . N man in nor hern Pennsylvania has one more th an the major to pu t into practice the p rinciples of friend Odd h . s ip , love and truth He is a prominent Fellow and Free i h t Mason . His heart is overflow ng wit chari y, benevolence and n h f good will towards his eighbors , the sick and t e a flicted . He is i n t . h t . ruly a noble grand He is assisted t e store by Alber C Frost , A G len r i h t b i H . . Monroe , William g , Edward Kil ourn , Will am k i k boo ee er . Hayes , clerks , and Miss Aggie Gilmour , p You observe that octagon roofed buildi n g with a store vaul t attached to the l ?” rear, over yonder on the side hil 6 6 ” Yes . h f th e T at , Uncle Jonas , is the o fice of Morris Run Coal and

f f. Mining company . The o ﬁcers o the company are General George re J . Magee , president ; Daniel Beach , treasu r W . S . Nearing, gen i eral super ntendent Lewis Nearing , assistant superintendent . ’ D n n ell Th a h f . . O o e occup nts of t e o ﬁce are P F , paymaster ; J .

- A a n d h f . Norman nderson , book keeper , T omas V . Kee e , accountant ’ ODon n ell m w h and telegraph operator . Mr . is a gentle an o h a s fo r the past t w enty years been con nected with t h e office and dur h t t m l l di ing t a ime has received and paid out il ions of do lars , sbu rs ing this large sum with honesty and ﬁdelity . He has taken n o n forced trips t o Ca ada . His accounts have alway s been accura te f i a d u t l to a cent . He is a man o pleas ng dress , co r eous and gent e

m . . T . anly His associate , J Norman Anderson , is a son of Major . A a t h e B . nderson , and has for m ny years occupied responsible - a n d m position of book keeper assistant pay aster . He inherits the a f a n d a t m ny good traits o his father is distinguished for his urb ni y, his p rominence in the order of Odd Fellows and Knights of Honor t r f a n r i h im and for the fai hful pe orm ce of the wo k ass gned . T m w h o homas V . Keefe is is also a gentleman of erit , has for many years faithfully and indust riously attended t o th e duties de ﬁ a volved upon him . He is a ne musici n and leader of the Morris n l R . un cornet band The ge eral superintendent , Wi liam S . Near h h f r - ing , has ad c arge o the wo k for the past twenty one years and is one of t h e most sk illed civil and minin g engineers in the state of t Pennsylvania . He has in roduced into the workings of the mines the most approved appliances a n d the best system of mining and v ent i lation in the state . This is conceded by all w h o have exam i n ed h t e mines and are competent to judge . His son, Lewis Near ing, is a young man of rare accomplishments as an engineer, and 66

‘ en of s nea rl two a ssists him in the managem t the mine , and for y ' ‘ i m . R Gil y ears has h ad a personal supervision over the Will am .

‘ mour is mining foreman . He is one of the oldest residents of r Morris Run , having been employed here in va ious capacities for

1t h e past thirty years or more . Mr . Gilmour is a distinguished Odd F a n d w a ellow, a good miner every y competent to discharge the work ’ A h e t . a ssigned him . t Jones mines , Michael Driscoll is foreman h He as been employed for many years by the company , and is a ’ f aithful and compe tent man . The weigh master at the Jones ‘ w h o w a s fer mines is Samuel Woodhouse , a gentleman many y ears a justice of the peace , and now metes out justice by giving “ f Th e air and just weight between the miner and the company . d ispatcher or boss mule driver is Thomas Tuckey . That position,

. ffe Uncle Jonas, is a very responsible one He dispatches the di r o n o n e s ent drivers, as a division dispatcher of the trunk railroad l one a - do trains . You wil observe char cteristic, Uncle Jonas , about m th e these men, that most of them have long been e ployed by t h e th e Company . That I take is a compliment to men and shows sagacity of the company in continuing the old hands . At the new

- mine , Campbell Haddow is foreman and the weigh master is Wil b h li am Tipton, and the oss mule driver or dispatc er, Edward Kel u l e . vo y , schute boss , Thomas E Emms, all tr sted men in their ca i r l . e t ions . At the east mine , Will am R Gilmour, heretofo e al ud d

- t o . . T . . , exercises general supervision The weigh master is O Smith ' J The blacksmiths at the Jones mines are Michael Brown , ames

B rown and Michael Whalen . At the new mine the blacksmiths

- r . . are James Woodhouse and Samuel Woodhouse , j At the east McMa h on m ine the blacksmiths are John Stephenson and Thomas . Besides doing general blacksmithing work incident to the mining o perations , one of the specialties is the sharpening and pointing of ’ drills and miners picks . The picks used by the miners are pointed with steel and drawn out to a point as small as a fork tine . When r - the pick becomes blunt it must be e pointed . This is done by the blacksmith in a common blacksmith forge with a ﬁre made from - r raw coal as it comes from the mines . If there was any sulphu in t h e coal this could not be done , as the sulphur would make the s teel brittle and the pick point would break upon its ﬁrst trial in h - m the mines . T is shows the superiority of the semi bitu inous

A h t coa l of the Blossburg region , and this is t e reason why it is sough after so extensively for smithing purposes . You notice steam issuing from that building down yonder on the creek?” ” Yes , I see it plainly . of That is the saw mill of the company . The outside foreman " i n the lumber department is Frank Church , who has a superv sio over all outside work . Mr . Church has been employed for many ou y ea rs and is a faithful and competent man . This community, y or perceive , Uncle Jonas , has not neglected their educational t w o reli gious duties, for there are school houses and four church t e " h Irim itive ediﬁces . The churches have been erected by Meth

" i W elsh Ba tis t Vi el sh t . odists , the Congrega ionalists , p and Catholic h ﬁ ve e m v . Th e Re . T omas K Beecher about years ago came her fro Elmira and preached i n that church to a large and interest ed con

“ T i c a t t i n t he Sc on der vto gregation . h tea hers resen hool house

' s would lose sight of were we to ride . Besides , the air of the eleva 1 00 l tion (about 7 feet above tide) , is rather too chil y at this time of ” the year for an old man like me to ride .

f fe w t . l A ter spending a minutes wi h Mr Waddel , conversin g on l h f . general topics , t ey leave or Fal Brook n a There are one or two things , Uncle Jo s , that I neglected to ’ th e l h point out to you, Odd Fellows Ha l , that large building w ich i you see down yonder on that h gh ground , and the public hall in li t v the valley below . That ttle locomo ive you see o er there is used in hauling the coal from the m outh of this drift here by th e

. i sch u t es . It performs the work of many mules We will take t slowly until w e get past that airshaft where y ou see the smoke Th e v . n coming out road there is nearly le el for some dista ce . h i t h T ere s a large furnace at the bo tom of t at shaft , where a very hot ﬁre is constantly kept burning for the purpose of heating or t h u w r arefying the air in the mines . It is e s rest a y of causing a a h m i n es Current of air to p ss t rough the u It is as certain as the w a la of gravitation , and b sed upon a principle that heated air forms l a vacuum , and cooler air rushes forth to equa ize the temperature . h h t w n T e bottom of t at shaf here the furnace is, is con ected with a ll n th e the various chambers or worki g places in mines , and by h t n a ll heating t e air here at the mou h of the mi e , impurities and bad air are drawn to this point and escape into the open air by ﬁ n n w m f h e . o h eans o t at shaft or We have reached t e summit ,

t w o . about thousand feet above tide Now, Uncle Jonas, turn ” round and look to the south and westward . “ t " h Oh " Harry , these moun ain landscapes are grand To t ose w h o are penned up in the walls of a city what a relief it would be t h for them to s and ere , breathe this pure mountain air and feast ” n their eyes upon this landscape of mountain and valley sce ery . “

h . T is , Harry , is about the right altitude The peaks of the White m ountains in the ea st and the Rocky mountains in the west h t a n d a are t oo hig for comfor too rare for he lth . This is a happy t w e ca n medi u m . To the south and wes here trace the outline of the mountain ranges as they extend towards the valley of the west h s h branch of t e Su quehanna , or northward to the valley of t e th e w e n Chemung . To eastward can see the ra ges lessen in u w e r h h W h su m altit de until app oach t e valley of t e yoming , t e mits and sides cover ed wit h a fo rest rich in all the colors which a the artis t nature has painted in their foli ge . The dark green h l t of t e hem ock , the variega ed colors of the maple , the beech , h i n h the oak , c estnut and birch as they are dressed t eir autumnal f h suits , the outlines of farms , arm ouses , fields with their herds of h a s eep and cattle , present a picture unsurp ssed in loveliness and r w h o f grandeur . It b ings one easts upon its splendor nearer to that great Architect who created all these things for the pleasure n and enjoyment of the creatures of His handiwork . The , again , h h e as winter comes on , to see t is region wrapped in a mantle so w it h sa ul and spotless , the t ou nd little riv ets locked in the embrace of y w t h e ic king , ith icicles and pendants sparkling , refusing to melt h h e h beneat t e f eble rays of the sun ; and t en again in spring time , h when the sun has mounted igh in the heavens , the thousand rills are released from their icy fetters a n d go dancing and singing on 69 t o the great ocean ; when wild flo wers are shedding their balmy h f h h odor broadcast upon t e air , and the orests put on t eir brig test h t a n S pring suits , the myriads of birds warbling t eir swee est d mo st cheerful notes call s forth from man his adoration of that ben e fi l o cent Creator, and inspires him with grand and nob e th ughts and t l t a love for the beautiful in na ure . makes his pulse beat warmer l h . and quicker . It softens his eart It al ays animosities and leads V f him to take a broader and more charitable iew o mankind , and a greater reverence for God, and a higher regard for His goodness ” n a ll a d love for . Dw . re Here we are at the Fall Brook hotel , kept by John F y ,

n . Dw o e . r e of the best landlords in northern Pennsylvania Mr y , this is Uncle Jonas Lawrence . We have come to take di nner and s pend th e afternoon with you . W alk in, gentlemen ; I am pleased to meet you . I I declare , Harry, did not expect to find so fine a hotel up here in the coal regions . w e Well , Uncle Jonas , while are resting I will give you a brief w a s 1864 history of the hotel . It erected during the year , twenty o n e W f years ago , and occupied by arren Go f , of Howard , Steuben 1865 n f . t county, in the spri g o It is a durable s ructure , a strong and lasting frame . Wages and material were high at the tim e of t th e w its erec ion , and cost of the hotel with furniture a s about w a s It built by order of the late Hon . John Magee , upon a a h p lan made by the late Humphries Brewer, man ger for t e Fall Th e w h o Brook coal company . mechanic had charge of th e work w w a s . . a David Cooper, of Steuben county , N Y It s first opened b ff y Warren Go , as I have stated , and kept by him for about one w h o Libbi u s l i Y . i y ear, retired, and Phi l ps , of Addison , N . , kept t w a s for five years or more , and succeeded by C . B . Whitehead ,

John Van Order and others , and by the present accommodating host . Since its erection , among the many distinguished gentlem en w h o l have been guests here I recal the names of the Hon . Horat io

. . . . bu Seymour, Hon Daniel E Howell , Hon Mr Pills ry , of Maine ,

. . . . a h . n Hon E K Apgar, Hon Richard H ldeman , Hon Jo Arnot ,

. . . . Hon . C . L . Ward , Hon B F Bruce , Hon John Magee , Hon . Reu

. . . h . ben E Fenton , Col John F Means , Hon Henry S erwood , Hon . ’ OHa ra S . W . . h f tephen F ilson , Rt Rev Bis op , o Scranton , Bishop S h DeW olfe n Pa tevens , of Philadelphia, Bis op , of Readi g , . , Hon .

S . . tephen Pierce , Hon Theodore Wright , Hon Jerome B . Niles , and f w h many other distinguished citizens o the country, o came here for business or pleasure . The hotel has an elevation of about i s a t feet above the tide , and it one of the pleas n retreats in summer r for those seeking rest and quiet and pu e air . Dinner is ready,

Uncle Jonas . ’ They go to dinner, and after dinner they go up to Magee s ” f f room , rom which they command a view of the borou gh o Fall

Brook . “ Now, Uncle Jonas, take that easy chair by the cheerful ﬁre i n ll the grate and I wi give you a brief history of Fall Brook . When

I think of the founding of Fall Brook , Uncle Jonas, by the Magees , I cann ot help to remark how small things sometimes take men out f o the channel which they had marked out to sail in , and h ow a. 70

n a n t n triﬂi g circumstance may ch ge their whole course of ac io .

To be more deﬁnite , Uncle Jonas, the Hon . John Magee w a s a Y w a s banker at Bath, N . . , and largely interested in the Con h oct on

V l h . alley rai road , now a branch of t e Erie In his business rela

Y . . ffi tions with the bank of Corning, N , its o cers became indebted fi m i . th to Mr . Mag ee The of cers of the Co ng bank held leases of e mines at Blossburg, and Mr . Magee, in order to secure his claim f w a s against the bank and its o ficers , obliged to seize upon their lease of the mines , also upon the fifteen miles of railroad from ‘ Corning to the state line at Lawrenceville . I was at that time r i directly in te ested in the prosper ty of the Corning bank , whose w i k il i . Bots c L l officers were H ram W , W liam and aurin Mal ory ,

m i . and was fa il ar with the transaction After Mr . Magee had se m i cured the lease and the dilapidated ﬁfteen les of railroad , there was an informal meeting of the stockholders of the bank at Corn

M » . . c u rn e on a th a n ing, at which Mr Magee , the Hon John B y , J

n . R P Brow , Benjamin Patterson, John L Sexton, obert atterson, i l W N n R d D v . a mba u h r atha eynol s, a d H Bonham , Wil iam g , F ed K HolCott erick . and Eli Lyon were among the persons present . a n d Mr . Magee desired that the men should purchase the road ff ri lease of the mines from him , o e ng to make liberal deductions ’

w . from his claims . The amount of Mr . Magee s claim a s abou t an d he oﬁ er ed to take the notes of the above named gen ‘ ’ ‘ tlem en for for, said Mr . Magee , I have an elephant on ’ ; my hands and I wa nt to get rid of him . Th parties did not see ’ ﬁt to accept of Mr . Magee s proposition , and the meeting disbanded . i B t . efore, Uncle Jonas , hat Mr Magee left Corn ng I had a conver w a s sation with him, told him I acquainted with the Blossburg region , the coal , the lumber along on the line , and that I believed it would pay him to send Duncan S . Magee , his son, up to Bloss of burg , continue the mining the coal , and if needs be to construct a new road up the Tioga vall ey— that it was rich in coal and tim l b o ld . er . The gentleman and I parted , Mr Magee sti l claiming t hat he had all t h e b u siness he coul d attend to without going into

n h . . the mini g and s ipping of coal Mr Magee , as the sequel proves, r econsidered , sent his son Duncan S . Magee to Blossburg and com m en ced mini ng coal under the lease . This business he carried on t w o for or three years , and then organized a corps of explorers , B k . . ec u s consisting of Humphries Brewer and G A , civil engineers

~ f and geologists, Thomas Farrar, John James , William Gri fiths, o Thomas Morgan , George Cook , John Evans and Stephen B wen , hi s and explored this region, and finally prevailed upon father to purchase about acres surrounding this place . When it w a s once demonstrated that there were fine fields of coal here , the old

. i h gentleman, the Hon John Magee, took hold of the matter w t 185 6 great energy . The explorations commenced in . The Fall w a s 185 9 Brook company incorporated in April , , consisting of John Th . . e Magee , Duncan S Magee and Ja mes H . Gulick railroad w a s const ructed from Blossburg here i n the summer and fall of

185 9 . . The ﬁrst ofﬁcers of the company were the Hon John Magee, r resident ; John Lang, treasu er ; D . S . Magee , superintendent ;

H . . Brewer, civil engineer The ﬁrst shipment of coal from here 185 9 n was in the month of December, . In the spri g of 1860 th e 71

- coal trade opened quite briskly . The company secured valuable

Y . . franchises at Watkins, N . , at the head of Seneca Lake , and f sch u t es opened up an o ﬁce there, erected , trestles and shipping . w docks . An ofﬁce was also opened at Corning, ith Andrew Beers sa w h a gent . At Fall Brook a mill was erected on the falls , and t e w t work of cutting down the forest , erecting d ellings , s ores a n d

shops was prosecuted with great vigor . A supply store was opened here upon the site of this hotel, and James Heron installed a s

Alf . l storekeeper, with red T James and Thomas J . Ha l clerks .

Old number one drift, Uncle Jonas , passed a few feet north of sch u t es f h where you sit , and the and weigh o ﬁces were where t at l n w sa w o . a n mil stands The coal soon gained a good reputation , d for years all that could be mined was readily sold at a fair price . The li ttle store which stood upon the site of this hotel was found i to be nadequate in size , and a larger one was erected up yonder a

. f rs few rods north of here In about our yea a wing was attached .

Mr . Heron was the store agent, paymaster , etc . , for several years, when the business of the ofﬁ ce demanded his whole time and atten

b . P tion , esides the assistance of two clerks , O attison and C . L . P attison , brothers , which had to be increased from time to time . F The store was placed in charge of rank Lewis , with several clerks to assist him . Mr . Lewis was transferred to Bath , and Charles E . l hi s w h o Halsey, of Hammondsport, instal ed in stead , occu pied that very responsible position for more than ten y ears . Among w h o f the old clerks that I recall , served in the o ﬁce and the store, h were Charles Ford , Daniel W eeler , Frederic Barrows , John L . h r r s . Sexton , j . , Jame Mills , Jo n Forrest , j , William Forrest , A . J . t P l . . . ol ock , T J Hall , William E Butts , Sam Sex on , J . W . Person

R . . . . co m eus , I . S Marshall , oland Hall and R F Cummings The pany opened up the mines in several places . For many years w a s f t w o Alexander Pollock foreman of dri ts numbers one and . l f Wil iam Gri fiths foreman of drifts number three , number two A w o and number t B . The first weighmaster and shipper of coal m r . h was John Morse , succeeded by Peter Ca eron , j , and e by John L . l L n a h a n w r . . a s Sexton , j . , and Wi liam D y Thomas Reese for many years weighmaster at drifts numbers one , two and three . D uncan a S . Magee continued superintendent for several ye rs , giving the h work his personal attention , becoming acquainted with all t e em ploy ees and with the very details of the business . As the work developed and the coal trade increased he had his headquart ers a t w a s a Watkins , and Humphries Brewer man ger until his death , 1 w a s 2 5 867 . . December , Mr Brewer a geologist and civil engi n t neer and w a s eminent in his professio . Con emporaneous with the building up of the town came the erection of school houses and n l churches and the establishme t of lodges and friend y societies . 3 There are two schools in the boro , sufficient to accommodate 00 1 . 867 m scholars . After the death of Mr Brewer, in , Ja es Heron , t the cashier , was promoted to that posi ion , and C . L . Pattison t o

1872 . w a that of cashier . In the year Mr Heron died and s suc d w h o ceede by D . W . Knight, had previously taken the place in w . . a the office held by C . L Pattison John Hinman s for many r f w a s yea s a valued assistant in the o fice , but transferred in t h e ’ r 18 1 i yea 7 to the company s new m nes at Antrim , where for sev 72 eral years he held the responsible position of paymaster at that i n lace, and resigned to enter into business . Raleigh , North Caro ' h w a h f w r . s a s na . Jo n Forrest , j , for many years in t e o fice , and McKea n h h transferred to Clermont , county , to take c arge of t e h t h e 1864 w a s office at t at place . In year , Fall Brook incorporated — as a borough taken from the township of Ward . L . C . Shepard was the first burgess, and held the position for ten successive years, when he refused to longer accept the position , and John L . Sexton, r w a s j . , elected, but soon after resigned to accept a position in the ff u office of the secretary of internal a airs at Harrisb rg , Pa . The

R . . office has since been filled by James Pollock, F Cummings and others . Mr . Shepard is the present burgess . He has been for many years a resident of Fall Brook . The Presbyterian church 1860 was organized in the year , upon the petition of Alexander l r P . a ollock, James Heron , Alexander Pol ock , j , J mes Pollock, P r eter Cameron , j . , Robert Logan, John Dunsmore , George Sned E l . . . den , Wil iam Watchman , J Evans , David Pryde The petition wa s - granted and the church organized with twenty two members , v m and the Re . Geo . Blair secured as its first inister . Its first

f . . a o ﬁcers were the Hon John Magee , Duncan S M gee , Alexander

P . r ollock , sr . , trustees ; H Brewer , treasurer ; James He on , secre r ta y ; Alexander Pollock , sr . , Robert Logan, David Pryde, Samuel l Heron, Wi liam Watchman and Reese Thomas committee of man a m en g e t . 1864 Rev L Episcopal services were held in by the . E . D . ove 18 66 ridge , of Hammondsport . In Bishop Lee , of Delaware, visited l Fa l Brook and conﬁrmed Mary Frazee and Mary Brewer . C . E . Halsey and John Hinman about that time organized a Sunday e school, which grew into a v ry large and numerously attended 30 186 7 w a s school . July , , application made to the court of com mon pleas of Tioga county by Charles E . Halsey, John Hinman, Per on eu . . s s Lewis Clark , John B . Christie , J W , John L . Sexton , r j . , John Alderson and Thomas Gaffney to be incorporated under d the title of the Rector, church war en and vestrymen of St .

Thomas church , Fall Brook , which application was granted De ’ cem ber 5 th 1867 h , , and ordered on ﬁle in t e prothonotary s ofﬁce .

I . w ts ﬁrst ofﬁcers were Charles E Halsey and John Hinman , a r

. r . . . D dens John L Sexton , j , Lewis Clark , John B Christie, M . , P r W . e son eu s . Joel and John Alderson , vestrymen The corner stone of the Catholi c church w a s laid with appro ’ r i a t e 1 Rev 3 1873 . . OHa ra p ceremonies August , , by the Rt Bishop , f Pa McMu r r o . a Scranton , , assisted by the Revs . Gerald y , John A ; McDer m ott Wynne and John . It was ﬁrst used for religious ser 2 6 1874 Rev i vices April , , the . Father Garvey, of Will amsport , a Rev nn . M ssisted by the pastors , the John A Wy e and John cDer ”

t . mo t , performing the opening ceremonies h w a s 1860 One sc ool house erected in the year , and it proving insuffi cient another w a s erected in 1864 - 65 and in the summer of 18 3 7 both were enlarged and refitted . As the population increased it w a s found advisable to secure the services of a competent phy i n ia . s c to reside in the town Dr . Davidson was the first regular w a s resident physician and he soon succeeded by Dr . Henry Kil

. R b . s ourn , and he by Drs John B Chri tie and obert Christie , and 7 3

w h . o the two latter by Dr . A . R Barton , remained several years . “ h r T e e are many incidents , Uncle Jonas , which I would be glad l to relate to you concerning the early development of Fa l Brook, l w hich our limited visit wi l not permit . You can see that n otw ith n ew w a standing this was a town erected in the wilderness , it s not h wanting in t ose requisites necessary to civilized societies . They h h fr i m dl instituted schools , c urc es , lodges , y societies and library d 6 5 o . 7 w . F i . : . a s ll associations . The Fall Brook lo ge , N , I O O , 15 1873 — stituted Ju ne th , , the Fall Brook Friendly Society May 3 15 187 . th , The population consisted of Americans , English , Irish, w e . a s v Scotch , Welsh , Sw des and Germans It ery seldom that the supposed natural national prejudices existing between these u i people c lminated in any breach of the peace or d sorderly conduct . Instead of any manifestation of that kind showing itself the other and more fraternal feeling existed among the citizens of all nation a li i s t e . They became acquainted with each other, they mingled in churches and lodges , at their work in the mines , in the mills , in h e h t store , and in t e forest, and learned to respect each other, and t heir rights and privileges . They assisted each other in sickness n and in death . No person ever became a town or cou ty charge . h Althoug , Uncle Jonas , the history of Fall Brook only dates back h l a bout t irty years from its first exploration , stil it has not been ll s low in interesting events . We wi walk around after a little and A w J . . a make the acquaintance of O en , the store man g er, a gentleman w h h a h a v o s for many years been in the employ of the company , ing been their agent at Corning for a number of years , and about l fourteen years ago he came here . We wil find Mr . Owen in the fi n d - f f . o fice . In the o fice we will A N Williams , book keeper , and l . w D l . h o . S . Kru l , order clerk Mr Williams is a gent eman for the f past twenty years has been in the employ o the company, and is f a very courteous and pleasant o ficial . Mr . Krull has recently m been e ployed, but comes well recommended, and no doubt will w meet the expectations of his friends . In the store e will find l l . . Fred G . E liott , son of the Hon N A El iott , of Mansfield , and l h . . the only brot er of the Hon Mortimer F El iott , the distinguished l lawyer of Wellsboro . Fred G . E liott is a gentleman with whom a n d it is a pleasure to meet , gentlemanly, courteous social . His

i n . . assistants the store are M S Murray, Frank Kennedy and D . h L . Laraby, gentlemen well suited to t e work at hand , competent

n d . a trusty We must go up to the mines and call on Fred H .

. l . W Wells and his assistant , Robert Russell Messrs e ls and Rus i s s ell are practical miners . Mr . Wells also a civil engineer , and has been employed in various capacities by the company for the

- past twenty ﬁ ve years or more . Mr . Russell has not served quite w s o long, but about t enty years . They are competent men . We h also want to make the acquaintance of John S epard , the boss h mule driver, and see with what dexterity he dispatches t e drivers to their various places in the mines . Mr . Shepard has been many years employed by the company And while we are i n that locality h l l w h w e must call on t e venerable Anson Wel s , the b acksmith o for a quarter of a century or more has sharpened a n d pointed t h e l picks and drills for the mines . There we wil also ﬁnd another old McCa nn veteran, John , who has been employed for the past quarter 74

. ll w . of a century by the Fa Brook company . We ill meet Sanford

D a . ewey, another old and f ithful employe We must also call on D di . S . Dewey, weighmaster, and see with what accuracy and s i patch he we ghs the coal as it comes from the mines . We must r l h . H also cal on Jo n G Jones , the telegraph ope ator and shipper . e has served the company for severa l years and holds a very r espon th sible position . We must not omit , Uncle Jonas, to call at e school and see with what care Miss Ann a Gilmore and Miss

Clements instruct the rising generation . We will on our retu rn ll W ca on J . . Taylor, outside foreman, having in charge the lum b r l er department . His position is a ve y responsible one, and cal s n i to action a great degree , of knowledge and experience. In the Wil i ffi w e L . . same o ce l find C Shepard , the worthy ch ef burgess , who for the past qu a r t er of a century has been employed by th e fl

. n company in various respo sible capacities . We then want to cross over into the mul e barns and interview John Junk and James h w h o l C ambers , have charge of a large number of mu es and horses , n and perform other labors . They are both worthy citize s and have long been residents of Fall Brook . We then shoul d go and call on ’ ll OD01m ell Wi iam F . , an old and valuable employe of the com

w h o e . pany, now has charg of the market In that same building h el e a ht we will ﬁnd t e town hall, and the g lodge rooms of the Odd w Fellows and the Knights of Honor . Passing up the track e must l t h e look into the saw mil of company, now in charge of Hugh h Crawford , and see w at admirable work he does in sawing lumber l h for the mines and for market . We wil then pass along by t e

h . f store and ofﬁce to t e northward In the allow as it is termed . l h We wi l pass t e Presbyterian church and the shipping yards of A . i k l o Va n S c e s C . . , Edward Sullivan, contractor The lumber and bark comes from the estate of the late Hon . C . L . Ward and hauled m there for ship ent . About feet of hemlock lumber and

of hard wood lumber and tons of bark are annually. shipped there and go over the Fall Brook railroad . Beyond th e w e shipping yard will find the Fallow school house , capable of t f 15 0 tw o sea ing com ortably scholars , divided into rooms , both on the ground floor, and so arranged by sliding doors that it can be r n used as one room . There we will find Miss Kate Pu cell labori g h n w e to instruct the c ildre . And should have time we will visit h w e the cemetery on t e hillside , where would find the graves of t Beck u s Humphries Brewer , Gus avus A . , James Heron and many ot hers w h o once held prominent positions with the company or w e were pioneers in the work . Should st ill have time at our dis w e posal might go out to Holmesville , a lumbering town , just over h n h the line of t e borough, and in doi g so pass the s aft recently put down by the Fall Brook coal company and from which they are w e w hoisting coal to the surface . At the shaft ould find several l w h . W o h old employes, Nelson A e ls , has charge of t e engine in w h . . o the daytime , and O L Fields , has charge of it at night . In w e the blacksmith shop would find Malichi Kane, who for twenty years has continuously been employed by the company . At w e Holmesville would find a lumbering village of twenty buildings , i a saw m ll owned by Edward Holmes , a good business man and a gentleman .

o ther necessary buildings . They, however, removed the mill and ” erected a large one driven by steam . Uncle Jonas and Harry Vi sit the falls and then take the cars for h w a h lossburg . On t eir y down , t ey observe the well planned device for ascending and descen ding the mountains by means of back swit ches , the railroad having for the ﬁrst mile and a half the ’ ’ ONeil s form of the letter Z . After reaching switch the course of the railroad is upon a regular grade of about eighty feet to the e l l mil , down the ravine or narrow va ley of Fal Brook to its inter section w ith the u pper waters of the Tioga river . In their descent h h 011 t ey observe t e openings in the mountain the west , made by the Morris Run coal and mining company which extends through the mountain to Morris Run . As they arrive at the Tioga river, they soon come to Somerville , a little hamlet , where for years the coa l shipped to market by the Fall Brook coal company was weigh L n h m e d . W . a a and properly consigned illiam D y , now of Corning, Y N . . , for many years resided there and manipulated the weights . th e A few rods below Somerville , river and the railroad escape th rough a narrow pass in the mountains , and from that point the valley widens and grows broader and more fertile until you reach l the state line at Lawrencevil e , some thirty miles to the northward . From Somerville to Corning one engine will haul one hundred and - ﬁ ve twenty coal cars, it being down grade most of the way . In a f w e minutes , Uncle Jonas and Harry reach Blossburg and are m ki ndly received at the Sey our house . They secure a carriage li from the very with Sammy Sage as driver, and proceed down t h e l i valley of the Tioga upon the old Wi l amson road .

We are now approaching, Uncle Jonas , the Township line be t of ween the borough Blossburg and the township of Covington . Does this look natural to you 0 N , Harry, I think the highway has been changed some in its

c . b ourse since I came this way many years ago We must e now, H t ” arry , upon the Cap ain David Clemmons estate . “ w e Yes , are , Uncle Jonas I recollect Captain David Clem l w a s mons wel , Harry . He a native of Hampshire county, Massa ch u s ett s x , and had been a resident of Esse and Clinton counties in m New York before he ca e here . While he resided in Clinton s 3 179 8 county he was commis ioned by Governor John Jay May , , t n a lieu enant in the uniformed companies of that cou ty, and while w a s residing at Jay, Essex county , he commissioned by Governor 10 1803 George Clinton March , , a captain , and discharged the f l t 180 duties of that o ﬁce until unti he removed to Coving on in 6 . He purchased in the township of Covington several hundred acres o f w a s land , a portion of which located in the present borough of

B . lossburg He opened up a vein of bituminous coal, which s n ubsequently was mined quite exte sively, for those days , by th e Wi Arbon coal company, and their successors , lliam M . Mallory

C o . . , Duncan S Magee, and is now owned and operated by Mr .

Jacob Jones , of Blossburg . The coal , therefore , with justice , s ll Clenn n on s f hould be ca ed the coal instead o the Bloss coal, as it h was upon the lands which t e captain owned, that the greater por n tion of the coal that was shipped was mi ed . When he came here w a s i into Covington township he a widower with three ch ldren, 77

n . e Camilla, Colborn and Hanso He was aft rwards married t o h h Ruth Reynolds , and t eir c ildren were William , Cuyler, Susan, R ’ oxanna and James , and many of the captain s descendants are t f C ’ t living in this locality, and a por ion o the lemmons esta e is still ” owned by them . ’ th e Some people at this day, Harry , claim that old settlers were prone to t ell large and extravagant ﬁshing and hunting stories

h t . whic canno be substantiated by facts Right across the river, H h t h w a s h arry, is an indisputable evidence t a t is section once t e f s h t n very center o fi ing opera io s , where they were generated by h a . be t e million Away b ck in the geological history of the world , w a s h d fore man created , t ere existe in the silurian age , untold f b h numbers of ishes , for e old, at the foot of that moun t ain there n ow fi h s m t f h is a deposit to be seen of shes . while t e u mi o t e t mount ai n is a thousand fee higher . It would seem that in order to dispose of the immense mult i tude of fishes t hat abounded in this t h e f h a a e o h b region , rocks o t e Devoni n g , the dep sits of t e Car oni h r e tilli a n a f ferous or Coal age , t e p , mamm lian and the age o man , d six great perio s embracing countless million years , were piled h f h t o d t Y upon t is age o fis es hi e and extermina e them . et in t his n i neteenth century the rivers and streams were li terally overflow h h h f fi r o ing wit fis , so tenacious are t ey o life and so proli c in p pa i n h t t f fi h t n h g a t o . T e s ra a o s ex e ds beneat that mountai n and h h have remained t ere for countless centuries , w ile above it are de f t fi re - a posits o sand rock , lime , sla e , iron , clay , co l and immense deposits of rock and earth . That is a fish st ory which has de fi e d i ts l the hand of time to obliterate outlines , or modern story tel ers to invent a larger or truer one . Where that orchard of old tre es h is , where Captain Clemmons once lived and here to the left is w at

h m . h h is termed his o estead T is , Harry , is w ere I stopped wit h 2 6 t Judge Knapp in 18 . A li tle farther on is the hom estead of ” i r d Es i w a s R cha d Vi eau , q , or Uncle D ck , as he familiarly call w a s a n n h n h h t m ed . He E glis ma by birt and settled on t a far 183 1 w a s t h e d h . f u r about t e year He one o most in st ious . genial m n h and companionable e on t e road . He accumulated a ﬁ ne pro ﬁ perty and cleared a ne farm in an unbroken wilderness . He died i l 6 1873 t - f r r t v Apr , , aged seven y ou yea s six mon hs and twel e days . Th e f h b t f r m h A present owner o t e eau iful a and omestead is . J . k w h o f t 400 f r Wat ins , is the owner o abou acres o land , the la gest f t A portion of which is under a high state o cul ivation . nothe r old w a s l w h o h h set tler on this road Til ey Marvin , settled ere in t e yea r 18 1 a n d f t h e 7 , cleared up a large farm was one o most industrious men in this locality . He was four times married and w a s th e

- father of twenty four children . h Sammy , drive over on t e east side of the river . This , Uncle w h f h . ho w h Jonas , is t e residence o C arles F King , o ns t is grist r mill and a large fa m surrounding it . This is the lat e residence of h n W f o f u W n Jo ilson , son o one the early pioneers , S mner ilso . H a h t n e w he A r n ere , Uncle Jon s , is t e old Coving o grav yard , re a o Bloss and many other of the old cit i zens w h o have pa sse d aw ay t t are buried . The glass manufac ory on the righ here belongs t o ﬁ r m r t h Co . h f Hirsc , Ely , the same that ope a es t e act o ry a t It cc - p Blossbu rg . is a operate com any each one being assigned a 7 8

particul ar duty . It is about sixteen years since they organized with ten members at Blossburg . They have been eminently suc f l cess u . At the two factories they make about sixty thousand b i a ll oxes of w ndow glass , which is shipped to points east, west, nort h and south . John B . Hirsch is the superintendent of th e McCo Covington factory , and Benjamin y of the Blossburg fac tory . Michael Ely has charge of the store here at Covington . ﬁr m Altogether, Uncle Jonas , it is a which gives employment to about one hundred men in both factories for ten months a year, and is the means of giving employment indirectly to a number of ” laboring men besides . t Covington , Uncle Jonas, is one of the oldes villages in Tioga w a s .c ounty, and for many years the most prominent business 18 15 town in the county . The township was formed in the year , taken from Tioga . Since its formation there has been taken from

li 1816 a f ort ion Covington the town of Sul van , in February, , p of 182 3 182 4 . R the town of Liberty in ichmond in the year , a portion R 182 8 t h e of utland, which was formed in February, , was in origi 183 nal limits of Covington . Union was taken from Sullivan in 0, 1841 185 2 1872 h Bloss in , Ward in , Hamilton in December , and t e n 1831 185 7 Ma i n sbu r boroughs of Covi gton in , Mansﬁeld in , g in 185 9 1864 il 1876 , Fall Brook in , Rosev le in and Blossburg in August 18 1 i 7 , have all been formed from the orig nal territory of Coving , n of li e t o . The townships Liberty and Union south of Blossburg upon the highlands and join the Lycoming county line . These t l bu ownships are quite thickly settled , with the vil ages of Ogdens rg ,

oaring Branch and Gleason , in Union township , and the villages f Ba r felden h t h o Liberty, and Nauvoo in Liberty towns ip . To e southeast is the township of Ward , which joins the Bradford i county l ne on the east , also the townships of Sullivan to the east and northeast Rutland , aggregating in population nearly twenty v thousand people in the original boundaries of Co ington . The coal l and iron mines at Blossburg, the mines at Morris Run , Fa l Brook and Arnot were within the territory of Covington . So you per cei ve t h er , , Uncle Jonas , tha Covington has been generous with h d aug ters , the various towns and boroughs which have set up business for themselves . For many years Covington Four Corn ” er s wa s l , as it was then called , a great distributing point . W 17 92 The illiamson road was cut out in the year , and extended f li rom Wil amsport , on the west branch of the Susquehanna, up h e L m t yco ing creek or river to Trout Run , thence over Laurel m n ountai to the Block House or Liberty in Tioga county, and t h e thence to Blossburg and down the valley of Tioga, passing Ma n sﬁ eld - through Covington , Canoe Camp , Tioga, to Lawrence vi Con h oct on l lle , thence to Painted Post and up the va ley to Bath . Soon after this Willi amson road was cut out and worked a road w a s made by the state of Pennsylvania which ran north from L uzerne county to Towanda , in Bradford county, thence west t o T ll roy, Sylvania, Sullivan to Covington, and on west to We sboro , the county seat of Tioga county, thence westward on to Pine Creek and up that valley until the summit was reached , and thence west c n w ward to Coudersport, the ou t seat of Potter county, which as All located upon the headwaters o the egheny river, thence west 79

t sea McKea n n ward to Smethport , the coun y t of cou ty, and west th e ward again to Warren, county seat of Warren county . McKea n These northern tier counties, Tioga, Potter and , were 1804 1810 formed in , Bradford county in , although previous to that w date it was known as the county of Ontario . This state road a s i n 1808 - 9 ﬁnish ed to Covington the year , intersected and crossed w a s n o the Willi amson road . At that time there other road run w nin g east and est through Tioga county , until you reached Law vi ll e w a s r en ce , twenty miles to the northward , and that conﬁned r i n cipa lly to the path which had been made by the surveyors of Y ew ork and Pennsylvania, when they located the state line in 6 h the year 178 . T e transit used was very heavy, weighing not less a n d t han eight hundred pounds, had to be drawn on a sled , by a team of oxen . The construction of the state road that connected McKea n the county seats of Bradford , Tioga, Potter, and Warren, n im w a s a great enterprise , and Covington tow ship covering an mense territory w a s the mecca to which m a ny of the early pioneers directed their footsteps . Those who settled in the eastern portion of the township on the highlands east of the valley of Tioga, now lli a n d l in the township of Su van Rutland, were principal y from the New England states . A number of them were from Verm ont and had served in the revolutionary w a r under Generals Stark and 1815 Sulli van . In the year , there were in the original territory of g l l n m C ovin ton the fol owing ist of taxpayers David Austi , Sa uel u t Al dric Ebenezer Burley, David B rley , Alpheus But on Jo seph B unn, Rufus Butler, Aaron Bloss , Gideon Briggs , Abner Cochran ,

Henry Campbell, John Cochran, Elijah Clark , Seth Clark , David Eli Clemmens, Stillman Cannon , Samuel Campbell , Levi Elliott, l ll Getchel , Aaron Gi et , Charles Gillet , Asahel Graves , Josiah ff ff Hi Graves , Levi Gi ord , Noah Gi ord , Samuel Higley , George g S hu bb t ley, Timothy Higley, Christopher Huntington , Hun ington , b John Keltz , Peter Keltz , Henry Knowlton , Absalom Kings ury,

Daniel Lamb Henry Lamb , Gad Lamb , Minard Lawrence , John ve ood i i Lo g , S las Lamphere , Erastus Lillibridge , Jacob M ller ,

George Matter, Richard Miller, John Marvin, Asa Mann , Samuel i W l Negley, Thomas Overton, El as Pratt , Rufus Pratt , i liam Pat

ton, Levi Prentice , Thomas Putman , Elijah Putman , Nathan Row

N . t ley, ehemiah H Ripley, Ichabod Rowley , Cephas S ratton, h T omas Sampson , Joshua Shaw , Amos Spencer, L . H . Spencer, a Ich abod Smith , John Shaffer, Jonathan Sebring , Nath n Whit Ar ch eli u s n l man, Isaac Walker, Wilki s , Daniel Wilkins , Til ey Mar

vi n r . , David Harkness , David Harkness , j , Royal Walker , Lorain

L . f amb , Seneca Stratton , William Merritt A number o these then lived in that part of Covington which w a s formed into the town of 2 4 18 . h Richmond , in the year The early settlers in t at portion of k ul Covingt on now nown as S livan , were in the year 18 17 : John I ni r Andrews, saac Baker, Ana as Baker, Simeon B iggs , Simeon f r . Briggs , j . , Gri ﬁn Bailey, Constant Bailey , Thomas R Corey, w h l Paul Cudworth , James Cud ort , David Crippen , Jacob Col ins, P l eleg Doud, Josiah Dewey, Joseph Dewey , John El is , David Fel o l ws, James Gray, Timothy Knowlton, John King , Uriah Loper, ° L r l h Al . t len ane , , Lemuel Lane , A len Lane , Jo n Ludding on, W ill dn i r a iam Lud i gton, Benjam n Law ence , Henry Lawrence, As 80

I McNett Mann, Reuben Merritt , ra Mudge , Eli , John Newell , Jesse Pa ck h a r t Orvis , Joseph Orvis , Timothy Orvis, David Palmer, John ,

h . Jonat an Partridge , Stephen Palmer, H Pitts , Clement Paine,

Samuel Reynolds , Enos Rose , Daniel Rose , Jeremiah Rumsey, Ra xfor d i h Noah Rumsey, Rumsey, Thomas , El sha Rus , [ Smith John Simpkins , Gardner Seaman, Jesse Smith Jonathan L . ‘ W Spencer , Lyman Spencer, Benjamin Trout , Nathaniel elch ,

i h r . W El jah Welc , Nathan Welch , j , Roswell ebster , Abial Web d h ster, Zebe ee Woodward , Noa Weast, John Watson , Ephraim

S . Marsh , Eli Getchell , Joseph Ford , Lyman Rumsey , Abijah

Hawley, Samuel Hardin, Robert Potter, Apollos Cudworth , John

o r . Bens n , j , Daniel James , Levi Fox, Isaac Benson, Thomas Ben ” nett, Benjamin Harrison . “ A number of these were residents of that portion which was subsequently organized into the townships of Rutland , Union and h h a Ward . T e settlers in Rutland towns ip , Uncle Jonas , in the ye r 182 9 , at the time of its formation were , Stewart Austin , John Ar getsinger, Isaac Benson , Ephraim Bryant , Bethuel Spencer, Eben ezer Bacon , Daniel Bunker, Halsey Burton , Hiram Benson , Green t Bentley , Jacob Benson , Caleb Burrell , Silas Burrell , Sylves er Benson ,

Hiram Beales , Constant Bailey , Peter Burrell, John Benson , Joseph m h a Be an , Johnson Brewer, John Britton , Peter Backer , Abra m S lven u s n . . Brow , W . D Bacon , y Benson, William M Corey , Jabez

M . Corey, Asa Crippin , David Crippin , Sydney Clark, Cornelius

Clark , Seeley Cook, Hiram Cooley, Edwin Currie , Joseph Clark, mu Samuel Clark , Le el Clark , Harris Corey, John Crippin , Enos

. n Curtis , Samuel H Coates , Isaac Clymer , John Drake , James Dan ,

r . . f James Dann , j , John B Dann , Joseph Fletcher, Judah Gif ord , N h f h at an Gi ford , Nathan Goodwin , Gardiner Gould , Jonat an Grey,

. Ha z ea l Eli Grey , Justus Garretson James Goff , Calvin Hathaway , w l . d m W . Howland , i liam W Howlan , John R Ho land , Ja es Husted,

Nathaniel Howland , Henry Hull , Seth E . Howland , Baldwin Hay v n m h well , Isaac Hagar ; Da id Hu tley, Calvin W . Ha mer, T omas n Johnson , James Job , Daniel King, Benjamin Lawrence , Natha ’ v ew ber r ew ber r N h Newberry , Syl ester N y , Lucinda N y , Elisha as , Pru t s m a n t Levi Osgood, Richard Lamberton , David , Eras us Rose , ll a Virgil Rose , Wi iam Rose , Levi Rose , S muel Reynolds , D . B . i Reynolds , John Reynolds , Avery Smith , H . Ste nmetz , Jesse m m . t h Smith , Betsey Sher an , Jacob C Stout , Harvey S i , I . S . m Smith , Isaac Smith , Cornelius Sharp , Andrew Sharp , Her an Su h er f , Je ferson Sherman , Robert Searles , John Selover, John

Snyder , Silas Smith , E . Strong , John Slingerland , Tunis Slinger W land , Albert Slingerland, William Turner , illiam Updike , Jo h n l f Updike , Henry Updike , Abram Updike , Wil iam Wol , Jonathan W W Wood , Solomon ood , Ira Weldon , Daniel Wattles, Seth ard ,

. W W William M ard , Justus ood , Lewis H . Weldon , Ezra Wood, 2 d Solomon Wood , , James Roselle . “ ll You will reco ect , Uncle Jonas , that it had only been about f n twenty years , prior to the ormation of the township of Rutla d , h r that t e ﬁrst settler had located there , a very commendable p o n h gress . In that portion of Covington , now know as the to w ns ip h : of Union , t e early settlers were Uria Loper, Joseph Groover, McNett McNett McNett li John , Eli , Samuel , Wil am Taylor, Nel w ew tt R e ett . e r h son utty, J Spencer, sr , J Spencer, j . , C arles O . o i Spencer, Martin R b nson , Laban Landon , Ezra Landon, John

N h . h h J h ewell , C arles M Dibble, Jo n Ogden , Lut er Ogden , osep k . er t Wilbur, George W T ry , Alfred Jac son , Nathan Palmer, Mar in

h . Middaug , Martin R Harrington , Peter Skelley, Patrick Skelley, Ra n d ell a m h n h Abram , Willi Barrows , Jos ua Rey olds , T omas h d h J a W Tebo , It iel B . Reynol s , T omas Stull, Hiray Gray , y hite m h W . . head , illia Rat bone , Thomas Decoursey , G G Collins , Peter t McCor m i ck W B . Harring on, Patrick , Patrick ynne . The town f i i h h t ship o Un on , Uncle Jonas , is situated n t e sout eastern por ion of Tioga count y and is touched by the Nor thern Central railroad at R h t t oaring Branc The early se tlers in tha portion of Covington, o t h W W McIn t o s h now kn wn as the owns ip of ard , were illiam , McIn t os h a h M i t Simon , M t ias c ntosh , Harry Coover , James Ly on, ﬁ n Kn if ff . Andrew , Erastus Ki , William R Lyon , Daniel Hagar, t u i . . t Waterman Ga es , John P rvis , Simon Conkl ng , A J Tee er, h h w a i n 185 2 h f T e s . h f . Jo n Ki towns ip formed We ave already, s a nd Uncle Jonas , been in Blos burg , Morris Run , Fall Brook you h t t h h h f kno w abou t at por ion of Coving on towns ip . T e towns ip o ‘ b h w a s f C i t h f Li erty, w ich a portion o ov ng on aud on t e line o the ” w t t n e i l m n a s a . W lia so road , early settled , Block House Among h l t t e old settlers were , Jonathan Sebring, George Mi ler, Pe er h Secrist , Frederic Bower , Jacob Beck , Peter Moyer (Jonat an Se h f h O de r a ff bring kept t e hotel or many years) , Josep p g , Samuel a a h Ke g le, Isai h T ompson , Frederic Harrer, Leonard Harrer , John Sch a m ba ch er S ch a m ba ch er Harrer, Peter Sheik , George , Fred , S ch a m ba ch er Roch en br ode h li Leonard , Joseph , John Keltz , P i p

. . . W e l Kohler , R . C Cox , C F Veile , George heeland, Jam s Merre l, b l Cost eri son c w Jaco We ty , Henry , Jacob Reith , Frederi Bo er, S ch a u m eder Leve ood Daniel Gaup , Henry , John g , Noah Runk, McCu r die t h Y o w di s i W a John , Ma ias , Michael Bast an, John e ver, u Ma n a va l R dolph Crist , Jacob , Jacob Shreiner, George Bastian , t h M h John Wel y , Jo n oyer, Samuel Landon , John Lenhart , Mic ael , r Leve o od n Linck , Geo ge g , Christia Corson , Isaac Werline , John

Ridge , Henry Springer, Daniel Hartsock , Solomon Roup , James d Wh a Alexan er, Daniel Spangler, George eel nd , Horace Fellows , lk r d f Fou o h . Isaac , John She fer, Jo n C Beiser, John F . Hart, George

. h Hebe , Henry Zimmerman , Mrs Lydia Jane Pierson, the aut oress .

The enumeration of so many names, Uncle Jonas, must be quite annoyin g to y ou ?

“ “ t : Oh , no , Har I recollect a number of them . There is Jona h h ff Fou lk rod than Sebring , Jo n S e er , Isaac , a considerable number f th a t b h o o er n mes you men ion in Li erty came to Elmira . T en h McNet ts f there were t e , o Union , and the Ogdens , of Union , I McNett had dealings with . Mr . kept a hotel on the line of the t W stage rou e between Elmira and illiamsport , in the town of

i McNet t h . h McIn t os h es Un on , now towns ip T en there were the , W w Lu ddi n t o n s of ard , frequently came to Elmira, as ell as the g ,

m . the Ru seys and Mains , of Sullivan The Roses , of Rutland , used to go do w n through Jackson township by the w a y of Da g ett Hol l ow m h h w h and come into El ira by t e Sout port a y . T en the h a n d f h Spencers , t e Lambs the Manns , o Richmond (t en Coving t w n w ton) made frequen visits to Elmira, or Ne tow , as it a s then 82

W il called, while from here were the Putnams , the Dyers , the sons , the Graves, the Walkers , the Strattons, the Marvins , the Gaylords,

. Y th e Smiths, and many others I was acquainted with ou know, w a s — Harry, that Butler B . Smith from Southport near Elmira . I k ne w him well . I also knew Tilley Marvin , Sumner Wilson and -i n -la w w h o his boys , John C . Bennett, his son , married Olive Wil i n a re son , fact Harry there many names you have repeated that El i a h h . a are perfectly fres in my memory j Putnam , Harry, was t n . rela tive "of Ge eral Israel Pu nam, of revolutionary fame He 1 09 h l S 8 . l came here as early as One of daughters, Miss Sal y, married Peter Keltz , an energetic business man . His son, General

w a s . y Tom Putnam , I well acquainted with In those da s , Harry,

I believe the people were more social than now . When I left m Elmira, there was scarcely a family that I did not know fro w a n d Elmira to Towanda and Canton , from Tioga Point to O ego , l from Elmira to Painted Post , Bath , Addison , Canisteo , Hornel s ’ il La w r en cevillle l v le, Lindley, , Beecher s Island, E kland and Knox v l l l i x il e . Si as Bi l ngs , from Southport, went and located at Kno ville as early as 182 3 and became one of the greatest lumbermen in All n Tioga county . along this Tioga valley I had acquainta ces, also from Elmira northward to Geneva, and northeastward t o P ewﬁ eld I d ony Hollow, Spencer, N , thaca and Cortland . I am tol i ev . i n that the R . Harvey Lamk n resides here now He was born

u 1812 . a n Ulysses , Tompkins co nty, about the year He is also m . H associate judge of this county arry, have Sa my drive over the bridge across on the west side of the river, I want to see how ” it looks over there . h Uncle Jonas, you saw that gentleman go into the smith s op , “ ” t here ? Yes . Well , that is George Baker brother of Richard h a s Baker , of Southport . He resided here many years . Thomas h P utnam lives t ere on the right in that neat cottage . Above here n o the river road is the residence of Victor Gray , one of the oldest

" l ocomotive engineers in the country . He ran on the old Corning - fi v and Blossburg railroad forty e years ago . This side of his h ouse - i n - is the gun shop of Ira Patchin, son law of the late General h a s - Thomas Putnam . He resided in Covington forty eight years . h i s He has secured a competency for old age . His trade was a - v very important one for many years . People came for twenty fi e n ew a and fifty miles to get their guns repaired or ones m de . There was a seminary est ablished here in 1841 by Professor Julius Doane w h o instructed students in the higher branches . He died quite r e

» n tl . . ce . y at a very advanced age Dr Henry Kilbourne, sr , settled h 182 8 i n Covington in t e year . He came in from Vermont . He f ﬁ ft - ﬁ ve u p racticed medicine or y years , and now resides at Blossb rg . There are many interesting reminiscences connected w ith th e his w i t ory of Covington hich I would l ke to recall , but which I fear

h . we shall not ave time to do so I see , Uncle Jonas , that the bor o h ugh of Covington now contains four c urches , Presbyterian , Ba tist l 1 , Methodist and Christian , a graded school , an Odd Fe lows ha , a f t l glass manu actory, a mineral water bot ing establishment, a l fruit evaporator and the usual comp ement of stores , saloons , dru n d w li n s . a tores , etc There are a number of neat cosy d el gs , wit ﬁne vards and law ns Coving ton has increased materially in p op

84:

r h re urned from T the e. When e t ioga Point the boats were com but th e e m r n t pl et ed, ig a ts at ﬁrst refused to enter the boa s , saying w h Wi t o that th ey ere being taken into t e lderness starve or perish .

The Patterson brothers were determined men , had both seen ser v ice i h the border Indian wars of the revolution , and were not t o h h f be t r ifi ed wit . They seized t eir ri les and tomahawks, and th reatened to Shoot the first emigrant w h o refused to enter th e a n d h boats . The women c ildren with their baggage were first b h S w t h e embarked, followed y t e old and the ick , hile many of men were compelled to run along the bank of the river in the old h t b Indian pat , hallooing and shou ing in German or roken English , a imploring and imprecating at each lternate breath . About fi ve l t h t o clock in the af ernoon , as they approac ed Painted Pos , they h r m et t e boatmen with their cargoes of flour, bacon , pork , suga , w a s f coff ee and tobacco . A landing e fected on an island near the o ’ f W C . s w a s present site o Fox , eston saw mill , a fire soon built in a n d the evening meal was prepared haste . As the odor of th e f w a s h S h fragrant cof ee inhaled , t e drooping pirits of t e emigrants ’ a n d h a d t i t h e revived, when they eaten to he r hearts content h w h o h Pattersons w ere t e modern Moses , had delivered t em and

‘ th eir chants of praise were as earnest as had their imprecations a n d an athemas been . From that circumstance Canoe Camp de rived its name . “ There is another circumstance , Harry , connected with its his in n i n 16th J 183 h e t o . 6 tory t at I will On the of anuary, , Governor Joseph Ritner approved the act incorporating the Tioga navigation

h n i company , w ich ﬁ ally by supplements become the Tioga ra lroad company or the Corning and Blossburg railroad company . The idea had been entertained as early as 18 2 4: to make the Tioga river 1836 t . h navigable for boats . In the year Chris ian H C arles a n d t h Ch arles Sikes constructed arks at this point , loaded em with th e h Blossburg coal and ran them down the river to Corning . T e re

— L t Sh r . ff w a s no w a y of getting hem back , so they were sold , and ex n Vt illi a m T . Reeder, then a reside t of Big Flats , purchased them V and erected a dwelling in the illage of Big Flats , a few rods north ’ of the Erie railroad . This place has also been known as Spencer s h 1806 Mills , in honor of Amos Spencer, who located ere in , and e rected one of the first grist mills on the Tioga river . The property i is still in the hands of his descendants , and the milling business s b carried on now quite extensively y A . M . Spencer . That fine residence there on the left is his . The early settlers here were I a n d saa c Lounsberry , Ichabod Rowley , Amos Spencer Cephas w a s n Stratton . This formerly in the township of Covi gton , but i now in the township of R chmond . The game upon the hillsides w a s a n d fi and flats here very plenty years ago , one of the nest i h l hunting grounds in the T oga valley . The il s were low and easy w a s . of access , and the river a great watering place There were - t other game besides the deer and elk bears , pan hers , wolves and h ll wild cats . A pant er once came down from the hi side and killed h u w a m fe . s a d a yearling hei r in the yard near ere P rsuit e , and h t f few w a s h th e uge mons er , a ter a hours , captured on t e me nu tai n side south of here , near the Captain David Clemmens farm .

Th e early settlers had many obstacles to contend with . The hewing 8 5 d own of th e forest and the letting in of the sunlight to warm w a h s f . a n d fertilize t e earth , only a portion of their stri e In t h e 1817 l year a frost killed all the corn , wheat and rye in this val ey . t l It w a s termed the cold season . Corn brought hree dol ars per

b w a s . i ushel , and scarce at that With a hero sm and bravery equal to the Spartan band they maintained th eir ground and lived to see the hand of plenty dist ributing her m u n iﬁ cen t and well - earned

at f f . h l fruits . I see , Harry, th the armers o t is val ey are quite ex t en si vely engaged in growing tobacco . Whose large tobacco shed is t hat 2” “ h . T at shed , Uncle Jonas , belongs to Isaac P Lounsberry, son of

. n ow one of the early pion eers here . We are approaching t h e ﬁ b i Mans eld orough line , which divides the townsh p of Richmond i t — Ma n sﬁ eld w a s 18 5 7 and , organized as a borough in , and taken from the township of Richmond . Richmond was organized as a

182 i . w township in , taken from Covington Mansﬁeld a s named A in honor of sa Mann , an early settler and an enterprising and - 18 . 10 public spirited gentleman He came into this valley in . He w a h s prominent in t e affairs of the county , and in the year 1817 w a s t he f named as one of trustees o the Wellsboro Academy , char t er ed and founded by the state of Pennsylvania . Prominent also among the early sett lers of Mansﬁeld and the town of Richmond ’

: . n a were Gad Lamb Lorai L m o, Benj amin Corey, David Miller,

Cheeney Ames , Lemuel Ames , Elihu Marvin , John Cochrane , Eli G h Joshua Shaw, Levi Gitchell , itchell , Elija Clark, Ebenezer J Burley (a revolutionary soldier), Peter Kelce , acob Allen (a revo lu ti on a r G d y soldier), Daniel Holden , Hezekiah aylor , Stillman D Cannon , Marcus Kelley, John Kelley , Dexter Parkhurst M . . ~ , , h n C ristopher Hunti gdon (a revolutionary soldier) , Isaac Loun s berry (a revolutionary soldier) , Almon Allen , Elijah P . Clark, Rev . . W il Justus B Clark, Abner Cochran , the Nehemiah Ripley,

. Ir liam C Ripley , Ebenezer Ripley , Letson Lounsberry, a Louns h W berry, Eli u Marvin , Isaac Lounsberry, Peter hittaker, Aaron l Gil ett , Alvin Gaylord , Porter Gaylord , Daniel Sherwood , Dani el R v w h h e . h Fr a li ch Lee S erwood , t e Abijah Sher ood , Mic ael . the - Rev . Asa Donaldson , Loren Butts , Ezra Davis, and prominent among the citizens of Mansﬁeld a n d Richmond at a later date were t l A t . Dewi Clinton Ho den , Isaac Holden , John Holden , Dr . Joseph

. . . P Morris , Colonel Joseph S Hoar, George W King , Mart King, l h . . h . l m . Ly an Beac , L H El iott , the Hon C arles V El iott , Daniel l . . . Pitts , the Hon Simon B E liott , Benjamin M Bailey , Levi Cooper, l ll , . . Wil iam Ho ands John Murdaugh , Captain A M Pitts , E . L . l i S W . . perry, Phi ip ill ams , A J Ross, Charles S . Ross , Clark W . m y . Baile , Tho as H Bailey, William Adams , John W . Adams,

. . . Frank W Clark , J M Clark , Professor Charles H . Verrill , Pro f r es so . . D C Thomas , Apollos Pitts , Captain E . R . Backer, Andrew

S . herwood, Charles Kingsbury, Dyer J Butts , Isaac Lounsberry, C r . h . . J , arles Sherman , A M Spencer, Thomas Jerald , G . N . Welch , li . K Colonel Nathaniel A El ott , Homer ingsley, Captain Samuel

n . W Hu t, James R ilson , Charles Knapp , Henry M . Allen , L . H . l t Shattuck , Oliver El iot , Edward Doane , Robert Crossley , Colonel

. . . s W Victor A Elliott , P M Clark , Benjamin Wil on , A . J . ebster,

R. . Vorh . es B . e K Brundage , George W , T F olas n, F . M . Spencer, 86

. D . E . . Kin . R L . R w N. e a gsley , Clarence Allen, E Olney, r A idg y , V t F K . . V R r . . ank ohler, Dr Cole , T Moore , Bur Schrader, ine Pratt,

F . . . . M . Allen and Professor F A Allen Without detracting anything from the reputation of a n y other w h o gentleman has resided in Mansfield since its first settlement, l the name of Professor Fordyce A . A len stands out most promi ' 0 nent . N more successful business man, no more able teacher oi i the youth , no more public spir ted or more distinguished citizen m d ever resided within its limits . He a e the state normal school a . ’ success, he founded the Soldiers orphan school and made it a suc f m “ cess , reflecting honor upon himsel and the co monwealth, and i ’ h conferr ng a lasting benefit upon the soldiers orp ans of the state . He did more to elevate the profession of teaching than any man i n the United States . His voice was heard in teachers institutes from

i u , Maine to Cal fornia, from the so rces of the rivers of the north to i the r sunny entrances into the great bay s and gulfs of the south . Wherever he went he took lessons of common - sense and p ra c tical ideas , and impressed them upon his hearers with that clear n ess and systematic deduction, that made a permanent and lasting m impression . While his elocution ight not have been faultless, yet his rhetoric was of that pleasing, instructive and insinuating w a s h h kind , that his voice like t e harmony of blended chords of t e m sweetest music . His logic was as accurate as the funda ental n principles of mathematics . With a heart overflowi g with good b h i will towards mankind, he controlled his pupils y kindness and s hearers by the gentleness of h i s manner and the smiles of his coun n n t e a ce . He not only left a monument in his honor in the educa

i n l w a s . t o a department of the country , but he for several years a member of the state board of agriculture of Pennsylvania , and by his thorough knowledge of the chemistry of different soil incident im to the valleys , plains , plateaus and hills of Pennsylvania, he pressed his coadjutors with his practical theories and by the per sonal application of his knowledge demonstrated the truth of his t position . That beautiful farm you see on the wes side of the w a s Tioga river, Uncle Jonas, owned by the professor in his life time and is a certificate of his practical and scientific knowledge . w a s t 10 182 0 He born in Cumming on , Massachusetts , July , . In 182 2 h h i s i the year came wit parents to Mansfield, and received h s ’ early education in the common school . After many years absence from Mansfield he returned in the year 1865 and took charge of the o t w s tate n rmal school , pu ting his hole energy and practical knowl e d f I ge to the building up of the reputation o that institution . n 1867 he instituted the soldiers orphan school and carried that on t ' successfully . Whatever was calculated to benefi the interests of m h i the school and co munity at large , t at he entered into w th a ’ I S pirit and will , that knew no such word as fail . was well h im S acquainted with , Uncle Jonas , and never weary in peaking i h s praise . He attended a meeting of the state board of a g ri cu l 1st 1880 ture at Harrisburg about the day of February, . It so hap t Th e pened, Uncle Jonas , tha I was there at that time . meeting w a s y held in the state librar room , and was overheated by steam . The professor w a s warmly clad going down there from Nor th ern

P . ennsylvania His labors were great . In going from the room 87 he went immediately to th e railroad station and took a sleeper for H l Elmira . e caught a severe cold which cu minated in pneumonia 11th 1880 a n d on the day of February, , he died . I took a very w a s severe cold , and so sick that I was unable to attend his fun

w a s . eral . It indeed a sad day for Mansﬁeld A” m a . This w s Smythe Park , Uncle Jonas ost successful fair

. D is held here annually rive in at the gate, Sammy, and we will look over the grounds " This association w a s organized in the year 1879 ; one of the prime movers in the organization was Pro f e . . . . fess r F A Allen Its present o ﬁcers are Thomas H Bailey, - t resident ; D . J . Butts, vice president ; Mar King , secretary ; Phillip

t . . V illia m s . , treasurer ; Mar King , T H Bailey, D H . Pitts , . R .

ll . P . . a . . r tt , J A E iott , J M Clark, trustees The fairs are held under the auspices of the Tioga count y agricultural, mechanical ” and industrial association . “ I e b Well, declare, Harry , thes are eautiful grounds , with all th e necessary sheds, stalls, exhibition rooms , tracks , grandstands , pavilions and dining halls . What a beautiful shade these trees of natural planting make It reminds me of those trees that years ” “N w w . o ago gre on Clinton island at Elmira , Sammy, drive around by the State Normal school These splendid buildings and h prosperous school are t e outgrowth of the Mansﬁeld Seminary , h 15 185 5 whic was organized February , , under the patronage of t the East Genesee Methodist Episcopal Conference . The ﬁrs b 185 7 uilding was opened for school purposes in January , , J . R .

M . h e Jacques , A . . , ﬁrst principal T e school had only been in op r m ation three onths when the building was burned . The work of w a s reconstruction commenced immediately, but the trustees were sorely pressed for money to carry out their plans . The building, w a s r e - however, partially completed and school opened November

M . 3 185 0 Rev . . . . 2 , , the J Landreth , A , principal The successor w r a s . of Mr . Landreth Professo E Wildeman , the next year the 18 2 w b w a s . 6 a s e uilding completed In the year , the school re r n iz ed g a as a State Normal school , being the third normal school in

Rev . the state of Pennsylvania , and the W . D . Taylor succeeded Pro fesser Wildeman . Professor Taylor was succeeded by Professor F — w h o ﬁ ve . A . Allen, of whom I have already spoken served t y ears most acceptably, placing the ins itution upon a ﬁrm basis, and securing appropriations and aid from the state to enlarge the w . . a s capacity of the school . Professor J T Streit chosen to su e l n oecd Professor Al en , but being in feeble health was u able to l enter upon the work, when Professor C . H . Verril , a successful

w a s . teacher , selected Professor Verrill was succeeded by Pro Fra den bu r h w h o fessor J . N . g , acted as principal for some time , h f w hen , upon the very urgent requests of t e trustees , Pro essor F .

A . Allen again became the principal . I might here remark, Uncle h h h Jonas , t at during t e early ﬁnancial history of t e institution the H f on . John Magee , o Bath , loaned the institution which he sub se uently don ated to it . After the death of Professor Al len in 880 r fe r h w a s sso . . 1 , o D C T omas chosen principal , and is ably dis n ‘ a t . cha rging that duty prese t I have , Uncle Jonas, only given you an outline of its history, for it would take hours to relate a ll the

r u . . hi sto y , its ho rs of adversity and moments of prosperity It is a 88

‘ n o w successful institution , and is annually making improvements, ff extending its inﬂuence wider and wider, and di using lasting les sons of science a n d education . Drive down on to Main or William "” street , Sammy “ ’ h n h T at building on the cor er is the soldiers orphan sc ool,

. . 1 founded by the late Professor F A Allen, and opened October , 186 187 2 15 0 w a s f 7 . In a farm of acres purchased by Pro essor h h Allen , located on t e west side of the river near the school, w ere boys in attendance at the school were given practical lessons in h i i i h r a c farming . T e girls, in add t on to the r studies , are taug t p tically how to be good housekeepers . There are usually about 2 00 l i i pupils in attendance , about equal y d v ded in regard to sex . I have visited this school frequently , Uncle Jonas , and regard it as one c t of the model schools of the oun ry . There is more practical com mon sense exercised in its management and instruct ion than a n y h h sc ool I ever visited , eit er in Pennsylvania or New York . For w a many years Professor Vine R . Pratt s the chief assistant of Pro e Al . fesser len After the decease of Prof ssor Allen his widow, w h o Mrs . Jane Allen , a lady eminently qualified for the task , had alw ays been in sympathy and accord with the professor in h i s n plans a n d designs , assumed charge of the school and co tinued w . e Mr . Pratt as her assistant and superintendent If had a little n more time at our disposal, Uncle Jonas , I should insist upo mak ing a visit to the school . That fine brick edifice on the west side of the street below the ost offi ce is the Mansfield Business and

. . e Commercial College F Allen , son of Professor F . A . All n, t he a l erected that fine brick on right of us as a commerci l col ege, a n d had a very successful commencement ; but subsequently con cluded to remove to Elmira and opened a commercial and business l school in the Advertiser association building . The e egant and h costly brick edifice on the west side of the railroad , wit its fine

a . h yard and play grounds , is the Mansﬁeld gr ded school T e cost

of the building and its furniture , steam heating apparatus , etc . , h 188 1 n w w a s about It was erected in t e year . We will e

drive to the Grand Central Hotel, kept by W . S . Earnest , and we ” will take dinner . w h o si t Mr . Earnest , this is Uncle Jonas Lawrence, is vi ing ” your beautiful village .

. r be lad to meet you, Mr Law ence, walk in, dinner will soon ” ready . W ell , Harry, this is cheerful and cosy . These Tioga county landlords h a ve a faculty of making their guests feel comfortable

and at home . Mansﬁeld has grown wonderfully since I saw it - w a s . forty four years ago . It a mere hamlet then The business h li a places are substantial , t e dwel ngs are elegant and the whole p ” n e h p ea r a c of the place is brig t and cheerful . h Across t e river yonder , near where you see the smoke issuing t w a s 18 from hat stack , a furnace erected about the year 5 5 by a f h h f company incorporated or t at purpose . T e manu acture of pig w a s iron carried on quite successfully for several years . A large portion of the ore used was obtained from an ore bank a short dis

tance to the west of the furnace , . The furnace finally passed into w h o 0 the hands of a firm resided at Reading, Pa . In the year 188 89 t h e company owning it got into difficulty concerning the running w a s n of the business and it finally torn down about a year ago , ot w a s bu t f because the manufacture of iron unprofitable , or the reason the owners could not agree upon the m anner in which the business should be conducted . John W . Phelps w a s for many years its superintendent and manager . h Dinner being over t ey dismiss Sammy Sage, the driver, and send him b a ck to Blossburg well pleased with his service as a team l ster . Uncle Jonas and Harry take a wa k about town . f ?” IS there a printing o fice in the village , Harry

Oh , yes , Uncle Jonas , there is a most excellent newspaper printed here now under the title of the Mansﬁeld Advertiser , whose Va n Keu r en e . . . . ditors and proprietors are F E and S E Coles .

They publish a four page, eight column weekly, neutral in politics . Th e f i It has a large circulation . o fice is suppl ed with a steam p ower press and all the facilities for doing a fi rst - class business i n a r j ob work . A newsp per was first started in Mansfield in the yea

185 6 with I . M . Ruckman as editor . The name of the paper was h ﬁ t e Balance , subsequently christened the Mans eld Express . The

: . . editors were in the order named I M Ruckman , the Hon . S . B . d He a r . Elliott , J . S . The type and fixtures were finally sold and 18 2 7 . . r taken to Kansas In , Henry C Mills , of Lawrenceville , e moved from that borough a newspaper office and established it at

Mansﬁeld under the title of the Valley Enterprise . Mr . Mills sold out his interest and the paper w a s issued as the Mansﬁeld Ad ver tiser, which name it has since borne . The editors have been V . A .

h . . i . . Ell ott , O . D Goodenoug , D A Farnham , Vine R Pratt , William t Va n A . Rowland , and the present editors and proprie ors , Messrs . w h o f l Keuren and Coles , have added largely to its aci ities in every

- respect . This , Uncle Jonas , is a no license borough . In the year 18 0 7 , in view of the many students who were attending the normal a n d other schools a law w a s passed prohibiting the sale of i n t oxi tw o h h cating liquor within miles of t e state normal sc ool . It is cla i med by many that the effect of that law is beneficial to the i h t h h h habi ants of the boroug as well as t e students of the sc ool , and it is also claimed by others that its provisions a r e evaded in many h l t h ways and t at iquor is smuggled in from o er localities . It is not clear in my mind whether it operates for the benefit of th e h student or to his injury . The churc es of Mansfield are the Bap h t i t . s , Methodist, Presbyterian , Episcopal and Universalist T e w a s z 1843 h 1844 Baptist church organi ed in , t e Methodist in , the 1867 t 1870 Episcopal in May, , the Presby erian in April, , and the 1882 l Universalist in . They are all we l attended and supported . 5 1832 A church of Christ was instituted as early as July , , by the th e Rev l s Rev . . . W . David Higgins , of Bath , and E D el , of Law r en ceville w h o , were a committee appointed for that purpose by

h . . h h the presbytery of Bat , N Y T e members constitutin g t e h h church were Amariah Robbins , Joel Harkness , Josep T ompson,

h . l John Backer, Jo n W Donaldson , Timothy Orvis , John Ke ley,

Mary Cooley, Hannah Kelley , Thanks Webster, Delia Donaldson , h Emily Sexton , Anna Finks , Roxalana Brown and Rac el Orvis . Rev The missionary in charge was the . Asa Donaldson . The w a s k h i t church nown as t e F rst Presby erian church of Richmond . 90

x Th e It ceased to e ist as an organization a number of years ago . fi rst store erected in Mansfield was built by Daniel Holden in th e 2 6 - ff y ear 18 . The first brick house was erected by ex Sheri Benja 1841 min Gitchell in the year . It stands in the southern portion of the borough , a few rods west of Smythe park . Several canal boats designed for use upon the Chemung and Erie canals were 1845 1846 184 built at Mansfield in the years , and 7 by Edward F l aulkner , Amos Bixby, Gurdon Ful er and John Holden . They r were floated down the river to Co ning when there was a freshet . The first framed house was built in Mansfield by Peter Keltz in th e ost offi ce year 1810. The first p in the township of Richmond was 182 2 established at Canoe Camp in the year , with Amos Spencer as w a s b postmaster . The first grist mill in the township erected y 1805 In i n . Elchee Marvin , the year a year or two thereafter a Crist mill was erected by Amos Spencer at Canoe Camp . Canoe amp and Mansfield for many years were rival settlements , and situated only about two miles apart, the rivalry at some times was v ery exciting, particularly so when Amos Spencer succeeded in ost ofli ce etting a p established at Canoe Camp, his place of resi 182 4 ence . In the year Chandler Mann erected a tannery at ll Mansfield, and Almon A en, father of Prof . F . A . Allen built a w oolen factory .

N E MA SFI LD .

— . CONTINUATION OF PIONEER REMINISCENCES PROMINENT MEN OF

- TO DAY .

Prominent among the many w h o worked industriously and i n t ellig en tly for the success of the State Normal School a n d the pros ll i erit . . p y of Mansfield was the Hon Simon B E ott , for many years Clea r fi eld a resident of Mansfield , but now living in county, Penn w . a s sylvania . He is a son of Larman H Elliott and born at She 18 0 Pa . 3 h e u i n . s q , Bradford county , , in the year He came to w a s * Mansfield when he about seventeen years of age, and by dili gence and industry acquired the trade or profession of architect, a s civil and mining engineer . He w the architect of the State N or mal School bui lding and deserves great credit for h is untiring 1860 effo rts in its behalf . In the year he was elected a member of the state legislature of Pennsylvania when Tioga county had only one representative in that body, and served his constituents and m a n d the com onwealth honorably acceptably . He was elected as a republican . While a resident of Mansfield he did many things — to advance its prosperity . He was an indefatigable worker labor n ing at his profession , cari g for the public welfare , occupying the editorial chair and bringing into public notice th e educational a d 1 n vantages of Mansfield . In 87 1 he became i terested with th e Tioga railroad company and later was superintendent in charge of ’ the company s coal mines at Arnot . While in that capacity he superintended personall y the erection of coke ovens and the build ing of the largest coal washer and crusher in the state of Penn sy l v ania . He also superintended the erection of four hundred coke

One of the most substantial business and banking ﬁrms of this

h W . W boroug has been that of Ross illiams Andrew J . Ross a s P b n a . 2 3 182 orn in Pike township , Bradford cou ty, , February , 7, 8 18 5 li w 1 7 . h W as a n d died August , P il p illiams born in Troy Pa h . 182 6 towns ip , Bradford county, , in the year and came to 185 5 83 . Mansﬁeld in 1 7 . In the year he and A J . Ross entered into - h 2 eth 1872 co partners ip and on the day of May, , they established ’ Ross Williams Bank . Three years later Mr . Ross died and his

C . . son , harles S Ross , succeeded , him in the business The ﬁrm of .

R . . oss Williams is thus continued Mr Charles S . Ross is a thorough and energetic man , and Mr . Williams a careful and j udicious ﬁnancier . Both have been conspicuously con nected with e very enterprise calculated to foster and build up the business i n tercets of Mansﬁeld and surrounding country . Mr . Ross was for s everal years the very energetic secretary of the Smythe park asso ci a ti on . , and Philip Williams the treasurer Across the way , Uncle t Jonas, is the store of the Pitts bro hers , Daniel H . and A . M . Pitts . For many years they have been engaged in the mercantile business ” w h o and are gentlemen stand high in the community . ? w a s What about the Holdens , Harry I acquainted with Daniel

H olden and his sons Daniel Holden, the elder, came to Mansfield Y 1819 . . in the year from Albany, N , and in the year 182 0 erected a store in the southern portion of Mansfield and continued in the 1 80 8 . mercantile business until his death in Dewitt Clinton Holden, his son , occupied the Holden homestead and increased its domain . He w a s for many years one of the most enterprising business men w a s 4t h 181 . 8 i n the Tioga valley He born October , , and died in 1 t t h e year 187 . A large por ion of the dwellings in the southern t t portion of Mansfield are loca ed upon his esta e . His brothers A R L . . . H were Daniel , Isaac , John , George , Horace W . orace is ” now a resident of Elmira .

That building on the left , Uncle Jonas , is used as a cigar man u fa ct or y and occupied by Voorhes Co . The senior member of the h s on fi r m . . is G W Voor es , of your old Southport friend , Henry W . t Voorhes . The es ablishment employs about fifty men and women . n Yonder comes Colonel Elliott , Uncle Jo as . I want to make you acquainted with him . Colonel Elliott this is Uncle Jonas Law “ rence . Glad to meet you , Uncle Jonas , and glad to know that you are visiting your old time haunts and pu blishing your very i interesting sketches in the Elmira Advert ser . I read those sketches with very great interest . My father, Levi Elliott, was o n e of the early settlers in this valley . He came from the state of 1809 wn Maine in the year and settled in the to ship of Covington, which embraced a large township now composed of several town ships a n d boroughs . I was born in Covington in the year 1817 w i and have al ays l ved in this county . ll l - We , Harry , the colonel is a we l preserved and active old “ gentleman . Yes , Uncle Jonas , he is , and has been one of the l active business men of this val ey . He represented this county in 1848 the state legislature in the year as a democrat . Has since m th e been county com issioner for six years , one of most responsible i ffi th e . ll o ces in county You wi bear in m nd , Uncle Jonas , that in Pennsylvania three county commissioners perform the duties 93

’ N allotted to the supervisors in the state of ew York . The commis si on e r s n a ssesssm en t s in Pennsylva ia equalize the , levy the taxes , h h n take c arge of t e county buildi gs , court house , jail , poor house, and county bridges and roads , look after the poor and insane , pass upon all accounts presented against the county and collect all claims in its favor , and exercise generally a supervision over county f a fairs . It is therefore of the utmost importance that honest, capable and thorough business men should be selected for that pur A i e . . . pOs Colonel N Elliott ﬁlled the b ll , and the people of the t county retained him for six years in tha capacity . He is the

h . fat er of the Hon . Mortimer F Elliott , the distinguished lawyer of Well sboro and ex - congressman - a t - large for the state of Penn sylvania .

Harry, there was a family of Gaylords here with whom I was . acquainted .

“ ' Un cle Jon a s n Yes , , Hezekiah Gaylord came to Ma sfield from 182 2 h a d Vermont in the year . His brother Elijah settled in Sul v 1819 h 182 0 li an township in the year , and in t e year settled at v Co ington . Both had large families . Hezekiah Gaylord died in fi 185 0 - v Mans eld in the year , aged eighty one years . Al in Gay lord , w h o 1876 one of the sons , reared a large family, died in the year , - w a s aged seventy seven y ears . He a very active member of the w Methodist church , being one of the charter members , and a s the ’ first high constable when Mansfield w a s formed into . a boro twen

- ty eight years ago . The descendants of the Gaylords are quite

- numerous in Mansﬁeld to day . Uncle Jonas , permit me to make ‘ ’ you acquainted with Captain E . R . Backer , one of Ma n sﬁ eld s m i n n r o e t . citizens Captain Backer, Uncle Jonas , is a native of w u tla n d Pa . a s 6 1840 , Tioga county , , and born January , . Dur h a w ing the late rebellion e raised a comp ny of cavalry, serving ith d distinction uring the term of enlistment . He received an honor able discharge and raised another company a n d re ~ entered the ser v J ice . Captain Backer , Uncle onas , is a staunch republican , and a pleasant and agreeable gentleman . Mr . Lawrence , I am really t o u a pleased to mee y and , your nephew , Harry S mpson , and y ou should be pleased to receive a call from at my house . I thank n you Captain , but Harry and I are strolling about , looki g over old land - marks and conversing upon the people and the chan ges that h h t . a p ave taken place within t e last for y years C tain , I once a t tended the raising of a barn erected by Clinton Holden about the 1840 w a s t h w year . It at the ime that t e railroad a s being graded and completed . Business called me here from Elmira, and I want ed to see severa l gentlemen ; but upon going to their homes or ’ places of business, I found they were all gone to Clint . Holden s ft barn raising . Anxious to see them that a ernoon I went to the “ m n raising . There I found about one hundred e and boys from

. the surrounding country They were down from Canoe Camp, m C Covington , Elk Run , fro Corey reek , Lambs Creek , Mill Creek, . h m d Mainesburg , Roseville , and West Ric on . The fra m e w a s a t h e h l h heavy one , and work of putting t e sil s on t e foundation h a d m just com enced as I arrived . Old men , soldiers of the revolution h 1812 and t e war of were there , some in active duty , and some counselli ng and advising the younger and more stalwart Ir en , 94

h li Boys were t ere taking lessons, hand ng pins, braces , chains and n pike poles , putti g them in place ready for use by the men . A number of women and girls were there, too , or rather at the house n w ear by, cooking venison , mutton , chickens and other ise assist n i g in preparing a great feast . for the men after the barn should e have been raised . Rude long tables w re made of pine boards s upported by benches in the shade of a huge buttonwood tree, v while baskets of dishes , kni es and forks , table cloths and napki ns were being overhauled and placed by “ willi ng and deft hands upon the table . Rapidly the frame takes shape under the combined ff w e orts of the men , while the stentorian word of command as given by a man whose lungs were evidently in the most healthy " ” He - o - h e - o - r c ondition . heave , heave , away, heave away " e s ounded up and down the valley and inspired the men to renewed a n d . concerted action At length the frame was raised, the pur

- loins and rafters put in place and stay lathed . It had been a laborious and exciting work . No sooner had the last rafter been t h e u t . p in place , when supper horn was blowed But before its summons could be attended to the building must be christened and w h this must be done by one selected for the purpose , o mounted v to the northeast corner of the upright port on the plate, and dcli e red a speech , thanking the people for their assistance and con ‘ ’ cluding by pronouncing the name , Cornucopia , the horn of l p enty . This being done the multitude assembled at the tables . “ Th e minister of the place was given the seat of honor at the head 1812 of table , flanked by soldiers of the revolution and the war of , t m a n u fa while along down the line were farmers , merchan s , ctu r ll o s . a ers , lab rers and boy Grace was said with due reverence and the feast w a s commenced . Liquor had been passed at intervals d during the afternoon, but to the cre it of those pioneers be it said, a non e were intoxicated . They had ssembled to assist their neigh bor and in extending that courtesy then so preva lent among the - v a w as pioneers forty fi e years g o . There a mutual dependence upon each other that does not exist at the present day and hence the indifference of the present generation to those neighborly acts which were a distinguishing trait in the character o f the early and ” pioneer settler . “ ' s l a W Uncle Jona a low me to introduce you to Fr nk . Clark, a one of Mansfield s prominent lawyers . Mr . Cl rk is a democrat, ” l but liberal and broad minded in his views . Happy to we come you Mr . Lawrence to our borough ; I hope will enjoy yourself dur ” “ i . h . . r n ing your visit T ank you , Mr Clark I am ve y much ” “ t er e t ed n s a d . in your thriving prosp erous village Mr . Lawrence , w h m h n . h o a er c a let me introduce J . M Clark , a brot er of mine, is t ” “

. . w here We are sons of Elijah P . Clark . Ah , Mr Clark, I kne h your father and grandfat er well . Your grandfather was Elijah a few Clark , a native of Massachusetts , and lived for m ny years a ’ “” “ n ot 3 miles north of here , near Lamb s Creek, did he Yes , sir, an d 5 18 4 - 6 . i he died January, , , aged eighty one My father, El jah h - Pinc en Clark , died a short time since , aged about seventy eight h l la n km a r years . I knew t em wel , Mr . Clark . It is thus the old ks ” r a e fading out and passing away . “ n w e h U cle Jonas , have an our or more at our disposal, sup 3 5)

l v ose we go out Wel sboro street to the Tioga ri er . This burnt w a i st r i ct and where this new building is being erected, s th e ’ ” former site of Straight Kohler s hardware store . “ 1840 This cut , Harry, was thought in , when they were con I i n . t str u ct g the railroad, to be one of the heaviest on the road was deemed then a great undertaking . With modern appliances ” a n d machinery it would now be deemed a mere trifle . “ Down yonder, Uncle Jonas , where you see those glass cases , are the market and floral garden of Robert Crossley . You should have seen it t w o months ago . It would have convinced you that the west is not the only place where vegetables can be raised to w l e . advantage . I wished had time to cal on Dr Joseph P . Morris . 185 0 Ma n sfl ld He purchased in what was termed the town plat of s . H 1835 e came from Philadelphia to Blossburg in the year , and was interested in the Morris Run lands . He subsequently resided at E Well sboro and married Miss Sarah . , daughter of the Hon . Sam uel W . Morris , one of the most prominent early settlers of that 185 3 borough . In he came here to Mansfield, where he has since w h o resided . He was prominently associated with a company 185 4 erected the furnace hitherto spoken of in the year . Has been a a trustee of the State Normal school , and every enterprise calc lated to benefit Mansfield he has done well his part , That new ’ i Ma n sfi eld s building belongs to Thomas H . Ba ley, one of energetic t t men . Mr . Bailey is president of the Smy he Park associa ion . N ear him is the residence of Burt Schrader, another active busi ness man . That gentleman you see with a white hat walking ll m across the track , is Wi ia H . Kinney, the active station agent at f Mansfield, and also the general passenger and freight agent or the

Tioga branch of the Erie . Mr . Kinney has been in the employ of the company for nearly ten years here at Mansfield , and is one of the most effi cient officials of the road . That gentleman going from h the freight depot is Andrew S erwood , the geologist , a gentleman w h o has been connected with the second geological survey of P t h e ennsylvania . He has rendered great service to state by his untiring and intelligen t work . He is now engaged in the milling business in the northern portion of the borough . That fine farm y o u see on the west side of the river yonder in the northwest is ‘ ’ w a s called the Sherwood farm . Its former owner the Hon . D aniel L . Sherwood , a prominent citizen of Mansfield and Tioga Y 5 180 . . 9 county . He was born in Marathon, N , December , , and 1830 1842 c ame to Mansfield in the year . In the years and 1843 he h w a s elected to the popular branch of t e state legislature . In the 1844 1845 1846 y ears , and he was elected senator in the district 1846 composed of Tioga and Bradford counties , and in was chosen w Speaker of th e senate of Pennsylvania . He a s an ardent demo erat . He removed to Northumberland county, Pa . in the year 9 186 , and served two terms of two years each in the legislature , 1877 1880 representing that county in the years to inclusive . The - ll farm that you see fu rther to the north , where that wind mi is in

O . . p eration , is owned by L H Shattuck , the old superintendent of - w . a s this road . Mr Shattuck, for thirty two consecutive years the superintendent of this road and voluntarily retired from that i i posit on . He is a gentleman highly respected for his impartial ty 9 6 a n d kindly treatment of those employes who came in contact with him in the management and working of the several departments h h . of labor connected wit the road T at gentleman , Uncle Jonas , w h o h w w a passed by ere a moment ago, earing spectacles , s Joseph r u i S . Hoard, J . , a yo ng man of rare business qual fications . His w a s father, Colonel Joseph S . Hoard , a former prominent citizen fi 1844 of Mans eld . He came to Mansfield in the year . Ten years later he was prominently connected with the establishment of the h State Normal Sc ool , and with the erection of a blast furnace . When the rebellion occurred he enlisted and w a s fina lly promoted to the several intermediate grades until he reached that of li eu t en - few d . n ant colonel . He died a years since in Flori a Uncle Jo as, suppose w e go around on to Main street again . I want to call on m w h o f f y friend M . L . Clark, or many years has o ficiated as the village postmaster with more than ordinary satisfaction to the u bli c p .

Very well , Harry . That gentleman going into the bank is ’ a n Ma n sﬁ eld s Mr . Charles Kingsley, a t ner, one of prominent citi t l w e m l zens . This gen eman that are about to eet is Fenton Al en, l h son of Almon A len, one of t e pioneers of this place, and brother l ” of the late Professor Fordyce A . Al en .

TIOGA AND ITS ENVIRONS .

ITS PEOPLE AND ITS BUSINESS ADVANTAGES— THE RETURN TO ELMIRA .

The train , Uncle Jonas , is reported half an hour late . That w ill f fi enable us to get an early supper be ore leaving Mans eld , and have i ample time to go to the depot . I must aga n repeat t hat I am l pleased with my visit to Mansfield . There are some o d settlers Wil whom we have not called on or talked about . But tha t l al ways be the case . “ As w e go down the road to - night w e will pass through Kelley ’ fi t t t l a town and Lamb s creek . Gad Lamb was the rs se er t t h e 4 1 9 At t h t 7 7 . latter named point . He arrived here July , is place k Ca b i (Mansfield) he found Benjamin Corey located in his bar n . h i s . W The creek yonder , Corey creek , is named in honor e have w h o neglected to call on Lorin Butts, lives in the southern port ion th e era lds w h o i C of borough , and upon the J , l ve on orey creek, h r east of here , and many ot ers whose names, howeve , I have

. i mentioned Ten years ago , Uncle Jonas , I called on Lor n Lamb, w h o w h o w a s t h then resided in this place, and an old man en , but w a s his mind fresh and active . He gave me an account o f his ’ h n n 1 9 l m fat er s comi g to Pe nsy lvania in 7 7 , and re ated any inci dents connected with the early settlement of this valley and Tioga w i n . a s fi county He born in Spring eld , Massachusetts, the year 1789 h t o fi , and recollected well the trip from t at state Mans eld in 179 7 . h w a s W h His fat er, Gad Lamb , born in ilbra am , near Spring d 2 oth 1744 w a s fiel Massachusetts , November , , and married Janu 7th 1779 er u sh a W ary , , to Miss J Ripley of indham , Connecticut , , re n er u s Their child n were Da iel , Harry , Sally, Patty, J h a Lorain , " ‘ 97

. Nancy , Clarissa, Maria and Ebenezer An old settler, Harry , of W w a s ’ the name of Ripley , with hom I acquainted , lived at Lamb s w a s creek . His name Ebenezer Ripley . He had been an ofﬁ cer i n w r — ’ u a . the revol tionary major, I think He settled at Lamb s 1817 w a s - i n - creek about the year and a brother law of Gad Lamb , h er u s a W f . d A 30th J , i e of Gad Lamb , being his sister He ied pril ,

- 1849 . h ill , aged eighty three years With is son, W iam C . Ripley , I was also acquainted . I frequently saw him in Elmira and at his ’ . h n home at Lamb s creek T e family were from Cooperstow , t New O sego county, York , but formerly of New England origin . i I am told that William C . Ripley is st ll living at the advanced age ’ - of eighty eight . The Cochrans were old residents at Lamb s creek — h . h Jo n and Abner T ey were from Bennington , Vermont , and 181 6 . 187 came into this valley in the year John died in the year 7 , a - h ged ninety eight years , seven mont s and fourteen days . His

- brother Abner died the same year, aged eighty eight years . One of their descendants is a celebrated Methodist minister , and has n been a presidi g elder . “ ’ w a s David Corbett an early settler on Lamb s creek . He set ’ tled on Lamb s creek in the year 1830 and made the ﬁrst clearing 183 1 h . Y on t at stream In , Michael Fralic , from Marathon , N . . , ’ w settled at Lamb s creek , and for many years a s a prominent citi n W z e . . w a s His death occurred quite recently His ife Angelina,

. daughter of Daniel Lamb His sons, Daniel and Henry Fralic , are energetic men engaged in farming and lumbering upon an ” extensive scale . “ Our time is up, Uncle Jonas . Well , Mr . Earnest , you have made our visit pleasant and in our travels about the country w e may call on you again . “ Thank you , gentlemen ; I shall be pleased to entertain you whenever you call this way . “ h Uncle Jonas , there is one place t at I would have been pleased h h h h to see . T at is t e elegant cemetery situated upon t e ill side h h y east of t e railroad , a few rods north of ere . You can alwa s judge of the character of a community by the manner in which it

h . h cares for the city of t e dead T ere is no better standard . If h th e you visit a cemetery t at is overgrown with weeds and briars ,

- fence and walks neglected , the grave stones or monuments moss f f covered and out o place , you can sa ely conclude that the com

munity is a shiftless , careless, thoughtless and irreverent people . ﬁ h The people of Mans eld take great care of t eir cemetery . It is n ot , m f a gloomy , cheerless spot and robs death , the grim onster, o much of his terrors by the loving ca re and wat chfulness exercised h h ” by t e men and women of the boroug . ‘ h a t w e S h Harry , I have been t inking th might as well pend t e

. h week in this valley T is is only Friday night . Suppose w e go - h to Tioga to night , look over the village to morrow, and take t e afternoon train . “ n Suit yourself, Uncle Jo as .

h , f . . Buy tickets , t en or Tioga Harry Yonder comes the train . " Good evening , Mr . Shattuck We are going only to Tioga tO- h - h nig t, and will go down to Elmira to morro w a fter n bo n on t e freight . I want to cross over the mountain and descend into the v h h da vli h alley of t e C emung by g t . 98

v I know that the freight train is a slow train , but then it gi es

‘ “ m e time to look about me and observe the country . That is

t . . rue , gentlemen I suppose , Mr Lawrence, that you and your ” h i n ephew , Mr . Sampson, ave had a good t me this week .

We are passing now the residence of the late James R . Wilson,

for many years president of the Corning and Blossburg railroa d . 1807 He w a s a native of New Jersey ; born in the year , and a gradu

- ate o f Princeton college . He studied law and was admitted to i n practice, but being interested in the mines at Blossburg and the

Corning and Blossburg railroad, he came into the valley about the 183 8 be year , and assisted in the construction of the railroad and a n t came its president . He was lso promi en ly connected with the 185 e nterprise of relaying the track with T iron in the year 2 . He n w a s polished in manners , refi ed in his taste , considerate of the r a - ights of those with whom he had intercourse , w rm hearted, f ffi b enevolent and kind , a friend to the poor, an e ficient o cer and n a n obliging eighbor . He was familiarly known as President ” Wilson . The last time I saw him , Uncle Jonas , was at the

. 7th 1868 funeral of the Hon John Magee , which occurred April , . w a s President Wilson attended the funeral which held at Watkins ,

N . Y . A strong tie of friendship existed between President Wil

son and Mr . Magee , and Mr . Wilson was nearly overcome w ith

g rief . He wept like a child , thus manifesting that kind sympathy,

which was one of the distinguishing traits in his character . Presi 2 4th 1871 - ﬁ ve dent Wilson died December , , aged sixty years . He

and his wife , Margaret Smith Wilson, were among the founders of

St . James Episcopal church at Mansﬁeld, Mr . Wilson being its ﬁrst ” seni or warden . “ ” Rev n Where , Harry , did the . Asa Do aldson reside? We

h ave passed his old homestead . It was Situated on the west side

v . f . r o the Tioga river, near the farm of Le i H Shattuck I emem l w a r . s b e Mr . Donaldson we l He one of the pioneer ministers of w a s n t his valley . I acquainted with him before he came to Pe n w a s n 4th 1 88 . 7 sylvania He bor in Massachusetts , September , , and Y subsequently settled in Otsego county, N . . , about the year 1805 m w a s and studied for the inistry, and licensed to preach in the 1811 v y ear . He was for se eral years stationed at Guilford, Che n ango county, New York , and while residing there several times v visited Elmira . He was a Presbyterian . O er a half century ago Pa he came to Tioga county , . , locating temporarily at Lawr ence v Asa Re . ville and Tioga . In the Donaldson , the pioneer of this w alley found a friend . One that did by his amiable character and

e xample lead them to high and noble aspirations . He guided with l a h steady hand t eir actions to a great extent , and taught them

scriptural truths, the amenities and civilities of a Christian com w a s h i s munity . He aided largely by accomplished and amiable m wife . He raised a large and respectable fa ily, who have honored

his memory by becoming useful and inﬂuential men and women . i n His death occurred the centennial year, in the state of Iowa, w and his remains ere buried in my adopted state, Illinois, at Mal W ” den, beside his deceased ife . “ Here we are at Tioga . We will take the Park hotel omnibus,

n le . D c Jonas, and go and call upon Mr Cole, the hospitable land

100

the extreme . Surely, Harry , it is a great surprise to me that Tioga, with all these natural and acquired facilities, has not been seized by the hand of industry and made the center of a large population engaged in manufacturing and varied industrial pursuits . She y et wi ll be spied out and the b u rn of machinery will be heard in this rural borough now so serenely sitting on the banks of the Tioga l h crooked creek and the E k orn in the shade of these mountains, now covered so magniﬁcently with the autumn foliage of the for ” est trees . “ One lucky capitalist and manufacturer will yet locate at this point and will be followed by others in quick succession . Fortun i n ate indeed is he who is the pioneer this industrial enterprise . ni Northern Pennsylva a and southern New York , within a radius - ﬁ ve m of seventy iles , will in the next half century become one great workshop . The position it holds geographically and her jux t a ositi on m p it bears to the forests of timber, coal, iron and glass a r i d t e a l will accomplish it . The child is living to ay who will W it ness it . Already is the foundation laid for such an achievement , and year by year will labor, capital and enterprise, rear the super structure . I saw Chicago , Harry, forty years ago , the germs of a h o great city, and plead wit and implored my eastern friends to g n thither and invest . Some went , but many lost the golde opp e r i t u n t . e e y One million souls now inhabit the spot, wh r forty years

h h - ago t ere were not t en sixty thousand people, and perhaps to day h i t - a r e in t is l tle borough , far seeing individuals, without capital, w h pleading with their friends to come hither and invest, o will c w h o fi ve turn a deaf ear to their soli itations , but or ten years ' n hence , will be mour ing over lost opportunities and golden chances “ ” and sighing over what might have been . w a s r It dinner hour when Uncle Jonas had finished his emarks , and he and Harry entered Park hotel and passed into the elegant dining room of Mr . Coles . Dinner being over Uncle Jonas and Harry leisurely prepare for m f the train that would take them to El ira . On their way rom the h hotel to the depot , they had an opportunity of viewing t e hillside e park so admirably and el gantly fitted up by the late Hon . A . C .

Bush , and during his lifetime kept in such a tasty and attractive n i m a n d a co d tion, provided with so any conveniences amusing p li a n ces n n p , where people by the thousa d could assemble , prome ade i t s s h ad ‘ y groves , recline in its easy chairs, enjoy music and danc ing in its halls , lunches and sumptuous dinners in its spacious din ing rooms , siestas in its arbors, refreshing draughts of clear spring

h . water, wit out charge or fee Where patriot anniversaries were d h hel , where Sunday school picnics , family gatherings , c urch par t ties , emperance meetings, religious or other services were held, reﬂecting upon the generous mind that conceived, and the ben evo h h h h lent and that furnis ed all these t ings for t e amusement, gratiﬁcation and convenience of a ll w h o chose to enter its limits and conduct themselves with decency and propriety . When Harry had described to Uncle Jonas the beauty of the park , the com f h h h h manding view it gave o t e valley of t e Tioga, to t ose w o chose to enter its domain and cast their eyes over the landscape s pread out before them . It made a great impression upon t h e m i n d 101

o f the old gentleman, and recalled the sturdy pioneer and active

business man , who more than fifty years ago left the banks of the h h Chenango and made a ome on t e banks of the Tioga, another f branch of that grand old river, the Susquehanna, o his struggles f in the vocation of lumberman, merchant and armer, and his ripe h f ‘ old age , blessed wit wealth and a fluence , and a heart o er fl ow i n g w h with kindness to ards is fellow man , made the name of Asa C .

Bush doubly dear to him . For a few moments they walked in

s . : v ilence At length Uncle Jonas said Harry, I do not belie e in prodigality or spending one ’s substance in riotous li ving or erecting costly dwellings for the grati ﬁcation of a desire to do some t h h hing to excel neig bor or overs adow his less expensive ediﬁce ; b li h ut I do be eve t at my old friend, A . C . Bush , set an example f t which it would be well or men of wealth to imi ate . When for

tune has smiled upon them , when they have secured a competency

for themselves and those in their care , that it is their duty to pro vide as far as it is within their power facilities for their less favor

ed friends and the public generally, some way whereby they can h be amused , t eir reasonable desires gratiﬁed, their spirits enli ven

ed, their courage renewed , or the sorrows , griefs and disappoin t ments allayed by retiring to a spot like Bush ’s park or in some

central hall , library, museum , drive or walk enlivened by music , , f h while away a ew ours , leaving behind them their burdens and i gathering strength for the future battles of l fe . I do not believe ll - that we directed charity lessens the independence of manhood, but on the contrary, strengthens mankind and stimulates them to t greater exer ions . Very many men, Harry,I have seen in a great ﬁnancial strait when it only took a few encouraging words and a little substantial aid to tide them over the threatened rock of di s a n d h i aster , they sailed on t ereafter w th greater prudence and r e f v newed effort , coming out of the di ﬁculty i ctorious and acquiring h a position w ich e nabled them , to not only take care of themselves , w h o w a s but assist their neighbor on the point of being stranded .

Yonder comes the train , Harry . Buy the tickets and w e will board ’ it when it arrives . All aboard 1” Wh Cla u h ese en the conductor, Michael y , comes to gather the tickets , Harry introduces Uncle Jonas to him and makes an ar a rangement to telegr ph to R . B . Cable , the superintendent of the d roa , to get permission to ride on the engine from Tioga junction h s h to t e ummit , in order that t ey may improve the time while the train is running from Tioga junction to Lawrenceville , in looking a n d around , perhaps walking down to the next station east of the summit in order to catch a view of the valley of the Chemung .

Permission being granted , Uncle Jonas is introduced to J ohn w h o , h f h f Keating has c arge o t e train rom Tioga junction , and to W i m W h “ ” ill a allace , t e engineer of the pusher, two old and ex er i en ed p c railroad men . Being comfortably seated in the cab of h w a s ﬁ t e engine , the sig nal given and the ascent began . The rst e h h x aust showed t e giant power of that iron horse . Up , up they o g , the tireless engine exerting itself to its utmost capacity until t h e summit is reached . Having left their baggage in the car at t h e h foot of t e mountain , Uncle Jonas and Harry determined to 102

w alk about half a mile from the summit, and go out into the ﬁelds h to the south of the railroad track , whence t ey would have a better view of the distant vall ey to the east . Arriving at the desired point , they stood and gazed upon the delightful landscape before m fe w the . Uncle Jonas , after a minutes turned to Harry and “ s aid : Each sovereign state , whether in the eastern or western ‘ ’ ] h . hemisphere , claims the rig t of eminent domain All titles to f r eser vm land must originally come rom them , g in their grants , in

i i ) many instances the ownership of all prec ous m nerals . They also reserve the right for all time to come to exerci se jurisdiction over all territories or lands sold and conveyed . In time a mul titude of C persons in habit these concessions or grants . ommunities are th e i i l outgrowth, famil es are reared , ch dren are born and grow to i manhood and womanhood . However rude the dwell ng in which these children are born and reared, and however rugged the coun r t y in which they are surrounded , that dwelling, that country and i t s hills , mountains , rocks , rivers , lakes and streams, becomes ’ - . ﬁ v e their s not by purchase , but by association Seventy years ’ ago I was born in the valley of the Chemung . Tis there I was ’ reared and educated . Tis there I spent my boyhood, youth , and early manhood . I became acquainted with its rivulets , cascades m , rivers, plains, hills and mountains . They were i pressed upon my mind , and became a portion of myself and my possessions . l The valleys, hil s and mountains have been been stripped of their forests to a great extent, but their outlines remain . The state ex er ci ses h a jurisdiction over t em , the farmer cultivates the soil, the h a - h merchant s erected ware ouses , the citizen has built costly e th e dw llings , hand of industry has founded workshops , commerce n has dug canals, co structed railroads, science and art have com bi n ed a to make it beautiful , religion and educ tion have built churches , schools and colleges , and although in law there is not a h l foot of land in t at whole region I can hold , yet original y a ll that w a s w a s a n territory mine, is mine now, because it my heritage , d remains not only my heritage but the property of thousands of h w h o ot ers like me , were born there and reared there the same a s

I , and whose claim does not interfere with mine, nor mine with h theirs . C ildren for generations to come will claim it as I claim W it . ith such a state of claims existing what becomes of th e principles of eminent domain . It is such claims as those I make h m which create t e love of ho e and country , begets patriotism and incites t he soldier to defend with his life not only his fireside and family but his country . Often , Harry, I have sat in the union depot in Chicago and seen the tide of emigration flow in from Ger many , Italy , France , England, Ireland , Scotland , Switzerland and h h t e countries beyond t e great ocean, and saw them hurried further onward towards the setting sun, have I pictured in my mind the ‘ m z f a ive homes of those oreigners as they passed me , and wondered wh ether they carried with them as I did the memories of my child hood home ? And I instinctively answered the question for them w in the affirmative . Then it was that I could tell h y the images h h f of t e landscapes upon t e Rhine , the sunny climes o France and . h h Italy, the merry farms of England , t e emerald s ades of Erin, the rugged hills of Scotland and Switzerland were boldly outlin ed

104

now they extend north into central and northwestern New York , a nd ff ew bu r to Rochester Bu alo and N g on the Hudson, and south ward into the anthracite and semi - bituminous coal ﬁelds of Penn ' h sylvania, and the rich and productive oil ﬁelds of that state, t us making tributary to their trunk line railroads wh ich bring to the o main line millions of t ns of coal and iron, millions of barrels of

oil, immense quantities of lumber and bark, almost a countless

number of passengers , and a freight trafﬁc in agricultural and

e s h manufactured articl , w ich employ thousands of locomotives and many thousands of freigh t cars in moving this immense vol

ume of commodities which are seeking a market over their lines . This road h a s from time to time made connections with railroads reaching from its western terminus in New York whi ch traverse l the great states of Ohio , Indiana, Il inois , Michigan , Wisconsin,

Minnesota, Missouri, and the south and west that delivers to it the

grain , cattle , and other commodities of the west, and in return transports the goods and merchandise of the east to these remote

and intermediate points in the west . Its freight t ra ﬂi c is not its n only source of revenue . The passenger busi ess is simply enor

mous . Nor is that line of business confined chiefly to those thou of w h o sands emigrants from the old countries, fill its long trains , h h but the merchant , t e mechanic, the citizen , t e business man, the tourist and those who desire to spend a vacation in gazing at th e a n d many beautiful landscapes , the cities towns that are located

along its line .

Before the Erie had completed to Dunkirk , it made arrangements

whereby it ran into New Jersey to Jersey City, keeping open , how r S u ffr en s ever, its o iginal line from to Piermont . For years , there t h e - fore , passenger going west departed from Twenty third street,

New York city, crossed the ferry into Jersey City, and at the latter point has taken a Pullman sleeper or elegantly u pholstered pass

enger car , and the rate of forty miles per hour has been Whirled h i r a n e of through New Jersey up into t e Catsk ll g s mountains , a Alle a n i es portion of the eastern spurs of the g , which divides the

waters of the Hudson , Delaware and Susquehanna rivers, passing n through the great manufacturi g city of Paterson , with its busy h population of sixty t ousand , and with tireless energy the l ocom o tive has drawn him up into one of the grandest scenic localities of the middle states . He sees away up in the mountains the waters

of the Delaware river, which ﬂows southward until it reaches the

populous city of Philadelphia with its million of inhabitants . He h sees t e lofty mountains in all their grandeur, the rippling stream , h the dashing river, and t e rocks, which for untold ages have held — their place , unshaken and unmoved by the hand of time the h rugged forests , t e plains and plateau , the land of milk and golden m h a butter, and ﬁnally arrives at Bingha ton , upon t e Susquehann , after having been crowded into Pennsylvania by the mountains of n ew New York . At Binghamton a and varied landscape is pre

sented to him . The wild and picturesque scenery of the Delaware h is exchanged for a country ric in agricultural products, elegant farm houses and pleasing landscapes . Binghamton is a city, the f o fspring of the Erie , which reﬂects credit upon its foster parent, wi h t its inhabitants , its schools and churches , its asylums, 105

n its manufactories , its grand hotels , its costly dwelli gs, its spirited h and intelligent press , its enterprising merc ants and its reﬁned and cultured people . Leaving Binghamton the traveler glides smoothly down along the bank of the eastern branch of the Susquehanna , a valley made w h o historic by the sturdy pioneers , , nearly a hundred years ago, took possession by purchase of its then primeval forest and made their homes in the wilderness upon soil held dear by the red man n h f of the six natio s , passing t rough Owego , the county seat o Tioga county, with its inhabitants , elegantly located upon the north e shore of the b autiful east branch , with its many points of local i e e and historical nter st mad memorable by its historian and orator, l h . . W Judge Avery , and the classical sc olar and poet N P il is , the l w h o home of Colone David Pixley, distinguished himself at the 1775 w h o siege of Quebec in , under General Montgomery, and was 1790 the pioneer settler in , and thence onward , rolling swiftly through many varied and pleasant views , reaching Waverly near the great Indian gateway, which for a century was guarded and v h - igilantly watc ed by the red men , lest some pale faced intruder from the south should ascend the north branch of the Susquehanna and trespass upon their hunting grounds along the valley of the

Big Horn (Chemung) . Leaving the east branch of the Susquehanna to unite its waters with those of the Chemung and thus form the north branch of the h Susquehanna , t e traveler is propelled northward up the valley of h em u n - th e the C g , which at every revolution of driving wheel con tinnes to open up into a wider and more fertile region , passing under the shadow of the Chemung monument , a memorial erected by the patriotic citizens of the Chemung and Wyoming valleys in h 1879 m w o n t e year , to co memorate the victory by General John r v Sullivan over the British , Tories and Indians, during the e olu i n a r w a r 1779 t o y in August , , a hundred years before ; speeding away through rich and alluvial regions , over historic grounds to ew t ow n Ka n ew l Elmira (N Point), the scene of Indian treaties ( eo a ) t h e h n ow with c iefs and warriors of the six nations , and the site of the Queen city of the southern tier ; thence northward alon g the beautiful valley, following nearly the old Indian pathway to Seneca lake for a distance of four or fi ve miles from Elmira ; then by a short curve w heeling westward through a broad and fertile valley u n to Big Flats , and thence westward to Corning in a valley su r passed i n loveliness and rich in agricultural p roducts . At Corning the passenger can diverge if he chooses from the i Con h oct on main l ne and ascend the to Bath , a town founded in 1 3 W l 79 by General Charles il iamson , agent for the Pultney esta te f h fi o England , and in doing so will pass through one of t e nest valleys of the upper waters of the Susquehanna and enter a section f f fi of country distinguished or its ertility , its neat villages , re ned ‘ h fi w fl ock s h in abitants , its elds of aving grain , its and erds , its vine r h l f n h yards and o c ards of de icious ruit , reachi g Rochester, on t e

Genesee , with its one hundred thousand inhabitants , surrounded f by a country rich in nurseries , ﬂowers , ruits and cereals, and view the Genesee river as it tumbles over rocks and precipices , until it f ca n reaches Lake Ontario , a ew miles distant ; or he continue on 106

P P s the main line from ainted ost , a town whose annals are famou o l n in Indian history, which m destly rec i es upon the east bank of n t o the Con h oct o river, and thence up the valley to the westward n Addison on the Canisteo river , a tributary of the Chemu g, and thence westward along the historic valley of the Can isteo to Hor

h n . nellsville , t e terminus of the Susquehan a division At Hor n ell svill e the traveler will find a large and popul ous incor l i ported vil age, teeming w th industrial and commercial pursuits, a a n d he can either take the Buffalo division route up to Canaser ga, ff Dalton, Warsaw; Attica to Bu alo, or continue on the Western ll D i division to We sville , Cuba , Olean, Salamanca to unk rk, passing Al a nd through the counties of legany, Cattaraugus Chautauqua, l and crossing the Genesee river, and touching the Al egheny river at n w Olea , hich rises in the highlands of Potter county, Pennsylvania, and flowing northward into New York, thence westward and ni P Pa . southward until it u tes with the Monongahela at ittsburg, , H wi to form the Ohio . e ll be delighted on the passage by the varied and pleasing scenery . Here a busy and thriving village h supported by an agricultural district, t ere a town engaged in manu fa ct u rin g , again another stimulated by the production of petroleum , l huge tanks of oil in great numbers wi l be seen . He will also have an opportunity of seeing th e red man upon his reservation in hi s - l semi civilized state . He will also see hil s , mountains and mead ows , orchards , fields of waving grain in their season , elegant farm houses, capacious barns and manufacturing establishments of v e ery conceivable kind . He will also see miniature railroads , 15 0 t - ascending a grade of feet to the mile , with a hree foot guage, n winding around the face of the hills , crossing ravines and scali g heights not attainable by the standard guage locomotives . He will also see pumping stations for forci n g petroleum through pipe lines to near and distant places , and a thousand and one things , Uncle

. a Jonas, which I will not task your patience to relate It t kes an army of men to conduct the affairs of this grand old Erie and all of f it s branches . I will only attempt to name its principal o ﬁcials to w e day, but before you leave for the west will take a trip over the h Hor n ellsville Susquehanna division from Susque anna to , and talk over matters of interest , and become personally acquainted with many of its subordinate ofﬁ cials and visit the principal cities and i towns along its l ne . h . . r Jo n King is president of the Erie company ; S M Felton, j . , v - - ice president ; Charles Paine, second vice president ; James A . Ma cDon ou h Buchanan , attorney ; A . R . g , secretary ; Edward h W . hite , treasurer ; B T omas, general superintendent ; F . M . n Wilder , superintendent of motive power ; H . D . Blunden, e gineer w a W l maintenance of y ; . G . Ful er, purchasing agent ; Stephen M D w ll . . c o e . Little , controller ; A J , auditor ; John N Abbott, gen eral ticket and passenger agent ; John Hammond , general freight agent ; J . M . Drill, division freight agent , Jersey city ; William C . n Y . Buck , division freight age t , Elmira, N . . ; J . M Horton , division Y freight agent , Rochester . N . . ; J . Deuell, division freight agent,

f Y . Bu falo , N . . ; E . G Hill, superintendent eastern division , Jersey

. r City ; E Van Etten , superintendent Delaware division , Po t Jervis ; d R . . B Cable , superintendent Susquehanna ivision and Tioga branch,

108 a fternoon on the Erie at and go up to Big Flats and remain there over night . It will give you an opportunity of meeting some f ” o f the descendants of your old riends in that town and village .

a i . Very well, H rry, I w ll be ready in time Your remarks " I n v . e er upon time , yesterday, impressed me very much thought before of giving t h e railroads of the country credit for the uni f i formity o time , and lessons of punctual ty which they enforce u pon the business man , laboring man, traveller and the commun ity in general . Upon reﬂection , your remarks are reasonable and remind me of the miscellaneous way in which time was observed ” before the era of railroads . 96 9t 96 i t 96 96

. H This is our train , Uncle Jonas ere is your ticket , uncle .

Now for Big Flats . What a comfortable seat ; and smoothly and w e w e l s wiftly w e glide along . Here are at West Junction ; wil s oon be in the town of Big Flats . Perhaps I have told you when w w a s I . a the town of Big Flats organized ; if not , will now It s o 16 182 2 rganized by an act of the legislature April , , session forty ﬁ ve a 12 1 t , as will be seen by ch pter of that year, aken from Elmira . I recollect well when it was organized and what was said about it Th e in Elmira . legislature convened that year on the ﬁrst day of th e January and adjourned on the seventeenth day of April , next w a . h J d a y after the bill s passed for its organization T e Hon . ared i n Patchen represented Tioga county the assembly and the Hon .

Gamaliel H . Barstow in the senate . Chemung had not then been f l ormed . But , Harry , I do not wish to reca l or revive the memory

ld. t o . of feuds , and will herefore desist from further explanation w n e h Here e are at the town li . The early settlers in t is vicinity

f r . R v e . were Nathan Saunders , Roswell Go f, J , son of the Roswell

Comfort Bennett and his sons George , Horace , Daniel , Mor n ris and Andrew J Peter Mead , Benjamin Whitney , Calvi Hawk fi ld fi eld S co e . S co ins , Isaac Manning, Abram , John C , Daniel Sco fi l h il v r e d . h S e , John F Delaney, Jonat an Kent , George , Joseph w ff Ro ley , Noah Hawley, John Bennett , Ebenezer Snow, John Go , J ohn Brown, Usual Goble , Cornelius Low, Gershom Livesay , h Hezekia Mead , Aries Hodge and others whose names escape me h now . T ey resided in that portion of Big Flats known as Sing f w . a s Sing On the le t of us Eleazer Owen , Clark Winans, Henry

h H . . Farr, fat er of Valentine , John, W . , and James E Farr, Aaron C ook , Judah Mead, Ira Mead and John Mead, sons of Hezekiah

Mead , Colonel Van Valen , Salmon Beard , Salmon Rowley, Doctor

T . hesus Brooks, John Winters, William Miller, Robert Miller l h i Robert Mi ler owned t e farm east of the v llage of Big Flats . h North of t e village were Frederic Vaughan , David Trumble li Vaughn , Samuel Minier, John L . Sexton , Wil am H . Reeder, J ” Wh ames Jackson, better known as Old Hickory, John ite , h Dea t es John S . Miller, Josep and still further north up Gardiner ’ ’ creek and on Hooker s and Reeser s hill were Robert P . Owen , h Cornelius Harrington , Mic ael Shea , Justus Luce , John Baker, W Anthony Reeser , illiam Ellison, senior, William T . Hooker, f Austin Hooker, Daniel Reeser, and northest rom Big Flats were

Giles Allard Jacob Dorn, Ami Carrier, Lewis Pound , Henry Ful h ler, Darius Bennett , Telman N . Bennett , Ansel Carlton, T omas 109

B uck , Henry Minier, Frederic Wolcott, Charles Frye , John Silsby ,

Joseph Pound, Hezekiah Beebe, James Farr, Paul W . Breed, and h E to the sout east of the village , on the river road to lmira , were l f McNu t . John y , Hezekiah Woodru f , Judson M Park, Nathan

. l Reynolds , Caleb L Gardiner, David Reynolds , Levi Lovel , Reuben l h Lovel , Smith , Joseph R odes, Christian Minier , Joseph

Parks , Simon Hawes, and across the river near the Elmira town

i . . ship l ne , were Orson H Fitch , Daniel K Fitch , Colonel John ‘ w e Hendy, Jr . I declare , Harry, here are at Big Flats station ' ” “ w e ? w e b W here shall go O , will go to the hotel erected y

Charles Reynolds ﬁfty years ago . There is no omnibus running to h it w e n t e . , but can walk down i to village “ h T e depot at this place , Uncle Jonas , is located upon the prem i “ ses formerly owned by your old friend John Winters, or Pap ” w a s . h w a s Winters , as he familiarly known T is school house 185 4 f erected during the year , during the o ﬁcial term of John L . w r . h a s Sexton , J . , as town superintendent of schools T ere con i r l h s de a b e opposition, but t e friends of education were in a major ity, and the old red school house which stood near the road south d - east of the village w a s aban oned . The grave yard or its cemetery h h on the left as been enlarged, the original space given by t e e late Robert Miller having b en fully occupied . It is the oldest

- h grave yard in the town , t e first interment occurring over eighty h w a s a fi ft years ago . The c urch (Presbyterian) erected bout y five years ago , and has since been remodeled in its interior . The h church ere to the left of us is the Episcopalian, and has been erected for about twelve or fourteen years . The Episcopalians erected a church west of the village over fifty years ago ; but after w a s using it for twenty years it sold to the Baptist, and in the w year 185 2 it a s removed to the village , remodeled and is now in use by that denomination . The Methodist church was erected in 5 w e h w e ill the year 186 . When get to t e hotel , Uncle Jonas , w talk these matters over . They arrive at the hotel and are con ducted into quiet rooms by the landlord, Mr . Relyea . After they were comfor tably located Uncle Jonas said to Harry “ This hotel was erected about fifty years ago by Charles Reynolds , now de

of . . . h a s ceased , father S T Reynolds, of Elmira C arlie Reynolds, w a s he w a s familiarly known, one of the most enterprising and h w a t e . s public spirited men in country When I a young man, w a s Harry, he engaged in the mercantile pursuits , and in purchas ing grain and shipping the same in arks to the southern market on the Chemung and Susquehanna rivers . His store stood on the op h osit e side of t e street from this hotel, a little farther to the east . hen the Chemung river was high he w a s enabled to load his ark h wit grain from his store , in that creek (Gardiner creek) and ﬂoat it down through the meadows to the river . He built this hotel and the residence next to the west of us . Although he was so w a s very energetic , still his health not very good . Consumption h h 183 7 h a d marked im as a victim , and he died in Marc , , in the h h prime of life , and w en e had surmounted all ﬁnancial obstacles w which stood in his a y . John Minier soon thereafter leased or d w a s h t th e purchase it , and keeping it w en I lef for the west in 1 h h h year 184 . T ese old otels are landmarks , not always t e scenes 110 o f b b o f de auchery , ut the homes the traveler, and the place where

i b . publ c and private usiness is transacted That is very true , Uncle

J . onas Since you left this county, this hotel , upon the whole , has w ll n l been specially e kept . Its la d ords have been men of character a n d standing . I recall the names of John Minier, Captain William D W unn , illiam and George Edminster, Judson, M . Park , Water man Park, Mrs . Mary Gardiner, Isaiah J . A . Jones , John Relyea, P l R I . . Jones, A . S . Fu ler , and the present occupant, John elyea, “ r J . Until a few years since it had a room set apart as a con r t ” ’ room . In that room the justices courts were held, as were als o

- t h e . r town and state elections The e is a ball room attached, and r n for many years , du ing the winter seaso , dancing schools were Th ese held . schools consisted of thirteen lessons, given once a li week, usually ending by a pub c exhibition of the progress made l t by the pupi s in the erpsichorean art, at which invitations were e l xtended by the master or teacher and pupi s to their friends . These public dances genera lly called forth the elite of the vill age a n d a n surrounding country, and was occasion upon which every lady a n d gen tleman particularly placed th em selves u pon the order f t d o . their good behavior The u most or er and decorum prevailed . No dissipation or vulgar lang uage was tolerated either in the hall ' h i o r a bou t t e house . The pupils were taught pol te manners and ” a many ccomplishments which ﬁtted them for good society .

. I I have no doubt of it, Harry have always been in favor of s di chools of deportment and dancing, regar ng them, if properly c a n d w ell onducted , as being a healthy innocent amusement , and calculated to impart good manners to their pupils . Now, Harry, I want to talk about some of the business men here of forty - ﬁ ve y ears ago . l Wel , Uncle Jonas , the ﬁrst merchant here was John Huey, u n i from Dauphin co nty, Pennsylvania . He e gaged in farm ng a t west of here in the town of Corning, and was killed by the cars 1 185 4 - h C . M orning, September , , aged sixty three years Jo n .

French , another early merchant , removed from Big Flats to R t h e 1838 i ochester about year , and a few years since d ed there at

. h n a h advanced age . He established a foundry and mac i e shop in w h . . o C that city . William A Tuttle and Lauren A Tuttle , arried m e . on business for any y ars here , are dead Samuel C . Gibson is

a a . lso de d Your old friend, Benj amin Farwell , who for many w a s years engaged in the manufacture of furniture at this place, ” - e . died recently at Paint d Post, aged eighty four years

I know his son , Harry . He is a prominent merchant of Chi

ca 0 . i Zachariah Clearwater , Moses Rumsey, Nelson Hotchk ss, Jacob

a ll . Dorn , blacksmiths , are dead Lorenzo Brown , Captain David m i — v Brown, wagon akers , are still l ving, I believe Captain Da id

z o . Brown in Elmira and Loren Brown in Schuyler county Dr .

Thesus Brooks , for many years a resident of Big Flats, died in

Elmira a number of y ears ago . Drs . Corbett Peebles , William i i Woodward and T . W . Reed are st ll residing here and practic ng their profession . Dr . Peebles has resided in Big Flats over forty - n d ﬁ v . a . . . e years , Dr Woodward about forty one years Dr T W

Read about thirty years . The Masonic lodge under the new dis in the sale of merchandise , the purchase of railroad ties and wood , and contractors for the rebuilding of twenty or thirty locks on the

Chemung canal between Elmira and Watkins , and between Horse - ﬁ ve heads and Corning about t wenty years ago , with headquarters in Big Flat-s made this one of the busiest little hamlets in the J hi s country . ohn Haggerty represented t county in the assembly h h 185 8 w a s of t e state in t e year , and a man of broad views and an intelligent and energetic business man . Samuel Minier was high ff h 1841 1844 sheri in t e county from to , and member of assembly 185 1 in the year , a prominent farmer and business man . Haggerty

. a n d and Minier are dead Nicholas Mundy is still living, is one of th e most prominent and extensive farmers in th e southern tier

u f New . h f co nties o York He owns the omestead of his grand ather, ’

h h . u Nat an Mundy, his fat er s , Reuben M M ndy, and has added t o his inherited estate the Martin Hammond and Jonathan Boyer

h , 400 farms , adjoining t e Mundy estate aggregating over acres, of.

h h . as ﬁne soil as t ere is in t e state You can perceive , therefore , h i r o . Uncle Jonas , t at the ﬁrm did not lack cap tal _ energy They invented and created business an d when it dissolved and Haggerty W h " went to aterloo to get near t e center of public works, Big Flats d lost a valuable citizen , and his eath a few y ears thereafter w a s a

. h great public loss The business of the people has c anged . About. thirty years ago the culture of tobacco was commenced at Big h ﬁ f h Flats, t e rst successful e fort in t e Chemung valley . It has . n o w annually increased , until there is scarcely a farmer in the town that is not engaged in its growt h or indirectly interested i n th e the business . From this point cultivation extended up the Con h oct on rivers Chemung, , Canisteo, Tioga and Cowanesque, and down the valley of the Chemung into the vall ey of the Wyoming in Pennsylvania, and along the valley of the east branch in Bing ' h a m t on a s Uti ca h k and up the Chenango as far north on t e Mohaw , w a and westward into Onondaga counties . Big Flats s the pioneer n l t obacco growi g town . Its cultivation in a l the sections I h ave named were subsequent to its ﬁrst cultivation here in the year

“ Curtis Elmer, from the state of Connecticut , raised the first crop of tobacco for the market upon the David Reynolds farm on the banks of the Sing Sing creek at the lower end o f the flats i n 1850 the year . This proving a success, Reuben and George W . ll 185 1 Love and John Parks, in the year , raised successfully several acres . Their success stimulated other farmers in the town t o engage in its production , among whom were George W . Van McNu lt Gorder, Orrin Wing , Hiram Hammond , John y , David H . h h . r Bon am , James Hughson, Samuel Minier , Jo n L Sexton, j . , h t Nicholas Mundy, Archibald Gates , Jo n Minier, Mar in Hammond, and many others . Thus in a few years the industry spread wider h T and wider until it as covered the territory I have named . hat l . W is the supper bell , Uncle Jonas e wil go down into the di ni ng room, the place where so many fine meals have been eaten in years

i . h gone past on private and public occas ons . Many distinguis ed h h men have dined in this house, among w om I recall t e Hon .

Hiram Gray, the Hon . James Dunn, Hon . Amasa Dana, Hon .

. . A Andrew B Dickinson , Hon lexander S . Diven, Hon . Ro bert 113

k . n H Ca m bell, Hon . John Magee , Hon Aaron Ko le , on . Andrew

h . . K . . g . . . Cregg, Hon T eodore North , Hon C C B Walker , Hon v Stephen T . Hayt , Hon . Da id B . Hill , Hon . Horace Greeley, Hon .

Martin Grover , Hon . Thomas A . Johnson, Hon . James Hughson ,

H . . . on . Samuel Minier, Hon George B Guinnip , Hon John Hag l Ho n . . . R ert . y , Hon Samuel G Hathaway, Wil iam C hodes , Hon Pu m . ell ames Woods , Hon . Joseph Darling , Hon James p y , Hon . n Francis Granger , Bishop Delancey and many others disti guished in public life and social position . I sat, Uncle Jonas , at the table 185 2 in t h e dining room in October, , with the Hon . Horace Greeley

. . P of New York , George W Brown of Elmira , Judson M ark, Lauren

h . . D . A . Tuttle , Nelson Hotchkiss of Big Flats , t e Hon A B ickinson of

H . . ornby , and the Hon . George W Buck of Chemung Mr . Greeley had made a speech at Corning on that day and was driven in the carriage of Mr . Brown , of Elmira , from Corning, accompanied by

. . n the Hon . A . B . Dickinson and the Hon George W Buck . Judso w a s a n d M . Park kept the hotel at that time and a warm political personal friend of Mr . Greeley . It so happened , Uncle Jonas, that

I w a s here and with Messrs . Tuttle and Hotchkiss were invited to r dine with t h e pa ty . “ h r It is wit a g eat deal of pleasure , Harry , that I visit these old ” landmarks and listen to your recital of their history . After partaking of a well - prepared supper Uncle Jonas and k m Harry tak e a wal about the village . They first visit the for er a residence of Joel Rowley and Capt in George Gardiner, which they t find altered and remodeled , and then return and meet at the pos ffi e h h an th e o c , w ich is in t e store of the Minier Brothers , m y of Am resent villagers and townsmen , among whom were Judge l . h . h Rev b . . rose , S Fuller , George W Lovel , P ilander J Brown, t e

. . t . C . L . Bacon , John L Sexton , Dr Corbet Peebles, Dr William

w . . Wood ard , Jacob Markle , Orlando Groom , E W Gardiner, Joseph

ﬁ ld h . S co e , Jo n Farr , Simeon Wormley Simeon Hughson , Martin H R w u r . ammond , j , Seeley eeder , Patrick El ood , David Q ackenbush,

a h . . Charles Qu ckenbus , Abram B Minier, Joseph B Lowe , Jerome W d . . h Ma n . Allard , Nic olas y , James E Farr, H Farr, John R . Ch u rch er i a . Min er, S muel A Minier, David , Charles Hammond and h e many ot rs , and spent an hour or more in social conversation n k recalling old time sce es , tal ing over hunting , ﬁshing, barn rais n h t h . ing , lumbering , rafti g and local incidents of t e pas T rough

f . s the courtesy o John R Minier, Uncle Jona and Harry were per m itt ed to look through the masonic lodge roo ms of Big Flats lodge number 378 of Free and Accepted Masons . Returning to the hotel they were introduced to a number of young men who had met to h make arrangements for oliday amusement , and the evening passed off pleasant ly and quickly . In the morning a ﬁne team and car r ia ge was at their disposal and they took that opportunity of dri v s d ing u p the river , pas ing the Rowley and Gar iner homesteads , the h late residence of the Hon . James Hug son , the old homes of Pat h rick Haggerty , Jonat an and Samuel Boyer , Martin Hammond ,

d . the elegant present resi ence of Nicholas S Mundy , driving out of th e to w n of Big Flats into the county of Steuben near the present A VVo r m le a n d h residence of . J . y , the old home of his fat er, the m la te Jacob Wor ley, and passing the residence of Lucius Tuttle, 114

John Storms , the old residence of John W . Durham , now the ele t . gant home of John M Bur , and viewing the residence of A . D .

Huey, and the old residence of the pioneer merchant of Big Flats , l n ow the ate John Huey, occupied by his, son Grant Huey, and on n f westward beyond the residence of He ry B . Noyes . A ter passing

the residence of Mr . Noyes they turned about and were ret urning

to Big Flats, when opposite his house they were met by him a n d invited into his hospitable home where they spent an hour :talki ng - over reminiscences and by gones . Many were the pleasin g and f happy incidents recalled o his father, the late Thomas Noyes and

his amiable wife .

On their return to Big Flats , each one of the old residents of —ﬁ ve ea a o t i u forty y rs g , tha l ved along that bea tiful highway were b t spoken of y Uncle Jonas , and dwel upon with interest . From the feeling manner i n which Uncle Jonas spoke of some of the old l families a ong that route , Harry half suspected that at some time ’ i n Uncle Jonas early life he might h ave been matrimonially i n cli n ed towards some of the ﬁne daughters of those early sett lers . w a s Whether such was the case or not, it certain, that no little t rip had he taken with Uncle Jonas, which had seemingly given i the old gentleman more delight than the one that morn ng . He d h welt upon the hospitality and culture of the Gardiners, t e Rey n olds h w h , t e Boyers , the O ens, the Mundys, the Hug sons , t h e m Mm i ers t h e Hueys , the Storms, the Wor leys, the , Beards, the McNu lt s y , and early citizens generally of Big Flats . Surely they ’ f t occupy a warm place in the old man s a fec ions .

’ R CORNING S HISTO Y .

THE VETERAN TRAVELER VISITS HIS OLD FRIENDS AND RENEWS OLD ASSOCI ATIONS . Uncle Jonas and Harry dine at the hotel and prepare to leave

Big Flats . They are driven over to the depot by Mr . Relyea in

time to t ake a west bound train on the Erie for Corning . Away they speed up through as delightful a valley as there is in the v middle states . Before arri ing at Corning, Harry said to Uncle J onas : I think while w e remain in Corning we had better stop at the Th e i Dickinson house . Dick nson house was erected in the years 185 0—5 t 1, and dedicated by a grand reception and ball Sep ember 5 1 w a h 2 4 18 . s . , The house named in honor of t e Hon Andrew n l Bray Dicki son , whom you well reco lect as a prominent farmer ~ f h o Hornby , in Steuben county , and a distinguis ed Whig politician, who represented this district in the state senate and w h o was a p i i ca ra u u a p ointed by President Lincoln as Min ster to N g . The citi z ens of Corning at that time took a great interest i n the erection o f the hotel , and a committee consisting of its prominent business men sent out special invitations in all portions of the southern tier to their friends to be present at its formal opening and dedication T w . he committee of invitation were the Hon Andre Bray Dickinson ,

116

D a n b m a n George W . yer was energetic and enterprising usiness n of Corning, who amo g other enterprises erected a block of stores ll ’ a n d a hall known as the Dyer ha . William Irvine was a learn ed able and successful lawyer w h o represented this district in con di m n gress and stinguished himself during the rebellion , co mandi g a nd w h o a regiment of union soldiers , went to Californ ia after th e w a r a n close of the , and established a very lucrative law practice , d w a s ' when in the zenith of his success , taken suddenly ill and died a few years ago . He is interred in Woodlawn in Elmira ; J . May w a s nard was a young lawy er ; H . Turner a merchant ; Hiram W . w a n h Bostwick s a promine t citizen and banker , president of t e w a s bank of Corning ; Charles C . B . Walker engaged in the hard ’ di st r i ct i n a n i ware business , has since represented this congress d s now known far and wide as a most successful business man ; La n sm w a s n l Jacob H . g a jeweler and since disti guished himse f in w a s the late rebellion , and clerk of Steuben county at the time of his death a few months since ; Alexander Olcott was a prominent a a n d w citizen eng ged in the foundry and machine business , h o still resides here one of the solid and substantial business m en of

- to day . This house , Uncle Jonas , stands upon the site of the ﬁrst hotel erected here , known as the Corning house . Among the landlords w h o kept the Corning house I recall those of Major Den ton, Samuel H . Maxwell, Nelson Somers and Marvin Clark . It w a d f s destroye by ﬁre and soon therea ter the house was erected . w e We are seated so comfortably, Uncle Jonas , suppose remain in our room and I will give you a brief history of this enterprising ” village . “

ll H . Very we , arry, go on

You will recollect , Uncle Jonas, that the Chemung canal feeder w a s constructed and finished to a point on the Chemung river 183 3 about a mile below here in the year . One of the great lev ers or arguments u sed to induce the legislature of the state of New York to pass the bill auth orizin g t h e construction of th e Chemu ng w a s canal and feeder , that south of this point there were i n exh a u s tible semi - bitumin ous coal fields in Pennsylvania at Blossburg and v w f icinity, hich together with the great orests of white pine , oak, d Norway pine and other valuable timber, woul furnish t onnage n h n for the ca al . The terminal point of t e canal havi g been located h - at the entrance of the C imney narrows , forty two miles distant t h a from the coal fields, some other means of ransportation d to be contrived whereby this tonnage of coal could be secured . The s tate of Ne w York did n ot wish to engage in the enterprise and

. h left it to individuals or companies to develop T e Hon . Erastus i Corning , sen or, of Albany , Thomas W . Olcott and others of the w e same city, together ith ent rprising men in this county, organized a com pany known as the Corning com pany about the year 1835 u a t th i s and p rchased land _ point , and soon thereafter, in connection t with capitalists of Philadelphia , obtained a char er from the r e specti ve states of New York and Pennsylvania empowering the com panies to build a railroad from this point up along the Chemung and Tioga rivers to Blossburg , the center of the coal ﬁeld . As soon as this project became known , the company laid out lots in this t ur place, which then were covered with timber or s umps , and p 117

c hasers came here and located . The construction of the railroad c 1836 w a s 1840 ommenced about the year , and ﬁnished in the year . R f ailroads were then in their in ancy , not more than one hundred o miles were in operati n in the United States . A few months b th e a n d efore completion of the Corning Blossburg railroad, the New York and Erie railroad company expended six m illion dollars n n n in drivi g piles , buildi g bridges upon their line betwee Piermont and L a ke Erie without completing bu t very few miles of connect th e ed railroad . You will recollect mistake , and how it drove the

company into bankruptcy . Corning, however, proﬁted largely by a n d the expenditure of large sums of money in this locality, assist i h l ed giving this young vi lage a boom in wealth and population . In th e year 1839 a bank was chartered; under the title of the Corn

ing bank , with a capital of about secured by bonds and m ortgages upon real estate , and securities of the state of New Y ork . Many of the farmers of Steuben and Chemung counties i 0 took stock n the concern and mortgaged their farms , which twenty years thereafter suffered severely for their conﬁdence in its man em en t Vi a g . The establishment of a bank in this growing llage W wi th such men as Hiram . Bostwick, Laurin Mallory and Phil f McBu rn e ander Mallory as o ﬁcers , and John y , John Patterson, t h Benjamin Pa terson , Jonat an Brown , Frederic Woolcott , John L . m h W a ba u A. Sexton , William g , Thomas Johnson and others , di r h rectors o stock olders , gave Corning a standing in the monetary circles of the country and enabled it to put on airs and set forth

. t its claims to distinction The Steuben county bank at Ba h , man ] . aged by the Hon . John Magee , was the on y other bank in Steuben

c ounty , and the Chemung canal bank at Elmira , managed by the w ll l McDo e . Hon . John G . , the Hon William Maxwel and the Hon . nk n John Arnot, the only ba then in Chemu g county . So this ﬁ ve h ad for b infant village , only years old , facilities anking pur l poses equal to the older towns of Bath and E mira , which had been t founded for half a cen ury . Corning had advertised itself through l t h e Albany and New York newspapers , and specu ators and bona f ﬁ de settlers came thronging in rom Albany, Utica , Schenectady,

and the counties of Schoharie , Otsego , Delaware , Broome and Che w a s h er nango . Corning a forest queen sitting in palace at the t a n d f head of canal naviga ion , at the initial point o a railroad, which penetrated the valley of the Tioga and to the rich coal ﬁelds

o f Tioga county and the forests of valuable timber . The Chemung, n u C on h octo , Canisteo , Cowanesq e and Tioga rivers , also bore upon their waters ﬂeets of square timber and milli ons of feet of manu ” h h r e . fa ctu red lumber, w ich directly or indirectly paid tribute to

N EWSPAPERS AND BUSINESS MEN .

’ S OME OF THE PIONEERS AND PRESENT MANAGERS IN CORNING S ENTERPRISES . About the time of th e establishment of the bank of Corning in 1839 b the year , a company erected a ridge across the Chemung ”r iver and canal about three qu arters of a mile west of the John 118

Sh oemaker or McCor m i ck tavern stand . This bridge connected . w ith a highway that led past the residence of the late Judge Steele , the farm now owned by Mr . Erwin . This enabled the people of

Big Flats to visit Corning at all seasons of the year , whether the river was high or low, instead of depending upon the uncertainty ’ l . of fording at Gil ett s , a mile below This bridge was kept up until the state h a d made improvements in the Chimney narrows, and w a s thrown up a towing path which , for a number of years , used leading from the old Post town road , at the mouth of Post creek , along the McBu rn ey ﬂats and across the river on the old Erie rail m road bridge into Corning . The state for a nu ber of years spent large sums of money annually in re building th e canal dam across the river and in blasting down the rock chimneys , making a per manent highway and towing path , constructing docks , etc . , a large portion of which ultimately reached the pockets of the citizens of

Corning . Some evil minded people had the audacity to denounce “ the laboring men, and business men and contractors as state rob ” bers . But these epithets evidently were made in jest or prompted by envy at the good fortune of the citizens of Corning . The hard —2 —3 u times of , had its inﬂuence pon the y oung village ; but she ralli ed and continued to increase in wealth and population . 1840—5 0 In the years , the Erie railroad was being permanently 185 0 constructed , and for several months during the year , Corning w a s its western completed terminus . This added to the immense trade in lumber, and the shipments of coal from its docks contri

ll . buted to its continued prosperity . Schools, churches and mi s w a s were established within its limits , and progress marked upon 185 0 its every action . A terrible ﬁre swept, over it in May, , but it 185 2 soon recovered from the shock . In the year the ﬁrst division of the Con h octon Valley railroad was opened to Corning (now under control of the Erie , and known as the Rochester branch , ) and about the same time the Corning Blossburg railroad was relaid wi th iron, and its management placed in the hands of n u wealthy and energetic me . All these things contributed to b ild up Corning a n d attract population and capital to its borders . i n en As early as 1840 a newspaper had been publ shed in Corni g,

. titled the Corning and Blossburg Advocate, edited by Charles

, 1841 Adams . It , however , did not prove a success and in it was sold and th e press and ﬁxtures removed to Bath . But in the year w a s 1847 t h e Corning Journal established by Thomas Messenger, D w ll A Mc o e . . w b . . and in 185 1 it a s purchased y W and G W Pratt , “ and the next year (185 2 ) G . W . Pratt assumed the entire control th e . of it , as editor and proprietor With exception of a year or

- two, when Mr . Pratt had a partner, he has for the past thirty four years cont roll ed its c olumns and sat in the editorial chair and w ielded a pen guided by one of the clearest intellects in the south ern tier . As a weekly family newspaper it has few equals and no It superiors . is a journal that can safely be taken into the house hold and the family circle and nothing in its columns has been found to offend the good taste or corrupt the morals of the com ’ d . munity . It has done much under Mr Pratt s gui ing and con

h m . trolling and to build up the prosperous village of Co ing . For a

thir d of a century has he nobly stood at the . helm , giving his read

er s wholesome literature and interesting reading .

12 0

. u i n n W Henry Sherwood , Lewis T Fuller , General Jacob Lansing , Q . l Terbell i . . Well ngton , Dr Wil iam , Hiram Pritchard , Charles G D a n d r e enison , and among the old business professional men , I

h . . call Dr . Jos ua B . Graves , Dr Nelson M Harrington , the Hon .

th e . . George B . Bradley, Hon Charles H Thompson , General Wil W d li am Irvine , Charles Douglass , William alker , Zerah Tod , C .

E . Corbin, William H . Brown , Fuller Gamman , Truman S .

h . . . Pritchard , Edward Pier , C arles R Maltby , C G Howell , A . T .

Cochran , Rawson Thatcher , Charles Freeman , Frank D . Kings u bury , John Hoar , Sr . , A . Ho ghton, C . F . Houghton , Edward

li dell . . . . C s , Thomas G Hawks , Daniel F Brown, A L Kendall ,

George Hitchcock , the Hon . George T . Spencer . Many of those I have mentioned, Uncle Jonas , are dead , but they contributed large ly during their active lives to the prosperity of the village and w h should be grateful ly remembered . Those o have gone to their

: . . long homes are The Hon Thomas A Johnson , Laurin Mallory,

Philander J . Mallory , Hiram W . Bostwick , Dr . Joshua B . Graves ,

. W General William Irvine , the Hon Henry Sherwood , Benjamin . L Payne , ewis Fuller , Robert Olcott , Jonathan Brown , John Mc

N . Burney, A . T . Cochran , John Hungerford , Henry Goff , Dr .

Terhell and General Jacob H . Lansing . It is nearly half a cen ni w a s tury since the Cor ng company organized , consisting of Eras

. S tus Corning , Joseph Fellows , Thomas W Olcott , Watts herman , ill . . Al l Hiram W . Bostwick , W iam A Bradley and Lorin J Gillis . these have passed away ; but the work they planned has gone on, chi ld o the wi ld er n es s a n d and Corning , the f , has prospered every year added to its wealth and population and made some new i m n ew provement or erected some industrial establishment . It is B now supplied with water and gas and elgian pavements . Its s railroad facilities are good , reaching north and south , ea t and t h e west . Its banking facilities are ample , press is in the hands of l - W intell igent and pub ic spirited gentlemen, its churches are ell sup ported and attended , its schools rank high and its free academy compares favorably with any in the state , its industrial establish doi n a ments are prosperous , the railroads centering here are g large and proﬁtable business , and , indeed, the village of Corning , Uncle few Jonas , is making rapid strides towards a city . A more years of prosperity and this will be accomplished . It is now the half shire of Steuben county . h n T e large interests which the Erie railroad , the Cor ing,Cow n e u e a sq Antrim , the Sy racuse , Geneva Corning and their connections with the New York Central and Jersey Shore Pine h Creek railway and t e Delaware , Lackawanna Western , coupled with the glass manufacturing , foundry and machine shop , the agricultural works , the car and repair shops of the Fall Brook coal company, will surely and certainly place Corning in the front ranks h among her sisters of the sout ern tier in a very few years . Its population is rapidly increasing and the pop u lation have come to ” stay and make this their permanent home . h r i s Harry , look out of t e window, the e an illuminated clock .

Yes , Uncle Jonas , he clock tower and the clock is the gift of

J r . v the Hon . Erastus Corning , , to the illage of Corning . It is located in the centre of Dickinson House square , which has recently 12 1

been laid with Belgian blocks , in a very substantial manner .

The citizens of Corning highly appreciate the generosity of Mr . h Corning in providing them at all hours of the day and night, t e reliable time . “ Now , Uncle Jonas, I have rattled away upon the early history m t and present prospects of Co ing un il you must be weary . It is w e near tea time , and suppose go down into the general reception h room until after tea, and perhaps meet wit some of the old citi ” z ens .

A RAILROAD CENTER .

DESCRIPTION OF THE FALL BROOK LINE AND OTHER CORNING RAIL WAYS . The next morning Uncle Jonas requests Harry to tell him more n u about the Fall Brook coal company, the Corni g, Cowanesq e t r n (St An rim , the Sy acuse , Ge eva Corning , and the Jersey Shore

Pine Creek railw ays . Harry thus proceeds “ There are several facts connected w ith the history of the Fall y r e Brook coal compan and these roads, which I have incidentally h ferred to before , but w ich in order to give you a clear and con n ect ed idea of t h e matter I will repeat . The ﬁrst step taken by the f late Hon . John Magee , the ounder of the Fall Brook coal com th e 185 2 pany, towards engaging in coal business was in the year . when he obtained the lease of the Blossburg coal mines at Bloss l burg and the railroad from Corning to Lawrencevil e . His eldest w a s . a h son , Duncan S M gee , sent to Blossburg to oversee t e min ing and shipping of coal , and in the business he was ably assisted w h o 185 6 by John Lang, is now the treasurer of the company . In n Du can S . Magee , with the knowledge and consent of his father, the Hon . John Magee , commenced exploring for coal upon lands w . W of the late Christopher L ard , of To anda, lying directly east of Blossburg . The exploration resulted in the purchase of those u h lands , about six tho sand acres , and t e incorporation of the Fall 1 5 Th 7 8 9 . e Brook coal company April , incorporators were John

Magee , Duncan S . Magee and James H . Gulick . The bill incor p or a ti n g the company w a s passed in the legislature of Pen n sy l h 9 185 0 w a s v vania Marc , , and vetoed by Go ernor William F . 7 185 9 w a s . h Packer Ap ril , , t e bill passed over the veto by more

- w a than a t w o third majority . A railroad s built from Blossburg h n th e f l 185 9 to t ese lands duri g summer and al of , and a mining d r s town founded in the wil e ness . chri tened Fall Brook . The dis tance from Blossburg to Fall Brook is about seven miles , some back switching being necessary in order to rea ch the elevation at h 185 0 Fall Brook . Mining as since that time ( ) been carried on Th e w a there . coal on its y to market at Corning passed first over h ’ h seven miles of t e Fall Brook coal company s road , t en twenty fi v e m v h f f iles o er t e road o the Tioga company , and lastly fi teen ’ miles over the Fall Brook coal company s road from Lawr encevill e m . h a t to Corning T e Tioga interests were ining coal Morris Run , ' w a s ov er th eir and their outlet own road to Lawrenceville , and 12 2

over the Fall Brook road to Corning . Some dissatisfaction grew 1866 out of this arrangement, and in the year explorations for coal were made by the agents or employes of the Fall Brook coal com ul pany on Wilson creek , south of Wellsboro , which ﬁnally res ted h f i n t e purchase of a large tract o land in that locality, and the n f u ni ﬁnal ope ing up of coal mines , the o nding of a new mi ng town which was christened by Duncan S . Magee, Antrim . Of w e l w e this , Uncle Jonas , wil speak more at length , when reach h An Antrim . In connection with t e opening up of the mines at w a s trim , a railroad contemplated from Lawrenceville by the way “ a of Tioga, Middlebury, Niles Valley, Wellsboro to Antrim , and company organized for that purpose with Humphries Brewer pres ; tw o ident, and James Heron secretary and treasurer These gen tlem en were the chief engineer and cashier at Fall Brook for th e H n n . o . Fall Brook company Before it was constructed, the Joh

Magee , Duncan S . Magee and Humphries died and the work of carrying these projects into execution devolved upon General

George J . Magee, second son of the Hon . John Magee . He proved 1872 a w a s equal to the task , and by the year the r ilroad completed from Lawrenceville to Antrim , under the immediate direction of t Ha rlt General Magee and his engineer An on , now chief engineer l t for all the roads operated by the Fa l Brook coal company . Abou the same time a railroad was projected from Lawrencevill e up th e n w a s Cowanesque to Elkla d, and when it completed it was leased l h f i by the Fa l Brook company , and t e old road rom Corn ng to Law n vi ll e r e ce , the road from Lawrenceville to Elkland , the road from

Lawrenceville to Antrim , and the road from Blossburg to Fall u Brook were consolidated nder the general name of Corning, i Cowanesque Antrim ra lroad . The Syracuse , Geneva Corn ing railroad was soon thereafter projected and i n the year 1877 it w a s completed . The Fall Brook coal company was interested to a e large extent and became its lessee . The Jersey Shore Pin w e Creek railroad , which connects ith the Corning Cowanesqu railroad at Stokesdale junction in Tioga county , Pennsylvania, and d connects with the Philadelphia Rea ing at Williamsport , is now m i e operated by the Fall Brook coal co pany , as well as a branch l n Y leading from Dresden to enn an , and from Geneva to Lyons . ‘The Cowanesque branch has been extended from Elkland to Har ll o ri son Va ey in Potter c unty, near the head of the Cowanesque

and Genesee rivers . You can therefore form some idea of the ’ magnitude and proportions of the Fall Brook coal company s ln l l t er est s in mining and rai roading . We will ca l at their depot and ” look through the various ofﬁces . It is close at hand . The extreme northeast terminus of the chain of railroads con

trolled and operated by the Fall Brook coal company is at Lyons , th e the county seat of Wayne county, in the very center of land of h the Six Nations . At t at point it connects with the New York

Central railroad , controlled by the Vanderbilts , and runs southeast ll to th e foot of Seneca lake , the site of the ancient Indian vi age of

- - n ow Kane de saga, known as Geneva, one of the ﬁnest inland

villages of the state . At Geneva it connects with another branch t of the New York Central , the Seneca lake naviga ion company and l a branch of the Lehigh Valley rai road . Geneva is the seat of

12 4

R h assing through eading Center, within three miles of t e famous

atkins glen . The passenger can now cast his eye to the east f a ward and e st his eyes upon a landscape rich in pastoral scenes . h f Away across t e lake are seen beautiful arms , elegant farm houses, h fruit ful orchards and vineyards , w ile he is rolling along in a m t cou n try grand in the extre e . At leng h the famous Glen is h c reached . He as now rea hed the altitude of six hundred feet h above t e village of Watkins , and the chasm is crossed on an iron bridge four hundred feet in length and one hundred and sixty - ﬁ ve feet above the bed of the glen . This Glen stands second only to a nd Niagara Falls in grandeur public interest . Two hundred thou sand people from all sections of America and Europe annually visit h m it . T e railroad co pany have erected a large pavilion at its brink, w a n d cut a stair ay down through the rock , to effect an entrance at i . v its western or middle outlet Lea ng this grand work of nature , v the traveler is con eyed by the tireless engine , seated in well

- upholstered and easy riding coaches , southwestward to Beaver

Dams , a thriving village situated nearly on the dividing ridge, between the points where water ﬂows into Seneca lake and south westward into the Chemung river . If the passenger is so disposed when he is at Watkins station , or Glen bridge station, he can a light and spend several days at Watkins, a beautiful village at o f n the head the Seneca lake , and the site of the I dian village ,

Catharines town, made historic as being the home of that cele b ra t d e Indian queen , Catharine Montour ; or he can continue on from Beaver Dams down Post creek , made memorable in conn ec w l 177 9 th e x tion ith the raid of General Sul ivan in , against Si Na tien s , and the discovery of the celebrated Painted Post , an Indian Con h octon landmark upon the banks of the , passing Post creek s tation , Ferenbaugh , and entering the valley of the Chemung, crossing the Chemung river and rolling into Corning . From Corn n ing its course is up the Chemu g and Tioga rivers , upon the great Indian path that led from Painted Post to the home of Tiadaghton Sh ik elem w upon Pine Creek, and the dominion of y upon the est

it s . r ou te b ranch of the Susquehanna . In it passes through Erwin “ i Center, Cooks , Lindley, reaching Lawrenceville at the state l ne . Th h ere one branch leads up through the valley of t e Cowanesque , o n e h of t e ﬁnest valley s in northern Pennsylvania, touching at

Nelson , Elkland, Academy Corners , Knoxville , Cowanesque and W estfi eld , penetrating a country rich in agricultural productions , h a nd thriving villages and delig tful scenery, finally terminating at h Con h o ct on Harrison Valley , near the ead waters of the , whose waters flow into Chesapeake bay , and the Genessee, into Lake

O . ntario and the gulf of St Lawrence , and the Allegany, w hose waters ﬂow into the Ohio and the great gulf of Mex h ico , while the main line continues up t e Tioga valley to Tioga v h u n h illage , passing t ro gh Dun ings and Lathrops , t en on the old

Indian trail , crossing the Elkhorn and ascending Crooked creek to

Hollidays and Middlebury , thence to Niles Valley and Stokesdale h h Junction , w ere t e old line proceeds to Wellsboro , the beautiful u co nty seat of Tioga county, surrounded by its rich and productive i ui h farm ng lands , a borough disting shed for t e hospitali ty and h reﬁnement of its people , the ome of United States Senator 12 5

l al - H . . o on . John I Mitchel , Gener Jerome B Niles , auditor general f n li - the state of Pen sylvania ; the Hon . Mortimer F . El ott , ex con -a t - gressman large for Pennsylvania ; the Hon . Heur Sherwood , ex - congressman and president of the Jersey Shore an Pine Creek i d railroad ; the Hon . Henry Will ams , president ju ge of Tioga county ; the Hon . Hugh Young, United States bank examiner ; - la w d - t e . W the Hon . S eph n F ilson , ex additional ju ge , ex member t h e of congress and senator, and from thence away to southeast ward , ascending a steep grade until it reaches Antrim , the model f h t h e i mining town o Pennsylvania, w ile main l ne continues its h course down through Mars Creek valley , a distance of about eight miles, and reaches the shores of the celebrated Tiadaghton , or Pine one w Creek , thence down Pine Creek through of the ildest and most romantic gorges in the middle or eastern states , through a r a ih 'oa d passage only wide enough to admit of the and Pine Creek , with moun tains lifting their craggy heads twelve hundred feet l above the road bed . Reaching Blackwe ls at the confluence of ’ B n abb s Creek with Pi e Creek , the course is southward , still lead in g through mountain and valley scenery unsurpassed , until it f h reaches Jersey Shore on the west branch o the Susque anna, ew ber r w d from thence to N y Junction , here connections are ma e a n d 0 with the Philadelphia Reading railway . N person , Uncle t n Jonas , can adequa ely describe the beauty and variety of la dscape scenery from Lyon s to Newberry over the roads Operated by the n Fall Brook coal company . At times the traveler is roll i g along t u h in agricultural distric s nsurpassed in loveliness , then again is eyes rest upon lakes , cascades , waterfalls and chasms , then again

. a t river, valley and rugged mountain views The views are every t I o u mile of the route in eresting and attractive , and am certain y w w e ill agree with me when have taken the trip .

Y THE FALL BROOK COMPAN .

A VISIT TO THE OFFICES AND SHOPS— THE MEN AND THEIR WORK . Uncle Jonas and Harry take a walk over to the Fall Brook coal ’ company s extensive freight and passenger depot and elegant o f f fi ces . , occupied by its various o ficials Upon the second floor , fac bl ofii ce ing the pu ic square , they enter the of the president of the

. h company , General George J Magee , upon whose shoulders t e

n . mantle of his disti guished father, the Hon John Magee , fell . Mr . Magee is a pleasant and affable gentleman about forty years of

age , and no one would suppose from his bland manners and genial smile that the cares and responsibil ities of the Fall Brook coal com

pany were controlled and managed by him . They found h i m dic tating messages and orders to his private secretary and s t en og ra ’

. f h pher, L . P . Miller Passing out o the president s room t ey enter ffi e - the o c of Vice President and Treasurer John Lang , a gent leman who for more than thirty years has been connected with the Fall

Brook coal company . Commencing his service at Blossbur g for ’ th e Magee s several years before the Fall Brook coal company w a s 12 6

— In o rganized ever the same trusted vigilant and efﬁcient ofﬁcial . a room adjoining they met John H . Lang, assistant treasurer and paymaster, who has for many years been employed by the com

any, and also met Charles K . Minor assistant paymaster John

k . r . L. . Lewis , J , chief book eeper, and S J Lang, Frank Osborn and ’ few h W . J . Herman s clerk . After spending a minutes with Jo n r w h o L . Lewis , J . , is an old employe , they are conducted into the u al r ooms of Daniel Beach , treas rer of the Morris Run Co Mining l Company , in which company the Fal Brook coal company are h as largely interested . Mr . Beach been for many years directly a n d indirectly interested in the aff airs of the Fall Brook company and is one of the most pleasant and agreeable gentleman connected h f P with the company . T e clerks employed in his o ﬁce were L . .

. . . h Robinson , Samuel S . Denton and A I Martin They are t en e conducted into the room occupi d by A . H . Gorton , general super n n d n t i t e e of all the lines operated by the Fall Brook coal company .

Mr . Gorton has been for many years connected with the company . He commenced at the foot of the ladder a n d by his skill and atten tion t o business he has risen to his lucrative , laborious and high w . e l position . His assistant is George R Brown , of whom shal speak hereafter . The clerks are John Heron and Fred Leis . John Heron commenced his labors for the Fall Brook coal company a w a number of years ago , when his father, the late James Heron s m anager at Fall Brook . Mr . Heron is eminently qualified for the n t position he occupies . They were ext conduc ed to the traffic ’ m . . f anager s room , where they found H A Horning, general tra fic manager busily engaged in supervising personally the details of ’ t h e immense business of the Fall Brook coal company s freight and a en er ss g traffic , outlining correspondence and dictating letters and h t e . stablis ing rates of transportation to near and dis ant points Mr . m n Horning has been many years a valuable e ploye of the compa y . f f . n The chie clerk in his o fice is John D Lawton , who has bee l many years in the employ of the company, fil ing the position t of telegraph operator , station agent and icket agent and in every position assigned him he has discharged its duties with fidelity and satisfaction . He is assisted by C . S . May , W . A . w h a n d . o Hyde Miss A Fritts , acts in the capacity of stenographer n d - f a type writer . From the office of tra fic manager they went to li n h s the office of Auditor Wil am Nicholson . They fou d him and i clerks busily engaged in auditing th e accounts of the company with their various station and ticket agents , conductors and shippers . ll a n d . . . Co or d His force consists of himself D F . Chandler, J C , C . Da G . Cole , Ransom Pratt , F . A . Newton and C . S . y . From the x th e rooms of the auditor , they ne t visited the office of general h i n Iu rc a s g agent . That position for a number of years was filled w . a s h fl . y Andrew Beers , now deceased Mr Beers t e first agent of h the Fall Brook coal company at Corning , w en it first began the - occ shipment of coal from Fall Brook twenty six years ago , and u pied that position for several years . A few years ago he was u r ch a si n h chosen general p agent , and remained in t at responsible

h l S . h position until death e was a careful , cautious, onest and Ch a h e - c d . . . o man The ofﬁce is now ﬁlled by W H p , assistcd by h h r C a e . i . . i gs . son , W H p , J , and is conducted very satisfactor ly

12 8

re w a s f ight which also destined to near and remote points , thus showing the many points reached by the Fall Brook coal company ’s a ro ds and gave them a faint idea of their immense freight business , l a side from the mi lions of tons of coal, both anthracite and bi t u m i n ou s l w a s that dai y hauled by their ponderous engines . Leaving the freight room profoundly impressed with the im mense freight business , they walk down to the immense car and repair shops of the Fall Brook coal company about three - quarters of a mile distant . “ 1862 These shops , Uncle Jonas, were established in the year , A while all the members of the original company were alive . bout

. Y . that time the Hon John Magee removed from Bath , N . , to . k Y . t Watkins , N . , at the head of Seneca lake, the be ter to loo after the increased coal trade . He had long been a resident of

Bath , holding strong business relations with that town as well as having served Steuben county as sheriff and tw o terms as member a ck soni a n n of congress during the J admi istration . It was quite a t severe loss to Bath , but a great gain to Watkins . He mus have spent at least t w o hundred thousand dollars in Watkins building f sch u t es o ﬁces , docks , coal , dwellings and churches . The old f l w h 0. . o superintendent o these shops was C Patchel , for over twenty years was the master mechanic, directing the repairing n u and co str ction of cars for the company . He died a few months ' ago and his memory is cherished by a large num ber of m cc 1a ni cs and railroad men w h o for years h a d m et him and been under his n directio . t h . T e present superintendent is W . A Fos er, a skilled mechanic, h w h o . . . . is assisted by C J Butler, master car builder, wit A J

Etheridge as assistant ; A . Armstrong as master boiler maker, Wil m liam Adams , chief of supplies , assisted by Willia Buchanan , and s Mr . Norwood as engine dispatcher . From time to time as busines th e n has increased , company have enlarged their facilities for doi g work until now there is about four hundred men employed in the r various divisions and depa tments . Many of these employees have served fifteen , eighteen and twenty y ears and regard the Fall t old Brook coal company as their very bes friend . Many of the engineers have pulled the throt t le for the company from the ea rli f est date o the coal trade . The longest engineers in continued ser L w n ber r . o h vice are Fred S Bragg and Hod s y . T e oldest engineer is Deacon Lovejoy , but many years ago he left the road and resides Th w . e a in Corning first engine on the road s named in his honor . It now belongs to the Blossburg coal company a n d about two w a s yea rs ago placed by that company in the invalid hospital . th e Much of its machinery is good . It was used for five years on w Fall Brook branch , and has dra n all the old members and friends l — of the Fal Brook coal company The Hon . John Magee, James H . '

. h Gulick , Duncan S Magee , Jo n Lang, D . C . Howell, the Hon .

Horatio Seymour, Daniel Beach , A . H . Gorton , R . J . Burnham ,

. . . r H . A . Horning, C C B Walker, Austin Lathrop , J . , A . J . Owen , I Andrew Beers and many others that I could enumerate . ts work

is historic . Harry, have this large number of employees any socie ties which they support or of which they are members

. h Oh, yes , Uncle Jonas The conductors ave a society, and th e 12 9

e ngineers have one . The engineers have a division or lodge in h n Corning . and t eir organization is known as Cor ing Division of 2 44 h h . . h t h e Brot er ood of Locomotive Engineers , No T e division w 2 8 1884 h m a s organized April , , with sixteen c arter embers . Its

E. . . . E f : . . o ﬁcers were James Roberts , C ; F S Bragg , F ; W . E . E E . . . . E Clark , S . . ; I Switzer, T ; George Marland , F A . . ; Jesse

E C . . . Newell , S . A . . ; P . Helwig , ; H Curtis , G On the ﬁrst day

- 1885 h h a d se . f of October , , t ey forty ven members The o ﬁcers for

B . . : . . W . . E . the ensuing year are F S ragg , C E E Clark, F . . ; I E E...... E Switzer S . ; D Robison , P ; George Marland , F A . ; Jesse h E G . . S oen s Newell S . A . . , Joseph Boyle , ; T , chaplain ; James

Roberts , delegate to annual convention being held in New Orleans .

It is a strong and commendable society, designed to elevate and educate its members , and exercising a wholesome inﬂuence upon ” w h t h e those o have lives of so many thousands in their hands . w h o I might as well tell you now, Uncle Jonas, are the princi pal employes of the road , as we are returning up Market street to the Dickinson house . It will be a long list , but you must remem ll w ber their names . It wi save my repeating them again as e g o c over the road . We will commen e at Lyons , the extreme north east terminus of the road . FALL BROOK FREIGHT AGENTS AND OPERATORS . — Syracuse , Geneva Corning railway Lyons E . E . Kershner , freight agent ; Miss A . Ransom , ticket agent ; F . C . Burns, J . D .

ll . . . . . En er so . . g , T W Townsend , F S Percell, E M Smith , operators — ll T . a . . . wi Genev W Mi s, freight agent ; C A Bald n, ticket agent ; John Dodge , P . Gallagher , operators . — Earles . James F . Hoose , agent . — n B . . Dresde F Paddock, agent ; Miss Hattie Harris , operator . — D. . . . Penn Yan . M Hamlin , agent ; J W Oberfell, operator . — N. Himrods Junction . Jacobson, freight agent ; E . T . Parks , o perator . — L . . Himrods , . G Jones , agent — W . . . . P Dundee E More , agent ; F A Dunning and E . H . a dock o perators . —K Rock Stream . . J . Vosburg, agent and operator . — J . . Reading Center . W Warner, agent ; Miss J . M . Warner operator . — D n . . L b Watkins Gle S Nye , agent and operator ; J . J . ane, ag g age master . — Wedgewood . James Wedgewood , agent . — E . . . W . . Deaver Dam W Hurd , agent ; J Maloney, operator . — W . k . . Post Cree E Farenbaugh , agent — 8 C . . . . Corning E Greenﬁeld, agent ; C Chandler, Clark Lock

Pu r r on . wood, J . N . g , clerks — — T r . . Corning, Cowanesque Antrim Erwin Cente J Presho, agent . — Li n E . . dl ey . D Leggett , agent — . . M v e J . A . c o Lawrencevill H Hitchcox , agent ; S M y , C . C . Roﬁ , operators . — McAl li st er M Alli a R. . . V t er . c s Tiog P H , agent ; D operator . — , Holiday V . B . Holiday, agent . — ll H . . Middlebury . M Lowe , agent ; E . B . Mills, operator . DEPOT ELM RA . Y. THE NEW E . C . N . , I , N

131

’ wi B . . OSh ou h n esse . . H M . J . g y , O C ennett , Z T all, Peter Hel g ,

G . . . R . . McCo . . John y , C D Cool , eorge B Cooper, J J oberts , I D M K cCo . . Wolcott , Henry rebs , G . F . Brown , Jacob y , A J Goble ,

D Mc u a de K I . avid Q , Henry Veazie , Clark eagle , saiah Johnson , R h n . . . S oe s . . E . Hathaway , J . D . Pease , A Husted, T H , S E Pear

. . ; . le . . y , M V Carey , John W Baker, Chas Doty, C W Smith , Abe

Cowley, W . L . Keagle .

- — i Baggage masters John Shanley , W . H . Clawson , F . B shop ,

F . F . R . . . S . Webb, M . Gleason , W W Gray, Fillman, Samuel

Maxwell . “ W l ll Now, Uncle Jonas , you must be fatigued and we go mto e TO- the Dickinson house and rest ours lves . morrow we will go ” over the road to Wellsboro and Antrim .

CORNING TO WELLSBORO ;

— A PLEAS ANT RIDE DOWN THE FALL BROOK ROAD THE CHANGES OF A HALF CENTURY . ll b There are two trains that go to We s oro in the morning , l m Uncle Jonas, one quite early that runs through to Wil ia sport , and one later that goes to Wellsboro and Antrim and at Lawrence a l ville connects with trains up the Cow nesque and Tioga val eys . h 10 ’ I think we had better take the train t at goes about o clock , ~ and th a t will give us plenty of time here in the morning . We will ” n ot be hurried with our breakfast . “ i r I w ll leave the matter to you enti ely, Harry . H By the way, Uncle Jonas , I would like you to meet John . W a th e O y , one of ldest conductors in point of service that is em ployed by the Fall Brook coal company . Mr . Way commenced his railroad career about thirty years ago and has made many friends by. his courteous manners and h i s care for the comfort and pleasure of the passengers w h o have been in his charge He r e v an d sides in a ery pleasant cottage on East Church street, he has taken great care to make his home attractive . He is very clever with the brush and easel and has sketched many elegant land i w b scapes , forest and stream v ews hich are appropriately distri uted i n - i k v his parlors , sitting room and l brary, ma ing those rooms ery attractive . His wife also possesses more than an ordinary skill and talent with the crayons and brush , and has produced a num w e ber of very ﬁne works of art . But shall not probably meet k h Mr . Way as he will ta e c arge of the train that goes to Watkins, v l h G . ene a and Lyons Our conductor wil be T omas Brown , more familiarly known as Tom Brown . He , too, is a veteran conductor h aving been employed by the company for twenty years or more . l Tom resides in Wellsboro and has a p easant home . He is quite fond of the chase , and generally spends his vacations in Tioga and i n t . Pot er counties Pennsylvania, in hunting and ﬁshing He is a most excellent shot and when at leisure could relate some very i n t er estin g incidents of his experience in the wilds of those sections . u n ot - n B t , Uncle Jonas , I will weary you to ight with any further 132

conversation, but will make the necessary arrangements for ou r ” - tr ip to morrow . i f 1X1 at 56 i t

This is the train for Wellsboro, Uncle Jonas, and this is Mr . Low n sberr n Brown the conductor, and this is Horace y , the e l g neer . “ l m n G en t e e . , I am pleased to meet you Harry, my nephew, k w e l has told me about you , and I ta e it wi l have a safe and pleas ant ride . We will take seats on the right hand side of the car, w e Harry, for I want to look out over the river as pass along . ’ McBu r n e w s . a s Yonder, Harry , is the old residence of the y I w l ell acquainted with the old judge , as wel as his sons , the Hon . r n McBu rn e John McBu ey and Thomas y . Just above the bridge Old was the residence of John Jennings , and the early home of h w h o Ben . Patterson , t e pioneer subsequently removed two and

- n . o e half miles west of Painted Post As you will recollect , Harry,

Arthur Erwin , of Bucks county, purchased a township of land of h Phelps Gor am , which included the site of the original Painted a ll Con h oct on Post , and the land skirting the and Tioga rivers for i several m les . Arthur Erwin , the original patentee , was shot at 1790 Athens , about the year , but his sons came on here , settled and w . e became prominent and foremost citizens I declare , Harry, glide along so fast that I hardly have time t o poi nt out the old w a s t h e landmarks . Across the river yonder old residence of John w h o Evans, the learned and useful pioneer came into this country 1800 Nor h u l a n t d . h f rom England about the year , via n r W y I say he was so useful w a s because he w a s a gentleman of method i cal

. ﬁ a c and well disciplined habits He lled the position of teacher, n a n t cou t , land surveyor, clerk , justice of the peace , United States c assessor, and revenue collector, when his district omprised what

are now the counties of Allegany, Livingston , Steuben , Yates , t Chemung , Schuyler , Tioga , Tompkins , Broome , Cor land and Che H k nango . e was the very embodiment of accuracy, and his boo s , f in point o plain and elegant handwriting , cannot be excelled even d by our modern professors in commercial colleges . Yon er is a

l umber establishment which has become historic . I refer to Fox , ’ Weston Bronson . This Harry is Jacks Eddy, named in honor Mu llh ollon o w of John , who was a pi neer settler and familiarly kno n ’ ‘ ll n Mu llh o o . r as Jack The station here is named also afte him . In that cemetery on the north side of the river is buried many of ld — the O pioneers of this valley Ben Patterson, Marcus Huling, rs Robert Patte on and Ben Patterson the second , with Jane E .

Jones , his wife . are laid to rest there . Old raftsmen honor that ‘ ’ point over yonder on the Canisteo turn , on account of the abrupt

and sudden turn in the river . We are now approaching Erwin - ﬁ ve w a s Center . Forty years ago , Harry , this an important point w a s h ff for lumbering . It the residence of the Smit s , Ho mans ,

erea u s Redﬁ elds . Mess , and others The renowned Captain Isaiah w h o h th e h J . Jones , foug t bear single handed and killed er, resided

here and owned the farm just above the station . Across the river ‘ ’ l - n t run are the famous blue banks , wel k own o old hunters as a ’ 011 M ll h . cCu ou away for deer Here , the left , is the g farm , and b jus t eyond is where Abner Collins and Mat Paul resided . We 133

w P a r e approaching n o the homestead of the celebrated John . R Vi w h o w a s w th e yers and his son, Joseph Ryers , connected ith Phil a del railroad in its infancy, and who removed to and died in phia . His brother, G . A . Ryers , died at the old homestead many va lu a years ago . They owned three thousand acres here of very b le white pine and oak timbered land, which they sold to Fox , ’ Weston Bronson . At Ryers Eddy was the home of an old K i h pioneer , Hezekiah inney . Across the r ver were the omes of a s r the Messer ea u s and Harrowers . Silas Cook w an early settle w . H a s here, which has given the name of Cooks to this station e

- - w h o w b r a son i n law of Robert Patterson , the pioneer , ith his rothe ’ n 1792 s Benjamin, co ducted General Williamson s party in down thi w h o e valley and to Bath , and settled on this river a few rods abov r 05 P v he e in 18 . atterson li ed to see a railroad penetrate this val W e w a s a ley, here ﬁfty years before ther not even a highw y or a settler . Frederic Heckart was an early settler in this vicinity as

v . well as the Re . David Harrower, Albert C Morgan , Benjamin S coﬁ eld r . Ha rower , Porter Harrower, Eber , Abner Thurber I told you a bout Mayor Lindsley and other old settlers of the south ern portion of the town of Lindley when w e . were going up th e i valley of the Tioga , and w ll not repeat them again . f A ter leaving Lawrenceville Tom Brown , the conductor , found time to occasionally spend a moment with Uncle Jonas , pointing

- out old land marks and makin the hours pass pleasantly by . Crossing the Tioga river at Lawrenceville the railroad leads up on the west side of the river, passing the old home of Austin Lathrop, ou sr . , and keeping close under the base of the mountain until y reach the broad and all uvial ﬂats upon which the village of Tioga h C is situated . At the latter point t e Elkhorn and rooked creeks u nite and the course of the railroad is up through the valley of - ﬁ ve Crooked creek , where thirty years ago lumbering was carried v t o on ery extensively , a plank road being constructed from Tioga

ear s s a e Wellsboro , where for many y hundr d teams per day could be seen haulin g the product of the mill s to Tioga for ship m ent either upon the river or the Corning or Blossburg railroad . ’ a n d V l At Holliday s , Middlebury Niles al ey exciting and busy scenes were enacted . The great lumber ﬁrm of Phelps, Dodge Stokes owned many thousand acres in this valley and contiguous territory and were employ ing a small army of men in the woods ll h and mi s . Many of t e descendants of those pioneer lumbermen ow n v l now and occupy farms in this al ey, and are tilling the soil ﬁ h with full as much pro t as their fat ers hewed down the pines . Look at those beautiful farm houses and out - buildings which show n thrift and prosperity . The tan ing business succeeded the white v pine lumbering, and many thousand dollars ha e been invested in

. h that industry We are now approac ing Stokesdale Junction, W e where the Jersey Shore and Pine Creek railroad diverg es . b will talk more about that road upon our return from Wells oro . Among the prominent early citizens in this locality were Aaron h - Niles , fat er of General Jerome B . Niles , auditor general of Penn

. . . e i s sylvania ; H H Potter and Jesse Locey The train, howev r, m oving on at such a rapid rate that w e shall have to recall those Old ” settlers at a future time .

135

1804 w a s h s ettlers . In the year Tioga county formed and in t e year 1806 Wellsboro was selected as the coun ty seat and h a s enjoyed the distinction ever since . But courts were not held here

1813 1830 ll ~ until about the year . In the year We sboro was incor ora t ed N p , John orris being elected the first burgess, or executive f h officer . At that time there were less than fi ty families in t e h borough limits . The great state road running westward from t e county of Luzerne across the counties of Luzerne , Bradford, Tioga , McKea n w a s Potter, and Warren, on the Allegheny river, finished 1809 to Wellsboro about the year . A few year s prior to that date a highway had been cut out , which reaches southward from New ber r Wellsboro to y , upon the west branch of the Susquehanna, li ill near the present city of Wil amsport . Its course was over h s n m and mou tains, and it was uch used by the early settlers , who b a t Phil a del did usiness southward Northumberland, Harrisburg , phia and Baltimore . It would hardly seem possible , Harry, that . the early merchants of this town h aul ed their merchandise with r B r teams f om altimore and Philadelphia, but it is t ue .

N WELLSBORO , PAST A D PRESENT .

EARLY SETTLERS AND THEIR GRAND WORK— ENTERPRISING AND

T - PROMINENT MEN OF O DAY .

Among th e early settlers at Wells boro were Benjamin W . li W il N . Morris , John orris, Samuel W Morris , Wil am Bache , sr . , l Eberen t z h liam Wells , Erastus Fe lows, William , B . B . Smit , John

F . Donaldson , F . Wetherbee , Elias Spencer, J . L . Robinson , Israel W Merrick , Gates ilcox, Josiah Emery, James Locke , Dr . O . L . Gib

son , E . M . Bodine , L . I . Nichols , Samuel Dickinson , J . Kimball , D . l Caldwell , E . M . Bodine , David Linsey, Doctor Wel s, Samuel Mack, Ch ri st a n ot w h o William Taylor, R . , were residents here before the i 835 . year 1 , or a l ttle over ﬁfty years ago Some of those, of course , a ' l had made Wellsboro their home at much earlier date . Severa

- of the prominent business men of to day, among whom are Wil

. f liam Bache , Chester Robinson, J . L Robinson, fi ty years ago had s just commenced their business career . The Robinsons are banker e now, but they were merchants and lumbermen then . But a larg number of what might be termed now as old citizens located here l about thirty or forty years ago . Wel sboro developed slowly but i n surely . Her growth was not rapid or phenomenal . It was an / h f 18 2 Y ou land town wit out any railroad acilities until the year 7 . s will observe , Uncle Jonas, that the dwellings and business place th th e have a new and recently constructed appearance , al ough shade trees along the streets and in the publi c square show that de tru c they have been planted many years . Several severe and s u th e tive fires occurred here , and many of the best struct res in w a Th e town have been erected since the railroad s completed . ffi cour t house was erected fifty years ago , but the county o ces of a n d the register and recorder, prothonotary, county treasurer ’ s heriff s are of quite recent date, and reflect credit upon the county . 136

T he court house is constructed of sand stone , which is peculi arly well adapted to building purposes . It has withstood the frosts and a n d storms of fifty years yet looks fresh and substantial . There is a large quantity of the same kind of sand rock only a few miles to the south of us . The first store was opened here by William 1812 Bache , sr . , in the year , although several citizens had joined revious to that date in purchasing goods by the wholesale in r h m erla n d i i o t u b and Ph ladelphia, haul ng them here and then distributing them among the persons w h o had invested in the en e ri e t rp s . A few of the first settlers had taken the precaution to bri ng with them many of the necessaries of life to their wilderness home , and until a number of years had elapsed , and until stores of supplies were regularly established here , they had not exhausted w a s e their stores . Benjamin Wistar Morris a Quak r and services in that faith were held in a log church or school house erected for that purpose . R Early in the history of the settlement of this vicinity the ev .

b . Cale Boyer, a Methodist minister , located here He came about th 1802 ﬁf e y ear , when there were only teen Methodist ministers in tt the United States . As the se lement increased in dignity and im portance the church organizations were made . The Episcopal 1838 1843 church was formed in the year , the Presbyterian in and 1868 th e 1817 the Baptist in . In year an academy was located and established which ﬂourished for many years . In the year 1834 l Wel sboro adopted the common free school system , and soon there after took measures to erect suitable school buildings . The enter prise and public spirit of its citizens in the cause of education r e sul t ed in the erection of a central school building in the year 1875 which cost Prominent among the friends of that enter

. lli prise were the Hon Henry Sherwood , the Hon . H . W . Wi ams , l i the Hon . Jerome B . Niles , the Hon . M . F . E l ott, the Hon . John R v e . . W . Bailey , the Hon . Hugh Young , the Dr Charles Breck, v k Re . . l the Rev . J . F . Cal ins , the . N L Reynolds , Wi liam Bache , d r 1. Bosa . . l James H . , Jerome B Potter, the Hon John Mitchel , the Hon . Stephen F . Wilson , J . L . Robinson , Chester Robinson . In fact it w a s a public thing in which almost the entire communi ty took a deep interest . The completion of the railroad from Law vill 1872 w h o r en ce e to this point in the year brought in strangers , l a located here and assisted in building up this beautiful vil ge . It had the effect to increase the value of real estate and whole farms t were surveyed into own lots, readily sold and dwellings and busi t h e ness places erected thereon . For a few years tendency w a s 011 toward an extreme , and the hard times came and checked temporarily the growth of the town . But she has rallied from the depression and n e w buildi ngs of all ki nds a n d description have been erected during the past year . Some of the them are very h u ﬁne in arc itectural design , notably the new opera ho se across

h . n t e w a y built by Robert C Simpso , and elegantly arranged in all its appointments . “ In the matter of the press , Uncle Jonas , Wellsboro has had i many newspaper ventu res . They have represented every pol tical 2 8 n o w i pa rty since 18 . There are two republ can and one demo Th e cratic newspaper published here . Agitator is the oldest . It 137

185 4 . . was established in the year by M H Cobb , and has continu i ed as the organ of the republ can party . A few months w a s ago another paper established by the late Charles G . Fairman, entitled the Republican Advocate . The Agitator is now and has been for a number of years conducted very ably and proﬁtably by

Messrs . Barnes Roy , and the Advocate by J . H . Maston , and h i d t i c n e w s 1 i s W edited wit abil ty . The emocra p per the ellsboro i h 18 4 7 . . Gazette , and was establ s ed in the year by F G Churchill, w w n o . of Elmira . It is o ned and published by Messrs Wright l n vr . h Co e ey . We lsboro may well feel proud of its press T ree better country newspapers can not be found in the state . In the year 1883 the Pine Creek and Jersey Shore railroad w a s completed and connections made with the Corning, Cowanesque and Antrim

- railroad at Stockdale Junction, as you observed to day . This has afforded the citizens of this place a more direct route to Willi ams r e port, Harrisburg , Philadelphia and intermediate points, and to cei ve newspapers published in those cities at a much earlier date . It has enabled them to do business with the merchants and business f men o southern Pennsylvania , interchange products and hold com m u ni ca ti on with the people of the southern portion of the state .

Until that very important railroad connection was made, they were h ” deprived of t at pleasure . m i I a rested now, Harry, and would l ke to take a walk about town . v ﬁ Harry and Uncle Jonas make ready and go out isiting, rst the

1 “

01 . park, public square Those grounds are tastefully laid out and much interest has been taken by the authorities in beautifying them and making them inviting . Wellsboro will soon have a ﬁne e system of water works, and fountains will be rected upon the square and seats will be provided where under the refreshing shade of the elm and maple the weary can ﬁnd a place to sit and while

away the hours in hot summer afternoons . A pagoda or band ’ m stand is already erected . It is also expected that a soldier s onu l ment wil be placed upon these grounds in the very near future .

The soldiers from Tioga county upon the battle ﬁelds of the south, during the late rebellion were many and wherever the union ﬂag

ﬂoated , there they were found defending it and bearing it onward

to victory . A million dollars was raised by the Tioga county and town ship ofﬁcials to send these g a llen t men to those g a llen t men to

the front . Very many of them never returned . Others came

home wounded, maimed , crippled and broken down physically, and it is very appropriate tha t some lasting memorial should be erected in recognition of their great services for the perpetuation

Of the union . This fine building on the corner is owned by Henry Sherwood w and Walter Sherwood , under the firm of Henry Sher ood Son . Of They are prominent lawyers , and are ficially connected with the

Jersey Shore and Pine Creek railroad, the father being president All and the son one of the directors . these buildings until you reach the church on the corner are occupied by gentlemen of the l fﬁ f . b lega pro ession There is the o ce of Jeff Harrison, and near y O f . are the ofﬁces John W Mather, Henry M . Foote , S . F . Chan

. . . . s nell , A J Shattuck, General J B Nile Son , Elliott Watrous .

139

’ 1 e They next visited the county commissioner s rooms , wh re,

. x th rough the courtesy of William H Ba ter, one of the county commissioners , they were shown through the entire building, and witnessed the admirable and convenient manner which its ﬁre v proof aul ts , cases , pigeon holes , heating and ventilating appara h c sh eriﬁ tus was arranged and made. T ey met the re ently elected

w h o dl . Ferris, kin y offered to show them through the jail But Uncle ur fel Jonas declined, saying it was no pleas e to him to look at his

- low man in confinement and disgrace . They passed out of the office well pleased with their visit, and satisfied that the authorities T a d v of ioga county, had provided a safe n con enient structure , wherein to keep their valuable records and those of its citizens . ca l- i They next visited the court house and led on Judge Will ams, b u whom they found in his cham er, industriously looking p refer ence and authorities , but who found time to greet his callers with b - a hearty welcome . The judge has been a out twenty years upon w the bench , sixteen or more of hich he has been president judge , a a greater portion of the time c lled to preside in Tioga , Potter,

McKea n and Cameron counties . During these twenty years he has been called upon to decide some very important cases involving l many intricate points and thousands of dol ars . He has upon the n u whole give most excellent satisfaction to litigants, based pon di his fairness and impartial decisions . Notwithstan ng his labori ous duties the judge is well preserved and the picture of health and

contentment . He owns one of the ﬁnest residences in the town and is surrounded with very many of the comforts and luxuries of l i . life , which he has wel earned during a l fe of industry and sobriety d wi v Thus far Uncle Jonas was elighted th his isit to Wellsboro .

They leave the court house and call on the Hon . John I . Mitchell

United States Senator, who was home from Washington during i the hol day vacation . They are kindl received by the Senator m . a eron . and his law partner, the Hon David Harry had on a

former occasion , when at Mitchells on the Tioga road , given a w h o bor n brief history of the Senator, was at that place and shall , t o - therefore , not refer to him at length day . In their calls that

afternoon they met the Hon . Stephen Wilson , G . W . Merrick , the

H . . . . on . B B Packer, Robert K Young , Walter Merrick, United t . A States Bank Examiner Hugh Young, J H . Matson, District

torney ; Dr . W . W . Webb , Thompson and Shearer, Dr . M . L .

Bacon , Charles C . Mather, a prominent merchant ; F . K . Wright, m a n Va n Va lk n u r . . e b a leading business ; John W Bailey , G C . g ,

C . M . Osgood , L . A . Gardiner , Frank Hart, James R . Cole, of the

Cole House Judge L . P . Williston , Squire Brewster Judge

Wheeler, I . M . Bodine , John R . Bowen, besides visiting the ﬁre ll department rooms , the Odd Fellows and Masonic ha s , thus put n i n ti g full time for the afternoon, and returning to the Wilcox

House in time for supper . w a s The evening spent at their rooms at the hotel, where they l i n id n n were cal ed upon by several old citizens , who related c e t s co n ect ed with the early settlement of this vicinity and pleas

ant events w hich had taken place in the courts of the county,

where important suits were tried , and the legal combats of the

lawy ers, the stupidity of the witnesses or jurors , and related many 140 a c e musing anecdotes oncerning the hotels throng d with litigants , j urors and witnesses . There is always a certain atmosphere per taining to county seats , especially if the county is large and thinly la d opu t e . Every count has a few eccentric characters who make 1t e their business to atten every t rm of court , whether they have any business there or not . One of the callers on Uncle Jonas and Harr y that eveni ng was a certai n j udge w h o s er ved many years at u l al the bar of Tioga co nty as a awyer, and who so was a number of years upon the bench , been a member of both Houses of the of a n d m State Pennsylvania, served two ter s in Congress . He had , k d therefore , been much in public life , had mar ed and coul tell many ludicrous scenes in court i n the legislature and in Congress h io with a grace equaled by few . This judge , w en the conversat n a n d w tur ned to the old court scenes , refreshed his memory for t o ’ b h i s i e hours kept Uncle , Jonas face athed in tears from mmoderat ’ th e laughter, caused by the judge s recital of his stories concerning o w bench and the bar . At s me future time we may rite them out b Of l ee A for the eneﬁt of the readers the Dai y and W kly dvertiser, but for the present we must be excused as Uncle Jonas and Harry t - must go to An rim to morrow , and the next day visit Williams ’ u t port . Uncle Jonas begins to need a little q ie rest at Harry s i x - home in Elmira . He has been s months to day upon the road n h h e h e visiting and talki g, and notwit standing insists that enjoys ll it . After we make this tour, which it wi take ﬁve or six num wi l v bers to write up, we l gi e the old gentleman rest until spring time .

' W T R M ELLSBORO O ANT I .

— EOR EX T COAL INDUSTRY . FAVORITE RESORT CURSION AR S THE P IE .

T hrough the courtesy of a friend , Uncle Jonas and Harry were nc taken into a carriage and driven out by the reside e of Dr . M . L . i Bacon, the publ c school building, thence back to Main street

and as far north as the summer residence of Hon . Henry Sher of f wood , passing among other residences those A . Hardt , chie

engineer for the Fall Brook Coal Company, Fred . K . Wright , Mrs . l : Silas X . Bil ings , Walter Sherwood , Charles C Mather and Capt . i r N les . Returning they visit the agricultu al fair grounds which h e are annually made more attractive and convenient , and also t beautiful city of the dead which is so carefully guarded by those whose friends are therein entombed The remains of those most prominent in the affairs of Wellsboro through all stages of its early

‘ settlements are resting therein . It is a historic spot and well do the citizens of Wellsboro honor themselves when they exhibit so

much interest in the care of their dead . From the cemetery they

were driven to the dep ot, where by good luck they found an extra train about to de a rt for Antrim and soon they were speeding away upon the ‘harleston Creek railroad into the Charleston — m ountains passing the Tioga County Poor House , one of the 141

' ’ c ounty s most deserving institutions . Round top is at last reached — not that one made famous in the great battle at Gettysburg , but C the peaceful round top of Charleston township in Tioga ounty, where ﬂocks and herds graze undisturbed by wars or rumors of n wars . We can look behind us and see Wellsboro estled in the — valley below u S her church spires gleaming in the sun and her ’ dwelli ngs and public buildings look ing as fresh upon this winter s morning as if she had taken a bath in a May day stream . Dr .

Charles H . Williams, son of Judge Williams , was on board and entertained Uncle Jonas and Harry very much by his description of mountain scenery in various portions Of the United States and o a nd i Canada . The doctor is p ssessed of ﬁne artistic taste rare sk ll

i n . the use of the pencil, cray on and brush “Q Here we are at the Summit and will soon begin to descend towards Antrim by what is known in railroad circles as back ” m s witching . These, Uncle Jonas , are the s a e as those at Fall

B i . rook , which I then expla ned to you The engine has left us and we are descending by gravity . Just watch Conductor John Wilson and see h ow careful ly he mani pulates the brakes . He is serving in the triple capacity of engineer, brakeman and conductor . He is responsible for the safe delivery of this car at Antrim and trusts no one to do his work . He has been upon the road ever since it 1872 be was opened in , and had been employed a number of years fore that time between Fall Brook and Corning and between Corn t ing and Watkins on the Erie and Northern Cen ral roads . Look ,

Uncle, we are rounding the point and presently Antrim will be in view . Cast your eye to the westward and peer down into that c hasm many feet below and see the St ream dashing over the rocks a n d on h hurrying to the Chesapeake bay . There is a amlet down ll there in that narrow va ey known as Sand Run . A few years ago these mountain sides were covered with an enormous growth of n hemlock timber, which has bee cut down for the lumber and bark f ” wi it a forded . Is that Antrim , Harry, th its many painted ” d l . wellings, stores, churches and school bui dings Yes , Uncle ” “ t . W Jonas ell, I expec ed to see a different town , one covered with coal dust , grim and smoky, and a lot of irregular tenements . “ I am happily surprised We will c ontinue on down to those sch u t es d coal and then reverse and glide down to the epot , which l you see near that ﬁne stone church . There we wil alight , walk ’ d w f w e o n by the company s o ﬁce and store, and a little further on

wi _ Fi h D. s ll ﬁnd the Antrim hotel , whose proprietor is Mr . James , s on - f of ex Sheri f Fish of this county . We will be kindly received ” there and well provided for . The hotel being reached the travelers are conducted to a cosy o h r om and soon dinner is announced . After dinner t ey walk down to the sch u t es where the coal is received from the m ines in small cars and shipped into larger standard guage coal dumps and gon dolas varying in capacity from six to twenty tons or more . From w this point, Uncle Jonas and Harry obtain a vie of the valley in l h t . whic Hoy vi le, which they visited some weeks ago, is situated h ns It is at least a thousand feet lower than Antrim . T ese tow are — only about three miles distant from eac h other~ one located in the v ll a ey, and the center of a great tanning and lumbering industry,

143

T a n d th e founding of the town were Thomas Farrer, homas Dra i n sﬁ eld ff . G a ney, Charles Prothero , Titus , John Hinman , Chas

H B . . inman, Charles Hoff , William James, David J Davis, Thomas

Burton , Samuel Strong , James Ketcham , E . H . Tremain, W . W .

w n sberr . . v Lo y , William E Butts , Isaac S Marshall , Da id Cooper,

l i . . Stoth off J oseph Murray, D . D . Hol iday , Jerry Aust n, L J , John n Forrest , Theodore P . Whiti g , D . M . Edwards, Andrew K . Fletcher, ‘ Th om a s McMa h on Michael Keating, , James Gardiner and James ff v G a ney, who were assigned arious parts in the work , and who 1873 performed it equally well . In the year , at the December term , h the township of Duncan , w ich included the village of Antrim , was formed and an election authorized to be held for township w H fﬁ . o cers in February follo ing, and Thomas Gaffney and E . e Tremain appointed commissioners to hold said el ction . The elec 17 1874 tion was held February , , and resulted in the selection of

T s f . . a s homa Ga fney and E H Tremain supervisors Isaac S . Mar th l . e shal and J Shumway were chosen justices of peace W . W . li Low n ber r . s y , constable Wil am E Butts , assessor a school board

. W lll i c . . a m onsisting of David Cooper, A Lake . Dr E George, P .

Thomas, Joseph Murray town treasurer , John Hinman Thomas

Farrar, Charles G . Hinman , George W . Rice , auditors town d c . . lerk, W W Forest ; ju ge of election, Jerry Austin ; inspectors i of election, D . D . Holl day and Charles Prothero . Schools were opened, churches were organized, lodges were instituted, and every one went to work with a will to build up a community possessing a large number of the advantages enjoyed by older towns, and you

- can see , Uncle Jonas , to day, how much progress they have made in a little over ten years since the township of Duncan was incor ” r t ed p o a . “ b v It is impossible , Uncle Jonas , to relate to you in our rief isit many li ttle incidents which have occurred in the building up of such a town as this . There are many things which I shall be o Bu t I bliged to omit for want of time . trust I have given you a

- fair idea of it . This is one of the most orderly and law abiding ni i towns in northern Pennsylva a, and w ll in time become a great a ir th e summer resort, on account of its pure and bracing and most excellent springs of water . This town has already become famous

. as a point for excursions for the people living on the line of this

Corning, Cowanesque and Antrim railroad , and the Syracuse , w h o Geneva and Corning road . To those have always lived in the farming districts of Steuben , Yates , Schuyler and Ontario counties New in York , it is a great novelty to them to come up here , look the town over , take their dinners at this hotel or bring their lunch baskets with them , and go into the mines which penetrate for miles beneath these mountains ; then to witness the mode of mining , and l fu see what a ski l l yet laborious process it is , pleases those farmers Ne h and business men more than a trip to w York or t e sea side . I li h be eve , Uncle Jonas , t e most delighted excursion party I ever met came here several years ago from those counties to which I have just referred . Those little trains hauled by mules , dashing through the subterranean railroads, guided by a driver with a f - co fee pot lamp, with the rattle of cars in those dark avenues , gave h . t e them great enjoyment In fact , they were captivated by 144

excitement . I sat quietly in my seat in the car on their return a n d i home l stened to their exclamations of delight and pleasure . It is n o t the country people alone w h o take delight in visiting th e - d mines, but students and scientists , and highly educated and refine w o people are yearly increasing in numbers , h wish to visit this n town . There are many valuable things to be learned here . The d there is no anger connected with it . It is not like going down a thousand feet or more into the anthracite coal pits filled wi th nox n o ious and inflammable gases . There is more danger in going into w these mines here , either dra n by a small locomotive or a mule , than there is in riding on a first class narrow guage railroad . There is nothing connected with a ride into these m ines to frighten the ” most timid . I ul had expected, Uncle Jonas that we wo d remain here over l night , but I am told that it wil be better for us to go back to l Con du ct or W ilson Wel sboro with now, as it is uncertain whether ” n w e can reach Wellsboro by train in the mor ing .

As they were going to the depot , through the politeness of Mr .

William Howell, they were shown into Trinity church , a fine edifice n ifi n m . e u ce ce r . rected through the of John Magee , j , and made of cut stone taken from the quarries in the vicinity of Antrim . It is a durable and costly structure and will long remain as a monument l 2 4th 18 2 t . u o his generosity Trinity church was organized J y , 7 , Rev t hrough the instrumentality of . Charles Breck , of Wellsboro , a o ff ssisted by such churchmen as John Hinman , Th mas Ga ney r and others . John Magee , j . , died quite suddenly of pneumonia at 2 6 18 3 2 9 7 . Y . Watkins , N . , April , , aged years h v v t The time a ing arri ed for the train to star , Uncle Jonas and l Harry stepped on board . They arrived safely at Wel sboro and were driven to their former quarters at the Wilcox House .

P INE CREEK AND JERSEY SHORE .

A TRIP THROUGH A DELIGHTFUL VALLEY TO WILLIAMSPORT . h Well , Uncle Jonas , this is rousing us up pretty early but t en

we will try and accommodate ourselves to the circumstances . Passengers must be ready when the time arrives for the trains to

depart or they must remain over until the next train , is the prin ”

i le . c p , and a very good one too, that is enforced in this railroad age In due time Un cl e Jonas and Harry are seated comfort a bly in l i n the excellent upholstered cars of the Wi liamsport fast l e , and h .are conveyed at t e rate of forty miles an hour down the valley of

Marsh Creek . This is a very sluggish stream , that winds around v e in the all ey between the mountains, its descent to Pine Creek b h ing only about one foot to t e mile . On the side of the mountains w 1n d1ca te - al rocks project , hich the out croppings of the co

measure .

Several hamlets and lumber districts , through which they are ’ ’ rapidly whirled are known as Leach s , Matson s and Marsh Creek . Then Ansonia is reached where the railroad ﬁrst enters the valley 145

f P o ine Creek . At this latter station , the train halts for several minutes to take on passengers who have come down the vall ey from the townships of Shippen , Gaines and the eastern townships of Potter county .

“ w ‘ ’ " Ansonia , formerly kno n as the Manchester Farm, about - ﬁ ve a forty years ago was the center of a gre t lumber industry , which ll was conducted by the late Hezekiah Stowe , Phelps Dodge , R Judge obert G . White , Scovil Babcock and many others . Mills and lumber camps were scattered all along Pine Creek from this P m point up into otter county, a distance of ﬁfteen or twenty iles .

The parties named here had extensive mills , as well as others higher w ll up the stream . There ere the Furmans, Rexfords, Bi ings, Phenix and others w h o had mills also and manufactured lumber extensively . There , an idea has occurred to me while speaking of those localities above here on Pine Creek, that next spring w hen the tro u t season opens w e will take a trip up the vall ey from h ere v and look over the ground I have mentioned , and isit the locality n X . l where your old friend Silas Billi gs , father of Silas Bil ings , ” w a s ﬁfty years or more ago so extensively engaged in business . “ h I t ink that would be a good plan Harry, for I am informed ” that there are many points of interest in that direction . Josiah Furman w a s the ﬁrst settler in this locality in the year 1804 or th u m b er la n d . He came up from N in a boat , and soon after h planted several orchards , t e trees being also conveyed here in a boat propelled by hand power up the stream . While lumbering w a t w a s going on here so ex ensively, a little church s erected on the banks of Marsh Creek , and a grave yard laid out adjoining it . Old i ” Many of the settlers of this local ty are buried there . “ But , Uncle Jonas , before the timber was exhausted in this locality a company w a s formed at Williamsport which constructed a great boom , and proposed to make Williamsport the great man u fa ctu ri n g center for lumber for the West Branch of the Su squ e hanna and its tributaries a bove that point . In that project they succeeded to a large extent . Millions of feet of saw logs are now

u . o t in this region and above here on Pine Creek, which are ﬂoated in the log to Williamsport, safely secured in their capacious boom S and then manufactured into lumber, lath , hingles and kindling w e wood . The signal has been given and away will go down into ” n this g reat Pennsylvania cano . PIKE CREEK CANYON . f The waters of Pine Creek and the railroad occupy every inch o available space between the mountains for a distance Of about six l . h h teen mi es T e course is not a straig t one by any means . At every revolution of the driving wheel of the locom otive it seems as w a s ff h if it departing upon a di erent tangent , althoug , strange as h h it may seem , the rails are laid upon the ig est principles known 110 n to the most experienced civil engineers , and unpleasant feeli g h is realized by the passenger, as he w irls along at a rapid rate . Nor would he be cogniza nt of the fact that he was traveling in such a serpentine course if he did not observe objects through the f h d n r car window or rear door o the in most coach . The passe ge experiences no di fferent sensations th an he does over an ordinary

147

r F to y, to have been a Canadian half breed, whose father left rance ,

went to Canada and m a rried an Indian princess . Tiadaghton was f the Tall Pine of the upper waters of the Susquehanna, earless in l the chase , brave in battle and skil ed in travel and Indian diplo th e macy . His dominion extended west to the Alleghany and to ” Ohio line and as far north as Presque Isle . The romant ic scenery along the route does not by any means

terminate at Blackwells , but extends along the entire line until

the traveler reaches Williamsport . Uncle Jonas and Harry pass

. Woodhouse , a small station , and are soon at the mouth of Cedar

Run , when Harry brieﬂy related that it was at the head waters of

Cedar Run that Silas Billings , the senior, about forty years ago

erected a steam saw mill in the wilderness , cutting a road from

Gaines up Elk Run, over a high mountain and descending again Ru n ﬂOw ed into a small valley through which Cedar , and also con

s tructed a plank road, nine miles in length , over which to trans port his lumber to Pine Creek . He also stated that the village of

Leetonia, where a large tannery is situated , is located upon lands

formerly owned by Mr . Billings . They have now entered the c l ounty of Lycoming, and the valley of Pine Creek gradua ly begins

to widen , and farms and farm houses are more frequently seen . A ﬂ a number of g stations are passed, when the train halts for a mo a ment at Waterville , and gain dashes onward towards Jersey n t Shore . Evidences of thrift and plenty are observable upo ei her R s . ide The stations of Ramsey, Tombs un, Safe Harbor, Harris , a re J ersey Shore Junction passed , when the train arrives on time at Jersey Shore; one of the oldest towns upon the upper waters of

the West Branch . They are now in the broad , beautiful and rich

valley of the west branch of the Susquehanna . This is a valley h replete with istorical events , which it would take volumes to re

hearse , and which would require the skilled pen of a Maginnis , a

Watson or a Lloyd to portray . But we will say in passing that 182 6 it s Jersey Shore was incorporated in the year , and while pro h a s ln gress has been slow in point of population, it continued to c i h i rease wealth and in the strong , substant al character of its citi z ens . It has recently received a great impetus to its prosperity by

the construction of the Jersey Shore and Pine Creek railroad, and t h lea r ﬁ eld e C . Beech Creek, South Western railroad “ ” If it were possible , Uncle Jonas , remarked Harry, I would ‘ g ladly spend months along this valley with you talking over by ’

, gones and referring to the very many distinguished men and w h o i l M women have lived and are now liv ng in this val ey . y h w a s object in aving you visit this locality , for the purpose of v t d iewing it o ay, not through the eyes of retrospection . Well, ‘

Harry , I was familiar with this valley many years ago , before the ' h w a s d ewber r West Branc canal constructe , and soon after the N y t w 11 and Couderspor turnpike a s built . There were 0 railroads ‘ i l athen . The populat on was comparatively smal at Williamsport,

:a t ew b err . N y , and at this place West at the mouth of the Bald E m i n agle , y old fr ends , the Dunns and Ha nas lived , and I would n ow Oh p refer , Harry, to enter this valley, view its prosperity, s erve its public improvements , note its industrial establishments , t l i s p ub ic and private buildings, and mark the general character 148

” u i sti cs of its present pop lation . While Harry and Uncle Jona s w ere engaged in the for eg oi n g ' con ver sa ti on several stations had been passed and they were approaching Williamsport at a rapid r lli t ate . In due time they reached Wi amspor and were safely “d l omici ed at the Hepburn house . WILLIAMSPORT .

a n d W After resting refreshing themselves , the travelers ent out th e l a n d . called on Mr Maginnis , of Gazette and Bul etin , with whom they spent a few minutes very pleasantly . They also called - m i l . . E k b c . on Ex Mayor Wil iam F Logan , Col F . E . , Mr Prior , of ’ n w h o h the Lumberman s Excha ge, gave them t e statistics of lum 1885 ber, lathe , shingles , etc . , manufactured during the year , which n h aggregated several hu dred million feet . T ey also called at the O Sun and Banner fﬁce , went into the Lycoming county court house , a splendid structure , and then took a carriage and were li Es driven about the town , cal ng on Edgar Munson , q , an exten f sive lumberman and manu acturer, and from thence over to F ourth street , as ﬁne a street as any inland city of the state can boast of , skirted with elegant and palatial mansions . They passed ’ by the Episcopal church , erected by Williamsport s former distin i h bu m ess h u s ed s man , Peter Herdic, and ad the pleasure of meet 1n n m g that irrepressible ge tleman , who no reverse in fortune can w put down , and who is al ays buoyant under the most disastrous c ircumstances . They rode around to the Park Hotel , formerly known as the Herdic House , and made the acquaintance of its g enial Scotch landlord , and after having been driven about the 011 city for two hours more , returned to the Hepburn House . Dur ing the evening they had the pleasure of meeting the Hon . H . H . H n o . Cummin , president judge of Lycoming county, the John J . l - h . h . h M t e . etzger, Hon T eodore Hil , Ex Mayor S S Starkweat er , n a d others , and a little later dropped in again into the Lumber ’ m man s Exchange , and met any of the active lumbermen of the h t h e c ity and eard the outlook of lumber trade discussed , and the l future destiny of Wi liamsport . From what they had seen during the day and learned from rep v r esen ta ti e business men of various occupations , they were favor t o f W a bly impressed wi h the city illiamsport as it is now, and of its bright prospects for the future . It now contains a population

- ﬁ ve h d t of tw enty t ousand , is provi ed wi h extraordinary railroad a facilities , and all the social , religious and educational advant ges l which any community cou d desire . Its press is well conduct ed and seems to be well sustained , its banking privileges are ample , the means of obtaining cheap rates of transpo rta tion are more than m f ordinary, and with the prospect of other anu acturing companies locating there , in addition to what it already possesses , it would ’ r seem that Williamspo t s future were bright . What adds more for ce to this conclusio n is the public Spirit manifested by i ts citi z ens of every vocation . Of course the chroni c grumbler inhabits Williamsport as well as o r w h o u bli c a n y other city town, is disposed to detract from the a b spirit of its citizens , by cynic l and o jectionable remarks . f this latter spirit they observed that Williamsport w a s comparatively 149

to er free , and on the other hand the spirit of progress seemed p vade the community and they were disposed to look on the bri ght “ y n n side . The were told , we are goi g to have a large and exp e ost ofﬁ ce h sive p , with chambers for t e holding of United States ” “ we a r e ~ courts . going to have many new industrial establish ” ments , and other levers to prosperity . This seemed the spirit

that manifested itself everywhere, and such a spirit as this pre v l We li ai ing reassert that the future of Wil amsport is secure .

WILLIAMSPORT TO ELMIRA .

DESCRIPTION OF THE BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY ALONG THE NORTHERN CENTRAL RAILROAD . Uncle Jonas and Harry decided to return to Elmira by the way — of the Northern Central railroad one Of the well - managed a n d ﬁ r st - equipped class roads that lead from the south , northward of N t o through the states _ Maryland , Pennsylvania and ew York r s t Elmi a , Watkin , Penn Yan , Canandaigua, Roches er, Niagara f Falls and Bu falo, and which is run and managed in harmony on with the interest of the Pennsylvania railroad company , and e

o f . its great trunk or branch lines Its initial point is Baltimore . It follow s up the grand old valley of the Susquehanna to Harris

burg, Dauphin, Halifax to Sunbury, and from that point it uses th e the track of Philadelphia Erie , passin through Milton , Wat s on t ow n l Tr a n ch Su s u , Muncy , in the val ey of the west of the q e l lli hanna to Wil iamsport . At Wi amsp ort it leaves the west branch valley and continues northward up the valley of the Lycoming t R R through Cogan valley , Trou un, Ralston, oaring Branch, i m Canton , Alba, Troy to Elm ra , and fro that city northward , as r f we have stated , to Rocheste , Niagara Falls , Bu falo , and the lakes . ofﬁ cer ed a It is well and equipped , and its rolling stock is in most d di ll mirable con tion , its trainmen ski ed in their work and gentle i n t v manly their deportment , and cour eous and attenti e to

passengers . ’ At about eight o clock Uncle Jonas and Harry bid good -bye to m h ine ost of the Hepburn house , and step into a street car which h passes the otel door, and are soon at the depot , a large and sub st a n tia l brick ediﬁce which is used by the Philadelphia Erie

railroad company, as well as the Northern Central . Admirable th e n arrangements are made by ofﬁcials in charge, that no passe n ger take the wrong train . The doors fronti g the railroad are

kept locked , except when trains are arriving and departing, and the f l o ﬁcer in charge cal s out the stations to which the train is destined, l unlocks the door, and personal y directs the passenger which car d . W n to take a seat in hen this system was ﬁrst i tro uced, early in d w h o oh the history of the roa , there were a great many people e t d nf th e j c e to its adoption and e orcement , and particularly lumber men and raftmen w h o had come down the river from the upper w h o di d i th e waters of the West Branch , and not l ke idea of having the front doors locked and the gate fastened so that they coul d n ot

15 1

e the head of the Tioga valley . A few years lat r the primitive w a s road completed about ten miles farther up to Ralston , w a s th e soon after a new path cut across mountains, which left n the Lycoming valley at Roaring Bra ch . This was known as th e ’ u Yankee path , and also terminated at Blossb rg . When three or four hundred of these raftsmen took to this narrow path that led s h up the mountain ide through the forests , ascending igher and higher until an altitude of over two thousand feet were obtained , l n carrying miscel aneous bundles , halloing , shouti g and singing ,

h . t ey were indeed a wild and boisterous crew I am not , Harry, — losing sight of. the grand scenery along this road those towering t w mountains , covered with a great grow h of timber , hile the rocks, d n l enuded of soil , stand out in terraces , and disti ct y outlining th e o - outcr ppings of the semi bituminous coal measures of Lycoming,

' so closely allied to those of southern Tioga and Bradford . Nor w e n have I neglected to note , as ﬂew rapidly by, the ma y pleasant homes , nor failed to keep in sight the Lycoming , with its ever m varying course as it ﬂows through eadows , leaps over dam s w a which the hand of man has placed in its y , for the purpose of th e w h utilizing its power in turning heel , and making t e hum of industry resound through this valley . Nor have I failed to observe

. the secluded spot , underneath those willows and alders , where the

All : speckled trout delights to dwell . these things , Harry , have ‘ not escaped my attention, notwithstanding I have been speaking of other matters . - t Ralston is at length reached , twenty four miles nor h of Wil li m or t R a sp and two hundred and two miles from Baltimore . alston i s i a little hamlet with an excellent hotel , which in summer time s usually ﬁlled with guests from the south , who desire to enjoy th e

b . hunting and fishing in the vicinity , but more especially to o tain l quiet and rest and breathe the pure mountain air of that loca ity . m About a half mile distant is another small ha let , known a s McInt r MeIn t r e . e y At this place they observe the y plane, whose t h e N l base is on level with the orthern Centra railroad , and whose summit is about one thousand feet higher . It connects with the semi - bituminous coal mines which are located on the top of th e a r mountain , but which are not visible from the window of the c on the Northern Central . For a number of years , Uncle Jonas, w In r mining a s carried on at Mc ty e extensively . The village a t h the mines contained twelve or fifteen hundred in abitants , bu t now is almost entirely deserted and its former inhabitants are mostly Clea rfi eld residents of county . Passengers on the Northern Cen tral , thousands of them , from time to time , have watched with , great interest the descent and ascent of coal cars upon the McIn ty r e plane . A powerful engine was located upon the summit to control a the force cquired by gravity of the loaded cars on their descent, l to h aul up the unloaded coal cars or fu l freight cars . Two tracks were used ; one for those going up the incline and for those descen d ”

w a s . s ing . It a very interesting sight to witness Uncle Jona

. Es hi n s poke of Matthew C Ralston , q , of Philadelphia, and s e

i n eer li . g , Wil am P Farrand , who nearly ﬁfty years ago were prom i n en t in the construction of the railroad from Williamsport to Rals 1854 i l s ton, which in became a portion of the Elmira and W l iam 15 2

rt lr n po rai oad, and later passing into the co trol of the present com a n Oﬁr travelers are now thirty miles or more from the mouth of h : the Lycoming, w ere it discharges its waters into the West Branch n i near Williamsport . Iron ore is found in that locality to a co s d

le . era b extent, and a number of furnaces were at one time in blast in the valley . Every revolution of the car wheels since they left Williamsport has been propelli ng them higher and hi her ab a ve Th e l sea level . Lycoming , which at first was a respecta e river in size , is now only an ordinary creek, but noisy and saucy as a petted i v fi ve ch ld . Roaring Branch is reached , a illage of four or hun re h d d in abitants , a portion of which is located in Lycoming county, a nd another portion in Tioga county . Lumbering is carried on to a considerable extent . At this point the Lycoming receives its last prominent tributary of its upper waters . Five or six miles farther to the Lycoming has disappeared from the valley and is only traced in rivulets as they hide themselves away in the meadows and hills . ’ v ill Carpenter s and Groo er, two lively v ages are passed, and n t h e Canto , one of important stations on the line between Wil li a m s ort p and Elmira is reached , distant two hundred and eighteen m d h miles fro Baltimore . The ividing line which separates t e e k wat rs of the Lycoming flowing southward , and Towanda cree

ﬂowing eastward, has been passed . Canton is beautifully situated upon undulating grounds with the Armenia mountain towering i th one thousand feet above it on the west , and shelter n g it from e eleva ti en violent west winds of winter . Its above tide is twelve

- hundred and sixty one feet, and with a drainage tending east c ward and northward, its sanitary condition annot fail to be b everything that is desirable . It is a most desira le place for a sum F mer residence . Miss anny Davenport and Frank Mayo have eleg a nt cottages at Canton . h Canton contains about two t ousand inhabitants, with an excel a f l lent graded school , bank, a newspaper o ﬁce , very ﬁne dwel ings , substantial business places , neat and comfortable churches , and is one of those bright and saucy northern Pen nsylvania towns which t l w h o resemble a spiri ed youth, fu l of glee, mirth and business , f has just washed his face a ter violent exercise, and with a twinkle

i s . in his eye ready for the next adventure Canton looks new, h ts - l dressed in tasteful and sprig tly colors , with i well ighted streets , ” la fi . ce r ne yards and splendid shade trees It is just the p , Ha ry, w a s - fi ve I said Uncle Jonas , where if I twenty years of age , i should like to step off and go into business . I l ke its clean face h and general appearance . Its early in abitants were old friends of — r ff n G ra n ti er s h mine the Ge es , Gri ins , Spaldi gs , , and some of t em r w a r i had seen se vice in the of the revolut on , and came here in the h h t n wilderness to fig t in t e second war, that of cut i g down the t v n ew u r forest and making for hemsel es homes in this co nt y , fresh

f u . e from the hand o nat re Many a time , I have no doubt , hav u a they stood on the Armenia mo nt ins west of us , and turned their h h faces to t e east and nort , and surveyed the country between h h w b e here and t e Susque anna at To anda, and dwelt with pleasura l ul h emotions upon the beautif landscape before t em , and conjectured — the picture that the generation of to day would witness farms 15 3 a n d farm houses , fruitful orchards , herds of cattle and sheep e grazing in rich pasture lands , and a happy and industrious peopl , i i fil pursuing their peaceful occupat ons , the r granaries led to over i flowing with the plenteous fruits of the r labor, while villages and w h to ns with their s ops and places of business, bear evidences of wealth and refinement ; their church spires, pointing heavenward, their schools and academies , filled with happy youth , anxious to climb the ladder of fame and make their mark in the history n their cou try , either upon the b attle field, in the peaceful arts , ”

. h a in the forum , senate or executive chair While Uncle Jonas d thus been speaking, Minnequa and Alba had been passed and they i ll were whirl ng along towards Granvi e and Troy at a rapid rate . Referring to Troy he said : w a s l Troy a hamlet with only a hote , a blacksmith shop and a few scattered dwellings when I ﬁrst saw it . I have no doubt sh e a I has ch nged very much for the better since then , for am told that i ” it is now the half sh re of this grand old county of Bradford .

Yes , Uncle Jonas , Troy is the most important borough in western

Bradford county . It is distinguished for the wealth and reﬁnement of its people , its manufactories , schools , churches, lodges, ﬁre de a rt m en t p and the beauty and elegance of its buildings, business Th s places , hotels , and the tone of its press . ere are two new papers h r printed t ere , and edited with ability . Several newspape s have li m v e been pub shed there from time to ti e, with aried succ ss .

Evidently the Gazette and the Register are permanent institutions . A . C . Hooker, of the Gazette , is a smooth and polished writer and i h an accompl s ed gentlemen . The Register is younger in years f n than the Gazette, and is ast gaining a substantial footi g . Since v n you were at Troy, Uncle Jonas , not only has it de eloped i to a r ich and prosperous borough , but the country surrounding it has kept pace with the march and progress of events . Along the entire route from Troy to Elmira, on the old stage line from Elmira to l Wi liamsport , are evidences of the same forward movement and velo em en t w e w de p . Here are at Troy Look out of the car windo ,

Uncle Jonas , at the town and see if you think that I have over stated the matter in regard to this beautiful boro of western Brad ford and northern Pen nsylvania The twenty - ﬁ v e miles intervening between Troy and Elmira are k r l . C X S n ede e s quickly passed over olumbia Roads , , Gil etts , State

Line , and the Southport shops are seen in quick review, and the cars roll up to the union depot at Elmira . They take the street h l car , and are soon at their cosy ome on West Water street , wel e s e pl a ed with their trip from Elmira to Big Flats , and th nce to Com ing and over the lines operated by the Fall Brook coal com N any and the orthern Central railroad company . At their quiet hom e i i for a few weeks they w ll rest from their travels , wh le they v c nin discuss social, political, industrial and historical e ents oncer g v w Y northern Pennsyl ania and southern Ne ork .

15 5

a con stitu order out of confusion, framing and dopting a national all tion , which has since withstood the attacks made upon it prov di n ing an anchor and compass , recting and holding the America v v i people in conser ative paths , while they safely ha e sa led over A many a bil lowy sea into the haven of peace and prosperity . t th e time of the conclusion of peace wi th the mother country (1783) w w a s all of northern Pennsylvania, southern and estern New York

h . a wilderness, under t e control of the red man The prior claim of all western New York was held by the Indian , supplemented by a claim of the colony of Massachusetts , who based their title upon P a royal charter . Across the line in ennsylvania, a similar state er a of aff airs existed . The state of Connecticut held claims und t i royal charter, which conﬂicted wi h the great charter of K ng 1682 Ch arles the second to William Penn, in the year , and by sub e s equent concessions . The red men presented their charter or titl a th e from a more ncient and greater power, the great Father of n Un iverse , to lands now composed of some ﬁfteen of the norther l 1779 and western counties of that state . General Sul ivan, in , with h d h i s army, a penetrated this valley and fabulous stories were cir t h e cu la t ed by his soldiery upon their return home , concerning th e alluvial s oil and productive valleys of the upper Susquehanna , l Genesee and Al egany rivers , and the crystal waters of the Seneca,

Cayuga, Keuka, Canandaigua, Otsego and other lakes . The war bu t w n ot had closed , the hite man dare enter and possess himself of the territory described without the permission of the red man .

He still watched and guarded his inheritance . War had been resorted to during the revolution, but when it closed, the Indians m h e still held their lands and denied ad ittance to t pale face . What war had failed to accomplish was left to diplomacy to perform . P 17 (54 eaceful means were resorted to , and in the year Pennsylvania th e Y made a treaty with Six Nations at Fort Stanwix , N . . , where by they ceded to the commissioners of that state , all the territory described in northern and western Pennsylvania . That treaty reli eved the Pennsylvanians and similar treaties were made by th e authorities of New York and the conﬂicting claims of Massachusetts

finally settled and the lands in question opened up to settlement . e n d The Indians wer not , however , removed , a for many years they n th e held the right to hu t and fish at will over entire domain . L a n d fi ater, New York gathered them upon reservations con ned ” a n them to cert i localities . “ The i ffi a Indian title ext nguished , the di culty with Mass chusetts and Connecticut adjusted , this whole region was soon occupied . n h Settlements were made on the Chena go , Unadilla , t e east branch C of the Susquehanna , at Binghamton , Owego , hemung , and at n ow Newtown ( Elmira), and all along the courses of the rivers h Con h oct on from here up the C emung, , Canisteo , Tioga , Cowan h esque, upon the Genesee , around t e lakes , Seneca, Cayuga, Keuka h and on t e shores of lakes Ontario and Erie . Northern and western w a s Pennsylvania also rapidly covered . White men pushed their boats from N or th u m berla n d up the West Branch and its tributaries as well as the North Branch . These things occurred under the f and national administration of Washington, Adams and Je ferson, i under the state administration of George Cl nton, John Jay and 15 6

D i . N Y r Daniel Tompk ns , in ew ork , and Benjamin F anklin as ni resident of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylva a , and b Mifﬂi n McKea n y the governors , Thomas , Thomas and Simon New Snyder . The representatives in congress from York , who were particularly interested in this locality during the period stated, were John Lawrence and John Hathorn , but later such men as

John Patterson , Erastus Root, Oliver Phelps, John Cantine , Reu li ben Humphreys , Uri Tracey , Daniel Cruger, Benjamin El cott, J D onathan Richmond , avid Woodcock , Samuel Lawrence , John l r ll a . M gee , Thomas Maxwell , Jonas Earl , j , Robert Monell , Mi ard

Fi . llmore , Gamaliel L Barstow, Nathaniel Pitcher, Grattan H .

Wheeler, Samuel G . Hathaway, sr . , Francis Granger , Stephen B . L eonard , were in congress from the region described in New York and did much to bring the attention of the people at large to this section . The representatives in the state legislature of New York w from this section were of course numerous , but not al ay s unani m ous in their wants and the course of public policy to be pursued .

General Charles Williamson, among the earliest members of assem bly from Steuben county and especially the Pultney estate which covered an area of one million two hundred thousand acres in

Steuben , Ontario , Yates , Livingston and Seneca counties , had his o w n interest to look after and w a s naturall y jealous of any project

instituted by the citizens of Chemung, Tioga , Broome , Chenango , k hi Tomp ins and Cortland , w ch might in any degree conﬂict with l h i s interest or the estate he represented . Emanuel Coryel of this district was a sagacious and able representative in the state legisla a m ture . Hon . S uel Tinkham was a man of inﬂuence as well as E . , Caleb Hyde, of Tioga, and Obadiah German , Hon dward - Evans 1804 k of Chenango , which county , up to the year , had loo ed after l di the wants of the settlers east of the Pu tney estate , inclu ng the n Chena g o and East Susquehanna valley . A few years later, Hon . i l John M ller, of Broome and Tioga , made his debut in public ife w a s and cotemporaneous with Obadiah German , of Chenango ; H ll George orne , of Steuben ; Israel Chapin , of Ontario ; Chauncey Pu m ell r Loomis , of Genesee James p y , of B oome , afterwards of

Tioga ; and Oliver C . Comstock , of Seneca , and Eleazer Dana, of W l Broome . General Charles i liamson had located at Bath , in the 1 93 i r e r e year 7 , as an agent for the Sir Will am Pultney estate , p w senting unlimited capital and resources . He was a foreigner h o

had served in the British army . He at once became a naturalized citizen by taking the oath of allegiance ; organi zed a court and

caused himself to be appointed judge of the same ; built hotels , l dwellings , stores , mil s , and boats to ply upon lakes Keuka and Seneca ; caused himself to be elected member of the assembly of

the state of New York , and was instrumental in the formation of

the county of Steuben from Ontario . By some , in the eastern por h h tion of t e state and in t is locality , his energy and presence were

. w a s deemed a menace to American liberty This of course not so . w a s h He , it is true , ambitious that the estate he ad in charge u shoul d become a proﬁtable investment . J stice to his memory w requires this to be said and admitted . But those h o were in one w h o v in sense his rivals , owned ast tracts of land the present h counties of C emung , Tompkins , Schuyler , Tioga, Broome , Otsego , 157

Chenango and Cortland were jealous of his power a n d inﬂuence ; and even th e old patrons of Delaware , Schoharie , Albany , Mont gomery and Rensselaer kept a watchful eye upon the skilled diplo h th e mat w o h a d enthroned himself, as they termed it , in land of w a s the Six Nations , and acquiring a foothold by the use of British gold that the mother count ry could not obtain by the force of

arms . The Knickerbockers of the Hudson never had a kindly a n d w a s n feelin g towards the English , Williamson an Englishma , h though I th ink of Scottis birth . Had he hailed from Amsterdam f h the case would have been di ferent . I only refer to t is matter to show you that even in those early days there were rivalries and jealousies and the public current did not run . as smoothly and ” s eren ely as a meadow stream . “ Many were the projects and counter - projects that were planned f or the construction of turnpikes and state roads through the w 1812 s parsely settled country hen the war of was declared , which

. h for a time were held in abeyance At times during t e war , party w b r evolu spirit ran high . Old feuds hich had slum ered since the f tion were revived, and state rights parties organized to ba ﬂe the administration of James Madison . I would not refer to that matter were i t not for the reason that the bad blood stirred up during that 1840 185 0 period extended up to as late as or . In fact it is not

r n o . w a r n ew e nti ely forgotten w The being over, projects were i i f a gitated , such as the d gging of canals and ut lization o our rivers - f c as a means of inland , slack water navigation . The insu ﬁ iency o f roads during the w a r had demonstrated the necessity of some more elaborate means of inter - communication between the wat ers v w d . a of the Hudson ri er and lake Erie The Erie canal s projecte , h and simultaneously with that great sc eme , localities not on the line of that pre posed route began to agitate their claims for lateral k ~ canals which would become feeders to that trun line . Our neigh ni bors over the line in Pennsylva a had also cau ght the fever . Hon .

. E . s James Ford , Hon Samuel W Morris , Asa Mann , q , Justus l l Dartt , Dr . Wil iam Wil ard, Silas Billings , Aaron Bloss , Hiram Kilbu r n e a n d a n d d Beebe , Ira others of Tioga county, Ju ge Edward McKea n Herrick , Samuel , and hundreds of others in Bradford c ounty were besieging their own legislature and con selli n g with citizens of this state for a canal that would connect the waters of 1 . 3 st the Susquehanna with those of Seneca lake On the of March , 1815 s , the legislature of the state of New York pa sed an act entitled “ An act for opening th e navigation between the head waters of ” n th e Seneca lake and the Chemung river . At a meeti g of the president and directors of th e Seneca and Susquehanna Lock Navi l l gatie n company , at Harris hote , in the vil age of Geneva, county 2 3d of Ontario , in the state of New York , on the day of December, 1815 l VVilh elm u s M n der se , present , John Nicho as , y , Samuel Colt , z en Dcx De . A h Frederic A . g , Herman H Bogert , bra am , Joseph w a s D z en l . e Fel ows , it resolved , that Frederic A g , one of the commissioners appointed by law to receive subscriptions to the stock of the company, be authorized to apply to the legislature of ” Pennsylvania to subscribe to said stock . “ Dez en di d In pursuance of said resolution, Mr . g apply to the n s tate of Pennsylvania as directed , and accompanied his applicatio

159

s l . n requisition diplomacy , ki l and wealth Every one who ow ed a township or a thousand acres of land desired the county seat located be upon his or their lands , as the case might , and caused much w excitement and dissatis fa ction . When Ontario a s divided and 1796 Steuben formed from its territory in , the inhabitants who h a d settled along the Genesee river and whose interests were affected , determined to have a county of their own and did n ot like to be compelled to ride over the mountains at the head waters of th e C anisteo and Con h oct on and pay their respects to the E n glish col ' V\ illia m son a t n ony of General , Bath , or at Geneva , or at Ca an i h d a g u a . T e matter was agitated and canvassed , and in less than six years they accomplished their p urpose by the erectio n of the 18th 1802 county of Genesee , March , , taken from Ontario Hon . r Nathaniel King , Joshua Mersereau , j . , from Chenango , Caleb

. P i Hyde from Tioga , Daniel Capin and Peter B orter from the d s b triet compris ing Ontario and Steu en, were in the assembly that h Va n l n en year . T omas Storm , speaker, and James g , clerk . And in the s en ate from the interested territory was General Vincent m Mathews , of this county, with his associates fro the western sen

i l . a t or a district , Messrs William Beekman , Lemuel Chipman,

Isaac Foote , John Frey, Frederic Gettman, Thomas R . Gold , Moss b A m Kent , John Meyer, Ro ert Roseboom ; clerks, bra B . Bancker, k a - Henry I . Bleec er Jeremiah Van Renssel er, lieut . governor and presiding ofﬁcer , and George Clinton , governor . The majority and balance of power ” were talked of as freely F n ew w as m then as now . or every county that for ed in the west th e an equal number was formed in east and north . But , , _ Harry I will not attempt to speak of all the changes made over the entire e a N stat , but conﬁne myself to southern , western and centr l ew Y m ork, and here let me re ark, that our neighbors south of us , the P ennsylvanians , were not idle in the manufacture of new counties —Luzerne and Nor th u m berla n d were the two great counties of northern Pennsylvania up to the close of the last century . Luzerne t 2 5 th 1786 had been formed from Nor humberland September , , and extended northward up the north branch of the Susquehanna to the state line near Athens . Ten years later, or to be precise , April 13th 1796 or th u m berla n d , , Lycoming was formed from N and b f b extended up the west ranch o the Susquehanna and tri utaries , reaching westward to the Ohio line and north ward to the state line

. e ul a t Lawrenceville , now Tioga county, Pa The sp c ators , land w r 1804 o ners, and others interested in that te ritory in the year , made a grand raid on th e legisl a ture of that staid old common a 2 6th 1804 wealth and secured the passage of an act , M rch , , form f t McKea n a n d Clea r ﬁ ld ing the counties of Tioga, Je ferson, Pot er, e . w e This move had t o objects . One to count ract the formation of w h Erie , Crawford Centre and other counties hich ad been formed 1800 er th e in the year , and the oth to enlist the state in project of h b uilding state roads , to reach these unsettled portions , w ereby the lands of the great property holders could be reached . At the f h n McK ea n time of the formation o t e cou ties of Tioga , Potter and , t w o h a n f there were not thousand in abitants , covering area o nearly three thousand square miles . Closely following the organization of the counties last named the county of Bradford was formed 160

from Luzerne and Lycoming , under the title of Ontario , which on 2 1810 February l st , , was organized by an act of the legislature as Bradford county and commissioners appointed to locate the county t s eat , which hey ﬁxed at what was then known as Meansville , now

w vi z . 2 1st 1810 To anda . On the same day, , February , , the county

of Susquehanna was formed from Luzerne, thus curtailing the

territory of that county materially . Still she yet had an ample d v omain , co ering an area of about three thousand or more square ” miles now known as Wyoming, Lackawanna and Luzerne . “ N w e l Turning our attention again to ew York , see that Al e 1806 gany county was formed from Genesee in the year , and the

same year the county of Broome was formed from Tioga, and two 8 1808 years later , or April th , , the county of Cortland was formed

from Onondaga . Three years previous to this , the interest border

ing on lake Ontario and along the rivers entering that lake , had secured the passage of an act forming the county of Jeff erson 2 8th 1805 m March , , taken fro the northern portion of Oneida . v 2 9 th Pre ious to this , the county of Seneca was formed , March , 1804 . The spirit of the western portion of the state , principally l ” known as the Hol and purchase , was awakened , and on March 11th 1808 , three counties were formed , named respectively, Chau t a u u a q , Niagara and Cattaraugus, taken from the county of Gene of see . The utmost limit the western portion of the state was

covered by these counties . One of them , Niagara , included within h rea t est on er borders the cataract in the world , and e which I am pleased to learn as been taken in charge by the authorities of the s tate of New York and its grandeur and magniﬁcence made free to the admiring gaze of the millions who will hereafter witness its ” s plendors without restraint . “ This w a s about the state of affa irs wh en the war of 1812 com m n ced e and, as I stated last night , interrupted many plans th at

were then in vogue to develop these regions . The war being over . the projects were many of them revi ved in new forms and assumed a degree of importance without a parallel i n the history of the state — I m h ” ean internal navigation by t e construction of canals . t Another topic was also a tracting the attention of the people . l It was the manner of holding elections , the qua ifications of vot ers o and the election of judicial officers by the voice of the pe ple , l instead by a counci of appointment . A certain amount of real estate was necessary to be owned by the citizen before he could exercise “ the prerogative of a freeman and cast his ballot at an i d election . I w ll not iscuss this subject at length , Harry, but will briefly state that the agitation of these subjects resulted in calling a convention to revise the constitution of the state and extend to

the people more generally the privileges they demanded . Duri ng

a ll this excitement , however, the subject of new counties w a s not

: w e lost sight of . In the locality which have had under considera h w a s 17 h 1817 tion, t e county of Tompkins formed , April t , , taken

m . 11th 182 3 h fro Cayuga and Seneca On April , , t e county of w a s t Wayne formed, taken from On ario and Senca, and on t h e 5 th day of February of the same year the county of Yates was

formed . taken from the counties of Ontario and Steuben . The c ounty of Li vingston had been formed from the counties of Genesee 161

2 3d 182 1 th e and Ontario February , , and on same day the county n w a s of Mo roe formed, taken also from Genesee and Ontario, and 12 th 182 4 Orleans from Genesee November , ; Erie from Niagara 2 182 1 April d . There are only two more counties in which we are , — specially interested , the counties of Chemung and Schuyler . 2 9th 1836 Chemu ng was organized March , , taken from the western

or ti on ‘ of Tioga , and Schuyler was formed from Chemung, Tomp ° 1 h 185 4 n 7t . s and Steuben, April ,

Having carved out the counties to suit them , and located the r county seats, the people turned their attention to the e ection of d l wel ings, school houses and churches, the digging of canals and the construction of plank roads and turnpikes , and finally to the building of railroads which run at every conceivable angle across Y ni New ork , Pennsylva a, and all other portions of this great 1815 country . Covering a period from to the present (the former period having been all uded to) there have been many distingu i shed t h e men who have come to the front in social, political , professional and industrial interest of the section of the country under consider ation , as well as in the financial positions which they have taken, among the great moneyed men of the nation . “ b ” I propose , Harry, efore I discontinue these long talks, to take up several counties and speak briefly of their location , the public improvements , the railroads, canals and telegraphs, their n industrial, manufacturi g , agricultural interests , their schools,

churches , lodges and whatever pertains to their present prosperity and future prospects to speak of their foremost men in all trades

and occupations, and brieﬂy describe the mountain scenery, their l v cascades and waterfal s , and whate er is calculated to please the ” r tourist or interest the t aveler . I I m n the few weeks that shall re ain here in your cosy cottage , I a ll shall endeavor to talk over the matters of interest, which can di i as well be scussed here as upon the road, and when the gen al h e wi rays of t sun have changed nter into spring, we will again

v . sall y out and take personal obser ations What say you, Harry, ” to th e programme ? ' h Oh "I think it is just t e thing to do . I have been extremely “ ” well pleased by these long talks of yours . You have given me a great deal of information and presented many things in a differ

ent light from any that I ever had before of men and measures, a n d particularly the way in which you have presented the motives which actuated and governed the men years ago in the formation

of the several counties surrounding us .

FAMOUS CAMPAIGNS .

AND ID AS HOW LOG CABINS, COONS , C ER FIGURED POLITICAL

ACCESSORIES . i t It is well we came home from Will amspor when we did, for I see by the Morning Advertiser that there h a s been a terrible ﬂood i f i n the west branch of the Susquehanna , sweeping away mill ons o ' n l t ra ck s in an feet of u sawed timber, tearing up the rai road m y

163

18 a n d . I 32 G enesee , Seneca, Cay uga, Tompkins n it seemed to h v l a e reached its greatest strength nationally, although in loca ities, th e previous to that date , it had been much stronger than it was at i n v all er od amed . The prejudices then engendered ha e nearly ’

een worn away by the hand of time . “ One of the most exciting campaigns up to that period w a s that 1840 h 1832 o f . T e acrimony in the canvass of was greater, as the g eneral enthusiasm of the people was greater then th an in any c d w a s p re e ing campaign , but it conducted more in a spirit of good fu n nature, and was made the occasion of more j ollity, , and h l aug able transactions than had ever before occurred . e e H r in Elmira the Whig party, as it was then called, made “ many demonstrations . The candidate for the presidency of that W hi w a . party s General illiam H Harrison, of O o who had done di st n u i sh ed 1812 g service in the war of in the west and northwest ,

and especiall y at the battle of Tippecanoe . He was an excellent f type o the frontiersmen and had seen considerable service , both

- i n a military and civil character . The candidate for the vice presi

deney was John Tyler, of Virginia, a descendant and representative

o f some of the best families of that state . He had seen considera ‘ i "ble public serv ce as a civilian and legislator . The candidate of the

Democratic party was Martin Van Buren, of New York, then

President of the United States , who had served his state in almost e n m very civil capacity , rangi g from assembly an , senator, gov rn or t n - e , represen ative in co gress, vice president , and president of t the United S ates , and the successor of Andrew Jackson , the ideal D w a s soldier and statesman of the emocratic party, who, it claimed, h a d left the mantle of his great fame as a legacy to Martin Van

- 1 . 00 . Buren . Richard M Johnson , of Kentucky, then Vice Presi of dent the United States , a gallant soldier and a great orator, was the candidate for r e - election on the Democratic ticket with Van

Buren . I will not detain you , Harry, by going into a statement of .

the questions at issue . The Democratic party was intrenched i n power with a great patronage at their disposal in the shape of the distribution of public ofﬁ ces “ where they would do the most S good , a phrase and sentiment which has ince been coined . Suf m w ﬁ ce . a s it, that the issues were ade One in power, and the

other wanted to be . Several elements entered into that campaign

which were new , novel , and unique , introduced by the Whig — p arty Glee clubs, that sang campaign songs in honor of their f r o candidates and in derision o their opponents , while great p ces

s ions with coon skins , log cabins , and hard cider traversed the h ighways , attracting the multitude to some convenient spot, and t here the rustic platforms were surrounded by the admiri ng and w h o f interested followers , were harangued , easted , and made r im i :happy , while songs were sung, cannons ﬁred , and the p t ve ;a n d pioneer scenes of the west were delineated in a thousand di f ” f er en t ways .

The Democrats were entirely unprepared for such an attack, a n d the campaign had been so well planned and executed all along the line that before they could rally and charge back upon their h Opponents wit a similar mode of warfare , the Whigs had w on the

campaign, leaving the ranks of the democracy entirely at their

m ercy . 164

I h i have seen , Harry , t ree thousand tr umphant Whigs , with n co lee clubs , ban ers , barrels of hard cider , rac ons alive, raccoons l ead and dressed, assembled in the little vi lage of Elmira, parading the streets and marching over to Clinton Island and there having a grand barbecue and mass meeting . The farmer would leave his t S n plow , the merchan his store , the mechanic his hop to joi in the h a ck son ia n procession . Tough old ickory or J Democrats were h m even swept from t eir oorings into the ranks of that party , and . before they were aware of it , were shouting for Tippecanoe and ” h Tyler too . It not only captured the rustic mind , but suc learned h N a n d polished gentlemen as Judge T eodore orth , Judge Aaron K w onkle , Hon . James Dunn ould join the meeting , and , under h the inspiration of t e moment , mount the rustic rostrum and de n l iver stump speeches , and sit down in their rough log cabi s and Th e drink hard cider and partake of coon meat and corn bread . A late Hon . ndrew Bray Dickinson, of Steuben, took great deli ht a a in those demonstrations . Judge Hir m Gray . Col . S . G . Hat r l l l way , J . , Thomas Maxwell , Lyman Covel , Wil iam Maxwel , and others of like character did a ll in their power to a rrest the stam pede of the Democratic rank and ﬁle into the lines of their oppon

. ﬁ ents , but with no avail These proceedings were not con ned to ni this locality, nor to this state alone . They were u versal from

Maine to Georgia . The times had been hard , and in their cam ” aign songs they had the words two d ol l a rs a d a y a n d r oa s t beef b lield out as one of the , promises y which they caught thousands of ” lab oring men , who gave Tippecanoe and Tyler , too, their vote , w l ” expecting that their promises ould be fulﬁl ed . The democrats sent their best men to the front in order if pos sible to counteract the effect of that log cabin and hard cider cru 1812 sade . The spirit of the war of had not died out , and its e events were fresh in the minds of the peopl . Col . Richard M .

- Johnson , the democratic candidate for vice president , was a par n h h a d S ti cipa t in t at war , and done some plendid ﬁghting in the a n d a n d In west , in Ohio , Indiana Michigan, against the British t h e i w h o dians , and no doubt was sold er killed Tecumseh at the

b attle of Mon r a vi a n Town . His prestige was great as a soldier and i t h e an orator . He vacated his seat as pres dent of senate and went ou t to advocate the cause of the democracy at public meetings and relate in the most glowing language the incidents connected with w a r the India n cam paigns in the west during the . He came into

this county . He called around him the few remaining soldiers of f 1812 t h e w a r o the revolution , gathered the soldiers of the war of ,

had soldiers preside at his meetings , and by almost superhuman efforts essayed to stay the desertion from the ran ks of the demo cratic party and their enli stment under the banner of Tippecanoe ” and Tyler too . He held meetings in Elmira, at Horseheads and w a t . Pine Valley , the old Daniel Parsons stand , here the late Capt d w h o Will iam Mapes , of Big Flats , a revolutionary sol ier had h Ih s erved in the Continental army for ﬁve years , and ad fought

l . . n h . dians under Ge . Su livan , presided Col Jo nson and Capt Wil

liam Mapes stood side by side upon the platform , their gray hair h - w as s ea k in s hi n ing in t e sun , while the gallant vice president p i n his most impassioned and eloquent terms of the services 0 165

“ f New Washingt on , Je ferson , Madison , Monroe , and the hero of l n r ela ti n wi Or ea s , and his personal encounters th the Indians, and l Wi m ore particu arly th that great chief Tecumseh . He also r e i ferred t o and defended the action of the democrat c party, spoke o f

r . N th e services of Silas Wright , j , from ew Yor senator in con l w gress , to his country, the gal ant and heroic deeds of Andre w h h a d h th e a n d u Jackson , o foug t in war of the revolution , e lo gi z ed his later services in Indian wars , and the war against Great t m Britain , and the defeat of the Bri ish ar y under Packenham at e l New Orleans , point d out his sterling qualities in the presidentia a n d chair , stated his wishes which he had made known from his “ ” t i o n re ire h e , the Hermitage, and did everything , that a great u i min d coul d s g gest , or an eloquent tongue express , to hold in l ne f ? the d emocratic voters of the country . But his e forts were 1111 u c fu l th e l cess . The result was , whigs literal y carried the election by v - d e storm , electing their president and ice presi nt by a large pop ular and electoral majority and increasing their strength in the ” state legislatures and in the congress of the United Sta tes . 4 h l e h On the t of March fol owing , Harrison and Tyler t ok t e oath prescribed and were duly inaugurated president and vice te president of the Uni d States . The whigs were much elated . They were certain that the Bank of the United States would be r e charted and money be plenty and the country woul d enter upon a r caree of prosperity unprecedented in its history. President Har te rison selec d an able cabinet , consisting of Daniel Webster, of

Massachusetts , secretary of state ; Thomas Ewing , of Ohio , secre e w a r tary of the tre sury ; John Bell , of Tennessee , secretary of B Georg e E . adger , of North Carolina , secretary of the navy , n n Y m - Fr a cis Gra ger, of New ork, post aster general ; John J Crit - 1 h . 7t M tenden , of Kentucky, attorney general On the of arch , f twelve day s a ter the inauguration , the president issued a call for nv th e 31st a special session of congress to co ene on day of May , to take into consideration the currency and ﬁnancial wants of the n n country . But the gallant president did not live to see it co ve e . One month after the inaugural ceremonies had taken place with d such hig h hopes and bright anticipations the president die , and i n the capital and the country were dressed mourning, and the l - American peop e plunged in grief . Vice president Tyler assumed d t a ll the u ies of the president , and did not fulﬁll the brilliant promises of success which had been expect ed of th e adm inistration o f Tippecanoe and Tyler too .

A FAMOUS STRUGGLE .

THE PRESIDENTIAL CONTEST OF 1844— MEN PRINCIPLES , AND IN NT CIDE s .

‘ ’ I on e Harry , wish to have more long talk upon the subject of political meetings and then I will turn my attention to another

. 1840 top ic I have spoken in regard to the political campaign of , a d n ow I would li ke to give you an idea of the poli tical campa ign ’ 0p18443

167 t heir drooping spirits," heal their dissensions and lead them to vic i h w a s i e tory . Mr . Frel ng uysen a pol shed scholar, and an a com pli sh ed gentleman well qualiﬁed for the service which would be h e . t required of him in case of election Although not in power,

- democrats held the vantage ground in the contest . It was better for the m that the administration w a s nominally in the hands of the whigs with such a president in the chair as John Tyler . Then h d 1840 i n again, t ey had learne a lesson in the campaign of , and tended to steal , so to speak, the thunder of the whig party and adopt their tactics in the manner of carrying on campaigns . They changed the programme, however , and, instead of sporting coon skins , hard cider and log cabins , they had glee clubs, banners, pro

- - I . cessions, hickory pole raisings and mammoth mass meetings . t was gen erally conceded here at the north that Van Buren would h again be t e candidate of the democratic party, and it is said that in anticipation of that event the whigs had tons of democratic songs and other campaign documents all ready to fire upon the public and scatter broadcast through the land . The nomination of ‘ r James K . Polk, instead of Ma tin Van Buren, made this great ex al pense and outlay on beh f of the whig part y useless . More than t h h e e at, it brought storms of ridicule upon t em, when the fact b cam w h m w h o m tt r kno n by t e democrats , and the com ittee had the a e ‘ in charge w a s caricatured and charged with losing their ammu ’ ‘ h h ’ i nition , of flas ing in t e pan (a phrase pecul ar to the use of fli n t — h ul h e old lock guns), and sundry ot er ridic ous epit ets wer h h s owered upon t e disconcerted whigs . a n n ou n c The nominations were made in June , and the message w t f . a s ing the nomina ion o James K Polk, instead of Van Buren, sent over one of the very first telegraph lines in the world from th e d r h emocratic convention at Baltimo e to Was ington . (Contem h plate for a moment , Harry, the magnitude of t e telegraph system — th e now, after the lapse of forty two years . It has conquered even t f dep hs o the ocean, connecting distant countries, and is found in v a i every illage, h mlet , and city in the civil zed world . Its lines are l t h e l s laid a ong routes of every rai road , and it sends its message with the rapidity of lightning from continent to continent Th e n nominatio s were made in June, and simultaneously with their announcements the country w a s aroused from centre to circum Bon fi re f . s a erence , illuminations , pole r isings, barbecues , and i n process ons were the order of the day . Meeti gs were appointed i n h a l v m a n f some central place, w en most e ery or miles around f would turn out and orm processions composed of four, six, and t en h h u -S h orse teams , a ling boat , mounted on wheels , wit banners f v i and devices o e ery conceivable k nd . Young ladies , dressed in h w t h oliday apparel , ere sea ed in t ose boats, carrying banners rep i ff In resent ng the di erent states , and singing campaign songs . h h t e procession mig t be seen old men and veterans, carrying mini h h h ature ickory or ash trees , to which were attac ed banners . T ere were farmers with a dozen or more ox teams hauling ponderous h t h e wagons, loaded wit products of the soil, their oxen gaily ri b boned and clothed with de vices which the spirit of the moment h inspired . T ere were bands of martial music, many of the mu si ciane being veterans of the war of the revolution or that of 1812 168

There were caricatures and placards suspended upon huge plat forms resting upon wheels , which were drawn along by a dozen or Th e a more horses , all of the same color . pl cards , if it was a dem ra tic oc procession, represented in derision the promises of the 1840 “ l ” whigs in , of two do lars a day and roast beef, their log cabins and hard cider, their coon skins and other paraphernalia , and perhaps to give more emphasis and signiﬁcance to their senti l i n ments , would have chained on a platform a ive raccoon with dices pointing to him with such words as the thief caught at ” ” i f last , or, the Coon Polked . Then aga n a stu fed raccoon skin l “ ” would be displayed conspicuously and label ed the dead party . W Trades and occupations ould be represented in the procession, the operatives at work with these words painted in large letters upon “ 1840— l banners , The promises of two dol ars a day and roast ” “ e — b ef, and underneath Whig promises realized sixty cents per ” s day and beef liver . Again might be seen a banner bearing thi “ ” inscription , quoted from the whig platform A sound currency, “ ” f . a n d t . underneath it , bankrupt no ices In a thousand di ferent ways were the promises of the Whig party of 1840 derided and

made light of by the enthusiastic democracy . At the place for l i n assemb ing, the processions would form a circle and form a dozen rustic platforms and speakers would hold forth to the thous

ands there convened . Arguments, sarcasm , and ridicule were each t used to the utmost advan age . Large meetings were held by the friends of Harry Clay and ” n Frelinghuysen, but they were much in the conditio , or position 1840 rather, of the democratic party in . They had advertised to S 1840 how a reat moral reform in , and failed to perform what h a g they advertised , and while they made a gallant and heroic 1840 ﬁght , the democratic party had them on the defensive . In

they had sent out ﬂaming double elephant posters, so to speak , and w a s l l had failed to perform even what on the smal bil s . In the

west , the wave of public opinion was from the ﬁrst with the w a s democrats . Here it about an even thing at ﬁrst , but the

democrats before the middle of September had taken the lead . h th e - w a Silas Wrig t , who declined nomination for vice president , s

nominated by the democrats for governor of this state , and he and h h his friends had thrown t eir w ole energies into the campaign . h u M D w l o . c o el t t Col . Hathaway, Hiram Gray, J G , of his coun y,

Martin Grover, of Allegheny, Darius A . Ogden , of Yates , Amasa

m . Dana , of To pkins , Daniel S Dickinson , of Broome , as well as m l Silas Wright hi se f, had taken the stump, and mass meetings and processions unparalleled in the history of the country were h w h o held . Many of t e rank and ﬁle had deserted the democratic 40 w h party in 18 came back like prodigal sons , and those o gave th e democratic ticket of that year their nominal support rallied in s 1844 with enthusiasm . Monster mas meetings were held in

Elmira , Owego , Binghamton , Norwich , Cortland , Ithaca , Geneva, t Havana, Penn Yan, Ba h , Painted Post , Angelica, Lawrenceville , w and To anda . There were pole raisings besides , where two , three, r ﬁve hund ed or a thousand people would assemble , raise a hickory

ole , have music by their local campaign glee club , or be assisted

g . y one or two from a larger town I attended a mass meeting, 169

h in - v which was eld here Elmira , where at least twenty ﬁ e thousand l people were present . They came in from every town and vi lage m P a . in this county, and in great nu bers from Bradford county, , m Ya i and Tioga , To pkins , tes , and Steuben in th s state . The Hon . v W w a s i . Da d ilmot , of Towanda , one of the speakers I also a t tended a monster mass meeting of the democrats , held at Painted ’ r m - ﬁ v e Post , in E win s eadow, where twenty acres of democrats w were present , ith every conceivable device , banner, and carica

h . n ture . T e Hon . Daniel S Dicki son was one of the speakers , and

F . Gen . rancis E . Erwin was president of the day Delegations and h processions were t ere from almost every portion of Steuben , the h county of C emung , and the valleys of the Tioga and Cowanesque

‘ in Pennsylvania . Some of them had traveled on horseback and in

. G wagons over sixty miles I also attended one at eneva , and one n t h e at Penn Yan , where , amo g speakers , were James W . Nye , of n ll D Madison cou ty, Martin Grover, of A egheny, and arius A . n Ogden , of Yates . I went down with a delegatio from here and saw thirty thousand democrats rush in from a ll directions to

Ithaca . They were there from every farm , hamlet, village , and

- a ll . cross roads in that region They came up in boats on the lake, and , arriving there early, I saw them in processions of miles in w length ind down the hillside from Watkins , Havana, Ulysses , u Trumansb rg , Hector, and marching down also from the sout h w w a s a s a procession , which , it said , reached half way up to New

field . Then from the north they came from Cayuga county, gath n ering seemi gly every one in Lansing and Groton , while from the east for t w o hours was a ceaseless stream flowing in f r om the di rection of Cortland . I also witnessed large meetings of the friends a n of Henry Clay , but they seemed to possess less spirit d en th u si asm than the democratic meetings” I believe they felt that they 1840 b were beaten , but like the democrats of , they were ound to h tifl ” t h e s . keep , as p rase expresses it , a upper lip Th e recoll ectio n s of these old political days are among the dearest li memories of my fe , and I like especially to talk of these famous 0 1844 1840 h cam paigns of [ 84 and . In the w igs had the advantage w n 1844 of the democrats and o . In the advantage was in favor of w n the democrats and they o . I have no doubt there is many an old democrat a n d many an old Whig who would like to Si t down together and talk and laugh over those campaigns .

Y A CHARMING COUNTR .

THE ADDISON AND NORTHERN PENNSYLVANIA RAILWAY— FERTILE VALLEYS AND STATELY HILLS .

We have had a rest of several weeks , Uncle Jonas , and as

w e - the weather is now pleasant , suppose take a trip to morrow h morning over t e Erie railroad to Addison , and from thence over ” the Addison and North ern Pennsylvania narrow - gauge railroad ? “ i It is agreeable to me, Harry, and I w ll make arrangements to go . Accordingly the next m orm n g Uncle Jonas and Harry rise ea rly

17 1 i n 1851 , and subsequently, there have been many accessions The h McKa s Gillettes , t e y , the younger portion of the Jones family

a n ~ Col . James E . Jones , H . Ross Jones d Henry Jones ; the Pax u enn i n se tons, C rtises , the Baldwins , the Weatherbys , the J g s, the Di n i n n s Hor rs Dela m r Mileses, the Farnhams, the y , the , the a t e s i and others have made Addi son what it is . They establ shed foun ll dries and machine shops, grist mi s , tanneries , erected academies n h and churches , established printing offices and ba ks , erected o ’ ni tels, organized fire compa es, masonic and odd fellows lodges, b l b n uilt plank roads and rai roads , and contributed to the uildi g up S of this enterprising village , which is the second in ize in the valley i of the Can steo . It has suffered severely at various times from t fires, but the people rallied and erected be ter buildings than those ” which were destroyed . The building of the Addison and Northern Pennsylvania road in 1882 al the year , which extends from here over into the v ley of the w P Co anesque and thence south into the valley of ine Creek , has done much to secure trade from those points and placed them in r communication with a region rich in agricultu al, tanning, lumber, d - a n . I b mineral products t is a narrow gauge road to be sure , ut no other kind could have ascended and descended the mountains v e inter ening between the Canisteo and Cowanesque rivers , or b ' h u W tween t e Cowanesq e river and Pine Creek . hen the con w a s 1 0 . struction of the road proposed by Col . Henry Baldwin , 0 ' E McKa oh n II n m a n h . , , James Jones Hiram y J M ‘ i ' and ot ers , there ‘ ' w a s many a doubting Thomas w hO SFi ook hi s h éad and wisely pre It e dicted that the feat could not be accomplished . was a com li sh ed p , however, and in less than four months forty miles of it w a s . constructed , and engines and rolling stock placed upon it We will now walk over to the depot and call on the officials of the road h l ocated ere . f : m The o ficers of the road are Tho as C . Platt, president , No . 82 Br ook fi eld v - Broadway, New York city William , ice president,

New York city James E . Jones, secretary, Addison Frank M . i H H Baker, general super ntendent, Addison ; and . C . itchcock, di au tor , Addison .

Th e t h . direc ors are T omas C Platt , William C . Sheldon , Henry De r a a f l Br ook ﬁ eld P G W . . , il iam , Edmond S Bowen, Frank H . h t . . k Plat , George R Blanc ard, Walter S Gurnee , of New Yor city,

. l . Pa and James E Jones , Addison ; Charles L Pattison , Elk and, . ; m t W ﬁ ld h est e Pa . . P a . Ja es Hor on , , ; Jo n W Hammond, Osceola, , l and Royal W . Clinton , Newark Va ley, N . Y . Closely associated with the Addison and Northern Pennsylvania h i n railroad company is t e Ga es Coal and Coke company , which is rn f t operat ing the mines at Gu ee . The o ﬁcers of tha company are : d . . W . . T C Platt, presi ent C Sheldon , treasurer ; J . E . Jones,

. d . P secretary ; F M Baker, general superinten ent . A . Jordan ,

ai e . . t super ndent of mines ; H C Hi chcock, auditor . Directors :

l t ...... U. h . T P at , W C S eldon, J E Jones , C L Pattison, G . R . n h Bla c ard . In a few moments Uncle Jonas and Harry reached th e Addison t and Nor hern Pennsylvania depot and called on Mr . Frank M . h Baker, t e general superintendent, who received them courteously 17 2

. . . t o and introduced them to Mr H C Hitchcock , the auditor , and ’ fi Mr . C . P . Colgan , C . L . Miller, clerks in superintendent s of ce ’ f and to Jean Baptist Hein , clerk in the auditor s o ﬁce . A half i n h hour was spent pleasantly discussing t e prospects of the road , h the coal trade , and t e gradual increase of business over their line , which was developing at the rate of about forty per cent each year, and explaining the details of transferring from narrow gauge to ’ v standard gauge of the Erie by means of Ramsey s gra ity hoist , i di . . under the rection and superv sion of Mr Samuel Patterson . Mr h Baker also gave them a list of t e station agents , telegraph opera li th e tors , conductors , and engineers on the ne , together with name of Mr . J . P . Wright , road master . f The na mes of the several o ﬁcials are , J . Boyer, agent at Free

N . n Y . . man , . ; H M Johnso , station agent and telegraph operator at Elkland , Pa . Vine Crandall, Osceola , Pa . George W . Fisk ,

Pa . . . . . agent at Knoxville , , and E M Stroud , operator G H Tre ld ﬁ e . O . W est . t main , agent at , and E Bliss , perator ; M B S ebbins , l . r agent and operator at Sabinsvil e ; H T . Alba, agent and operato W o mba u h at Davis Station R . H . g , agent at Gurnee, and P . J .

r e . . McG ui , operator ; E A Mack , agent and operator at Gaines ;

a . Hugh Ross , gent and operator at Galeton

h . W . . . T e conduct ors are , J Parshall , passenger ; O R Enos, coal

. train, and F . P . Dodge , freight and passenger The engineers are

W 0 . . Henr y Maxson , illiam Nelson , L Baker and Fred Pomeroy i i Baggage master, W . E . Morgan , and Un ted States ma l agent, C

W . Ingersoll . li ﬁ ft - The entire lengt h of the main ne is y one miles , giving em h h n ployment to one undred and thirty men , besides t ose e gaged in

mining and labor connected wit h the mines . The company has ﬁ ve locomotives and a full complement of freight and passenger

cars . The Gaines Coal and Coke company mine about three thou h sand tons of coal per month , w ich is shipped over the Addison and Northern Pennsylvani a road a n d is transferred at Addison to

the Erie and distributed east and west . The road also has a very

large tonnage in lumber, hemlock bark , hides , leather, grain and h h l in merchandise , whic keeps all t eir rol ing stock active operation . h Having learned all these details , our travelers return to t e hotel and prepare themselves for the tri p over the Addison and Northern Pennsy lvania road to the famous valleys of the Cowanesque and h h w a s Pine Creek . T e weat er all that could be desired , and the h th e n i n t h e fresh spring breezes, brig t sunlight , birds singi g Shade h h trees and along the banks of t e streams , t e budding trees and

the smil in g face of nature generally inspired them with pleasure . Uncle Jonas had never before ridden in a narrow guage coach and

its minature proportion s pleased him very much . As they steamed out of the depot and crossed the Can isteo his eyes glistened with

h w a s f h . h delig t . It really a great treat or im T ey soon began to ascend the valley of Tuscarora Creek nearly on the course of the old Indian w a r and hunting trails of the Six Nations over the Tus h h h carora mountains . T ey passed t e old omesteads of the Wom baughs and Rowleys and soon began to wi nd arou nd the face of sa w h the mountains . Looking out of the rear car door they t e t i busy village of Addison , skirting the banks of the Canis eo , w th 17 3

ll i ts church spires pointing heavenward , the elegant dwe ings and

business places outlined, while on the Erie a long train of passenger coaches was sweeping down the valley with the rapidity of the wind and several freight and coal trains runni ng in close proximity t o each o ther were coiling and running around the curves like huge

s erpents . Immediately beneath them in the valley were farm

houses , and sturdy farmers turning over the mold with strong teams and steel plows glistening in the sun and sending forth m t flashes of light as fro an electric ba tery . Ravines are crossed upon high trestles and the little locomotive hauls its train u p on a f u g rade o over one hundred and forty feet to the mile , str ggling ‘ and pu fli n g li ke a porpoise . They finally reach an altitude where t h ey can look to the north - westward and see the Outlines of moun w th e t ains a ay beyond Woodhull , and turning to eastward and

s outhward the mountain ranges of the Canisteo , Tioga and Con h h o ct on appear in t e dim distance . A few minutes more they have reached the summit and rounded a point where the vall ey of h t e Cowanesque for miles is spread out before them . They are now many hundred above the valley and the descent is l t o be made . Soon they approach a point where the vil age of Nel

s on and the lower Cowanesque are seen . Nelson was formerly ’ c — ﬁr known as Bee her s island , Hopestill Beecher, one of the st i Pa s . county commi s oners of Tioga county , , having settled there

a n d erected mills . They also get a view of Farmington away to

the south of Nelson , with its many ﬁne farms , buildings and n o rchards . Then casti g their eyes to the westward along the l t val ey, they rest upon one of the fairest landscapes in nor hern

Pennsylvania, The Cowanesque river meanders through rich and a lluvial meadows , dotted along on its banks with hamlets and villages and skirted by ranges of mountains that rise hundreds of ll feet above the bed of the stream . The Cowanesque va ey was one o f the earliest settled in the county of Tioga and has ever been dis ti n g u ish ed for the fertility of its soil and the wealth and enterprise

o f its inhabitants . b While the ey es are thus feasting upon those eautiful scenes , the c t v ars are rapidly descending in o the alley and reach it at Elkland , a busy and enterprising town w ith several im portant industrial i h h e stabl shments w ic have recently been founded . The town also h f has a ﬁne sc ool building , a bank , printing o ﬁce , two hotels , and

is fast increasing in wealth and population . This village was for m h r h any y ears the ome of the late Joel Pa khurst, one of t e wealth w o iest men in the county, h died recently at an advanced age . C . P i - i h - L . att son , his son law, one of the directors in the A . N .

P . railroad , also of the Gaines Coal and Coke company, resides at

this point, and has recently erected one of the ﬁnest residences in h the vall ey . T ere were many historical incidents connected with h this valley whic Uncle Jonas desired to relate , but which for

want of time he could not do . n t h e From Elkla d , Fall Brook railroad and the Addison and Northern Pennsylvania railroad traverse the valley westward in W est ﬁ eld h c lose proximity until is reached , when t e Fall Brook

. N R R road continues up the valley and the A . P . . . abruptly l eaves the vall ey and runs south up Mil l Creek to its summi t and

175

— a ul h n eir Etten delightf ride t at beautiful spring mor ing . In th course, they cross chasms and climb and descend hills . Passing v V through the illage of Swartwood, Erin, an Etten , and Candor, ’ s then turning northward, crossing a high trestle at Mott s Corner , t di they reach Ithaca on its eastern limi s, from whence a splen d u view of the valley beneath and Cay ga Lake is obtained . They - l s pend a day or more looking over that charming city like vil age , i i c all ng on descendants of former friends, v siting Cornell Univer sity and the thousand and one point s of interest . To say that the scenery in and about Ithaca is superb but meagerly expresses its n loveli ess . It is situated at the head of the Cayuga Lake , a sheet o f water forty miles in length , and on an average , three miles in ‘ w b v n idth , the banks of which , y g radual ele atio , rise to the height cul o f two hundred feet or more , and are under the highest state of tiv ti on h i n a , with some of the ﬁnest farms and farm ouses central

New York, and with waterfalls and cascades , with elegant public i a n d su bsta n buildings , splendid private dwell ngs , costly churches m a n u fa ct uri es tial business places , busy , forming a picture beyond a f the powers of the most proﬁcient artist . Than university hill fords, no grander outlook can be obtained elsewhere in the state .

The lake with its busy commerce , the railroads w ith their express n and po derous freight and coal trains , the sloping hillsides with their fields of waving grain, meadows , orchards , flocks and herds , the dashing waterfalls and cascades, the noble structures dedicated to art, intelligence , and education, fill the measure to complete l i vii z ti n l c a o . ness of a that is beautiful in art, nature , and

Ithaca has a grand lineage . The township was organized in 1794 Onondaga county in , and without changing its beautiful loca tion has formed a portion since of Seneca, Cayuga , and Tompkins .

Sh e has good blood in her veins . Her citizens from her earliest history have made themselves felt in all the private vocations of v b n u life , and ha e been honored y some of the most disti g ished public stations . They have been senators, judges, congressmen, - u h v a o attorney generals , state treas rers, and governors, and a e

- W . quired a state , national, and world ide fame I ou r From thaca travelers resume their j ourney on the Elmira,

N . Cortland and orthern to Cortland , distant about twenty miles “ v l ” It is one of the loveliest il ages of the plain, a model of neat t i . ness, cleanl ness , and industry While I haca excels her sister

vill ages in beauty of landscape , Cortland stands in the foremost

rank in elegance and grace . But the reader must not infer from this that she does nothing but look after her toilet and appea r t gaily dressed , for at Cortland are some of the largest indus rial

establi shments in the state, employing several thousand men in

the manufacture of wagons, buggies , cutters , sleighs , chairs , wire

cloth , etc . Elegant lawns and ﬂoral gardens , palatial mansions ﬁ h o and cosy cottages , ne otels , c stly school buildings and churches ,

- - m court houses , well conducted newspapers , stea and . street car th t h e railroads , all go hand in hand wi factories and make her

. h W ra n zl ly successful Brig t, animated , and ide awake is Cort n d f , and such were the impressions of Uncle Jonas a ter visiting

th e town . v v They next isit Homer and look o er the busy little town, fu ll of 17 6

i industrial establ shments , and then resume their journey north ward , stopping off at De Ruyter for dinner . They have entered the great central dairy belt of the state . A hundred cows upon f i one arm are frequently seen, wh le creameries and cheese presses a re in abundance .

The next train is boarded and on they glide to Cazenovia, one of the fairest villages of Madison county , nestled cosily on the shore k ﬁ ve of Cazenovia La e . It is an incorporated village of about h t thousand in abi ants , and is quite a summer resort . Its chief u n ride , however, is its seminary of learning , der the control and direction of the Methodist Episcopal church . e i Realizing that their tim was l mited , Uncle Jonas concluded to r u n over into the Chenan go valley and that evening took a train for Earlville , situated on the Chenango river and on the county li f ne between Madison and Chenango, between ﬁ ty and sixty miles north of Binghamton . They visit the villages of Smyrna and ‘ w Sherburne . There they ere indeed in the dairy belt .

They met there a few of the descendants of the early settlers, with such honored names as Guthrie , Sexton, Wilcox , Talcott , li Col n , Hubbard , Hall, Lynde , Mudge, Rexford , Woods , Case ,

K . h o n Kenyon , Gardiner, Smith and nowles T en they passed to n The Norwich , the cou ty seat of Chenango county . Chenango valley has ever been distinguished for its pastoral beauty , its ﬂocks f and herds , soft meadows and rich pastures, and or its fruits and i t orchard products . Never did appear more lovely . Uncle Jonas e w a s eloqu nt in his words of admiration of the scenery, the villages v n and towns . He had formerly had acquaintances in ery ma y x towns in Chenango county at Smyrna, Sherburne , Norwich, O

ford, Greene , Bainbridge and other localities , and many of the

early settlers of Chemung and Steuben counties in New York, and Bradford and Tioga in Pennsylvania were natives of that grand m h old county . Uncle Jonas had ade their acquaintance bot in a l i business and social way , and recal ed their names w th as much i u famil arity as those of his native co nty of Chemung . In addition w to the names already given , there ere the names of Tracy, Monell,

Hubbard , Brooks , Boynton , Bush , Shepard , Weaver, Whitney, VVh it t en h a ll c l Bowen , Truman, , Root , Clark , Wel h, Mitche l, W l Graves , Squires , Patterson, arren , Olney, Campbel , Franklin, i Hatch , Purdy, and a l st of others which might be continued

indeﬁnitely . Norwich dates its organization and incorporation away back to 16 18 . h the year Until the C enango canal was constructed , which w a s occurred some sixteen years later, it a mere hamlet with only the river and the common wagon road as an outlet Th e construo tion of the canal gave it an impetus which soon however seemed b to relapse . But eing the county seat of a rich and populous ow n l county . it held its and slow y but surely increased in wealth

and population . It is now quite a railroad center, and being sur a f r rounded by rich agricultural country, its utu e is inde ed very w . n o h promising Its population is about seven t ousand . They

call on old friends in Oxford and Greene , Chenango Forks and B fe w ainbridge and spend a hours at each place very pleasantly . They then go by the way of Binghamton to O wego and at th e 177

latter place take the Southern Central for Auburn . The Southern ’ Central railroad s southern terminus is at Sayre , connecting with the Lehigh Valley railroad at that point . It runs eastward to o Owego , and from thence alm st directly northward to Lake Ontario

l . via Freevil e , Groton , Auburn and Weedsport The president of 82 the road is the Hon . T . C . Platt, of Broadway, N . Y . It is con ducted in an admirable manner . Uncle Jonas and Harry were comfortably seated and away they sped over the high lands and ll f va eys o northern Tioga, eastern and southern Tompkins , cross in h t r s g t e Elmira, Cortland and Nor hern at F eeville, a few mile f east o Ithaca , thence to Groton , one of the most enterprising a i r w incorporated villages in Tompkins county . The a s soft a n d balmy, and through the courtesy of the conductor they were given h favorable seats for observation . Uncle Jonas remarked t at instead of becoming weary of these excursion it seemed that if the . w a s m a s t last he to ake was just as agreeable the first , over eigh months ago . It more firmly convinced him that there was no better way to spend a vacation than to do it on fi r st - class rail way trains by short rides . He should never again go to any more b v fashiona le watering places and be crowded into narrow, o er - d heated , ill ventilated rooms , but should take to the railroa s , stop at good hotels where he could be cared for comfortably and where the scenes of the day were varied and diversified and not o ne h a n monotonous routine . They remained over nig t at Groton d during the evening Uncle Jonas recall ed many of the names of the A old settlers with whom he was acquainted . mong them were " In a ll Crittenden, Blodgett, Car enter, Wright, Atwood , g , Perrin, W lli d W i ams, Clark, Leonar , Beach , Hinman, Luther, hipple, v 1 Dean, Blood, Laad , Hale and others . He also spoke of is ting G t ad m m ro on ac e y fifty or ore years ago .

The next morning after partaking of a most excellent breakfast, they again take the Southern Central for Auburn— passing through the villages of Locke and Moravia, arriving at Auburn in due season . Auburn is now a city contain ing about inhabitants and coul d Oliver Goldsmith again be called back to earth and view the city of Auburn in the year of our Lord 1886 and be told how his “ ” lines concernin g the deserted village had been the cause for the ff christening a beautiful country village in far o America , which instead of becoming “ deserted ” had blossomed into a growing and “ ” ol d t prosperous city, the Irish poe would weep with joy . The conductor on the Southern Central had been very obliging and kind to Uncle Jonas and he very reluctantly parted company with him at Auburn . After viewi ng from the outside the wall s and structure of the l Auburn prison, they strol ed about the city for two hours or more

admiring its elegant. churches, seminaries, schools and public building and the costly mansions , cosy cottages, industrial estab li sh m en t s and capacious stores, they take a train on the New York

Central and run up to Geneva, passing through Cayuga, Seneca

Fall s and Waterloo . li At Geneva they stop at the Frank n house , one of the historic n n hotels of the cou try, for din er . Uncle Jonas wanted to take a one more ride on the cryst l waters of Seneca Lake, and therefore

179

After arriving home , Uncle Jonas and Harry were comfortably “ i n t h e w h en Un cle o u seated sitting room , _ Jonas said Harry, y have been a kind and obliging nephew you have accompanied me 0 on all my tours for th e past eight months or more . N period of s my life have I passed away so plea antly, and I may add so bene h ﬁ ci a ll . y to my health , as the mont s spent with you I must go to

- Chicago day after to morrow . I must call on some friends with whom I have met since I came here , and some whom I have not w h o met , among the latter, Rufus King , esq . , I learn has lived

h . t ere more than forty years , and was a great friend of Col Ha ha way, and there are some others . I shall go to Chicago, as I state .

These towns have furnished me food for reflection , and will buoy me up and stimulate me for some time to come , but I am not sat i fi ed few n e i ected s . A of my old friends I have g to call upon , not s intentionally , on my part , but because their names had lipped fi ve from my memory Forty years , Harry , is a long while, espe ci a lly when added to the age of a man when he has a i r ived at to thirty , and I want you to say my old friends , wherever they y ma be found , that I thank them for their courtesies and civil treatment, and if my health permits, and God grant that it will , I shall return to the city and county of my birth and again go out over mountain and vale a n d seek for those whom I have over looked . I shall expect you to accompany me , your business per mitting . h My dear Uncle , I am happy to know t at you are well pleased w h h ith your visit , and should you come again, I s all old myself at 1 foi you service . I am under obligations to you the opportunities ff ” a orded me to enj oy your conversations upon former times .

’ These letters , containing Uncle Jonas Lawrence s reminiscences , created so m uch interest when published in the Elmira Weekly k Advertiser that it was thought best to gather them in boo form . The data and the historical statements given i n these accounts may b e relied upon as correct , and therefore , as a book of reference , as l well as general reading , it will be found in every ibrary through f o . out this section country It is possible, as intimated above , that Uncle Jonas may at some future time renew his acquaint r ance with the reade s of the Elmira Advertiser .