The Canal Route Change of 1857

In the 1850’s, a battle of wills ensued in Port Byron over the route of the canal that led to great harm in the business district of the village. What is odd is that this battle seemed to be waged by local landowners with the support of State engineers. In the 1931 obituary of Mrs. Harriet Johnson, who died at the age of 102, the paper wrote, “[She] was 28 years of age when the Erie Canal was enlarged from 40 to 70 feet. She remembered the squabble that took place among the residents of her village about the enlargement of the waterway. Some advocated the enlargement along a circuitous route and others a new and direct route. The will of the latter finally prevailed and the channel was cut through the most beautiful part of the village.”

            When the State decided to enlarge the canal in the mid 1830’s, it was understood that many mistakes had been made in the original construction of the canal and that the enlargement of the canal would allow for many of these mistakes to be corrected. One of the biggest problems with the old canal was the winding nature of the construction. It seemed that any obstacle that the original builders faced was simply bypassed by going around it. So in places the canal turned in ninety degree bends. This made it difficult for mule teams to pull the boats as they went around the tight bends and even more importantly, the twists even made it difficult for the water to flow and refill the canal. It was a mess. The rebuilding would give the State the chance to remove these curves as they enlarged the canal from 40 to 70 feet in width. In the end, so many bends were straightened that the canal was shortened by fifteen miles by the time the enlargement was complete between Albany and Buffalo.

            Unfortunately for Port Byron, the village was located on a curve, and it seems that some in the community saw an opportunity to profit if they could convince the State Engineers to move the route of the canal from the business district to the “flats” slightly north of the settled area. This flew in the face of canal law, which forbade any movement of the canal away from business areas; even it meant leaving a problem area in place. The curve that Port Byron sat on was in reality quite small and if removed would only save about a third of a mile in distance. But some in the village wanted the canal moved and petitioned the State. They got Canal Commissioner Fitzhugh to agree to the change in the route even though it went against the canal law. The businessmen of the village, the men who needed the canal to keep the money flowing, protested and got the Canal Board to reverse this decision and put the route back to the old route. This move put the canal back in the business district. But then the contractors who were hired by the State to build the new route sued and got the route changed once again. After all was said and done, the new proponents of the new route won. To satisfy some in the community, mainly the large mill, a stub of the old canal was left intact, however, it was not enlarged. After the mill burned and no one used the stub, it was quickly abandoned and the businessmen were paid off for the loss of the canal.

It took eight years to settle this matter, and all through this time, shippers west of Syracuse had to continue to use the smaller “pre-enlargement” boats since the canal through Port Byron wasn’t deep or wide enough to use the bigger boats. Shippers then began to use the Oswego route, robbing businessmen from Port Byron west to Buffalo the chance to ship larger loads on the canal. Thus, the mess at Port Byron became a state wide concern as it dragged on through the years.

Once the enlarged canal was completed in 1858, the larger boats could be used to ship to Rochester and Buffalo, but they couldn’t reach the businesses of the village. The village didn’t die, but it was harmed by the loss.

This 1857 map shows the two routes along with the original canal, all laid over a image taken from Google Earth. We thank Bill Hecht for doing this.

Enlarged Lock 52 From Maiden Lane

Back in the days before the Thruway was constructed, Maiden Lane use to leave the village and continue out into the muck lands. Now of course, Maiden Lane is a dead end, replaced by Maiden Lane Road. Both these views were taken from Maiden Lane, offering a panoramic view of the west end of the village and the area around Enlarged Lock 52.

The top view looks east along the road to the Erie House, showing the hotel as it was first built. Behind the hotel, we can see the mule barn and the back half of the blacksmith shop. To the right of the hotel, we see the smallwhite ice house. Although you can't see the canal, the dark building to the right of the ice house is part of Tanner's Drydock, which was on the south bank of the canal.

As you move from left to right, you can see the embankment of the canal. Directly in the center right of the photo, you can see parts of Lock 52, which is the western end of a level that extended from here back to Lock 51 in Jordan. To the west, the canal will pass through Montezuma, cross the Seneca River by way of the Montezuma Aqueduct, pass over the Cayuga Marshes and end at Lock 53 in Clyde.

The buildings around the lock fill much of the photo. Directly in the center of the photo, the building that looks like it is up on blocks is thought to become part of the Erie House. The building today is in the shape of an "L", and this building looks a lot like the new wing. Just to the right of that building, we can see the lock tenders shack, which sits on the island between the two chambers. And to the right of that, we see Kern's Grocery Store.

To the right of the buildings, we see the stone steps and the wooden deck that was part of the late 1800's lengthening of the lock. We are also offered a rare view of the houses up on the hillside to the west of the village.

The second photo extends the view to the west. It does appear that the one small building up on blocks is a house as there is a outhouse near by. The other structures look like barns.

Birdseye Views, Part One

Bill Hecht sent along the early "birdseye" looking west along the Enlarged Erie. It should be called a "hillseye" as the photographer is standing on the hill to the east of the village, a favorite spot for many photographers. The newer birdseye, looks west along the new Rochester, Syracuse and Eastern Interurban line.

 

After I posted the top two, Bill sent along this version of the birdseye. You will notice it is a tad different then the other trolley version. 

Utica Street bridge

Here is a view of the Utica Street bridge over the old Erie that I have never seen before. Thanks to Bill Hecht for passing it along.

It was taken from the east side of the bridge and is looking west. The towpath is on the right or north side of the canal.

Seeing this, I never realized how much of a bend the canal took at this point. The Main Street bridge can be seen in the background, as can the steeple of the Federated Church.

This post has a look from the other side of this bridge.

Main Street Bridge

Here are two postcards of the same scene. Well, basically the same.

The top photo was sent along by Bill Hecht and was taken from the towpath looking east toward Main Street and you can see the Utica Street bridge in the background. It is interesting to see that there was a road leading down to the towpath.

The bottom photo was taken from the Main Street bridge. The large barn was a warehouse.

There is nothing left of this scene today. The canal, bridges, and buildings are all gone.

Harry King’s Port Byron Memories- 1955

This time, I am featuring a letter I found in the files. It is a great look back at the village and what was going on in the Erie Canal times. This letter was written by the Rev. Harry King to his brother Richard T. King, who many will recall was the publisher of the Port Byron Chronicle. The letter is wide ranging and covers a lot of topics. I have tried to research and clarify in my added comments which are in []. I have left words that I could not read as ****. All comments in () are Rev. Harry’s. I also reached out to Jack Miller, who has done a lot of research into the King family. His comments will appear in italics. Jack wrote: “I did enjoy reading the Harry King letter and I do remember Dick King who lived in Spring Lake with his sister Nell.   I graduated from PBCS in 1951 and will attempt to provide input as I best recall.  I do know that Bruce Carter worked hard on collecting the King family history to write “King of the Drumlins” which I do not think he ever finished. My mothers classmate and relative Nell King was also related to Richard and Harry King and lived in Springlake and married Dr. Willoughby Waterman, an educator and family friend who taught in Brooklyn. This letter was very interesting to me and I am sending it on to my sister, Dottie Paredes who lives in Tampa, Florida,  I am sure that Ted Wilt of Green Street if he is still around would find the letter very historic.

Jack Miller

Santa Monica, Calif[ornia]

Nov 21, 1955

Dear Brother Dick,

            With the exception that Elijah Wilson who lived on Green Street was a workman who made barrels there, I know not of the owner of the Cooper Shop, except Henry Dougherty. It reposed gracefully on the bank of the Owasco Creek at the west end of the bridge which spanned the creek at Rochester Street just beyond George Zeluff’s place (?) which was formerly owned by John Harnden.  Later Sam Harnden who I remember. This was in the days of old Jake Decker, who was a black, grizzled old pirate, who lived in the Harnden apartments directly in front of the King Manor just east of Tony’s abode. [A check of the 1904 New Century maps shows many of the names listed here. This cooper shop is shown on the northwest side of the Rt 31 Bridge over the Outlet.]

            L.H. [Lasuvious Harrison] King Sr.was Supt [superintendent] of Section 7 of the Erie Canal at the time of what was known as the “Nine Million” appropriation for the enlargement of the Erie and the installation of the double lock, permitting the locking of two canal boats at one time. The family name Lasuvious has always troubled me for the word lascivious according to Dictionary.com is defined as a girl-chasing old man. It was a big undertaking those days, and Nine Millions was a lot of money. Charles Barrett was Deputy Supt of New York State (Public works) and he and Tuffs, who married Julie Hayden of PB lived on street going by the School, had charge of the work. [It was during this period of the 1895 Nine Million dollar enlargement when the canal was deepened from 7 to 9 feet and parts were widened. In some circles, this is called the second enlargement. Mostly, it was a failure and directly led to the construction of the Barge Canal in the early 1900’s. There was a lot of work in Port Byron at the time as much work was done in and around Lock 52 and the drydocks. Harry is not correct in saying that the lock was doubled, it was built as a double in the 1850’s and lengthened in 1887. But his error is understandable, as the locks were rebuilt during this period.]

            Stephen Kearns had a grocery on the south side of the locks and Tony Debottis on the north side of locks. This Stephen Kerns was my great grandfather. It was at that time the Italian uprising occurred, when Frank Vanacora and Tony Debottis, Sr had a horde of Italians from the muck and laborers on the canal in an assault on the white workers of the administration at the locks, knives and guns were much in evidence, but no murders occurred, just sore heads and bodies, Tony Debottis and one or two others were sent to Auburn Prison by their part in the fray. At that time, the Italians on the canal enlargement, under LHK came marching a thousand strong up the canal from Weedsport way with picks and shovels. Looked like a revolution, but it spent itself and the Wali** [It appears that Harry was using a slang term for Italians, such as “Wallione”] sat down, pulled the coarse bread and bologna from the rubber boots, fed up, felt better and went back to work, a group of them occupied on Ma Kings lawn under the locust trees and ate themselves to peace. Those were interesting days for a boy like HK [Harry King]. [It is difficult to pin-point what Harry was describing here. The papers describe an 1897 uprising by Italian workers who marched from Port Byron to Weedsport, with many people thrown in jail because of the riot. What Harry describes is a riot at Lock 52 with people coming from Weedsport. Harry may have seen something else take place as a result or as part of the larger work place action.]

            Old Sam Dougherty had a grocery directly on the banks of the Erie at the foot of the stone steps on the River Street Bridge. It was, as you know, the canal ground floor of a good sized  *****, where several families dwelt. Sam lived there, and later T.E. Dougherty, the Mincemeat man and finally * Henry lived on the ground floor (north) with a neat and commodious lawn reaching to the street. Maurgarite Henry Crane was my mother’s classmate.  The Cranes had a dry goods store along with Bob Lowe. This later was turned over to the common herd. I think Ward Green lived there at one time (top side at bridge) as did also one of the McClelland woman, a widow at the time. Beyond the bridge, down the incline, was the home of B.C. [Benson C] Smith, father of Dora and Lizzie. [BC Smith ran a bending a carriage shop near Port Byron Depot]

            When the locks were put in service, after competition of the double locks, entirely new, such historic patriots as, George Washington Marsh, Nathan Elliott, Bill Hatfield, and George Washington Dinehard, with some others my mind detours, kept the citadel, let the boats thru, and played the favorite game of pinochle for many hours each day and evening. It was here at Frank’s grocery store that Harvey (one arm) Emmons, the great constable, brought a young desperado who was in his custody. The jail bird tangled with Tom Daggett, and drew a revolver on Tom which he swept around very menacingly, and caused some of us nearby spectators to hastily get out of range. Harve put his iron hook in the Cisco Kid’s ribs and things returned to normality.

            Port Byron, during this lengthy face lifting of the locks and the canal bed, grew to large proportions, about 5000. I believe and all sorts of boom town advantages were imported to the town. We had a lady barber shop, and Doc Lowe had a store with a boxing emporium in back, which drew many well known low down fighters to our doors. Black Frank [real name was Joe Dunfee], said to be the champion of Canada, came as a conquering hero, and there were not a few who sought honor locally in the fistic arena. At that time the travelling medicine show “Isdell’s Hot Drops” in the glamour of rattlesnake oil and jasmine ginger was ably presented by a group of experts who chanted “.25 a bottle, a 1000 bottles at .25 cents a bottle, a million people, two million eyes, a million bottles at .25 a bottle, there’s millions in it.” Well the days of the old Erie are exciting tales of pioneer adventure. [Isdell’s Hot Drops were made in Baldwinsville, NY]

            The Port Byron Academy late was burned down by a mysteries fire. The old Free School and Academy was destroyed by fire in 1898. My inside confidential fixes responsibility on the Students Debating Society. They met there, heated the stove shaker in red hot coals, and branded the initiates forthwith, the immediate contact being a cold poker. Of course the red hot poker was waved in front of the victim before the branding with the cold wrinkle. These were grand old Erie days, but the school burned when the shaker was not properly retrieved.

            Up in the heights of the old mill lot on Rochester Street, was the Canal Feeder, known as the ditch bank. Here the boys used to swim each summer day. There was a feeder house where the water went into a pipe line underground, to feed water into the Canal to keep at a proper level. [This structure remains to this day, although the iron pipe is rusting away] Your father tended this at one time where he learned telegraphy and entered journalism to become the Great One that he did. Remember, humble beginnings characterized the lives of many illustrious men. Great fields of sweet flag grew on both sides of Rochester Street, principally on the North Side, and all the boys used to pick the ears and eat them avidly and actually.

            Life was simple those days, and Old Ben Sly and his slimy bride lived, as you know, at the end of the old Blacksmith Shop. Poor Old Addy and Ben are long forgotten.

            I now pause for Station Identification.

            Oh, yes, one of the first owners and proprietors of the famous boat yard, which perched on the edge of the canal just east of the locks, was George W. Milliner, who eventually was succeed by O.B. Tanner. Tanner was a boat builder (canal boat) and great was the interest when he was about to knock out the blocks, and a fine canaler was sliding down the ways into the water, kicking up a great wave, and high heaven howls of delight from the assembled multitudes. Our old friend and Free Methodist George W. Ray was the owner and navigator  of a fine fleet of boats, usually painted an orchid and white, a lively sight, as they sped along under the momentum provided  by two three mule teams on the tow line. His sons, Ronald and Frank became exhorters for a brief time, and the gospel was full of power during each winter when boats were tied up. George Ray himself was no means **** of Holy Write. However Belle Root was the last of the notables filling the air and pulpit there. Daughter Carrie Belle Root wrote the History of Home in 1948.

            Along the banks on tow-path side, between River Street and Main Street bridges, nearest River Street, were two bridge shops, one conducted by John Tanner, and the other by Alonzo Ames, relation of your present supervisor, and father of Arch Ames of late notoriety. This was a good family friend – Major Allen Ames. Alonzo lived exactly where the Freeway cuts the Conquest Road at the west end of Green Street. He was a stalwart citizen, a man of integrity and of few words. They made bridges for the mules to en cabin, etc.

            Amos King ran a fleet of boats in Sam Dougherty’s Day and it was there he met Aunt Sarah. [He writes here of Amos King, who was born in 1821 and died in 1908. His wife was Sarah.] He enjoyed her as cook. She was a clever woman, and soon had Amos on the griddle. She knew many things, but never was a gran-Marion, altho a fluent and persuasion talker, as she fed Amos and all the relations including Pa [L.H. King] and Uncle Wells in good old apple cider and fried cakes for years on the old farm. The house of which was a famous Inn during the days of Clinton’s Ditch. Many prominent men had bedded down with eyes up on the great beams used even in its roof construction.

            Excursion boats from Lake Onondaga, one the MacMillian, came to P.B. every summer, and carried Methodist, Baptists, and Presbyterians en masse to Cayuga Lake Park, Ithaca and others places on the old Crooked (Cayuga) Lake. I think Keuka Lake was known as Crooked Lake. [Jack is correct here, Keuka Lake was also named Crooked Lake.] The outings were much enjoyed, and tended to make all willing to live at home again without complaint.

            Now, this is my contribution for the present. There is much more of local history which would interest you. I will write you a personal letter some day, if I survive, as present life is hard, and I can’t do to much. Thank God we are alive, have some food to eat and a place to stay, with some old clothes to wear. We pray for you and love you much. Don’t forget God he’ll forget you. Be Sharp now. Keep warm and cozy. Look out for the girls, they are on the march. Say your prayers, take your physical, from your ages and simple old brother, HK [Harry King]

This letter can be found in the files of the Lock 52 Historical Society.

           

Wilt's Mill and Erie Canal Aqueduct

It is not too often that I get to see a Dayharsh original, but here is one of Wilt's Mill. It has the raised lettering in the lower right corner that shows it was made by Mr. Dayharsh all those years ago.

Standing on the Green Street bridge, we are looking upstream along the Owasco Outlet (south) toward the mill, mill dam and Erie Canal Aqueduct. The dam had a very low head, only a two or three feet. We can see that boards were placed on top to help increase the depth of the pool above.

By the end of 1917, the aqueduct would see its last boat and the canal would be closed. The mill was torn down in the fall of 2012.

Hayden's Dam

This is a nice image taken around the Port Byron area, but not of Port Byron. Of course, if the postcard printer had put down "Hayden's Dam, Mentz, NY", no one would know where this was.

This photo is of a dam that goes way back to the 1820's. The dam was built by Charles and Amos Parks to back up water in the Outlet to run a small mill near the site. It was located just south of where Hayden Road crosses the Outlet.   In 1830 when John Beach was constructing his large mill in Port Byron, he built a two mile long canal to receive water from this dam in order to get enough water pressure to turn his mills large wheels. We can still see the remains of this canal (mill race) today.

After the mill burned in 1857, the State took over the mill race to direct water into the Erie Canal. The little building you can see on the far bank covers the gate that allowed water into the mill race and canal. The foundation for this building can be seen even today from Rt 38. Not much of the dam remains today. If you happen to be walking up the Outlet, you might stumble over one of the iron spikes used to nail the dam together.

Lock 52 in the Winter

Here is a view of Enlarged Erie Canal Lock 52, which was taken on a winters day when the canal. Compare this to the other photo of Lock 52.

The wooden platform that the people are standing on was a strainer to keep floating debris out of the turbine / overflow culvert that ran down the length of the lock. It also served as a bumper of sorts, helping to guide boats into the chambers. Today all we see are the three large openings that the water flowed into, as all the wood is gone.

We can date this photo to the early 1900's as the lock had gone through the late 1800's 9 million deepening process. We can see this be looking at the top course of stone. The lock was deepened to 8 feet to help increase the amount of draft available to the boaters. The large, newer stone shows this work.

Of course you know that the failure of the 9 million project lead to the construction of the barge canal, right? 

More of Lock 52

Enlarged Lock 52 replaced the older Clinton's Ditch Lock 60, which was located just to the left of this photo. Here we are standing on the bank that separated Tanner's Drydock from the canal. Just behind would be the entrance to the drydock works.Across the canal you would find the Erie House.

There is a lot going on here, with a lot of people standing about. See if you can find them all.

Lock 52 on the Erie Canal

The Lock 52 Historical Society takes its name from Lock 52 on the Erie Canal. I think Lock 52 is the only old canal lock you can see from the NYS Thruway, and many people see it, albeit very quickly, as they zoom by on the highway.

The top photo was taken around 1935, when the canal had been closed for 18 years. Don Gallagher wrote that the photographer was Cliff McComber, but little else. You can see that someone had been picking away at the stones. The skeleton of the lock gate was still there, but the wooden deck and lock tenders house was gone. The bottom photo was taken around 1900, with the lock in its full glory.

Other Lock 52 photos to come.

Centerport Aqueduct - 1957

This is the Centerport Aqueduct on April 22, 1957. This aqueduct is located about 2 miles east of Port Byron. Notice West Brutus Street as it passes under the West Shore Railroad embankment.
It wasn't long after this photo was taken that the tracks were removed. Soon, a park would be craved out of the trees and this now serves as a trailhead for the Canalway Trail.

Guidone's Hill in 1951

It is 1951 and the State is building the New York State Thruway. Lock 52 of the old Enlarged Erie Canal sits off in the weeds as the excavator eats away at Guidone's Hill.

The Outlet and School - 1957

This photo was taken in 1957 by a Canal Society of New York State member who was photographing existing canal structures. But so much more can be seen. The auto garage on the banks of the Outlet next to St John's; the old Creamery; the church next to the school; the old aqueduct stonework; the arch from the first aqueduct; the Coal Yard, and so on. See what you can find. Click on the photo to make it larger.

Winter Hours

The weekly business hours have ended for the winter. We will be open again come April.

Genealogy assistance available by appointment.

Call Betty Smith 776-4035 or Chick Walker, 776-4027.

This photo, taken a couple years ago, is looking west along the old Erie Canal toward the village.

Port Byron Lumber and Fuel, and the Federated Church

These photos were taken in May 1968, when the Arnold Barben, then President of the Canal Society of New York State, visited Port Byron. You can see it was 2:35pm.

Lost is the reason he chose to take photos of these sites, as the old canal is under his feet. He may have had interest in the house and red barn, which may have been canal side structures.

The church and lumber yard are gone now. The house has been greatly modified.

Tanner's Dry Dock

This photo was taken from the west side of the drydock, looking toward the construction shops. The "LOIS of Snug Harbor" is to the right, and three other boats can be seen in the drydock. Another barge on the ways can be seen behind steamer. No date was noted.
Tanner's served the canal up until the old canal was abandoned in 1918.