TWO DAYS AT SYRACUSE.
Had an early breakfast at Chittenango and calling for _Paul_ at eight
o'clock mounted and rode forward, with the city of Syracuse as my
evening destination. Nothing of especial interest occurred to vary the
day's journey. Syracuse was reached at four o'clock in the afternoon,
and the remainder of the day was spent in walks and drives through the
city which I had visited several times in former years, and of whose
history I had a fair knowledge. Long before the white man came, a band
of Iroquois had built their wigwams in the low basin, almost entirely
surrounded by hills, that lies to the south of Lake Onondaga, and from
here followed the pursuits of war and peace. We first hear of this
Indian village in 1653 through the Jesuit missionary, Father Le Moyne,
who had come to establish good feeling between the Iroquois and other
Indian tribes; and we see strange evidences of a counteracting influence
made probably by his own countrymen in the discovery of European weapons
and ammunition, that were distributed among the red men about the same
time. For more than a hundred years after this, the present site of
Syracuse, then an unpromising stretch of swamps, was the home of the
wolf and bear. Over its dreary waste the cry of the wild cat, the
warning of the rattlesnake and the hooting of the owl lent their sounds
to the weird chorus of Nature, and it was here that the wily Indian came
to seek his game. It was through Father Le Moyne, too, that we hear of
the great Salt Springs, which he visited at the southern end of the lake
in company with some Huron and Onondaga chiefs. The Indians, unable to
comprehend the strange effect of salt and clear water bubbling from the
same fountain, had a superstition that the springs were possessed by an
evil spirit and were afraid to drink from them; but when the white man
began to share their old haunts, we hear of the bewitched water being
fearlessly used, and the evil spirit converted into a propitious one. It
was Major Asa Danforth and his companion, Colonel Comfort Tyler, who
began early in the present century the enterprise which has since proved
such a splendid success. These two pioneers started out afoot for the
springs with no other implements than an axe, chain and kettle, which
seem primitive enough to us who know of the means that are now employed
in the making of this great staple. Arrived at the springs, two young
trees were cut, a stout branch placed in their crochets and on this the
kettle was hung. When the work was finished, the men hid their
implements in the bushes for safety, shouldered their rich possession
and started home over the ground that in a few years was to be the scene
of such striking and sudden changes.
Joshua Forman was the first man who saw a promising field in the
unhealthy land south of Lake Onondaga, and it was he who first thought
of a plan for its improvement.
With characteristic persistency he carried out his ideas, and with the
co-operation of James Geddes, a surveyor and fellow-townsman, did more
to convince men of the practicability of laying a canal route through
central New York than any other man. At that time the advocate of such
an undertaking was considered mad. Even the President shared the public
view of the matter, and when the zealous member from Onondaga laid the
plans before this incredulous gentleman, Jefferson remarked: "It is a
splendid project, and may be executed a century hence." It must have
been a satisfaction to Judge Forman to see this inland water-course
completed a few years later, and to realize the success of the great
enterprise.
When the breaking up of the unhealthy soil caused so much sickness and
so many deaths during the building of the canal at Syracuse--then
"Corinth"--this thoughtful benefactor began to devise a way for
improving the ground, which resulted in the passage of a bill, a year
later, for lowering the lake by means of drains. This stopped the
injurious overflow that occurred during the spring months and eventually
put an end to the "Corduroy" and "gridiron" roads by which the "dreary
waste of swamp" had been hitherto approached.
It seems strange enough now, to one riding through the beautiful and
regular streets of the present city, to realize that only a few years
ago its pioneers either followed these rough routes, or went around by
the hills to avoid them.
In April, 1820, Syracuse had grown sufficiently to merit the
distinction of a Post Office, and with this new acquisition a discussion
arose about its name. It had been called successively "Webster's
Landing," "South Salina," "Bogardus Corners," "Cossit's Corners" and
"Milan;" but, as there was another "Milan" in the State, its last title
had to be abandoned. For awhile it was known as "Corinth," but finally
by an odd coincidence it was named by its first Postmaster, John
Wilkinson, after the old Sicilian capital, to which it was supposed to
bear a slight resemblance. Mr. Wilkinson, it is said, in reading a
poetical description of the ancient city, was singularly impressed by
its name, and by the fact that there was a fountain of mythological
origin just beyond its walls, from which sprang clear and salt water.
At a meeting held to decide the matter, he among others eloquently
discussed his choice, and it was unanimously accepted. At this time, the
government official at Syracuse had charge of such vast communications
from "Uncle Sam," that when the Post Office was transferred later to the
office of John Durford, printer, Mr. Wilkinson carried the entire
concern, "mail matter, letter bags and boxes on his shoulders!" Still,
when the Marquis de La Fayette visited Syracuse, five years later, it
had made such rapid advancement that it called forth his warmest
congratulations. On this occasion, truly a great one among the city's
records, her founder and benefactor, Joshua Forman, was chosen to
express the gratitude of her people. It must have been a pleasant moment
for the brave General and a proud one for the Syracusans when, in
response to their hospitality, he returned Mr. Forman's courtesy in the
following words: "The names of Onondaga and Syracuse, in behalf of
whose population you are pleased so kindly to welcome me, recall to my
mind at the same time the wilderness that, since the time I commanded on
the Northern frontier, has been transformed into one of the most
populous and enlightened parts of the United States; and the ancient
Sicilian city, once the seat of republican institutions, much inferior,
however, to those which in American Syracuse are founded upon the plain
investigation, the unalloyed establishment of the rights of men, and
upon the best representative forms of government. No doubt, sir, but
that among the co-operators of the Revolution, the most sanguine of us
could not fully anticipate the rapidity of the improvements which, on a
journey of many thousand miles--the last tour alone from Washington to
this place amounting to five thousand miles--have delighted me; and of
which this part of the country offers a bright example. Be pleased to
accept my personal thanks and in behalf of the people of Onondaga and
Syracuse to receive this tribute of my sincere and respectful
acknowledgments."
Could the Marquis have lived longer, and made his tour hither at this
time, he would scarcely have found words to express his surprise.
Perhaps no city in New York has made such great strides in so few years.
Handsome buildings have sprung up on all sides, each one adding to the
sightliness of the place; and on the surrounding hills wealthy residents
have built their charming homes. The University of Syracuse, a Methodist
institution, built upon one of these hills in 1870, looks down
invitingly upon the knowledge-seekers of the city, and with the State
Armory, that stands in the park near Onondaga Creek, would furnish a
brilliant equipment for some modern Minerva, were she to visit this
interesting namesake of Sicilian Syracuse.
To the stranger looking out for characteristics, the Salt Works are the
most prominent among them. The sheds stretch along like enormous
stock-yards at one end of the city, but looking into them one discovers
great vats and troughs filled with salt in every stage of evaporation.
There are two ways by which the article is manufactured, one by solar
and the other by artificial heat, with thirty or forty companies
employing their chosen method.
Another striking feature is the unusual number of public halls. This is
due to the central location which makes Syracuse a favorite point for
conventions. It was my pleasure to lecture in one of these, "Shakespeare
Hall," on my first evening in the city, where I was introduced by
General Augustus Sniper. After this engagement, I went by rail to
Buffalo, on business connected with my proposed lecture in that city,
and returned the following afternoon. This was very unusual, as it was
contrary to the practice of my journey to avail myself of the railway
under any circumstances. My advance agents having completed preparations
for my lecture at Rochester, I made arrangements to resume my journey on
the following day. My short stay here gave me another opportunity to
look about this interesting town, and to realize its charms at the
prettiest season of the year. Some have believed that its situation,
importance and beauty would win for Syracuse the honor, so long bestowed
upon the good old town on the Hudson, of being the capital of the
Empire State. Whether or not it will ever be known as such, it will
receive the flattering acknowledgment of being one of the loveliest
cities in New York.