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CAYUGA COUNTY. 199
This co. formed a portion of the Military Tract, and included the original townships of Cato,
Bratus, Aurelius, Scipio, Sempronius, and parts of Milton and Locke. Sterling was included in
the lands granted as a compensation for portions of the original grants, which upon survey were
found to belong to the Boston Ten Towns. Before the advent of the whites it formed the chief
hunting grounds of the Cayuga Nation. The people of this nation were more migratory in their
habits than those of the Onondaga and Seneca nations, and they^iad fewer towns and villages.
The principal town or place of council of the tribe was upon the shore of Cayuga Lake, near
the present village of Aurora. The first white settlers were soldiers, who had served during the
Revolution and who drew lots upon the Military rPract, or those who had purchased soldiers’
warrants. The first immigration was by the way of Oneida Lake and River, and from the s. by
way of Cayuga Lake; but in 1796 a State road, extending from Whitestown to Geneva..by way
of Auburn, was cut through; and in 1800 the celebrated Cayuga Bridge1 was built, the new
route speedily becoming the great Highway of Western emigration. The population steadily and
rapidly increased from 1790, a great impulse being given to it by the completion of the Erie
Canal in 1825. The first inhabitants were principally from New England and the eastern cos.
of New York.
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AUBURN CITY—was formed as a town from Aurelius,
March 28,1823. It was incorp. as a village April 18,1815, and
as a city March 21, 1848. It lies upon Owasco Outlet, near the
center of the co. Its surface is rolling, with an inclination
toward the n. Owasco Outlet, flowing n. w. through near the
center, descends 120 ft., and furnishes an abundance of water¬
power, which is mostly improved. Along its course are valuable
quarries of waterlime, Oriskany sandstone, and Onondaga and
corniferous limestone. The city is finely laid out upon both
sides of the creek, most of the streets having a gentle inclina- •
tion. It is situated in the midst of a rich farming country, and
,it has a large share of internal trade. Its manufactures are
extensive and important, consisting principally of woolen goods,2 paper, agricultural implements,
books, flour, and machinery. Besides the co. buildings, it contains 12 churches,8 3 banks,- and
many other fine public &nd private buildings. Seven weekly, 2 daily, and 2 monthly papers are
published in the city. Pop. 9,476.
The Public Schools are under a Board of Education, consisting of 11 members, Mayor presiding.
The schools, 5 in number, employ 23 teachers,—5 males and 18 females. In 1858 the‘number of
children between the ages of 4 and 21 was 3001, of Whom 2187, or 73 per cent., attended
school during some portion of the year. The total expenses of the schools for 1858 w ere $13,231.19.
The number of volumes in the district libraries is 3986.
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The Christian Ambassador (Univ.) was commenced
in Jan. 1851, and is now edited by John M. Austin.
The Spiritual and Moral Instructor was published in 1851 by
Peleg S. Collrell & Co.
The Auburn American, d. and w., was established in
Feb. 1855, by Wm. J. Moses. In 1859 the name of. the
daily was changed to
The Daily Union, Moses & Vail publishers.
The Journal of Specific Homeopathy, mo., was
started in March, 1855, and is pub. by F, Humphreys.
The Spiritual Clarion, commenced Nov. 15, 1856, is
published weekly by Uriah Clark.
The Northern Independent was estab. in Aug. 1856,
by a pub. com. of the M. E. Ch.; Rev. Wm. Hosmer, ed.
The Orphans? Friend, mo., commenced in Feb. 1857, is
pub. by the managers of the Cayuga Orphan Asylum.
The Cayuga Farmer and Mechanic was commenced in Sept.
1856, by P. J. Becker. In Dec. 1857 its name was
changed to
The Teachers’ Educational Journal; it is still
issued by its original proprietor. ■
The Auburn Democrat was established in Aug. 1857,
by Stone and Hawes, hy whom it is still published.
The Weedsport Advertiser was published in 1827.
The-Northern Phoenix was published at Weedsport in 1830 by
Frederick Prince.
The Genoa Spy was published-in 1840 by Gelim Hine.
The Port Byron Herald was first published at Port Byron in
Oct. 1844, by Frederick Prince.
The Port Byron Gazette was started in 1851 by Oliver T. Baird,
and since 1853 has been published by Arthur White. |
The Cayuga Telegraph was published at Union Springs in 1850.
The Meridian Sun was started in 1854 by Arthur White. It
was afterward published as
The Meridian Advertiser by W. II. Thomas.
The Family Scrap Book, mo., was published at Victory Center
in 1855-56.
1 The Cayuga Bridge was finished Sept. 4,1800, by the Man¬
hattan Company. It was 1 mi. and 8 rods long, 22 ft. wide and
22 ft. between trestles. It was built in 18 months, and cost
$150,000. The Cayuga ■ Bridge Company, consisting of John
Harris, Thos. Morris, Wilhelmus Mynderse, Charles Williamson,
and Jos. Annin, was incorp. in 1797. The bridge was destroyed
in 1808, t,iut afterward rebuilt. For a great number of years
the Cayuga bridge was considered one of the greatest publio
improvements in the State, and it was taken as the dividing
line between the e. and w, The bridge was abandoned in 1857;
and the lake is now crossed by a ferry.
2 The Auburn Woolen Mills give employment to 175 hands
and manufacture 250,000 yds. of cloth per annum. The Auburn
Paper Mills employ 50 hands and manufacture $80,000 worth
of paper annually. The founderies and machine shops give em¬
ployment to a large number of men, and turn out work to the
amount of $100,000 annually. The N. Y. C. R. R. Repair Shops
employ 52 hands exclusively in repairing passenger cars. For a
number of years hooks were very extensively manufactured;
hut of late much of this branch of business has been removed
to other cities. Besides these, there are in the city a card factery,
belting factory, carpet factory, distillery, rolling mill, and 2
grist mills.
3 2 Presb., 2 M. E„ 2 R.C., Prot. E., Af. Meth., Bap., Secon*
Advent, Univ., and Disciples. |
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