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MONROE COUNTY.
is carried on "by means of the canals, railroads, and Lake Ontario.1 The exports consist of the
products of the Genesee Valley and of the manufactured goods of the city. Pop. 43,877.
Besides the co. buildings, the city contains several fine public edifices.
The City Hall, combined with the co. courthouse, has already been described.
Corinthian Hall contains the reading room and library of the Atheneum and Mechanics’ Asso¬
ciation, and is one of the finest public halls in the country.
The Arcade, fronting Buffalo St., is a commodious building, containing the p. o., telegraph
offices, and a variety of other offices, stores, &c. It has a broad promenade extending through the
center, from which the various rooms open on either side. The roof is built mostly of glass, and
the public walk is open to the roof. The rooms of the upper stories open upon galleries, which
extend the entire length of the building on either side above the main walk or promenade.
The Central B. R. Depot is one of the finest buildings of the kind in tbe State. It contains
ample accommodations for the various r. r. offices, passenger rooms, and for the cars which arrive
on the various roads that center there. Its roof is supported by iron1; and the whole structure
presents a fine and imposing appearance. Several of the mercantile blocks, the banks, and private
residences, are beautiful structures and worthy of becoming architectural models.
The Public Schools of the city are under tbe control of a Board of Education, consisting of 2
members from each ward and a Superintendent. The schools are graded, and the course of in¬
struction embraces all studies, from tbe primary through the higher branches taught in academies.
The school buildings are 16 in number. The number of teachers employed is 104; 13 are males
and 91 females. The number of children between the ages of 4 and 21 is 16,108, of whom 6,320,
or 38 per cent., attend school during some portion of the year. The total expenses for 1857 were
$58,945.55. Number of volumes in school libraries, 7000.
The University of the City of Rochester was incorp. in J an. 1850, and is under tbe patronage of
tbe Baptist denomination. This school has an optional classical and scientific course. The present
number of pupils is 140.2
The Baptist Theological Seminary,3 connected with the University, was established Nov. 4.1850.
Its present number of students is 31. <
The Rochester Collegiate Institute, corner of Atwater and Oregon Sts., was established in 1854,
and is at present a flourishing institution.4
The Rochester Female Academy, on Eitzhugh St., was incorp. in 1837.
The Allen Female Seminary and The Tracy Female Institute are flourishing private seminaries.
There are 8 parish schools connected with the R. C. churches of the city.
The Rochester Atheneum and Mechanics' Association was founded in 1849. It has an extensive
reading room and a library of 8,000 volumes. It sustains an annual course of lectures.
The Female Charitable Society was organized in 1826, to furnish clothing and other articles of
necessity to tbe destitute.
The Home for the Friendless was organized April 11, 1849, to provide work for the needy who
cannot obtain employment.
The House for Idle and Vagrant Children was opened June 2,1854. It is connected with tbe school
department of the city; and to it are sent all vagrant children that are wandering about the streets.
The Rochester Orphan Asylum was established in 1836 and incorp. in 1838. It is a fine brick edi¬
fice, situated in the s. w. part of the city, upon a lot donated by the Hon. John Greig. Its average
number of inmates is 84, supported by State and county appropriations and private subscription.
The Roman Catholic Orphan Asylum was opened in July, 1842. It is under the charge of the
Sisters of Charity. It is situated in the rear of St. Patrick’s Church.
The Cartmen’s Mutual Benevolent Society was incorp. in July, 1849.
The St. Andrew’s Benevolent Society for extending aid to indigent Scotchmen was formed in 1850.
The St. George's Society was formed in March, 1849, by tbe English residents of the city.
The other societies in the city are the Monroe Co. Bible Society, organized in 1821; The Rochester
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2 This institution at present occupies temporary buildings
upon Buffalo St., in the midst of the city. It owns a site of 12
acres just E. of the city limits, upon which suitable buildings
are in process of erection. Connected With the institution is a
valuable library and a fine mineralogical cabinet.
3 This institution has an endowment of $75,000. It has a
German Theological, Department. Its library contains 5,500
vols., 4,600 of which belonged to Dr. Augustus Neander, the
German ecclesiastical historian.
i See p. 741. |
1
The principal landing for the port of Rochester is at Char¬
lotte, at the mouth of Genesee River, 7 mi. below the city. The
amount of imports at this port for the year 1858 was $338,252;
exports, $126,197. The principal imports are wheat, flour, fish,
lumber, horses, hides and skins, peas, and wool; and exports, cast¬
ings, fruit, fruit-trees, furniture, cheese, potatoes, and machinery.
The lighthouse is 57 ft. high^ surmounted by a lantern 11 ft.
diameter and 8 ft. high, with a 4th order of lens. It was erected
in 1822, at a cost of $5,000. The pier is | of a mi. in length, built
of wood and stone; and on the end is a beacon lighthouse.
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