Browse Items (897 total)

  • Item Type: Article

Early sketch of Tonawanda (Pioneer History of the Holland Purchase of Western New York, 1849).jpg
Briefly mentions slow start of the area due to flooding problems, and the importance of the state ditches of 1840. Also: exhaustion of local "fine oak," agricultural prospects, and a new Cleveland investor.

Buffalo During the War of 1812, book excerpt  (Publications of the Buffalo Historical Society, Vol 1. pp 194-209, 1879).jpg
Papers Relating to the Burning of Buffalo, and to the Niagara Frontier Prior to and During the War Of 1812 (also book here)

Description of Village of Tonawanda, book excerpt (Commerce, Manufactures and Resources of Buffalo and Environs, 1880).jpg
General progress and development to date. Lumber feet by year. Accounts of Tonawanda Herald and Index, as well as many lumber concerns such as J. A. Bliss, Vincent & Hittel, Cowper & Gregory, P. W. Scribner, J. H. DeGraff, A. G. Kent, Evans & Sons,…

Tonawandas Troubles, boatment deadlocked, article (Buffalo News, 1884-05-30).PDF
Serious Dead-Lock In the Canal Traffic. The Organization of Boatmen Against Shippers-Both Sides of the Case. (P. W. Scribner Weighs in)

Depicts the stagnated upper dock, 130 idle ships, restless men. Notes resentment at county officials being…

Tonawanda industries, growth of second-largest lumber port, article (Buffalo Courier, 1887-10-07).pdf
Good general, early description. Earliest settlers seem to only account for south-siders Lock built for Niagara-Creek access. Cleveland Commercial enterprise draws attention. McGraw opens up lumber business, which starts growing around 1870. To…

42nd Separate Co, colorized photo 2 (c1893).jpg
Webmaster's Note: This 2005 dissertation from a UB student examines the seven times the Guard were dispersed between 1877–1898 to mediate local labor disputes. Below are the portions related to the two visits to the Tonawandas, in June of 1892 and…

A terrible riot, article (Niagara Falls Gazette, 1892-06-11).jpg
Weston's foreman, William Wood, has a bio in Landmarks of Niagara County (1897): Wood, W.W. — This representative citizen of North Tonawanda has been connected with its lumber history and business life for the past ten years. He came here in 1887,…

At Tonawanda, Scribner pleads with governor for protection, article (Jamestown Journal, 1893-06-22).jpg
Two years before the double murder, P. W. Scribner of the Eastern Lumber Company sends a telegram to Governor Flower on behalf of the area lumber dealers. He complains that neither the sherifs nor village authorities will provide protection for them…

An Agreement, lumber labor trouble, article (Buffalo News, 1893-06-26).pdf
The National Guard has been stationed at the bridge to the Little Island. Via the Citizens Committee of Tonawanda, unionized lumber shovers ask that John E. Oelkers (ex-village president) be appointed "chief stevedore" instead of President Robinson…

The Situation at Tonawand, article (New York Times, 1893-07-06).pdf
Soldiers have withdrawn, all is still quiet. 28 deputized to keep the peace. "About the usual number" of Poles have come down from Buffalo to work. It appears the (shovers?) union has been locked out: 200 were at work paving streets in the south…

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Transcription by Dana Johnson: The Realm Of Music Where harmony producing instruments are manufactured Home of the organ works Only industry of this kind established in the United States Everything About the Institution…

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Tonawanda Merry-go-round firm making electric men, article (Buffalo Express, 1895-07-26).jpg
They can be made any size and they are to pull advertising carts after them - Inventor hopes to improve his present model

In a short time a Tonawanda firm will be prepared to furnish to the world men of any stature and ? of any temperament or ?.…

Big Riot, article (Buffalo Express, 1895-10-07).PDF
Captain loading out of turn at Scriber's dock. 12:30 a.m. 150 boatmen assembled. Took two bullets, sun clubbed, boats cut adrift. Phillips's boats the John Graft and the May. Phillips "shot in the head and the body as he stood upon his boat." "Young…

Horrible Work of a Mob (Tonawanda News, 1895-10-07).pdf
Captain Phillips and His Son Charles Brutally Murdered.

Mob of Frenzied Men Shed Blood in Tonawanda After the Midnight Hour -Pistols and Stones Freely Used in the Murderous Work - Flora Phillips Had One of the Most Terrible Experiences that Ever…

Two Killed, article (Buffalo News, 1895-10-07).pdf
Substantially the same account, background added:

"The original contention resulting in last night's riot dates back to the formation of a brokers' office by William Godard and Ira M. Rose, both of this village. P. W. Scribner & Co....the boatmen…

All Brutes, article (Buffalo News, 1895-10-08).pdf
Two Policemen and a Deputy Stood by Helpless While the Cowards Ran Riot. Arrested now number 16: Nick Waudle, Ed. Dunn, James Reilly, Ed. Mulligan, George Hyde, Bonnie Warren, Joseph Dixon, Fred Oderkirk, John Lasher, John Stevens, Michael Kohn, Abe…

At Tonawanda, article (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, 1895-10-08).pdf
Says Lorenzo Phillips was captain of "Jennie Graft," Charles of "May." Says he fired a shot over his head, and was immediately fired on. Drifting boats intercepted by a tug at Little Island. Boatmen "like a pack of maddened wolves." Daughter knocked…

Behind bars, article (Tonawanda News, 1895-10-0).pdf
Rhineheart, owner of boats Hoff and Riley, arrested. Will be taken to Buffalo. Police complain tipsters repudiate. Goddard has "no statement" but goes onto say the newspapers have treated him harshly, that when facts come out they will realize their…

A Midnight Secret Session! (Tonawanda News, 1895-10-0).pdf
(Not sure of the date of this article, day or two after first inquest).Only A Half Hour Before the Murders Are Committed the Boatmen Meet in Secret Session in Their Hall in the Post Office BuildingsBeginning to look like a conspiracy. Prominent local…

50 Percent Increase - Industry - April 18 1896.jpg
The number of employees in local factories is said to double in one year. A list gives figures for all the major local industries, including Armitage-Herschell, de Kleist, and others.

Violators of Raines Law, article 2 (Tonawanda News, 1895-05-16).jpg
New "hotels" go up in the Tonawandas, allegedly to evade recent Raines laws.

North Tonawanda NY Evening News 1896 Grayscale - 0626.pdf
After this date, the microfilm record of the paper is silent until November 1st, and the (remote) lighting of the "New Niagara Furnace" at the Tonawanda Iron Works by President-Elect William McKinley.

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A Disastrous Blaze, Tonawanda Bicycle Company, article (Tonawanda News, 1896-06-06).jpg
A lively description of the Tonawanda Bicycle Company's "mammoth" building burning to the ground. Night watchman Boss fought valiantly. All of Gratwick turned out to to see the blaze. "So searching were the flames that it was for a time feared that…

Niagara Power Transmission Up to Date. - II. CATARACT POWER FOR STREET RAILWAYS IN WESTERN NEW YORK (Electrical World vol28 no22 pp653-655, 1896-11-28).jpg
(Left)Fig. 1 . — Tonawanda Car Barns and Buffalo & Niagara Falls Line.Fig. 2. — Buffalo & Niagara Falls Power House.Fig. 3. — Steam Power Plant Replaced by Niagara Power.(Right)Fig. 4. — Transformer House, Conductor Bridge and Cataract Power…

White Star Hotel owned by James Ennis, no address, article (Ton News, 1897-10-08).pdf
Wonderfully descriptive article relates a chance encounter by two wheeling dandies with Capt. James Ennis and his "Log Cabin," "a famous resort on the River Road" located "at the foot of trolley trestle."Resembling a picturesque tavern from a…

An Electric Man p586.jpg
American ingenuity is ever striving for startling effects. It is never satisfied. Ordinary achievements seem beneath its attention. It looks beyond, even if the object of its aim be more or less fantastic.

One of the latest freaks of mechanical…

Company incorporated to operate Philip Perew's patent, article (Tonawanda News, 1900-02-05).jpg
According to a later article, development of Perew's "electric canal boat trolley" is at least one reason for the incorporation

Work of the Tonawanda Power Company, photo 1.jpg
Full article describes the role of the North Tonawanda substation.Photo captions: "Fig. 1. — the Exterior of the Transforming Station of the Tonawanda Power CompanyThe Six Upper Wires on the Poles in the Foreground Are the Two Three-Phase Lines…

Walking automaton is a mechanical wonder, article (Buffalo Courier, 1900-09-02).jpg
Walking Automaton is a Mechanical Wonder
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This Man May Walk For Years Without Rest or Sleep,
Yet Never Feel Fatigue or Need For Food or Drink
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Tonawanda Man Invents a Graven Image in the Form of
a Man That…

Theodore Roosevelt speech, article (Tonawanda News, 1900-11-01).pdf
The entire speech as quoted by the Tonawanda News:

"My fellow citizens: I am glad to have the chance of meeting you this afternoon. In this contest I feel that we have a right to appeal to you. I wish to appeal to you in the first place on the…

As natural as life, article (Glens Falls Times, 1901-01-18).jpg
Article also found in the New Orleans Bee, LA; Dryden Herald 1901-06-19

House adjoining the Tonawanda dub-station, tower?, photo (Cassier's Magazine January 1902).png
Full article discusses the reliance of the area on the power of Niagara Falls, and has additional photos of call boxes, and view of the Niagara Falls plant. (NT and other photos grabbed here.)North Tonawanda substation tower(First photo) Captioned:…

Instrument Fa r Kevr Episcopa l Cathedra
l Wil l Be One of th e Most
POTT erf ul In th e World—Hope-Jone s
System of Tone Producing; Will Be
fcsed—The Gift of Mr. an d Mrs. Lev i
P. Morton.
An organ which is designed to be one
of the most…

White House relic to be demolished soon, article (Tonawanda News, 1906-03-17).jpg
Description of Daniel Webster's visits, and Uncle Vandervoort's store on Grand Island. A 1982 article claims: "Today, all that remains of its former splendor is a small piece of the black marble from the fireplace mantel preserved among the…
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