y o m i n q by Harry S. Douglass - Old Fulton History

Page 74 April 1954
CURRIERS THRO TT '-n THE YEARS (cont.)
eye of Foote. That afternoon, some boys came across lots from the
Michigan Rcl.to the west, intent upon visiting in the neighborhood, and
quite naturally approached the burning pile.To their mild astonishment,
Foote angrily shouted them off his land and accented his
demands with well-aimed stones.
The heap burned for some days under the close supervision of
Foote, the incident of the encounter with the boys was temporarily
forgotten and probably excused on the grounds of the farmer's known
irritability and rascality. However, as the days went on the neighbors
began to realize that Harter had not been seen about the place
for some time. Questions were asked and Spencer said his brother-inlaw
had w gone to Canada." One neighbor then recalled that he heard
a shrill cry on the evening before the log heap was burned,but Foote
assured him that it was only "a rooster crowing." The non-appearance
of Harter in succeeding weeks and months convinced the neighborhood
that he had probably been murdered and his remains cremated amidst
the burning logs. Public sentiment became so strong that Foote was
arraigned before the law. The hearing produced nothing but circumstantial
evidence and he was released. Harter was never seen again
and possession of the farm passed to Mrs. Foote. In succeeding
years, if children chanced to play on Foote's side of the fence,they
were driven off, and the conviction remained that odious injustice
had been committed against .Hairter, be he dead or alive.
The Railroad Comes
In 1853s the Attica & Alleghany Valley Railroad chose a route
through Curriers over an alternative path via Java Lake to Arcade,
advantages in distance, grade and curvature being considerations.
That year„ the grading, masonry and fencing were completed through
Curriers and nearly all the ties were on hand. Iron rails, in part,
had been ordered from Britain, Confident expectations that the line
would be in operation soon were blasted in 1851+ by financial
conditions in the country. $200,000 had been invested. For about
thirty years, hopes were raised and them dashed that the railroad
would come. It is remembered that a magnifleant grove of cherry
trees and other fine monarchs of the forest were leveled for the
right-of-way just north, of the present station,.
The Tonawanda Valley Railroad was completed and opened to
Curriers, Sept. 114 l880» On that day, guests from Buffalo, Attica
and intermediate points came abroad a special train to North Java
where a gala picnic was spread and speech-making hailed the advent
of the first "iron horse" into Java. After the program, those who
came in carriages were invited abroad the train and given a ride
from North Java to Curriers and return. For some months Curriers
was the southern terminus of the line while a decision was made
regarding an extention either to Arcade or Sardinia. On Nov. 30,
1880, articles of incorporation were filed for the Tonawanda Valley
Extension Railroad,running from Curriers to the village of Sardinia,
a distance of eleven miles, at a capital of $120,000, It is said
the preliminary surveys were made to run the road north of present
East Road and West Road to present Chaffee where it would form a
junction with the Buffalo, New York and Philadelphia R„ R„ Shortly
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