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

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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 (Continued on page 75)
April 1954 CURRIERS THROUGH THE YEARS (cont.) Page 75 thereafter, the Sardinia route was abandoned and the narrow-gauge line run to Ardade and Cuba, the road being Known as the Tonawanda Valley & Cuba R. R. The T. V. was sold at foreclosure in 189^ and a new line, the Buffalo, Attica & Arcade, discontinued service, took up the track and reconstructed a standard gauge road on the same route. Nineteen miles, Attica to Curriers, were put into operation Jan. 9s l895s and service extended to Arcade the following December,, The present railroad corporation dates from 1917 and freight and express service are available once daily each way. Because of the confusion resulting from the large number of Javas in the township, the station was always called "Curriers0" Other Enterprises By 1870, and probably some years before, Cornelius Crawford operated a steam sawmill on the south side of the road east of the railroad line. There barrels and possibly cheese boxes were made* In due course the business passed into the hands of Cheney & Miller, and was owned by Guy L* Miller when it ceased operation around 1920, the remaining building being burned. Until dairying began on a large scale little grain was purchased or ground, and milling was done at Java Village or Arcade. Many raised a little wheat and it was taken elsewhere to be converted into flour. The present E. R. Yauchzy grist and feed mill appeared after the railroad came.It was operated by a large gasoline engine, and was owned for some years by Lo F© Potter, Guy L0 Miller and then in partnership with the present owner under the firm name of Miller & Yauchzy. For many years the mill and the neighboring depot were scenes of brisk business activity when Curriers was an important milk and produce center. Carloads of potatoes, hay and apples were shipped, and maple products appeared in season. Curriers doubtless had a blacksmith shop from early times. A century ago, one stood on the creek, bank west of the present home of MrsoLinnie Barber and passed through a succession of owners. When operated by Harry Howard, his little son was drowned beneath the ice of the nearby stream. Among the blacksmiths recalled are Monroe 10 Skinner, Lucius F. Horton, and Fred J. Rogers, father of D. D. Rogers,who succeeded in the business on the site of and in a portion of the old district school to which the Rogers' had moved in 1901, Some eighty years ago,a wagon and carriage shop was established in a building south of the cemetery. An early local wagon maker is listed as Willard Joslyn. In 1875, Michael Brooks, formerly of Springville, began manufacturing good quality wagons and buggies. He painted the vehicles on the second floor and assembled them on the first. Brooks continued in business until his death in 1898. Afterwards, little was done with the building, it serving as a shop for Ray Gilbert,or as living quarters,until, in a dilapidated condition, it was torn away some twenty years ago. (Continued on page 76)
Page 1 and 2: V t y o m i n q Vol. VII April 1954
Page 3 and 4: April 1954 Page 67 CURRIERS THROUGH
Page 5 and 6: April 1954 CURRIERS THROUGH THE YEA
Page 9: April 1954 Page 73 CURRIERS THROUGH
Page 19 and 20: April 1954 THE LITTLE STREETS How s
Page 21 and 22: April 1954 WOLF HUNT (cont.) Page 8
Page 23 and 24: April 1954 Page 87 LINUS DAY (cont0
Page 25 and 26: April 1954 NECROLOGY (cont.) Page 8
Page 27 and 28: April 1954 Page 91 r 1 ^ The Kausti
Page 29 and 30: April 1954 Page 93 QUEER TRAVELERS
Page 31 and 32: April 1954 YATES SETTLEMENT, TOWN O

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

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