square the splendid mansion of Rufus S. Reed, Esq., and beyond it the Erie bank, of which he is president. On the left of the square, beyond the courthouse, is seen the magnificent Reed House, a lasting monument of the enterprise of the gentleman whose name it bears. Such is the appearance of the square in 1843.-Let us look back about fifty years. Mr. Wm. Connolly, now of Franklin, says he came out to Erie in the spring of 1795 with his cousin Thomas Reese, surveyor of the district, who is still living. In June of the same year he saw land there Col. John Reed, father of Rufus S. Reed, in a bark boat, with a quantity of groceries, ilquors, and Indian goods. Col. Reed was the first white settler of the place. He proceeded to erect a log-cabin, and soon after made it a double cabin, and called it—not the Reed House-but the Presqu'isle Hotel; where he entertained the traders and travellers of the lake shore. Col. Reed was from Rhode Island. The jovial scenes that may have been enacted around those primitive firesides by Indians, soldiers, traders, surveyors, speculators, and casual adventurers, may be more easily conceived than described. While the region around Pittsburg was dependent upon Northern New York for its supplies of salt, Erie and Waterford, though not large, were busy towns, (see p. 86.) During the last war, too, there was much heavy transportation of military stores across the Le Boeuf portage, for the use of the squadron on the lake. Navigation by steam was commenced on Lake Erie in 1818, when the first steamboat was built at Black Rock: she bore the significant name of Walk-in-the-Water. The novelty of the sight as she made her first trip through the lake excited great curiosity, especially among the aborigines. She was lost in 1822. The Superior immediately succeeded her. The most important impetus, however, was given to the growth of Erie by the great projects of internal improvement which originated between 1830 and 1836. Heavy expenditures were made by the U. S. on the harbor; the canal to Beaver was surveyed and located; a great railroad was projected through Warren, McKean, Lycoming, and Columbia counties, to connect with the Danville and Pottsville road; another to join the New York and Erie railroad; and a branch of the U. S. Bank of Pa. was located here. The spark of speculation being lighted, speculators from Buffalo and Rochester and New York city came in with the most modern inventions for making money without industry, and the town shot ahead with dangerous rapidity. The following extracts from successive newspapers of that day, will serve to show the rapid progress of the speculation. June 12th, 1830.-The spirit of speculation which has wrought such wonders upon the line of the Erie canal has never visited this borough. No extensive business is done on fictitious capital. The soil is owned by its occupants, and no part of it is covered by foreign mortgages. No branch of business is overdone, if we except, perhaps, one or two of the professions. The growth of Erie has at no time exceeded that of the surrounding country. Its increase has been commensurate only with the increase of business. It has consequently never felt those reverses which always attend villages of mushroom growth. Many men with small capitals have become independent, and some opulent. Erie possesses advantages which must forever secure to it important and lucrative business. Its harbor is decidedly the safest and best on the lake. Our water privileges are equal to our present wants, and an increase may be expected from the construction of the Pennsylvania canal. That Erie will be a successful rival of her sister villages on the borders of the lake, we have not a shadow of doubt. But let not her growth be forced. Every doubtful or chimerical speculation should be discountenanced, and, above all, let not our village lots fall into the hands of those who calculate great speculations on their rise. This is the bane which is most to be dreaded in all our growing villages.-We must construct a wharf out to Mr. C. M. Reed's pier, where there is deep water. Feb. 27th, 1836.-Erie Bank. We are informed that the entire stock of $200,000 has been subscribed, and we believe paid in. [News at the same time of probable passage of appropriation in Congress for improvement of harbor.] Feb. 27th, 1836.-The receipt of positive news of the final passage of the canal and (U. S.) bank bill at this place, on Monday evening, gave a new impetus to the rise of real estate. It advanced immediately about 100 per cent., and has since continued rising at the rate of from ten to twenty per cent. a day. Sales have been made this week amounting to near half a million of dollars. The sales too are none of your sham sales got up for effect. They are bona fide, and liberal, almost invariably made by the purchasers, who are mostly men of heavy capital from the east-Buffalo, Rochester, and New York-and persons able to sustain prices, so far as they buy for speculation, and to improve what they buy for use. There is no danger of retrograde. The tide of prosperity has set in favor of Erie, and it must go ahead. The Fates cannot make it otherwise. Real estate will continue to rise, and we would sincerely recommend any friend of ours who wishes to purchase, to do so as soon as possible. March 1.-Real estate. Sales increase in briskness, and prices still rising. The amount of sales on Saturday and yesterday (Monday) amounted to over $300,000. Good bargains are yet offered to any one who has cash to invest for first payments, and at prices which cannot fail of advancing, in as great a ratio, as they have done for several weeks back. It is estimated that the sales in our borough last week amounted to a million and a half of dollars; they are still going on and daily advancing in prices. A company has bought land at the mouth of Twenty-mile cr., to construct a harbor there. A lot of ground sold in Erie in Feb. for $10,000-was sold in March, in Buffalo, to a company for $50,000. April 2d, 1836.-For the sake of our numerous correspondents, who look with distrust upon all excitement in the grave business of laying out bona fide capital, we will briefly and generally reply that there is no sham nor get-up to the land transactions here-away; and that neither collapse nor the ordinary fever and ague stages need be apprehended for this place; it has grown steadily and slowly thus into public favor, and its present towering prospects have a foundation, in the nature of things, not only permanent and enduring, but natural and everlasting. Look at the position of Erie on the map, read the reports of the U. S. engineers as to the harbor; above all, at this crisis, observe the enlightened legislation of the commonwealth in anticipating the demand for commercial facilities at this favored spot. June 11th.-Twelve water lots of 32 feet front sold, notwithstanding the severe pressure in the money market, at an aggregate price of over $40,000. The most important event that has occurred at Erie was the building and equipment of Perry's victorious fleet. Capt. Perry, then only 26 years of age, arrived at Erie on the 27th Feb. 1813, and immediately urged on the work which had been already commenced. The northern frontier of Pennsylvania and Ohio was at that time little better than a wilderness; supplies and artisans had to be brought from the Atlantic coast, and the timber for the larger vessels was to be cut fresh from the forest. In the face of a thousand obstacles, Perry succeeded in getting his vessels ready to leave the harbor in the early part of August; though he was still greatly in want of officers and of men, particularly seamen. He was soon after joined by a party of seamen under the orders of Capt. Elliot, then just promoted to the rank of master and commander. Leaving Erie, the fleet went up towards the head of the lake, where various manœuvres took place for some days between the two squadrons, before a meeting took place. Perry had gone into Put-in bay, on the 6th Sept., and on the 9th determined to go out the next day and attack the enemy. The following able and spirited sketch of the battle is extracted from the biography of Com. Perry, by James Fennimore Cooper, Esq., published in Graham's Magazine, for May, 1843. Although longer than our limits will fairly admit, yet the compiler would not feel justified in abridging it. The vessels under the command of Capt. Per- The English vessels were as follows, their ry, and which were present on the morning of force being, as stated by Capt. Barclaythe 10th of Sept., 1813, were as follows; the Ohio, Mr. Dobbins, having been sent down the lake on duty a few days before, viz. : Guns. Lawrence, Capt. Perry, 20 Total number of guns, 54 Metal. 2 long 128, 18 32 lb. carronades. 1 long 32. 132 lb. carronade. Detroit, Capt. Barclay, 19 guns; 2 long 248, 1 long 18 on pivot, Lady Prevost, Lieut. Buchan, 13 guns; 1 long 9 on pivot, 2 Hunter, Lieut. Bignall, 10 guns; 4 long 6s, 2 long 48, 2 long Little Belt, 3 guns; 1 long 12 on pivot, 2 long 68. Total number of guns, 63. It is proper to add that all the guns of all the American vessels, with the exception of those of the Lawrence and the Niagara, were on pivots, and could be used together. The vessels which carried them, however, were without bulwarks, and their crews were exposed to even musketry in a close action. Of these vessels, the Lawrence, Niagara, and Caledonia were brigs; the Trippe was a sloop; and the remainder were schooners. The force of the British has been variously stated, as to the metal, though all the accounts agree as to the vessels and the number of the guns. On the morning of the 10th Sept., the British squadron was seen in the offing, and the American vessels got under way, and went out to meet it. The wind, at first, was unfavorable, but so determined was Perry to engage, that he decided to give the enemy the weather-gage, a very important advantage with the armament he possessed, should it become necessary. A shift of wind, however, brought him out into the lake to windward, and left him every prospect of engaging in a manner more desirable to himself. The enemy had hove-to, on the larboard tack, in a compact line ahead, with the wind at southeast. This brought his vessels' heads nearly, or quite, as high as south-southwest. He had placed the Chippewa in his van, with the Detroit, Barclay's own vessel, next to her. Then followed the Hunter, Queen Charlotte, Lady Prevost, and Little Belt, in the manner named. Perry had issued his order of battle some time previously, but finding that the enemy did not form his line as he had anticipated, he determined to make a corresponding change in his own plan. Originally it had been intended that the Niagara should lead the American line, in the expectation that the Queen Charlotte would lead that of the English; but finding the Detroit ahead of the latter vessel, it became necessary to place the Lawrence ahead of the Niagara, in order to bring the two commanding vessels fairly alongside of each other. As there was an essential difference of force between the two English ships, the Detroit being a vessel at least a fourth larger and every way heavier than the Queen Charlotte, this prompt decision to stick to his own chosen adversary is strongly indicative of the chivalry of Perry's character; for many an officer would not have thought this accidental change on the part of his enemy a sufficient reason for changing his own order of battle, on the eve of engaging. Calling the leading vessels near him, however, and learning from Capt. Brevoort, of the army, and late of the brig Adams, who was then serving on board the Niagara as a marine officer, the names of the different British vessels, Capt. Perry communicated his orders for the Lawrence and Niagara to change places in the contemplated line-a departure from his former plan, which would bring him more fairly abreast of the Detroit. At this moment, the Lawrence, Niagara, Caledonia, Ariel, and Scorpion were all up, and near each other; but the Trippe, Tigress, Somers, and Porcupine were still a considerable distance astern. All of these small craft but the Porcupine had been merchant vessels, purchased into the service and strengthened; alterations that were necessary to enable them to bear their metal, but which were not likely to improve whatever sailing qualities they might possess. It was now past ten, and the leading vessels manoeuvred to get into their stations, in obedience to the orders just received. This brought the Scorpion a short distance ahead, and to windward of the Lawrence, and the Ariel a little more on that brig's weather-bow, but in advance. Then came the Lawrence herself, leading the main line, the two schooners just mentioned being directed to keep to windward of her-the Caledonia, the Niagara, the Tigress, the Somers; the Porcupine, and the Trippe. The prescribed distance that was to be maintained between the different vessels was half a cable's length. The Americans were now astern and to windward of their enemies, the latter still lying gallantly with their topsails aback, in waiting for them to come down. Perry brought the wind abeam, in the Lawrence, and edged away for a position abreast of the Detroit; the Caledonia and Niagara following in their stations. The two schooners ahead were also well placed, though the Ariel appears to have soon got more on the Lawrence's beam than the order of battle had directed. |