CHAPTER XXIII.
GENERAL COUNTY HISTORY FROM 1865 TO 1899.
In closing these pages of general county and town history it remains to take a brief review of the events and changes that have taken place since the close of the Civil war. At that time (1865) the population of the county was 42,506, and it has remained with little variation to the present time. State legislation relating; directly to Madison county enacted during the last thirty years has not been of paramount importance. What has been accomplished in recent times towards draining and preparing for cultivation the great swamp area in the northern part of the county, a work that is still in progress, is described in the preceding history of the town of Sullivan, in which the greater part of it lies. Succeeding the early efforts in this direction, an act of the legislature relating to this work was passed April 27, 1866, and appointed Francis H. Kennedy, of Syracuse, Marcus C. Walrath, of Chittenango, and Clinton L. Colton, of Canastota, commissioners to fix the rate of assessment to provide the cost of the proposed drainage ditch, and perform other duties in connection with the matter.
In the laws of the following year is an act (chapter 601) providing for draining "the Great Swamp," as it is termed therein. This act appointed Daniel Lewis, Dr. Venoni W. Mason, and Clinton L. Colton, commissioners to " open and construct such ditch or ditches or drains as in their opinion may be deemed necessary to drain such lands of the Great Swamp " as they should determine upon; also "to commence at the easterly terminus of the ditch or drain which may be dug or opened under the chapter aforesaid," and continue easterly as far as they deemed advisable. The cost of the work was to be provided for by assessment and collection of taxes on the lands lying adjacent to the ditch.
It was under this legislation that the old State ditch was dug, which has since been greatly enlarged, as described in the Sullivan town history. Great tracts of rich muck land have been reclaimed, in the towns of Sullivan and Lenox, lateral ditches dug, and the extensive production of celery, onions and other crops to which such land is particularly adapted has resulted. The men most prominent in this work in recent years are Milton Delano, Le Grand Colton, D. C. Twogood, of Canastota and Charles F. Pennock, of Chittenango.
In the laws of 1874 (chapter 399) a State appropriation was made of $25,000 to "the Stroud, Chapman and Douglass ditches, so-called," now the State ditch, for widening, deepening, and digging new ditches; and again in 1886 (chapter 549), the superintendent of public works was directed to "clean out the State ditch in the towns of Sullivan and Lenox," so as to properly discharge the surplus water from the Erie Canal. The sum of $3,700, a residue from the first appropriation, was expended in this work. The more recent operations for draining this great tract of valuable land have been described in the Sullivan town history in a preceding chapter.
The act of 1890 (chapter 253) appropriating $500 from the State treasury to reimburse the town of Madison for the expense of removing three bridges over the abandoned Chenango Canal and enlarging a culvert over Oriskany Creek, was a relic of the once busy water way.
The subject of making certain county offices salaried positions has frequently come up in the Board of Supervisors for consideration, as it has in many other counties of the State. The old method of paying those officials through fees collected from the public was always characterized by uncertainty and sometimes by injustice. In 1890 this question, as far as it relates to the sheriff and the county clerk, was brought to culmination in the Board of Supervisors through the adoption of a resolution that the board petition the member of assembly (then Samuel R. Mott, of Bouckville) to procure the passage of a law making the county clerk a salaried officer, with annual salary of not exceeding $1,800, and the sheriff the same, with salary of not more than $2,000. An act was passed making these changes in 1891 (chap. 29.) Other county offices have received consideration by the Board of Supervisors, in relation to salaries, as seen in the adoption of a resolution in January, 1883, that the superintendent of the poor be paid a salary of not to exceed $800, and that after that date the position of keeper be abolished and the superintendent perform all the duties of the office and reside at the county house. This resolution was referred to the committee on legislation.
While upon the subject of supervisors' proceedings it is interesting, if not important, to notice that in 1860, a committee from the County Farmers' Club called upon the board and, in view "of the growing importance of sheep husbandry," asked an increase of the dog tax to $5 and that all dogs be muzzled. The matter went to the committee on legislation and that was the last heard of it. A relic of plank road days is found in the supervisors' proceedings of 1893, at a special session, when measures were taken to obtain an extension of the corporate existence of the "Morrisville and Peterboro Stone or Plank Road Company" for twenty years from the expiration of its charter which would carry it to fifty years from the original incorporation in 1863.
In the same year (1893) a somewhat important recent feature of the periodic attempts to change the location of county seats, public buildings, etc., in many localities of the State, appears in the following remarkable petition, which was signed by thirty-one persons and presented to the Board of Supervisors in December.
We, the undersigned, residents and freeholders, within the County of Madison. State of New York, do respectfully show that---
Whereas, The present location and site of the Court House, Jail, Surrogate's Office and County Clerk's Office, are at the village of Morrisville, in said county;
and,
Whereas, the village of Eaton in said county possesses railroad facilities, and all other suitable accommodations that would accommodate the people of the entire county, to attend to all business calling them to either and all of said offices, and believing that it would be both a matter of convenience and economy to the people of the county to have the site and location of all the said offices changed; We do therefore, respectfully ask that the site and location of the Court House, Jail, Surrogate's Office and County Clerk's Office be changed from their present site or location in the village of Morrisville, to the corner of North Main and Fayette streets, in the village of Eaton, in said county.
On the following day a protest signed by H. B. Coman was presented to the board against their receiving this petition. Then followed a series of preambles and resolutions, showing that if the change was made, the lands in Morrisville on which the buildings stand would revert to the grantors; that new buildings would cost $150,000; that the existing high taxes would be made higher, and that, therefore, the change was inexpedient.
In May, 1898, the supervisors ordered 100 iron signs to be made and placed on prominent "market roads" one mile apart, for guidance of travelers---a very wise act and one worthy of emulation in other counties. This was not carried out.
The history of town bonding in Madison county in aid of railroads is an interesting one and relatively important; from it, also, it is possible to draw instructive lessons that may serve for the future guidance of these and other towns in this State. In past years the favorite manner of securing funds with which to build railways was to send agents into the towns who were gifted with eloquent tongues, trained to dwell with rhetorical fluency upon prophecy of what the future would bring forth in any definite locality---if the people of that locality would bond themselves as a community to supply the money with which to open a railroad through their territory. Most of the counties in central New York have paid the penality of listening to the arguments favoring railroad building under such auspices; a few towns, to be sure, have at the same time received benefits, direct and indirect, commensurate with their sacrifices.
The road popularly known as the Midland Railroad, passes through the towns of Lenox (now Oneida), Stockbridge, Eaton and Lebanon; the old Chenango Valley road through the towns of Georgetown, Lebanon, Nelson and Cazenovia; what is now a branch of the Lehigh system through Fenner, De Ruyter, Cazenovia, Lincoln and Lenox; and the old Utica, Cortland & Binghamton through Hamilton, Madison and Eaton. These towns were originally bonded in aid of one or more of these roads under chapter 398, laws of 1866, in relation to the Midland road, and other legislation relating to other lines:
Cazenovia $150,000 De Ruyter 102,300 Eaton 150,000 Fenner 20,000 Georgetown 30,000 Lebanon 125,000 Madison 100,000 Nelson 50,000 Stockbridge 143,000
Besides these towns, the village of Canastota was bonded for $50,000; De Ruyter, $20,000; Hamilton, $56,000, and Oneida, $30,000.
The bonded debts of these towns in 1898 was as follows:
Cazenovia $106,000 De Ruyter about 50,000 Eaton 82,000 Fenner 8,000 Georgetown 12,500 Lebanon 55,000 Madison 21,500 Nelson 42,500 Stockbridge 95,000
Of these several towns De Ruyter refused to pay either principal or interest after July, 1878, when the amount of outstanding bonds was $102,300. The claim was made that the bonds were illegally issued---a claim which was never clearly decided. Chapter 303, laws of 1887, authorized the town to issue new bonds with which to compromise, cancel and retire the original issue, and at the present time the debt remains as above stated.
In the year 1890 and later the town of Stockbridge, and several other towns, through their supervisors, sued the Board of Supervisors as representatives of the county, to recover taxes paid by the towns to the county and State from 1881 to 1889, on the railroad property. The claim was set up by the town that, as the railroad property was exempt by law from taxation for State, county, town or municipal expenses, the town could therefore recover taxes paid to the county on such property. The General Term of the Supreme Court held that the town could so recover the county tax for the years 1884 to 1889 inclusive, but could not recover State taxes, and that the claim for both State and county taxes for 1882 and 1883 was barred by the statute of limitations. This decision was reversed in the Court of Appeals, and the towns succeeded in their suits.
While it is impracticable to follow in detail the gradual change that has taken place in the amounts of assessed valuation of real estate and personal property in the county from its beginning, and the cost of maintaining various institutions, it will still be instructive and possibly interesting to trace some of these items as they changed from decade to decade, beginning with 1820. In that year the valuation of real estate was$3,836,690; of personal property, $156,728. The school fund was $2,240.09. This latter item had increased since 1816 from $1,522.30. This was the first appropriation of school money in the county and was apportioned as follows: Brookfield, $217.84; Cazenovia, $193.56; Eaton, $129.25; De Ruyter, $49.60; Georgetown, $38.58; Hamilton, $140.67; Lenox, $l36.09; Madison, $137.49; Nelson, $119.92; Lebanon, $98.34; Smithfield, $151.27; Sullivan, $109.90.
In 1830 the valuation of real estate was $3,912,180, showing a little less than $100,000 increase; personal property, $327,529, more than double that of 1820. The school fund was $2,205.19, and it cost that year to support the poor, $1,000. This last amount was trebled in 1835.
In 1840 the real estate valuation was $5,549,217, indicating a decade of progress and growth; personal property, $796,043, more than double that of 1830. The school fund was $5,641.41, and $3,000 was devoted to the support of the poor.
In 1850 the real estate valuation was $5,960,279, and of personal property, $1,006,773. The school fund was $4,485.05, and $9,748 was appropriated for support of the poor. The whole sum levied that year was $40,647, an increase from the figures of 1840, which were $24,050.
In 1860 the valuation of real estate was assessed at $9,189,722; of personal property, $2,302,680. The assessment was $83,495.58. These figures for 1870 were: Real estate, $8,661,165; personal property, $1,838,185. Assessment, $188,464,51. In 1880, real estate, $17,422,823 (assessed at 76.3 per cent, of full value); personal property, $2,313,650; total tax, $191,373.41. 1890, real estate, $17,999,201; personal property, $1,803,040. State tax, $45,180.68; county tax, $69,422.81. For 1899, real estate, $18,465,274.34; personal property, $2,309,869.66. Total tax, $184,976.70.
A change affecting the whole county for the improvement of town meeting regulations was effected by the Board of Supervisors of 1898. A resolution was adopted abolishing the spring town meeting altogether, and providing that hereafter they shall be held simultaneous with the regular fall elections. This is a change which probably will be of benefit to every community. The new town of Lincoln, in opposition to the change, held its regular town meeting for 1899 in the spring, and officers were chosen largely under Democratic auspices. This action, it is believed, by many, was illegal.
In the spring of 1899 a board of seven Cycle Path Commissioners was appointed by Judge John E. Smith, who met on April 11 and elected B. S. Teale, president; and Charles E. Rose, secretary. The county has been divided into seven cycle districts, with a commissioner in charge of each. The money supplied through the sale of badges and otherwise is to be expended in the district in which it was contributed, and such other action taken as will best subserve the interests of both cyclers and the public.
The facilities for caring for the poor and the insane of the county have received much attention during the period under consideration in this chapter. The building of the first poor house in 1828, and of the second on its site in 1878, has been previously noticed. In the years 1886-87 new buildings were erected with modern conveniences for caring for thirty male and thirty female insane persons, afflicted with chronic insanity and indigent. These structures were accepted by the State Board of Charities, thus rendering it a State institution as to its general control. In 1890-91, under the State law, the insane persons were removed to State institutions, and the supervisors asked the State to reimburse the country for its outlay in buildings, etc. The sum of $6,000 was received on this account.
All of the railroads that pass through portions of Madison county, excepting the main line of the New York Central, have been constructed during the period since the close of the war. Their influence has wrought many and important changes in business centers. While as a whole it must be admitted that they are of great benefit to the people at large, there are still restricted localities that have been injured through their attraction of trade to more populous places. This is a cause and effect that almost invariably attaches to the opening of railroads; a few of the larger villages or cities along the lines, on account o£ increased shipping and traveling facilities, geographical situation, water power, or dominating enterprise of their inhabitants, or from all these causes in some degree, receive a stimulus from the opening of railroad communition with other points. They begin at once to draw trade from hamlets and small villages along the line, the people who formerly bought and sold at the small places, on account of difficulty in reaching the larger ones, now take the cars to the more active business center and here spend their money, sell their produce and buy their goods. There is usually only one result of this---the smaller place suffers. Instances of this are numerous enough in this county and need not be particularly specified. In the end, however, the tendency is towards a balance in these conditions, as it is in all matters in which trade is a prominent factor.
The so called Chenango Valley Railroad, now a part of the New York Central property, was opened through a part of its length in 1872, and wholly opened in. 1874. When the West Shore road, of which this line had become a part, passed to the New York Central in 1885 this road went with it.
Work was begun on what was first known as the Utica, Chenango and Susquehanna Railroad in July, 1866, one branch of which was to touch this county. It was ultimately leased to the Delaware and Lackawanna company and by extension was made an avenue for coal transportation, with its other traffic.
The Utica, Clinton and Binghamton company was organized in August, 1862, but little more than horse roads were constructed out of Utica for comparatively short distances, until a reorganization in December, 1867, with added capital. For this line Hamilton village bonded for $60,000, and the town of Madison for $100,000, in this county. The line was opened through to Hamilton and Smith's Valley, where it touched the Midland in 1870.
The West Shore road was chartered in June, 1881, and was opened from Weehawken to Syracuse in 1883 and to Buffalo in the next year. Its influence upon Madison county has been insignificant.
The preceding chapters of town history have shown the reader that while the years have been passing, great changes have taken place in industrial and agricultural operations in this county. Large manufacturing establishments have come into being at several business centers, employing many workmen and vast sums of money. In this direction the future is promising for the community. No less important are the changes that have taken place in the methods of agriculture and particularly in the kind and variety of crops grown. For many years Madison county has enjoyed a world-wide reputation for its vast and successful hop production. While this crop has in the past been a source of profit to the farmer, it may be doubted if the policy has been a wise one, of almost wholly neglecting the other grains, vegetables and fruits for the growing of hops. With the great decline in price of this crop in comparatively recent years, and the speculative conditions of the average market, Madison county farmers have been gradually decreasing their acreage in most towns. While the annual crop is a large one, it is not by any means what it once was.
In the transition from hops to other sources of agricultural prosperity, as far as it has gone, the farmers of the county have shown a commendable degree of intelligence, enterprise, and good judgment. Fruit culture in some localities has been profitably taken up; dairying in its several features, and the shipment of milk to New York, has been materially developed; and in still more recent years, the drainage of muck lands in the northern part of the county and the cultivation of celery, onions, etc., thereon, which has been described a few pages back, has added new and very important factors to the agricultural interests of the county. The growing of peas for market, also, has recently become an extensive industry, the crop being sold to canning factories in the county and near its boundaries. In the towns of Lebanon, Hamilton, and Madison tile acreage of this crop is now larger than that of any other crop excepting hops. A large acreage is sown also in the northern part of the county, most of which goes to the canning factories of Oneida, Kenwood, Canastota, and other points. A good part of the crop of the southern towns is shipped direct to New York in bags, where it has brought a profitable return.
The latest event of national importance that caused a wave of intense interest to flow across the country, its influence extending into every hamlet in Madison and other counties, was the opening of what will be known in history as the Spanish-American war, the culmination of which brought on the necessity of subjugating the Philippine Islands, which is now in. progress. So recent was the beginning, as well as the end, of the war with Spain, and so well known are its causes and the chief events in its progress, that they need not be further treated in these pages. The inhabitants of Madison county did not let this call upon their patriotism pass unnoticed or without prompt response, and about a score of volunteers, mainly young men, joined the United States forces for service in either the war in Cuba or in the Philippines. A part of the latter went in the First New York Regiment, an organization which left Port Hamilton in New York harbor in May last, and proceeded to San Francisco and thence to Honolulu, beyond which it did not go. Of the whole number enlisting in these wars, one died in hospital and another on the way to Manilla. The history o£ the conflict with the Philippines cannot yet be written, but it may safely be left to the future to prove that this county will be honorably represented in the struggle.
State Senators.---From the date of its erection, in 1806, until the termination of the existence of the first constitution, Madison county formed a part of the Western Senatorial District which at first included also Allegany, Herkimer, Onondaga, Ontario, Otsego, Schoharie, Tioga, Steuben, Oneida, Cayuga, St. Lawrence, Genesee, Seneca, Jefferson, and Lewis counties. Broom, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Niagara and Cortland were subsequently added. From the year 1803 to 1808 this district was entitled to nine senators and to twelve from 1808 to 1815. On April 17, of that year, the district was reorganized, Herkimer, Ontario, Otsego, Schoharie, St. Lawrence, Jefferson and Lewis being taken from it. Oswego was added in 1816 and Tompkins county in 1817. After 1815 the district was entitled to nine senators. Under the second constitution Madison county was placed with Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Oneida and Oswego counties in the fifth senatorial district and so continued until May 23, 1836, when Otsego county was added and Herkimer taken from the district. Under the third constitution Madison and Oswego counties were constituted the twentieth district and so remained until April, 1857, when it was associated with Chenango and Cortland counties in forming the twenty-third district. The nest change was made April 25, 1866, when Madison and Oswego counties were constituted the twenty-first district. On April 23, 1879, Madison, Herkimer and Otsego counties were made the twenty third district. It so remained until April 30, 1892, when Madison and Onondaga counties were constituted the twenty-fourth district. Under the constitution of 1894 Madison and Oswego counties were constituted the twenty-seventh district, which condition still exists.
There was no State senator elected from the territory of Madison county previous to its formation and only three during the existence of the first constitution and the connection of the county with the western district. Those three were as follows: Sylvanus Smalley, of Lenox, who served during the sessions of 1809-10-11-12; Bennett Bicknell, of Morrisville, in 1815-16-17-18; and Perry G. Childs, of Cazenovia, in 1820-1-2. They were succeeded by Thomas Greenly, of Hamilton, who served in 1823-4-5; Charles Stebbins, of Cazenovia, in 1826-7-8-9; John G. Stower, of Hamilton, in 1833-4; Joseph Clark, of Brookfield, in 1839-40-1-2; Thomas Barlow, of Canastota, in 1844-5-6-7; Asahel Stone, of Peterboro, in 1850; Simeon C. Hitchcock, of Cazenovia, in 1854-5; John J. Foote, of Hamilton, in 1858-9; James Barnett, of Smithfield, in 1866-7; William H. Brand, of Leonardsville, in 1870-1; Charles Kellogg, of Chittenango, in 1874-5; John W, Lippitt, of Solsville, in 1878-9. Alexander M. Holmes, Morrisville, 1882-3; John E. Smith, 1886-7 and 1892-3; 1894-5, Charles W. Stapleton.
Members of Assembly.---The number of members of assembly from Madison county has, of course, varied with the ratio of her population to that of the State. The county had two members at the time of its formation; three under the apportionments of April 1, 1808, April 8, 1815, April 12, 1822, April 18, 1826 and May 23, 1836; two under the apportionment of March 8, 1846, April 13, 1857 and April 16, 1866; one under the apportionment of April 26, 1879, and since.
The first assemblyman from the territory now embraced in Madison county was Jonathan Forman, who served in 1800-1. He was succeeded by James Green and Stephen Hoxie, 1803; Sephen Hoxie, 1804; Samuel Payne and Luther Waterman, 1804-5; Samuel Payne and Sylvanus Smalley, 1806; Erastus Cleveland and Sylvanus Smalley, 1807; John W. Bulkley and Sylvanus Smalley, 1808; Oliver Brown, John W. Bulkley and Daniel Van Horne, 1808-9; John W. Bulkley, Amos B. Fuller and Daniel Van Horne, 1810; John W. Bulkley, Henry Clark, jr., and Zebulon Douglass, 1811; Bennett Bicknell, Nathaniel Cole and Samuel H. Coon, 1812; Walter Beecher, John D. Henry and Jonathan Olmstead, 1812-13; Stephen F. Blackstone, Elisha Carrington and Abraham. D. Van Horne, 1814; David Beecher, Winsor Coman and John Mattison, 1814-15; Oliver Brown, Nathan Hall, jr., and Eliphalet S. Jackson, 1816; James B. Eldridge, Moses Maynard and Jonathan Olmstead, 1816-17; Thomas Greenly, James Nye and David Woods, 1818; Solomon Beebe, Thomas Greenly and Dennison Palmer, 1819; Amos Crocker, Eliphalet S. Jackson and Levi Morton, 1820; William Berry, jr., Justin Dwinelle and Herman Van Vleck, 1820-1; Pardon Barnard, Henry Clark, jr., and Justin Dwinelle, 1822; Rutherford Barker, Daniel M. Gillett and Curtis Hoppin, 1823; Joseph Clark, Edward Hudson and Thomas Spencer, 1824; Elias P. Benjamin, Nehemiah Huntington and James Nye, 1825; Thomas Dibble, Nehemiah Huntington and Jacob Ten Eyck, 1826; Sylvester Beecher, James B. Eldridge and Lemuel White, 1827; Joseph Clark, John Knowles and Eri Richardson, 1828; James B. Eldridge, William K. Fuller and John Williams, 1829; William K, Fuller, William Manchester and Joan M. Messenger, 1830; Robert Henry, Stephen B. Hoffman and John Whitman, 1831; Nehemiah Batcheler, Daniel Gillett and John Head, 2d, 1832; Erastus Cleveland, John Davis and Jesse Kilborn, 1833; Sardis Dana, Benjamin Enos and Henry T. Sumner, 1834; Joseph Clark, William J. Hough and Jason W. Powers, 1835; Ephraim Gray, William J. Hough and John B. Yates, 1836; Wait Clark, Isaac Coe, jr., and Silas Sayles, 1837; William F. Bostwick, William Lord and Onesimus Mead, 1838; Friend Barnard, Benjamin Enos and Uriah Leland, 1839; Daniel Barker, Daniel Dickey and Benjamin Enos, 1840; Seneca B. Burchard, Oliver Pool and Daniel Van Vleck, 1841; Simeon C. Hitchcock, Calvin Morse and Job Wells, 1842; Venoni W. Mason, Henry Palmer and Lorenzo Sherwood, 1843; Ralph I. Gates, Thomas Keith and Alfred Medbery, 1844; Stephen G. Sears, William Smith and John I. Walrath, 1845; Horace Hawks, Thomas T. Loomis and Stephen M. Potter, 1846; George T. Taylor and Peter Van Valkenburgh, 1847; John T. G. Bailey and George Grant, 1848; David Maine and Robert G. Stewart, 1849; John Clark and Thomas O. Bishop, 1850; Jairus French and Franklin B. Hoppin, 1851; George B. Rowe and Henry L. Webb, 1852; Dennis Hardin and Marsena Temple, 1853; Samuel White, 2d, and Franklin M. Whitman, 1854; Gilbert Tompkins and Aaron B. Brush, 1855; Samuel White and John Snow, 1856; Albert G. Purdy and Thomas P. Bishop, 1857; Lester M. Case and Robert Stewart, 1858; Simeon Rider and Noah M. Coburn, 1859; David Clark and James Barnett, 1860; Orriu B. Lord and Francis A. Hyatt, 1861; William H. Brand and Albert G. Purdy, 1862; William H. Brand and George L. Rouse, 1863; John W. Lippitt and Daniel F. Kellogg, 1864; Alfred A. Brown and Alvin Strong, 1865; Gardner Morse and Caleb Calkins, 1866; Bushrod E. Hoppin and Benjamin F. Bruce, 1867; D. Gerry Wellington and Robert Stewart, 1868; Wesley M. Carpenter and Leonard C. Kilham, 1869; Joseph W. Merchant and Leonard C. Kilham, 1870; David L. Fisk and Leonard L. Kilham, 1871; John W. Lippitt and Francis A. Hyatt, 1872; Edward C. Philpot and Joseph F. Crawford, 1873; Edward C. Philpot and Henry W. Carpenter, 1874; D. Gerry Wellington and George Berry, 1875; Morris N. Campbell and Fred C. Fiske, 1876; Albert N. Sheldon and Merchant Billington, 1877; Lambert B. Kern and Willard A. Crandall, 1878; Augustus L. Saunders and George Berry, 1879; Gerrit S. Miller, 1880; David A. Jackson, 1881; Ladurna Ballard, 1882; George H. Benjamin, 1883; Edward F. Haskell, 1884-85; William S. Leete, 1886-87; Charles E. Maynard, 1888-89; Samuel R. Mott, 1890-91; Clarence W. Dexter, 1893-93; Lambert B. Kern, 1894-96; Robert Jay Gish, 1897-99.
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