Niagara — Historical and Reminiscent 



which his heirs brought a number of unsuccessful ejectment 1872 

 suits, as late as 1823. During the time of his occupation of the 

 house and lands at Schlosser, Steadman planted the old orchard 

 near the river, a portion of which still remains. He also made 

 some use of an old saw-mill, built by the French on the site of 

 the old grist-mill, on Lot No. 1 1 , Canal Street. Steadman also 

 visited Goat Island and established a colony of goats there, from 

 which the island derived its name. These goats all perished in 

 the winter of 1 780, memorable for its severity. At that time, or 

 previously, ten or twelve acres of land had been cleared on the 

 high ground opposite the head of Goat Island. The cleared 

 fields at Schlosser, occupied by Steadman, contained probably 

 about sixty acres. 



In 1 806 little had been done to change the wild aspect of the 

 country; and bears and wolves were not uncommon in the 

 forests. The latter were so numerous as to prevent the keeping 

 of sheep, for many years. They would frequently approach by 

 night within a short distance of the Steadman house; and their 

 hideous nightly howlings were familiar sounds in all the region 

 around the Falls. Wild geese and ducks abounded in the river; 

 eagles were common, and swans were occasional visitors. Deer 

 were frequently seen on Goat Island. On one occasion a deer 

 was driven into the river near the head of the Island, and making 

 his way safely through the rapids, escaped his pursuers; and 

 another, pursued to the lower end of the Island, made a desper- 

 ate and fatal leap through the cedars and over the precipice. 



In connection with the purchase of lands by Augustus Porter 

 and his associates, they took from the State a long lease of the 

 landing places, at Lewiston and Schlosser, granting the exclusive 

 right of transportation across the portage, they being required to 

 provide warehouses and teams, to meet all demands for trans- 

 portation, at fixed rates. They were induced also, in aid of 

 this interest, to build a number of vessels on Lakes Ontario and 

 Erie ; so that for several years the transportation between Oswego 

 and the upper lakes, was carried on chiefly by the firm of Porter, 



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