TOWN OF CORNING. 



255 



the incredulous that there were rich deposits of that mineral 

 in the mountains of Northern Pennsylvania, that would 

 come into use and set aside the charcoal so extensively used 

 by blacksmiths and machinists ; that if they would construct 

 the Chemung Canal, having its western terminus at 'Painted 

 Post, all the vast timber and coal interest would be developed, 

 and a country hitherto shut off from commercial centres, 

 save by the unreliable navigation of the Chemung River, 

 would pour its rich treasures into Albany, on the Hudson. 

 While Mr. Conklin was thus demonstrating to the Legisla- 

 ture the feasibility of the Chemung Canal, he had an atten- 

 tive listener in the person of Edwin Crosswell, Esq., senior 

 editor of the Albany Argus, In a strong editorial Mr. 

 Crosswell took up the line of argument as presented by Mr. 

 Conklin and others from the Southern Tier, and advocated 

 the passage of the bill. The bill passed April 15, 1829. 

 Great were the rejoicings of the people in Chemung and 

 Steuben Counties, in New York, and in Bradford and Tioga, 

 Pennsylvania. The work was completed in 1833. 



The late Erastus Corning, with his keen business fore- 

 sight, foresaw that he who would be first to develop those 

 rich mineral deposits at Blossburg would reap lasting bene- 

 fits. In consultation with Mr. Thomas W. Olcott, the great 

 financier, it was determined to organize what was afterwards 

 known as the Corning Company. This was in 1835. They 

 and their associates, Joseph Fellows, Watts Sherman, Hiram 

 Bostwick, Ansel Bascom, Bowen Whiting, Wm. A. Bradley, 

 and Levin I. Gilliss, made a purchase of the lands of the 

 Erwins, at Painted Post, but through some misunderstand- 

 ing, the purchase never became valid."^ Where the pros- 

 perous village of Corning now stands was then, with the 

 exception of some cleared farm land in the valley, in its 

 primeval state. The company, not being able to purchase 

 lands on the east side of the Chemung, made a bona-fide 

 purchase of about 340 acres, embraced within the present 

 corporate limits of Corning. Railroads were then being first 

 constructed in America. By a careful survey the company 

 ascertained that a railroad could be constructed from their 

 town site, at the head of canal navigation, to the coal-fields 

 at Blossburg, cheaper than a canal, or cheaper than it could 

 be floated down the Tioga on arks or rafts. A charter 

 was obtained for a railroad to the State line at Lawrence- 

 ville, where they were met by enterprising men from Phila- 

 delphia, Messrs. James K. Wilson, Coffin Colket, J. W. 

 Ryerss, and others, with a charter from the State of Penn- 

 sylvania, connecting them with the Blossburg coal region. 



In the year 1839 the locomotive first traversed the Tioga 

 Valley. Then it was that Corning sprang into being. Al- 

 though Mr. Parcell and a few families had located at Corn- 

 ing in 1838, yet it was not until the years 1839, 1840, 

 1841, and 1842 that Corning received its impetus. It was 

 christened in 1836, but it was not until the time above 

 referred to that signs of future life and prosperity dawned 

 upon it. Then came the men that were to lay the founda- 

 tion — or rather the superstructure, for the foundation was 

 surely laid by Erastus Corning, Thomas W. Olcott, and 

 their associates — of Coming's future greatness. The good 

 people of Corning were apparently on the wrong side of 



* See Chas. H. Erwin's history of Painted Post. 



the river. The main stage-route from Big Flats to Bath, 

 via Painted Post, ran on the east side, passing the Chimney 

 Narrows, and crossing the mouth of Post Creek. But 

 Corning was equal to the emergency. Bridges were thrown 

 across the Chemung two and three-fourth miles below; 

 roads were opened connecting them with Big Flats on the 

 east, and Knoxville and Painted Post on the north. It 

 might be well to here mention some of the enterprising 

 citizens of Corning in 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842, and later. 

 x\mong them were Col. H. W. Bostwick, manager of the 

 Corning Company ; Dr. Wm. Turbell, Thomas A. Johnson, 

 Esq , Laurin Mallory, P. J. Mallory, Wm. M. Mallory, 

 Maj. S. B. Denton, Nelson L. Somers, H. G. Phelps, B. 

 P. Bailey, John A. Parcell, B. W^. Payne, Daniel D. Com- 

 stock, Geo. T. Spencer, E. P. Rogers, S. T. Ilayt, Hiram 

 Pritcliard, William J. Arnold, and Charles Clark, besides 

 many others, distinguished for their public spirit and enter- 

 prise. Hotels, banks, stores, shops, and various offices, 

 after the completion of the Blossburg Railroad, were im- 

 mediately erected. A printing-office was opened in 1840, 

 and a newspaper established by Charles Adams called the 

 Corning and Blossburg Advocate. The people of Corning 

 had scarcely realized the completion of the Blossburg Rail- 

 road, when, in 1840, the advance-guard of the New York 

 and Erie Railroad made their appearance in Corning. The 

 State of New York had loaned its credit to assist the com- 

 pany in the sum of $3,000,000, and from Piermont, in 

 Rockland Co., N. Y., to Dunkirk, on Lake Erie, gangs of 

 workmen were engaged in driving piles for the road-bed, 

 and spanning rivers and streams with bridges. 



Corning received a considerable share of the money ex- 

 pended by the Erie Company in driving piles, building 

 bridges, etc. Then, to add to the general enthusiasm, the 

 political campaign of 1840, with all its concomitant ma- 

 chinery, made Corning, with its stirring and active popula- 

 tion, an overflowing town, brimful of business. Specula- 

 tion was rife. Corner lots were above par. From Chemung, 

 Tioga, Broome, and Otsego Counties capitalists were locating 

 at Corning, the El Dorado of the Southern Tier. Mechan- 

 ics of all kinds were in great demand. Lumber was a cash 

 commodity, and bill-timber of every kind brought a high 

 price. Yet there were thousands of feet of lumber in the 

 log burned up by the settler who wished to clear a spot for 

 a shop or dwelling, and could not wait to have his lumber 

 drawn to the mills at the head of the feeder, to be manu- 

 factured. From the incipient step, in 1835, to the first era 

 of their progress, in 1840, all had been prosperous. From 

 this latter year through 1841 and 1842 there followed a 

 financial depression. Yet comparatively few of the busi- 

 ness men of Corning were seriously or permanently crippled 

 by the general bankruptcy which pervaded the country. 

 Many, however, sufi'ered by the failure of the New York 

 and Erie Railroad Company. Many of the business men 

 and lumbermen had taken stock in part payment for timber 

 and materials furnished, and had suff'ered thereby. But the 

 recuperative qualities of Americans are proverbial ; and the 

 citizens of Corning were not an exception. The ranks of 

 the business men were strengthened in the intervening years, 

 from 1842 to 1854, by a strong and active class, who took 

 hold and gave a new impulse to business. 



