Horsing Around in Buffalo

N.Y. Times  Dec 30, 1873

THE EAST BUFFALO STOCKYARDS

   BUFFALO, N.Y., DEC. 29

Auction Sale of Horses at East Buffalo

   The receipts of livestock at the East Buffalo Stockyards for 1873 exhibit a flattering increase over those of previous years, footing up 409,758 head of cattle, 733,400 head of sheep, 1,662,500 head of hogs, and 28,326 head of horses. The estimated value of this stock exclusive of the horses is $47,517,750.  The shipments for the year to Eastern markets were: 381,191 head of cattle, 695,000 head of sheep, 1,458,100 head of hogs, and 27,239 head of horses.

THE HORSE MARKET

A Typical Group of Workhorses

Buffalo Illustrated Express     
Sunday April 26 1891   
   

One of Buffalo's institutions which is fast receiving national fame is it's horse market.  It was hardly a year ago that the horse sales at East Buffalo were a very small item in business done there, while now they include the exchange of large sums of money and the disposal of about a thousand horses a week... The strength of the market has indeed been many when the short time in which the market has taken place is considered.  It is estimated that not more than 13 or 14 carloads of horses were sold at the Crandell House Auctions, and at that, the Crandell House Auctions were the only ones conducted at East Buffalo.  A big jump in the sales took place the following year when it is estimated over 500 carloads representing about 10,000 horses were sold.  Nor did the increase stop at the end of the year.  Already over 10,000 horses have been sold during the four months of the year 1891, and it is safe to say at least as many more, or even twice as many more will be sold before January 1892.

  Chicago is still the largest horse market in the united states, but if the Buffalo market increases at anything like the present rate, it will soon leave Chicago far behind..... Local buyers form a very small percentage of the buyers at East Buffalo. The many advantages of Buffalo as a shipping point attract horsemen from all the Eastern States. Hitherto they have been in the habit of going to Chicago to get their horses, but now they find the savings of two days time, traveling expenses and half the freight on horses shipped East, is made by buying in Buffalo.

Horses About To Be Transported

  Prices range about the same in the two cities, and at times Buffalo prices have been even lower than Chicago prices.  Thus it is evident that as long as the demand for horses in eastern cities increases, the Buffalo horse sales will increase proportionately, and will eventually exceed those of Chicago.

  The East and the West meet at the Buffalo Horse Market. Buyers come from the New England States..... and the shippers hail from all parts of the wooly West.....The horses comprise all grades and estates.  The ordinary hack and the draught horse of course, predominate.  Many fine work horses are sold every day.  Stylish carriage horses, cobs, riding horses and driving horses are also to be found in plenty. The Mustang from the West and the Kentucky-bred horse often stand side by side awaiting their turn to be sold. The lowly but useful mule finds as ready a eulogizer in the auctioneer as the high-bred trotter.....

    As most of the horses are bought by out of town men, and are shipped away as soon as possible, they are usually tied together in blocks of five and led to the cars as shown in one of todays pictures.  They make a picturesque sight as line after line of them is lead down the street, each horses tail being bound with a bright red flannel fillet.

EDITORS NOTE:   In the next couple of years Buffalo did indeed become the largest horse market, not just in the U.S. but the world!  Oh yeah, and the largest sheep market in the world? Buffalo too! I'll bet the auctioneers always slept well at night, counting those sheep all day long. :)  Would you believe I have film I took of the Buffalo Horse Market in July of 1897? I've been around longer than you think!  

                    

                              

Why is it called - "MILITARY ROAD"?

    Because it was Built 216 years ago by soldiers.  One of the first roads

 in the country planned for military purposes by the Federal Government

Military Road, The long Arching Line From 
Lewiston to Black Rock

        Military Road was laid out originally by United States soldiers, under the direction of General James Wilkinson, who was called upon by Alexander Hamilton, then inspector-general of the army, to make recommendations for the protection of the frontiers along the Great Lakes. Writing to Hamilton, on February 12, 1799, General Wilkinson thus referred to the need of a roadway between Lakes Ontario and Erie. "The want of a road within our own limits, and a place, of deposit near Lake Erie, obliges us to carry our stores and merchandise, public and private, through the British dominions from Newark to Chippewa Creek by land, and from the last place to Fort Erie, in bateaux, which involves much delay and expense, and 'exposes our citizens to undue constraints and, impositions."  The Military Highway would replace the old Portage Road which followed too closely the winding course of the Niagara River. 

     General Wilkinson arrived upon the Niagara Frontier in May 1801, with a commission to open the much needed roadway. His headquarters were at Black Rock, with a corps of surveyors and soldiers for laborers. In locating the new road he had the valued help of Joseph Ellicott, surveyor and agent of the Holland Land Co. Major M. Porter and soldiers from Fort Niagara opened the road during 1801 and 1802 from the fort to the brow of the ridge at Lewiston, and from there to a mile west of Tonawanda Creek the timber was cut down, but not removed. Bridges were built across the Tonawanda and Cayuga creeks. In 1809 the state appropriated $1,500 for improvement of the road, this amount to be collected from purchasers of land upon the "Mile Strip," which ran the length of the Niagara River. A passable wagon road was made from Black Rock to Niagara Falls. 

 General Wilkinson's plan for Niagara Frontier protection included a fort at Black Rock, but the state legislature and national government differed as to payment for the land and the fort was never built. Although a small one was built in Black Rock in 1807 and enlarged into Fort Tompkins in August of 1812. The road served a useful purpose to many settlers, as well as to soldiers. However, by 182o Military Road was overgrown with weeds and bushes, and only sections of it were used by local farmers. Wet weather made the roadway almost impassable at times between the Tonawanda and Scajaquada creeks, which prompted an appeal to the Black Rock highway commissioners to spend money for its improvement. It was not until 1832 that the surface of the road was cleared and repaired.  On September 18, 1848, Black Rock authorities declared Military Road a public highway.      Few modern motorists speeding over its smooth surface, know that it was originally hewed out of the forests by soldiers axes, and for specific military purposes.            

Jerry M. Malloy - Buffalo History Gazette

  .

On center Median, Sheridan Drive at
Military Road.

1010 Niagara Street

It's a Byrd! It's a Plane!........

Buffalo Evening News - August 29 1928

NEW BUFFALO-MADE BYRD PLANE LEAVES

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Bernt Balchen Pilots the Aristocrat on Flight to New York

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Admiral Richard Byrd

    The newly christened monoplane, "Aristocrat", made in Buffalo by the General Airplanes Corporation for the Byrd Antarctic Expedition, took off Wednesday for New York, with Bernt Balchen, transatlantic flier and chief pilot of the expedition, at the controls. G. Maclean Gardner, General Airplanes factory manager, was the only passenger.  The plane, painted a bright green and with the words "Byrd Antarctic Expedition," vivid on its sides, was towed to the airport Tuesday and groomed for immediate departure.  The Propeller which did not arrive from Detroit via plane until late in the afternoon, forced postponement of the takeoff until Wednesday morning.
    When the blade had been mounted by mechanics under the direction of John D. McPhail, a former Fokker chief field mechanic, the plane was wheeled out of the hanger. After a short warming, Balchen  entered it and started it down the runway for a short test flight.  It slid gracefully into the air within 70 ft of it's starting point....  The order was placed with the Buffalo firm, following a report by Balchen on a similar model which he flew on its test flight six weeks ago. Mr. Gardner which supervised building of the plane, also supervised construction of the machines which carried Byrd to the North Pole and across the Atlantic.

          

Alone -- The Classic Story of His [Admiral Richard E. Byrd] 

Greatest Adventure -- 50th Anniversary Edition

American Experience: Alone on the Ice (The Story of Admiral Richard Byrd) [VHS]

Hey ABBOTT!!

Abbott (right)  & Costello

In 1930, Harry Abbott was known as "Silk Hat Harry Abbott" and headlining a song and dance review at the local Gayety Theatre. Lou Costello was doing a comedy act on the same bill. There they met John Grant, Mutual Burlesque chain executive.  He persuaded Bud Abbott to include Lou Costello in his Revue. After many great  performances in Buffalo, they became known as "ABBOTT & COSTELLO"!

Gayety Theatre - Huron &  Pearl St.