Buffalo Whig & Journal (Buffalo, NY), 4 Nov. 1835, page 2
- Full Text
Westward Still.--Nine Steam Boats, and numerous Schooners left this port yesterday for the west, with full cargoes. The stream of emigration, and the flood of merchandise are both still in full flow.
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Buffalo.--The following letter from a correspondent of the United States (Philadelphia) Gazette, places the present condition of Buffalo, (says the Albany Daily Advertiser,) in a very interesting light.
Of what I have seen and heard, now let me tell you; first a word or two of the little Queen of the west, Buffalo, for so I must style her. I stopped at the great "Eagle Tavern," situated on Main st. one of the best inns I have met with any where, an obliging landlord, with a very comfortable house, a well supplied table and attentive waiters. After having delivered two letters of introduction, from which I have received the very kindest attention, I set off in company with Mr. C. in his snug little carriage and pair, to look at the city and have point out to me the many wonderful improvements that the place has undergone in the short space of five years.
Every square we rode, or corner we turned struck me with astonishment, to see a city erected on a spot that but 20 or 25 years ago was a wilderness, covering a plot of ground of some hundreds of acres, streets laid out on the right angles, of a width from 80 to 100 feet, with long ranges of stores, from 15 to 20 and 30 in a Block that would do great credit to New York, mansions, and private residences that would vie with your Girard's Row,' with a population of about 16000, may I say a business people, two elegant theatres, one certainly equal to the Park, 12 churches, many of them of a style of architecture giving beauty and elegance to the neighbourhood in which they stand, three banking houses of great beauty, one just finishing, "The Bank of Buffalo," a unique style of building, of free stone, which I much admired. They have just commenced a system of paving and grading the streets, for such has been the rapid stride of improvement in the way of getting up ware houses and dwellings, that they have had but little time to grade and pave streets, the system has now been commenced, and will be continued annually. The vast trade of Lake Erie and the "Upper Lakes," seems to centre at Buffalo. There are employed some three or four hundred vessels of all classes, including about 20 steam-boats some of them of great elegance, fitted up in superiour style and measuring from 400 to 700 tuns. The Thomas Jefferson, Daniel Webster, Com. Perry, Sandusky and Pennsylvania, are among the number.
There is at this time, going up over 300 houses and dwellings. I am told that about 600 are contracted for, but for want of mechanicks and materials, with the continued bad weather they have had, will prevent the completion of many this season, that have been contracted for. There are two magnificent Hotels buildings, one on the main street, constructing of granite, 5 stories high, 150 feet front by one hundred deep, with a range of back buildings. This will be when finished, far superiour to any thing in your city, and I think only second to the "Great Astor House" in New York. The second one is not quite so large, but certainly equal in size to the United States Hotel in Philadelphia. During the past year these Hotels have been much wanted, those in operation not being adequate to the wants of the city, as it frequently occurs that there are from 2000 to 3000 strangers in the city. Five or six steam boats leave here and arrive every day, taking away and bringing to the city hundreds of passengers. There are also other vessels arriving and departing with cargoes and passengers in every direction, in short Buffalo is a little New York as to commerce, and well may the empire State be proud of the little commercial Queen. The enterprise of her citizens, with her lake commerce and inland trade, will create her one of the proudest cities of the Great West.
- Media Type
- Text
- Newspaper
- Item Type
- Clippings
- Notes
- Column 5
- Date of Original
- 4 Nov. 1835
- Local identifier
- GLN.1734
- Language of Item
- English
- Donor
- Richard Palmer
- Copyright Statement
- Public domain: Copyright has expired according to the applicable Canadian or American laws. No restrictions on use.
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- Maritime History of the Great LakesEmail:walter@maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca
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