Erie County Independent
February 24, 1893 Hamburg and Vicinity
We have a correspondence this week from the name of a so called, "city," where not a sod has been broken, where no house of any kind exists, and where there is nothing but blank fields; this may be good for "land boomers," but it is misleading and deceptive; we much prefer facts to fancy, that honest values may bring honest dollars and dollars honest values; let plain fact be told and all judge for themselves as to their respective interests.
March 3, 1893
Esquire Burke gives us the following information in regard to the Gatling Town Site Company; 1,200 acres have been purchased; this is bounded on the South by center of the Idlewood, North by highway leading from Lake View to Hamburg east by Eble farm and west by the farm laying along the line of the Lake Shore Railway; the contemplated gun works will be between highway running down beside the stream named and the bank; a boulevard is to be built East & West through the plot, and a big hotel built on boldest shore of the Idlewood; land has been purchased from $75 to $400, when cut into lots will bring $1000 per acre; most land inside of lines named has been secured yet some including Graham property remains in original owners hands; a park is to be made in and of the timberland on Sikes farm, etc.; anticipation is on tip toe; by waiting time will reveal all things, to suspecting and unsuspecting mortals.
May 5, 1893
We are often asked, why we do not boom this, and boom that; our answer is: If, by overdrawn pictures, fictitious values prevail, and then, if on false statements in Independent, unsuspecting individuals purchase so-called building lots, and pay largely in excess of values, we would in reality be an accessory in swindling farmers, etc. Well, this is why we do not lend our voice to boom. Let every one, "look a little out," in purchases, but, sell for ready cash at good prices. We expressed these views to a gentleman on train May 3; he pulled out two protested checks, that is, these checks were given on banks where the man did not have one dollar on deposit, and for these worthless pieces of paper he secured deeds of farms from unsuspecting farmers; one of these bogus checks was for one thousand dollars, and the other for a large amount, both were for the purchases on the Gatling tract; we do not say, this is swindling, but our readers will call it by what name they please; we are down on all this system of booming; farmers should not attempt to do much business without legal advice; good lawyers at Hamburg, in city, whose services for nominal, may, and often will save, ten times in sales made, amounts paid them. Remember, that certain classes of boomers are schemers. Let our readers be wise and act accordingly.
May 26, 1893
How to boom a town; that is the question? Well to illustrate: Once an old man and his wife bought a barrel of cider, jointly, paying $5 each; they added 100 per cent profit and called each ones interest $10, or $20 for the barrel; then, each paid the other five cents every time a drink of it was taken; so they passed the nickels back & forth between them, till each received the full equivalent for the $5, or $10 invested; thus cider boomed. A boy, once, gave a good jack knife to another boy for another knife and got a woodchuck skin to boot, jack knives more than boomed. A man sold a big dog for $500, but took two small dogs at $250 each; of course there was a great boom in dogs. Our readers will see that cider boomed, jack knives boomed and dogs boomed. Now this fitly illustrates many land booms; the fact is, cutting acreage up into lots, making swaps and dickers, or selling to unsophisticated individuals on installments does not boom a town, nor help its business interests. It is said, "He who makes two blades of grass to grow where one grew before is a public benefactor." Let us say: He who builds a dwelling and gets a good family to come and occupy it is a public benefactor. It is said, and we believe correctly, that 50 men came to Hamburg, this spring, looking for homes, who found no dwellings to occupy and went away again. That which will boom Hamburg, is as plain as the way to market; 50 citizens in Hamburg, can, build one house each and 50 families brought here inside of current fiscal year; and the same or more each succeeding year; remunerative rents can be obtained; who will move in this matter; no cider, jack knife, nor big dog booming; if holes are dug in the ground, it should be for cellars, not for big guns. Oh No, but who says cottages, and all dwellings for city or other tenants must have cellars; houses for rent should be convenient but need not be over expensive. We make up friends, and see what can be done?
June 9, 1893
Gatling was formally opened to the public June 3, the Courier says, 3,000 people were there and $22,000 in lots sold; there was a big tent and lunch served. Mr. Bailey, president of the association said, the Gatling Ordnance Company, which includes some of the most prominent men in the United States, had decided to build a steel plant for the manufacture of structural steel and heavy cast steel ordnance at that place; he explained as to the Town Site Company. Dr. Gatling the inventor said, the United States, needed over $60,000,000 worth of modern guns to take the place of those that were obsolete, and Congress had already appropriated $6,000,000 for the purchase of such ordnance as a starter; he predicted that in a few years Buffalo would have 1,000,000 inhabitants, and Gatling would be a thriving manufacturing suburb that could avail itself of the great electric power from Niagara Falls. Lots were sold as high as $365, average price $215, or at the rate of $1,500 to $2,500 per acre; The Express says: "Real estate men who visited the Gatling inaugural predict that the town will contain 5,000 people in two years; nearly all of the large dealers bought property at the auction; the erection of the furnace building will be begun as soon as the material is placed upon the ground; the Lehman Shoe Company has built its factory, which is now in operation; this firm will employ about 50 hands and the Gatling Ordnance Company will employ 1,000 men. The large purchases made yesterday and the sums paid for lots were surprising even to old real estate men; the town of Gatling has been placed before the public in all the glory of electric lights and mechanical effects and those interested say the boom will never die." None wish more heartily that greatest hopes may be fulfilled than the Independent; success to all honest, meritorious enterprises.
September 8, 1893
The Express of Sept 3 has the following: Very little change is reported in the situation at Gatling; the ordnance company received a letter from Mr. Gatling a few days ago in which he suggested that the gun pits at South Boston be inspected before the company continued further with the specifications for the large gun factory which it is proposed to erect at Gatling; oh, ho, just so; why was not this thought of sooner?
September 29, 1893
It is with regret that we learn that the shoeshop, and switch at Gatling have been sold at Sheriff's sale; a granary made into a telephone office, which Esquire Burke occupies occasionally is all that marks the spot of the widely heralded city of Gatling. During season many estates remained uncultivated, farmers not knowing whether they owned them or not, as options were given, little or no payments made while contracts unfulfilled. Whither many cases are tweedle-dee or tweedle-dum, none can tell.
December 15, 1893
The Industrial Land Co., successor to the Gatling Town Site Co., embraces many solid men of Buffalo, and others; they recently paid up $6,000 and more old claims, being for land, labor, etc.; the company will go slower and on a more solid basis, and encouraging results are anticipated the coming season.
Erie County Independent
Hamburg Historical Society Library