Genesee Flats/Olbiston Lecture

[fiona]

ATTENTION!!!! ATTENTION!!!
For the mere sum of $2.00!! (a pittance for what is being
offered) ...............................................................................

Concerning the fascinating history of the Genesee Flats and the Olbiston Apartments currently standing at 1431 Genesee Street, Utica , our fair city, in the beautiful Vale of the Mohawk.

A very interesting and informative LECTURE

TO BE OFFERED

HEAR the terrible story of THE GREAT FIRE in 1896 and the rebuilding of the Olbiston in 1898. Learn about the builders: Owens, Latcher and Blanchard and how they went bankrupt from the costs of rebuilding!!!! SEE wonderful displays of old postcards, newspapers and other sundry and exciting items!! All at the Oneida County Historical Society, 1608 Genesee Street, Utica , NY at 1:30 PM on Saturday the 11th of September, 2010. phone: [phone] !The lecturer will be none other than the intelligent, eccentric, and well known Miss Fiona M. O'Downey of Utica!!!!!



An event not to be missed. Come early for the best seats!

Attachments:

[fiona]

Let us journey back in time to around 1889 , when two enterprising men of wealth and social stature, Seymour D. Latcher and his father in law, Milton Northrup saw opportunity for real estate development on upper Genesee Street, or " Genesee Hill" as it was then called . There were many open lots on the Hill and five of these perfectly fit their needs. This land, owned by A.J. Williams, fronted Genesee, bordered Clinton and extended back to Oneida Street. In 1890 the real estate firm of Northrup and Latcher, or the Corn Hill Realty Company, began the construction of Utica's largest and most lavish apartment building, The Genesee Flats. When it opened in 1892, the red brick building of 70 residential apartments, servants quarters, and a few single sleeping rooms for bachelors, was a massive brooding presence, out of place among the large one family homes and mansions that surrounded it. The Flats stood 7 stories high, ran 300 feet along Genesee Street and 80 feet back along Clinton Place. The builder was D.C Worden of Amsterdam NY, the architect J.C. Byrne of New York City. When finished, the Flats was valued at well over $230,000.00 . Nothing was spared in the amount and types of amenities, for it was to provide a convenient home for Utica's Old Guard Elite, as well as those newly moneyed persons who desired a home uptown and a spot on the social register of the day. Many of these persons also owned other homes, perhaps on Broad or Whitesboro Street, and were looking for refuge from the "dirt and noise of commerce" downtown. Within a year the building was fully occupied with perhaps 200 or more residents. The first floor had a cafe, office, ladies parlor, library, gentlemen's smoking room, and a spacious main entryway with a staircase, and elevator, leading to the apartments. The apartments, which ran the entire length of the building, consisted of 7 to 8 rooms: kitchen, pantry, bath, 2 to 3 bedrooms, library or sitting room, dining room and front parlor. Each apartment had hot and cold running water, gas light lamps, speaking tubes connected to the office, dumbwaiters, coal stoves , ice boxes, and working fireplaces. The fronts faced Genesee Street and every two apartments shared a cast iron balcony. There was also an attic with water tanks, a basement, cold cellar, sub basement, large landscaped yard, stables, and "steam house", or coal burning power plant, with a 60 foot brick chimney. The building was wired for electricity, but the dynamos were not yet in place. Rents, which elsewhere were from $2.00 to $5.00 a month for a decent, large flat, ran from $25.00 to $35.00 per month, a princely sum. However, as befitted the times, these great buildings were constructed without codes. And therein lies the crux of a sad tale. At that time in Utica there were many unemployed men and, of course, a constant influx of canalers and those persons connected with the canal. A building full of persons of wealth and there personal effects needed to be well protected; so at night, the lone watchman, locked the doors and the bases of the fire escapes were pulled up to discourage vandalism and entry in to the building by undesirables. The watchman, who worked a twelve hour shift, carried a kerosene lantern as he patrolled the halls, as the illuminating gas was turned off at night. Machine, as well as kerosene oil was stored in barrels in the basement. There were rats. Some of the basement storage units were so packed with personal goods it was impossible to move around. The ceilings of these storage units held the asbestos covered steam pipes, the electrical wires, and some were also covered with calico cloth. There were hoses in the halls as well as the basement that were not connected to standpipes. The dumbwaiters were not bricked in, the elevator shaft was of wood, and ceiling was of tin, the fire escape doors sometimes were locked, and fire drills were randomly practiced, for the residents considered them an inconvenience.

[fiona]

The front balconies had no trap doors, and the front apartment doors, which were never supposed to be locked, were often blocked by curtain poles and curtains, by residents who were afraid or desired privacy. The building was poorly insured as it had inadequate firewalls, and was called a "Firetrap" by inspectors and insurers. Thus, the scene was set for tragedy. On the evening of 3/2/1896 some residents went to the office and complained of a 'burning smell", an " acrid odor in the halls". It was investigated and deemed to be, according to Latcher "nothing more than the scintillation of the electrical wires." About 5 AM, the next morning, the night watchman who was cleaning the walks, noticed a light glowing in the basement widow on the far south front side of the building. Going to investigate, he found a small fire in the basement. Rather than calling in the alarm, the employees attempted to put this fire out themselves. The alarm was not called in for 15 minutes. By then the fire was spreading rapidly. Within 30 minutes the building was a mass of flame, within 45 minutes a burned out shell. Every fire unit was at the scene, with no 1 from Oneida Square first to arrive. The building was deemed unsaveable and the concentration of effort was put into saving the residents, many of who crowded the balconies, screaming and crying for help. By the time the fire had burned itself out, four precious lives and perhaps more, were lost. Many of the residents, as well as firemen and neighbors, exhibited extreme heroism. Two of the heroes of the fire were Captain Sullivan, who entered the building time after time to save residents, as well as Fireman O' Hanlon, who leapt through a burning staircase on the second floor to save a hysterical woman. The residents streamed out into the cold, frosty morning, over a hundred going across the road to the home of Henry Albright, where a makeshift clinic was quickly set up. The building was a total loss. Only the stables and the brick steam house remained. Defying the odds, the next day the Corn Hill Realty Corporation decided to rebuild. Eventually, after law suits, and litigation, and many other troubles, the building was taken down and the Olbiston, which still stands today, was erected in it's place. However, Latcher's troubles weren't over. In fact, they were just beginning.

[fiona]

The Olbiston, also of red brick with a fascia of red medina sandstone, had 100 apartments and was modeled on the footprint and design of the Flats, except that it had only five stories with a two story rise in the center. Built by the same architect, Thomas Byrne, the apartments were smaller, but the building was much safer. There were firewalls, the insides of the building were of marble and plaster, rather than of wood, the staircases were marble, there were two elevators, a rudimentary phone system from all the apartments, a new hose system, the café was on the 7th floor for safety. The building took two years to construct and in April, 1898, opened it's doors to the public. The apartments were quickly filled, many of the same residents returning to live there. But, however safe and attractive it was, trouble would follow Latcher for the rest of his life. There were 3 or more deaths of workmen on the site, construction was delayed by the firing of a drunken construction boss, the brick layers refused to work: they struck over wages, hours and unsafe working conditions. Latcher was constantly in court, there were multiple law suits from the fire. Latcher was also arrested multiple times for small civic offenses: ie: refusing to shovel a sidewalk of one of his properties on John Street, or not neatly placing bicycles in the rack in front of the building. Neighbors complained about the coal plant in the yard, the Baker brothers hated him and used their newspaper, the Saturday Globe, to rip him apart at every chance. Before 1902 Northrup was bankrupt and by 1905 Latcher had followed suit. As a postscript, most of the main players involved with the buildings, died sadly or violently: Northrup died of pneumonia and a subsequent heart infection in 1903. His wife followed him two weeks later. Latcher died in 1916 of Vincent's Angina; a peridontal disease; 8 months later his wife supposedly committed suicide by jumping into the Saint Lawrence river. Fireman O'Hanlon lived until Sept 28, 1897, when he died in a massive fire on the Crouse Block, corner of John and Broad Streets, Utica NY The Albright's, who had originally come to Utica from Pittsburgh experienced sudden major financial setbacks, quickly sold their home and returned to Pennsylvania. Today the Olbiston still stands, a bit tattered and time worn, a testament to the ability of men to advance and move beyond adversity, despite great personal odds.

[fiona]

Genesee Flats

Begun in 1890. Opened in 1892 on site of present day Olbiston with 70 apartments. Destroyed by fire of unknown origin on 3/3/1896
Architect: Thomas Byrne, a Scotsman with a practice in NYC
Architectural style: Commercial, with Gothic, Greco and European influences. Red brick.
Owners: Milton Northrop and Seymour Dewitt Latcher.
Also built and owned Chelsea Apartments, corner of South and Steuben, (1888), Kan-a-tenah on Genesee Street, across the road from the Flats, (1897), The Lorraine, Oswego and Milton Apartments on Oswego Street. Also owned buildings on John Street, houses on Morris street and other holdings in East Utica. Northrop was a confectioner and had 2 confectionaries, one on Steuben Street and one on Liberty Street. He Also owned the Northrop Scotch Cap Company, on Liberty Street, where they manufactured men's knit caps.
Latcher lived in the Flats, 6th floor, at time of fire. Died December 24, 1916, in his apartment at the Kan -a-tenah.
Northrop lived in the Lorraine Apartments. Died November 31st, 1903
4 persons died in the fire: Mrs. Hugh Hughes, age 60, lost her hold from a rope of bed sheets and fell from the fourth floor, striking Genesee street. Died of massive injuries. Nobel Hopkins, 7th floor, south corner, age 67, burned to death. Partial remains found. Also burned to death :Sarah Miller - Wood, age 55 , daughter of Rutger B. Miller and niece of Julia Conkling and Horatio Seymour as well as her daughter, Mary Brandegee Wood, age 15 and a pupil at Mrs. Piatt's School. Remains never found. One unsolved mystery death: The remains of a café employee, Mable Hawkins, Afro American, elderly and partially blind. She lived in the back of the rental office and was never properly accounted for.


Olbiston

Begun in 1896. Opened in 1898 with 100 apartments. Still standing at 1431 Genesee Street.
Architect: Thomas Byrne, of New York City
Architectural style: Commercial, with Gothic, Greco and European influences. Red brick with an overlay of Red Medina sand stone.
Owners: Seymour Latcher and Thomas Nutt. Opened as The New Genesee. In 1900 sold partially to Owens and Blanchard. Name changed to Olbiston (Owens, Latcher and Blanchard) in 1901.
Steam house taken down in late 1960's.
At one time largest and only apartment building of it's kind from Utica NY to Buffalo NY


I wish to thank all those persons who assisted in this research and the planning of this lecture, especially David Griffin, Jon Hynes and Richard Naegele who gave unselfishly of their time and energies, as well as the library staff and Brian Howard, Director of Oneida County Historical Society. Thank you to Michael Bosak, President of the Landmarks Society for his support. A full account of the fire can be read at www.clipperscorner.proboards.com (Pipe line to the past)and a reading of the novel in progress: "On Genesee Hill", by Fiona M. O'downey, can be had at both www.windsweptpress.com as well as www.morestories.proboards.com. This information, in large part, came from the archives of the Saturday Globe, Utica Daily Press, Herald Dispatch, Syracuse, Rome, Watertown and Rochester NY newspapers.



Created with Microsoft Office OneNote 2007
One place for all your notes and information

[fiona]

The front of the Olbiston facing Genesee Street displays 12 red medina sandstone heads, carved into the lintels above the first floor windows. It has long been a mystery as to the meaning of these carved faces: Why are they there? Who are they? What purpose do they serve? I have looked at them for years... and wondered... what mysteries do they keep in there silence? Can there secrets ever be unlocked? The chubby young girl with the curled bangs... the laughing man with the perfect teeth and large mustaches... the oval face of a startled looking middle aged woman... the placid, wrinkled visage of an elderly woman with kind eyes and a sad half smile?? The groutesques or Green Men, with their horns, beards and foliate heads who seem to guard each end of the building... What of these images? Are they there to mock us or offer us instruction? The story of the Great Fire at the Genesee Flats on 3/3/1896 may hold the answers to some of these questions.

[fiona]

To all: the information above is part of a lecture I will be offering on Sept 11th. I am also attempting tp put the photos and memorabilia display on line here in MoreStories, for those who can't make it to the lecture. This is a slow process and I have locked this thread until all is posted, which, given my schedule, may take some weeks. Please be patient while I am building this display thread. I want it to be the best it can be. Thanks.

[fiona]

[fiona]

The above photo as taken from an archived internet photo of the (Utica) Observer Dispatch. It shows the building ( Olbiston, 1431 Genesee Street, Utica NY) as it currently stands. The front is Red Medina Sandstone, sheathed over red brick. The next photo shows the building from the corner of Oswego and Genesee streets. This is 2010, just before the building was sold

[Dave]

[fiona]

[fiona]

I took the above photo in August 2010. I like it even though it is a bit fuzzy. This photo shows very nicely the vertical slope of the building, as well as the monumentality. I get this sense of a pure mass of brick and stone, designed to stand for another hundred years,( God Willing) which is as the builders and the architect saw and wanted it to be. Note the new steps. They are cast concrete, not sandstone and have been painted pink. They are totally out of keeping with the original architecture, both in size and design. The original steps were torn out around 2004 and all the sandstone slabs were tossed into the yard. They were replaced by these monstrosities of concrete and cinder block. The next photo shows the composition of the new steps

[fiona]

[fiona]

Here you can clearly see the poor workmanship, the painted concrete and the cinderblock sides of the new steps

[fiona]