The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1865-11-04

SENECA.

MP van hihhieS VI OIlaWa TO ruD tnelr
eyes, and look about them to see if there is
not danger of somebody stealing march on
them. We propose to day to give similar
! sketch of Seneca, and possibly we may
ava ken little more wholesome trepidation
of the same sort.
Seneca is located" on the Chicago Il z.
| |. r. R., as we'll as on the Illinois & Michi-
gan canal, Is miles east of Ottawa, miles
west of Morris, and about e. miles west of
| Chicago. Its history, asa village, dates from
! the completion of the Oh. & r. l. r. r., in
1853. Mr.. Jeremiah Crotty, who had heavy
contract IN preparing the bed Of that road,
and who lived upon and owned a large tract
of land where Seneca is row situated. pre-
vailed upon the Directory to fix station
there: and having obtained this, laid off a
quarter-quarter,' or possibly al eighty"
into town lots. The country back Of this
station" being thickly settled, it was soon
, found to be point of more Importance than
was probably at first anticipated. 1t be-
came at once necessary to have n post office,
and Mr.. Crotty had to open Z" store; :
blacksmith shop and 81 tavern next APP
peared on the scene, and rapidly Mr.. c. found
himself surrounded by quite a village. His
little store, and the artisans around him,
fourishcd; produce pressed upon him, and
Mr.. G. found it necessary to build bins ana
cribs. Still this tide of business increased,
and in 1858, he erected upon the bank of the
canal warehouse, which lie may possibly
have thought would relieve lin Of this press
sure for the rest of his DAYS 1t was as large
rs any warehouse in Ottawa, arranged with
steam elevators AMI all the necessary ma
chinery of first class establishment OF that
kind. II, however, Mr.. c. imagined he would
enjoy for any length OF time the monopoly OF
the grain business at this point, he was mis-
taken. One of our shrewdest Ottawa dealers
Mr.. John ArmOur-saw the Importance Of
tee point; and two years afterwards also
erected warehouse there. II was built by
Coiwell x Co. OF Ottawa, IS larger than any
warehouse IN Otta"a, and in point of archi>
tectural finish, and completeness of arrange
ment as to birs, machinery. steam elevators.
&c, is probably behin&pno warehouse on the
canal, If in the state, out of Chicago. But
even the addition of this magnificent ware
house did not meet the wants OF the place,
and three years later-lS 0l-Mr. II. l.. Hos.
sack (son of John Hossack, of Ottawa) also !
erected a warehouse there, little inferior in
any respect to that Of Mr. Armour
The name of the town, whose business
foundations We have thus traced, was origi-
nally . Crotty," named so after lis founder,
and that was the name given to the post
Office. But the R. r. Co named the station
Seneca-having more regard, perhaps, to
euphony than strict ri ght and propriety. For
some years it was doubtful which name would
ultimately g stick but eurhouy prevailed
over propriety, and by an act Of the lcgisla- |
ture, we think, tie name Of Srneca was con
irrned to the town. although We believe the
p. o. Department still PERSISTS in calling the |
post office Crot'y
We have mentioned three warehouses and !
Mr.. Crotty's little store. but let not the read |
er imagine this Is all there Is of Screca, \ |
grain business # million a wear would .
naturally draw around itself a great deal OF
other business, and it has done So in Seneca
Indeed the great striking peculiarly of the
place is the amazing amount of business
done by Il town Of lis size. Seneca, we are
told, has not over 800 inhabitants vet take
a glance at its business: We have mention
ed the three aryhouscs conducted by Crotty
* Sons, by Bruce & Co., and H. L. Hossack,
paying out from $500 900 to million a
year for grain Then we have stores dealing
IN dry goods, groceries, crockery, &c as fol-
lows:
l. Underhill K Vaughey, average stock
worth $40, 900 to $4,000, consisting of dry
goods, groceries, boots and shoes, Lats and
caps, clothing, crockcry, drugs and medicines,
&c. 1t is as complete an establishment as
we ever saw, occupying and filing the cellar
and two stories of building % by 100 feet.
2. Wright Il Duck, average stock worth
say, 0.OOO-ccnsisting of dry goods. gro
cerics, boots and shoes. :
3. Van Brownell & Co.-say 81, 0OO-dry
goods, groceries, boots and shoes
1. j.. S. Porter & CO. say IS. OO0-dry
goods, groceries. &c.
). II. BiIharz- s. 000-same.
6. James Brady-$8, O00-same
Can another town be named, with even a
thousand inhabitants, that has as many and
IS heavy stores, and all making money at
hat?
But these are not al. There are two large
hardware stores-trading on a capital of from
$4,000 to $4,000 each. These are owned .
" Jacobs X Co.. and by s. Burwell & Son.
Three grocery stores, kept ty Thomas White,
saac Wentz, and Anthony Mulaney. Three :
Tery fair Notes.-The Hurlburt House, kept :
y ". Hurlburt, formerly of Marseiles the g
Jrotty House, kept by our old soldier friend.
Roland Hopper, formerly of the Central :
House, Ottawa and the Sigel House, kept
~ Jacob Hess, also formerly of Ottawa. :
Two harness shops-one, qute new, and
applied with an excellent stock, kept BY
'ir. Robert Mcfarland; the name of the =
her has slipped our mind. Four s. oena>
Ter shops. employing from two TO five hands
ach five blacksmith shops; two wagon and +
arriage shops four carpenter shops, en-
'ioyng from FIVE to ten hands each furni-
ure store and shop; salt and lime store a
Millinery establishment; one large meat =
.arket and butcherng establishment; I"
ooper shop, and stone masons, plasterers, :. y
lilors. &c. In the way of professionals, the
'wn boasts four physicians, one dentist, and .
ne lawyer. The town is Incorporated, and ="