The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-07
FROM COTTON TO OYSTERS.
TWO INTEREST TING CHAPTERS IN THE
HISTORY or P4TCHOGUE

HISTOKI OF PfICHOGUE
An Auction Sale that Involves n Lona story
The Enterprise OF George Fair and John
Roe-Oyster Tong. Better than Cotton Mills.
Conspicuous in the principal post Offices
In New York, Connecticut. Rhode Island. and
Massachusetts, for months past have been pomp-
Gus colored posters announcing that on July 2
two cotton factories. including machinery. two
water powers covering 100 acres. Ave tenement
houses. a grist MILL n farm. and homestead
would be sold by auction from the front stoop OF
the Eagle Hotel. In PatchoRue. rain or shine In
pursuance Of an order OF the Supreme Court Of
this State. The property IL situated mile from
PatchoRue. Not one Of the sun-burned men
that loled in the splint-bottomcd chairs on the
stoop 1.-THE hotel on Tuesday. and famed them.
selves with widc-brlmmed hats Of coarse straw.
looked like the typical wealthy mill owner OF
Massachusetts. Rhode Island. or Connecticut.
nor was one to be seen among the row OF farm.
ers who had perched expectantly on the hitch
Ing pole that runs along under the leafy trees
in front OF the stoop. Not one of them looked
as though he wanted to own mill EXCEPT
those who were Interested in selling the prop
erty. not u man had come even fifty miles 10 buy
cotton factories In good order.
Tuesdays sale was the last chapter in the his
tory OF Patchogues attempt and failure to boz
ter opens with the retirement from mercantile
business Of George Fair. who was well known
in this city nearly century ago. Mr. Fair was
investment in the cotton manufacturing bust.
ness In spot remote from the city. The
business was then flourishing. He nxed
upon Pachogue on Long Island. a hamlet
on Great South Bay. as miles from New
tho Old Patciogue Greek, a stream that can
almost be cleared at lenp aud shallow enough
to be waded; aud harbor into which sew
Iatn mt nstNh
cotton from the Atlantic scaboard. which Is so
near tnat the prevalent southwest winds In
OF the Carolinns. a cotton mill was built und
brought money TO Mr.. Fair but the proprietor.
ness In his old agr. His best friend in Patch
, ogue was John Roe young merchant. These
temperaments. Fair was quiet tacturn and
phleemntic. and Roe was nervous and u stanl-
After quietly deciding the subject In his way.
Fair one day offered Roe half OF the mill II no
would carry II on; Roe stqmmcred out that he
making money rapidly,
Under tnehtimulus OF koe,s enterprise. Patch:
ogue continued TO grow In population and
wealth. Twenty-Five years ago Roe built a sec
ond cotton mill on Swan river. the same in size
ns the first. and slightly over Il mile from II.
Each was mil from the harhor. This was the
golden i, age Of pate4oguc i was first inter:
the new mi l was built. All the property wenl
into Roe's hands. and i was said thcn. and IL
PppuHIy ueheNtu 10 inns uay, thht Fnir gave
The energetic owner, in the few years that in.
,srveaed before the civil var broke. out. bad Oh
warp was. In market value, Mt the top OF the
list Of carpet warps. For five years il took first
the American Institute Exhibitions in thia city
1.-THE outbreak Of tile war the concern wis most
hpurishing. but notwithstanding the excellence
OF the manufactures turned out the high prices
OF cotton crippled the industry. Yet Roe. by his
energy and experience. kept the concern going
until his death Wllpn occurred anllpnlv Inv
neart disease. In 1867. that he had no time to
Fortunately his son. John z. Roc. had been
taught the business. and he continued the en-
terprlse successfully During the lGsh times be-
Great South Bay was whittier with sails than ever.
and Patchoogue, which had become the. ter
Island Railroad. built to that point 10 compete
Tor freight with ocean travel. seemed to be on
her legs again. But the sons death in 1874 aud
the, general depression in trade since have set.
tied the question OF Pntchogue's prominence as
A.. manni . toyn. or males only boy Of
Of the great mill owner. He Is the grandson Of
the founder and the son Of George F. Roe. The
no one ~ the family to run them. and no one
outside OF / who wanted them.
had 70 be made OF the entire estate. That is
ihe ,v death ie rn 81 John f. Roe the SON who knew
len the property TO the surviving heirs viz
Oid John Roes widow, TEMPERANCE Roe; julia
4, Haight Inee Halleckl. then widow OF Geo i.
son of George 4. Roe Mary A. Roe lnes Miiisl'
widow Of John 4. Roe. and Henrietta and julie
T.. Koc. unmarried daughters Of old Mr.. Roe,
six heirs in all. These heirs hnicnbly agreed
To- go 70 law about the property. r. three were
Ip,,i TsmpeTance snd her TIVE daughters
brothers wife and child became defendants
rms friendly wrangle ended on April 20 last
IN suffolk county, in Judgment in partition.
whcrshy No property could be sold and the pro-
ccmds divided according 10 law.
anco Roe's three bIs brothers been present 10
prevent i. the property might have gone Tor
song, These were Charles Howell. retired
IN Wall street. and Walter Howell u Belleport
Resident; Auction"cr Edwards Of Pat:hogue
vivid notion OF what he wns selling and SO,
every ltlle while, gAunt and bronzed farmer
nourshinE whip IN one hand. mounted the
stoop. ind with many grnceul gestures entered
mo q Socratic dialogue with that functionary,
which proceeding. Il i did not elucidate The
subject IN hand, certainly added to the pic
turtsqueness 81 the scene.
:, The only bidding not anticipated was for the
mon Mlll' on accouni, "f the water power;
swan Creek Mil went To the same buyer for
t2zOO; the old Roe homrstend to the same for
aaSSc ' bsn swan &C. ERIK Farm e no 9Grss with
tzloO ana the gris mill. built on Swan creek
q OAK lumber. and doing a good business. TO
ThomHs Saxton for 81 900. Thirty acres Of land
on Medfurd Station avenue brought $500 Tho
machinery In the mills brought 81 $50 A
hens,. lot, and adjacent lands brought. si2O;
announcer, 500. few strips more OF land
raised NE entire amount 10 less than SIS 900.
q, Ihe Pntchoguians. being inquired o. say that
now. Patchoguo has 3jOO inhabitants fifteen
stores four Churches four butcher shops two
bake shops and two barrier shops. Moreover
NE oyster business brings 90 the inhabitants
yearly $4,000. In fact. that industry, they say,
II so excellent that the cotton business has been
put e. one side 10y IT, Lahorcrs IN the mills
could get only IL day, while oyster dredgers
make from ~ ~ 40 day with an old pair of
longs.