By Dorothy Heller
Clay Historian
This week’s question: Do you recognize the structures shown here? What were they used for? Are they still around?
Last week’s answer: The Cigarville Band is shown at the encampment of the 41st Separate Co., New York National Guard, on Round Island at Frontenac in August 1893. From left standing are: Charles Baxter, Alfred J. Strever, Benjamin Saver, Arthur Cullings (leader), Harmon (drum major), Captain Butler, Lt. Baum, Fred Davison, Palmer Shaver, and John Lynn. Seated from left are: George Lynn, Asa Ladd, Clarence Martin, James Bush, Edwin H. Young, George Davey, William Adkins and James Martin.
As near as can be established, the organization of the Cigarville Band was about 1892. In Edwin H. Young’s Memoirs, he states that he was 15 at the time he became a member (when it was organized).
It is believed that Arthur Cullings was the organizer and leader. Arthur was the son of William Cullings, a local cigar manufacturer. He had attended Syracuse University and knew some music. Mr. Young recalls some of the early musicians: Will Adkins with an old cornopean (an instrument similar to a cornet) and Preston Young with an old tuba about five feet long — both old-style rotary-valve instruments — coming down the road with a horse and buggy playing ”Marching Through Georgia.” Old Dobbin was half asleep and the reins were hanging over the dashboard. Someone said, “Boy, that was some oompah! Best mounted band I ever heard, even if it was mounted on a one-horse shay!”
Mr. Young in his memoirs goes on as follows:
“The first band rehearsals were held evenings in the waiting room of the depot (on Route 31 at the Cigarville Station named after the post office inside.) The agent, Mr. F.F.E. Sadler, like myself, was a charter member virtuoso. …The band progressed pretty well. … A room was being fixed up on the top floor of Mr. Sadler’s big store — the old Coughtry cigar factory — with a tiered platform and conventional band-shell ideas. … After the fire (the old factory was destroyed), Art took us to his own cigar shop for rehearsals. … A little time passed. …We were soon strutting our stuff in new uniforms and discoursing sweet moosic in public … I owned a $9 cornet and I could blow the bell offen it!
“The old Cigarville Band was not what would be called a money-making institution … but we played for picnics, church festivals, etc. for the fun of it — and the eats. … Among the jobs for which we were paid ‘cash money’ I recall the Phoenix Fair, the Columbus Day celebration in Syracuse in ’93 … and a week with the 41st Separate Company State Militia, at the encampment on Round Island in the St. Lawrence River. … We spent the preceding night in the old (State) armory in Syracuse and left the next morning after a very early and not too hearty breakfast.
“We went to Clayton on the train and boarded a steamer for the island. There we toted supplies, set up tents, and officiated appropriately for the guard-mount. It was evening before Captain Butler’s … cook was ready with first chow: beef, reheated; tomatoes, stewed skins and all; potatoes in their jackets and little dirt; bread without butter; and coffee with canned cow. Nothing much to tell about — but, boy was it good.
“We were to play at a picnic at Long Branch one day, and boarded a steamboat at Oak Orchard for the trip. While the steamer was waiting for picnickers, some supplies were being loaded. A young man, Charles Waterbury, a friend of mine from Euclid, was passing watermelons on board. In doing so, he made a misstep and fell into the lock beside the boat. … When he reappeared at the surface of the water, no one was surprised to see him still clinging tenaciously to the monstrous melon. Nor did a little dunking dampen his ardor for the picnic. He hastened home, changed his clothes and caught the boat at Belgium.”
This photo appears in the collection of Edwin H. Young, whose memoirs provided background information for this column.
Email your guess to [email protected] or leave a message at 315-434-8889 ext. 332 with your guess and your name by noon Friday. If you are the first person to correctly identify an element in the photo before the deadline, your name and guess will appear in next week’s newspaper, along with another History Mystery feature. History Mystery is a joint project of the Star-Review and area historians in Cicero, Clay, Liverpool and North Syracuse.
