Question: Do you know the location of this photo? The buildings in the background still exist; one of them in a different location. Why was it moved? What do you know about them?
If this train engine still existed, it would be impossible to put it in the location shown here. Do you know why?
Last week’s answer: Last week’s photo shows the stables of Chapman Bros. In December, 1891 the Grace Episcopal Church Auxiliary hosted a “Trades Carnival,” a showcase of Baldwinsville businesses and organizations. Chapman Bros. participated in the event where they were hailed as “our new baggage men.” Using horsepower and seasoned handlers (teamsters), the company moved everything from grain to people and buildings. While the man second from left in the photo is unknown, the others are identified as (left to right): Vosburg, Charles Chapman and Shorty Trowbridge.
Brothers Charles and Jerry Chapman were the principals. The business office was located in the Skinner Block office of Walter Carpenter at 9 E. Genesee St. The entire work operation was based on the southwest corner of lower Canton Street on the Seneca River. In addition to the stables, there were buildings and sheds to house equipment and assorted vehicles: wagons, buses and even a small tank wagon that was used to haul oil to local Standard Oil customers.
Calling themselves “The Hustling Transfer Company,” Chapman ran frequent display ads in the Gazette and Farmers’ Journal. No job was too small (they would sell and deliver one bale of hay), nor does it appear that ay job was too large based upon the following news item printed in the Gazette, June 24, 1897:
“Recently the Syracuse dailies contained an item to the effect that the new safe for the Onondaga Savings Bank was moved with great difficulty, owing to the inability of those in charge of the work to find a truck strong enough. Finally one was secured from out of town, but was barely equal to the strain of nineteen tons weight. When Syracusans want any of the necessary adjuncts for business or pleasure they should remember that Baldwinsville is on the map. Chapman & Co., our transfer agents, have just completed a truck which is guaranteed to carry twenty-five tons. The truck complete weighs of itself lacking fifty pounds of two tons. The axel trees are of steel four inches square, and were made by Morris Machine Works. The wood work was done by that skilled workman, E. A. Woods, while J. M. Fugett had charge of the iron work. The tires are six inches wide. Mr. Chapman has drawn five tons on this wagon up the incline from Morris Machine Works with one team. If Syracusans want houses or other heavy weights moved they should address Chapman & Co., Baldwinsville, NY.”
Loads were as diverse as transporting men to lay pipe for Syracuse Heat & Power Co. to drawing hook and ladder trucks for the village at times of fire. The village paid one dollar for each one of the fire assist calls.
Skilled teamsters were needed to use the equipment effectively and safely. Given the apparently high volume of work handled by Chapman, the newspaper records relatively few accidents or incidents. However, injury to one of the men seen in the photo was reported in some detail in the Oct. 15, 1896 issue of the Gazette: “James Trowbridge, who is employed by Chapman & Co., while drawing tobacco from the Tobin warehouse to the freight house Saturday morning was kicked by a horse. He was sitting on the front end of a platform wagon, when he hit the near horse with the end of the lines and as he did so the horse in play kicked and struck Mr. Trowbridge on the left knee, breaking off a piece of the knee pan and opening the cavity of the knee joint. Dr. Wasse attended him and it is feared that the patient will be confined to his home for some time. Mr. Trowbridge is a most faithful employee and will be missed by both his employers and the public.”
Jerry Chapman sold his interest in the business in 1901 and the firm became formally known as Chapman & Co. Although the advent of the gasoline-powered engine brought the end of commercial horse-powered transport, its legacy continues today as the name “teamster “continues to identify those who handle and drive the loads.
Contact Editor Sarah Hall at [email protected] or leave a message at 434-8889 ext. 310 with your guess by 5 p.m. Friday (please leave the information in the message; we are not generally able to return calls regarding History Mystery responses). If you are the first person to correctly identify an element in the photo, your name and guess will appear in next week’s Messenger, along with another History Mystery feature. History Mystery is a joint project of the Museum at the Shacksboro Schoolhouse and the Baldwinsville Public Library.
