Manufacturing

By 1854 an iron-works was located on Furnace Street. The Company made plow-shares and other parts for agricultural equipment. Several wagon, buggy and sleigh manufacturing plants have existed over the years - including G.H. Fowler, .manufacturers of "Two-Wheelers and Road Wagons" in the 1870's; A.H. Smith "Carriage & Sleigh Manufacturers," 1890; The Abram Walrath Company operated the Weedsport Bent Works from the 1890's. His plant steamed lumber and formed it into cutter and sleigh runners and wheel felloes. He also operated a ltunberyard which predated the Charles Sloan and Chapman Lumber Companies on the same site. The new Cayuga County Savings Bank is being built on the Walrath property.

Horace L. Burrill was a Weedsport druggist who also served as postmaster. He developed a patent medicine called "Burrill's Cherry Balsam". He is said to have manufactured the product in his home but distribution was nationwide.

Another local manufacturer commanding a nation-wide market was O.W. Burrift and Bros. The Burritts patented and manufactured "Patent Roofing Seareefs and Cross Lock Seareefs" devices used in the installation of sheet metal roofing. Their office was at No. 3 (now 8912) Franklin Hall Block on Seneca Street and its factory at No. 13 (now 2698) Brutus Street. The latter building is now part of Whitman Hardware Company Store.

Weedsport was prominent in the manufacturing of women's clothing from 1SS0 to World War I. By 1885 Rheubottom and Mack were operating the Weedsport Skirt and Dress Company at 8986 North Seneca Street. Crotty and Mitchell were owners of the factory when it burned about 1898 and was immediately rebuilt. By 1908 the plant was acquired by Carl Bennett and

Walter F. Schoonnaaker under the name "The Security Company." Prof. Hopkins aptly presents the development of the clothing business in the following paragraph:

"Some time before the disastrous fire of 1871, in a small building located on the south side of Brutus Street near the present site of Robertson's Bazaar, A. Eo Paeubottom began the manufacture of a patented hoop skirt. While he owned but one machine and had but very little capital, yet with the persistence of a courageous business pioneer, he lived to see his efforts crowned with success. From Mr. Paeubottom's meager beginning have emerged a succession of companies which furnished employment to hundreds of our people. Following are the names of those companies - A. E. Rheubottom, Rheubottom & Mack; Rheubottom & Teall; Mitchell & Mack; Crotty & Mitchell; The Security Company; Weedsport Skirt & Waist Co.; Bush, Jackson & Bush; Bush & Bush; Bush and Kerns; Skadan, Kerns & Co.,; The Scanion Co., and Ginsburg Bros., Inc. also the Vulcan Knitting Mills.

From the last quarter of the 19th Century until World War II tobacco was a popular farm crop. It was grown in volume in the area north of the Seneca River in Cayuga County and in north western Onondaga County. In 1899 Charles Cusick of Meridian built a plant at 8785 Graham Street in Weedsport for the processing of leaf tobacco. Proof that the business prospered is found in a photograph taken soon after 1900 showing a portion of the plant and 42 employees. In addition to the Weedsport "factory" sorting stations were also being operated at Plainville and Meridian. Mr. Cusick's son George D. entered the business in 1910 and assumed control about 1921. It was claimed that no tobacco grown in the United States equalled the quality of that produced in this area for blending with Havana leaf in cigar filler. Competition from other sections of the country gradusl!y forced the local tobacco farmers out of business and consequently the Cusick operation closed in 1941. The Honorable Charles A. Cusick, prominent Weedsport and Auburn attorney, is the son of George D. ?

About 1914 Charles Caywood and Charles Whitman of Weedsport joined with Thomas M. Osborne and Jay Woodworth of Auburn in the manufacturing of motor trucks. The factory was located near the New York Central freight depot bought by Burns and Guyder who used it for coal delivery for seveal years.

The Barr Typewriter Corporation moved into Weedsport from Ithaca in 1937. the Company manufactured its typewriter in the old Security Company plant, but early in World War II constructed a new building at 8934 north Seneca Street. The firm engaged in war materials production until the end of the hostilities when it changed over to the production of high quality novelty products including the Barr numeral(digital)clock. Unable to sustain itself against outside competition the company was soon bankrupt. Following dissolution of the Barr business the site saw a sries of short-lived manufacturing operations but is now occupied by Miller Ceramics which also uses the first floor of the old Security Building to the north.

Salvatore Leonardi came to Weedsport with the Barr Typewriter organization in 1937. He seperated from that concern in 1945 and established a small plant for the manufacture of hand-bag frames and other luggage closures. the business has grown continuously and floor space has more than doubled. It is now run by Mr. Leonardi's sons, Ezio and Salvatore, Jr. Employees average about thirty in number.

Time and spce demand that many important Weedsport manufacturers past and present be omitted from this project. However, a few will be mentioned: Whitman & Robinson manufacturing among other things the Bob-Cat Tractor and the Hagen Boat Hoist. Witman & Robinson, Inc. is now operated by Peter Coleman. the concern does welding repair and contract manufacturing work. Hugh Kane and Son operate a fine machine shop at 8930 North Seneca Street and seem always to have work for their employees. The plant is known as Weedsport Tool & Machine Inc. the Zonolite Division of W.R. Grace Company, locted on Schram Road expand mica into an insulation material calledf zonolite. Jaymar Terminal Boards occupy the White-Kempton buildings on East Brutus Street. Corostone Silo Company Inc. also on Schram Road, manufactures concrete slab silos. Adder Tool Manufacturing Co.,East Brutus Street Road is owned by Derwood Salisbury. The plant builds molds for plastic manufacturers and makes dies and other tools for the matal working industry.