History of Geneva, New York, USA

It becomes our painful duty to record, in connection with the festivities of the fourth, one of the most melancholy accidents which has for many years befallen our village. In the evening after the usual ceremonies of the day were over, a large and dense assemblage was collected at the head of Seneca St., and in front of the Bank, extending themselves in both directions along Main St., in order to witness the fireworks which, as report went, were to be of an unusually brilliant and effective character.

Rockets had been provided, some of them of a very large kind, weighing, as was said, six pounds; as also, serpents and other exhibitions of the Pyrotechnic art, and the eager curiosity of the multitude drew them very closely around the staging erected for the purpose of exhibition.

Not more than four or five of the rockets, however, had been discharged, when a spark of fire accidentally communicated with the box or basket containing the fireworks, and the whole were in a moment in ...

Geneva, a post-village of Seneca township, Ontario county, New York, is beautifully situated at the north end of Seneca lake, on the Auburn and Rochester railroad, 50 miles E. S. E. from Rochester. It is handsomely built, and contains about 10 churches, 1 or 2 banks, 2 or 3 newspaper offices, and a medical college. The Episcopal church is a fine- stone edifice, in the Gothic style, built at a cost of $25,000. Steamboats ply daily be tween Geneva and Jefferson, at the head of the lake. Population, estimated at 6000.

ROCHESTER, Feb. 6. - The Democrat of this morning gives from a correspondent an account of a disastrous fire which occurred in the town of Geneva early on Saturday morning. The fire was first discovered in the hay-loft of a barn near the Canal Collector's office, and there being a heavy north-west wind at the time, it spread with great rapidity, and quickly destroyed this barn and another near it, both on the west bank of the canal, the Canal Collector's office, and the large monster building of Messrs. FIELD & AFFLECK, comprising an extensive steam flour mill, elevator and malt-house, under one roof, were completely enveloped in flames. The office and ice-house of Messrs. CONGER & MCKAY were also destroyed. From thence the fire spread to the lumber and shingle piles of the same firm, and here, by persistent efforts of the firemen, together with the assistance of many citizens, the further progress of the fire was arrested.

The main losers by this fire are Messrs. FIELD & AFFLECK....

Syracuse, N. Y., Nov. 19. - At 5 o'clock this morning flames were discovered issuing from the upper story of the old library building at Hobart College, Geneva. The building is between the two dormitories, and there was a wild scene as the students and Professors, almost panic stricken, rushed from their rooms. The college bell was on the roof of the library, and a student had to run to the engine houses, a mile away, to give the alarm. The flames spread rapidly, and when the fire companies arrived the two upper stories were burning fiercely, and it was feared that all the college buildings would be destroyed. The students, led by President POTTER, rushed into the building and saved many valuable books and papers, but in the upper rooms thousands of old and valuable books that cannot be duplicated were burned. A marble bust of DR. HALL, formerly President of the college, was also destroyed. Many of the college papers were removed from the library a few days ago. The total loss is...

Geneva, a beautiful town in Geneva township, Ontario co., N.Y., at the N. end of Seneca Lake, about 16 miles (direct) E. of Canandaigua. By railroad it is 26 miles W. of Auburn, and 50 miles E.S.E. of Rochester. It is on the Auburn Branch of the New York Central Railroad, the direct line of the Lehigh Valley system, and of the Fall Brook system. It is finely situated on high ground on the W. shore of the lake, and contains many handsome residences. Geneva contains 10 or 11 churches, the Geneva Classical and Union School for boys, 2 national banks, and a water-cure, and is the seat of Hobart College (Protestant Episcopal), which was organized in 1824 and has a library of 13,000 volumes. Five weekly newspapers are published here. Steamboats ply daily in all seasons of the year be tween this place and Watkins, which is about 36 miles distant. Here are 8 large nurseries of fruit-trees. Geneva has also optical-works, bending-works, and manufactures of engines, boilers, and steam...