Artifact Corner by Chris Davis

Articles Below:

Corn Stalk Chopper

One of the farm artifacts featured in the current exhibit is a Corn Stalk Chopper patented in 1878 by Warren S. Bartle of Newark. It is in remarkably good condition for something that was used outside.

It is made of wood with a heavy cast iron blade and handle, measuring 43″ h. x 38″ l. It still retains much of the original red paint, complete with black and yellow trim. It is embossed “W. S. Bartle, Newark, N. Y.” on the cast iron. Amazingly, it still has the yellow cardboard tag attached which reads “Warren S. Bartle’s PATENT, March 26th, 1878, Newark, N.Y.”

It was used to chop long stalks of corn into smaller pieces for use in feeding cows. While it is very similar to other choppers I have seen, this may differ because of the iron blade protector. It would be interesting to see the patent papers.

The Bartle’s were an original Newark family, dating back to the War of 1812. Veteran James P. Bartle, Warren’s brother, moved to Newark
from Junius, Seneca Co. in 1820. The rest is
history. An entire newsletter could be devoted to the Bartle family.

Warren S. Bartle (1816 – 1882) was known as a skilled workman and inventor. His home was built in 1840 and still stands at the SE corner of W. Maple Ave. and Bartle Ave. (a street which did not exist until much later). Bartle entered the machinist’s trade, having a machine shop on the premises where he sold new and second hand machinery. He partnered with John Daggett in the 1840s and 1850s in what was called Bartle & Daggett Machine Shop. The company manufactured steam engines, boilers and carding machines, which were used in woolen mills. He was issued a silver
medal for his patent of a safety valve for steam
engines. The medal is currently in a private collection.

Not much is known about his corn stack chopper, certainly a valuable tool at many local farms. They
are well marked for easy identification. To see one for yourself, stop by the museum where probably
the best known example is proudly on display.

The Trotter Ice Box

We all know about Reed roasters, Bloomer
Bros. ice cream cartons, and Hallagan sofas &
chairs, but did you know there was a company
in Newark manufacturing ice boxes? The Trotter
Refrigerator Co. was doing just that on Harrison
St. between 1889 and 1894.

You all know how they worked – a large block of
ice would be delivered by the “ice man” usually
by way of a sign in the window. The block of ice
(ice tongs required) would be placed on the
upper compartment of the ice box, because as
we all know, cold air circulates downward. The
contents of your refrigerator would be nicely cooled in a larger section below the ice.

An ice box, which looked more like a fine piece of furniture than a kitchen appliance, had hollow
walls made of tin or zinc which were filled with things like sawdust, cork, straw and even
seaweed for insulation. Most ice boxes were constructed of oak, complete with decorative
brass hardware. They generally date from 1850 to the 1920’s.

The Trotter ice box was patented by Charles W. Trotter of Rochester, a dealer in furniture and ranges, on Dec. 25th, 1888. Ground was broken for the new factory in May 1889 on the north side of Harrison St. near the WSRR. The prime mover was local lumberman Stephen N. Keener.

Trotter employed more than 30 in 1890. Fortunately, a few Trotter ice boxes have survived. A fine example is in the collection of the N-AHS. It is on display in the Farm to Table Kitchen scene in the current exhibit, located on the stage. It measures 50″ h., 26″ w. and 23″ d. A brass plaque identifies it as a Trotter Refrigerator.

Newark had what was referred to as a “very modern ice plant” located on Winspear’s Pond off W. Maple Ave. The ice house was built in 1914 sixty feet east of the pond, on land owned by Robert VanDusen. The ice would be “harvested” from the pond, cut and planed, then stored in the ice house. Cold weather was, of course, required.

In the winter of 1918, 30 men were employed. They were responsible for producing 200 lb. “cakes” (blocks) of ice at the rate of 40 tons an hour. It was reported that 400 tons of ice were sold and delivered to the Custodial Asylum, local milkmen bought 200 tons, another 200 tons to the railroad for icing refrigerator cars and more to various Newark firms.

How things changed when the invention of the electric refrigerator came along in the 1930s. Come and see the rare and fine looking Trotter “ice box” made in Newark, N.Y.

A Crown for a Queen

Certainly the most exciting thing to happen in setting up the Jackson & Perkins exhibit in 2019 was locating the long-lost Rose Queen Crown. We had seen it in photos from the 1967-1971 timeframe, wondering “where could it be now?”

We first checked with Teena Rose Sistek Kantor, the last Rose Queen, now living in Florida. She said the crown was turned in after the Rose Queen Contest for the next year’s queen to wear. Teena said the Newark Jaycees were in charge of the contest, and she recalled Paul Murphy was the chairperson of the event. So we checked with Paul, and upstairs in his attic was a box of memorabilia from the Rose Queen contest. In it was the crown! The exhibits committee was overjoyed when Paul’s daughter-in-law, Tracy, walked in the day before the exhibit was set to open — with the crown. Talk about perfect timing. It was donated on behalf of the Newark Jaycees and we are very grateful.

The winners of the Rose Queen contest in the later years who wore the crown were Elizabeth Kelly, Sodus, 1967; Anne Finewood of Newark, 1968; Susan Culver, Savannah, 1969; Pamela Land, Ontario, 1970 and Teena Rose Sistek, of Newark, 1971.

Twelve Wayne County Juniors would vie for the crown, including Teena, Deborah Bacon & Kim
Falstick from Newark. Judging took place in the amphitheater of the then-called National Rose Gardens. The Rose Queen would be crowned at a Coronation Ball held on a Saturday night at Zappia’s “Z on 88” restaurant. Dick Egner’s Orchestra performed at the ball with Rosalie Michaels featured vocalist.

The 1971 queen received a complete jewelry wardrobe from Sarah Coventry, a tiara from Caroline Emmons for the past queen and charm bracelets for each contestant; a starter set Sterling Silver and cabinet from Nobility Prestige; clothing certificates from the Paris Shop and Cole’s Dept. Store; $175 cash prize from the Newark Chamber of Commerce; gift certificates from many Newark beauty shops.

It is speculated that Emmons Jewelers supplied the crown. The company had ties to Miss America and Miss New York State beauty contests as well.

The Rose Queen Crown is indeed beautiful – heavily bejeweled, a real sparkler!