Erie Station in Elmira Colorized
Colorized photo of the Erie Rail Station as it appeared circa 1875. Note the statue in front of the crowd. According to former County Historian Tom Byrne, the “Chief” was one of a half-dozen statues with which Dr. Edwin Eldridge decorated his park around 1870. He was given to Eldridge by “Gentleman” Jim Fisk, of the Erie Railroad, who was a business associate. Dr. Eldridge’s will provided that if the city did not take over his park upon his death, the Chief statue would be moved to the Erie Depot on Railroad Avenue. Eldridge died in 1876, and with no action by the city until 1890, the statue was relocated. The statue represents a Native American Chief and his dog. Beginning in the 1940’s, “vandals” began to assault "Chief Clerk". His tomahawk was taken numerous times, his arm was fractured, and in December of 1951, according to the Star-Gazette, “the coup de grace was administered by three Cornellians, police said. The statue was pretty well shattered even though a fence had been erected around it. The Erie sadly pronounced the old boy beyond repair and the statue was scrapped”
Erie Station in Elmira Colorized
Colorized photo of the Erie Rail Station as it appeared circa 1875. Note the statue in front of the crowd. According to former County Historian Tom Byrne, the “Chief” was one of a half-dozen statues with which Dr. Edwin Eldridge decorated his park around 1870. He was given to Eldridge by “Gentleman” Jim Fisk, of the Erie Railroad, who was a business associate. Dr. Eldridge’s will provided that if the city did not take over his park upon his death, the Chief statue would be moved to the Erie Depot on Railroad Avenue. Eldridge died in 1876, and with no action by the city until 1890, the statue was relocated. The statue represents a Native American Chief and his dog. Beginning in the 1940’s, “vandals” began to assault "Chief Clerk". His tomahawk was taken numerous times, his arm was fractured, and in December of 1951, according to the Star-Gazette, “the coup de grace was administered by three Cornellians, police said. The statue was pretty well shattered even though a fence had been erected around it. The Erie sadly pronounced the old boy beyond repair and the statue was scrapped”