1883
HISTORY
John Baker Manning was born July 13, 1833 in Albany,
New York. His father had come from Ireland. Manning was
educated in the local schools, showing a "marked ability
in acquiring knowledge."
When he was twelve years old his ambition was to
know the politicians. It was at this time that he was appointed
as a page in the State Assembly by Horatio Seymour. In 1847
he was again appointed, this time by Speaker William Hasbrouck.
In 1848 one of the New York newspaper men was interested
in him, and recommended he be promoted to the Senate. Manning
was named as a page in the State Senate by Lieutenant Governor
Hamilton Fish that year, and continued in that position
in 1849 by Lieutenant Governor George Patterson.
He learned much in those positions. "I saw,
heard, and mentally made note of much that escaped those
who participated in the activities of legislative life,"
he said.
In 1860 he became the Albany correspondent for the
Brooklyn Eagle, holding that position for two years. He
became one of the most popular and capable newspaper men
at the State Capital.
Around 1862 he started a small malting business,
doing a few hundred bushels a year. At the same time he
also established a commission business for the sale of Canadian
produce.
After some research and several years, Manning found
that Buffalo
was a premier location to locate his commission and malting
businesses and moved there. He immediately began a produce
and commission business with Canada, which he continued
until 1867.
In 1867 he abandoned the commission business and
concentrated on malting. He was making 3,000 bushels during
a good year.
In 1880 Manning was elected vice-president of the
Buffalo
Board of Trade. On December 17, 1880 his Queen City Malt House
was destroyed by a fire that originated in the Birge Wallpaper
Factory, where ten persons were killed. He also had three
small houses in operation at this time, and was able to
continue business on a smaller scale.
Soon after the fire he had plans drawn up for a new,
brick malthouse, reputed to be the largest in the world,
the Frontier Canada as it was called. It was located in
Black Rock
, on the Erie Canal
and Niagara River, in order to utilize the navigation and railroad
systems.
By 1881 Manning's malting business had become very
prosperous. He was making 500,000 bushels a year, had one
small house capable of doing about 60,000 bushels annually,
while the new one had a capacity of 940,000 bushels. This
was an enormous building, nine stories tall, with two elevators
connected to it. It had a storage capacity of 500,000 bushels
and a spring dug 121 feet deep, 105 feet through solid rock,
which supplied the water.
In April 1881 Manning was elected president of the
Board of Trade, and initiated steps to erect an uptown location
for the Board of Trade. A rival movement was begun which
resulted in a different location being selected. Manning
and his associates then organized the Merchants' Exchange
Association, using the property he had secured on Terrace
Street to erect a new building.
On June
15, 1881 the National Association of Malsters held their
annual convention in Niagara Falls, New York with over 400
attendees. He was unanimously named president of that association,
and delivered
an important speech on the importance of Canadian barley
and the modification of tariff in this regard desired by
the malting interests. The address was universally regarded
as a masterly effort and was reprinted in pamphlet form.
Manning never held any political offices until in
1881 when he was urged by his friends to allow his name
be used as a candidate for mayor. He did not want to, but
consented on the condition that the convention name him
by acclamation.
Several other names were brought up at the convention
and Manning therefore availed himself of the nomination.
The result was the election of Grover Cleveland
When Cleveland resigned to take the position of Governor,
his friends again urged him to run at the special election.
He agreed and entered the race with "the system and
vigor he applied to his business activities."
On January 4, 1883 the Democratic City Convention
was held, with
Manning being nominated for mayor. On January 5, 1883 the
Republican City Convention
was held, and Alderman Robert R. Hefford, President of the Common
Council
, was nominated for mayor.
LIFE AS A MAYOR
The special election was held on Tuesday, January
9, 1883. Manning's campaign slogan was "Let every working
man vote for the employer of labor." He scored a deciding
victory over Hefford, 11,036 to 7,321. Interim Mayor Harmon
S. Cutting
received six votes. Although there were over 8,000 less votes
cast than the previous election, Manning received a majority
larger than Cleveland had received a year earlier.
News of his victory spread over the city at a early
hour. A large number of prominent Democrats gathered together
to discuss the news and decided that Manning's presence
would enhance their pleasure. He was found, and returned
to the enthusiastic crowd to issue a statement.
"Friends and fellow citizens - For this kind
and cordial greeting I thank you, and congratulate you on
the glorious victory achieved this day by the Democratic
party
of this city; a victory that speaks in unmistakable terms for
the continuance of that reform policy in the management
of municipal affairs, inaugurated by Mayor Cleveland
, and which, I'll assure you, it will be my aim to further
during my administration, feeling confident that I will
have the aid and warm support of all good people in this
city without distinction of party. Thanking you and those
who rallied under our standard for the kind and generous
support given me, I will bid you good night."
Mr. Manning was loudly applauded and spent some time
as the recipient of congratulations.
The day after the election, the Albany Argus stated:
"Mr. Manning...was evidently the choice of the same
reform influence in the community irrespective of politics,
which swept over the city last year. He is a citizen who
has for twenty-five years been identified with the business
progress and the public spirited movements of Buffalo
, and he has received evidences of the confidence and esteem
of her citizenship on occasions previous to this. He will
be honest, prudent, and progressive in the discharge of
his public duties."
On January 16, 1883 Manning was sworn in as Mayor
of the city. Cutting was continued as clerk under Mayor
Manning
Manning delivered his Inaugural Address
to the Council on February 12, 1883.
"The superintendent [of schools] has more than once
called your attention to the inadequate accommodation provided
for the 25,000 pupils who attend the public schools.
"In what I have said of the Fire Department
, I have omitted a recommendation which I now make viz.:
That there be formed a "salvage corps' for the better protection
of life and property at fires.
"I repeat the recommendation contained in more than
one annual message as to a general revision of the charter
and ordinances.
"Our encouragement to well directed exertion is all
we should expect. Buffalo
is, I believe, the eleventh in rank of the manufacturing cities
of the country. Give us an abundant supply of pure and wholesome
water and an energetic and economical administration of
our municipal government and there will be increased inducements
for capitalists and manufacturers to come and reside among
us. Our population will then increase in a much greater
ratio than ever before until we shall become one of the
first among the great centers of industry in the land. Our
advantages as a receiving and distribution point are unsurpassed
and we are already become a great center in our wonderful
railroad system."
His one year term was stormy at times and he took
criticism of the police
department personally. Two local newspapers were very hostile
toward him, and accused him of trying to build a personal
political machine. The accusations were later dropped when
they were found to be false.
He never allowed his party to come before the best
interests of the city, which would eventually prove to be
harmful to him. He continued the string of vetoes begun
by Mayor Cleveland
His vetoes saved the city a great financial loss by disapproving
of the 'sea wall strip' asked for by the Buffalo
Creek
Railroad.
Manning vetoed three different electric contracts
during his short term. There was much complaint about prices
and Manning saw it his duty to keep them low.
By the autumn of 1883 Manning was on the outs with
his party, and did not receive the nomination
for re-election. On October 23, 1883 the Democratic
City Convention
was held, and
the feud that existed between the two factions of Democrats
was fueled even more as Jonathon Scoville
was chosen as the party's candidate.
On October 28, 1883 the so-called 'Regular Democracy'
held its City Convention. Leroy Andrus nominated Mayor Manning
and "spoke at length with feeling and eloquence of Mayor
Manning
" He called attention to the history of Mayor Manning
"He likened his party to a ship armed with truth and
justice, resisting the aggressions of a reckless faction
which would of hoist the black flag for its ruin, but whose
mutiny will be prevented if the proper skipper is at the
wheel."
John Baker Manning was the unanimous choice for Mayor.
He was sent for and addressed the crowd, reviewing the reasons
for the party split. "It came because I did not grant
the request of certain aspirants for political office and
because I stood firm and resolute between the people and
a corporate body
whose object
was to rob the city of more than $1,000,000 worth of its
property."
The Republican's held their convention on October
26, 1883, choosing Josiah Jewett
The Buffalo
Daily Courier, the Democratic party
paper, stated in an editorial shortly before the election, "...We
gave him [Manning] the benefit of every reasonable doubt
that could be urged in his favor...but we have been disappointed
in the man, and we know now what we might have known before,
perhaps, that kindness and toleration are sentiments that
are wasted on him. As an independent candidate
he is before the people without a call from the people...and
as a disorganizer of the Democratic party
he has earned himself a political grave from which there will
be no resurrection. ...There is no salvation for men who
would sacrifice the party to their own selfish ends."
Needless to say, Manning was not even in the race
come election day. Scoville took the election over Jewett
13,845 to 13,683 with Manning receiving 1,400 votes.
Manning retired from politics after this election.
PERSONAL LIFE
John B. Manning
was married on January 14, 1856 to Elizabeth House. They had
seven children. Mrs. Manning died in October 1894. In 1897
he married Marie Schrewnk.
The Manning's first home was at 44 Allen Street,
and on May 1, 1866 he moved to Utica Street, at the time
on the outskirts of the city. This house was surrounded
by the Manley Nurseries, extending from Delaware Avenue
to Richmond Avenue. Gradually, the city grew and their country
residence became a city residence. In the 1880's Elmwood
Avenue was cut through this land.
In 1891 he organized the Galland-Henning Pneumatic
Malting Drum Company of Buffalo
This allowed the malting process to be carried out at any
time of the year, and the ability to make malt of uniform
quality. This system apparently allowed his malt house to
have a yearly capacity of 1,500,000 bushels.
He built several elevators in the 1890's, each with
a large storage capacity.
On May 30, 1902 the largest fire Black Rock
had ever seen consumed Manning's Frontier Canada plant.
He was a prominent Mason
and member of the Hugh de Payen Commandery, Knights Templar
He was prominent in the building of the Mason
ic Temple, and was director of the Mason
ic Life Association of Western New York.
His malting enterprise, said to be the largest in
the world, continued its prosperity until Manning's death.
At that time it was merged with the malthouse of George
J. Meyer.
Near the end of his life Manning moved to Brooklyn,
New York with his last wife. Manning died at 952 St. Marks
Avenue, Brooklyn, on April 28, 1908. He is buried in Forest
Lawn Cemetery
