"Gilbert T. Garrett, the father of Charles C., was an Ithaca boat builder and his boatyard was to the left of the old organ factory (Stanford-Crowell). The lumber used was bought in Reynoldsville of a Mr. Smauel [Samuel] Sailor, a very fine white oak. Wm. Pew, a prominent truck man often delivered it, a day being required to deliver it. Lumber was all sawed by hand. It was steamed in a steam box to soften it so it would bend. Those builders who could turn out two boats a year were thought to do well. Mr. Garrett built over a hundred boats during his time.
Boats sold for $3500 to $4500. Few builders ran their own boats. Those not sold were loaded in the fall and sent to New York and then to the Atlantic Basin to Jersey where they were frozen in during the winter and were sold in the spring.
The boatyards were distributed all along the inlet. Other boatbuilders were Curtis Taber, B. F. Taber, Wm. Fosbinder (his home was where Elks now are). Wm. Esty had a warehouse down there and was a great favorite with the canal men as he would lend them money.
Wm. and Henry Halsey had a grain elevator below the Seneca Street bridge. Sawyer and Glenzer had a very complete grocery and supplied the boatmen with spikes. Money was scarce and builders gave their workmen vouchers and settled with tradesmen at the end of the season. Business in those days was all done around the Inlet section.
J. B. Williams was President of the Merchants and Farmers Bank on the corner of State and Geneva (Lenray Bakery now). A Mr. Hardy was the teller and lived where the Red Cross now is located. There was only one railroad then - the D. L. One could only go as far as the Express office down the Boulevard then - so swampy. Boatmen figured on floods in January and June. Much lumber was washed away at those times and they used to try to pile it so water could not dislodge.
When the rates on the canal were lowered, many boatmen failed and this act eventually ended the business."
Interview of Charles C. Garrett of 210 Willard Way Ithaca NY in April 1935. A project of the New York Temporary Emergency Relief Act in conjunction with the DeWitt Historical Society of Tompkins County. In the collections of The History Center in Tompkins County, Ithaca, NY WPA Oral History Biographies, V16-1-7.