Rolling Stones And Smashing Pumpkins

Erie Daily Dispatch, September 13, 1870.

Rolling stones gather no moss, neither do roving boys. And when your aim is true, you might smash a pumpkin or two.

"On Saturday night a little daughter of Mr. William Mallery, had a children's party at her father's house on East 11th street, and a crowd of uninvited boys, about twelve years of age, congregated there to have some sport at the expense of those in the house.

Several stones were thrown at the building, some of them going into the hallway, where also, a small pumpkin fell and was smashed. Mr. Mallery ran out and caught one of the boys, to whom he administered a flogging.

Yesterday morning John Nugent, Henry Klitz, Jacob Klitz, Frank Klick, Charles Evans, Adam Harley, Christian Downer, Conrad Firch, George Siegel and Frederick Gudenburg, were brought up before Justice Griffith, looking nice enough to make a teacher feel proud of them. They admitted the facts as to the participation of each with commendable candor and the prosecutor and Justice were both disposed to let them off lightly. They were given good advice and discharged on payment of costs, which amounted to $1.15 each."

I don't see any mention of criminal charges being brought against Mr. Mallery for whipping one of the kids. Times sure have changed.

Find more old Erie photos and crime blotters at Old Time Erie

Teenage Boys Trashed The Place

Article in Erie Daily Dispatch, Sept. 15, 1870.

When teenage boys are out roaming the streets, they're bound to get into trouble. In the old days, if they couldn't pay the fine, they did the time. These five young men found that out the hard way after they trashed the place and were caught by the police. 

"Not having been furnished with complimentary tickets to Elwood's Minstrels, they asserted their displeasure by climbing to the top of the sky-light, or ventilator, and throwing down rubbish upon the audience below. The young scamps continued this exercise until the performance was over, when the police made a raid on them, capturing... John Murphy, John Devlin, John Coney, Charles Ross and Edward Langdon...

They were taken to the police station, and had their trial before Justice Foster...They were all fined two dollars each and costs, and John Coney, Charles Ross, and Edward Langdon, being recognized as frequent offenders, were sent up for ten days. In default of payment of fines they were all committed to jail....

Their ages ranged from twelve to sixteen." -Erie Daily Dispatch, September 15, 1870.

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Peter Pulakos Chocolates at 11th and Liberty

Peter Pulakos Tradition House at 11th and Liberty in Erie, PA circa 1955.

Peter Pulakos Tradition House was located on Liberty between 10th and 11th Streets in Erie, PA. Even though the picture shown above was taken in the fifties, a decade before I was born, something about it looked very familiar. I figured it out pretty quickly, thanks to Google Maps. The Salvation Army! I spent many hours there during the summer shooting hoops, playing bumper pool and eating pork rinds.

The Pulakos family started manufacturing and selling home-made chocolate and candy in Erie in 1903. Brothers Peter, Stephen and August Pulakos inherited Pulakos Candies business at 1108 State Street from their father, George P. Pulakos, in 1913. The brothers moved to 926 State Street in 1916. Peter Pulakos always considered the windows to be the eyes of the store, and saw to it that all his stores, including the location on Liberty Street, made the best use of the display space so it was visible from the street.

The old Pulakos building on the left still stands, but has a different sign on the front. It's now the center part of the Salvation Army at 1022 Liberty Street. The house on the right was demolished years ago and replaced with a two-story brick building.

Find more obscure facts and old photos of Erie, Pennsylvania at Old Time Erie

Dirty Looks Rocked Erie in 1991

Dirty Looks, left to right: Ostergaard, Lidel, Pyers and Harris. Photo ©Debbi Lyon 2014.

Dirty Looks appeared at St. Boniface Community Center on Wattsburg Road in May of 1991. I interviewed lead singer Henrik Ostergaard for an article that was published in Showcase, the weekly entertainment supplement to the Erie Daily Times and Morning News, on May 23, 1991. Here are the highlights of the article:

Dirty Looks is playing in Erie and there's no need to pack up the car and travel to Cleveland, Pittsburgh, or State College to see them. This time, Dirty Looks will load the Marshall stacks into rental trucks and set up shop in Erie, between tour dates in New York and Toronto.

"We're really looking forward to coming, since we haven't been back for four years," said lead singer/guitarist Henrik Ostergaard. "Erie's sort of my hometown."

Dirty Looks has been on tour for the last two months. The band played Cleveland's Agora Theater on April 6, 1991 and about half the audience drove from Erie to see them. 

When Henrik Ostergaard lived in Erie several years ago, he was a member of the local rock band, Crossfire. It released one single 'Love On Demand,' on the Select Sound label. He then formed Dirty Looks, which also included ex-Harpo bassist Jack Pyers and local drummer Steve McConnell. Pyers recently rejoined Dirty Looks after a brief health-related hiatus. The current line-up also includes guitarist Paul Lidel and drummer Jim Harris, a New York City native.

Besides its tour, Dirty Looks has a new album coming soon on Shrapnel Records' Hard Rock series. Bootlegs is a collection of nine original songs, most of which were rejected by Atlantic Records, the band's former label. Some songs, like 'Fang and the Love Pig,' are given two-thumbs down just because a label executive didn't like the title. "'Fang' is a love story about a futuristic pig and a cat called Fang," said Ostergaard. The song has a Faith No More flavor to it.

The album's strongest track, 'Speed Queen,' was written before the Cool From the Wire album was released on Atlantic. It aired on Rocket 101's 'Homegrown Show' and Tommy Edwards said he had been getting lots of calls requesting Dirty Looks. Ostergaard has promoted the album with interviews on WERG-FM and WFSE-FM.

Why did Ostergaard license the master tapes to Shrapnel for the Bootlegs album? "Some people are rich. We have to do it for a living. We needed the money to live on."

The songs, which were recorded at Acme Studios in New York and Dodge City in California, mostly feature the line-up that played on the two Atlantic Records releases (Cool From the Wire and Turn of the Screw); Ostergaard, Pyers, Lidel and drummer Gene Barnett. Barnett went on to perform with Lillian Axe and Paul Lidel joined Dangerous Toys.

Henrik Ostergaard died on January 27, 2011. He was born December 11, 1963.

Find more fun facts and old photos of Erie-based bands and buildings on Old Time Erie.

Nine Voter Registration Rules In 1902

Election rules were much stricter in 1902 according to the voting regulations for the City of Erie, PA. Women were ineligible to vote at that time, and could not do so until the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified in 1920. 

Voting in Erie, PA in 1902 was restricted to men who met the following nine Qualifications of Voters:

1. He shall have been a citizen of the United States at least one month.

2. He shall have resided in the State one year (or, if, having previously been a citizen of the State, he shall have removed therefrom and returned in six months) immediately preceding the election.

3. He shall have resided in the election district, where he shall offer to vote, at least two months immediately preceding the election. 

4. If 22 years of age, or upwards, he shall have paid within two years a State or County tax, which shall have been assessed at least two months and paid at least one month before the election.

5. The naturalization of the father, ipso facto, makes his minor children, then residing in the United States, citizens.

6. Any foreigner residing in the United States, from the age of 16 or under, may at the age of 21, become a citizen, without any previous declaration of intention.

7. Any foreigner, 21 years of age, who has been honorably discharged from the U.S. Army, may become a citizen after a residence of one year in the United States, and without any previous declaration of intention.

8. Any foreigner (except Chinamen) three years on board a U.S. merchant vessel, may, after he is honorably discharged, become a citizen, providing he has declared his intention three years previously.

9. Any foreigner coming into the United States after he is 21 years of age may become a citizen, after a residence of five years or upwards, provided he has declared his intention to do so at least two years previously.

Find more historic facts and photos of Erie, Pennsylvania at Old Time Erie

Erie Fire Department To The Rescue

Security-Peoples Trust ad by A. Hintenach.

Erie Firefighters have been saving lives and property for almost 190 years. the Erie Active Fire Company was formed in 1826, followed by the Red Jacket Company No. 1 in 1837 and Perry Eagle in 1839.

By 1890 there were seven fire houses in Erie, PA with four steamers, six hose wagons, one hook and ladder and one chemical engine- all pulled by 35 horses. There were 63 men on the job, fighting fires with a 25 foot ladder and 12,600 feet of 2.5" hose.  

The department answered 108 alarms in 1894.

Find more historic facts and old photos of Erie, Pennsylvania at Old Time Erie (or Old Tim Erie if autocorrect takes over.)

John Hicks Was One Cool Inventor

John S. Hicks of Erie, PA taken about 1898.

John S. Hicks was a local businessman and inventor who lived in Erie, PA. He was born in Virginia on Feb. 14, 1845. He came to Erie around 1878 and operated a business at 1406 Turnpike St. for about three years. John later purchased a three-story building at 1216 State Street which housed his ice cream manufacturing business and retail store in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

"During the summer season his specialty is the furnishing of ice cream for his parlors and for supplying orders for private families, parties, picnic and church festivals. The purity of his ice cream has become known all through the city." -Erie Morning Dispatch, April, 1883.

Hicks was granted a U.S. patent number 801,379 on October 10, 1905 for an Ice-cream Mold. "My invention is an improved ice-cream mold for molding a brick of ice-cream with a figure of any desired form in the center thereof." 

Judging from advertisements in the local newspapers, it was common at the time for customers to buy a pint-sized block of ice cream with a shape in the center that corresponded to a holiday, such as a lamb at Easter time.  

Hicks was chosen by the Governor of Pennsylvania to be a delegate to the Illinois National Half-Century Exposition held in Chicago in 1915 to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. 

Mr. Hicks was a pioneer African-American businessman in Erie, Pennsylvania. He retired from the ice cream business around 1910. He died on Nov. 13, 1933 and was buried in Erie Cemetery. His building at 1216 State Street was demolished about thirty years after he died.

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Erie and Pittsburgh Coal and Ore Docks

Old postcard of Erie & Pittsburgh Coal Docks in Erie, PA.

This scene from the lower westside in Erie, Pennsylvania has vanished from the landscape. The Erie & Pittsburg, or Pittsburgh and Erie docks, were situated between Raspberry and Liberty Streets along the bay. The railroad tracks leading to the Erie and Pittsburg Coal Dock are visible at the bottom of this postcard. Ore Dock No. 1 is in the center, next to the white building with the tall smokestack.

Two docks were completed at the time of the opening of the Erie & Pittsburg Railway in 1865, when bituminous coal was the principal business. Coal docks were completed to the west in 1867. A coal trestle that loaded coal from rail cars into the holds of transport vessels was removed in 1880 and dock no. 1 was expanded to 1,000 feet long by 200 feet wide. Ore Dock No. 2 was also enlarged so the largest ships on the Great Lakes could deliver a full load of iron ore across Lake Erie to Erie, PA. 

The E&P docks were connected with the W. L. Scott canal dock (Reed's Dock for the Erie Extension Canal) in 1868 by a railroad track built alongside the foot of the bluff. This is approximately where the Bayfront Parkway, or PA 290, runs along the lower westside of Erie. The docks were near the present-day Niagara Pier, Lawrence Pier and Liberty Park.

Ore was delivered to Erie through the Welland Canal from Lake Champlain until its supplies were exhausted. Ore was then delivered from mines along Lake Superior. About 40 varieties of hematite and specular ore were kept in separate piles along the docks and then loaded into rail cars for delivery to blast furnaces in the Shenango Valley and Pittsburgh, PA. 

During the 1886 season 91,257 tons of iron ore and 1,727 tons of pig metal was received at the E & P docks in Erie. During the 1887 season 210,249 tons of iron ore and 7,048 pig metal were received. Figures for the 1888 shipping season included 240,402 gross tons of iron ore and 11,140 gross tons of pig metal. -Erie Pennsylvania Illustrated.

The Philadelphia & Erie Railroad coal docks were leased by William L. Scott, a two-term Erie mayor and congressman. W. L. Scott was the president of the Erie and Pittsburgh Railroad Co. and the director of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern; the Chicago & North Western; the New York, Philadelphia & Norfolk; the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis; the New Castle & Beaver Valley; and the Michigan Central Railroad. He also held stock in the New York Central and the Pennsylvania Central railroads.

See more facts and old pictures of Erie, PA at Old Time Erie

Grenz Sold Studebakers in Wesleyville

Old Time Erie. Grenz Motors- bottom left: 2809 Buffalo Rd. Top: 2814 Buffalo Rd.

Elmer Grenz operated a Studebaker dealership on Buffalo Road in Wesleyville, PA for a total of thirty years. He started selling cars in 1934. Elmer serviced all makes and models of cars in his original shop at 2809 Buffalo Road, and did PA state inspections. This spot was later the location of Catrabone's store, which sold model cars and candy. It was then home to Gary's Variety, which sold a lot of newspapers, magazines and lottery tickets. The building was demolished to make room for a used car lot. 

Mr. Grenz had a new building constructed at 2814 Buffalo Road, across the street from the old location. This was a much bigger, nicer showroom on Route 20 just east of the City of Erie. The section that faced Buffalo Road had large windows and a big display area. Elmer was a car dealer for a total of forty years. After he retired, the building had different uses. It was a DeLorean dealership for a very short time and a bargain store that sold a variety of items, including record albums. Cycle City was located there for a number of years. A rent-to-own store was also a tenant. 

Elmer Grenz was well liked by his customers. He passed away in 1990. This article and photos originally appeared in the book Greetings From Wesleyville Volume 1 by Debbi Lyon.

For more facts about Erie, PA check Old Time Erie

Lawrence Dyeing and Cleaning

Old Time Erie photo courtesy of Ada Lawrence.

Emma Gertrude Lawrence was the first female African-American businessperson in Erie, Pa. She owned Lawrence Dyeing & Cleaning, which was located at 402 West 3rd St., on the northwest corner of 3rd and Chestnut.

The business was born of necessity. Emma's husband John passed in 1889 and she was left with four young children to care for. She started from scratch, taking in laundry in her own home. She excelled at her job and as word spread, business began to increase. Lawrence Dyeing and Cleaning was founded in 1906 and was well known throughout all of Erie. When Gertrude passed away in 1934, her son Charles Lawrence took over and the operated the business until 1963, working with his sister Effie Lucas. 

Gertrude made time in her busy life to maintain membership in several civic organizations. Her work ethic was not lost on her children. Earl Lawrence was a well-known musician and popular teacher in the Erie area. To learn more about other African-American families in Erie, read the wonderful book Journey From Jerusalem by Sarah S. Thompson and Karen James.

Enjoy more historical facts and photos of Erie, Pennsylvania at Old Time Erie

Rosswog Fancy Steam Dyeing

Old Time Erie Rosswog photo ©Harry Bierig.

Julius Rosswog came to the U.S. from Endigen, Baden, Germany in 1888 and opened a fancy steam dyeing business at 1320 Turnpike St. in Erie, PA. He moved to a new building at the corner of 14th and Peach in 1892. His son, Robert J. Rosswog, bought the business in 1902. Julius died in 1905 at the age of 74; he was married twice and had eleven children.

When he was a young man, Robert learned the cleaning and dyeing trade from his father. He bought the building on 14th and Peach six years after he bought the cleaners, and then bought the lot next door so he could expand. He employed 12 people in his 40' x 90' plant after installing Hoffman Sanitary Steam presses.

The photo of the Rosswog family includes Karolina, Josephine, Amelia Brucker Rosswog, Julius Sr. and Robert Rosswog. The building shown here was demolished when Turnpike Street was eliminated.

Enjoy more fun facts about Erie, Pennsylvania at Old Time Erie

Ride Your Pony To The Stable and Vote If You Are Able

Ride your pony to the stable and vote if you are able. At Thomas Pickering's livery stable on 18th St. between Peach and Sassafras, customers could hitch their host to a post, head inside and vote for their favorite candidates. Pickering operated a business in the Sixth Ward, at a time when men could easily name the ward in which they resided. 

There were a couple of other unusual polling places in Erie, PA back in 1902, including the residence of Mrs. Phoebe Shadduck at 2425 German St.; Dunn's livery stable on the corner of 10th and Peach; G. P. Miller's barber shop at 610 West 6th St., Jacob Warfel's tool house in the Fifth Ward, Fourth District; and Peter Hellman's carpenter shop on 25th and Myrtle. 

Also Daniel Dougherty's store on the southeast corner of 6th and Ash; Michael Smith's at 14 1/2 East 5th St.; in a store building owned by Catherine F. Hancock at 125 German St.; A. Geiger's building on the southwest corner of 12th and Wayne; the office of Dwight J. Robbins and 17 West 6th St.; D. R. Beck's room at 1126 Walnut St.; Joshua Zuck's building on the northwest corner of 12th and Cascade St.; Frank Orsi's on Walnut between 16th and 17th Streets; C. Howard's on the corner of 2nd and Sassafras St.; Mrs. Serr's at 950 Brown Ave. and William Schroeder's building at 655 West 26th St.

There were six wards in the City of Erie in 1902.

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Villa Maria Academy Circa 1903

The old Villa Maria Elementary School was built around 1892 on the southwest corner of 8th and Liberty in Erie, PA. The photo above was taken around 1903, before the houses were constructed on the north side of West 8th St. When Villa opened it had 85 students. Villa Maria Academy moved to a different location on West 8th in 1953. Villa Maria Elementary followed, moving to 2551 West 8th St. in 1993. The institutions are run by the Sisters of St. Joseph.

Enjoy more fun historical facts and photos of Erie, Pennsylvania at Old Time Erie

Perry 200 Bicentennial Souvenir Book

If you're looking for a snazzy overview of the multitude of events held to celebrate Perry's victory in the Battle of Lake Erie, I've got the book for you.

The Perry 200 Commemoration Bicentennial Souvenir Book is a must for fans of the history of Erie, PA, Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry and the War of 1812. This full-color hard cover book boasts more than 150 pages and documents the events held for the Centennial 1913, the Sesquicentennial in 1963 and the Bicentennial in 2013. There are also a lot of pictures of the Brig Niagara!

David Frew and Jerry Skrypzak did a fine job in assembling all the parts and putting things in context. The book was published by the Jefferson Educational Society of Erie, PA.

Enjoy more historic facts and photos of Erie, PA at Old Time Erie

Is It Too Cold for the Koehler Polar?

Erie Daily Times articles from Jan. 26th (guess the year).

Is it too cold for the Koehler Polar? If you're old enough to remember the Koehler Polars, there's a pretty good chance you remember this storm. 

No, it's not the Polar Vortex. Not by a long shot. But, it could have been ripped from the headlines and published in the January 7, 2014 issue of the Erie Times-News. 

The details of each major winter storm are practically interchangeable. The old: "Police Warn Of Danger As High Winds Rip Area." "Winds Batter Midwest, East, South: 13 Dead." The new: I just Googled the phrase 'winds batter midwest' and got 2,360 results, including a Sky News headline "US Weather: 13 Dead As Snow Batters Eastern US" published on Jan. 3, 2014.

Thankfully, the wind did not reach the intensity of the storm in the seventies.

Let's see if you can guess the year of the 'Worst storm ever.' Here are a couple of hints: 

The Char House restaurant at 12th and Peach was without power.
Picture windows at Goofy's (at 12th and Raspberry) were blown out.
The Erie International Airport was closed.
The whole Allegheny Airline system was shut down.
General Telephone said telephone lines were downed by high winds and tree branches.
Technical-Memorial closed at 2 p.m.

Are you getting warm yet?

My favorite event from the January 26th storm was the request by General Telephone. "The telephone company also urged customers to use their phone only when necessary, and to also keep their children from using the telephone unless it's necessary." Good luck with that.

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Poor Old William Brown

I came across this story by accident when I was researching Dr. Thomas H. Gray and it proves that you never know where you might find information about your family's ancestry. Poor old William Brown was born about 1798. I summarized this account of his accident because I'm a little squeamish.

"Wm. Brown, aged 75 years and some months, an old citizen of this county, was brought to the County Almshouse on the 24th day of May [1873]. I saw him first on the 25th, the day following his admission to the House. I found, upon an examination of the case, that the left foot, as far up as the ankle joint, was in a complete state of mortification; the result of an injury that he had sustained two months previous. The foot was injured by a log of wood falling or rolling on the instep, which, he informed me, caused severe swelling and inflammation…The entire left foot at this time was dead and cold...

I at once discovered that the only possible chance for this unfortunate old man was immediate amputation above the ankle joint; but when I considered his extreme age and the reduced condition of his system, I hesitated, but after informing Mr. Brown that it was sure death to let the diseased member remain, and that he could only die if it was removed, he expressed a desire to have it done. 

Accordingly, at 4 o'clock that afternoon, with the assistance of Dr. T. H. Gray, of this city, I proceeded to take the limb off about four or five inches above the ankle joint…The patient bore the operation well, after which I gave him an opiate and administered milk punch freely. The stump appeared to do well until about the fourth or fifth day…the stump then cleared up and healthy granulations appeared. I then applied adhesive straps…I succeeded in entirely covering the protruding bone, and today have a very fair looking stump which is nearly well. The old gentleman has gained in flesh and looks fine." -H. A. Spencer, M.D. -Published in the Medical and Surgical Reporter, October, 1873.

Dr. Henry A. Spencer graduated from Western Reserve University, Medical Dept. in 1851. Dr. Thomas H. Gray graduated from the University of Michigan in 1871. I have not yet discovered any details about William Brown, such as why he ended up in the Erie County Alms House, but if I do, I'll update this article.

Find more interesting historical facts about Erie, Pennsylvania at Old Time Erie

The Downtown YMCA in 1904

The Erie Downtown YMCA was much smaller than the current one on 10th and Peach St. This old picture was taken around 1903. The Y.M.C.A. was on the same corner, but with a much smaller footprint, and it had a small area where kids could play in the grass just west of the building at 31 West 10th Street.

The stately house on the left, at 23 West 10th St., was used by Dr. Thomas H. Gray as his office from 1873 until about 1904. Dr. Gray was born in Erie Co., PA in 1841. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1871 and married Anna Kelso the following year. This Richardsonian Romanesque house was later used for business purposes, and was home of the New Willard Hotel and Cafeteria in 1922. It was demolished in 1924 to make way for the Erie Lighting Company Building.

The building to the right of the YMCA, on Peach Street, was attached to the YMCA and housed the pool and the gymnasium. This was where Johnny Weissmuller swam in 1915. James C. Ainsworth (as in Ainsworth Field) was the director of the YMCA for many years.

Find more facts and old pictures of Erie PA at Old Time Erie

Who Dumped Raw Sewage Into the Bay?

Old Time Erie City Sewer Outlets.

I did a double take when I saw this page in the 1902 Erie city directory. Take a close look at the highlighted area and you'll see why. This chart shows the length of the sewers emptying into the bay. Raw sewage was dumped into creeks which flowed directly into the bay, polluting Lake Erie. Yuck! Forget about the Good Old Days. These were the Not So Good Old Days.

Fifty-six miles of streams and creeks carried raw sewage and storm runoff into the bay. The outlets included Little Cascade Run; the Canal sewer; Peach, French and Holland Streets; Mill Creek, Garrison Run and Light House Run. After reading this, I don't think I'll complain about paying my sewer bill anymore. In fact, I'd like to take a moment to thank the workers at the City of Erie Bureau of Sewers and the Erie Wastewater Treatment Plant for a job well done.

In the early 1900s, creeks and streams ran wild throughout the city. Now, most of them run through concrete tubes under the streets and sidewalks, marked only by blue rectangular signs marked with their names. Cascade Creek, one of the exceptions, runs freely through Frontier Park on Erie's westside. Mill Creek is visible near the Erie Zoo and along Glenwood Park Avenue south of Norman Way. To learn more about positive ways to interact with the environment, check out GreenERie.

Enjoy more odd and obscure facts about the history of Erie, Pennsylvania at: Old Time Erie.

Top 40 Erie Cafes in 1959

Old Time Erie Cafes in 1959.

Cafe, tavern, pub, club, bar, beer garden, saloon. Why so many different names? It's a mystery to me. One thing I do know is that the term 'Cafe' seems to have all but disappeared from the Erie telephone book in relation to a retail establishment that has a license to sell liquor and beer.

Ice cold Koehler's, anyone? Back in 1959, there was a whole column of cafes in the phone book, mainly on the east side of Erie, PA. There were 28 on the east side and 13 on the west side. Seven of the establishments were on Parade Street. Five cafes were located within a six-block radius (Bruno's, Golden Goose, Krakow, Merski's and Warsaw). Quite a few were still in existence in the late 70s and early 80s.

Keep in mind that this list only includes cafes. No taverns, pubs, clubs, bars or beer gardens. I wonder how many liquor licenses were issued by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1959. 

How many cafes do you recognize from this list?

Enjoy more fun and fascinating historical facts about Erie PA at: Old Time Erie