USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > A history of Cleveland, Ohio, Volume I > Part 4
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30
HISTORY OF CLEVELAND
temperature range of a city in the same latitude as Cleveland, but entirely away from the lake influence. The absolute range of temperature of one hundred and thirty-nine degrees at Des Moines, Iowa, which is in this latitude, when compared with the range of one hundred and sixteen degrees of this city, illustrates the tem- pering influence of extremes by a great body of water. Within the interior of the state the range of one hundred and twenty-two degrees at Columbus, one hun- dred and forty-two degrees at Coalton, and one hundred and sixty-two degrees at Wausseon, when compared with the range of Cleveland and other lake ports again show the mitigating influence of Lake Erie.
The lake has a marked influence upon the growth of the vine throughout this region. Some authorities state that the vine flourishes in northern Ohio because of the ample opportunity in the late falls for the ripening of the fruit and the mod- erate range of temperature throughout the winter. These conditions along with the favorable soil, account for the concentration of the vine products of the state along the south shore of the lake, especially in the Sandusky and Put-in Bay dis- tricts.
In spite of the moderating influence of the lake, the cold days of January and February in the lake ports are penetrating and chilling in a manner that is un- known in very cold weather of the western plains where the air is so dry. The rapid changes in the temperature accompanied by cold, damp winds in midwinter, influence the city's health. Colds, chills, pneumonia, influenza, diphtheria, etc., are characteristic diseases which are most numerous at the season, when the time of sudden changes is at its maximum.
The average temperature of Cleveland is forty-nine degrees. The highest temperature reached in this city was on August 12, 1881, when the thermometer registered ninety-nine degrees, and the lowest was seventeen degrees below zero on January 29, 1873. The coldest month is January, but the coldest days usually come in February. July holds the record as the warmest month. The winter temperature averages twenty-eight degrees, the spring forty-six degrees, the summer seventy degrees and the fall fifty-two degrees. The daily temperatures as shown by the observed readings at the office of the United States Weather bureau, in the Society for Savings building, always varies considerable from the street temperature ob- tained at the kiosk on the square. On August 26, 1909, the maximum at the weather bureau station was seventy-eight and eight-tenths degrees, while at. the kiosk it was eighty-six degrees. The minimum for the same date was seventy- three and eight-tenths degrees at the station, and seventy-two and eight-tenths degrees at the kiosk. For December 30, 1909, the maximum was eleven degrees and the minimum was one degree at the station, while at the kiosk the same respective temperatures were eight degrees and four degrees.
The average temperature of this city is very near that of a dozen of the larger cities of the United States and Europe. The isotherms of forty-five degrees and fifty degrees mark the line of the early western migrations of colonial days. The early interest of the New Englanders was drawn to this region on account of the soil and its inviting climate. Manasseh Cutler said of this region in 1787: "The advantages of every climate are here blended together." The loca- tion of the Western Reserve, a strip of land 120 miles long on the south shore of
31
HISTORY OF CLEVELAND
Lake Erie, was chosen for its fertile soil and its salubrious climate, tempered by the water's influence.
The winds of Cleveland are irregular and varied, for this is the region of the prevailing westerlies. The lake influence disturbs the regular course of the southwest winds, producing the land and lake breezes which make the summer weather delightfully cool. The winds average for the year from the southeast, though the city is in the region of the prevailing southwest winds. This modifica- tion of the wind direction is due to the land and lake breeze, the direction of the shore line, the topographic features of the Cuyahoga valley and the highlands to the south. The eastward drift of the upper air currents is shown by the higher clouds. The great balloon race which started from St. Louis, Missouri, in June, 1907, was a clear demonstration of the eastward drift of the westerly winds over Ohio. One of these balloons which descended near the eastern end of Lake Erie, was carried westward a considerable distance out of its course by the lower air currents, while by the upper east flowing currents, the winner of the race was carried to the northeast.
In the belt of country bordering the lake shore, the land and lake breeze is well developed in the summer, for the difference in temperature of the land and the lake is greater in the summer months. The lake breeze grows stronger each day in the spring until July, when it regularly appears each morning, much to the comfort of the city. In the fall, the warm moist winds from the lake are chilled by the cold air over the land, causing heavy fogs which delay movement of the boats in the river and along the shore. The winter winds, compared with those of the summer, are stronger, more irregular and more characteristic of the westerlies in direction and in their storms. The winter "thaws" come from the warm south winds and are invariably followed by cold "waves" bringing cold, northwest winds and low temperature. On February 15, 1909, and March 17, 1900, "sleet" storms occurred which were very destructive to property. The former storm was especially disastrous to telegraph and railroad companies, particularly on the trunk lines to the east and west of the city where there were thousands of poles broken by the heavy weight of the ice covered cables. In the severe local storm of April 21, 1909, which occurred about noon on this date, the darkness was intense, the temperature fell rapidly, the winds veered suddenly and the pressure increased rapidly. The wind in this storm reached a velocity of eighty-four miles an hour, and in the southeast and southwest parts of the city, a number of people lost their lives, and the estimated damage of one million dollars to property, was the greatest storm loss the city ever suffered. Mr. James Kenealy, local forecaster of the weather bureau at Cleveland, considered this a local storm, having its origin in some of the counties of northwestern Ohio.
The rainfall of northern Ohio is nearly thirty-four and eighty-six one hun- dredths inches for the average year, while it has been as much at fifty-three and fifty-one one hundredths inches, and as scarce as twenty-four and fifty-three one hundredths inches. It is generally supposed that more rain falls near the lake than inland; this is not true, for all of the cities in the center of the state have an average rainfall of over forty inches. This is partly due to the greater elevation of the land in the central part of the state. The summer and spring rains are the heaviest which is fortunate for these months constitute the growing season in
32
HISTORY OF CLEVELAND
truck garden and on the farm. During these months, severe thunder storms are frequent and are often accompanied by rainfall so heavy as to form cloud bursts, which in a short time do considerable damage to crops and property. The forma- tion of these eastward moving thunder storms with squall cloud, dust whirl, rain curtain, thunder heads, lightning and high overflow clouds, is a common occur- rence of the midsummer and one of the chief sources of the summer rainfall. It was one of these sudden squalls that drove away the British naval boat, "The Queen Charlotte," in the war of 1812, at the time she was preparing for action against Fort Huntington, which defended Cleveland.
The months of August and September are frequently times of great droughts. In 1908 many sources of water supply for farmers and villages about Cleveland were dry and water was hauled some distance from muddy creeks or the lake. In some places in northern Ohio, during the drought of 1909, drinking water sold at ten cents a gallon. Factories have been closed, stock often driven from six to ten miles for water and small towns have carefully conserved their water supply for fire protection. Cleveland's water supply from Lake Erie is practically inexhaustible, and at the close of each drought, the heavy rain carries much con- tamination into the lake which increases the normal number of typhoid cases in the city. Cleveland often has more rainy days in the year than other cities of Ohio, but not as much rain as places of fewer rainy days, but heavier storms. The snow- fall averages about fifty inches and it is equivalent to about one-seventh of the total rainfall. The winter of 1907-08 had the greatest snowfall, sixty-two and five-tenth inches, and the least fall was fourteen and nine-tenths inches during the winter of 1899-90. The greatest fall of snow for any single month occurred in February, 1908, and was thirty-five inches.
Cleveland has the largest number of cloudy days of any city of the state. This is not due to general climatic conditions, but rather to the location of the city and its industries. When the city is seen from the distance, it appears cov- ered with a great gray cloud. It is estimated that over a hundred thousand tons of coal are daily consumed in the city, and though there are many smoke con- sumers in operation, the merchants estimate that due to the smoke and soot there is an annual loss of twenty-five per cent on all white goods sold, or about twelve dollars per capita. The red ore dust from the iron ore furnaces is carried a considerable distance and its effects have caused many law suits for damage to the property in the vicinity of the furnaces. The city forester estimates that twenty per cent. of the trees lost in a year are due to the atmospheric conditions brought about by the smoke and the dust. The cloudiness gives a rich coloring to the sunsets and the twilight arch in the east is seldom seen.
In the belt of land bordering the lake, the first killing frost comes about the 24th of October, while in the central part of the state the first frost comes from one to two weeks earlier. The same is true in the spring when the last frost comes about the 20th of April, while in the central part of the state, it is the middle of May before the time of a heavy frost is passed.
The change from a summer to a winter season in this city vitally influences the occupation of thousands of men employed in the ore, freight and passenger transportation by boat; dry docks are then most active in repair work and the coal accumulates on the dock for opening of navigation. The many building
33
HISTORY OF CLEVELAND
operations are almost entirely suspended. Paving and sewer construction is con- fined largely to summer months. During the fall and after the great harvest of the northwest, there is always a rush to get the grain to market and if the fall storms are severe many lake disasters occur.
The fall storms have taken their full toll of lives and property from the be- ginning of navigation on the Great Lakes by La Salle in the famous "Griffin," which was lost on its return from Green Bay. Major Wilkins' expedition was wrecked near Rocky river, in 1763, when seventy men and all supplies were lost. A similar fate came to the first steamboat on the Lake Erie, "The Walk-in-the Water" which was wrecked near Buffalo. Even the stanchest boats cannot with- stand the fury of these lake storms and one of the strongest of the modern boats on the lakes, the Marquette and Bessemer No. 2 car ferry disappeared suddenly in the storm of December 15, 1909.
The coming of the cold season affects the commission business. The vast quan- tity of perishable stuff if shipped at all, has to be consigned as the weather con- ditions will permit and the fluctuations in prices of the staple vegetables are due frequently to the losses by the frosting of the shipments. Transportation of all kinds is vitally affected by the winter weather changes, during which time there is always an epidemic of late trains, wrecks, and consequent loss of life. Heavy snow or dense fogs delay street cars so that thousands of people are unable to fulfill business engagements. Sleet storms often completely cripple telephone and telegraph service for days, while the heavy floods following a spring rain fre- quently swell the rivers so that communication by rail is prevented and there is serious damage by washouts, ice-dams and floods to the railroads in the flats. Cer- tain classes of merchants follow very carefully the weather conditions, so that their display of goods may suit the changes.
CLIMATIC TABLES PREPARED FROM THE REPORTS OF THE UNITED STATES WEATHER BUREAU STATION AT CLEVELAND, OHIO.
TEMPERATURE DATA.
Aver-
Maxi-
Mini-
Month
age.
mum.
Year.
Day.
mum.
Year.
Day.
January
26.6
71
1906
22
-17
1873
29
February
26.7
72
1883
I6
-16
1899
IO
March
34.5
79
1905
29
- 4
1885
2I
April
45.8
87
1899
30
15
1875
I7
May
58.1
92
1879
30
28
1876
I
June
67.0
96
1874
28
38
1894
6
July
71.7
97
1890
8
46
1907
3
August
70.0
99
I88I
I2
46
1876
28
September
64.I
98
1881
6
36
1887
26
October
52.8
87
1879
7
24
1887
26
November
40.2
74
1888
I
Zero
1880
22
December
30.9
68
1875
3I
-I2
I880
29
Annual
49.0
34
3
HISTORY OF CLEVELAND
WIND AND PRECIPITATION DATA.
Precipitation
Wind.
Aver-
24 hour
Max. Direc-
Month.
age.
max.
Year.
Day.
vel.
tion.
Year.
Day.
January
2.53
1.86
1907
3-4
72
w.
1898
23
February
2.68
3.62
1883
3
65
nw.
1898
I5
March
2.84
1.66
1898
19
68
W.
1907
5
April
2.25
1.65
1896
30
60
n.
190I
20
May
3.27
2.10
1876
I7
60
Sw.
1893
23
June
3.58
3.10
1896
7-8
60
nw.
1898
I2
July
3.64
3.86
1879
II
66
W.
1896
26
August
2.94
3.14
1871
26
58
W.
1896
IO
September
3.28
4.97
1901
I-2
66
nw.
1897
16
October
2.73
2.45
1881
2
62
w.
1894
II
November
2.59
2.19
1891
23-24
73
S.
1895
26
December
2.57
1.87
1873
I2
61
S.
1903
12
Average annual
34.88
se.
CHAPTER IV.
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY-OHIO-THE WESTERN RESERVE-THE COUNTY.
`After the peace with Great Britain, the vast area lying beyond the mountains and bordered on the west by the Mississippi river, became appendant to the thirteen states. The careful statesmanship of the fathers is seen in the ordi- nance of 1787, the first fundamental act passed by an American Congress for the governing of a territory. The boundary of this enormous territory was orig- inally the Ohio river on the south, the Mississippi on the west, the Great Lakes on the north, and Pennsylvania and Virginia on the east. It remained in this original parcel until May 7, 1800, when Congress divided it, by a line "beginning at the Ohio, opposite to the mouth of the Kentucky river and running thence to Fort Recovery, and thence north until it shall intersect the territorial line be- tween the United States and Canada." The western portion was called Indiana, the eastern, Ohio.
The first state carved out of the Northwest Territory was Ohio. On April 30, 1802, Congress passed an act whereby the people of the eastern division were "authorized to form for themselves a constitution and state government, and to assume such name as they deem proper, and the said state, when formed, shall be admitted into the Union, upon the same footing with the original states in all respects whatever." And on February 19, 1803, Congress passed an act cit- ing the fact that, on the 29th day of November, 1802, the people did "form for
N. W. TERRITORY
BY
ORDINANCE OF 1787
TREATIES OF 1783 & 1795
CANADA
ONV
FOUNDED
MARIETTA
RIVER
N. W. TERRITORY DIVIDED BY LAW MAY 7 1800
SHOWING OHIO TERRITOY
CLEVELAND
FT ACCOVERY
MARIETTA
FOLKDO
CLEVELAND
10 5
WESTERN RESERVE
OHIO
AS
ADMITTED
IN 1802
SHOWING
STRIP
CLAIMED
BY
MICHIGAN
TERRITORY
O COLUMBUS
MARIETTA
OHIO
WESTERN RESERVE AND THE COUNTIES OF THE STATE
MAPS SHOWING THE TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO
I
35
HISTORY OF CLEVELAND
themselves a constitution and state government, and did give to the said state the name of the 'State of Ohio;' in pursuance to an act of Congress * * * whereby the said state has become one of the United States of America," and then providing for the execution of the United States laws in the new state.
With the exception of the line touching Michigan, there has been no dispute of the state boundary. The controversy with Michigan, the "Toledo War," was caused by the claim of Michigan that the strip of land, from Lake Erie to the Indiana boundary, upon which Toledo is located, belonged rightfully to Michigan under article V. of the ordinance of 1787, which ambiguously described the southern boundary of one of the five states that might be erected out of the territory as passing east and west through the southerly extremity of Lake Michi- gan. Ignorance of the southerly extent of Lake Michigan produced the present jog in the boundary of northwestern Ohio. Michigan was loath to relinquish this strip, and when in 1835 Lucas county was organized, troops from Michigan entered
Toledo, the county seat, to prevent the session of the courts. Ohio soldiery were also present. But no blood was shed, and President John Quincy Adams palliated Michigan's feelings when her statehood was discussed at Washington, in 1837, by exchanging the rich northern peninsula for the meager Maumee strips ; an exchange which at that time was considered a poor trade. 1214042
Originally, two counties were erected in the Northwest Territory, Wash- ington, with Marietta as the county seat, and Wayne, with Detroit as the county seat. A portion of the boundary line between the two was the Cuyahoga river. So the site of the present city of Cleveland was in the two original counties. July 29, 1797, Jefferson county was erected, and that portion of the Western Re- serve which lies east of the Cuyahoga river and the old Portage path, was part of the new county. The county seat was Steubenville. July 10, 1800, Trumbull county was organized, and this embraced all the Western Reserve including the Firelands and the Sandusky Islands. These counties were created by executive proclamation. But when the state was organized, the legislature created the coun- ties. So, in December 21, 1805, a law taking effect in March, 1806, created the county of Geauga out of a portion of Trumbull county. This included a goodly portion of the present Cuyahoga county. February 10, 1807, the legislature authorized the sister counties of Portage, Ashtabula, and Cuyahoga. The new county of Cuyahoga was not organized until 1810. It embraced that part of Geauga west of the ninth range of townships. The act described the boundary as follows: "On the east side of the Cuyahoga river, all north of township 5, and west of range 9; on the west side of the river, all north of township 4 and east of range 15, a space between ranges 14 and 20 on the west;" and "the county of Huron being attached to Geauga, for judicial purposes." Several changes in this boundary were subsequently made. January 15, I&II, the line between Huron and Cuyahoga counties was changed. Begin- ning at southwest corner of Strongsville, the line was extended westward to the southeast corner of Eaton, thence north to the northwest corner of Eaton, to the middle of Black river following its channel northward to Lake Erie. The or- ganizing of Medina county, February 18, 1812, brought a second change in the western boundary. The line was carried northward from the northwest corner of Eaton to the northwest corner of Ridgeville, thence west to Black river and to
36
HISTORY OF CLEVELAND
the lake. Lorain county was organized April 1, 1824, and took the town of Co- lumbia and the west half of Olmsted from Cuyahoga county, but the half of Olmsted was restored to Cuyahoga, by act of January 29, 1827. On March 20, 1840, Willoughby township was taken from Cuyahoga county and given to the newly organized county of Lake. January 29, 1841, Geauga county was given a strip ninety rods wide, extending from the northeast corner of Orange township, down its east line to the east and west center road, while the village of Chagrin Falls, with lots 17, 18 and 19 in Russell township, were annexed to Cuyahoga county. The final change in the boundaries of the county, was made on January II, 1843, when the Orange township strip was returned to the county. The or- ganization of Cuyahoga county dates from January 16, 1810.
THE DESCENT OF TITLE TO THE WESTERN RESERVE.
The story of the various claimants to these lands of the west embraces the records of the heroic period of voyage and discovery, of colonization, of the final independence of the colonies, and of interstate controversy over boundaries and possessions.
The history of these disputes will be briefly related in this connection, although they are only partially of a geographical nature, and therefore might properly come under the divisions of government. The basis of all land titles in Cleveland is contained in these shifting claims.
The sovereignties of Spain, France and England, successively claimed the continent of North America; Spain, by virtue of a grant from the Pope and the explorations of De Navarez and De Soto in the Gulf of Mexico; England by vir- ttie of the voyages of the brave John and Sebastian Cabot along the eastern coast, and France by virtual occupation of the vast regions of the St. Lawrence, the Lakes, and the Mississippi, by the intrepid La Salle and his worthy successors.
Meanwhile English colonists came to lend the permanence of occupation to the title by discovery. Their settlements ranged along the Atlantic coast. But the activity of the French had by 1749, hemmed in the English by a line of military posts extending from the Bay of Fundy, through Quebec, Niagara, Oswego, Buffalo, Presque Isle (Erie, Pennsylvania), the Allegheny and Ohio rivers and the Mississippi river. Such a proximity of world powers eager to secure a virgin continent, made war inevitable. The close of the French and Indian war in 1760, found England victorious and in possession of all the lands east of the Mississippi, excepting the Island of Orleans.
Our search for the descent of title, then, is confined to England and her liberal grants to court favorites, trading companies and colonies.
On the 10th of April, 1606, the first charter of Virginia was granted. There were really two charters, one to the London, or South Virginia company, and one to the Plymouth, or North Virginia company. Their grants extended from 34 degrees north, to 45 degrees south, and were given to secure the dis- coveries of the Cabots. The North Virginia company planted a colony at the Kennebec river in Maine, while Jamestown, on the James river, was founded by the South Virginia company. The London company's grant extended from
-
-- ---
LAKE
ERIC
RIVER
CLEVELAND
/
1792
CANADA
DETROIT
COUNTY
LAKE ERIE
CLEVELAND
HAMILTON
URCE
1
LA
ASHINGTON
LOWER SHAWNEE TOHT
--
DIG MIAN
WASHINGTON
SCIOTO
OHIO
HAMILTON COUNTY 1702.
1792-1796
LAKE
HURON
MICHIGAN
MICHIGAN
LAKE
HURON
MICHIGAN
CANADA
LAKE
CANADA
DETROIT
LAKE ERIE
3NAYM
DETROIT
LAKE ERIE
LEVELAND
---
NTY
1796
T WAT
--
FY RECOVI
LING
ST LAURENT
KNOX COUNTY
ROSS COUNTY
COUNTY
·
CHILLIC
VINCENNES
ADAMS COUNTY
CINCINNATI
LOUISVILLE
Targa
OHIO COUNTIES 1799.
1799-1800
MAPS SHOWING DEVELOPMENT OF COUNTIES OF OIHO
LAKE HURON
MNUMELE
1788
UNT
RIVKA
AMI
MIAM
RIVER
WASHING
· MUSNINGUN
CINCINNATI
THE FIRST COUNTIES IN OHIO.
IETTA
ARIE
LAKE
YN
MIAMI
ObVOINS
COUNTY
CLEVELAND
7. SANOUSK
OFT SANDUSKY
FT WAYNE
INDIAN
INDIANA
KNOX COUNTY
FT. L
URENS
HAMILTON COUNTY
WASHINGTON COUNTY
1796-1799
JEFFERSON COUNTY
STEUBENVILLE
HAMILTON COUNTY
LICOTHING TON
WASHIN
1787-1792
CINCINNATI
OUNTY
COUNTY
கே-4
سوبـ
-
37
HISTORY OF CLEVELAND
Cape Fear to the Potomac, and the Plymouth company's extended from New- foundland to the Hudson.
In May, 1609, a second Virginia grant was made, the London com- pany receiving "All those land, countries and territories lying and being in that part of America called 'Virginia,' from the point of land called 'Cape, or Point Comfort,' all along the sea coast to the south, and two hundred miles, and all that space and circuit of land from the sea coast of the precinct aforesaid, up into the land throughout from sea to sea, west and northwest." This ambiguity prevailed until after the Revolution. A third charter of Virginia was granted March 12, 1611, embracing everything between the thirtieth and forty- first degrees, north latitude.
The New England, or Plymouth company, received a further charter No- vember 3, 1620, embracing the territory between the fortieth and forty-eighth degrees, north latitude.
All of these charters were declared forfeited by quo warranto in 1624-25, and Charles I made Virginia a royal colony by proclamation.
In March 4, 1627, the Plymouth company conveyed Massachusetts to Sir Henry Roswell and others, and two years later Charles I confirmed this grant. In 1630, the council of Plymouth granted Connecticut to the Earl of Warwick. On the 19th of March, 1632, the Earl of Warwick, as president of the Plymouth council, conveyed Connecticut to Viscount Gay and Seal and to Lord Brook, and others, by deed. Upon the surrender of the Connecticut charter, a new one was granted by Charles II, April 23, 1662.
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