A history of Cleveland, Ohio, Volume I, Part 62

Author: Orth, Samuel Peter, 1873-1922; Clarke, S.J., publishing company
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago-Cleveland : The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1262

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2 See for details "The Ashtabula Disaster," Rev. Stephen D. Peet.

CHICAGO ON FIREY

10,000 BUILDINGS BURNED, FIRE STILL RAGING.

MASS ME

WILL BE HELD AT THE

CENTRAL RINK

At 3 O'clock To-Day, TO TAKE ACTION TO AID Chicago's Suffering People

HELP, HELP, HELP

CITIZENS, TURN OUT! F. W. PELTON, Mayor. Monday, October 9th, 1871.

DODGER SCATTERED ABOUT THE CITY, TO CALL MEETING OF CITIZENS

DIVISION VIII. LITERARY.

From original photo in Western Reserve Historical Society The Ark

From an old cut Case hall as first erected. 1867

Photograph courtesy Eckstein Case The Case homestead, moved from site of postoffice in 1856-7 to St. Clair street, near Case (East 40th)

CASE HOMESTEAD, PUBLIC SQUARE, AS IT APPEARED IN 1900.

This house was built in 1837 as a double house for renting purposes. When the old homestead on the postoffice site was sold in 1856, this house was re- modeled into a single house and occupied by the Case family. It became the property of Case School of Applied Science, and in its rooms some of the first classes of the school were heard. In 1908, the city ac- quired the property for the Group Plan.

CHAPTER LIII.

EARLY LITERARY LIFE IN CLEVELAND.

The New England training of the first settlers brought an intellectual con- servatism and desire for solid learning to the forests of the Reserve. - They had hardly cleared the first fields before they petitioned the territorial assembly in 1801 for a charter for a college to be located on the Reserve. This being denied them, they obtained in 1803, permission to establish an academy at Burton. Western Re- serve College was founded at Hudson in 1826, and Oberlin College in 1833. The earnest participation of the pioneers in public discussion and their eagerness for books and papers in the midst of severe privations, marks their character. There was a book shop in Cleveland when there were but a few hundred in- habitants. A library was established in the town when there were scarce a half dozen west of the mountains, and the works of standard authors were sold in the substantial bindings that characterized a day of substantial things. In the homes of Cleveland when pianos were unknown and carpets were almost a luxury, books were necessities.

After visiting the congested book stores and overflowing news stands of today, one wishes himself back in the '30s and '40s lingering over the foreign Reviews or "Graham's Magazine," or even "Godey's Lady's Book," with its stilted essays, fine steel engravings and messotints by Sartain and other masters of the engraver's art; or wishes his news dealt out in simple, guileless paragraphs in the two sheets of the "Herald;" or his budget of political opinions ripened by the "New York Tribune." In 1837 Fosters of New York announced in the Cleveland papers that the foreign quarterlies could be procured at club rates. The "London Quarterly," the "Edinburgh Review," the "Foreign Review," and the "London and Westminster Review," could be had for eight dollars the year, any three of them for seven dollars, any two of them for five dollars, any one for three dollars. The new "Metropolitan Magazine and Review," was an- nounced, edited by the author of "Peter Simple" and "Jacob Faithful." This new magazine cost four dollars a year and "Blackwood's Magazine," five dol- lars. The two were offered for eight dollars. It would be interesting to know how many of the villagers read these substantial journals and availed themselves of these club rates. The "New York Mirror" appeared in 1838, one of the first il- lustrated weeklies "a repository of polite literature and the arts, embellished quar-

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terly with a splendid copper plate engraving and weekly with a popular piece of mu- sic, arranged with an accompaniment for the piano," at four dollars the year. "Harper's New Monthly Magazine" first appeared in 1850. It was well advertised in the local papers and was eagerly awaited by the readers. "Continuous Tales" by Dickens, Bulwer, Lever and Warren were held out as inducements to a waiting pub- lic, and the prints say that twenty thousand copies of the first number were sold in the United States. It was followed by "Knickerbocker's Magazine," a more popu- lar form of reading, with its "editor's table" and good stories. And soon after appeared the "Atlantic Monthly," its contributors forming the honor roll of American literature. Then came the "North American Review" and the "Cen- tury." After the war the flood gates opened; cheap printing presses, cheap methods of making illustrations, made the way easy for cheap magazines and books.

It is a pleasure to turn over the pages of the old newspaper files and read the announcements of the book stores. Their advertisements and book no- tices indicate the substantial taste of the people for foreign books and reveal the unfolding of American letters. Washington Irving, the gentle pioneer of our national literature, was popular here. His "Knickerbockers' History of New York," followed by his charming "Tales of a Traveler" and "Sketch Book" and in 1850 his "Mahomet and His Successors," found a ready sale. Grace Greenwood was a favorite in Cleveland. In 1851 her "History of My Pets" at once became the popular book. It is recorded that Frances Metta Fuller wrote a volume of poems and that in 1851 she came to Cleveland to sell her book. "Frances will call upon some of our citizens tomorrow" says the "Herald," "in the hope that they will only approve and purchase." History is cruel in its silence of her reception and salesmanship. In 1853 first appeared "Dream Life," by Ik Marvel and the sentimental old and young eagerly joined him in his sweet reveries. Emerson's Essays, Bayard Taylor's Travels, the Poems of Longfellow, Bryant and Whittier, what a joy to pick them, fresh culled from the press, and let them unfold their beauties to the ardent mind without the chilling hyper-criticism of a dried and wrinkled pedagogue; to have been raised with our literature, not to have been taught into it.

March 27, 1852, was a memorable date in Cleveland's literary annals, for then appeared the first announcement of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and the sensa- tion it produced among the slavery hating Clevelanders can scarcely be imag- ined. We cry over its pages today, but then there were fugitives passing through the city every week on the "underground" and the daily press, the pulpit and the platform were never silent on slavery's wrongs. The first advertisement in the "Herald" reads as follows: "Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe's great Ameri- can Tale, entitled Uncle Tom's Cabin, or Life Among the Lowly.' This great work which has long been expected is now completed. By all who have read it, it is praised to be the Story of the Age. For power of description and thrilling delineation of character, it is unrivaled and will add fresh laurels to the reputation of the talented authoress.

"It will be published in two volumes, 12mo., 312 pages in each volume, with six elegant designs by Billings, engraved by Baker. In three styles of bindings,

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paper covers for one dollar; cloth one dollar and fifty cents; cloth, folio gild, two dollars, with discount to the trade.

Early orders solicited.

JEWETT, PROCTER & WORTHINGTON,

Publishers, Cleveland, Ohio." .

In 1854 came Thoreau's "Walden," eagerly received by the group of naturalists and nature lovers in Cleveland.

Of the foreign authors, Scott was read eagerly. In 1837 his "complete works" were on the book counters. Mckenzie and Bulwer Lytton shared in the popularity. Dickens was at once a favorite. When his "Holly Tree Inn" was announced in 1855, there was a rush for it. Poets were still given a place in the heart. Cleveland reviews however, did not take kindly Macauley's scin- tillating and virile "History of England." They scout its details and its scant span of years.

This list of new books was advertised in 1837: Scott's complete works, Bryant's poems, Mckenzie's works, Maria Edgeworth's complete works; and in 1838, Bulwer's "Lady of Lyons," Miss Martineau's "Retrospect of Travel," Fielding's "History of Amelia."

The pristine joy of being contemporary with some of the greatest of our writers was shared by the delights of hearing the most eminent lecturers, scholars and travelers. The great lecture, like the great book, has been quite replaced or crowded out by the cheap, ubiquitous press. The lecture course in the '40s, '50s and '60 was one of the most valuable sources of literary culture and general information. Occa- sional lectures were given in the '40s and the Young Men's Literary Association arranged a course in Empire Hall in 1846. In 1847-8 the Association arranged a series, enlisting local talent, among them Dr. Aiken on "Music and Popular Edu- cation," John Barr on "Early History of Cleveland," Bushnell White on "Law and Lawyers," J. D. Cleveland on "Talleyrand." Annual courses were offered from that year forward. In 1852-3, for instance, the Mercantile Library Associa- tion gave a course, and such a course! Horace Mann, John P. Hale, John G. Saxe, Neal Dow, Theodore Parker, E. P. Whipple, Ralph Waldo Emerson. Here was the acme of wisdom, of eloquence, of moral conviction, of poesy, glorified by the personal charm of these great minds, all for a dollar.

The coming of Emerson was the most significant literary event. He was adver- tised to come a number of times but he often failed to appear. He probably forgot his engagement or missed his train! On January 29, 1857, however, he did ap- pear at the Melodeon. A large crowd greeted the Philosopher, the wings, the lob- bies, the stage, the aisles were filled with curious, I fear, rather than eager audi- tors, and many were turned away from the door. The subject was "The Conduct of Life." It is perfectly apparent that the sage talked to the stars, and that the reporter for the "Daily Herald" was on earth. He wrote for his paper: "The lecture was attentively and quietly listened to." The subject, "was treated in the transcendental sweeping, dry and orderless manner which characterizes the emana- tions of his mind. Brilliant thought, caustic wit, correct ideas, some bitter ex- pressions of contempt for the masses and words of advice originating in a dis- ordered taste were mingled together and clothed with a concise and expressive

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language." The good man's contempt for mediocrity evidently struck home, or may be the "Herald" was not sent a complimentary ticket.

In the "Plain Dealer" of January 21, 1859, is a review of Emerson's lecture, given the previous evening on his second visit to Cleveland. While the article is unsigned it bears all the internal evidence of the genius of Artemus Ward, who was then on the editorial staff of that paper. The lecture was on "The Law of Success."

"He is a man of massive intellect, a great and profound thinker-but is never- theless illy adapted to the lecture room, and we were not surprised because his lecture last night was a rather sleepy affair. For our part, not presuming to speak for others, we had quite as lief see a perpendicular coffin behind a lecture desk as Emerson. The one would amuse us as much as the other. Mr. Emerson is not the man to talk to the people of the west about the 'Law of Success.' He is a great scholar-full of book learning-but, like many other great scholars, he is impractical and visionary. Let mankind adopt his ideas (provided always that mankind can understand what his ideas are) and they would live a strange, weird life-the chaotic dream of the lunatic.

"But Eugene Sue wrote of the suffering of the peasantry of France with a gold pen in white kid gloves and on gilt edged paper ; Alexandre Dumas has writ- ten very virtuously with his house full of fast women; Henry Ward Beecher, long since undertook to pluck hard earned laurels from the brow of Dan Rice, the circus clown ; ex-President John Tyler has written execrable verses ; a noisy southern politician threatens to perpetrate a love story; and in short, great men and small ones, the world over, ever since the embarkation of Noah, have tried to do things for which they had no sort of predilection-have wandered from their 'role'-and so let Emerson talk to plain and practical people of the law of success."

With his lecture on "The Third Estate in Literature" on January 14, 1863, Emerson appeared in Brainard Hall to the delight of a very large audience gath- ered in spite of very disagreeable January weather, and in disregard of the acrid limitations of the reporters. His last appearance here was on the 10th of Jan- uary, 1867, when he spoke in Brainard Hall on "The Man of the World." His lec- ture "was made in a style peculiar to that distinguished author and though it was a carefully prepared paper, replete with ideas, pertinent to passing events, it was nevertheless manifest that more spirit in the manner of delivery would have added to the pleasure of the occasion. The audience, like all that heretofore greeted distinguished men while speaking under the auspices of the Library As- sociation, was composed of people from elite circles, and toward the close of the gentlemen's remarks smiled approvingly upon some well turned and quaint say- ings relative to the present state of the country."1 These excerpts reveal the newspapers more than they do the lecturer.

It will of course not be possible to enumerate all the lecturers of those for- tunate days. They include many of the notable literary and public men of that time and multitudes of others. P. T. Barnum lectured in National Hall, July 17, 1853, and hundreds were turned away. He was quite as attractive as his circus. Genial Bayard Taylor appeared almost every year to tell of his travels in distant lands. Charles Sumner, May 3, 1854, pleased an immense audience with his chaste delivery and magnificent style. He spoke on "France and Louis Napoleon."

1 "Daily Herald," January II, 1867.

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In the same year Wendell Phillips, with his superlative gifts aroused his hearers to a fervor. He appeared subsequent to the war, but emancipation robbed him of his greatest inspiration. Horace Greeley with his white overcoat, was always a fa- vorite. In December, 1854, he delivered a wonderful lecture on "Education as it Should Be." The house was packed to the doors and his vehement advocacy of trade education was enthusiastically received. But the crowd evidently forgot about it, for it was over fifty years before Cleveland had the semblance of a voca- tional school. It took that long for the schoolmaster to overtake the master mind. In February, 1867, Greeley delivered his famous lecture on "Abraham Lincoln" in Case Hall. Dr. John G. Holland was another favorite, who came annually. He occasionally read from his works. He appeared in Case Hall in November, 1873, and lectured on "The Elements of Personal Power." This was probably his last appearance in Cleveland.

Among the men in public life who appeared before Cleveland audiences were John P. Hale, presidential candidate in 1852; Thomas Ewing, Ohio's distinguished statesman, in 1855; Josiah Quincy and Salmon P. Chase in 1856; Quincy's lecture on "Joe Smith and the Mormons" aroused peculiar interest because Kirtland, a near neighbor of Cleveland, was the cradle of Mormonism. Sturdy Senator Benton of Missouri in May, 1857, delivered a lecture on "The Union," which created a sensa- tion. A throng had gathered to hear the great fighter and orator, and the air was surcharged with political animosity over the Missouri compromise, and Kansas- Nebraska. This was also the year that Edward Everett charmed his audience with his stately, smooth-rolling periods. He came many times after that day. In Oc- tober, 1857, "Sunset" Cox spoke in Chapin's Hall on "American Honor." Judging from contemporary reports the glow of his convictions was equal to the color of his imagery. George William Curtis appeared a number of times, always delight- ing with his splendid sentences. Schuyler Colfax came in 1866. Brave and gentle General O. O. Howard, who but recently passed away, the last of the Major Gen- erals of the war, made his first appearance in Cleveland as a lecturer in 1866. In 1868 Frederick A. Douglass spoke in Chapin's Hall on "Self-Made Men."

Of literary men the list is long, including the names of many notables. E. P. Whipple came frequently. Quiet and smiling Donald G. Mitchell was a favorite. Poor Theodore Tilton came in the '6os, John G. Saxe, with his wit and his poems was always welcome. Later came Wilkie Collins, who read from the "Dream Woman," January 8, 1874, in Case Hall. Will Carleton, hale and hearty, came frequently in the '70s and '80s. Mark Twain first appeared January 22, 1869, where he lectured in Case Hall on the "American Vandal Abroad." Bret Harte's lecture, "The Argonauts of 1849," delivered February 28, 1873, was long re- membered for its charm. In October, 1873, Harriet Beecher Stowe read from "Uncle Tom's Cabin," and the "Minister's Wooing." Eli Perkins, the same year, spoke on "My Uncle Consider." On January 15, 1884, Matthew Arnold lectured on "Numbers" in Case Hall before a large and eager audience. He was intro- duced by John Hay. February 9th, the same year, he appeared here again, speaking on "Emerson." Judge Albion Tourgee in 1884 spoke on "Cain, Herod and Com- pany," a lecture that made your blood curdle.

In later days the celebrities all stopped here. Bill Nye, James Whitcomb Riley and their friend, quaint Eugene Field, who was also the friend of all men,

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appeared together, as if any one of them were not enough for one evening. Lew Wallace, Israel Zangwill and Ian McLaren, and the lecture of Sir Edwin Arnold in Music Hall in December, 1891, must not be forgotten.

Grace Greenwood came in January, 1859, to the old Melodeon. Her coming created a social stir. It was a drizzling, nasty night, but the crowd filled the hall, aisles and all, and many were turned away. Her subject was cumbersome, "Men and Women Twenty Years Hence, Children Today."

Genial Artemus Ward lectured before his fellow townsmen January 31, 1862, in the Melodeon. His subject was "The Children in the Wood." The price of admission was twenty-five cents, the proceeds going to the Soldiers Aid Society. The doors were opened at six and the place was soon overflowing. The lecture was a satire on shams. The defeat of Bull Run, then in everybody's mind, was due to the politician-soldiers, for just as victory was ours some one brought news of three vacancies in the New York custom house; then all the soldiers rushed for New York, except one, a musician, who "stayed to spike his fife." April 2, 1863, Artemus lectured again in Brainard Hall on "Sixty Minutes in Africa." This was probably his last appearance in Cleveland, for soon afterward he started to California and later went to London where he died.

Among the scientific men who lectured here during these years might be named James G. Dana, the greatest of American geologists, and John S. Newberry, the distinguished paelantologist, in 1856-7. In 1858 "the elder" Youmans, founder of the "Popular Science Monthly" and ardent defender of Darwin, Professor Liebig, the renowned German chemist in 1859; Alexander Agassiz, greatest of naturalists, distinguished for his learning and piety, gave two lectures on the "Glacial Period," January 20 and 21, 1864; Alexander Winchell, the geologist with the diction and imagination of a poet, lectured in the Tabernacle, February 5 and 6, 1878, on "Cosmic Dust" and "The Lifetime of a World."

Of travelers, Cleveland heard Bayard Taylor often, and "Sunset" Cox. On December 7, 1874, Dr. Isaac Hayes, the arctic explorer, lectured here. Henry M. Stanley came first, February 17, 1873, to Case Hall, where he told "How I Found Dr. Livingstone." He was introduced by Judge Tilden. The price of tickets was modest, fifty and seventy-five cents. November 26, 1896, he appeared again in Music Hall and for a third time, the following February. November 29, 1897, the daring Nansen spoke in Music Hall. He was introduced by President Cady Staley of Case school.

Of reformers and clergymen mention can be made of only a few. John B. Gough always drew big houses. He came yearly in the '6os and '70s. His lec- ture on "Orators and Eloquence" was the favorite. Francis Murphy came in the '70s, Joseph Cook appeared here annually during the days of his ascendency. His semi-scientific attempts at "harmonizing science and revelation" were very popular. In bold contrast was the quiet thoroughness of Cannon Farrar, who spoke in 1878, and David Swing, who reminded his hearers of a reanimated Emerson.

But of all the annual visitors who delighted and instructed the Cleveland public, none was more welcome nor more versatile than Henry Ward Beecher. From his first coming in the '50s to his last days, he was in our city almost yearly, often two or three times a year. The records are always the same;

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"great throng," "hundreds turned away," "aisles and platform filled." Octo- ber 20, 1857, for instance, he appeared at the Melodeon, drew a throng, and spoke on "The Beautiful." The following night he spoke in the same hall on "The Christian Commonwealth," the doors opened at six and in an hour the seats were all taken. During the war he was hailed with the enthusiasm that becomes the reception of a hero. There seemed no end to the variety of his subjects, and he often spoke an hour and a half or two hours, on "Manhood and Money" in 1873, "Hard Times" in 1877, the "Ministry of Wealth," the same year, "Wastes and Burdens of Society" in 1878; "The Reign of the Com- mon People," the same year; "Amusements," 1879; "The New Profession," 1881; "Evolution and Revolution," 1882. Many will recall this last as one of the most effective of his lectures.

In later years Colonel "Bob" Ingersoll spoke here frequently; Thomas Nast, the greatest of our cartoonists, appeared in Case Hall, February II, 1874, soon after his remarkable achievements in New York for the Harpers, in the Tweed Ring campaign. He came several times in later years. Charlotte Cushman came in the same year, giving an evening of delightful readings from Shakes- peare in Case Hall.

Charles Dickens visited Cleveland casually in April, 1842. In his "Ameri- can Notes," page 73, first American edition, is a letter dated Niagara Falls, May I, 1842, giving an account of his visit. He was going from Sandusky to Buffalo.

"After calling at one or two flat places, with low dams stretching out into the lake, whereon were stumpy lighthouses, like windmills without sails, the whole looking like a Dutch vignette, we came at midnight to Cleveland, where we lay all night, and until 9 o'clock next morning.

"I entertained quite a curiosity in reference to this place, from having seen at Sandusky a specimen of its literature in the shape of a newspaper, which was very strong indeed upon the subject of Lord Ashburton's recent arrival at Washington, to adjust the points in dispute between the United States government and Great Britain; informing its readers that as America had 'whipped' England in her infancy, and 'whipped' her again in her youth, so it was clearly necessary that she must 'whip' her once again in her maturity; and pledging its credit to all true Americans, that if Mr. Webster did his duty in the approaching negotiations, and sent the English lord home again in double quick time, they should, within two years 'sing Yankee Doodle in Hyde park, and Hail Columbia in the scarlet courts of Westminster!' I found a pretty town, and had the satisfaction of beholding the outside of the office of the journal from which I quoted. I did not enjoy the delight of seeing the wit who indited the paragraphs in question, but I have no doubt he is a prodigious man in his way, and held in high repute by a select circle."

The allusion to the arrival of Lord Ashburton and the jingo sentiment of the Cleveland paper is interesting. Fortunately the Webster-Ashburton treaty consummated the following August, made war impossible.

The literary society and debating society formed a potent part in the literary life of the young people in the earlier days. The first of these societies to be incorporated was the Newburg Literary Society, receiving its charter from the

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legislature December 14, 1827. The trustees were: Lewis Peet, Theodore Miles and Allen Gaylord. In 1821 a debating society called the "Forum" met for discussion. Their notices appeared in the newspapers and the subjects they debated confirmed Solomon, "There is nothing new under the sun." In January, 1822, for instance, they discussed "Was Washington or Bonaparte the greater Military Commander" and a week later "Ought Females of Full Age to have an Equal Share with Males in the Government of the Nation."

"The Cleveland Lyceum" was incorporated February 13, 1833. The incor- poraters were Sherlock J. Andrews, John W. Allen, Orville B. Skinner, James S. Clarke, Irad Kelley, John Barr, Leonard Case, Edward Baldwin, Richard Hussey, James L. Conger and Thomas M. Kelley. These are the names of some of the leading citizens of the town. In 1837 the Lyceum had one hundred and ten members. John Barr was its president; J. A. Briggs, its treasurer; D. W. Cross, secretary ; and Charles Whittlesey, corresponding secretary. It estab- lished a lecture course, held debates and for a time maintained a reading room. The notices of some of its debates have come to us. On February 15, 1837, at an open meeting the debate was on this subject "Are Fictitious Writings Productive of More Good than Evil." The panic of the same year suggested the following "Ought the Laws Restraining Individuals and Incorporated Companies from Banking to be Repealed?" and a third subject, debated the same year, "Does the Interest and Safety of our Government Require any Alteration in the Naturalization Laws?"

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A history of Cleveland, Ohio, Volume I, Part 62

Author: Orth, Samuel Peter, 1873-1922; Clarke, S.J., publishing company Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Chicago-Cleveland : The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1262

Author: Orth, Samuel Peter, 1873-1922; Clarke, S.J., publishing company
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago-Cleveland : The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1262