A history of Cleveland, Ohio, Volume I, Part 91

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

USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > A history of Cleveland, Ohio, Volume I > Part 91

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IDLE WILD

IDLEWILD

Type of smaller iron passenger boat, built 1879 at Wyandotte

The lighthouse as rebuilt in 1872. The first building was much smaller.

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HISTORY OF CLEVELAND

wheelers and with Dunkirk as a terminus, ran lines to Cleveland, Toledo and Detroit. In 1869, merging with various small lines of steamers, the Union Steam- boat Company was organized as an adjunct to the Erie railway. In 1872 the com- pany purchased stock in the Union Dry Dock Company and its ships were from that date built by the Dry Dock Company. In 1896 the steamboat company was virtually merged with the Erie railway.

The Western Transit Company began in 1855 as the Western Transportation Company with many vessels on the lakes and two hundred canalboats on the Erie canal. Its boats ran to every principal point on the lakes.

The Anchor Line, or the Erie & Western Transportation Company, as it is legally known, is the Pennsylvania Railway line, and does both a passenger and freight business. The company was organized in 1865. Its passenger boats, the "India," "China" and "Japan," stop at Cleveland.

The Northern Steamship Company was incorporated in 1888 under the tu- telage of James J. Hill of St. Paul. It at once commenced a large freight and passenger business. It built a fine dock in Cleveland, where its two splendid pas- senger steamers, the "North West" and the "North Land," stop. These boats are sister ships, each three hundred and eighty-three feet long over all, forty-four feet, five inches deep, gross tonnage four thousand, two hundred and forty-four, quadruple expansion steam engines, the first of their kind on large ships, with seven thousand indicated horse power.

The Gilchrist Transportation Company was organized in Cleveland in 1902 by the consolidation of all, the vessel interests controlled by J. C. Gilchrist. It was engaged in the general transportation business on the Great Lakes and had more than eighty boats of all varieties, the second largest fleet on the lakes. J. C. Gil- christ was president and manager. It is now composed of thirty-four steel ships and thirty wooden vessels.

In 1901 the Pittsburg Steamship Company was organized by a combination of numerous fleets including the tonnage of many iron ore mining companies, among them the Carnegie fleet, the Pickands & Mather fleet, the Rockefeller fleet, the Lake Superior Iron Company, the M. A. Hanna fleet, the Menominee Com- pany, the Mutual, and the Minnesota fleets and the Whaleback fleet. They have added many vessels since their organization. This fleet forms the marine branch of the United States Steel Corporation. Harry S. Coulby, prominent among marine circles, is president and general manager of this vast fleet.

Other important fleets are those of the Pickands & Mather Company, the Cleve- land Cliffs Iron Company, the Cleveland Steamship Company, the C. H. Hutchin- son Company's fleet, W. R. Richardson & Company, the Hawgood Brothers' fleet. The Wilson Transit Company, which once owned fourteen vessels, has sold the outclassed types, and now owns seven of the largest vessels. It was founded by Captain Thomas Wilson.

Among the prominent vessel men, known in all the ports of the Great Lakes, will be remembered Captain John W. Moore, Captain Thomas Wilson, Captain William S. Mack, Captain Phillip Minch, Captain Henry Johnson. Also the vessel broker, W. J. Webb, who had offices in Cleveland for many years, and Captain C. E. Benham, marine surveyor.

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HISTORY OF CLEVELAND

There are many other freight transportation lines with offices in Cleveland. Last year there were ninety-eight of them but few of them have docks of their own here. Many railways touching the lakes also operate boat lines.

Of the passenger lines, the oldest now in operation is the Detroit & Cleveland Steam Navigation Company. It was begun in 1850, when Captain Arthur Ed- wards of Detroit ran the "Southerner" and the "Baltimore" between Cleveland and Detroit. In 1852 the steamer "Forest City" was operated between the two cities. In 1868 the company was incorporated under the laws of Michigan, with three hundred thousand dollars capital. John Owen was the first president. In 1882 the Lake Huron Division was added with "The City of Alpena" and the "City of Mackinaw" running to St. Ignace and Mackinaw island. The steamers in the company's service follow: 1850-1852 "Southerner," five hundred tons, built at Trenton, 1847 and wrecked on Lake Erie in 1863, and the "Baltimore," five hundred tons, built at Monroe, Michigan, 1847 and wrecked at Sheboygan, 1855. In 1852 the steamer "Forest City," the "St. Louis" and the "Sam Ward" were operated. The "Forest City," four hundred and seventy-nine tons, was built at Trenton in 1851. In 1852 her boilers exploded and three lives were lost. She was later called the "Bay City" and wrecked in 1862 at Clay Banks. The "St. Louis," six hundred and eighteen tons, built at Perrysburg, 1844, was wrecked in 1852, near Kelley's island. The "Sam Ward," four hundred and fifty tons, was built at Newport, 1847, and was made a barge afterward. In 1853 the "May Queen" and the "Cleveland" were the fleet and did service for several years. The "May Queen," six hundred and eighty-eight tons, was built in 1853 for this route. She was burned at Milwaukee, 1866. The "Cleveland," five hun- dred and seventy-four tons, was built also for this service at Newport, in 1852, and wrecked in Lake Superior in 1864, at Two Hearts river. In 1856 the "Ocean," nine hundred tons, was put on and ran for a year and a half. The steamer "City of Cleveland," seven hundred and eighty-eight tons, was next placed on the route. In 1867 she was transferred into a barge, and the following year was lost in Lake Erie. In 1856 it was attempted to run boats morning and evening but this did not pay. In 1856 the "Ocean" was put back on the route, and in 1862 was replaced by the "Morning Star." Until 1867 the "City of Cleve- land" and the "Morning Star" formed the fleet. The latter boat was built in Trenton in 1862, was one thousand, one hundred and forty-one tons and one of the finest boats of her day. She was sunk in a collision with the bark Cortland, in 1868, on Lake Erie, and thirty-two lives were lost. In 1867 the "R. N. Rice" replaced the "City of Cleveland." The "Rice," one thousand, and thirty tons, was built at Detroit in 1866, was partially burned in Saginaw in 1877, and was lost in Lake Michigan in 1888. In 1868 the "Northwest" took the place of the "Morn- ing Star." The new boat, one thousand, one hundred tons, was built the previous year in Manitowoc, was rebuilt in 1876 and named the "Grey Hound." In 1878 the "City of Detroit" replaced the "R. N. Rice." The new boat was the finest of its day, built at Detroit, one thousand and ninety-five gross tons, and cost one hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars. She was later called the "City of the Straits," and did service on the Put-in-Bay and Toledo route. In 1880 the "City of Cleveland," the second, was built in Detroit, a twin in-size and pattern of the "City of Detroit." The "City of Detroit" was put on the Mackinac route and

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in 1883 the new "City of Mackinac," eight hundred and seven tons, built at Wyandotte, was also put on the Mackinac route. In 1886 the "City of Cleve- land," the third, was built at Wyandotte, at a cost of three hundred thousand dollars, one thousand, nine hundred and twenty-four gross tons, was put on the main route, and the "City of Cleveland," the second, was renamed the "City of Alpena" and put on the Mackinac division, where with the "City of Mackinac" she did service until the close of the season of 1893, when these two boats were sold to the Buffalo Line and were replaced by two splendid new steel steamers of the same name.

From 1885 to 1889 the "City of Detroit," first, and the "City of Cleveland," third, were on the Cleveland division. In 1889 a new ship, the "City of Detroit," second, was built at Wyandotte, at a cost of three hundred and fifty thousand dollars; tonnage, one thousand, nine hundred and nineteen. The old "City of Detroit" was shifted to Lake Michigan to run between Chicago and St. Joseph but the route was not profitable and her name was changed in 1893 to the "City of the Straits" and put on the Cleveland and Put-in-Bay route, where the fol- lowing year she was joined by the "State of New York."

In 1907 the "City of Cleveland," fourth, was ready for her equipment at the yards in Wyandotte, when she was destroyed by fire. Immediately she was re- built and in 1908 was put in commission. This fine boat cost five hundred thousand dollars; tonnage four thousand, five hundred and sixty-eight. She is a magnifi- cent ship, her splendid equipment bespeaking the great progress that our lake traffic has made in these last decades. The "City of Cleveland," third, was named the "City of St. Ignace" and put on the Huron division.

The Cleveland and Buffalo Transit Company was organized in 1892 by Cleve- land men: M. A. Bradley, president ; George W. Gardner, Harvey D. Goulder, J. K. Boles, S. Shurmer and R. C. Moody, directors; T. F. Newman, general manager. The company purchased from the Detroit & Cleveland Company, the "City of Mackinac," changing her name to the "State of New York" and the "City of Alpena" changed her name to the "State of Ohio." These boats were from the start too small for the traffic, and in 1896 the new "City of Buffalo" was put in commission. This fine new boat was built by the Detroit Dry Dock Company ; gross tonnage two thousand, three hundred and ninety-eight ; capacity three thousand passengers, and eight hundred tons of freight. In 1898 her sister ship the "City of Erie," was placed in commission. The old steamers were put on the Toledo route.

By means of these two companies Cleveland has splendid passenger service between Buffalo, Erie, Put-in-Bay, Toledo, Detroit and Mackinac. The Northern Transportation Company provides for service with Duluth and Chicago, while a number of lesser boats provide transportation to Georgian Bay, Port Stanley and other minor ports.

In 1895 a number of the freight lines allied with the various railroads formed an association under the supervision of a commission. Cleveland has a branch office of this association.

The Great Lakes Towing Company, commonly known as the "Tug Trust." operating in all of the Great Lakes, was organized in Cleveland. It developed from the Vessel Owners Towing Company and the Cleveland Tug Company.

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HISTORY OF CLEVELAND

The headquarters of the company are in Cleveland. The presidents have been, T. F. Newman, Cyrus Sinclair, and Edward Smith.

In 1880 the Cleveland Vessel Owners Association was formed. Captain Alva Bradley was its first president, succeeded at his death by H. M. Hanna. The Cleveland association had a stimulating effect on vessel owners of other cities and several attempts at a general organization were made but none succeeded until in 1892 when The Lake Carriers Association was organized, with M. A. Bradley president ; Charles H. Keep, secretary ; Captain George P. McKay, treasurer; and Harvey Goulder, counsel. This association has been potent in bringing many needed laws and reforms to the lake traffic, and keeps a vigilant eye on every phase of this extensive commerce. Prior to this formal_organization, con- ventions had been held from time to time to formulate concerted action. Such an important convention was held in Cleveland, September 24, 1872, to discuss the action of government inspection in forcing certain patents on vessel owners.

III. TRAFFIC.

The iron ore traffic is of course paramount, and several large transportation companies and myriads of independent boats are engaged in its transportation. The Cleveland Iron Mining Company, to which reference was made in a previous chapter, was the pioneer in this industry and through its enterprise and that of its successors Cleveland has become the largest iron ore port in the world. This company in 1856 shipped the first cargo of Superior iron on the steamer "Ontona- gon." It was a small cargo of only two hundred and sixty-nine tons and arrived at Cleveland June 24th. The company shipped six thousand, three hundred and forty-three tons the first year. In 1869 the company bought a half interest in the bark "George Sherman," five hundred and fifty tons. H. J. Webb, Cleve- land's pioneer vessel broker, owned the rest of the shares. Several stockholders of the company in the early '70s organized the Cleveland Transportation Com- pany: Samuel L. Mather, president; John Outhwaite, vice president; F. A. Morse, secretary. In 1889 they built a number of steel propellers, among the first to carry iron ore. In 1890 the Cleveland Iron Mining Company and the Iron Cliffs Company, owning adjoining acreage in Marquette county, Michigan, were united under the name the Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company. On the death of Samuel L. Mather in 1890, W. G. Mather became president; J. H. Wade, vice president ; and J. H. Sheadle, secretary.

The Cleveland-Cliffs Company has built a large fleet of vessels. They are one of the largest independent producers of iron ore operating in the Superior region.

Hanna-Garretson and Company, composed of Dr. Leonard Hanna, Hiram Garretson and Robert Hanna, began the wholesale grocery business in 1851, but in 1857 became interested in Lake Superior copper and iron and built several vessels for the lake trade. In 1874 Marcus A. Hanna and H. M. Hanna organized a transportation company to operate with the Cleveland Iron Mining Company. Their boats were known as the "black line." In 1889 the company went out of business, and later the firm of M. A. Hanna & Company was organized, doing a vast business in ore and coal mining and transporting.

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THE RIVER ABOUT 1887 Showing types of schooners and propellors

THE GLOBE SHIPYARDS ABOUT 1885 Showing wooden propellors under construction

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HISTORY OF CLEVELAND

The United States Steel Corporation in 1900 purchased a vast acreage of ore land and a large fleet of boats, and at once assumed a commanding place in the business.

Pickands, Mather & Company early became interested in the mining and trans- portation of iron. They own a large fleet.

The rapid increase in iron ore traffic brought with it the development of the modern ore dock, with its great unloading machines, with a capacity of six thou- sand tons a day. This machinery is made in Cleveland, the Brown Hoisting Machinery Company being the pioneers in this line of work.

The coal traffic is scarcely second in importance. In 1847 Cleveland exported eight thousand, two hundred and forty-two tons of coal; in 1848, eleven thou- sand, four hundred and sixty-one tons; in 1851, eighty-one thousand, five hun- dred tons.

Of the grain traffic Cleveland has had but little in late years. The canal brought thousands of bushels in the earlier days but the railroads shifted this trade to Buffalo, the eastern terminus of the water route. The lumber trade has always been brisk. Cleveland is a distributing center for lumber for the northern part of the state. Of late years the depletion of the northern supply has dimin- ished the amount brought by boat and correspondingly increased the amount brought by rail from the southern forests.

IV. SHIPBUILDING.

In the development of this vast industry, Cleveland has long assumed the lead. Shipbuilding on the lakes received its first impetus from the War of 1812, when ship carpenters were brought to Lakes Ontario and Erie to build the stanch fleets that added so much to the glory of American valor. The rapid expansion of population and trade in the years when these waters were the great highway, brought the necessary commercial stimulus to the industry and by 1816 small shipyards were found in all the leading ports. Vermilion, Sandusky and espe- cially Huron, were strong rivals of Cleveland in boatbuilding. Reference has already been made to the first boats built here. These early boats were built by their owners. There were no regularly established shipyards until later.

In 1835 Seth W. Johnson established a yard where he built the steamer "Rob- ert Fulton," three hundred and sixty-eight tons in 1835. This steamer was wrecked at Sturgeon Point in 1844. In 1837 he built the "Constellation," four hundred and eighty-three tons. In 1844 he formed a partnership with Mr. Tis- dale under the name of Johnson & Tisdale. In 1863 the firm was dissolved. In 1844 they built a ship railway and later a floating dock, the old substitutes for a dry dock.

E. M. Peck opened a yard and built his first ship, the schooner "Jenny Lind." In 1855 he formed a partnership with I. U. Masters under the firm name of Peck & Masters, which existed until 1864, when the firm was dissolved. Over fifty ves- sels had been built in their yards. Mr. Peck continued the business alone, build- ing for the government the revenue cutter "John Sherman" in 1865 and the "A. P. Fessenden." Two government boats, the "Commodore Perry" and the "Fessen- den," had an exciting race from Cleveland to Detroit in 1866. The "Fessenden"

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HISTORY OF CLEVELAND

won by forty-five minutes. He built also a number of the largest ships on the lakes.

In 1847 Stevens & Presley built a floating dock and in 1870 a dry dock. This dock was two hundred and fifty feet long, with ten and one half feet of water on the sill. In 1876 it was lengthened to two hundred and ninety feet. Later the Cleveland Dry Dock Company acquired it.

In 1868 Captain Alva Bradley brought his noted shipyards from Vermilion to Cleveland. Here were built many fine boats before Captain Bradley retired from business. In 1827 Thomas Quayle came to Cleveland from the Isle of Man. He became apprenticed as a shipbuilder, and in 1847 formed a partnership with James Cody, within three years Luther Moses became a partner. The firm was prosperous, often having seven vessels on the stock at once. John Mar- tin succeeded to the partnership and as Quayle & Martin, the firm became well known, building from twelve to thirteen vessels a year. When Mr. Martin died in 1874, George Land and Thomas E. Quayle were made partners under the name of Thomas Quayle & Son. They built some of the largest wooden ships on the lakes, being pioneers in the development of the large wooden propellers. Among the first of these were the "E. B. Hale," one thousand, one hundred and eighty- six tons, in 1874, foundered on Saginaw bay in 1897, and the "Sparta," one thousand and seventeen tons, in 1874; and the "Commodore," two thousand and eighty-two tons, in 1875, at that time the largest ship on the lakes. In 1882 up- on the retirement of Thomas Quayle, his third son, William E., entered the firm, which continued as Thomas Quayle's Sons. The firm discontinued when wooden vessels were supplanted by the steel vessels .*

Captain Alva Bradley, one of the pioneer navigators of the lakes, retired from the command of ships to build boats at Vermilion in 1852. In 1859 he came to Cleveland and in 1868 he transferred his shipyards to this city, where he built some eighteen vessels before he retired from active business.

In 1869 Robert Wallace, John F. Pankhurst, John B. Cowle and Henry D. Coffinbery, secured an interest in a small machine shop and foundry of San- derson & Company on Center street. This establishment rapidly grew in im- portance and became the Globe Iron Works, and when Stevens & Presley, who were operating the Marine Railway in the old river bed were in need of financial assistance, in the building of a dry dock, the Globe Iron Works purchased an interest, and the Cleveland Dry Dock Company was organized. Gradually the Globe Iron Works was drawn into the building of ships at its old plant. Soon this was outgrown and a new shipyard that has attained mammoth size, was built at the head of the old river bed. The demand for iron ships became so great that the new yards were at once fitted up for the building of the steel ships, and in 1880 the Globe Shipbuilding Company was organized by the orig- inal partners, Messrs. Wallace, Pankhurst, Coffinberry and Cowle, and John

* The "Herald," Sept., 1865, says: "Cleveland now stands confessedly at the head of all places on the chain of lakes as a shipbuilding port. Her proximity to the forests of Michigan and Canada affords opportunity for the selection of the choicest timber, while the superior material and construction of the iron manufacturers of the city give an ad- vantage. Cleveland has the monopoly of propeller building. Its steam tugs are the finest on the lakes, whilst Cleveland built sailing vessels not only outnumber all other vessels on the chain of lakes but are found on the Atlantic coast, in English waters, upon the Mediterranean and in the Baltic."

STOCKLYS PIER.

From the original in Western Reserve Historical Society

The harbor in 1849 from the west side of the river. Shows the government pier, the side wheeler "Empire State," and gives a good view of the light-house, and "the Point" which was the popular place for gathering to greet incoming boats. From this point, salutes were fired and signals given. The winding roadway leading to the top of light-house hill is Light-house street.

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Smith, the general superintendent. A company was also organized for build- ing and owning the first ship to be constructed in the yards, the first iron ship built in Cleveland and one of the wonders of the lakes, the famous "Onoko," which became the prototype of the modern huge freighter. Besides the Globe Shipbuilding Company, the following were interested in the corporation that owned the fortunate "Onoko:" Phillip Minch, J. W. Nicholas, John N. Glid- den, George W. Jones and Captain William Pringle.

In 1886 the Globe Iron works was reorganized as the Globe Iron Works Company and absorbed the Globe Shipbuilding Company. In 1890 several of the original holders disposed of their holdings and H. M. Hanna became pres- ident, John F. Pankhurst, vice president and Luther Allen, secretary-treasurer.

The Globe Iron Works was the first shipyard in Cleveland to undertake to build a vessel complete for service, and the old custom of dividing the work among several contractors, one for hull, another for engine, etc., was largely supplanted by this method. The steamers "Republic," the "Colonial," one thousand, five hundred and one tons, and the "Continental," one thousand, five hundred and six tons, and their consorts, built in 1882 for the Republic Iron Company, were the first to be thus delivered. The Globe yards have not only launched scores of great freighters, but they built the passenger steamer "Virginia," one thousand, six hundred and six tons for the Goodrich Transportation Company of Chicago, and the magnificent twin ships, the "Northland" and the "Northwest," for the Northern Steamship Company, to ply between Buffalo and Duluth. They have also built several lighthouse tenders, one for Portland, Maine, one for Portland, Oregon, and the revenue cutter, "Walter Q. Gresham."

In 1888 the Ship Owners Dry Dock Company was organized by the efforts of William H. Radcliffe, who for some years had operated a shipyard on the old river bed, and who became manager of the new dry docks. The officers of the company were Captain Thomas Wilson, president; M. A. Bradley, vice president ; H. D. Goulder, treasurer; Gustave Cold, secretary. Later George L. Quayle succeeded Mr. Radcliffe as manager. Its first dock was completed in May, 1889, and enlarged in 1895. A second dock was commenced in 1890. In 1897 the Globe Iron Works Company purchased the plant and by them it was united under the management of the Cleveland Dry Dock Company, owned by the Globe corporation.

In 1886 Robert Wallace and Henry D. Coffinberry, together with William Chisholm, J. H. Wade, Valentine Fries, Captain Phillip Minch, Robert R. Rhodes, William M. Fitch, Quincy Miller, Omar N. Steele and Thomas W. Bristow, organized the Cleveland Shipbuilding Company. They secured the site of the old Cuyahoga Steam Furnace Company on the Cuyahoga river. In 1897 a plant was built in Lorain, where the largest dry docks on the lakes were con- structed in 1897-98. On the retirement of Mr. Coffinberry in 1893, Robert Wal- lace, Jr., was elected president and James C. Wallace, vice president.

The American Shipbuilding Company, incorporated March 16, 1899, pur- chased the plants of the Cleveland Shipbuilding Company, the Globe Iron Works and the Ship Owners Dry Docks Company, of Cleveland and shipyards at Buffalo, Detroit, Milwaukee, West Superior, West Bay City, and Chicago and Milwaukee.

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The headquarters of the corporation are in Cleveland. J. C. Wallace is president, R. C. Wetmore, vice president, Robert Wallace, Jr., general manager.

V. EARLY DOCKS AND WHARVES.

The first docks in Cleveland were built along the river near the first rude warehouses. Pettit & Holland had a warehouse in 1810, about which date Carter built his warehouse between Meadow and Spring streets, where it was easily accessible to the flatboats that lightered the craft in the harbor. After the war of 1812 which brought considerable traffic to the village, the lake undermined Carter's warehouse. In 1811 Elias and Harvey Murray built a warehouse on the lower river. Another small log storage house was built near Superior street on the river. Leonard Case and Captain Wil- liam Gaylord in 1816 built the first frame warehouse on the river, a little north of St. Clair street. This was followed in a year or two by one nearer the lake, built by Levi Johnson and Dr. David Long. John Blair built a third still farther north. "From Blair's warehouse down the river, to the point of ground on which Murray's built, was then an impassible marsh." * It was later lined with docks. The first attempt at building a wharf into the lake was made in 1816, when the "Cleveland Pier Company" was chartered by the legislature. The agreement reads :

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A history of Cleveland, Ohio, Volume I, Part 91

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