USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > A history of the city of Cleveland: its settlement, rise and progress, 1796-1896 > Part 30
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355
THE HISTORY OF CLEVELAND.
Stillman; Sexton, James A. Craw; Superintendent of Mar- kets, W. A. Morton ; Scaler of Weights and Measures, David Shut; Weigher, A. Wheeler; Civil Engineer, J. W. Pills- bury; Constables, W. R. Simmons, John Odell, Barney Mooney, James Hill; Trustees, George F. Marshall, James B. Wigham, W. H. Sholl, James Gardner, Robert Reil- ley, W. J. Gordon, Henry Everett, Richard C. Parsons; Assessors, James Whitaker, William Redhead, David Schub, James Proudfoot. On the question of issuing water works bonds, the vote stood as follows:
For. Against.
First Ward .
365
55
Second Ward
285
218
Third Ward
423
61
Fourth Ward .
157
265
1,230
599
The City Council was busy, for some months, in pass- ing ordinances defining the duties of the new officers, and especially those of the newly-created municipal boards. The four hundred thousand dollars of bonds were delivered to the water works trustees, who were di- rected to go ahead and erect the works as soon as possible.
The first session of Cleveland's Police Court was held on April 17, 1853, in a small back room in the Gaylord Block, on Superior street, between Seneca street and the Public Square. Judge Barr did not occupy the bench, as none had been provided, but took his seat behind a low desk, while Mr. Hodge, the clerk, occupied a similar desk at his right. The first entry upon the record book is as follows: "The State of Ohio, City of Cleveland, S. A .; the Police Court of the City of Cleveland commenced and held in said city, on the 17th day of April, Anno Domini 1853, agreeable to the laws of the State of Ohio. Present his honor, John Barr, judge of the Police Court, C. C .; B. White, Esq., prosecuting attorney of said city; M. Gal- lagher, marshal of said city. Attest, O. J. Hodge, clerk Police Court C. C." The first case upon the docket was for " getting up a false alarm of fire," while some of the
356
THE HISTORY OF CLEVELAND.
earlier charges were "immoderate driving in the street," "selling unwholesome meat," "forestalling market," "soliciting guests drunk " and a " breach of the peace by disturbing a ball at Kelley's hall." A new police station house was erected within a reasonably short time, on Johnson street, near Water street, and the Police Court occupied its second story.
The Probate Court of Cuyahoga County came, also, into existence under the new judicial system created by the new State constitution. Pre- vious to that time, the probate of wills and settlement of es- tates had been in the hands of the Common Pleas Court. A remarkable fact may be noted in connection with the office of probate judge-that, in all the years since the or- ganization of this court, it has had but three incum- bents. Flavel W. Bingham was elected in 1852, Daniel MAYOR STEPHEN BUHRER. R. Tilden 9% in 1855, and Henry C. White, the present able incumbent, in 1887.
The reference made heretofore to Dr. H. A. Ackley's determined and unselfish efforts to secure from the broken Canal Bank the money belonging to the insane of the State, suggests the existence of an institution which in
97 "The long official life of Judge Tilden, is the most remarkable on record, either in this or any other State. He was, probably, fifty years old when he came to Cleveland. He had been a prominent lawyer in Portage County; had held official position there, and had served in Congress, as far back as when Abraham Lincoln was a member. On coming to Cuyahoga County, he became a partner with Robert F. Paine, for a few years and until his election, in the fall of 1854, to the position which to him proved substantially a life office, at least reaching far beyond that period of life when judges in many States are necessitated to retire, by constitutional limitation."-" Bench and Bar of Cleveland," p. 35. Judge Tilden passed from life in 1890. He was born in Connecticut in 1806, and first came to the Western Reserve in 1828.
357
THE HISTORY OF CLEVELAND.
those days was in its infancy. On the 30th of April, 1852, the State Legislature passed a law providing for the erection of two additional asylums for the insane, the State then possessing but one, which was at Columbus. An appropriation was made for that purpose, and Prof. H. A. Ackley, E. B. Fee, Daniel B. Woods, Charles Cist, and Edwin Smith were appointed a board of trustees. At a meeting on July 9, 1852, it was decided that one of these institutions should be located in Newburg. An adequate building was erected, and opened for the recep- tion of patients on March 5, 1855. Additions were made in 1860, and again in 1870. By a fire which occurred on September 25, 1872, the greater part of this structure was destroyed, with the records and statistics, and some loss of life. The asylum was rebuilt, as soon as possible, a much finer and larger structure taking the place of the old one. The institution has borne several names, the changes being as follows: Northern Ohio Lunatic Asy- lum, Northern Ohio Hospital for the Insane, Cleveland Hospital for the Insane, and Cleveland Asylum for the Insane. Charity Hospital also saw its beginning in 1852, under the direction of Bishop Rappe, its building on Perry street being begun in 1863. St. Vincent's Orphan Asylum also was projected in 1852, by Bishop Rappe, and it was in this same year of benevolent work that the foundations of the Cleveland Protestant Orphan Asylum were laid. It was organized on January 22nd, at a meet- ing held for that purpose in the Stone Church. In April of the same year, the institution was opened in a leased house, on the corner of Erie and Ohio streets. In 1855, the asylum was moved to its newly-erected build- ing on Willson and Woodland avenues, where it re- mained for over twenty years, and then took possession of its present large and adequate structure on St. Clair street. The measure of its good work can only be found in an enumeration of the thousands of homeless little ones which it has gathered into its protecting fold. An- other of Cleveland's active benevolent institutions also
358
THE HISTORY OF CLEVELAND.
found its origin in 1853, when the Rev. D. Prosser, and others of a like missionary spirit, opened the so-called Ragged School, out of which, in after years, grew the In- dustrial School and Children's Aid Society and Home.
In 1853, the vessel building interests of Cleveland took a new start, and made a rapid progress. By 1856, a total of thirty-seven new craft was reported, having a tonnage of nearly sixteen thousand. The industry has not only held its own from that day to this, but has grown into a prominent place in the commercial development of the city. Between 1849 and 1869, nearly five hundred vessels of all kinds for lake navigation were built in the district of Cuyahoga, nearly all of which were the production of Cleveland's yards. The rapid growth of the lake busi- ness of Cleveland is shown by the records of the Board of Trade, which as early as 1884 gave a total tonnage regis- ter of 84,295.
The Western Reserve has been often described as a section of New England set down in Ohio. The ties that bound these western colonies to the parent State in the east were always strong, and even closer ones were woven near the middle of the century, by an increased immigration to Cleveland, from the New England States. It was decided, about this time, to form a permanent association among the New Englanders of the city. Steps toward carrying the idea into effect were taken on December 22, 1853. A meeting was held in the Second Presbyterian Church, where an eloquent address was delivered by Hon. Erastus Hopkins, of Massachusetts. The main portion of the audience then adjourned to the Weddell House, where a banquet was served, after which speeches were made by Mayor Brownell, R. P. Spalding, Hiram Griswold, John A. Foot, Gen. John Crowell, Richard C. Parsons, Rev. F. T. Brown, and others.
Immediate action was not taken, but early in Decem- ber, 1855, the New England Society of Cleveland was or- ganized, with the following officers: President, Benjamin Rouse; Vice-Presidents, George Mygatt and Orlando Cut-
NORVAL JORDAN OG
"CLEVELAND UNDER THE HILL," 1854.
--- -
359
THE HISTORY OF CLEVELAND.
ter ; Managers, Peter Thatcher, Joseph Perkins, Selah Chamberlain, Joseph Masury and John C. Proctor. A constitution was adopted, in which it was declared that the membership should consist only of natives of New England States, or the sons of such natives. Dinners were given, from time to time, the last one being at the Angier House, in 1859. The subsequent history of the Society is thus related by its last treasurer, William Perry Fogg: 98 "Thirty years have passed, and the New England Society still remains but a memory of the gener- ation that is now rapidly passing away. In 1859, the writer, as treasurer of the society, had a balance in his hands of $111.50. It was deposited by him in the Society for Savings, and on September 18, 1895, he was informed that the amount standing to the credit of the New Eng- land Society was $290.30."
The "memory" to which Mr. Fogg refers became once more an actuality, amid the reviving influences of Cleve- land's Centennial year. On December 21, 1895, there was a meeting of those of New England birth, at Plym- outh Congregational Church. Speeches were made by Charles F. Thwing, H. Q. Sargent, N. B. Sherwin, M. M. Hobart, F. J. Dickman and R. C. Parsons, and inter- ésting reminiscences were related by L. F. Mellen, Mrs. E. M. Avery, Mrs. B. F. Taylor, Mrs. W. A. Ingham, W. P. Horton and L. E. Holden. Old-time songs were sung by "Grandfather " Snow and "Grandma" Hawley. This meeting was so inspiring that it was decided to re- vive the old New England Society, and so, on January I, 1896, it was reorganized, with the following officers: President, N. B. Sherwin; Vice-Presidents, L. E. Holden, E. R. Perkins, F. C. Keith, M. M. Hobart, F. J. Dick- man, William Bingham; Secretary, L. F. Mellen; Treasurer, S. C. Smith; Chaplain, Rev. Livingston L. Taylor; Trus- tees, L. E. Holden, A. G. Colwell, R. C. Parsons, William Edwards, L. F. Mellen, S. C. Smith, M. M. Hobart, W.
98 " The New England Society of Cleveland-Its Origin and History;" by William Perry Fogg .- " Cleveland Plain Dealer," November 17, 1895.
360
THE HISTORY OF CLEVELAND.
P. Horton, H. R. Hatch, James Barnett, F. A. Kendall, N. B. Sherwin, I. P. Lamson, H. Q. Sargent, Thos. H. White, J. H. Breck, Mrs. W. A. Ingham, Mrs. C. F. O1- ney, Mrs. P. H. Babcock, Mrs. Elroy M. Avery, Mrs. E. D. Burton.
By the middle of the century, the city found that it had need of additional burial grounds. Steps were taken to supply that need, and Woodland Cemetery came into ex- istence. Other burial places had already been added, from time to time. Thus the Brooklyn Cemetery Association had been incorporated in May, 1849, and the North Brook- lyn Cemetery was opened, on Scranton avenue, between Wade and Seymour avenues. St. Joseph's Roman Catho- lic Cemetery, on Woodland avenue, opposite Woodland Cemetery, was set aside for burial purposes, by Bishop Rappe, in 1849. A plot of ground to be used as a Jewish cemetery was laid out in 1849, on Willett street, by the Israelitish Church Congregation, and when this society was merged into the Anshe Chesed congregation, this place of burial passed into the control of the latter.
Woodland Cemetery is the largest and most important of any with which the municipality is officially connected. It had been debated, for some time, whether the city should or should not purchase a plot adequate in size to the growing needs of the public, and at a point suffi- ciently remote from the business and residence sections. This talk began to crystalize into action in 1851, and a definite point was reached on August 19th, when a resolu- tion for the purchase of land was adopted by the City Council. It was introduced by Stoughton Bliss, and di- rected the mayor, in behalf of the city, to purchase from Benjamin F. Butler "sixty and sixty-two hundredths acres of land, being a part of the Bomford tract, so-called, in the City of Cleveland,
. on the terms proposed by him, for a public burial ground, or cemetery, of said city." The amount to be paid was $13,639.50. The resolution was unanimously adopted. On May 18, 1853, George F. Marshall offered a resolution to the effect that
361
THE HISTORY OF CLEVELAND.
the new grounds should be known as "Woodland Ceme- tery," which was unanimously adopted, and on June 14th appropriate dedicatory services were conducted.
The later additions to the cemeteries of Cleveland com- prise St. Mary's, Lake View, and Riverside. Monroe Street Cemetery became a part of Cleveland on the an- nexation of Ohio City. St. Mary's, on Clark avenue and Burton street, was purchased by Bishop Rappe and St. Mary's congregation, in 1861, and is used by the German and Bohemian Catholics of the West Side.
Lake View Cemetery, on Euclid avenue, in the extreme eastern limits of the city, belongs to a private corpora- tion, known as the Lake View Cemetery Association. It was laid out in 1869, and covers an area of about three hundred acres. Lying upon a series of high knolls over- looking Lake Erie, with intervening valleys and natural water courses, it has been adorned by the hand of man, so that it stands to-day as one of the most beautiful and pic- turesque spots in America. Scores of magnificent monu- ments mark the resting place of Cleveland's dead, while above them the shaft, erected by a grateful and loving people, shows where the martyred Garfield lies in eternal sleep, in the heart of that beloved portion of Ohio where he was born, and in which his early days were passed.
Riverside Cemetery, which overlooks the Cuyahoga River from the South Side, was laid out in 1876, by a com- pany of its lot owners, incorporated under the name of the Riverside Cemetery Association. One hundred and more acres of land were purchased and beautified, and, like Lake View, it has become one of the most beautiful places of burial to be found anywhere in the West.
There have been many happy municipal marriages, but few have been so advantageous to both contracting par- ties, and followed by such fruitful results, as that concern- ing which I now speak. Manifest destiny made the Cuy- ahoga Valley a bond of union, rather than a line of divi- sion, between Cleveland and the City of Ohio. That these two civic corporations should become one, was ordained
362
THE HISTORY OF CLEVELAND.
from the beginning, and it seems incredible, from this later point of view, that there should ever have been op- position to the union from any intelligent source ; yet such opposition there was, upon both sides of the river.
A formal protest came from Cleveland in 1850, when A. McIntosh offered a resolution in the City Council, declar- ing that as "an effort is being made by several individuals to obtain from the Legislature a law annexing Ohio City to the City of Cleveland," the City Council declares that such action " at this time is not desirable, and is not be- lieved to meet the views of our citizens, at so short no- tice." Five votes were cast in favor of this resolution, and three against it.
The real official commencement of the annexation agita- tion was in the Cleveland City Council, on August 19, 1851, when Buckley Stedman introduced an ordinance providing for the submission of the question of annexation between Cleveland and Ohio City, to the qualified voters of Cleveland. The measure passed by a unanimous vote. At a meeting held on October 15th, the votes cast at a special election on October 14th were announced as fol- lows:
For Union, For Union,
"Yes."
"No."
First Ward .
266
277
Second Ward .
230
337
Third Ward
257
184
Fourth Ward
97
300
Total .
850
1,098
The question was, therefore, pretty well settled in the negative, so far as that vote went. In November, 1853, the question again loomed up, when Robert Reilley of- fered a resolution in the City Council, directing that a committee of three be appointed by the president "to con- sult with the members of the Ohio City Council, relative to taking initiatory steps towards annexing said city to the City of Cleveland, and report at the next meeting." This was adopted, and Robert Reilley, James B. Wigham and James Gardner were appointed said committee.
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362
THE HISTORY OF CLEVELAND.
from the beginning, and it seems incredible, from this later point of view, that there should ever have been op- position to the union from any intelligent source; yet such opposition there was, upon both sides of the river.
A formal protest came from Cleveland in 1850, when A. McIntosh offered a resolution in the City Council, declar- ing that as "an effort is being made by several individuals to obtain from the Legislature a law annexing Ohio City to the City of Cleveland," the City Council declares that such action " at this time is not desirable, and is not be- lieved to meet the views of our citizens, at so short no- tice." Five votes were cast in favor of this resolution, and three against it.
The real official commencement of the annexation agita- tion was in the Cleveland City Council, on August 19, 1851, when Buckley Stedman introduced an ordinance providing for the submission of the question of annexation between Cleveland and Ohio City, to the qualified voters of Cleveland. The measure passed by a unanimous vote. At a meeting held on October 15th, the votes cast at a special election on October 14th were announced as fol- lows:
For Union, For Union,
"Yes."
"No."
First Ward .
266
277
Second Ward .
230
337
Third Ward
257
184
Fourth Ward
97
300
Total
850
1,098
The question was, therefore, pretty well settled in the negative, so far as that vote went. In November, 1853, the question again loomed up, when Robert Reilley of- fered a resolution in the City Council, directing that a committee of three be appointed by the president "to con- sult with the members of the Ohio City Council, relative to taking initiatory steps towards annexing said city to the City of Cleveland, and report at the next meeting." This was adopted, and Robert Reilley, James B. Wigham and James Gardner were appointed said committee.
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363
THE HISTORY OF CLEVELAND.
It took the committee some time to conclude their nego- tiations, as their report was not forthcoming until Feb- ruary 1, 1854, when the following was presented: " That said committee had a consultation with the Ohio City com- mittee, and that said committees together had adopted the following resolution, to wit: Resolved, That we recom- mend to the councils of the two cities which we respect- ively represent, to pass an ordinance submitting to the voters thereof the question of annexing their municipal corporations."
On February 2nd, Richard C. Parsons presented an or- dinance to provide for a second submission to the qualified voters of the City of Cleveland of the question of annexa- tion. He moved that the rules requiring ordinances of a general and permanent nature to be read on three differ- ent days be suspended. This was agreed to, unanimously.
The election occurred on April 3 (1854), the day of the regular city elections, and the result showed that there had been a great change of public opinion since the prop- osition came up before and was defeated. It was car- ried, with 1,892 votes for, to only 400 against. Ohio City voted on the same day, with the following result: For an- nexation, 618; against, 258.
The next forward step by municipal Cleveland, for the union with her neighbor across the river, was taken on June 5th of the same year, when a special meeting was held to consider the report of the commissioners appointed to meet those of Ohio City. Those gentlemen informed the Council that they had " concluded an arrangement with said commissioners for the City of Ohio, providing the terms and conditions on which such annexation shall, if approved by the respective city councils, take place." The agreement they submitted covered a number of points, some of which were as follows:
" That the territory now constituted the City of Ohio shall be annexed to, and constitute a part of, the City of Cleveland, and the First, Second, Third and Fourth wards of the former city, as now constituted, shall consti-
364
THE HISTORY OF CLEVELAND.
tute the Eighth, Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh wards, re- spectively, of the last-named city; and the present trus- tees of said wards shall hold their offices . for the terms for which they have been severally elected." It was further agreed that the wards should be so arranged that the people on the west side of the river should have as large a proportion of the number thereof as it had of . population, and that the property of each city should be- long to the joint corporation, which should be responsible for the debts of both. Ohio City's liability for bonds issued to pay its subscription to the Junction Railroad Company's stock, which were afterwards paid by the sale of the stock, was not included, however; while another exception gave to the original City of Cleveland any sur- plus it might realize from its subscriptions to several rail- roads, which surplus was to be expended, under the direc- tion of the trustees representing that district in the new corporation, for park or other public purposes.99 The commissioners on the part of Cleveland were W. A. Otis, H. V. Willson and F. T. Backus; while those represent- ing Ohio City were W. B. Castle, N. M. Standart and C. S. Rhodes. An ordinance was passed, on the same day, carrying the agreement into effect, and with the passage of a similar measure across the river, the union of the
99 " It is well known that the city realized a large surplus from its stocks, after the payment of its obligations given therefor, perhaps the only case of its kind in the whole country. In addition to this fund, the city also realized a considerable amount of stock from the sale of its lands north of Bath street, on the lake shore, to these several roads, to which it had given its credit. March 28, 1862, an act was passed by the Legislature, creat- ing a board of fund commissioners, to take charge of this fund. Nothing more need be said of the management thereof, than that from this fund over a million and seven hundred thousand dollars, has been paid to dis- charge the debt of the city, and over a million still remains (1884) in the hands of the commissioners. It is one of the pleasant recollections of the person who addresses you, that in his official capacity, representing this. community, he inserted in his own handwriting, in the original bill as it was passed, the honored names of Henry B. Payne, Franklin T. Backus, William Case, Moses Kelley, and William Bingham, who thereby were. made the commissioners of said fund."-Hon. S. O. Griswold, in " The Corporate Birth and Growth of Cleveland."-"Annals of the Early 'Set- tlers' Association," No. 5, p. 56.
365
THE HISTORY OF CLEVELAND.
cities became complete,-that which nature, the needs of commerce, and the development of both, had joined to- gether, no man could thereafter put asunder.1
The first regular meeting of the joint City Council, was held on Monday, June 10, 1854. Richard C. Parsons was elected president by a unanimous vote, while J. B. Bart- lett was made city clerk. During several succeeding sessions, a large amount of routine business was disposed of, in getting the affairs of the enlarged corporation adjust- ed, and in disposing of the remnants of business left by Ohio City. Among these, were the excavation and open- ing of the ship channel, and the improvement of the old river bed. One of the questions soon disposed of was that of securing for the city an abundant and permanent supply of pure fresh water.
We have already seen how a water company was cre- ated by legislation, in 1833, with an enlargement of pow- ers in 1850, and, also, how nothing came of the measure. One of the first steps taken in the direction of municipal ownership and control was in 1850, when George A. Bene- dict, and others, presented a petition to the City Council, urging the propriety of taking immediate steps for the " supplying of the city with wholesome water," and ask- ing that a competent hydraulic engineer be engaged to explore, survey, and estimate the expense of a supply from the Shaker Mill, Tinker's Creek and Lake Erie, and also "the amount of water to be relied upon from each of these sources." In January, 1851, William Bingham offered a resolution appointing the mayor (William Case) and any three citizens he might choose, a committee to re- port to the Council, at as early a day as possible, a plan for supplying the city with water, and authorizing them to employ competent engineers to assist them in their duties.
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