USA > Ohio > Allen County > A standard history of Allen county, Ohio : an authentic narrative of the past, with particular attention to the modern era in the commercial, industrial, educational, civic and social development > Part 51
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There has been an organized department in Lima since 1890, and since 1893 there have been paid firemen always on duty. In the interim between the volunteer and the paid department, there were the Minute Men, who were always paid for each fire-paid for actual service. When the paid service was first installed in Lima, two drivers, John Maurer and Albert Coates, were paid for their time, and C. V. Eyster was the first fireman on full pay; he had been a volunteer fireman in and out of the service, but since March 1, 1895, Mr. Eyster has been in continuous service. On March 1, 1920, he had been twenty-five years in the service and is eligible to retire on a pension ; while he is an able- bodied man, Mr. Eyster does not care to claim his pension. Both the drivers, John Maurer and Albert Coates, were advanced to the posi- tion of fire chief, and both retired on pensions. Mr. Coates is dead and Mr. Maurer lives on a farm in Logan County.
In 1889, Fire Chief John C. Mack entered the service as a volunteer fire fighter, and since March 6, 1912, he has been chief of the depart- ment. There are forty men in the Lima fire department, including Chief Mack and Assistant Chief Eyster; there are six fire stations and accurate record is now kept of all fires. Lieutenant B. F. Garrigus as secretary to Chief Mack attends to it. There have been some heavy losses, the heaviest of all being April 24, 1918, when the Lake Erie & Western Railroad shops were destroyed, entailing an $800,000 loss, and the fire hardest to subdue was September 12, 1920, when the Leader store went up in flames. The loss was in excess of $215,000, and the crowd was unmanageable that day; while an area was cut off by ropes, people constantly endangered their lives by crowding too close to the firemen.
The most disastrous fires in the history of Allen County have been the conflagration that swept Delphos in 1872, and May 22, 1874; the Lima Flax Bagging Mill with a loss of $18,000; July 13, 1882, East & Lewis Flour Mill, loss $75,000; January 10, 1886, Hopkins & Gordon Flour Mill, $40,000; November 17, 1886, Schultheis Tannery, $26,000; January 18, 1888, Lima Car Shops, $80,000; September 19, 1888, Day- ton & Michigan Railroad Shops, $70,000; September 6, 1889, Lafayette Car Works, $100,000; October 6, 1891, Holmes Block and Times-Demo- crat office, $45,000; January 12, 1895, street car barns, $20,000; August 22, 1896, C., H. & D. Railroad Shops, $52,000; December 24, 1898, Cambridge Hotel, $18,000; January 26, 1899, American Straw Board Company, $62,000; February 13, 1899, Newson, Bond Company, furni- ture house, $50,000; May 5, 1901, Watson Grocery Company, $40,000; February 23, 1902, Lima Steel Works, $40,000; December 11, 1902, Banta Candy Factory, $30,000; November 19, 1903, Lima Daily News, $40,000; November 29, 1903, Purtscher Block, $50,000; February 1, 1904, J. D. S. Nealy residence, $10,000; February 3, 1904, Heiston, Hoover, Overy Candy Company, $12,000; December 23, 1908, Morri-
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son Livery Barn and others, $60,000; April 19, 1909, Musser Livery Barn and others, $30,000; February 22, 1911, Pangle Livery Barn, $30,000; March 2, 1911, Uhlen Hotel, $30,000; March 5, 1912, Monroe Manufacturing Company and others, $25,000; December 25, 1912, Gros- jean Shoe Company, $10,400; July 11, 1913, Curtis Livery Barn and others, $45,000; May 12, 1916, Prism Gas Engine Works, $18,500; August 16, 1916, Eaggy Storage House and others, $34,000; January 19, 1917, Lima Clay Products Company, $12,000, with the Lake Erie & West- ern shops the following year, and May 21, 1919, the Metropolitan Block, $16,850, winding up with the Leader Store as among the most disastrous fires.
When the volunteer service was merged into the paid department, no effort was spared in the way of up-to-date equipment-the best available in men, machinery and horses; at one time when there were twenty-one head of fine horses, they were the pride of the department. People always stopped to watch the horses when they were running to a fire; they were splendid animals with human attributes; the removal of the horse was the removal of the poetry from the Lima Fire Department ; the horses came into the department in 1878, and in 1916 they went out of it. The Lima Fire Department was motorized March 1, 1916, and the Gramm-Bernstein truck is used, thoroughly modern equipment. While the chief's car and a full line of equipment is kept at Station No. 1, where the entire department is shown in the photograph, there is equipment in all of the stations. Three departments always respond to an alarm, and No. 1 goes to all fires. Since automobiles are so com- mon, no general alarms are given to the public; the firemen must have the right of way in the streets, and foolhardy chauffeurs were always blocking their progress. The only safety lies in suppressing the infor- mation while the department is en route to a conflagration.
When the motor-drawn equipment was installed, many Lima fire horses went on the market; some of them are still used in the public service department, and when a fire alarm is heard it is with difficulty they are restrained from responding, although drawing street cleaning apparatus ; a fire department horse never forgets about it. A splendid team of dapple grays-Dick and Dock-was sold to a farmer and when the dinner bell rang they escaped with the plow, and went to the fire which happened to be in the kitchen range; a fine bay-matched team was sold to a Kenton liveryman whose barn was later burned with forty horses in it, the Lima horses being the only ones rescued because they were used to fires and were easily led from the burning building; when harness is thrown on a frantic horse it will sometimes leave a burning building; it was always of interest to strangers to see the well-trained horses respond when a fire alarm was given, although sometimes it only meant their accustomed drill before they were given their oats. While efficiency is the watchword, the passing of the horse was the removal of most of the sentiment from the fire department-the men are there yet, but it is a matter of choice with them-the horses never forgot it.
GAS-ARTIFICIAL AND NATURAL
It was in 1870 that Dr. Samuel A. Baxter, Calvin S. Price and Theodore Mayo installed an artificial gas plant in Lima; it was a suc- cessful business enterprise, and they extended the service from time to time, supplying the growing community ; it was used for domestic pur- poses and for lighting and was a satisfactory business enterprise until 1888, when natural gas was brought to Lima from the St. Mary's gas
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territory. The natural gas in Lima meant new pipe lines and installa- tion of service; it was never furnished through the artificial gas lines, and it meant that Lima was a city of trenches again. When B. C. Faurot began prospecting in Lima with a deep well on the Lima Paper Mill site, it was for water, natural gas or oil-but Lima was never a profitable natural gas center. Samuel Murdock of Lafayette, Indiana, invested his money in the proposition when natural gas was brought from St. Mary's to Lima. In a short time nature's own fuel was brought from the Indiana gas territory, but in 1900 the local capital-especially the Baxter money, was withdrawn and while there is now both artificial and natural gas used in Lima, it has been a most uncertain, unsatisfactory commodity.
The Lima Gas Light Company of the early '70s had the confidence of the community; since then the whole thing has been shrouded in uncertainty ; while the Baxter name is still known in the community, some of those early local enterprising citizens are no longer represented by kith or kin in the community; it is said that Brice Hall on the campus of Miami University at Oxford is in commemoration of C. S. Brice. Miami University was his Alma Mater. The present-day Lima Gas Company has been heralded to the world through the local press because of unsatisfactory service; a statement given out at the office is that since 1911, the company has secured its commodity through its contract with Medina Gas and Fuel Company from Medina, Ashland and other counties; when there is an abundance of natural gas con- sumers are fortunate, but when there is a shortage the whole community is in distress. Since 1915, the annual consumption of natural gas has decreased because of this uncertainty. In December, 1920, the Lima Gas Company had 10,689 natural gas contracts and 987 contracts for artificial gas-some Lima homes never having been wired for electricity.
Most Lima homes aside from the most modern ones have both artificial and natural gas pipes in them, and there is a three-way valve attachment by which natural gas consumers may switch the service to, the artificial line in an emergency ; the company thus seeks to protect its patrons ; while it is the most economical fuel, the natural gas supply is about exhausted, and the three-way valve is the solution of the difficulty ; gas is an economic luxury, and the company does what it can to per- petuate the service. While homes were once heated with natural gas, consumers are now asked to limit the use of natural gas to kitchen ranges, and to the bathroom hot water service. Indifferent consumers take advantage of the situation and work a hardship on all. While the newspapers have given much attention to the gas question, Frank L. Pringle in charge of the local office exhibits scrap books made up from newspaper clippings covering the years the company has been in the Lima field, and a study of the headlines indicates a variety of information.
Mr. Pringle says he can prove anything at all by the clippings from local newspapers; he stands between the consumer and the hole in the ground in some distant field, through which natural gas reaches Lima ; he knows all about "creature complaints." He knows all about news- paper criticism; the natural gas supply business is one in which "keep sweet" requires the exercise of Christian virtue. In 1915, the con- trolling interest of the Lima Natural Gas Company passed from the hands of the Indiana Lighting Company to the Northern Indiana Gas and Electric Company; it is said the Lima Artificial Gas and Lighting Company has never been self-sustaining, but some day when natural gas has failed it will be placed on a profitable basis of local manufacture.
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Emmett R. Curtin, Sr., is president and general manager of the com- pany ; while it may all be construed as propaganda, Mr. Pringle seemed most conscientious in giving out the above information.
On the subject of utilities, the following is gleaned from a gas company periodical: "No town can grow into a city nor small city develop into a larger community, unless the owners of public utilities are allowed to make a reasonable profit on their investment ; the public will not buy stock and bonds in any utility that does not return a profit on the money; as a town grows, more capital is in requisition to meet the growing demands, and the utilities company wants an opportunity to expand and protect its interests. Fair play and fair pay both enter into utilities ; capital invested must have opportunities for returns or the investors withdraw it."
LIMA ELECTRIC SERVICE
The Lima Light and Power Company is subsidiary to the Ohio Electric Company ; it has a power station in Lima and manufactures current for public use; it furnishes domestic and industrial service; it is hard to separate the Lima Light and Power Company from its parent company, the Ohio Electric Company, which has three large plants with power stations in other towns, operating its 600 miles of electric railway system, supplying current in many towns. It has functioned in Lima since 1901, and is still adding to the number of its patrons ; while it now lights 9,000 homes, there are some old houses in Lima that are not wired for electricity. It was in 1883 that B. C. Faurot installed the first electric light manufacturing plant adjacent to the Faurot Theater; since that time there have been numerous improvements in the electric service. The old arc lights were installed everywhere, and a man went around each day and trimmed them; he used a stepladder and he was welcome in all the stores as the carbons must be changed to insure light again that evening.
While a carbon was supposed to burn 100 hours, the light man made his rounds every twenty-four hours, cleaning and caring for the arcs. In time came the incandescent light-push the button and flood the home with light-rooms lighter than mid-day, and recently has come the boulevard lighting system downtown in Lima, and extension prom- ised in the near future. The arc lights on downtown streets are to be removed to outlying districts, and while farm lighting is under consid- eration it has not yet been attempted in Allen County. The domestic . service is much appreciated-electric lights, irons, washers, cookers, toasters, sweepers-everything done by electric process. While the Ohio Electric Company furnishes current in Lima, the Western Ohio Electric Railway connecting Findlay and Piqua with Lima, secures its current from St. Mary's. A recent newspaper item says that the boule- vard lighting system will be extended to serve twenty-five squares in the heart of Lima, at an expense of $180,000, those owning property thus benefitted having ten years in which to pay for the improvement.
While the public service director deals with all utilities, there are only 107 acres of municipally owned parks in Lima-Faurot and Lin- coln parks, Mccullough Lake Park, McBeth Park and Hover Park being private properties, but sewers, sidewalks and street improvements claim much attention. It is announced that plans for a "million dollar" intersecting sewer system and purification plant are being drawn, and the stench may thus be removed from the Ottawa River-a pleasant prospect for all. A few landlords and coal dealers have been before
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the fair price commission, and profiteers have received their meed of attention.
The Lima Sealer of Weights and Measures housed in the Central Market is a public utility ; the market house was built in 1902, and while not as many gardeners meet their patrons there as is desirable, the Grocers' Association having combined against it, there are always some Lima patrons attend market. Market Master J. W. Sherfey is also in charge of weights and measures in Lima, and he may order any local dealer to weigh on the market scales as a test of his honesty. Mr. Sher- fey does not have much difficulty with short weights and measures. There is market every Tuesday and Thursday morning and all day on Saturday. .
LIMA POLICE DEPARTMENT
Aside from the chief, the police department is under civil service; when the commission form of government is installed in 1922, it will not change police requirements. George Landfair and Charles Billsten are the two Lima policemen who have been longest in the serv- ice; after twenty-five years a policeman is pensioned but as yet none have attained to it. While police chiefs do not remain long in the service-do not like it, O. J. Roush has served four years; there are thirty-two men in the department; there are four plain clothes men, and it is optional with the chief whether he wear plain clothes or appear in uniform; the uniform is being discarded because it puts criminals on their guard, and the officer is at a disadvantage. The "city's finest" seems to be in popular favor in Lima. The Public Service Director must turn his attention to many things.
Vol. I-26
CHAPTER XXXIX
CIVIC CLUBS, CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATIONS AND SECRET ORDERS
While the Allen County Historical and Archaeological Society already has been mentioned in the chapter on Marking the Trails, it is within the province of this society to keep tab on all other phases of social development. Since special provision has been made for housing it in the Allen County Memorial Building, it seems fitting at this stage to relate how this great community center became an Allen County possibility. While the Historical Society is the only one sheltered there, aside from some of the patriotic societies, all civic organizations sometimes function there.
In the chapter on theaters is mention of the different community centers that registered the growth and development of the community, but ever and anon there were times when auditorium advantages were inadequate, and one night when a crowd came from out of town to attend an Esteddfod in Lima, and numbers of persons were turned away because of lack of accommodations, F. E. Harman suggested to D. J. Cable that Lima must make some provision for such emergencies ; the whole town realized the need of a larger auditorium than was afforded by any local church or theater. While Mr. Harman and Mr. Cable were discussing the question, Col. B. M. Moulton came to the rescue with a suggestion; the way for Lima to secure a hall large enough to accommodate all Allen County was through taxation; let the entire county pay for it. Colonel Moulton cited the community to what had been accomplished in Cincinnati by Hamilton County, and Mr. Harman at once entered into correspondence with the Cincinnati authorities relative to it.
It was in 1906 that the agitation began, and since Lima was to entertain the Ohio Grand Army of the Republic at its 1908 meeting, there was ground work laid immediately to secure the Allen County Memorial Hall, and it was one gala June day when the Grand Army of the Republic dedicated it. The Allen County Commissioners' Records for several months prior to that time tell the whole story. The Memo- rial Hall stands on property bought by Dr. William Cunningham from Allen County at an early lot sale in Lima, the entire quarter square being purchased for $36.75 at auction; it remained Cunningham prop- erty until the time came when Allen County required it again. Doctor Cunningham has gone down in history as Lima's first physician; the Cunningham well is still in the basement of the building, and members of the family who were reared on this quarter-square still live in Lima- Harold Cunningham, president of the Historical Society, being a son of T. E. Cunningham and a grandson of Doctor Cunningham. The casual visitor will note the following tablets commemorating those who had to do with it; the Allen County Board of. Commissioners; S. Wes- ley Wright, chairman; Alex L. Conrad, Charles W. Johnston, and Harry N. Lamberton, clerk; Dawson & Mclaughlin, architects, and John Svelger, contractor. The building committee tablet: Dr. Samuel A. Baxter, chairman; Charles F. Donze, first secretary and second chair- man; Rolla A. Mckinney, second secretary; Dr. Richard E. Jones, Theodore E. Kempker, George A. Heffner and McDougall Emmitt,
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assistant secretary. There is a sort of Ben Adhem's Dream side to the story-since Mr. Harman suggested it, his "name leads all the rest."
Chamber of Commerce: It was along in the '70s when the leading business men organized the Lima Board of Trade, and through its influ- ence attempted to build up the community. On March 28, 1905, it merged with the Lima Progress Club and for a time it functioned as a community builder. In 1914, the Progress Club seemed to have served its day and generation, and it yielded supremacy to the Chamber of Commerce now occupying a suite of rooms in the Lima Business Col- lege block. When the data was obtained, George E. Bayley was presi- dent ; R. B. Dunn, vice-president ; Austin Potter, treasurer, and Irving B. Lincoln, secretary. Quoting its president: "The Chamber of Com- merce embraces all subordinate civic and business organizations; it fos- ters and encourages everything that is good for Lima; the modern Chamber of Commerce demands enlightened unselfishness from its mem- bers ; the object is to promote the commercial and industrial interests- the public welfare of the city; such an organization must be composed of men from all parties and opinions; men of different commercial beliefs and who have different interests in the community." In accord with the above is a published statement : "In Lima the doors of industry are open, to all workers irrespective of their connection with any organization."
In the Constitution and By-Laws of the Lima Chamber of Com- merce is the statement : "The objects shall be to promote the economic, civic and social welfare of the people of Lima and vicinity ; all persons who sympathize with these objects shall be eligible to membership," and thus community building is within the reach of all. The Lima Lodge of Elks thus defines a booster : "Boosters are the elect, the chosen people of creation, inspired by genius and optimism, who foresee golden oppor- tunity obscured from the vision of others, organize mental and physical resource, and mould them into a constructive plan of operation." In some communities there are "knockers," and they are advised to build something. In the main the Chamber of Commerce is made up of busi- ness men : "The business man knows the weakness of propositions, the danger signs, the failings of men ; he knows how much statements should be discounted, and herein lies his value to the world." Someone has said : "Of living creatures, business men are nearest sane; their philos- ophy is as accurate as their multiplication table."
The Lima Club: As sort of an older brother to other civic organiza- tions is the Lima Club, organized October 22, 1894, with 100 as its membership limit; the objects of the club are to promote social inter- course among its members, and to advance the interests of the city. It admits both resident and non-resident members, the resident member- ship later being limited to 400, and being made up of leading men; this club frequently takes the initiative in community movements; the Ohio Steel Works and the State Hospital are both credited to the activities of the Lima Club; its first home was the Baxter property on the site of the New Argonne Hotel; when the lease expired the Faurot- Argus home site was acquired and with the improvements the property represents an investment of $100,000, and the Lima Club affords a social center for all the members; its stuccoed brick house is one of the beauty spots, and with its amusement and dining room facilities, it affords every advantage. A board has the management of the affairs of the club, and any member may introduce strangers for whose con- duct he is held responsible, and such may be entitled to club privileges for ten days; such names are entered in a book provided for such pur- poses; there are by-laws and rules governing the club members.
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Lima Merchants' Association : In 1915, the old Lima Business Men's Association was merged into the Lima Merchants' Association, with A. C. CaJacob its president; the old association had functioned since 1900, the original purpose being to unite all the business interests of the community; it is entirely in harmony with the Lima Chamber of Commerce. The one man paid by the association is the office manager, J. E. Morton ; he is credit man for all the members, and through him many collections are made; the office manager has an oversight of all advertising, and he promotes kindly competition. The association com- bines against outside mail-order houses, and it has its influence in municipal affairs; it had much to do with securing the boulevard light- ing system in Lima. When people coming from other towns ask for credit, their reputation follows them through its co-operation with similar organizations there; if a man has defaulted his creditors somewhere else Lima merchants soon know about it. The Lima Merchants' Association has promoted suburban days every Wednesday, and advertisers offer special bargains ; the dollar day sales are twice each year. The associa- tion exercises protective measures for both merchants and buyers.
While Lima is not a wholesale center, there are jobbers in fruits, produce, meats and groceries ; it stands on the threshold of a new era in its industrial and civic development; it is a city with a social atmos- phere, a civic conscience, well kept homes, scenic beauty and industrial enterprise; the energy and progress of the city has won for it the slogan : "Lima leads," said to be originated by members of the Lima Advertising Club of which Maurice Rosenbloom is president; this was a pre-war organization which disintegrated because of the absence of its leaders, but in May, 1920, it was reorganized and is functioning again. Its membership is limited to those engaged in the advertising business, and it is affiliated with the Associated Advertising Clubs of the world. Its slogan: "Lima leads," has been adopted by the city administration, and the city is unique in its field of opportunity-no formidable rival of its size in the same commercial zone at all.
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