Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio, Part 36

Author: Bert S. Bartlow, W. H. Todhunter, Stephen D. Cone, Joseph J. Pater, Frederick Schneider, and others
Publication date: 1905
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1149

USA > Ohio > Butler County > Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio > Part 36

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

On June 19. 1894, a resolution was passed by the council adopting the plans and specifications for an electric light plant as prepared by Charles Cornell, said resolution at the same time rescinding all former plans and specifications. The construction of the plant was pushed forward vigorously and was completed in due time, so that in view of its probable completion, the follow- ing resolution was passed by the council on May 7, 1895 :

"Whereas, It is apparent that the electric light plant will be ready for operation July 4, 1895,

"Be it Resolved by the City Council of Hamilton, Ohio, that the chair appoint a committee of five members of council to make arrangements to dedicate the plant by an old-time celebration."

Pursuant to this resolution the newly completed electric light plant was appropri- ately inaugurated with an elaborate celebra- tion on the evening of July 4, 1895.

THE LANE FREE LIBRARY.

The Lane Free Library is one of the most beneficent institutions ever founded in Hamilton, and is the gift of Mr. Clark Lane, who furnished the library building and put upon its shelves nearly two thousand volumes of books. The construction of the building was commenced in April, 1866, and the library was formally opened to the public on October 20th of the same year. For a number of months Mr. Lane himself bore the expense of running the library, of which his niece, Miss Emma Lane, was the manager. On November 15, 1867, a propo- sition was submitted to the city council from Mr. Lane, offering to donate the library to the city of Hamilton, on condition that it should be operated and supported by the city. The proposition was referred to a se- lect committee and finally a special election was ordered to ascertain the sentiment of the citizens. The votes cast at the election were four hundred and forty-six in favor of accepting the library and sixty-six against. In accordance with this sentiment, Mr. Lane. on February 24, 1868, conveyed all the property, including the books and fixtures, to the city, though under certain conditions, namely : First-That the prop-

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erty conveyed shall be maintained as a free public library and reading room in as good order and repair as it was at the time of conveyance, natural decay, ordinary wear or destruction by fire or other unforseen casualty only excepted, and that it shall be kept neat, clean and comfortable and in such condition as shall be acceptable to the good and moral people of the city ; second- that the rooms shall be free to all classes of persons of proper age and demeanor, and shall be kept open not less than two hours every evening, except Sunday evenings, and from two to four o'clock of the after- noon at least every Sunday; third-that there shall be kept a liberal file of news, scientific and literary periodicals, including at least two newspapers representing the active and influential political parties. The library was at first only a reference library, but in 1879 the library was dedicated a cir- culating library and has since so remained. Additions have been made to the number of books in the library from time to time and at the present time comprises about eight thousand five hundred volumes.

Since the acceptance of the library by the city of Hamilton it is officially known as the Public Library of the city of Hamilton, and the following have been the librarians : Miss Laura Skinner, February, 1868, to April, 1878; Mrs. Florence Schenck, from April, 1878, to the present time. Assistant librarians, Miss Laura Rodefer, May, 1880, to October, 1892; Miss Clara Laughlin, Oc- tober, 1892, to June, 1896; Miss Ella Laughlin, June, 1896, to June, 1901 ; Miss Maud Heilman, June, 1901, to January, 1904, and Mrs. Hattie U. James, January. 1904, to the present time.

THE MERCY HOSPITAL.

The movement to establish a public hospital in Hamilton had its first inception in a public meeting during the summer of 1892 at Beckett's Hall. But more than a year before that meeting the necessity for a hospital was considered by certain persons with the Sisters of Mercy, and it was then determined to make the attempt as soon as it was thought that the people would sup- port such an institution. At the public meet- ing a committee of ten, known as the execu- tive committee, was appointed to take charge of and manage the matter. A sub-com- mittee of three was appointed by the execu- tive committee, in whose hands were placed all the details of the project. The first idea was to rent a suitable building in which to make a start. This was abandoned and it was agreed to purchase the property at No. 116 Dayton street, which was done at a cost of nine thousand five hundred dollars. Changes, improvements and furnishings, costing about three thousand dollars more, were made to make the property conform to its required purpose. The control and management of the establishment was en- trusted into the hands of the Sisters of Mercy and the name "Mercy Hospital" adopted. The work was begun under very great difficulties ; without adequate or suit- able buildings and without any of the mod- ern appliances necessary for the successful operation of such an institution, the Sisters were compelled to labor under great dis- advantages. But they patiently met all these difficulties as best they could, and worked on with confidence and hope that in the fu- ture would be provided an institution that

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would compare with the needs of a great and flourishing city like Hamilton.

Upon opening the institution, twelve years ago, the Sisters, through the executive committee, made the following declaration to the citizens of Hamilton :

"First. the hospital should be strictly non-political and non-sectarian, open for admission to all regardless of nationality, creed, occupation or condition in life, both as a patient and visitor, limited only by its capacity.

"Second, that ministers of all denomi- nations should have free access at all reason- able hours to visit patients and would be sent for at any time on request of a patient.

"Third. each patient to have the liberty to receive the services of his family physi- cian or any physician of his choice, and physicians of all schools to have free access to the institution."

The hospital was opened October 5. 1892. From that date to October 1, 1904. there were received and treated 2.423 pa- tients. of whom 1.734 entirely recovered, 452 materially improved and 237 died. Of this number 1,646 were males and 777 fe- males; 2,369 were white. 54 were colored. During that period 759 were treated in the surgical department and 1.766 in the medical department. Of the 759 surgical cases. 598 completely recovered before leaving the hospital: 102 went away greatly improved and only 88 cases proved fatal. a record which speaks well for the medical frater- nity of Hamilton as well as for the hospital. Among the surgical cases were 121 railway accidents. Of the 35 operations for ap- pendicitis all were successful but II, and they were complicated with other diseases. Of the 1.766 cases treated in the medical

department 1, 162 entirely recovered: 379 were greatly improved; 149 died. Of the two dread diseases which carry so many to the tomb-typhoid fever and pneumonia- there were 434 cases of the former of which 415 recovered and 19 died; of the 205 cases of the latter, 187 entirely recovered, 6 went home greatly improved and 11 died; of 28 cases of diphtheria, 27 entirely recovered and but one died. Much transient relief was rendered to persons who were enabled to return to their homes in a few hours, of which no record was kept. such as the dress- ing of cuts, bones set, sudden illness re- lieved and similar relief.

Some months ago when it was an- nounced that a large and modern hospital, to cost fifty thousand dollars. would be built to take the place of the old institution, there were those who looked at the project with misgiving. but the new Mercy Hospital, a magnificent edifice, stands today a monu- ment to the liberality and charity of the peo- ple of Hamilton.

The new hospital is a modern structure, equipped with all the best, up-to-date ap- pliances, both in its surgical and medical de- partments and it is a source of pride to the citizens of Hamilton that they have a hospital which, for its size, is second to none in the country for the work intended. The public opening of the new Mercy Hospital, on Tuesday afternoon and evening, Novem- ber 22, 1904. was a memorable occasion. During the afternoon fully a thousand peo- ple passed through the clean, white corri- dors, observing the newly furnished private rooms, completely equipped general wards and operating rooms; convenient kitchens and supply rooms. On every hand were heard expressions of wonder and amaze-

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ment, called forth by the completeness of the great establishment. Again in the even- ing great throngs filled the chapel and cor- ridors and listened with interest to the dedi- catory addresses of George T. Reiss, Judge John F. Neilan and Hon. Allen Andrews, and to musical renditions by Prof. Lebo's quartette that made the great hospital, for one night at least, the home of melody and music.

The hospital is incorporated under the laws of Ohio as "The Mercy Hospital of Hamilton, Ohio."

STREET NOMENCLATURE.

There are one hundred and twenty-eight streets in Hamilton, fifty-eight of which are parallel and seventy running at right an- gles to the river. Many of these streets have fancy and unmeaning names, but a number of them preserve in lasting remem- brance at least the names of the men who at different times in our history contributed to the growth and development of the city.

Rossville, now first ward, was originally laid out with four streets parallel to the river, and six at right angles to it. These six, commencing at the north, were North, Boudinot, Main, Ross, Franklin and South. It speaks volumes for the modesty of the early settlers in Rossville-a trait, by the way, their descendants have retained as a precious legacy - that not one of these streets was named after a resident. North, South and Main explain themselves ; Boudi- not was named by Captain Alexander De- lorac after a young half-breed Indian who accompanied him in his trading trips from here to the Cherokees, and a son, Elias H. . Boudinot, was until his death, about twenty years ago, a prominent trader at an

Indian post on the western frontier. Ross street was named, as was Ross township, from a Pennsylvanian who had friends liv- ing here, and Franklin was named after Poor Richard himself. Main street was first called Morris street, but for whom or why appears to have been forgotten.

On the east side of the river there were originally four streets parallel to the Miami and eight at right angles to it. These eight, beginning at the north, were: Heaton, Buckeye, Dayton, Stable, High, Basin, Lud- low and Sycamore. High street was so called for the reason that it ran on a ridge from which the ground sloped north and south; Sycamore recalls the old sycamore grove where our boys encamped before leaving to take part in the Mexican war; Buckeye suggests the tree of that name, and Basin was so called from the canal-basin at its head. Of the other streets, Ludlow was named after Israel Ludlow, who was one of the first settlers, and who gave the ground now used as a public square, and the Fourth Ward Park; Judge Heaton, also one of the first settlers, gave his name to a street, and Dayton was named after Jonathan Dayton, of New Jersey, who was associated with John Cleves Symmes in the original Symmes purchase.

Of the streets since added from time to time to the first ward, only two bear the names of former citizens-Hueston, named for Matthew Hueston, who was one of the first settlers on Four-Mile, and was com- missary to the troops at Fort Hamilton, and Millikin, named for Dr. R. B. Millikin, fa- ther of the late Thomas Millikin.

On the east side, Jacob Burnett, one of the proprietors of the first ward, John Cald- well, who erected the brick house on the

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basin bank north side, east of Fourth street, in 1816, and Stephens, who burned the first kiln of brick in Hamilton, and was father-in-law to the late William B. Van Hook, each have streets named after them. Later, Schmidtman, the genial host of the old Schmidtman House, gave his name to a street, and John Woods, Dr. Laomi Rig- don and Montgomery P. Alston, and later still, William Beckett, Job Owens, Clark Lane, John M. Long, John W. Wilson and Israel Williams have had streets called for them. Of late years streets have been named in honor of General Anthony Wayne, Frank Dick, William Booth, James E. Hancock, Daniel McGlynn, Frank Black, L. D. Campbell. D. H. Hensley, James Webster, George Warwick, F. B. Puthoff, Thomas L. Rhea, Henry C. Gray. H. H. Wallace, Jacob Stillwaugh, James Morrison, L. P. Hurm, T. V. Howell, Major F. W. Bender. John B. Cornell, James T. Imlay, Lazard Kahn. O. V. Parrish and Asa Shu- ler. Martha Rhea, Urban, Jackson, Cleve- land and Sherman.

Other streets are named for industries, as Lowell and Mill, while such names as Canal, Reservoir, Oak, Walnut, Vine and Park are either fanciful or take their name from their surroundings of water or of trees.

One of the singular features connected with our street nomenclature is the fact that the man who, more than any other or than all others combined, did more to develop the town and the county; who was a sol- dier before he was a voter, and who ad- ministered the judicial, fiscal, probate, and all other civil affairs of the county for a score of years-is now recalled to the mem- ory of our citizens by the name given to the shortest and most unimportant street in the

city. So long as Reily township stands on the map of Butler county the name of John Reily will not be forgotten; but the man who labored so long, patiently, hopefully and successfully for Hamilton deserves a better recognition than he has in the little street connecting High and Court.

EARLY BUSINESS INSTITUTIONS.

When the seat of justice was located at Hamilton, in 1803. the inhabitants were few in number and only a few houses had been built. At two-story frame house stood in the center of High street not far from the present bridge. It was the old house erected by General Wilkinson for the ac- commodation of the officers of his army. In this house Mrs. McClellan kept a tavern. John Torrence kept a tavern at the corner of Dayton and Water streets, in a house still standing. John Sutherland kept a store on Front street, between Dayton and Market streets. John Wingate commenced a store in a log house on the site of St. Mary's church, but failed in 1806.

When James McBride came to Hamil- ton in 1807, besides these named above, William Murray kept tavern on Water street, oposite the Torrence tavern. Hough & Blair had succeeded John Wingate in the store business. At that time Indians were frequently seen in the streets, who came to trade peltries with the store keepers. In Rossville there was a tavern and ferry house at the corner of Main and A streets, where the Huber house is now located. Michael Delorac kept a tavern and ferry at the foot of Park avenue, then called Boudenott street. There were very few improvements made until about 1808 to 1810.

The first newspaper ever published in

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Butler county was the Miami Intelligencer, to Cincinnati. In February, 1828, the legis- the initial number being issued from the press on June 22. 1814. Colby, Bonnel & Company were the publishers and the press on which this paper was printed was the first printing press in Hamilton.

The first educational society established in Hamilton was known as the Hamilton Literary Society, and was composed of a company of gentlemen who, in 1812, pur- chased a lot and erected a building for academy purposes. Both a classical and a common school were here conducted and the institution was highly appreciated and well patronized.

In 1816 the Ohio state legislature granted a charter to a company organized for the purpose of constructing a bridge across the Great Miami river at Hamilton. The company had a capital stock of thirty thousand dollars and the stock of the com- pany was soon subscribed, work on the bridge commencing in the summer of 1818. The bridge, which was completed so as to allow the passage of travelers in December. 1819, was a substantial structure, for which the original contract price was seventeen thousand five hundred dollars. Additional work on the arches and walls, however, brought the total cost up to twenty thou- sand dollars.

A public improvement which had a marked and beneficent influence on the sub- sequent prosperity of the city and county was the construction of the Miami canal. The main canal passed on the east side of Hamilton, at a distance of about a mile from the river, and was so far completed in No- vember. 1827, as to allow the passage of boats from Cincinnati to Middletown, and in January, 1829, boats passed from Dayton

lature. in response to a petition from the citizens of Hamilton, gave authority to the canal commissioners to construct a side cut from the main Miami canal to the interior of the town of Hamilton. The commission- ers were also authorized to contribute out of the canal fund the sum of two hundred dollars towards the proposed work. the bal- ance of the expense being borne by the citi- zens. The work was commenced in the spring of 1828 and was completed in the following December. the cost of construct- ing the canal and basin amounting to $7 .- 489.36.

Hamilton's growth during the early years, while not rapid nor spectacular. was steady and healthy. Early in the forties the town boasted of two newspaper offices. three flouring mills. three cotton factories. three saw mills, two foundries, two machine shops and sixteen mercantile establishments.

Among the earliest business houses in Rossville and Hamilton were the following :

The Miami House, better known as the Straub House, was located on the corner of Main and A streets. and was built by John Winton, who conducted the place for a number of years, being succeeded in suc- cession by the following gentlemen : John J. Walker. Peter Schertz. Mike Huffman and Fred Wehrnhorn. The building was later purchased by Felix Straub, by whom it was remodeled and the name changed to the Straub House, and under his able man- agement the house long enjoyed an envi- able reputation as a popular caravansary.

David Jacoby was engaged in the hard- ware and iron business in a building which stood where the Cass Hardware Company afterwards did business. Just west of this

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was the bakery conducted by Henry Shuler, who, in 1848, sold out to his brother George, and the latter was succeeded in the business by Gus Oetterer.

Jacob Traber ran a store in the Millikin building. but later sold out to O. & J. Tra- ber. This building was also occupied by Samuel Millikin and his father for store and postoffice purposes.

The Curtis building has been occupied at different periods by a number of busi- ness concerns, among which were the fol- lowing : Elliott & Glenny, general mer- chandise: Joseph Curtis, dry goods; N. G. Curtis, dry goods and clothing: R. L. Howard. gun store; Fred Mueller, tailor shop, and O. & J. Traber.

P. G. Smith was the proprietor of a drug store located in the then only four-story building in the town, and in the ownership of the store at different times were the fol- lowing gentlemen : Kennedy & McElwee, A. G. Clark, Chris. Rothenbush. Weller & Alex- ander, Weller & Ridenour. Frank Puthoff, Knox Brothers. J. R. Brown. J. R. Chad- wick and B. S. James. In 1874 the store was removed to the corner of Main and B streets and afterwards became the prop- erty of Dr. William C. Miller.

Just west of the original location of this drug store was the saddlery manufactory of James Rossman and William Taylor, who did a large business, having in the early days among their best customers the Indi- ans from the reservation.

In an adjoining room Adam Abel had a tin store for a short time. after which the room was occupied by J. R. & W. H. Tra- ber as a dry goods and clothing store. They later removed to the Odd Fellows building and this room was occupied by Peter

Becker, dealer in ready-made clothing. The rooms in the second story were occupied by Col. Thomas Moore as a law office and by William Harper as a tailor shop.

At the corner of Main and B streets Andrew McCleary erected a large brick building to be used as a grocery and rectify- ing establishment, from which establishment an immense amount of whiskey was shipped to Cincinnati. Mr. McCleary was succeeded in order by Louis Sohngen, Henry Waltner, General Richmond. Jonathan Richmond. Peter Smith, John Burchley, John Holly and A. C. Kumler & Company.

At the corner of Main and D streets a tannery was operated by William Murray, and after its abandonment William Mills built a blacksmith shop there.

A. J. Curtis manufactured carriages in the building afterward occupied by W. C. Millspaugh.

On the northwest corner of Main and D streets was a frame building in which William Clements carried on shoemaking. and on the opposite corner James Chapman conducted a store. all the land from this point to the Western House being swampy.

Among the other well-known business enterprises conducted in that day, with their location as nearly as can be determined, were the following: John Osborn's pottery, near the corner of Main and E streets; Dele- plane's chair factory and Connor's candle factory. on D street. between Main and Ross; Joshua Deleplane, furniture and un- dertaking. on Main street, where he was lo- cated for forty-four years; Michael Morn- er's boarding and coffee house and B. H. Rohmann's jewelry store, on the south cor- ner of Main and B streets ; J. & J. Rossman, dry goods. carpets and queensware store:

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W. H. H. Kimble and W. H. H. Reily, rec- tifiers and grocers; James Walker, Fisher & Curtis, Bird & Holly, Russell Potter, A. & A. Breitenbach and Beck & Tabler were located in the Beck building; A. G. Clark's drug store, in the Matthias building, this room being later occupied by the tin, stove and coppersmith shop of I. & J. Matthias; the Falconer House, at the southwest cor- ner of Main and B streets, opened by Isaac Falconer, who was succeeded in order by Anthony Hummel, J. H. Falconer and Capt. F. E. Humbach ; the lower rooms were later occupied by Wilson H. Doty's restaurant. and still later by Dr. W. H. Miller's drug store and Chris. Kaefer's barber shop; the Butler House, erected in 1833 by C. Rothen- bush. and which was subsequently operated in consecutive order by the following gentle- men : Cory & Wilson, Abram Rinearson. Felix Straub, A. J. Rees, W. B. Wilcox. F. J. Thornhill, David T. Reily, Daniel Grammar, Andrew Huber and George Hu- ber: C. R. Kennedy, brush manufacturer. in the Broadt building; Spivey & Garver, gunsmiths, adjoining Deleplane's; Joseph H. Hannaford, druggist, in the Rumple building : D. W. Sortman, John and William Sortman, Sortman & Yeakle, Humphry & McMeen and B. A. Fitzpatrick were in the Odd Fellows' building; John Sutherland was a general trader on Front street, Ham- ilton, and did a large business with the In- dians; John Wingate's store stood where the St. Mary's church was afterward erected. the store being later carried on by Hough & Blair and Kelsey & Blair; Andrew Mc- Cleary, Isaac T. Saunders, A. & A. Breiten- bach, Andrew Dingfelder and Michael Free- man were in the Heiser building; H. L. Duffield's cabinet shop, in a frame shop

where later stood the Schorr building; Capt. John P. Bruck's merchant tailoring estab- lishment was where the John Schubert build- ing was afterward erected; there was a leath- er and finding store in John W. Sohn's build- ing on the corner of Water and High streets ; Henry Lipphard's saloon, on the site of the old Universalist church; Wolf's Hotel was one door west; the Ohio and Indiana House, erected by William Lohmann and Peter Schertz; P. T. Norden's cabinet fac- tory, at the corner of Front and Court streets ; Alexander Smidtman's coffee house and inn at the corner of High and Front streets : Joseph Straub also later carried on the grocery business in the same location. and was succeeded by the hotel conducted by Felix Straub and Alex. Richardson : the Mason House, operated successively by Ben- jamin Basey. William Butler, Martin Ma- son. William Andre, Capt. George Schramm and John Theiss; S. D. Garrison, Hamilton's first merchant tailor, located on High street : Temple & Crawford's carpet store, in the frame building where the Reily block now stands : Proctor & Gamble's soap factory. on Canal street; Andrew Oyler, furniture and undertaking. on Court street, he after- ward being associated with Ernest Morman. and they being later succeeded by Seybold & Bonner; the Globe Inn (City Hotel) was run by Capt. Israel Gregg, Cleve Straub, Charles Snyder, Elias Simpson and W. C. Gundrum; the old frame building at the corner of Third and High streets was occu- pied by H. S. Earhart and George Tap- scott. and afterward by James M. Johnson and James Martin (the site is now occupied by the bank building in which George Krebs has a clothing store): H. & W. C. Frecht- ling's dry goods and grocery store, Simon

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Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio, Part 36

Author: Bert S. Bartlow, W. H. Todhunter, Stephen D. Cone, Joseph J. Pater, Frederick Schneider, and others Publication date: 1905 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1149

Author: Bert S. Bartlow, W. H. Todhunter, Stephen D. Cone, Joseph J. Pater, Frederick Schneider, and others
Publication date: 1905
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1149