USA > Ohio > Hamilton County > Cincinnati > Centennial history of Cincinnati and representative citizens, Vol. I, Pt. 1 > Part 89
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THE "OLD COURT HOUSE,"
The second in the history of Hamilton County, finished in 1819, was the seat of justice from that time until July 9, 1849, when it like its predecessor and successor was destroyed by fire. It stood on Main street about where the present temple of Justice stands, on a circular plat of ground about 200 feet in diameter. Its length east and west was about 62 feet and its breadth 56 feet. The height to the cornice was 50 feet, to the top of the cupola which stood in the center of the sloping roof rising from all four sides, 120 feet. From the cupola rose a spire 40 feet higher. It was very substantially built and contained fireproof rooms for the offices of the clerks of the Supreme and Common Pleas courts and the recorder. Three large outside doors pierced its eastern, western and southern sides and these with its 50 Venetian-blinded win- dows, cream colored .paint, imposing dome, and gilded vane gave it an important appearance. The large yard about it was well sodded and filled with shrubs and trees and surrounded by a white rail fence containing four ornamental gates. The principal court room was on the first floor above the basement and, 30 feet in width, extended the whole length of the building. The elevated bench for the four judges was at the north. In front was the lawyers' table and at the sides the desks of the sheriff and clerk.
The spectators stood to the south, separated by a balustrade, or sat in the enclosed gallery overhead which extended across the southern side of the room. There was also a jury box and a prisoners' dock capable of accommodating a number of prisoners. 'The floor was covered with a striped rag carpet and a number of huge spit- toons. A huge fireplace and a large stove served to heat this great room. Another court room much smaller was constructed in the floor above, when in 1838 the old Superior Court with Judge Este presiding was installed. Other offices in the building were those of the sheriff and county commissioners and there were a number of jury rooms. At a later time two buildings erected on Main street, one north and the other south of the Court House, served for the various county offices. The jail was a dingy brick building over the canal on Sycamore street. (Carter's "Old . Court House," pp. 7-14.)
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
The Directory of 1819 contains the following with reference to the fire department at the time of, the incorporation of Cincinnati as a city :
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"There are two engines owned by the corpora- tion, but, strange as it may appear, neither of them are kept in proper repair. A most unpar- donable apathy on this subject pervades our citizens generally. Almost destitute of ladders, fire-hooks, buckets (or even water in most parts of the city ), should the fiery element assail us in a dry and windy season, the denouement of the awful tragedy would be a general devastation of our now flourishing city. The most practicable means ought immediately to be taken for creat- ing a supply of water, the number of engines in- creased and put in working condition, and every other apparatus procured which can be of service in restricting the ravages of this powerful de- stroyer. Otherwise the 'good easy man,' who retires to his couch meditating on the competency of his fortune, may stalk forth a beggar in the morning."
The engines referred to were in the service of the Washington Fire Company (No. I) and the Relief Fire Company ( No. 2).
The Cincinnati Fire Wardens' Association was organized shortly afterwards as a result of the fire ordinance of October 2, 1819, reestablishing the department. The presidents of this associa- tion from the date of its organization, October 30, 1819, to the introduction of the paid depart- ment in 1853 were Benjamin Mason ( 1819-21), Davis Embree (1821-25), R. L. Coleman ( 1825- 29), J. L. Avery ( 1829-31), Oliver Lovell ( 1831- 36), George W. Jones ( 1836-38), Archibald Ir- win ( 1839-43), William Stephenson ( 1843-46), Aaron Valentine ( 1846-47), S. Hogan ( 1847- 48), and D: H. Horne ( 1848-52). The secre- taries were Moses Brooks and Fred H. Ochl- mann.
The Independence Fire Company ( No. 3) was organized at the store of Thomas Tucker, book- seller and tailor on Main street, November 15, 1819. Mr. Tucker was chosen foreman and Thomas Conley, secretary, by the 18 members present. The meeting resolved that the painted hat provided by the fire ordinance was heavy and uncomfortable and appointed a committee to ask the Council to rescind the portion of the ordinance relating thereto. This committee was successful and reported back a little later that the Council had repealed that part of the ordinance. This company was first located on the north side of Fourth street between Walnut and Main streets on the lot of the old Presbyterian Church adjoining the Cincinnati Fire Bucket Company. Its first engine was called the "Constitution" and was supplied with water by the bucket company
who formed a line from the river or nearest cis- tern along which buckets were passed to the engine box. Subsequently the "Liberty" engine and the hose-reel "Veteran" were added to the equipment of the company. The church authori- ties finally desired to obtain possession of the ground upon which the engine house was located but the fire boys refused to give way ; thereupon the church employed men to pull down the build- ing and push the engine into Fourth street. The fire boys learning of this filled the box of the engine full of lampblack and water and as the men began their work the firemen began playing the hose upon them. As a result the church concluded to pay the company $500 for vacating the premises. In 1820 a new engine named the "Independence" was substituted for the old. This company subsequently purchased property on the south side of Fourth street between Vine and Walnut on the spot where the book store of The Robert Clarke Company stood for so many years and here erected the handsomest engine house in Cincinnati. On one occasion in 1822 when the chief engineer, who was their own for- mer foreman, Thomas Tucker, ordered the com- pany to appear with its engines at the river they refused to comply on the ground that they were not subject to the orders of city officials. On the Council sustaining the chief, the company re- turned the Council's report with a declaration of their independence. Among the early foremen of this company were Thomas Tucker, J. Sey- mour, S. Ankeny, S. L. Fosdick, Isaac Stevens and Benjamin Chase. Distinguished members during the life of the company were Miles Green- wood, Erasmus Gest, C. H. Paddock and W. B. Smith.
In November, 1819, Thomas Tucker was chosen chief engineer of the department.
The Franklin Fire Engine and Hose Company formed in 1819 as Fire Engine Company No. 4. was placed in regular service in May, 1820. Its engine was the "Nereide," which was supplied with fire buckets. The company's headquarters were on the west side of Sycamore street near Lower Market in a frame 12 by 18 structure. In 1824 they removed to the, corner of Sycamore and Third and afterwards to Third and Ham- mond. This company's name was subsequently changed to that of the Eagle Fire Company ( No. 4).
The Protection Company ( No. 1) was organ- ized in 1820 and continued to do duties similar to those of a salvage corps for many years. Its membership was limited to roo and it was con-
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ducted as an independent organization with the object of preserving lives and property and pre- venting theft during fires.
In 1821 the fire wardens were authorized by ordinance to act in any of the wards and the fire marshal was directed to examine buildings and dwellings for the purpose of seeing that fire buckets were kept. Delinquents were required to pay the sum of $3.50. A new fire ordinance was passed on July 5, 1821, which made a substantial change in the organization of the department. By this at least three persons were appointed an- nually by the City Council in each ward as fire wardens who should carry speaking trumpets and distinguishing badges and were given authority to order fences, lumber or other combustibles to be removed and when three were acting together to order any house or building to be pulled down. They were empowered tor order able bodied men into the ranks to convey water or to perform other necessary duties during the fire not attendant with immedate personal danger. The head of the department was called the chief engineer. Authority was given for the organization of vol- unteer companies who could select a foreman and secretary. The foreman appointed one man to convey all the fire buckets to fires and to see that they were returned after they had been used, properly washed and cleaned. Provisions were made requiring householders to provide leather fire buckets in numbers proportioned to the size of their houses. Very strict provisions were made with regard to the conduct of householders. If a chimney took fire as a result of improper clean- ing, the owner was fined. It was forbidden to put fire into chimneys for cleaning purposes ex- cept in the daytime and then only during rain or when there was snow on the roofs. The burn- ing of shavings in streets or the keeping of wheat or other grain in stacks within 100 yards of any building within lots of the city, including . the lots laid out by Jesse Hunt and others on the north, and Nicholas Longworth and others on the west and Main and Columbia streets to the corporation lines, was forbidden. The amount of gunpowder permitted to citizens was also limited by ordinance. The marshals and fire wardens were permitted to enter houses to ex- amine as to the violation of this part of the ordin- ance. Citizens were also prohibited from using a lighted candle or other light in a stable, unless it was secured in a tin, horn or glass lantern. Despite all these precautions a number of fires of some magnitude occurred, the principal of which was that of the immense stone mill on the
river front at the foot of Broadway which was burned November 23, 1823.
By 1825 the directory is able to state that the fire department consisted of four engine com- panies, a hose company, a hook and ladder com- pany, a bucket company and Protection Society, including 155 firemen and 16 fire wardens, with Thomas Tucker, chief engineer and Jeremiah Kiersted liis assistant. The Protection Society at that time consisted of 50 members of which William Burke was president, William Mills, vice-president ; - Noble S. Johnson, secretary ; Samuel Borden, chief director; and Elam P. Langdon, Joseph Gest, William Schillinger and Charles Tatem, directors. The utensils of the fire department we are told were in first rate repair and the companies well organized and ready on the first notice to do their duty. (Directory for 1825, p. 121; Cincinnati Fire Department, p. 67.)
The care that was exercised by the citizens in the matter of fires was shown at the time of the reception to General Lafayette as described else- where. He was received most enthusiastically and everything that could be suggested to do him honor was cheerfully agreed upon. One sug- gestion however was overruled by reason of the fear of danger to the community; this was the suggestion of having a street illumination. The fire wardens on September 29, 1825, reported to the City Council that in their opinion an illumin- ation of the city would be attended with danger and suggested that a committee be appointed to confer with the committee for the reception of General Lafayette to request that the illumination be waived. This request was conformed to and as a result the citizens passed the night without any. fear of fire. (Cincinnati Fire Department, p. 67.)
In 1826 the department is described practically as it was in the directory preceding. Special note is made of the fact that five substantial brick cis- terns each containing upwards of 5,000 gallons of water had been erected in different parts of the city. These were kept constantly filled and af- forded the chief and only certain supply of water. (Cincinnati in 1826, p. 32.)
In 1826 the Eagle Fire Company ( No. 4) was added to the department with Moses Lyon as foreman. Jeremiah Kiersted became chief en- gincer. Another company was organized in 1829 under the name of Fire Company No. 5. Its headquarters were located over the canal at the northeast corner of Vine and Canal streets. It was soon found however that most of the fires
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were south of the canal and as a result the city purchased a lot on the east side of Vine between Court and Canal where was erected a much more commodious building. The engines of the com- pany were named "Fame" and "Jefferson" and were made by Jeffrey Seymour in Pleasant court between Fourth and Fifth streets in the rear of the subsequent site of the Indiana House. A large figure of Jefferson about 10 feet in height was placed in a niche over the doorway on Vine street. This company at various times claimed as members such prominent men as Nicholas W. Thomas (many years later mayor of the city), David T. Snelbaker (also mayor), James F. Tor- rence (subsequently mayor ), Meigs Robinson, Samuel H. Dunning, Robert Hedger, George W. Runyan, John S. Gano, Samuel Stephen, John C. Schooly, Godfrey Ludwig and Enoch Schott. Among the survivors of this famous company is our fellow citizen, Henry C. Urner, the present secretary of the Little Miami Railroad Company. Mr. Urner since the day that he ran with the machine has been one of the most prominent of Cincinnati's citizens. He was president of the Chamber of Commerce, one of those commis- sioned to rebuild the Court House and United States marshal during President Cleveland's first term.
The Directory of 1829 discusses the fire depart- ment at some length. It included at that time nine organized companies under the control of the City Council, with Zebulon Byington as chief engineer and Moses Coffin, assistant. At that time John L. Avery was president and Moses Brooks, secre- tary, of Fire Warden Company No. 1, with 20 members; Hugh Gilbreath, A. G. Dodd,, William Brown, Thomas Barwise and E. D. Williams, foremen of Fire Engine companies Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, and Ilook and Ladder Company No. I, respect- ively. The assistants of these companies were S. R. Teal, J. S. Ross, John Morris and S. Cov- ington, there being a vacancy in Company No. 3. Both posts of Fire Engine Company No. I were vacant. Each of these companies contained 35 members. The Protection Society of 50 mem- bers was under the control of Joseph Gest as president, assisted by a complete board of officers made up of our most prominent citizens. The foreman of the Cincinnati Fire Bucket Company was A. M. Ferguson and his assistant, Nathaniel Reeder. Two cisterus, one at the intersection of Eighth and Main and the other at Fourth and Sycamore, had been erected during the year. Each of these had a capacity of over 5,000 gal-
lons and were kept filled by the water works. (Directory of 1829, p. 163.)
It is of some interest, throwing light upon the character of these companies, to note the occupa- tions of the officers who were named. For in- stance Byington kept a tavern at No. 192 Main street, while Coffin was the wharf master; Gil- breath was also a tavern keeper on Water street near Main ; Dodd was a wagon maker at the cor- ner of Plum and Canal, while Barwise was a car- penter.
A great fire which occurred on the last day of the year 1829 attracted attention to the inade- quacy of the department. This started on the east side of Main just below Third and swept its way castward and northward as far as Fourth street. The water supply proved deficient despite the wonderful cisterns, and it became necessary to form lines of citizens and pass buckets of water from the river. Among those who stood in the line was Mrs. Alex. Drake, the well known actress, who at that time was performing at the Columbian Theatre. The great danger to which the city had been subjected was the occasion for a meeting of citizens to consider the organization of another company and the building of cisterns and generally better protection against fire. Another company was formed which became well known as the "Silk Stocking Company" or the "Rovers." The official name was the Cincinnati Independent Fire Engine and Hose Company, organized February 22, 1830. Among its in- corporators was George W. Neff, George W. Jones and Thomas Sharpless. Mr. Neff became the president of this company; Joseph Pierce, vice-president ; Charles D. Dana, secretary, and Kirkbride Yardley, treasurer.
George W. Neff, who was president of the Cin- cinnati Independent Fire Engine and Hose Com- pany and one of the founders of the organized fire department of Cincinnati, was a man of great prominence in the city's life. Hle was the first president of the Little Miami Railroad Company ; he drew up the charter of the Firemen's Insur- ance Company and was its president until his death ; and was director of the Lafayette Bank for many years, president of the City Council from 1836 to 1838, a trustee of Lane Theological Seminary and largely interested in the establish- ment of Spring Grove Cemetery. He was born at Frankfort, Pennsylvania, on May 19, 1800. the eldest son of Peter and Rebecca Neff. He re- ceived a plain education in a village school and afterwards was fitted for the junior class at Nas- sau Ilall ( Princeton), which he entered in 1816.
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After graduating with distinguished honor in 1818 he entered into the practice of the law at Philadelphia with Horace Binney in the year 1821. In 1824 he was induced by his brothers to come to Cincinnati where he remained the rest of his life. He was a successful business man and one of the most public spirited of Cincinnati's citizens and as a result he was universally es- teemed and beloved. He died after a lingering illness at Yellow Springs, on August 9, 1850. His remains were brought to the city where after the largest funeral that had ever been witnessed in Cincinnati up to that time he was buried in Spring Grove Cemetery. Practically the whole population headed by the firemen took part in the procession, and the fire bells of the city tolled continuously until the body was lowered into the grave.
It was largely due to Mr. Neff's efforts that the funds to purchase apparatus were raised. Two new engines and a hose reel were brought from Philadelphia and named the "Pilot," the "Water Witch" and "Red Rover" respectively. The quarters of the company were on the south side of Fifth, at the corner of the alley between Syca- more and Broadway, the site of the Nevada Building. Subsequently an engine house was built for the company on Fourth street, between Sycamore and Broadway, where the company was installed by 1834. Among the prominent members of this company at various times were such men as Fenton Lawson, Gen. Charles H. Sargent, Henry E. Spencer (afterwards mayor ), J. F. Torrence, Pollock Wilson, Ferdinand K. Martin, Calvin W. Thomas and Seth C. Goshorn. The tremendous influence of the fire companies in the life of the city can be judged at a glance at the personality of some of these members. Mr. Neff, already mentioned, was a president of the Council, Spencer and Torrence were both mayors of the city, while the other members named were very active in the public life of the community. Fenton Lawson who was at the head of the company for a decade was a York- shireman who came to this country in carly child- hood and was almost a lifelong resident of Cin- cinnati. It was Mr. Lawson who contracted for the purchase of the engines, whose arrival created so much excitement in the city. In 1851 he re- tired from the service of the company and at that time the fire boys presented him at a public meet- ing in Melodian Hall at the northwest corner of Fourth and Walnut streets with a most clabo- rate silver tea service embellished with engines,
firemen and all the paraphernalia of the depart- ment.
An organization formed in the year 1830 was the Cincinnati Fire Association. Its purpose was the regulation of the fire department, the provid- ing for sick and disabled members of the com- panies and settling disputes. It was composed of members selected from the different companies. Its president was John L. Avery ; vice-president, John J. Stratton ; secretary, Joseph Landis, and treasurer, William Scudder. A feature of the organization was the annual procession of all the companies composing the association held on the first Thursday of May. During this same year the name of the Eagle Company was changed to that of the Franklin Fire Engine and Hose Company (No. 4) and the company was moved to an engine house especially built for the pur- pose on Sycamore between Sixth and Seventh streets. One of the many casualties attendant upon fires in the city occurred in 1831 at the burning of Scowden's grocery store at the south- west corner of Front and Elm streets. A quan- tity of gunpowder was stored in this store and during the conflagration an explosion took place, killing Washington Armstrong, the father of Washington Armstrong, who subsequently was so much interested in the volunteer fire depart- ment.
The Cincinnati Fire Guards were instituted in August, 1832, for the purpose of affording quasi police protection at fires. They formed a line around the fire, kept out intruders, protected property and were empowered to press bystand- ers into the service. The first director of this company was Joseph Gest. The company con- tinued in existence until December, 1854. Later directors were J. C. Avery, D. C. Wallace and . J. M. Guiteau.
During the same year (1832) was organized the so-called "Flat Iron" or "Checked Shirt" Company, so called from the fact that a number of its members being mechanics wore checked shirts. At the first meeting of the company Mr. Neff was elected president and a committee was appointed to purchase two engines. The company was in- corporated under the name of the Cincinnati Fire Engine and Hose Company ( No. 2) on January 15, 1833. In February, at a meeting held at Hol- man's coffee-house, Bellamy Storer and S. W. Davies reported the organization of the company and the purchase of the apparatus, including two engines, the "Deluge" and the "Cataract" and a hose carriage, the "Pioneer." Subsequently the company purchased a lot on the corner of
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Symmes and Lawrence streets where an engine house was soon built. This is the present Del- uge No. 10 Company. Among the dis- tinguished members of the "Flat Iron" Company were Robert T. Lytle, James J. Faran, David T. Disney, John Shillito, John Beggs and Jacob Baum. The "Deluge" was the victor in the con- test with Louisville in 1848.
The Directory of 1834 tells us that the de- partment owned at that time 15 engines and 10,150 feet of hose. It was divided into seven brigades, each with two engines and a hose reel, buckets and 150 members. Among the officers were such well known citizens as George G. Smith, J. Cochnower, Amasa Higbce, Miles Greenwood, David T. Disney, William Scudder, N. W. Thomas, James Wise, Joseph S. Ross, J. J. Stratton, Samuel Davis, Luther Taylor, David Farmer, Joseph Pierce, A. H. Ewing, George W. Neff, Edmund Dexter, Bellamy Storer, S. H. Davies, Joseph Cartwright, Stephen Wheeler, A. L. Voorheis, Oliver Lovell, Moses Brooks, Casper Hopple, George P. Torrence, John Whet- stone, Christopher Smith, John L. Talbott, Elam P. Langdon, William Butler, Joseph Gest, J. C. Avery, David Churchill, William Thoms and Moses Lyon.
A new feature was the enrollment of boys to constitute the Vigilant Fire Engine and Bucket Company. Of this the president was Benjamin Brice. Other officers were Henry Pierce, James Gilbreath, William Coppin, Samuel James and Miller Ayres.
The president of the Protection Society at this time was Judge George P. Torrence. Its chief director was Elam P. Langdon. Another asso- ciation of somewhat similar character was the Cincinnati Fire Guards, of which Joseph Gest was the chief director. The Cincinnati Fire Association was composed of persons of differ- ent fire companies for the mutual benefit of the department. Its president was George W. Neff and secretary, S. S. L'Hommedieu.
The chief engineer over the cisterns and fire plugs was William Hedley. The location of the cisterns gives some idea as to the territory occu- pied by the city. The northernmost one was at Eighth and Main streets; there was one also on Sixth and Broadway; three on Sycamore,-at the junction of Lower Market, at Fourth and at Seventh streets; two were on Western row,- one at Fourth and the other at Sixth street.
The name of Miles Greenwood, afterwards perhaps the most important figure in the fire de- partment of the city, appears as assistant en-
gineer of the Independence Fire Company No. 3, which had its location on Fourth street under the council chamber. Two years later in 1836 Mr. Greenwood was the vice-president of the Cincin- nati Fire Association, and president from 1836, to 1840. The organization was not materially changed during this interval. The names of the companies and their engines as well as the officers are given in full in the directory for the years 1836 and 1837.
Among the prominent names included in the department at this time are those of R. F. L'Hommedieu, R. G. Mitchell, Alexander Lewis, Alexander Neff, Samuel Taft, George H. Hill, A. Trowbridge, A. Baldwin, David Griffin, Ce- phas Wilder, E. Hinman, D. K. Cady, A. H. Ernst, Platt Evens, William Schillinger, Jere- miah Butler, E. Dodson, William Medary, Ful- lum Perry, S. Hinkle, J. Jonas, William S. Mer- rell, Jesse Justice, Harvey Hall and William Stephenson. (Directory of 1836, p. 251.)
A feature connected with the fire department was the Fire Department Insurance Company in- corporated in April, 1837, with a capital stock of $50,000. The purpose of this organization was to benefit the department exclusively. Its shares could be held by none but firemen and one indi- vidual could hold but 50 of them valued at $10 each. The different companies however could hold in their corporate capacity stock to an un- limited amount. Ten per cent of the dividends was paid to the Cincinnati Fire Association to consti- tute a fund for the relief of sick or disabled fire- men and other benevolent purposes connected with the department. The business of the com- pany was at first confined to fire risks, to which was finally added marine insurance and the usual powers and privileges incident to the in- surance business. (Cincinnati Fire Department, p. 86.) A new company, the Buckeye Independ- ent No. 3, appears at this time.
THE POLICE.
Police protection during this period was not much better than that against fire. The increase of the department to two captains and 18 men just prior to 1826 has already been referred to. The first marshal under the city charter was Samuel R. Miller. He was succeeded after a time by William C. Anderson, who in turn gave way to William Doty. At the election of 1827 at which time Isaac G. Burnet, who had been mayor since the organization of the city in 1819, was reelected by a small majority. Zebulon By- ington received for the office of marslial a major-
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