USA > Ohio > Hamilton County > Cincinnati > Centennial history of Cincinnati and representative citizens, Vol. I, Pt. 2 > Part 30
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largely given over to industries conected with the river,-lumber yards, sawmills and shipyards. The territory north of Liberty street annexed in 1848 and 1850 contained in 1850 less than 20,- 000 population (19,336).
Taking the original city territory, the increase is not so great in the ten years prior to the war "the ten bad years." The territory which in 1840 had 46,000 inhabitants, contained ten years later 96,000 and, in 1860, 126,000. Therefore, from 1850 to 1860 the increase was but little more than from 1830 to 1840. This reduces the percentage of gain from 1840 to 1850 to about 109 and from 1850 to 1860 to a trifle over 31, the smallest percentage in its history up to that date.
The character of the population, however, was such as to insure the prosperity of the com- munity. In 1840 the city contained 23,261 white males and 20,863 white females. The colored population was very small and included 1,014 males and 1,244 females. Of the white people by far the largest number were between the ages of 20 and 30. Of this age there were 7,321 white males and 5,238 white females. The next largest group among the males was that be- tween the ages of 30 and 40, which included 3,800. In this group there were 2,723 females. Among the females this number was slightly surpassed by children under 5 years of age. The colored population were very deficient in chil- dren. This same statement curiously enough applied to the families of Germans who had fewer children relatively than their older fellow residents. The Germans at that time numbered 28 per cent of the population and included 14,- 163 persons, surpassing in numbers all other foreigners. In 1840, 54 per cent of the popula- tion were Americans, 28 per cent Germans, 16 per cent from Great Britain, I per cent from France and Italy and the remaining I per cent from all other countries. The males enumerated from Great Britain included 786 from England, 742 from Ireland, 360 from Scotland and 84 from Wales. Of the adults nearly one-half were foreigners; every State of the Union and almost every part of Europe were represented in the population at that time. So far as the States were concerned, speaking of males only, Pennsylvania predominated. The population of the city included 1,210 natives of that State as against 1, 112 natives of Ohio. New Jersey furnished 795 and New York 672, so that the Germanic states with a contribution to the popu- lation of 3,440 males, almost equaled in number
the natives of the four States mentioned. The other States that contributed a considerable number of males were: Virginia, 519; Mary- land, 537; Massachusetts, 414; Kentucky, 349; Connecticut, 230; and Vermont, 118.
Population statistics are in themselves not interesting, but they show better than any other method the development of the city. In 1840 the most populous ward in the city was the Fifth Ward, extending from Main to Plum and from Sixth to Liberty. This circumstance shows more than anything else how the city had long since grown beyond its original limits. This ward contained 9,341 people, of whom almost one-half (4,320) were Germans and 316 were colored persons. The First Ward with 7,869 people, of whom 3,630 were Germans and 969 colored persons, was second in population. This ward, lying cast of Main and north of Fourth, was also entirely outside the original settlement of the city. In the early days it has been seen that the principal population lay in what was in 1840 the Third Ward in population . and name, including 7,326 inhabitants, of whom 1,912 were Germans and 196 colored. Next in turn was the Fourth Ward, which covered the lower level fronting on the river from Main to Western row. In this ward were 6,087 per- sons, of whom but 996 were Germans and 567 colored persons. The Second Ward, which lay just above the Fourth, extended as far north as Sixth street, included 5,370 persons, of whom 1,137 were Germans and 99 colored. Not far behind was the Seventh Ward, the northwestern part of the city beyond Sixth and Plum, with 4,813 inhabitants, including 1,473 Germans and 73 colored persons. The Sixth Ward, running along the river beyond Central avenue to Mill Creek was the smallest in population in the city and included 4,577 inhabitants, of whom 695 were Germans and 38 colored persons. This gave a total population of 46,382, of whom 14,- 163 were Germans and 2,258 colored.
During the 10 years that followed there was a very large accession of foreigners, particularly of Germans and Irish, so that in the census of 1850 the foreign born citizens still retained their proportionate strength. Mr. Cist (Cincinnati in 1851, p. 45) calls attention to the fact that the census for 1850 was taken at a time when the cholera was raging. As a result of this not only did the city sustain a loss,-4,832 deaths on this score,-but the population returns were farther reduced from the still greater numbers who fled by reason of the pestilence. For weeks
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every form of conveyance was filled with fugi- tives, most of whom did not return in time to be included in the enumeration of inhabitants.
The census taken that year showed the popu- lation in wards one to io in the following numbers : 6,845; 8,213; 7,668; 10,957; 5,283; 9,630 ; 9,345 ; 14,424; 10,705; and 13,032; wards II and 12, north of Liberty street, contained 19,336 people, of whom but go were colored. The greatest colored population was in the Ninth Ward, 816; the Fourth had 563; First, 434; and Sixth, 401. The townships in the neighborhood of the city were populated as follows: Fulton, 3,323; Mill Creek, 6,287; Columbia, 2,416; Spencer, 1,656; Green, 3,951 and Delhi, 1,942. Of these, 114 were colored ( 107 in Mill Creek). There was a total of 112,266 whites and 3,172 colored persons,-a grand total of 115,438. From the various parts of the United States came 55,468, of whom 33,258 were natives of Ohio; Pennsylvania stood second, with a contri- bution of 5,005, followed by New York, 3,331 ; Virginia, 2,370; Kentucky, 2,223; Maryland, 1,663; New Jersey, 1,546; Indiana, 1,256; and Massachusetts, 1,166. The other States con- tributing were Connecticut, Louisiana, Vermont, Maine, Tennessee, . Delaware, New Hampshire, Mississippi, North Carolina, Illinois, Rhode Is- land, District of Columbia, South Carolina, Georgia, Missouri, Michigan, Alabama, Ar- kansas, Iowa, Texas, Wisconsin and Florida in the order named. Of the foreigners 30,628 came from Germany, 13,616 from Ireland, 3,690 from England, 820 from France, 771 from Scot- land, 444 from Wales, 338 from Canada, 171 from Italy, 154 from Switzerland and 130 from Prussia. The remaining foreigners were made up of natives from Holland, Poland, Nova Scotia, West Indies, Quebec, Denmark, Belgium, Mex- ico, Russia, Norway, Spain, Isles of Jersey and Man, Greece, Brazil, Africa, Portugal, New Brunswick, China, Guatemala, the Isles of Wight, Guernsey and France, Newfoundland, Turkey and Australia. The foreigners numbered in all 51,171. The remaining population were included under the classification "At Sea" and "Unknown,"-8,799; and of the "Unknown" the greater number were natives of the United States. The central wards of the city con- tained the larger proportion of the native population but as a general rule the Trish resided in the neighborhood of the river and the Germans in the northern part of the city, a large proportion "Over the Rhine," as the region beyond the canal was called. The last
to a great degree owned the property they occu- pied, and the high price of ground in the active business regions, together with its preoccupation for other purposes than sites for dwellings, had concentrated them along the northern line of Cin- cinnati. It was recognized even at that time that it was to the industry of foreigners that Cincinnati was indebted in a great degree for its rapid growth. Their presence had accelerated the execution of the public improvements and had given an impulse to the manufacturing oper- ations without which they could hardly have reached the extent and importance attained at that time. (Cincinnati in 1851, p. 48.)
Dr. Drake was of the opinion that of all classes of foreigners the Germans soonest as- similated to the great mass. It took but one generation to obliterate all the distinctive marks of this race-even of language, usually a most tenacious feature. On the contrary, the Irish- man whose dialect does not differ much except in accent and tone from ours, retained his family identity for several generations; this is also true, but in a less degree, of the English and Scotch. (Cincinnati in 1859, p. 166.)
The census of 1860 showed a poulation of 161,044. Of this 157,313 were white and 3,731 colored. The largest population, 18,596, was in the 12th Ward, and the smallest, 4,025, in the 17th Ward, in which last ward there lived but one colored man. The largest colored popula- tion was in the 13th, 978, and in the 4th, 825. The total foreign population at this time was 73,614. Of these, the natives of the German states comprised the greatest number, 43,931, (45.71%). Ireland came next with 19,375 as its quota. England contributed 3,730, Scotland 921, British America 881, France 1,884 and other countries 2,892.
The population of the wards of the city, from one to 17, inclusive, was as follows : 7,371; 4,158; 8,313; 11,338; 5,940; 7,793; 7,707; 13,- 292 ; 9,057; 11,519; 12,738; 18,596; 7,537; 9,035 ; 11,946; 10,679; and 4,025.
In the Directory of 1840 the opening of the Mi- ami Canal and the introduction of stone coal are given as important contributing causes to the de- velopment of many kinds of manufactures which resulted in the wonderful increase of population and building in the 20 years from 1820 to 1840. In. 1832, after the veto of the bank bill, real estate fell almost as it had risen and wiseacres prophesied that Cincinnati was on the retro- grade track; they said hier growth had been unnatural and hier downfall certain. During the
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seven years . following, in the teeth of suspen- sions and hard times she had increased 50 per cent and during the last of these years, the hardest of all, no fewer than 300 (Cist says 394) substantial brick and stone buildings had been erected, so that the writer of the directory at that time, though business was torpid, the river low and money a nonentity, could say that Cincinnati was more truly and genuinely pros- perous than ever before. (Directory of 1840, p. 482.)
During the latter half of the decade to follow the Little Miami Railroad gave its aid to the development of the city, followed in the next decade by other roads. The railroads were not such an impetus to the growth of the city as the canal had been. This water-way added to the river facilities was the agency that made Cincinnati a great city. What ensured its growth was the rapid development of mant- factures, to which a wide market was opening. The financial repression of the "fifties" ma- terially injured the city, as it did the whole country. Mr. Parton's charge, quoted later, that there was no public spirit in Cincinnati in the decade prior to the war is unjust, but there can be no question that it was not until after the great conflict that the city regained the char- acteristics that so distinguished the "thirties" and the "forties."
BUILDING IN THE "FORTIES."
According to Mr. Cist the total number of buildings in the city in 1841 was 6,781. Since 1832 more than 300 buildings had been added each year. The number in 1839 reached 394 and in 1840, 406. Of those built in 1839, 280 were brick and 114 frame, and in the following year there were built 260 brick and 146 frame buildings. The greatest number naturally was in the Fifth Ward, which was closely followed bv the Seventh Ward, at that time the new terri- tory just opening up for settlement. (Cincin- nati in 1841, p. 42.)
Changes in the appearance of the city became more numerous as the numbers of new build- ings increased. In 1842, 537 buildings were erected, and the following year 621. During the next year ( 1844) the indefatigable Mr. Cist made an enumeration of the buildings of the city showing that at that time they numbered 10,773, which was an increase of 1,228 over the previous year. It was also thought that as many as 500 new buildings had been added during the year in the district between the corporation line
and the base of the hills. Mr. Cist calls atten- tion to a new style of building front, of which two specimens had just been erected on Fourth street,-the dwelling houses of S. S. Smith and S. C. Parkhurst. These were built of a variety of white limestone or marble from the Dayton quarries. The first use of this stone was in the erection of the new St. Peter's Roman Catholic Cathedral. Among other buildings especially mentioned was a block at the corner of Pike and Syinmes streets. The Observatory was rapidly approaching completion. The design of Miles Greenwood's new foundry, the cotton mill of Strader & Company, a row of 10 dwelling houses at the west end of Longworth street, faced with marble and ornamented with verandas and balconies which were even visible from the steamboats on the river, and the new Cathedral, the most magnificent structure of its kind at that time in . America, were especially commended. In 1845 it is estimated that 1,500 new buildings were added to the city. Another estimate gives the number as 1,252. Among the new build- ings in process of erection were the new Cincin- nati College Building to take place of the old one, which had burned on the 19th of January, the Masonic Temple, Odd Fellows' Hall and II churches.
According to Mr. Cist's enumeration of the buildings of the city, which he made in the sum- mer of 1844, the great hive of industry in the manufacturing line where "were the planing machines, iron foundries, breweries, sawmills, rolling mills, finishing shops, bell and brass foundries, boiler yards, boat building and ma- chine shops" was the Third Ward, which it , will be remembered was the river ward lying cast of Main street. There was also consider- able manufacturing and business of the heavier character in the Fourth Ward, which ran along the river west of Main and as far north as Third street. The explanation is given as to this ward that it had been "for many years in a state of suspended animation with little signs of improvement. Second or Columbia street was left for a long period at a grade which shut out the improvement its contiguity to the busi- ness region of Cincinnati should have located within its limits. In addition to this the great flood of 1832 laid it under water to such a depth that steamboats actually passed down some of its streets and its western borders were overflowed from eight to twelve feet. This calamity drove the dwelling house building, es- pecially the elegant and spacious portion of it,
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to the Hill ( that is above Third street) and left the river region in a languishing state until within the past year, or within eighteen months, by which time the absolute want of room else -. where, for business purposes, and the increasing trade of Cincinnati gave an impulse to ware- house building in the eastern and southern parts of the ward," which was filling them up with many and extensive improvements in blocks as well as single houses. Among those especially mentioned were the blocks of George H. Bates & Company, Stephen J. Wade and John H. Groesbeck, occuping three of the corners at Front and Walnut, two fine buildings at the corner of Second and Walnut and Stewart's Block on Second between Main and Walnut. These were "all built of substantial door posts and lintels faced in every direction with cast iron, handsomely ornamented." Another improve- ment was the new and capacious foundry of Goodhue & Company on Elm street. In fact it is estimated that the buildings erected during the 18 months just closed surpassed the previous erections for 15 or 20 years. Second street west had been filled up 10 to 12 feet and graded so that it formed a direct connection with the White Water Canal basin. As a result, Mr. Cist was of the impression that Front and Second street west of Walnut presented the best oppor- tunities for investment in the city. (Cist's Mis- cellany, Vol. I, p. 18.)
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The Second Ward, which included all that section west of Main to Western row from Third to Sixth, was said to be "four-fifths occupied with permanent buildings." Here were 22 pub- lic buildings, 825 other buildings all brick and 214 of frame, in all 1,061. Fourth street had been for years becoming the most desirable street ·in the city for private residences by reason of its elevated and airy plateau and the fact that it was within the reach of markets, schools, churches, public meetings and general business. The fact that it was blocked at both its eastern and western termini prevented it from being a thoroughfare for heavy hauling.
The new buildings in the First Ward, which lay cast of Main and above Third, were largely to the east of the canal as the old part had long since been densely built over. Baum street 011 a range with Lock street had been opened during the year and was filling rapidly withi buildings, and High street, the eastern continu- ation of Third and Symmes, which had been without any connection between its eastern and western points, was being graded down so that
it would soon open up an entire new section contiguous to the canal and the shipyard busi- 11ess. The progress of the Observatory on the peak of Mount Adams made it a conspicuous point in this part of the city.
Three-fourths of the Fifth Ward, lying be- vond Sixth between Race and Main, had been built over. The recent building operations had been largely south of the canal and were for in- vestment purposes. Previous to that, most of the building had been over the canal and by per- sons of limited means. This was the "Over the Rhine" section and was largely German. Among the recent erections in this ward was an addi- tional foundry of Miles Greenwood, three valu- able blocks at the corner of Eiglith and Walnut and a new brewery by Fortman & Company and eight or nine churches.
'The southwest section of the city, the Sixth Ward, was not increasing as rapidly as other portions, although one-half of the ward had been built upon. This was one of the few wards in the city where the frame buildings exceeded in number those of brick. The grading of Sixth street west of Park to its termination at Mill creek almost a mile away was progressing rap- idly. In the Seventh Ward, lying between the Fifth and Eighth, a number of business build- ings around Sixth and Elm and a great many fine dwellings were in process of erection. Court and Elin was also a residence center. Among the streets which were being graded down were Pleasant, 14th, Hopkins and John streets. The great feature of this ward was, of course, the newly erected Roman Catholic Cathedral. Three- fifths of the ward was improved with buildings.
The Eighth Ward, the northwest territory, lying northwest of Sixth and John was still quite bare. But a few years before it liad con- tamed nothing but commons, brick-yards, pas- tures and vegetable gardens. At this time a great deal of grading of streets was going on. Among those specially mentioned were Free- man, Betts and Hopkins, all of which were being cut down. Many frame cottages surrounded by trees and shrubbery made this an attractive residence quarter for people of moderate means. Here on Catherine street just beyond Mound were the Catholie, Methodist and Baptist bury- ing grounds.
The Ninth Ward, lying above Sixth and east of Main, was built over for about two-thirds of its space, containing 1,212 buildings, of which two-thirds were of frame. It was thought that as many as 500 new buildings had been put up
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during the year, north of the corporation line (Liberty' street) at the foot of the hills in the territory soon to be annexed to the city. The older buildings, too, which had made up the early town, were pretty well cleared out by this time. Among those that disappeared this year was the so-called Fairchild's Corner on Front and Main, Elsenlock's Corner on Walnut and Front and an old white frame building a little northeast of the corner of Fifth and Main which had been put up in the late days of the former century and the well known hotel of Andrew Burt, so long a fashionable resort.
Mr. Cist summarizes the aggregate of build- ings in 1842 as 8,542; in 1843, 9,545; and in 1844, 10,773. Of the buildings in 1844 there were in the First Ward, 735; Second, 1,061 ; Third, 1,162; Fourth, 1,211; Fifth, 1,608; Sixth, 1,063; Seventh, 1,311; Eighth, 1, 164; and Ninth, 1,212. In the following year he made a similar enumeration, showing an increase of 1,252 buildings, of which 789 were brick and 463 frame. He notes especially the increase of buildings cast of the canal and on the southern brow of Deer creek and the new College Building, Masonic Temple and Odd Fellows' Hall.
Speaking in 1845, Mr. Cist says :
."The increase of business in Cincinnati com- pels it to radiate from its former eentres. Blocks of business stands are forming east, west and north of the existing commercial regions. Thus some thirty large ware and store-houses have been or are just about to be erected on Walnut, between Water and Second streets. Commerce is finding vent down Second, Third and Front streets to the west, and up Second and Third streets to the east. That fine block known by the name of Hopple's Row, and which has hardly been a year built, is now occupied with lace and dry-goods stores, drug-shops, carpet ware-houses, etc., in which goods are offered wholesale to as good advantage as in any other part of the city. Among these the dry-goods store of Baird & Sehuyler may be especially alluded to as a fine establishment. These are the occupants of the lower buildings; upstairs is a perfect den of wipers in the shape of law- yers and editors." (Cist's Miseellany, Vol. I, p. 256.)
The growth in another direction is indicated by another comment from the same writer :
"OUR NORTHWEST TERRITORY .- There is noth- ing in Cincinnati exhibits a growth as vigorous as the northwestern part of our city, popularly called Texas. What constituted originally the
Seventh Ward was, only seven years ago, inter- spersed here and there with dwellings, but con- . sisted principally of brick-yards, cattle-pastures and vegetable gardens, for the supply of markets. Such was the unimproved condition of this region that nearly two hundred and fifty acres, occupied as pasturage, were owned by four or five individuals alone. Two hundred and fifty acres of pasturage in a city, and that city as thriving as Cincinnati! The whole number of dwellings at that period, within the bounds of that ward, were short of three hundred and fifty, and its whole population could not have reached to twenty-five hundred souls; and these the buildings and inhabitants of a section of Cin- einnati more than a mile square!
"Now what a change! Eleven hundred new buildings, most of them of a character for beauty, permanence and value equal to the aver -; age of the main body of our city improvements. The streets graded and paved to a great extent. churches and public school houses going up in its midst, and well-paved sidewalks, adding to the general finish and convenience. With all these improvements, too, space has been left, at the sides and in the fronts of the buildings, for that free introduction of shrubbery and flowers which render our city so attractive to strangers, and so airy and pleasant to ourselves. It is, in short, completely rus in urbe, abounding in spots which combine the comfort of a country villa with the convenience and advantages of a city residence.
"It may serve to give a striking view of the magnitude and extent of the improvements in this region to state that London street has been graded from Fulton to Mound street west, which extent, some one thousand two hundred feet in length, is now dug down from five to ten feet, to fill up one thousand feet farther west and the entire widthi-sixty feet-of the street. The stupendous character of the work may be inferred from the volume of carth filled in, which, at the intersection of Baymiller street, measures sixteen feet in depth. The greater part of this is also paved, and progressing as fast in paving as is prudent, the graded ground being covered with stone as fast as it settles to its permanent bed. This must become one of the finest entrances to our city. The population of this section of Cincinnati is now, doubtless, eleven thousand, the inhabitants having quad- rupled since 1838.
"A new and important avenue to trade and
42
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marketing has been opened through this part of the city; by extending Freeman street to the Hamilton road. The effect of this will be to direct a large share of the travelling to the city, to the intersection of Fifth and Front streets; and to bring the pork wagons into direct com- munication with the pork houses which must be put up on the line of the White Water Canal.
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