Centennial history of Cincinnati and representative citizens, Vol. I, Pt. 2, Part 6

Author: Greve, Charles Theodore, b. 1863. cn
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1048

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An entry of special interest in the Directory of 1836 is that of the Young Men's Mercantile Library Association which had obtained its char- ter on January 5th of that year and had rooms on the north side of Fourth street between Main and Sycamore. Its president was Moses Ram- say and librarian, B. F. Doolittle, and it had at that time 300 members, over 1,000 volumes and in the reading room the principal foreign and American reviews and periodicals and papers from most of the cities of the Union.

Five breweries,-those of Perry & Riley, Dr. Price, Metcalf & Attee, Lofthouse and C. and J. Schultz,-a button factory ( Butler), a chem- ical laboratory, eight foundries, nine factories and seven steam mills are also enumerated in the Di- rectory of 1831. The important rows and build- ings at this time are also given. The Commer- cial Row was at the southwest corner of Main and Water. Not far from it at the northeast corner of Main and Front was Noble's Row. On Front street between Main and Walnut was Greene's Row. The southeast corner of Broad- way and Front was Cassilly's Row; going up Main street the northwest corner of Fourth and Main was Moore's Row while the southwest corner of the same streets was Jones's Row. The northeast corner of Fifth and Main was then as now Thom's Row. The northeast corner of Third and Vine was Foote's Row, a little row of one-story offices in front of the handsome residence of John P. Foote. At the corner of Third street and Masonic alley was the Masonic

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Building while Carr's Building where were the city offices for so many years was on Third street between Main and Sycamore. Johnston's Row occupied the site of the present Johnston Building at the southwest corner of Fifth and Walnut. Three years later appear several more rows,-on south Canal street Jessop's Row be- tween Main street and St. Clair alley, Perry's Row between the same alley and Walnut street and Smith's Row between Main and Sycamore. Neff's Row was at the southwest corner of Second and Main and White's Row at the north- east corner. Produce Row was on Main between Ninth and Court. In 1836 was added Wiggins & Garness' Row at the southeast corner of Wal- nut and Water.

The hotels in 1831 were the Cincinnati, Broad- way, City, White Hall, Commercial, Dennison's, Graham's, McHenry's and Fox's. In 1834 the hotels included the Cincinnati, Broadway and Dennison already mentioned and the Pearl Street House (Commercial) kept by David Griffin at the northeast corner of Pearl and Walnut; the Washington House kept by Hezekiah Fox on Front between Main and Walnut and Ebenezer Hulse's House ( Fox's) on Main between Court and Canal ; the Exchange on Front between Main and Sycamore kept by Guibert and Hughes; and Henrie's Hotel at the southwest corner of Sixth and Main. The Cincinnati Hotel at Front and Broadway was kept by Joseph Cromwell; the Broadway Hotel at Second and Broadway, by John D. Harris and the Dennison on Main by William Dennison.

In 1836 the Broadway was kept by Augustus Isham and the Exchange by J. W. Garrison. Henrie's Hotel had been changed to City Hall and was kept by Robert B. Wilson. Other hotels mentioned were the Main Street Hotel on Main near Canal, Congress Hall on the south side of Front between Main and Walnut, Marine Hotel at the southwest corner of Lower Market and Broadway, Greene's Hotel on Front between Broadway and Pike, Washington Hall on Water between Main and Walnut, Lafayette Hall on Lower Market between Sycamore and Broad- way, Pennsylvania Inn at the southeast corner of Sixth and Elm, City Hotel on Sycamore be- tween Second and Lower Market and the Wal- nut Street House at the southwest corner of Sixth and Walnut. The names of these hostel- ries seem to have changed frequently. Five taverns are also given in the directory of that year.

In the directory of 1831 appears the following announcement :

"During the past year a new street was opened, extending Lower Market street from Main to Walnut; and both sides of it are now, or soon will be, wholly built up with brick warehouses and other buildings, all of which are beautiful and substantial. The hotel on the corner, where the new street enters Walnut, will be one of the most splendid edifices in the Western country. It is five stories high above the basement, and is to be covered with marble columns. The new street has received the name of 'Pearl street,' and promises to be to Cincinnati what its cele- brated namesake is to New York.

"Among the best buildings erected in 1830 we would mention, in addition to the above, Greene's splendid row on Front street; Cassilly's & Carter's on the corner of Broadway and Front; and Moore's on the southeast corner of Main and Fourth streets. Much more taste has been displayed in the models of private dwell- ings than heretofore, especially in those erected on Fourth street. Of the public buildings fin- ished during the past year, we would mention the Catholic Athenaeum, the Unitarian and the Second Presbyterian churches. The latter is con- sidered by good judges one of the best models of the Doric in the United States. It is of brick, but its front, pillars, and sides are covered with cement, in imitation of marble. The cost of this church was more than twenty thousand dollars. On its cupola has been placed a public clock, which belongs to the city."

The Directory of 1829 had announced the com- pletion to Main street of the Miami Canal and its successful opening for navigation during the year preceding. In 1831 we are told that in the year previous the excavation had been com- menced to continue this canal to the river and it was extended from the head of Main street across Deer creek over which it passed by a large culvert. Here it was proposed that it should stop for a time and the water power was leased along the borders of the line. In 1834 the length of the canal is given as 67 miles. It contained 32 locks from the bottom of the canal at Main street to low water mark on the Ohio. The fall was 106.27 feet which with the 3.73 feet depth of water in the lower lock made the entire lockage at Cincinnati 110 feet running through a distance of 73 chains and 18 links. To overcome this there were then building 10 locks of 11 feet lift which were to be finished in the following July. The total cost of the canal was given as $881,477, and the tolls collected for the year 1833, $52,017.03, all increase of 37 percent over the previous year.

CHAPTER XXXI.

THE CITY TO THE SEMI-CENTENNIAL-III. CONTEMPORARY ACCOUNTS.

SOME NOTED VISITORS-BULLOCK-MRS. TROLLOPE AND THE BAZAAR-ATWATER-THOMAS-HAMIL- TON-VIGNE-HOFFMAN -- CHEVALIER - ELLIS - HARRIET MARTINEAU - MURRAY - CAPTAIN MARRYAT-REMINISCENCES OF ".OLD MAN "-CONTEMPORARY VIEWS OF THE CITY.

The chapter on the directories gives from a statistical side the development of the city from the year 1819 at which time it first became a city until the end of the first half century of the life of the settlement. A different point of view is that, of course, of the various distinguished people who visited the city during this time. Cincinnati was already one of the leading points of interest to foreigners who came to America to visit and many of them have left entertain- ing comments upon their experiences here.

SOME NOTED VISITORS.

In May, 1826, came his highness, Bernhard, Duke of Saxe-Weimar Eisenach. The preva- lence of the smallpox at Louisville, from which town his party came, caused an examination by health officers before they were permitted to land. The Duke stopped at "Mack's, a good hotel, near the shore." The town consisted "mostly of brick houses" and the streets were wide, well paved and had sidewalks. At the top of a hill there was a view resembling a pano- rama. Here they were building a large Catholic Cathedral. The Duke visited some book stores and the Western Museum. Two wooden bridges crossed Deer creek, across which was the high- est hill in the vicinity, the view from which "even in Europe would be considered as very handsome." Callers included Morgan Neville and Peyton S. Symmes, who drew his like- ness. He was conducted to see the remains of

Indian antiquities "which are yet existing, and which could scarcely be recognized. We as- cended an Indian mound which is about thirty feet high, situated in a garden. One part of it had been cut off, but nothing being found in it, they began to plant it with trees." (Travels Through North America, Vol. II, p. 138.)

BULLOCK.

Among the most noteworthy of the visitors was an Englishman, W. Bullock, who had made a considerable sum of money as the owner of a museum in London. In 1815 he had given an exhibition at Egyptian Hall in that city. There he exhibited among other curiosities the carriage of Napoleon, which had been occupied by the Emperor at Waterloo. Bullock is said to have paid over twelve thousand dollars for it, but within two years he cleared considerably over a hundred thousand dollars by exhibiting it throughout England. Almost a million people paid for the privilege of seeing this vehicle and many not unlike their descendants of the present day were willing to pay a still larger fee for the opportunity of sitting in a seat that had held so great a personage. In 1827 Bullock and his wife traveled on the Western Continent. They first made a tour of Mexico and came by way of New Orleans to Cincinnati. They traveled on the "beautiful steamboat George Washington, built at Cincinnati and certainly the finest fresh water vessel I had seen."

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Upon his return to England, Bullock published in London a sketch of his journey, in which he included the well known "Cincinnati in 1826" by Drake and Mansfield. His purpose in doing this was to interest his people in the city and particularly in a settlement which he proposed to establish opposite Cincinnati just below Mill creek, where the town of Ludlow now stands; this was to be called Hygeia. A very elaborate plat of the proposed city is prefixed to his vol- ume. This plat was made by J. B. Papworth, architect to the King of "Wurtemburg."

Mr. Bullock was much impressed with the city, which he first saw on Easter Sunday, 1827. He specially mentions the elegant house and ex- tensive estate called "Elmwood," the residence of Thomas D. Carneal, Esq., which was pointed out to him as one of the finest residences in this part of America. He passed the powder works and the bridge over Mill creek and observed the glass houses, paper mills, foundries and other demonstrations of a flourishing and rising com- mercial and manufacturing city. As it was Easter Sunday "the landing was crowded with respectable well dressed people." Upon their landing they were introduced to Col. Andrew Mack, the proprietor of the principal hotel (Cin- cinnati Hotel), which struck Bullock as an es- tablishment of order, regularity and comfort that would do credit to any city of Europe. "The number and respectability of its guests proved at once the estimation in which it was held in the country. The dinner-bell summoned us at two o'clock, and we found an assemblage of about seventy ladies and gentlemen; the former at the head of the table, with Mrs. Mack, while the Colonel was on his feet, attending to the wants of his guests, and seeing that the waiters were attending to their duty. The dinner was such, that an epicure, from whatever part of the world he might have arrived, would have had little cause to complain, as in no part of my travels have I seen a table spread with more profusion, or better served ; the only occasion of complaint with an Englishman would arise from the want of warm plates, and a little more time to have enjoyed the repast, twenty minutes only being allowed by the industrious habits of this part of America, for their principal meal. Little wine is used at the dinner-table; the guests, being principally merchants, who prefer this mode of living to housekeeping, return immedi- ately to their stores, or counting-houses, with a better relish for business than is usually found after the enjoyment of the bottle. I should

have stated that, before dinner, we underwent the undeviating ceremony of introduction to the principal guests, who were assembled in the drawing-room. In no part of the old Continent that I have' visited are strangers treated with more attention, politeness and respect, than in Cincinnati."

Mr. Bullock was so impressed with the fact that he was treated with this attention regard- less of his being without letters of introduction that he concluded to remain a few days and "ultimately, probably to end our lives with them."

The next morning he took a stroll to the market at an early hour, where he observed a novel and interesting sight. "Several hundred wagons, tilted, with white canvas and cach drawn with three or four horses with a pole were backed against the pavement, or footway, of the market place, and the tailboard or flap of the wagon turned down so as to form a kind of counter and convert the body of the carriage into a portable shop, in which were seated the owners in the midst of the displayed produce of their farms." This was the first time that he had seen an American market and naturally the strange sight, which can be seen any day in Cincinnati at the present time, struck him as quite peculiar. The superior quality of the articles of sale as well as their low price im pressed him. For a hind quarter of mutton the price was thirteen pence, a turkey "that would have borne a comparison with the best Christ- mas bird from Norfolk," was the same price. Fowls were worth from three to four pence each and a fine roasting pig ready for the spit a shilling and three pence, beef three half pence per pound, pork one penny per pound, while butter, cheese, corn and flour were in the same proportion. The fish market was particularly good and as- paragus superior in goodness and size to that at Covent Garden, and about one-fourth as ex- pensive.

In the afternoon the party descended the Ohio in a small wherry and viewed the city from one of the Kentucky hills. "The extended prospect reminded us strongly of the view from Rich- mond Hill; the same delightful variety of hill and dale, enriched by the windings of the tran- quil Ohio, with its various vessels for pleasure and commerce. Its gently swelling hills, how- ever, are covered with wood and forests, which have no equal in Europe; even the charms of art and refinement are not wanting to complete the scene, as the elegant white villas of many of the more opulent inhabitants, already make

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their appearance in the most romantic situations in the vicinity."

Mr. Bullock was convinced that for the indus- trious person with a small income no situation he had seen embraced so many advantages for a place of residence as this rising and prosperous little city with its extremely healthy site, salubri- ous climate, rich soil, cheapness of supplies, in- dustrions and kind inhabitants, its excellent pub- lic institutions and enjoyable society. The in- terest derived from capital was treble what it was in Europe while the expense of living was not one-third as much. As a result he pur- chased shortly afterwards the estate of Mr. Car- neal, which included some thousand acres. The residence of brick and stone with three hand- some fronts was considered the completest resi- dence in the country and was not surpassed by any even in the Atlantic cities. In the woods were many varieties of birds, mocking birds, redbirds, nightingales, orioles, as well as wild ducks and quail, while through the parks were tamed deer and a pair of elk as well as some American buffalo. Beautiful indeed must have been the place as described by this enthusiastic traveler.

The following is a part of his description of this residence :

"It is scarcely possible to find a more beauti- ful, healthful or fertile spot. A ride around its boundaries embraces every variety of land- scape. Its general feature is level, gently rising from the river into undulatory hill and valley, resembling the finest part of the County of Devon, excepting that the portion farthest from the river is clothed with woods, to which, from the size of the trees, their beauty and variety, nothing in Europe can compare. The prospect from the hill and over this part of the Valley of Ohio, the noble river winding through it, en- livened by the passing steamboats, with colors waving and signal guns echoing from the sur- rounding hills, its floating arks laden with stores for the settlers on the shores, besides the sailing and fishing boats, on one side of the river the beautiful, rising city, with domes, pinnacles, public buildings and manufactories, and on the other bank the villages of Newport and Cov- ington, together form a view such as would require a much abler pen than mine to do jus- tice to.

"I have not, since I left England, seen a house so completely furnished with all the ele- gancies and refinements of society, nor a more hospitable and abundant board, which is wholly

supplied from his own grounds. Better beef and mutton could not be desired. Game is so plenti- ful that it is easily and abundantly procured within half a mile of the house. Fish- of the finest kinds, in great variety, are taken in the Ohio, within a still shorter distance, and kept alive in pens at the banks; and a well stored kitchen-garden, orchard and vineyard of 25 acres, planted with all the best vegetables and fruit of the United States contribute to the general stock ; in short, every necessary and luxury of life, ex- cepting tea and coffee, is produced on the estate. The house is situated on a gentle acclivity, about 150 yards from the river, with beautiful pleasure grounds in front, laid out with taste and deco .. rated with varieties of magnificent plants and flowers to which we are yet strangers. It com- mands a full view of the river and all that passes on it."

The plat of the proposed town of Hygeia shows a most beautiful arrangement. On the river front were parks known as Horticultural Garden and Agricultural Garden and the streets running back were wide and received imposing names. Places for landing, inns, town hall, li- brary, churches, theatre, baths, public buildings. shops, fountain, school, chapel, cemetery, and even a brewery are indicated. (Bullock's Journey Through the Western States.)

He brought with him on his return from Eu- rope a number of beautiful pictures and "Elm- wood Hall" became for a few years the show place of the neighborhood. He did not meet with proper encouragement and he finally sold the building and some 700 acres of land to Israel L. Lndlow, the son of the pioneer. He himself retired to another part of the estate, where he lived for five years, when he sold the rest of the property to the same purchaser.

The writer of "The Americans As They Are," referring to the condition of affairs in Cincinnati in 1827, says: "Most of the houses in the city are elegant, many are truly beautiful; but they belong to the bank of the United States, which possesses at least 200 of the finest houses in Cincinnati. The building mania obtained such strong hold of the inhabitants, that most of themi forgot their actual means; and accordingly, having drawn money from the bank which they were unable to refund, they had at last to give up lots and buildings to the United States' bank."

The same writer found the prevailing matters of society to be those "peculiar to larger cities, without the formalities and mannerism of the Eastern seaports. Freedom of thought prevails

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in a high degree, and toleration is exercised with- out limitation. The women are considered very handsome; their deportment is free from pride ; but simple and unassuming as they appear, they evince a high taste for literary and mental ac- complishments."

MRS. TROLLOPE AND THE BAZAAR.

Mrs. Frances Trollope, whose remarks on Cin- cinnati and its institutions have been so freely quoted, was an Englishwoman of a distinguished family and of great ability. She was known as the most voluminous English authoress of her time and also as a mother of two sons,-Thomas Adolphus Trollope, a most voluminous writer on travel, history and Italian life and manners, and Anthony Trollope, probably the most prolific of English novelists.

Mrs. Trollope came to Cincinnati with her son and two daughters in 1828 and was joined the following year by her husband and other son. She took a little house on Hamilton road at Mohawk and determined to establish her son in business here. The Bazaar was the result of that determination. In spite of the hope- ful tone of the author of the directory in the account quoted, the building was sold before completion to pay the liens of mechanics who had worked upon it and subsequently underwent many alterations and many vicissitudes. It was purchased by the newly established Ohio Me- chanics' Institute for $10,000 and furnished two large halls for the use of this institution to- gether with rooms for a library, for the Acad- emy of Natural Science, and accommodations for the family of Dr. Craig, the president of the Institute, and afterwards for Dr. Locke, who succeeded him. To raise the $3,000 to make the first payment, the Institute gave a public ball, which was intended to be a mass meeting for the lovers of amusement, where "various classes of society could mingle with that kindliness of feeling which it is one of the objects of innocent amusement to excite and under circumstances in which nothing but pleasing excitement without any evil passions could prevail. To obtain a floor sufficiently extensive the theatre was taken and the pit floored over and connected with the stage; the boxes were appropriated to those who desired only to enjoy the sight of a splendid pageant, with a great assemblage of happy and beautiful faces and forms." (Foote's Schools of Cincinnati, p. 84.)

Afterwards the Ohio Mechanics' Institute was obliged to leave the building, because of its fail-

ure to pay the balance of the purchase money. The building is thus described :

"THE BAZAAR .- This exotic title carries the imagination directly to Constantinople, so cele- brated for Mosques, Minarets, Caravanseras and Bazaars. In sober English, Bazaar signifies a fair or market place. The building which is the subject of the present notice, and which is now in rapid progress towards completion, is called the Bazaar, although but a small portion of its ample area is to be appropriated to its legitimate uses as a constant mart. The name, albeit, is in good keeping with the style of the edifice, the freestone front of which exhibits a rich and beautiful specimen of arabesque archi- tecture, combining the airy lightness of the Grecian with the sombrous gravity of the Gothic taste. The basement story, which is entered by three several flights of stone steps, contains divers neat and commodious apartments. Those fronting the street are designed for an Exchange Coffee House, one of them to be fitted up and furnished as a Bar Room, the other to be appro- priated, as the name imports, to the transaction of general Commercial Business. Over the basement is a splendid compartment, 60 feet by 28, and ornamented by two rows of Columns passing through it. This room gives title, if not character, to the building. Here is to be held The Bazaar, where, it is presumable, every use- ful and useless article in dress, in stationary, in light and ornamental household furniture, chinas and more pellucid porcelains, with every gewgaw that can contribute to the splendor and attrac- tiveness of the exhibition, from the sparkling necklace of 'Lady fair' to the Exquisite's safety- chain, will be displayed and vended.

"In the rear of the Bazaar is an elegant Saloon, where Ices and other refreshments will lend their allurements to the fascinations of architectural novelty. This Saloon opens to a spacious Bal- cony, which in its turn conducts to an Exhibition Gallery, that is at present occupied by Mr. Her- vieu's superb picture of Lafayette's landing at Cincinnati. Above the Bazaar is a magnificent Ball Room, the front of which, looking upon the street, will receive the rays of the Sun, or emit the rival splendors of its gas-illumined walls, by three ample, arabesque windows, which give an unrivalled lightness and grace to the fes- tive hall. The walls and the arched and lofty ceiling of this delectable apartment are to be decorated by the powerful pencil of Mr. Hervien. The rear of the room is occupied by an orchestral gallery, whence dulcet music will guide 'the light

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fantastic toe' thro' the mazes of the giddy dance.

"Behind the Ball Room is another superb Sa- loon, issuing also to a Balcony. This division is assigned to the accommodation of gentle- men's private parties, where the beau monde may regale themselves when and how they list. Over this is a circular structure of exceedingly light and beautiful proportions, which is intended for Panoramic Exhibitions; and around it is con- structed, in concentric circles, an airy Corridor, from whence the eye, that has been already de- lighted to saticty by the exhibitions of art, may recreate itself amid the varied beauties and blandishments of nature.

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Centennial history of Cincinnati and representative citizens, Vol. I, Pt. 2, Part 6

Author: Greve, Charles Theodore, b. 1863. cn Publication date: 1904 Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1048

Author: Greve, Charles Theodore, b. 1863. cn
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1048