Centennial history of Cincinnati and representative citizens, Vol. I, Pt. 2, Part 62

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

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THE INDUSTRIAL EXPOSITIONS.

A most important feature in the development of the industries of the city have been the so-

called "Industrial Expositions." In the year 1868 an exposition of wool and woolen fabrics was held in the city of Chicago under the auspices of a newly formed .organization known as the

Woolen Manufacturers' Association of the Northwest. This was so successful that it was determined to repeat it the following year. At the suggestion of James H. Laws, a committee of Cincinnatians consisting of George W. Jones, James M. Clark, George W. McAlpin and Mr. Laws himself visited Chicago and induced the as- sociation to hold its next exposition in Cincin- nati. The permanent organization was in charge of John Shillito as chairman who was assisted by an able corps of officers and a number of com- mittees. The early part of August, 1869, was selected as the date of the exposition and invi- tations were extended to manufacturers of cotton, wool, flax, hemp and'silk and to cotton and wool growers to take part in the undertaking. David Sinton offered his newly erected four-story building on the east side of Vine street between Third and Fourth streets for the use of the asso- ciation and here on August 3rd the Exposition of Textile Fabrics was opened with appropriate ceremonies and speeches by George W. Jones, the chairman of the executive committee, Gov- ernor Rutherford B. Hayes, Mayor Torrence. Judge Storer, Hon. Job E. Stevenson and llon. Benjamin Eggleston and other orators of this and other cities. The exposition was a great suc- cess both in point of attendance and displays. Thousands of visitors were attracted to the city and 155 exhibitors from 20 different States ex- hibited about three thousand lots of goods. At the conclusion Mr. Laws, the original promoter of the undertaking, conducted a trade sale of the exhibits before what was claimed to be the largest and wealthiest company of gentlemen that had ever assembled at an auction sale west of the Alleghany Mountains.

The success of this undertaking suggested an- nual industrial expositions and on a larger scale. As a result came the First Cincinnati Industrial Exposition held under the management of a gen- eral committee consisting of five representatives from each of the three business institutions,- the Ohio Mechanics' Institute, Chamber of Com- merce and Board of Trade. The five members of the committee appointed from the Institute were Charles F. Wilstach, Hugh Mccollum, James Dale, Thomas Gilpin and P. P. Lane : from the Chamber of Commerce, James 11. Laws, Abner I. Frazer, S. F. Coving- ton, C. 11. Gould and Jacob Elsas and

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from the Board of Trade, A. T. Goshorn, Josiah Kirby, Joseph Kinsey, W. H. Blymyer and D. B. Pierson. Mr. Wilstach acted as president ; Messrs. Laws and Kirby, vice-presidents; Mr. Gould, treasurer ; Mr. Frazer, secretary and John B. Heich, superintendent. The question of site was largely settled by the fact that the German musicians of the city were at the time making arrangements for holding a festival of the North American Saengerbund in Cincinnati during the summer of 1870, for which purpose they were about to erect a great temporary building on the ground opposite Washington Park formerly oc- cupied by the Cincinnati Orphan Asylum. This Saengerfest structure with . three additional edi- fices built expressly for the exposition was chosen. The central building was 250 feet long, by 1IO feet wide, built in a succession of grand arches 72 feet in extreme height. The entire edifice was surrounded by galleries. To the north and northwest of this were buildings, one 224 by 80 feet, the other 112 by 104 feet in dimensions and to the southwest of the principal building was another one-story structure 184 by 150 feet. The total floor space of the exposition buildings including the connecting structures and several smaller ones was 108,748 square feet or about . two and one-half acres. To this must be added the wall surface which increased the space to about four and one-half acres. The floor space was larger than the total area afforded for ex- hibits at the World's Fair held at the Crystal Pal- ace in New York in 1853. The grounds were easily reached by lines of omnibuses and car- riages as the street railroads had not yet been built in that direction. The exposition was opened on September 21, 1870, with addresses by Mayor Wilstach, Mr. Goshorn and Senator John Sher- man. On this occasion the attendance was quite limited, there being less than 500 people distrib- uted throughout these immense buildings. It became necessary to reduce the price of admission from fifty cents to a quarter and as a result 300,- 000 people visited the buildings before the close of the exposition on October 22nd. Almost every conceivable product of industry was exhibited at this the first of the long series of expositions each one of which was to surpass its predecessor. The first exposition was not only popular but it was a financial success. The guarantee fund was untouched and a balance left in the treasury. In the following year at which time A. T. Goshorn was president, 400,000 persons were admitted within the gates. Another great success was achieved so far as the exhibits and attendance

could constitute success but there was a deficit of about $15,000 caused by the large building account.

The Third Industrial Exposition was also in charge of Mr. Goshorn and was attended by 540,- 000 people. A new building for the art depart- ment was constructed in the open square on the east side of Elm street now Washington Park and connected with the main building by a bridge over the street. A horticultural hall was built and a department of national history organized. The exhibits covered seven and one-half acres and were contributed by 30 States. Although the receipts- amounted to almost $100,000, there was a deficit this year.

The Fourth Industrial Exposition held in 1873 was affected somewhat by the cholera and the financial situation of the country. W. H. Blym- yer was its president. An immense guarantee fund of $226,000 was raised but the guarantors were not called upon as the exposition yielded a profit of over $10,000, which was used to re- duce the indebtedness of former years.

D. B. Pierson for a time and afterwards George W. Jones acted as president of the Fifth Indus- trial Exposition held in 1874. Many new feat- ures were added this year. On the opening day a great military parade attracted large crowds to the city. Addresses were delivered by Gov- ernor Allen, Governor Hendricks of Indiana, Mayor Jolinston, President Jones and S. Dana Horton. An exposition regatta was held on the river on September 14th and achieved a great snecess. The exhibition fell behind this year about $10,000.

John J. Henderson was the president of the Sixth Industrial Exposition held in 1875. This opened with a grand industrial parade through the streets and was especially noteworthy for the offering of prizes of increased value for exhibits in various departments. The exposition made a profit of about $9,500, which together with an assessment on the guarantee fund was used to clear the exposition of debt. The fact that a national exposition was to be held at Philadel- phia in 1876 led to the abandonment of a local exposition for that year and the erection of the permanent buildings which were begun shortly after this time accounted for the failure to give expositions in 1877 and 1878.

After the Musical Festival of May, 1875, Rou- ben R. Springer through John Shillito offered to give $125,000 to build a permanent structure for musical festivals and other purposes if the lot on Elm street, at that time occupied by the

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Exposition buildings and owned by the city, could be had for perpetual usc without taxation and if the citizens would contribute an equal sum. The Music Hall Association as described elsewhere was formed in 1875 and the money was soon raised and the conditions complied with. Mr. Springer afterwards added $60,0do to his gift. The building was completed in time for the May Festival in 1878. The various Exposition build- ings, including Music Hall and the two wings one to the north and one to the south, occupy a frontage on Elm street of 402 feet of which 178 arc taken by Music Hall and 95 fcet for cach of the wings.

In October, 1878, the board of commissioners representing the three organizations, under whose auspices the expositions were held, was reorganized with Edmund H. Pendleton as pres- ident ; James H. Laws, James Dalc and E. V. Cherry, vice-presidents; John Simpkinson, trcas- urer and Hugh McCollum, secretary. Under this management the Seventh Industrial Exposition was held from September 10th to October 11, 1879. The opening exercises were attended by President Hayes, Governor Bishop and Generals Sherman and Sheridan and other notables. Twenty-four States were represented by the ex- hibitors and over 400,000 visitors attended the exposition, which netted a profit of over $15,000.

The Eighth Industrial Exposition was in charge of President Melville F. Ingalls, Vicc- Presidents James Dale, W. L. Robinson and Henry C. Urner, Treasurer E. V. Cherry and Secretary Hugh MeCollum. This exposition which continued from September 8 to October 9, 1880, was quite successful, netting a profit ' of $3,000, exclusive of the gross receipts of the last day which were donated to the Art Museum fund just started by the gift of $150,000 by Charles W. West.

R. H. Galbreath was the president of the Ninth Industrial Exposition held in 1881. This too was successful and left a balanec on hand. Capt. W. W. Pcabody was in charge of the Tenth and Eleventh expositions held in 1882 and 1883. Both of these were inaugurated by grand strect pageants under the auspices of the Order of Cincinnatus. A feature of the Eleventh Indus- trial Exposition was the lighting by electricity introduced for the first time. Both these exposi- tions were largely attended and more than paid expenses.

The Twelfth Industrial Exposition was held in 1884 under the charge of Edwin Stevens as president. A government display was a special

feature of this year. The weather was unfavor- able and this with the increased expense Icd to a deficit of over $22,000 to be assessed upon the guarantors.

Mr. Stevens was also the president of the Thirteenth Industrial Exposition held in 1886. A special feature of this was the Japanese Vil- lage. Almost 400,000 visitors atended this year and the result was a profit of about $6,000. The great success of the expositions of Cincinnati which had become national in their fame and which had contributed a director general, A. T. Goshorn, to the Centennial Exposition at Phil- adelphia encouraged the celebration of the cen- tenary of the settlement of Ohio by a great Cen- tennial Exposition of the Ohio Valley and Cen- tral States which, inaugurated July 4, 1888, by a grand street pageant, continued 100 days until October 27, 1888. The commissioners in charge of this exposition were chosen as in the former cascs. Those from the Chamber of Commerce were Lee II. Brooks, C. C. Waite, Levi C. Good- ale. George B. Kerper and E. O. Eshelby ; from the Board of Trade and Transportation, M. E. Kuhn, Henry J. Snider, J. M. Blair, John Goetz, Jr. (vice Howard Douglas resigned), and May Fechheimer and from the Ohio Mechanics' Institute, James Allison, L. H. McCammon, George Gray, Jr., P. G. March and A. B. Cham- pion. Mr. Allison was the president and with him on the executive committee were Messrs. Brooks, Champion, Waite, Eshelby and Kuhn. In addition to these commissioners there were honorary commissioners appointed by the Gov- ernors of the various States of Ohio, Kentucky, Missouri, Indiana, West Virginia, Illinois, Ten- nessee, Pensylvania, Michigan, Towa and Kan- sas and also the mayor of the city, five mem- bers of the Common Council and representatives of Covington and Newport. Two vast tem- porary frame buildings were erected in addi- tion to the permanent Exposition buildings and Music Hall. One of these, Power Hall, extended along both sides of the canal and across Plum street from 12th to 15th and another in the form of a cross was erected in Washington Park and conceted with Music Hall across Elin street by a bridge. The buildings covered 43 acres of ground and afforded over a million square feet of exhibiting space and the displays divided into 17 departments covered the entire range of American achievements in industry, art and science. Congress made a large appropriation for defraying the expenses of a display by the. gov- ernment departments which was one of the most

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striking features of the exposition. The display at that time although of course not so large as those which have characterized some of the later government displays was very complete and practically as representative as any of its suc- cessors. The State of Ohio also made a dis- play illustrating its century of growth. Another novelty was the great display of electrical ap- pliance devices and lighits used in the halls and in the surrounding streets which was regarded as surpassing all previous electrical exhibitions. There were also many specialties such as musical entertainments and a grand spectacular panorama "Rhodopis," the gondolas and gondoliers from Venice on the canal and in fact the usual forms of entertainment and instruction which have be- come so familiar in later years. The Art Gallery contained many fine productions of great masters and the collection of historical relics and. ex- hibits showing the manners and customs of the pioneers were of special interest. The exposition was backed by a guarantee fund of $1,000,000, subscribed by the citizens of Cincinnati. It was not a financial success and the guarantors were called upon to make up a deficit.

THIE WEATHER BUREAU.

In 1868 Cleveland Abbe, the well known meteorologist, was chosen director of the Cin- cinnati Observatory. He at once proposed an enlargement of the scope of the institution and began a series of investigations which was most fruitful in results both to the city and the coun- try. In the following year he laid before the board of managers of the Chamber of Com- merce a suggestion that Cincinnati should be made the headquarters of meteorological obser- vations for the United States for the purpose of collecting and comparing telegraphic weather re- ports from all parts of the land and making de- ductions therefrom. Hon. Samuel F. . Coving- ton at that time a vice-president of the Chamber and S. C. Newton were appointed a committee to confer with Professor Abbe upon the subject. They soon became convinced of the practicability of the suggestion and made a report to the Chain- ber, suggesting an appropriation of $300 for the

purpose of carrying on experiments. The ap- propriation was made although it is stated by one writer, Mr. Roe, that it was believed that the op- portunity of having a good joke on the commit- tee weighed more than faith in their recommend- ation. The results however justified the experi- ment. On September 1, 1869, Professor Abbe began the publication of the "Weather Bulletin of Cincinnati Observatory." The Smithsonian In- stitute had for 13 years used the telegraph for weather forecasts but these had not been sent ont for the benefit of the public. Weather reports had also been made as part of the signal service during the war. Mr. Abbe's labors, however, showed the great benefit likely to result to the community from a more complete adoption of the system. The enormous losses sustained by the commerce of the Great Lakes in the year 1869 when 1,914 vessels were wrecked or other- wise injured by storms with damages to the ex- tent of over four million dollars made this a peculiarly appropriate time to start such a series of investigations. The Cincinnati project was taken up by Congress through the efforts of Mr. Paine of Wisconsin and Mr. Dawes of Mass- achusetts and by joint resolution of February 9, 1870, the Secretary of War was directed to pro- vide for taking meteorological observations at military posts in the interior of the continent and on the lakes and seacoast with a design of giving warning of the approach and probable force of storms. The new Weather Bureau was put in charge of Gen. A. J. Myer, chief of the army sig- nal service in January, 1871, and he at once ap- pointed Professor Abbe as meteorologist to pre- pare "probabilities" or storm warnings. In Feb- ruary of the same year the Associated Press made arrangements to telegraph the reports to the press of the country. Professor Abbe was the original "Old Probabilities" and under his direction the service soon reached a high degree of efficiency. Reports were telegraphed at the very inception of the work from 36 army stations as well as from Mount Washington and Abbe in person did the work of collating and tabulat- ing which had to be done three times a day for over a year.

CHAPTER XLV.

THE SEVENTIES.

THE CENSUS OF 1870-EVENTS OF 1871-THE TYLER DAVIDSON FOUNTAIN-THE MUSICAL. FESTIVALS- THE GREELEY CONVENTION- EDEN PARK-THE FIRST INCLINED PLANE -THE PANIC OF 1873- THE TAN-YARD MURDER-CINCINNATI IN 1875-MUSIC HALL-THE JAMBOREE-THE CINCIN- NATI TABLET VINDICATED-HAYES NOMINATED FOR THE PRESIDENCY -- THE YELLOW FEVER YEAR-THE BALDWIN CASE.

THE CENSUS OF 1870

Gave to Cincinnati a population of 216,239, an increase of 55:195 over that of ten years preceding. Of these 136,627 were of native and 79,612 of foreign birth; 210,335 white and 5,904 colored. The foreign population inchided 49,448 Germans, 18,624 Irish, 3,526 English and 2,093 French. The voters mmnbered 53,814. There were 42,937 families and 24,550 dwellings, an average of 5.04 to a family and 8.81 to a dwelling. The number engaged in in- dustrial occupations was 77,923. Of these 33,- 972 were in manufactures, 25,666 in profes- sions and personal service and 16,865 in trade and transportation.

The valuation of real estate according to the tax duplicate after the revised list from the Decennial Board of Equalization went into el- fect was $123,427,883, an increase of $61,998,966 over that of 10 years previous. The valuation of personalty was a little over fifty-seven millions, an increase of twenty-seven millions in the 10 years. The member of hands employed in the factories was 59,827, a 100 percent increase and the value of the products, $127.459,021, an in- crease of 170 percent. The amount of capital invested was $55,673,761 and the value of real estate occupied $37, 124,119. The imports were $312,978,665 and the exports $103.577,600. The annexations for this year aggregated 1234 square miles.

Among the important events of the year was the banquet to the Kentucky Legislature hekdl February 19th, for the purpose of influencing that body in favor of the Southern Railway. On June 16th the new Saengerfest Hall was opened by the Saengerfest and in September came the opening of the First Cincinnati Industrial Exposi- tion inaugurating the long series of these under- takings. During this year, too, Congress passed an act allowing the transportation of goods in bond from the seaboard ports to any inland port of entry without the breaking of bulk. This was regarded as of great convenience to the business houses of the city. Several accidents happened this year resulting in fatalities. One was caused by the falling of a stone wall at the corner of Third and Elm streets burying several persons in the ruins, which occurred January 15th. On July 9th a workman repairing the slate npon the spire of the new St. Paul's Methodist Church at the corner of Seventh and Mound fell to his deatlı.

EVENTS OF 1871.

In 1871 came the reorganization of the City Council and the creation of the Board of Alder- men. The formal action declaring Cincinnati a port of entry dates from this year as well. In October came the dedication of the Tyler David- son Fountain. Among the new buildings dedi- cated at this time was the Odd Fellows' Hall at Fourth and Home, the Central Christian Church

VOX ALTOAH

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Ninth street, the Evangelical Lutheran Church on Race street, the St. John's Methodist Episcopal Church, the Church of the Atonement (a Catholic Church) on Third street and Mc- Lean Chapel on Ninth street. In February was held a grand jubilee of the Germans over the uni- fication of the fatherland and in June the Catho- lies celebrated the 25th anniversary of the pontifi- cate of Pius IX. Among the public improve- ments which were initiated during this year was the purchase of Burnet Woods for a park and the purchase of Markley farm for water works purposes. A celebrated visitor of the year was President Grant who came in September. In December the Reunion and Reform party was organized at a meeting held in the reerected Col- lege Buikdling. A picnic riot at Parlor Grove and a death from yellow fever may also be men- tioned. This was the year of the Chicago fire and the city contributed $100,000 and the citi- zens $55,185 more for the relief of the sufferers. ' July was characterized by a bitter agitation with regard to the observance of the Sunday law. Among the business organizations which began operations during the year were the Aurora In- surance Company incorporated the year before and the Amazon Insurance Company. Another "important company was the United Railroads Stock Yards Company which was incorporated with a capital of a half a million dollars as a result of the gravitation of the slaughter houses from Deer creek to Mill creek. The Cotton Ex- change was also organized in May of this year. Another industrial exposition was held this year, the second of the series that continued with the exception of 1876 and 1877 to the year 1886.

A visitor, Sir James Macaulay, thus gives his impressions :

"To a traveler going westward, Cincinnati may appear a half-grown, half-settled, recent city ; but coming back upon it as I did from Chi- cago, it had a staid, compact, and almost vener- able look. Smoke has helped to impart this as- pect of premature antiquity. It is one of the smokiest and 'Auld Reekie' like cities in Amer- ica. The brick-built streets have a sombre ap- pearance in the older districts.

"Forty years ago, when Chicago was beginning its existence, Cincinnati had its court house, gaol, college, medical school, museum, public library, five classical schools, forty-seven common schools, and twenty-five churches, and was a place of great trade and extensive manufac -. tures.

"1 consider Cincinnati at the present time one

of the most 'representative' and fairly average of the great cities of the States. It is equally re- moved from the condition of the older cities of the East and the South, and of the newer cities of the West, such as Chicago or San Francisco. Boston and Philadelphia, Charleston and New Orleans, date from old British times, and, with Republican institutions, retain the continuity of social life and historical tradition from before the War of Independence. Cincinnati has sprung up since American nationality began, but has ex- isted long enough to acquire all the distinctive features of American life and character, both so- cial and political. The foreign or immigrant element, both Irish and continental, in its popula- tion, is larger, and influences the affairs of the city in the same ways, and much in the same proportion, as they do the whole Union. The difficulties which American statesmen have to en- counter, in political and social life, from diver- sities of nationality and of religion, here present themselves in a marked manner. Observing this, I saw that in Cincinnati I could study the present position and future prospects of the American republic better than in most other cities, and therefore prolonged my stay beyond the propor- tion of time required for mere sight-seeing; in which, indeed, there is not much to attract the traveler."

THIE TYLER DAVIDSON FOUNTAIN.

On February 15, 1867, Ilenry Probasco in a letter written from Palermo, Sicily, to Hon. Charles F. Wilstach, mayor of the city, pro- posed in memory of his brother-in-law, the late Tyler Davidson, to erect a public fountain on the Fifth street market space near the intersec- tion of Walnut street to be made of Bavarian block granite, prophyry and bronze according to a design which was presented with the letter. The conditions of the gift were that the city should maintain the fountain in complete order and supply drinking conduits of pure water for the free use of the public for a certain munber of hours each day, varying according to the sea- son, and should keep it properly guarded and cleaned. On March 15, 1867, the City Council accepted the gift and an ordinance was passed granting permission to Probasco to erect the fountain in the market square and pledging the city to the conditions of the gift. Accord ing to the original terms of the doua- tion, Mr. Probasco was to have the fount- ain in position before January 1, 1871, but the Franco-Prussian War and litiga-

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Centennial history of Cincinnati and representative citizens, Vol. I, Pt. 2, Part 62

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