Centennial history of Cincinnati and representative citizens, Vol. I, Pt. 2, Part 82

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

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THE NEW WATER WORKS.

By virtue of an act of April 24, 1896, the Gov- ernor appointed in June of that year as Commis- sioners of Water Works for the city of Cincin- nati: Maurice J. Freiberg, Charles M. Holloway, Leopold Markbreit, Dr. Thomas W. Graydon and August Hermann. In December of the fol- lowing year Dr. 'Graydon resigned and William B. Melish was appointed in his place. The pur- pose of this commission was to provide for a new water supply for the city of Cincinnati and they were empowered to make surveys, prepare plans, acquire real and personal property by pur- chase and to construct water works at a cost not to exceed $6,500,000. The board organized by the election of Mr. Hermann as president but transacted little business until such time as cer- tain suits filed for the purpose of testing the validity of the act should be determined and dur- ing this time they refused to accept compensation. The law was sustained by the Supreme Court in February, 1897, and thereupon a consulting commission of five engineers was appointed, which recommended a low service pumping sta-

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CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF CINCINNATI

tion at Markley farm or at the California site, the building of settling reservoirs, further inves- tigation of the purification of the river water, together with other details. In May Gustave Bouscaren was chosen as chief engineer, and he finally submitted four questions for determina- tion by the commission. The answers to these were to the effect that the daily capacity of the new plant should be of from eighty to ninety million gallons, that the pumping station should be at California, Ohio, that no high level reservoirs should be built and that the high ser- vice pumping station should be located on the west side of the Miami River. Shortly after- wards a committee consisting of· Melville E. In- galls, representing the Commercial Club; Henry C. Urner, the Optimist Club; W. J. Breed, Board of Trade; J. T. Carew, Chamber of Com- merce; P. J. Cadwalader, Young Men's Busi- ness Club ; and E. C. Goshorn, Manufacturers' Club, was accorded the privilege of attending the meetings of the trustees and examining plans and participating in the work. In July, 1897, George H. Benzenberg of Milwaukee and Charles Hermany of Louisville were appointed as con- sulting and advisory engineers. Finally in De- cember the commission issued a statement to the public to the effect that they were working to provide for an abundant supply of pure and wholesome water, to limit the cost, and to con- sider not only original cost but cost of mainte- nance. The plans adopted covered an intake pier in the channel of the river near . the Ken- tucky bank opposite California, tunnel beneath the river at that point, a low service pumping station, a double line of force mains, a system of subsiding reservoirs, a system adjacent there- to of filtration and a covered clear-well basin with a gravity conduit from this to the high serv- ice pumping station on Eastern avenue opposite Torrence road, which is to be equipped with nec- essary pumping machinery from which will run rising mains to the various distributing points at Eden Park. For the purpose of studying the European system of sand filtration and the Am- erican system of mechanical filtration, an ex- perimental station at Eden Park was established. Shortly thereafter the contract for building pump- ing machinery, boilers, etc., was awarded and work was begun on the filtration plant in Eden Park. Proceedings for the condemnation of land were undertaken, which resulted in the ac- quisition of the necessary property at California at a cost of a little over $142,000. The filtration plant in Eden Park was put in operation and the

results of the experiments finally published in a handsome volume covering over 600 pages. As a result of the investigation, George W. Fuller the chemist in charge concluded that it was prac- ticable to clarify and purify the Ohio River water by either the so-called modified English system or the American system and that the lat- ter was the least difficult to operate, cheaper and in general more advantageous. As a result in January, 1900, the mechanical system of filtra- tion was adopted by the board. The work has been delayed from time to time by numerous suits and by the negotiations including those with the authorities of Campbell County, Kentucky, for the purchase of the right to the bed of the river under which the tunnel was to go. For this right it became necessary to pay the sum of $2,500 which in the judgment of the president of the commission was an outrageous price, which led him to denounce the action of the officials of our neighboring county in the strong- est terms as unjust, unwarranted and uncalled

for. Work has continued however with such rapidity that in the report of January, 1903, the board ventured the opinion that it will be com- pleted and turned over to the proper authorities within 36 months. It has been found that the original estimate of the cost was too small and bond issues of $2,000,000 more have already been authorized. It is expected that the entire work will cost $10,000,000 but that as a result Cincin- nati will have a system of water supply unsur- passed by any in the country.

THE PARKS.

The city has at various times had property offered to it for park purposes at prices which to-day seem ridiculously small. The original purpose of the donation for public use of the square bounded by Fourth, Fifth, Main and Wal- nut streets was never carried out. In 1802, when Fort Washington was abandoned, 12 acres owned by the government were offered to the city at $900 an acre to be paid at the end of 30 years. The proposition was rejected. In 18II Nicholas Longworth suggested the acquirement of the out-lots between Seventh and Court streets, Broadway and Central avenue containing almost 100 acres at an average price of $600 an acre, the principal to remain at interest so long as the purchaser might desire. The proposition was hooted at in the Council and its projector ridiculed as a "crazy Jerseyman." It must be remembered that at that time Longworth did not own all the property and merely advanced the proposition

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from his desire to ensure proper breathing space to the public and from a belief in the future growth of the city.

In 1818 Mr. Longworth again offered to the city 25 acres of land on Longworth street be- yond Western row at $1,000 per acre on per- petual lease. The interest mentioned was to be used for paying his taxes. This offer was re- fused and thereupon the "crazy Jerseyman" of- fered to let the city have the property at a price named by any three disinterested persons. This too was rejected. Thereupon Longworth offered the ground to the city free of cost on condition that the authorities should fence it, lay out proper walks in it and cut down and grade the streets about it. He also agreed that assessors should be appointed to determine any benefits arising to his adjacent property and that the sum determined upon by them should be paid by him toward the expenses of improving the park. This proposition was also refused. In the same year (1818) James Ferguson offered 12 acres of ground at the corner of Sixth and Vine op- posite the Mechanics' Institute building at a price to be named by disinterested viewers, the prin- cipal to be paid by crediting him each year with his taxes. This was also refused. A little later Mr. Ferguson laid ont the squares from the canal west of Vine and offered to donate every other square to the city for park purposes if the latter would agree to fence them. This was also re- fused as being too expensive. This so angered Ferguson that he declared that if the city could not afford to take parks for nothing he would have them anyway and he thereupon gave a lot 200 feet square in each of the blocks between Vine, Elm, Canal and 12th streets, to the lot owners in these blocks.

At a later time Mr. Longworth proposed to sell to the city on perpetual lease any number of acres of ground west of Central avenue and north of Sixth street for $2,500 per acre, one-half of the interest money to be devoted to the poor in the Commercial Hospital and the balance to be paid to him either in cash or in receipts for taxes. This too was refused.

In 1834 William Barr, a very prominent citi- zen1 who had become temporarily embarrassed, offered to sell to the city 50 acres of ground west of Mound street at $2,000 per acre to be paid in 30 equal annual installments. A special incet- ing of the Council was called out of respect to Barr who was a member of the body at the time and a committee of three appointed to in- vestigate the subject. That committee has not as yet reported. After Barr's death in 1837, his

son-in-law William Van Horne offered to sell to the city 25 acres of ground near Seventh and Baymiller streets at $3,000 per acre to be paid in 15 yearly installments. This offer was refused and the following year the ground was subdivided and sold for about twice the sum asked.

Judge Burnet's property on the square be- tween Third and Fourth and Race and Vine could have been had for $25,000. It was after- wards offered for $60,000 and again at about twice this amount but was each time refused. At a later time Burnet offered to sell part of the grounds adjacent to his residence on Seventh and Elm at $3,500 an acre or at a price to be fixed by a disinterested committee of assessors, the principal to be paid on any terms the city desired. This offer was also refused.

Mr. Longworth repeatedly offered various tracts to the city, not only owned by himself but other tracts ( which he was willing to purchase) at prices below the real value of the property. He was a great believer in real estate not only for himself but for the city and was confident of the future prosperity of the place.

In 1832 he agitated the question of the owner- ship of the city of a square in possession of the First Presbyterian Church and Charles Ham- mond and Vachel Worthington, together with N. G. Pendleton and Mayor S. W. Davies, re- ported that the ground above mentioned belonged by right to the city. Nothing ever came of this matter as is well known. In 1836 Longworth obtained from Timothy Kirby, agent of the United States Bank, an offer to sell the square south of Eighth between Walnut and Vine for $49,470 and the square north of Eighth at this point for $53,480, the money to be paid in five yearly installments. Afterwards action was taken in the Council by which an offer was ob- tained for the squares east of the bank property at a little more than the amount asked by Kirby and George W. Jones offered to procure the square from Fourth to Fifth and from Walnut to Vine for $350,000. The subject of the pur- chase of these tracts for park purposes was sub- mitted to the people in 1838 who voted against any such expenditure of money. At a second election in the same year the issue of $100,000 in bonds for park purposes was again defeated. From 1839 to 1847 Mr. Longworth made con- tinnous propositions to the city officials offering ground for park purposes in almost any part of the city at any price and on any terins. In 1847 he published a long article calling attention to the mistakes made in the past and renewing a number of his offers, but stating that he knew

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none of them would be accepted. He desired however to have his statement on file to show that he had not asked too much for the ground which one day the city would be glad to purchase at five, to or even 20 times the price.

Rufus King presented the memorial to the Council with his approval. It was ordered filed and that ended it.

At the time of the donation of the ground for the Observatory on Mount Adams, Mr. Long- worth offered to give the city 76 acres adjoining if they would make certain improvements, such as grading, laying out walks, building fences, etc. Needless to say this offer was refused. At a little later time he offered to sell to the city 300 acres including the Garden of Eden at $1,000 an acre ou perpetual lease,-one-half of the in- terest money to be devoted to assisting the poor under directions to be given in his will. It was feared once more that the wealthy Jerseyman was laying a trap for the city and this offer was re- fused. Then Longworth offered to sell 100 acres of the ground at $2,000 an acre, the principal to remain unpaid forever and three-fourths of the interest to be devoted to charity. The generosity of this offer convinced the city authorities of Longworth's selfish schemes and it was not ac- cepted.

In 1857 Mr. Longworth offered any number of acres above 100, of the Garden of Eden prop- erty at $4,000 an acre, which he thought was about one-half of what the ground was actually worth. This offer was also rejected.

In 1851 a committee of the Council reported various offers for park purposes of land in the neighborhood of Catherine (Court) and Cutter streets at $25,000 an acre, diminishing toward Mill creek to $3,000 or $4,000 an acre. Judge McLean, John Baker, W. S. Groesbeck and others offered to donate 20 acres of ground, 500 yards northwest of the Pest House now Lincoln Park on condition that the city build a levee to prevent Mill creek from flowing over the land. The committee recommended the acceptance of this proposition. Another tract on Mount Au- burn known as the Bigelow property and includ- ing 15 1/3 acres could be had for $3,000 an acre. Ten acres on Vine street hill were offered at $6,000 an acre and six and one-half acres on the same hill at $4,000 an acre with three and one- half acres adjoining the same at $3,000 an acre. Upon these last tracts of land the original for- est trees were still standing. Three hundred acres in other tracts could be procured in the West End for a million dollars. The committee recommended the issuing of bonds to the amount

of $2,000,000 payable in 20 years for the pur- chase of park property. The scheme fell through.

In 1849 George Hatch, afterwards mayor, in planning a subdivision in the northwest part of the city offered to donate a park 100 feet wide and 1,250 feet long for park purposes, provided the city would fence it aud grade the streets pass- ing on both sides of it. The proposition was received with so much ridicule by the Council that Mr. Hatch withdrew it. In 1854 part of the home farm of Caleb Kemper, a tract of almost 20 acres, was offered- for $40,000. As ground was selling in the neighborhood for from $10,000 to $25,000 an acre this offer was supposed to be a generous one but it was refused. So much for the wisdom of the city fathers.

The city is at present the owner of six parks. In addition to these parks may be included the ground lying around the old Third Street Reser- voir which under the control of the water works department is expected to become a part of the park department of the city. The oldest of the parks is the so-called Garfield Park which in two tracts extends through the middle of Eighth street from Elm to Vine including in its limits approximately an acre. This park is about on the site of two of the old embankments or ancient re- mains which were found here at the time of the earliest settlement. On April 9, 1817, John H. Piatt and Benjamin M. Piatt gave this land to the city for a market space. It seems never to have been used for any considerable length of time for this purpose. It certainly was used for park purposes as early as April 6, 1843, for at that time an ordinance was passed to protect it as a park. This ordinance provided a penalty for breaking or in any manner injuring the fence "which encloses the ground on Eighth street between Vine and Elm streets known as the park" and also for injuring any of the trees in- cluded within it. Within a very few years pre- vious to this time this tract had been marked on the maps as the new market space. Five years later an ordinance was passed to protect the so-called public squares laid out by James Ferguson in the blocks lying between Canal. 12th, Elm and Vine streets. These so-called Ferguson Parks frequently referred to as Reagan Park have never become a part of the park sys- tem and in fact are simply breathing spaces for the occupants of lots abutting on them. On June 19, 1868, an ordinance was passed dedicat- ing the so-called Eighth Street Park for park purposes. At the intersection of Eighth and Race streets midway between the east and west portion of the park stands the great Garfield

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statue executed by Charles H. Nichaus, the Cin- cinnati sculptor. At the eastern terminus of the park on Vine street stands the equestrian statue of William Henry Harrison "Ohio's First Presi- dent," executed by Louis T. Robisso.

Lincoln Park is a 10-acre tract on the' west side of Freeman avenue between Hopkins and Kenner streets. This property in 1829 was purchased by the township for $2,000 from J. D. Garrard and - Sarah Belle Garrard. Five years later six acres of it were conveyed to the city in exchange for the south half of out-lot 53. the out-lot at 12th and Elm and in 1837 the remaining four acres were conveyed to the city in exchange for the north half of the lot. The right was reserved to the building known as the Orphan Asylum which was thereafter used as the Pest House and the ground was used as a pot- ter's field for the poor of the city and township. This was continued for some 20 years until in 1857 the neighborhood became too central for such purposes and serious complaints of abutting property holders resulted in the removal of the Pest House outside of the city limits and the conversion of the land into a park known as Lincoln Park.

. On September 23, 1818, the city purchased from Jesse Embree for $3,200 out-lot 53 on the west side of Elm street beyond 12th. This property was subsequently given in ex- change for the land comprising Lincoln Park and thereafter was used for many years as the site of the Cincinnati Orphan Asylum. A four-story building 64 by 54 feet was erected and the asylum remained here for 30 years. On January 29, 1859, this property was pur- chased by the city for $150,000. It was ac- quired for park purposes. Thie Orphan Asy- lum building was used for a time for exposi- tion purposes and at a later time the German National Saengerfest was permitted to erect their building on this park land. This build- ing was purchased by the city in November, 1870, and the old Orphan Asylum building sold. The Saengerfest building and this park (known as the Elm Street Park) were used for exposition and similar purposes until 1876 at which time the ground was turned over to the Music Hall Association.

The first ground was purchased for what is now Washington Park in 1858. At this time the Episcopal Burying Ground lying between 12th, 14th, Race and Elm streets and the First Presbyterian Burying Ground on 12th be- tween Race and Elm were purchased by the

city, the first for $38,000 and the second for $85,000. In 1863 the church property on Elm street belonging to the United Protestant Evangelical German congregation was pur- chased for $15,050, making the total cost of the land occupied by Washington Park $138,- 050. This park which is on the north side of 12th street extending from Race to Elm street includes five and six-hundredths acres. In it is a large aerolite which has been pierced for a supply of drinking water and also statues of Generals Robert L. McCook and Frederick Hecker. This park has been used from time to time for the temporary build- ings of the expositions and also by the Fall Festival Association.

In 1866 Lewis Il. Hopkins presented to the city an acre of land on Mount Auburn at Auburn and Saunders streets for park pur- poses, which is known as Hopkins Park.

Eden Park, now 209.25 acres in extent, was acquired by purchase from a very large num- ber of persons and in 1869 the principal tracts incorporated into this park were leased from Nicholas Longworth, Washington McLean, John Bates and Joseph Whittaker at rentals aggregating almost $45,000 a year. Other tracts were purchased in 1866 and 1868 and one tract had been purchased as far back as 1859 from J. S. G. Burt. In 1880 and 1881 the leased grounds were purchased by the city. The so-called Columbia avenue pur- chases were made in 1893. The total cost of the land covered by Eden Park was $851,913 and the amount expended upon this park in the shape of rents, improvements and main- tenance of this park to December, 1901, was $815,014.81. In this park is the reservoir of the City Water Works holding 100,000,000 gallons of water and valued at four and one quarter millions. The water tower, completed in 1894 at a cost of $135,000, located in this same park attains the height of 172 feet. Here also are the Art Museum and Art Academy and on Sunday afternoons the public concerts paid from the Schmidlapp fund. This park has been improved according to the best methods of landscape art and is in itself a scene of remarkable beauty with views over the river and the valleys about it that cannot be surpassed.

In August, 1871, Robert W. Burnet and W. S. Groesbeck submitted to the city a prop- osition to lease a certain tract of land known as the Burnet Woods for park purposes. The

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proposition after some negotiation was ac- cepted and on October 19, 1872, the tract con- taining 1631/2 acres was leased to the city for the full term of 99 years, renewable forever for the yearly. sum of $29,430. The city re- served the right to purchase the whole or any part of the property at $3,000 an acre. This right was afterwards exercised in July, 1881, and $490,500 was paid for this park. The amount paid for rent, improvements and maintenance of Burnet Woods Park to De- cember, 1901, was $256,355.68. Here are lo- cated the University buildings and on Satur- day afternoons in the summer time are given the public concerts paid from the Groesbeck fund.

The total cost of the parks described above, including the cost of the land, improvements, rents 'and maintenance so far as can. be as- certained before December, 1901, is estimated at $4,232,219.68. At the moment of writing steps are being taken to extend largely the park system of the city.

The parks are at present under the control of the Board of Public Service and a superin- tendent of parks, Brian P. Critchell.

TRUSTEES OF TIIE SINKING FUND.

Before the constitution of 1851, many of the so-called charters of the city of Cincin- nati contained provisions authorizing the bor- rowing of money. These acts required pro- vision for interest but provided in general terms only for redemption. In some of the ordinances passed by the Council provision was made in a way for the sinking fund. For instance, an ordinance of May 27, 1831, ap- plied the yearly revenue of the city from wharves and coffee houses to such a fund and further provided that after 30 years $10,000 annually from the revenues should be invested in a sinking fund and pledged the faith of the city that this fund should not be diverted. Again in 1834 another loan ordi- nance made provision for an annual tax for interest and the setting apart of from $10,000 to $20,000 a year to be invested in stock to pay the principal when due and appointed two commissioners to look after the matter. Other ordinances and generally those relating to school loans contained pledges of a tax to pay interest and finally redemption. All oth- ers simply pledged the faith and property of the city. The sinking fund, however, received but little special attention although the prin-

cipal debts have either long since been paid or are represented in the bonds now outstand- ing. After 1851 the matter of sinking funds received special legislative attention. The act of 1852 for the organization of cities provided for a tax for such a fund and this provision with amendments is still the law. The code of 1869 made but little change in this special feature, adopting the sections of the previous code. Other changes were made in 1871 and in 1880 and as the law now stands a levy is provided for and the fund created thereby can be used only for the extinguishing of the city's debts. A city ordinance of July, 1856, appointed the mayor, auditor and a council committee, "Commissioners of the Sinking Fund" and made it their duty to suggest meas- ures to meet maturing debt and purchase the city bonds nearest maturity but not. above the market price or par value but to make no pur- chase until after the Council had appropriated the necessary funds and the fund was to re- main on deposit with the other city funds. On May 3, 1877, an act was passed providing for the appointment of Trustees of the Sink- ing Fund by the Superior Court and Aaron F. Perry, James II. Laws, Joseph Longworth, Lewis Seasongood and William F. Thorne constituted the first board. This board which continued until the adoption of the code of 1902 has had as members, in addition to those mentioned, Julius Dexter, William S. Groes- beck, John E. Bell, Larz Anderson, Charles P. Taft, Thornton M. Hinkle, Julius Frei- berg, James M. Glenn, Franklin Alter, Francis H. Baldwin and John V. Scar- borough, and needless to say it has supremely justified its existence. By the act creating it, the trustees were charged with the manage- ment of the city's debt and finances and under their control were placed all sinking fund bal- ances and assets. The board took charge of the debt and was required to certify annually . the rate of tax necessary to provide a sink- ing fund for the future payment of city bonds and to pay certain judgments against the city (this rate not to exceed one mill), and also the rate necessary to pay interest and such levy as might be necessary to provide a sinking fund for the final redemption of the Cincinnati Southern Railway bonds and required the Council to levy the rates so cer- tified without change. The act further pro- vided for the investment of the moneys in

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Centennial history of Cincinnati and representative citizens, Vol. I, Pt. 2, Part 82

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