USA > Ohio > Hamilton County > Cincinnati > Centennial history of Cincinnati and representative citizens, Vol. I, Pt. 2 > Part 87
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Street Railway Company. In addition there are five inter-urban railways with several new ones in course of construction.
THE SPANISHI WAR
Naturally created much excitement in Cin- cinnati particularly because of the fact that the Sixth United States Infantry, which took such a gallant part at San Juan Hill, had been located at Fort Thomas just across the river for a period of about eight years. As a result many of the officers and men were well known to residents of the city. The first glimpse of war that Cincinnati had seen for 33 years came on April 19, 1898, when the Sixth left its quarters and marched through Cincinnati on its departure for the field of battle. The regiment consisted of 496 men and as it paraded through the streets equipped for marching and not for display it made a marked impression upon all who ob- served it and brought home the grim possi- bilities in store for these men, many of whom in fact never returned to this country. The Sixth traveled to Tampa which point it left June 14th, landing at Daiquiri, a little port 12 miles cast of Siboney, on June 22nd. Nine days later on July Ist this regiment together with the Sixteenth and Thirteenth made the famous charge up San Juan Hill and cap- tured the blockhouse on top. The following day it held its position on the hill in the face of a storm of shells and bullets and during the night repulsed the efforts of the Spaniards to recapture the point. The regiment remained in the trenches on the hill until July 6th, when it moved a little to the left. It was not until July 14th that it was able to leave the trenches for a regular camp. On August 8th what was left of the regiment started home arriving at Montauk Point, New York, on An- gust 14th and at Cincinnati on the night of Tuesday, September 20th. Here it was given a grand welcome as it marched through the streets to its headquarters at Camp Wetherill where it remained for about a week and then returned to Fort Thomas. On Saturday, Sep- tember 24th, the regiment paraded through the streets escorted by the Chamber of Commerce and the First Regiment. Afterwards the men were given a luncheon and the officers were banqueted at the Grand Hotel by the Army and Navy League. In the afternoon an ex- hibition drill was given at the Base Ball Park followed by a ball game between teams of the
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regiment and the First Regiment of the Ohio National Guard. The regulars defeated the First Regiment nine by a score of 5 to 3. The proceeds of the game were given to a fund for the erection at Fort Thomas of a memorial tablet to the members of the Sixth who had fallen. On October 1, 1898, a banquet was given to the officers of the regiment at the St. Nicholas Hotel. At the time the regiment left the city for the war, it was in command of Colonel Cochran who was relieved from duty shortly afterwards and the charge up San Juan Hill was led by Lieutenant-Colonel Eg- bert. The officers killed in this attack were: Capt. A. M. Wetherill, Lieut. Jules G. Ord and Lieutenants Turman and Benchley. Colonel Egbert, Captains Torry and Walker and Lieu- tenants Purdy, Gross, Robertson and Simons were wounded. The total record of the regi- ment at Santiago was: Officers killed in action 4, men killed in action 13, officers wounded, 7, men wounded 95, a total of 119 killed and wounded, about one-fifth of the regi- ment. Six of the men died of fever and two at Montauk Point.
After the return of the Sixth, a movement was started by citizens of Cincinnati to place a memorial tablet at Fort Thomas in honor of the dead. As a result a design made by H. I .. Bridwell was accepted and Mr. Bridwell, assisted by II. F. Farny and J. H. Gest, was given charge of the completion of the work and the selection of a sculptor. The sculptor chosen was Clement J. Barnhorne and the tab- let which cost about $2,500 was fixed upon the stone tower at Fort Thomas.
Shortly after the Sixth left the city for the scene of war, the First Regiment, Ohio Na- tional Guard, was ordered to prepare for ser- vice. This was the local military organization with headquarters at the handsome Armory on Freeman avenue built from 1886 to 1889 at a cost of $115,000. The regiment left the city 1,300 strong April 28th, receiving a fine ova- tion as it paraded the streets to the depot. The men were mustered into service about a week later, less than 20 percent being refused on account of disability. They were subse- quently ordered to Chickamauga and to Tampa where they arrived in the early part of June. : On the oth of June they were loaded on trans- ports to go to Cuba but the orders were coun- termanded and they were once more landed at Tampa, afterwards moving to Fernandina and then to Jacksonville. They reached Cin-
cinnati on their return home September 15th and were mustered out of the service on Octo- ber 25th and 26th. But five men died in the campaign, of whom but one was of the original number that started. The regiment saw no active service. The commanding officer was Col. C. B. Hunt, Paul .M. Millikin was lieu- tenant-colonel and Thomas W. Thomas, San- uel W. Kennedy, John Proctor and Frank W. Hendley, majors.
One of the troops of the First Ohio Volun- teer Cavalry, Troop II, was composed princi- pally of artillerymen of Battery B of the First Regiment. The organization was then mus- tered in as a cavalry troop in the regiment commanded by Lieut .- Col. William Day and the troop 97 strong left the city in May for Chickamauga. It subsequently was sent to Tampa and afterwards to Huntsville and re- turned to the city September 14th. Its com- mander was Capt. Fred Herman.
Not only were the regular soldiers and the militia interested in the war, but the whole city was enthusiastic and volunteers were plentiful. As a result a number of military organizations sprang up, many of which saw no service. Eight companies of National Re- serves of 72 men each were organized by Jo- seph W. Heintzman of which two became com- panies of the Tenth Ohio Infantry, United States Volunteers. The captains of these com- panies were Lowe Emerson and Verner Guth- ric. A regiment was organized by Col. Nicholas Kleeman and Maj. John Nagel but despite the fact that it was soon brought to a first class condition it was never accepted by the State. Capt. Cassilly C. Cooke recruited the company which was finally attached to the First Regiment as Company M. The Cincin- nati Cavalry Troop, an organization of 30 young men and a captain, Capt. E. O. Dana, offered its services but they were declined. Another organization was the colored regiment of Col. J. W. Lake. This regiment was not ac- cepted but many of its members joined other organizations. Two companies of volunteer engineers were recruited in Cincinnati, all of whose officers were practical engineers and all of whose members were skilled mechanics. These companies in command of Maj. Richard Henry Savage were transferred first to Fort Sheridan and afterwards to Montauk Point. They subsequently were sent to Cuba in No- vember, 1898. Among the officers of these companies were Captains Howard A. Springer
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and T. L. Hueston and Lieutenants William M. Venable, C. E. Lawton, M. M. Cooley and - George A. Purington.
May 21, 1898, was observed as Dewey Day in commemoration of the victory at Manila. Business houses were closed and a monster parade of 20,000 men took place, of which Mayor Tafel was grand marshal. In the even- ing a mimic battle of Manila was given by a fleet of river steamboats. During the war an Army and Navy League was organized for the care of the sick, wounded or indigent sol- diers passing through Cincinnati. Its presi- dent was Gen. B. R. Cowen and the vice-pres- idents were representatives from each of the so-called hereditary societies and charitable associations. About 1,200 soldiers were taken care of by this association, 800 at the Central Union Depot and 400 at the Little Miami, in which work $9,000 was expended, as well as' a large amount of supplies furnished by busi- ness houses.
Another incident of the war was the "Amer- ican' Boy" episode which was an attempt, first suggested by a school boy at Hughes High School, W. Rankin Goode, to raise a fund by voluntary contributions from the school chil- dren of the United States to build a battle-ship to replace the "Maine." A large sum of money was raised by branches of the American Boy Association organized all over the United States but this did not prove sufficient for the purpose of the association.
The American Patriotic League was organ- ized by the Jewish people of the city for the purpose of securing funds from Rusisan Jews to build a warship for the United States. Many contributions were received but the speedy close of the war resulted in the aban- donment of this scheme.
TIIE G. A. R. ENCAMPMENT.
In 1898 there was held in Cincinnati from Sep- tember 5th to September IIth the encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic. This was in charge of a Citizens' Committee who raised a guarantee fund and made the arrangements for entertaining the visiting comrades. This committee consisted of 31 members, cach of whom was chairman of a sub-committee. The chairman of the executive board was Melville E. Ingalls and the executive director, William B. Melislı. Over 200,000 strangers visited the city as its guests. Four fine arches illuminated by electric lights were erected,-one in front of
the Government Building, one at Fourth and Race, one at Vine and 12th and one at Sixth and Race. The arch in front of the Government Building cost $5,200 and its illumination $800. The other three arches cost almost $4,000. The arch at Sixth and Race was built largely from clonations of colored people. The encampment was opened by the dedication of Camp Sherman in Chester Park on September 5th, which was followed by the labor parade in celebration of Labor Day and closed with a great camp fire in Music Hall. On the following day there was a parade of Naval Veterans, Union Ex-Prisoners of War, Sons of Veterans, and military organiza- tions in charge of Gen. M. L. Hawkins, grand marshal, and in the evening another camp fire. The third day was the day of the parade of the Grand Army of the Republic and its review by the commander-in-chief. Gen. Andrew Hickleu- looper acted as grand marshal. This parade which was a monster one was noteworthy for the promptness with which it started and its orderly management. On Thursday there were meetings of the national encampment and affili- ated organizations and receptions of various sorts. In the afternoon came a grand "Civic and Industrial Parade and Peace Jubilee" in charge of Amor Smith, Jr. The'day was closed by a fine display of fireworks on the river front.
THE' JUBILEE SAENGERFEST
Of the North American Saengerbund in celebra- tion of the 50th anniversary of the establisli- ment of the bund, which was organized in Cin- cinnati, was held in the city in June, 1899. A prize of $1,000 was offered by Frederick H. Alms for the best choral composition. For this occasion a special building was erected on Erk- enbrecher avenue opposite the entrance to the Zoological Garden. Unfortunately after the building had progressed well towards completion it became apparent that the structure was not sufficiently strong and a modification of the plans became necessary. This and a number of other unforeseen contingencies delayed the work so that the whole was not ready for the opening per- formance, which was therefore postponed for one night. As a result the Saengerfest was not a financial success. An effort was made to recoup the losses by a mimber of entertainments and particularly by a prize fight, which however was finally stopped by an injunction obtained from Judge Hollister upon the application of the State of Ohio through its Attorney. General.
BARRICADE AT MAIN STREET BRIDGE.
COURT STREET BARRICADE.
L
EAST CORRIDOR OF COURT HOUSE, THIRD FLOOR LOOKING NORTH.
CRIMINAL COURT ROOM.
THE RIOTS OF 1884.
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THE FALL FESTIVALS.
In the year 1900 was celebrated the first of the Fall Festivals. These festivals grew out of a desire to attract to the city merchants and residents of the neighborhood of Cincinnati for the purpose of showing to them the opportunities to do business offered by this city. For this purpose for the four years from 1900 to 1903 a festival was held at Music Hall and in the Ex- position buildings, which partook somewhat, in a limited way, of the character of the old expo- sitions. Here were industrial displays and in the auditorium various entertainments while in Washington Park and along the canal were the amusement features proper. A prominent part of the festival scheme each year were the street parades of which in 1900 there were three,- the "Industrial," "Floral" and "Civic." A year later the "Civic Parade" gave way to the parade of the Itannicnics in charge of an order organ- ized for this special purpose. In 1902 the "Floral Parade" was abandoned and in its place was substituted the "Roosevelt Day Parade" on the occasion of the visit of the President. Special features were the Editors' and Authors' Day, held in 1901 and 1902, the dramatic perform- ances of "Marco Polo" and the engagement of the, Sousa and Innes bands in 1903. The Festival Association was composed of a number of citi- zens, of whom the presidents for the four years during which festivals were given were C. R. Braunstein, J. Stacy Hill, Frank W. Foulds and Otto Armleder. There was a guarantee fund which fortunately was never called upon. The festivals were not each one profitable but in the aggregate the receipts exceeded the expenditures despite the pall thrown over the festivities by the death of President Mckinley in 1901 and the fire at the Odeon in 1902.
NEW BUILDINGS.
There can be no question that the -city has taken on renewed strength and increased in prosperity during the last few years. New buildings have been erected of a magnitude far surpassing that of any within the two decades following the war. The handsome office build- ings known as the Wiggins Block, Johnston Building and later the Carew Building, Picker- ing Building, St. Paul Building, the United Bank Building, and the First National Bank Building located in the heart of the city made a great change not only in the appearance of this portion of the business center, but also in the hab- its of professional and business men. The era of
sky-scrapers was begun by the erection of the Neave Building at the northeast corner of Fourth and Race streets, the pioneer of its kind in the city, and one which excited at the time of its erection great interest. In 1899 came the build- ing of the Union Savings Bank & Trust Com- pany sky-scraper. This has been rapidly fol- lowed by the Traction Building, the Mercantile Library Building, the Ingalls Building, all of . which are completed and occupied by tenants, and the First National Bank Building, which has almost reached the state of completion. The Ingalls Building is said to be the tallest con- crete structure in the world. Another wonder- ful structure built entirely of concrete is the grand-stand at the Cincinnati Base Ball Park. The Third National Bank Building just com- pleted can justly boast that it is unsurpassed in beauty by any bank building in the country. At present a large number of. buildings are in progress of erection. The list is too long to record here, but one of them-the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern Railroad Freight Warehouse -can hardly be omitted. In this building, which is five stories high and 90 feet wide, 420 feet have already been built and work is now about to begin upon the remaining 800 feet, which will make this structure 1,220 feet in length, one of the most striking ones in this city.
THE CENSUS OF 1900.
By the census of 1900 Cincinnati with a popu- lation of 325.902 was shown to be the Ioth city in the Union. Ten years before its popula- tion had been 296,908, which was an increase of 41,769, or 16.4 percent over that of 1880. The increase in the 10 years closing the century was 28,994. or 9.8 percent.
The report of the Census Bureau (Census Bulletin No. 154) gives a number of interesting facts with relation to the city, most of which have been referred to in the carlier portions of this work. Ohio which in the census of 1840- 1850-1860 and 1870 had ranked fourth in the value of manufactures in 1880 had become fifth which rank it has since held. As early as 1803 manufactured products such as flour, beef and pork had been shipped to points along the Mis- sissippi River as far south as New Orleans. , Cotton and woolen machinery had been built be- fore 1809 and in the year 1835 the city's foundries and machine shops had manufactured 100 steam engines, 204 cotton gins, 20 sugar mills and 22 boilers. During the 10 years prior to 1841 1,500 plantation cotton spinning machines
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had been sent South from a single machine shop. Ten years later there were 44 foundries and machine shops in the city, one-third of which manufactured stoves almost exclusively, as many as a thousand being produced in a single day. The whiskey industry had been carried on in Cincinnati from a time previous to 1803 from which time whiskey was sent from Cincinnati to New Orleans. Several of the largest dis- tilleries of the world are located in this city and the distilled liquors produced in Cincinnati in 1900 were valued at about nine and one-half millions of dollars, alnost 76 per cent of the total for the State, which ranked third in the country in this industry. The cultivation of the grape and the manufacture of wine had be- gun as early as 1825 and by 1851 there were 40 manufactories of wine in the city. About 1858 the climate of Southern Ohio was found to be unfavorable for vine culture and it was prac- tically abandoned in the neighborhood of Cin, cinnati. Another industry especially mentioned is that of tobacco, which had been carried on in Ohio before 1810. Another of the carlier in- dustries was the lumber industry which is re- ferred to before' 1803. The familiar statement that the pioneer establishment of the Western pork packing industry was founded in Cincin- nati by 1818 by Elisha Mills is repeated. Be- tween 1842 and 1852 Cincinnati packed 27 per cent of the hogs packed in the United States and was the first city to receive the sobriquet of "Porkopolis" on this account. About the be- ginning of the war, the center of corn production having moved westward, Cincinnati lost its prec- edence in this industry. Other prominent in- dustries were the manufacture of soap and can- dles, the printing industry particularly the pub- lishing of school books and music, the manufac- ture of boots and shoes, men's and women's cloth- ing, carriages and wagons, carriage and wagon materials, agricultural implements, pottery, furni- ture, leather and leather goods and glass. "The leading manufacturing industries of Cincinnati, in the order of their importance, were clothing, men's, factory product ; foundry and machine shop products; slaughtering and meat packing ; liquors, distilled; boots and shoes, factory product; liquors, malt ; carriages and wagons ; tobacco, cigars and cigarettes; and furniture, 'factory product."
As Hamilton County is tributary to Cincin- nati, it seems not improper to quote some of the figures with relation to the manufactures that refer to the entire county, In 1900 the
number of establishments in the county was 5,582 and the capital invested was $124,571,235 of which $11,743,986 was in land, $17,581,210 buildings, $25,538,982 machinery, tools and im- plements, and $69,707,057 cash and sundries. The number of proprietors and firm members was 6,300 and the salaried officials and clerks numbered 7,077 with an aggregate salary of $7 .- 277,863. The average number of wage earners in these establishments was 68, 114 and the total wages $29,138,241. The total cost of materials used was $85,436,302 and the value of the prod- ucts including custom work and repairing $173,582,824.
The figures for the city were, of course, slightly lower. The number of establishments engaged in all industries in 1900 was 5,127. The total capital employed was $109.582,142, of which $10,024,369 was land, $13,894,633 buildings, $23,- 414,761 machinery, tools and implements and $62,248,379 cash and sundries. The number of proprietors and firm members was 5,805 and that of salaried officials and clerks 6,657. with salaries aggregating $6,776,141. The total number of wage .carners was 63,240 and the wages paid $27,189,069. Of these wage earners 46,882 were men and 15,314 women 16 years of age and over, while 1,044 were children under 16, receiving in wages $23,275,688, $3.761,008 and $152,283 respectively. The total expenses of these establishments were $22,873,620. The total cost of materials used in these establish- mients was $77,539,292 and the value of products including custom work and repairing $157,806,- 834.
The largest number of establishments in any one industry were those devoted to the main- facture of men's clothing ( factory product) ; of these there were 351 with a capital of $8,- 262,871 employing 591 officials and clerks and 3.784 wage carners, of whom the larger part (2,347) were women. The total cost of ma- terials used in this industry was $6,640,080 and the value of the product was $11,950,648. The salaries paid in this industry aggregated $616,- 432 and the wages $1,326,045. This industry not only employed the largest number of es- tablishiments but produced the greatest value of product. In addition to the establishments do- voted to men's clothing ( factory product ), there were 270 establishments devoted to men's cloth- ing (custom work and repairing). employing 880 wageearnersand turning out a product of $2,160 .- 113. Five establishments were devoted to the manufacture of button holes for men's clothing
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( factory product), employed 144 wage carners and turned out a product of $74,518. Women's clothing manufacturing ( dressmaking) was car- ried on in 229 establishments, employing 634 wage carners, earning $166,369, and producing $583,315. The factory product of women's cloth- ing occupied 38 establishments and 1,363 wage earners, earning $398,618 wages and turning out a product of $2,074,805. The value of the ma- terials used by the dressmakers was $177,558, while that in the manufacture of the factory prod- uct was $1,173,226. The next largest industry in the number of establishments was that of carpentry,-304 establishments employing 1,160 wage carners and producing a product of $3,- 418,563. The second largest item from the standpoint of the value of products was that of foundry and machine shop products,-154 cs- tablishments with a capital of $10,363,917, owned by 130 persons with 683 salaried officials and 6,680 wage carners, producing $11,705,778 of products. The cost of materials used was $4,- 963,461, the salaries paid $642,303 and the wages earned $3,211,423. The total expenses of this industry in addition to the labor cost and ma- terials used amounted to $964,178. The third most valuable product comes under the heading, -slaughtering and meat packing ( wholesale). Engaged in this were 21 establishments with a capital of $2,790,814, owned by 27 proprietors, under whom were 98 salaried officials and 801 wage carners. The salary list of these estab- lishments aggregated $103,830 and the wages, $382,691. The materials used were valued at $8,083,282, and other expenses were $419,379. The total value of the products was $9,532,057. Distilled liquors were produced by three estab- lishments owned by two proprietors, under whom were 34 salaried officials and clerks and 163 wage carners. The salary list aggregated $54,696, and the wages $97,745. The value of the materials used was $1,034, 113 and miscellaneous expenses were $7,344,318, almost altogether included under the heading "rent of offices, interest, et cetera." The capital invested was $1,522,800 and the product was valued at $9,419,687. Thir- ty-nine factories were engaged in the manti- facture of boots and shoes with a capital of $3,- 688,918. These employed 392 salaried officials and 6,919 wage carners to whom were paid $2,- 187,356 in wages. The value of the product was $8,788,424. Malt liquors were manti- factured by 21 establishments with a capital of $11,370,012. The value of this product was $6,387,383. Carriages and wagons employed 63
establishments and 2,147 wage carners, in addi- tion to 280. officials and clerks. The value of the product was $6,096,108. Tobacco, cigars and cigarettes were manufactured in 295 establish- ments, employing 3.771 persons. The product was valued at $4,781,003. Furniture ( factory product ) was manufactured in 54 establishments, employing 240 officials and clerks and 2,355 wage carners. The value of the product was $3,594,- 196. The printing and publishing of newspapers and periodicals employed 81 establishments, 443 officials and clerks, 1,044 wage carners and pro- · duced a product valued at $3,546,013. Leather goods tanned, curried and finished were manu- factured in 15 establishments employing 25 of- ficials and clerks and 943 wage earners, produc- ing a product of $3,446,525. Bread and bakery products were manufactured in 258 establish- ments by 1,273 people, producing a product of $3,048,295. Other products above a million dollars were included under the head of carriage and wagon materials $1,136,940, coffee and spice (roasting and grinding) $1,416.395, con- fectionery $1,525.359, cooperage $1, 110,860, lith- ographing and engraving $1,665,116, lumber and timber products $2,044,650, to which should be added lumber (planing mill products includ- ing sash, doors and blinds) $887,253, masonry (brick and stone) $1,804,438, painting (house, sign, etc.) $1,149,192, paints $1,844,207, pickles, preserves and sauces $1,077,450, plumbing and gas and steam fitting $1,147,101, book and job printing and publishing $2,513.458, saddlery and harness $1,194,474, soap and candles $1,877,062, tin smithing, copper smithing and sheet iron working $1,521,564 and tobacco (chewing, smok- ing and snuff ) $1,987,464.
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