USA > Ohio > Clark County > Springfield > Century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens 20th > Part 41
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CITY JAIL AND STATION HOUSE.
The old building situated south of the post office building on Spring Street, which served as a city jail for forty years, was originally erected as a fire-engine house and for the special use of the old Union Fire Company. This building for a long time had been a discredit to the city of Springfield, even for the purpose of a jail or station house. Time and again the citizens of Springfield demand-
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ed that a new one be erected. In 1900 the people voted that the sum of $20,000 should be expended for a new station house or city jail. There was consider- able controversy as to where it should be located, and it was some three or four years before those in authority com- menced to act, even after they had been instructed to that purpose by the people. Finally, in 1904, the present building located on North Fountain Avenue, near the creek, was completed at a cost of $31,000.
PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Various societies and associations were formed in Springfield at different times for the purpose of affording library facil- ities to its citizens. Not until 1872, how- ever, did the movement for a public library reach its culmination. In that year the present Springfield Public Library was placed on a secure basis. The present building was erected in 1889. In 1877 the library was located in the Union Hall building and remained there until it was moved to the present commo- dious building located on the southwest corner of High and Spring Streets. This beautiful building and its grounds were donated by Benjamin F. Warder, for- merly a public spirited citizen of this city, latterly of Washington, and recently deceased. For many years he was con- nected in many public enterprises of Springfield, particularly the shops located at Lagonda. This building and the lot upon which it stands reached an expendi- ture of $125,000. There are more than 23.000 volumes in the library collection. The library is managed by a board of trustees. The present board is composed
of Samuel F. McGrew, James Johnson, Jr., E. L. Buchwalter, Patrick O'Brien, William H. Weir and John L. Zimmer- man. Governor Bushnell, Oscar T. Mar- tin, W. S. Thomas, W. B. Rodgers and others have served in the past in that ca- pacity. For a long time Robert Wood- ward was librarian. He was succeeded upon his death in 1896 by Miss Alice Bur- roughs, who at present occupies that posi- tion. This new library building was dedicated and the deed delivered to the city in 1890, the address for the oc- casion having been delivered by Samuel Shellabarger, formerly a Congressman from this district and then a distinguished lawyer, residing at Washington, practic- ing principally before the Supreme Court. It was the last public address that he made to the citizens of Spring- field.
HOSPITAL.
For some time it was apparent to those who were conversant with the growing needs of the city that a hospital had be- come a most necessary institution. Ross Mitchell, a time-honored citizen, having become possessed of the property former- ly used by Chandler Robbins as a private school on East Main Street, proposed, with the late John H. Thomas, deceased, who agreed to furnish a sum of money sufficient to put the premises in proper condition for hospital purposes, to donate the same to the city. This was done in 1887. The generosity of these citizens in this matter was much appreciated by the citizens of Springfield generally. The need of an institution of that kind for the sick poor was felt also by the late John Snyder, one of the donors of the park,
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and in his last will in 1896 he provided that the sum of $100,000 should be set aside, the income thereof to be used for this special purpose. The growth of the city, however, was such that the buildings previously provided for this purpose by Messrs. Thomas and Mitchell had become inadequate. It was therefore decided, on a vote being taken for that purpose, that new grounds should be acquired and a modern hospital erected. For a number of years the old Sharpe Homestead, sit- uated on the northwest corner of Clifton Street and East Street, had ceased to be used as a homestead. It presented a most desirable location for an institution of this kind. Its elevation was such that the ordinary noises incident to city life could not reach a building placed upon its sum- mit. Fortunate indeed were the trustees when they were able to procure this most desirable site for a hospital. In 1905 the present building was completed at a cost of $150,000, and the succeeding year saw the erection of a building located on or near York Street for the use of nurses. It is under the supervision of a board of trustees, the present members of which are J. S. Crowell, H. S. Bradley and J. E. Myers. The Rev. Dr. Alex McCabe was active as a member of the board during the erection and the first years of the new building. James E. Adams, the veteran. restauranteur, was the first superintend- ent in the new building, George Netts oc- cupying that position at the present time.
POST OFFICE.
The post office was first established in 1804, with Robert Rennick as postmaster. In that year a mail route was established
from Cincinnati, through Lebanon, Xenia, Springfield and Urbana, thence to Piqua, thence down the Miami to Dayton, Frank- lin, Hamilton and Cincinnati. Mail was delivered over this route once a week, and the daily delivery was first established in 1828. Previous to this latter date the mail was carried on horseback in saddle- bags. After this and until 1849 the mails were carried by a four-horse mail-coach. The particular advantage that this coach had was the right of way over all others, making it popular with passengers, but unpopular with the drivers of the other coaches. After 1849 the railroad carried the mail.
The location of the post office was suc- cessively in various parts of the city un- til the present government building was erected. During the period before the es- tablishment of carriers, when everyone went to the post office to get his mail, it was quite an advantage to a particular locality to have the post office there, and it was often a matter of very great con- troversy between the different localities as to the location of the office, the rivalry going so far some times as to control the appointment of the postmaster. We are not able at this date to mention all of the localities in which the office was located at various times. At the present time, when people receive practically all their mail by carriers, the location of the office is not a matter of very great importance to the business community. However, there was considerable rivalry between different localities in the selection of a site for the permanent post office. This building was secured through the efforts of General Keifer before his retirement as member of Congress in 1884. It was,
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however, not completed until 1890, being used first in September of that year. Its erection and equipment cost $150,000. When the building was dedicated the gross receipts had never exceeded $74,000.
It was inadequate to care for the grow- ing business and in September, 1898, an auxiliary station was established in the publishing plant of the Crowell Publish- ing Company.
In the following year a rearrangement of the interior was made, appropriating space from the lobby so as to enlarge the workroom. Urgent effort has since been made to secure an appropriation for an annex to the building. This was sccured by a bill passed in 1906, introduced by General Keifer, who was again a member of Congress, appropriating $30,000. In October following a strip of seventeen feet adjoining the government site on the north wing, purchased October 16, 1907. Bids will be opened at the Treasury De- partment for an extension of the build- ing by a structure 28x84 feet, providing enlarged accommodations.
City free delivery service was inaugu- rated under Postmaster Shipman, Sep- tember 1, 1879, with six carriers.
At the time of the removal of the office to the United States Post Office Building, September 1, 1890, the force of clerks was eighteen and of carriers eighteen, and so remained until 1899, since which time the force has grown to thirty-three clerks and thirty carriers.
Eleven rural routes add to the patron- age of the office a population of more than 6,000. The first rural route was estab- lished July 5, 1899, two were added in 1900, four in 1901 and four in 1903.
The growth of the city has been reflect-
ed in the increase of the revenues of the office as follows:
Gross repts. Net repts. Year ending June
30, 1890 .. .$ 73,695.04 $ 44,317.88
Year ending June 30, 1900. 120,121.24 78,697.83
Year ending Sep-
tember 30, 1907. 216,829.34 152,491.12
POSTMASTERS.
Springfield has had eighteen postmas- ters. The first was Robert Renick, who was commissioned November 9, 1804. It is not know where the office was located during his administration, which seems to have extended for the period of twenty years.
On April 1, 1824, Maddox Fisher was appointed postmaster. During his incum- bency the office was kept at his private residence, which was located where Dr. Rogers now resides on North Limestone Street.
Peter Sprigman commissioned March 10, 1835.
William Worden was commissioned July 27, 1839. He was the owner of the famous Worden Hotel, which was located where the Henry Block is now, and he kept his office in a room at the west side of the building.
On June 9, 1841, John A. Crain became postmaster and he moved the office into a building belonging to the Bacons, lo- cated on the south side of East Main Street, about midway between Spring and the first alley to the west, and where Au- gust Stelzer's cigar store is now.
Cyrus D. MeLaughlin the first time was postmaster July 17, 1845, and he removed
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the office to a room in the Old Buckeye Hotel Building on East Main Street, about where Mccullough's harness store is now.
Dr. Isaac Hendershott became postmas- ter May 29, 1850. He removed the office to the east side of South Limestone Street, the second door north of the Second Pres- byterian Church, where now is located Willis' plumbing store.
In April, 1853, Cyrus D. Mclaughlin became postmaster again, and after a time the office was removed to the Odd Fel- lows Building on the west side of Foun- tain Avenue, where Henry Oldham's pres- ent store is located.
William C. Boggs was commissioned July 13, 1855, and continued the office in the Odd Fellows' Building.
On April 8, 1861, Robert Rodgers was commissioned postmaster, and he removed the office to the old King Building, lo- cated on the southeast corner of Main and Limestone Streets, where the Gotwald Building is now situated.
James Johnson, Sr., was commissioned postmaster October 26, 1866, but was not confirmed by the United States Senate, and he was succeeded by Ellen Sanderson, on March 11, 1867. . After she was post- mistress, the office was removed to the cor- ner room of the then Lagonda House, sit- uated where the Bookwalter Hotel is now located; afterwards to the corner room in the Black Opera House building on the northwest corner of Fountain Avenue and Main Street.
John A. Shipman became postmaster January 29, 1877, and for a time he con- tinued the office in the Opera House Build- ing and afterwards removed it to the Ar- cade Building, corner of High and Foun- magnificent grounds now occupied by a
tain Avenue, in the room that is now occu- pied by "The When" clothing store.
James Johnson, Sr., was again commis- sioned postmaster December 19, 1884, and continued the office in the Arcade Build- ing.
Francis M. Hagan became postmaster September 27, 1887, and continued the office in the Arcade Building.
Perley M. Cartmell was commissioned February 25, 1890, and it was during his administration that the post office was finally moved to a home of its own in the United States Building on the northwest corner of Spring and High Streets.
Thomas D. Wallace was commissioned March 15, 1894, and James H. Rabbitts April 21, 1898.
SNYDER PARK.
For a long time there had been a strong desire growing, among those interested in the welfare of Springfield, for a park, but the question was, how were we to get it? John and David L. Snyder, residing west of the City of Springfield for more than a half century, had acquired the lands through which flowed the streams of Mad River and Buck Creek in close prox- imity to the city. They were noted as men of extraordinary business capacity, appa- rently little interested in public matters, attending principally to their own affairs and accumulating a great fortune. The thought never entered the minds of those who knew nothing of their affairs that these brothers would make such a magnifi- cent gift to the city of Springfield, and so when it was announced in 1895 that they proposed to donate to the city the
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park, containing 217 acres of land to be used for park purposes, a genuine sur- prise was felt. The only condition at- tached was that the city should expend the sum of $20,000 to put the land into condition for park purposes. This was done before 1897 to the satisfaction of the donors.
During the lifetime of the Snyders, and in memory of their deceased brother Will- iam, they erected the iron bridge connect- ing the different parts of the park and located not far from the pavilion, and when D. L. Snyder, the last of these broth- ers, passed away in 1898, it was found that by his will he had endowed this park with the sum of $200,000.
Thereafter the citizens of Springfield, largely through the instrumentality of the late Gov. Bushnell, erected to the memory of the donors of this magnificent play- ground the stately arch that spans its main entrance-there to remain as a re- minder of the public spirit of these de- ceased brothers. It is governed by a board, the membership of which at this time consists of David F. Snyder, Paul A. Staley, Frank McGregor, and T. D. Wal- lace. John Foos and William H. Blee were for a long time members of this board.
FOUNTAINS, ETC.
In 1890 Oliver Kelly donated to the city the fountain upon Fountain Square, at a cost of $8,000. This worthy donation has added very much to the attractiveness of the city. The fountain on Center Street between Main and High, used principally for watering horses, was erected through the generosity of Mrs. John L. Zimmer- man.
HOTELS.
Hotels, or taverns as they were called in early times, while not sustained or con- trolled by the municipality, have yet, ow- ing to the nature of their business, some- thing of the character of public build- ings.
In earlier times these buildings did not assume the immense proportions which they have generally at the present day. Sometimes they were of a few rooms only, but as such they were eagerly sought for by the traveler who made his journey from place to place on horseback or by stage coach. Necessarily his journey was slow and frequent stopping places were needed.
Foos TAVERN.
Griffith Foos has the honor of estab- lishing the first public house or tavern in the city of Springfield. This hotel was opened in 1801 and continued until 1814. It was a double log house located on the south side of Main Street, a little west of Spring.
LOWRY HOTEL.
In 1803 Archibald Lowry erected a large two-story hewn log house, which was prob- ably located on or near Primrose Alley, about half way between Main and High Streets. Archibald Lowry was a brother of David Lowry and the father of James Lowry, who afterward platted an addition to the city. How long this building was occupied as a hotel I am not aware.
In August, 1803, the Court of Common Pleas, then held in Xenia, granted licenses to Archibald Lowry and Griffith Foos to keep a tavern in Springfield on payment of $8.00 for each license.
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LUDLOW HOTEL
Cooper Ludlow kept a public inn on the corner of Main and Factory streets. This was probably the third hotel in the city and the first in "Old Virginia." This was in 1812.
Ross TAVERN.
In 1815 William Ross erected a two- story brick house on the southeast corner of Main Street and Fountain Avenue, which was for some time used as a tavern and went by the name of Ross Tavern. It was afterwards occupied by Mr. Wer- den before the building of his hotel.
HUNT'S HOTEL.
About the time that Clark County was created, John Hunt was the owner of a ho- tel on Main Street. Its exact location is not known at this time. He may have occupied the old Lowry hotel or, possibly, the Ross Hotel. It was at this place that the first Court of Clark County was held.
MACELROY HOTEL.
At the time that the county was created, in 1818, James MacElroy kept a boarding- house and hotel on the northeast corner of Main Street and Fountain Avenue. This was a log house.
NORTON HOTEL.
Also at the time that the county was created, James Norton kept a tavern in a small one-story brick house on the lot occupied by the old Teegarden residence,
east of the alley on the north side of Main between Center and Factory Streets.
WERDEN HOTEL.
The most noted tavern that Springfield had in early days was that known as Wer- den's tavern. William Werden came to Springfield in 1819 from Delaware, Ohio. He first occupied the MacElroy Tavern. Afterwards he occupied the Ross Tavern, and in 1820 he bought property on the northwest corner of Main and Spring Streets, but did not occupy it until 1829, when he built his large hotel. This was known as a public hostelry all over the country ; it was a general stopping place for stage coaches and was at that date con- sidered one of the best hotels in the coun- try. The sign of this old hotel was that of a stage coach with horses under full speed, suspended on a tall post at the upper edge of the sidewalk. In Beers' History it is said that the room used for his office and bar was not more than 20 feet square and his whole house with all its rooms was not larger than one now required for a large family. It maintained its position as the first hotel of the place until the Buckeye came. He built another house on Spring Street, which was called the "Judson House." This was particu- larly intended for the use of the drivers of stage coaches. Daniel Aiken ran the hotel after Werden.
BUCKEYE HOUSE.
The Buckeye House was built in 1830 by Pearson Spinning and was located on the northwest corner of Main and Lime- stone Streets. Mr. Spinning himself con-
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tinued for a number of years to manage this hotel, and along in the fifties it was the leading hotel of the town.
HAGENBACH HOTEL-SPANGENBERGER.
What has been known for a number of years as the old Spangenberger House on East Main Street, was erected some time number of years it was known as the Hagenbach Hotel and for a long time was the headquarters of the German element of the town. It was quite a hotel in its time, and is still used as a boarding- house.
after the National Road was built. For a is not now known. They were located on
MURRAY-CHERRY HOUSE.
In 1854, on the northeast corner of Main and Limestone Streets, Peter Murray erected a hotel which is now called the Cherry House. It was afterwards remod- eled a number of times before it assumed its present condition. Mr. Murray went into bankruptcy and the hotel was after- wards conducted by various persons. In 1865 it was purchased by Jacob Seitz for the sum of $25,000 and it has remained in the Seitz family ever since. During its period as a hostelry it has had various names, such as "Murray House," "Wil- liss House," "Knaub," "St. James," and the "Cherry House." This house has seventy-two rooms for guests.
WILLISS HOUSE-NATIONAL HOTEL.
Mr. Williss also at one time ran a hotel in a building which formerly stood where the Bushnell Building now stands. This hotel was in full operation during war
times and Mr. Williss being a strong Democrat, his refusing on one occasion to give a meal to some Union soldiers, came near causing a riot. This was for- merly called the National Hotel.
AMERICAN AND WESTERN HOUSES.
The time of the opening of these hotels West Main Street, about midway between Factory and Center, the American on the north side of the street and the Western on the south side. In stage-coach days, the American especially, which had a large yard in its rear, did a great deal of busi- ness. Their use as hotels was discon- tinued about 1885. The building formerly occupied by the American Hotel is now used as a harness shop and pump store.
LAGONDA-BOOKWALTER HOTEL.
As Springfield began to assume urban importance, it was felt that the hotels which it then had were scarcely adequate to a place of its pretentions; so in 1868 a number of enterprising citizens organ- ized the Champion City Hotel Company.
The old Mason property, formerly occu- pied as a private residence by General Mason, was purchased for $20,000 and the building which was known as the Lagonda Hotel was erected. For its day it was con- sidered a very good hotel, costing $130,000 and having 140 rooms. As a business venture it was never a success, and finally the stock was practically all acquired by John W. Bookwalter. It was opened as a hotel in 1869 with L. W. Cook and Son as landlords. It was continued as a hostelry until it was destroyed by fire in 1895.
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After the Lagonda House was burned, Mr. Bookwalter erected the present house and gave it the name of the "Bookwalter Ho- tel." Mr. Bookwalter was somewhat slow in erecting this building and its vicissi- tudes as a hotel have been somewhat vari- ous. It is now run on the European plan, Mr. E. M. Baker conducting the cafe in what was intended to be the lobby of the hotel. This hotel has 120 guest-rooms.
ARCADE HOTEL.
When the old manufacturing company of Whiteley, Fassler and Kelly was dis- banded and Mr. Whiteley built East Street Shops, Oliver Kelly became the owner of the site of the old shops, which site is now that of the west part of the Arcade. He acquired by purchase the remainder of the property extending to the alley and began the building of the Arcade in 1883. Short- ly thereafter the hotel part was opened, with E. L. Munger as landlord, and it has continued to be the leading hotel of the town ever since. It was struck by light- ning in 1888 and in 1896 had a very dam- aging fire. H. L. Rockfield is the present manager of the hotel. There are 115 guest-rooms.
PALACE HOTEL.
The Palace Hotel, situated on the southwest corner of Fountain Avenue and Washington Street, was built in the same year, 1885, as the Arcade, by Robert Flack, Sr .; it is now owned by Robert Flack, Jr.
PALMER HOUSE.
This hotel was built in 1885 and is im- mediately south of the Palace Hotel.
OPERA HOUSE.
BLACK'S OPERA HOUSE.
Halls for entertainment are generally indicative of the size and progressiveness of the place in which they are located, and when Springfield began to assume the airs of a city and to enjoy the prosperity which was coming to it from its various indus- tries, a play house, or building for public entertainments, conventions, and other oc- casions of that kind, became a pressing ne- cessity.
Up until 1869 the old hall in the Market House was the only place in the city where concerts or any kind of entertain- ments or conventions could be held. An- drew C. Black had been a merchant in Springfield for twenty years previous, he having come here in 1847. In 1868 he be- gan the erection of an Opera House on the northwest corner of Main Street and Fountain Avenue. This building was fin- ished in 1869 at a cost of about $100,000. It had a seating capacity for about 1,000 people. It was located on the second floor, the first floor being occupied by store buildings, Mr. Black for many years hav- ing a dry goods store on the corner. Afterwards the post office was located there, it being succeeded by M. M. Kauf- man's clothing store. In the next room Samuel J. Lafferty had a queensware store, and the room west of that was occu- pied at the time of the fire by Mitchell Bros.' plumbing establishment.
This building was opened as an Opera House February 4, 1869. The first play given therein was "The Drummer Boy of Shilo."
Mr. Black afterwards remodelled the
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building. However, some time before it was torn down it had become rather sec- ond class in the character of its entertain- ments, the "Grand" having succeeded in monopolizing those of the first class. The people were somewhat averse to climbing the stairs, and the "Grand," being on the ground floor, had the advantage.
Some time prior to its final destruction it was purchased by Ross Mitchell and in February, 1903, a disastrous fire broke out, presumably in the clothing store of M. M. Kaufman that quickly destroyed this building and the rear part of the Y. M. C. A. Building immediately north of it. Some buildings standing west of it were also destroyed and Mr. Mulholland, who had conducted a jewelry store in this city for a half century, was caught in the debris of his store and lost his life.
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