USA > Ohio > Hamilton County > Cincinnati > Cincinnati, the Queen City, 1788-1912, Volume II > Part 41
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The Plant, Flower and Fruit guild has for its president Mrs. Elliott Pendle- ton. The work of the guild is to distribute plants, flowers, vegetables and fruits to the poor of the city. During the seasons of fresh vegetables and fruits in the gardens and orchards of this region, many of the suburbs and neighboring vil- lages have committees of ladies that receive fruits and vegetables, pack them in baskets and ship them to the Associated Charities and to the several homes and hospitals for the poor. The railroads and express companies carry these gifts free. In the course of a season many hundreds of baskets of fruits and fresh vegetables in this way reach those to whom they are most welcome.
THE SALVATION ARMY.
The Salvation Army carries on in its Cincinnati branch the usual charities associated with the great work of that noted organization. It has its shelters, labor bureau, baths, as elsewhere.
The Cincinnati Protective and Industrial Association, an institution devoted to the protection of colored women and children has purchased a fifteen-room house at 649 West Seventh avenue, to be used in widening its work along these lines. The house, which is a part of the James Lowman estate, is situated on a 50x140-foot lot and extends through to Barr street. A stable is also on the premises, which the association will have remodeled and use as a children's nursery.
It is the intention of the association, according to Miss Alma C. Leach, the organizer, to establish an employment bureau and otherwise take care of the self- supporting colored women of the city and those who are constantly coming into the city.
"At present," said Miss Leach, "there are no hotels which will admit colored women and practically no place where they can go. We have proposed this plan as the one way of taking care of the colored women of this city and also tran- sients who are willing to help themselves. The building was ready for occu- pancy in the fall of 1911 when a formal opening was held.
"Several thousand dollars was spent in repairing the building, which cost $8,- 500. Prominent citizens of the city who have been interested in the project have donated liberally, among whom are James N. Gamble, J. G. Schmidlapp, Mrs. Mary Emery, Mr. and Mrs. Charles P. Taft, Peter Thomson and others."
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The Central Conference of Charities and Philanthropies of Cincinnati and Hamilton County has been recently formally organized, for the purpose of pro- moting the efficiency, cooperation and economy of local charitable institutions. A constitution has been adopted and a committee of twenty-five chosen to study the charity situation in Cincinnati and report back methods of securing greater cooperation and effectiveness. Frank N. Miner of the University Settlement stated the case: "There has been overlapping of work in the charity field of Cin- cinnati, some fields have not been covered enough and others too much. To secure better system and greater efficiency the central body has been organized."
JUVENILE COURTS.
The Juvenile court, which ranks both among the benevolent and educational forces of the city, is represented ably in Cincinnati. This modern movement for the saving and guidance of more or less rebellious young people is well known throughout the nation and needs no detailed account of it here. Judge Caldwell is the man in charge of it here, a man of profound sympathy and winning per- sonality who is doing a vast amount for the classes of young people who come under his control and advisement in this respect. . The judge is backed up in this work by the universal sympathy and help of the people of this city. The Juvenile court is to be ranked among the very foremost movements here for the saving of youths and their guidance into capable and righteous lives and char- acter.
CHAPTER XV.
INDUSTRIES.
FIRST ENTERPRISE IN CINCINNATI THE MANUFACTURE OF EARTHENWARE-THE PIONEER SAWMILL AND GRIST MILL-DISTILLERIES AND BREWERIES SOON IN THE FIELD-GREAT MARKET FOR FURS, TOBACCO AND PORK-ACQUIRES THE NAME OF "PORKOPOLIS"-IN 1880 CINCINNATI HAD THIRTY HUNDRED MANUFACTUR- ING ESTABLISHMENTS.
The manufacture of earthenware is declared to have been the first industrial enterprise undertaken in Cincinnati. William McFarland was the man who, in October, 1799, began to make earthenware. The same work was, in February, 1801, carried on by James and Robert Caldwell.
Where a mighty city was in a few decades to be situated and to engage in the manifold and complex industries of modern times, these men began their sim- ple work.
Citizens of Cincinnati speedily undertook other manufactures while locating their shops some distance from the village itself. Messrs. Lyon and Maginnis ad- vertised in a newspaper of July 9, 1800, that they were making desks, escritoires, dining tables, etc. Their shop was located eleven miles out on the Hamilton road.
A very few years, however, saw the rapid rise of many enterprises. John Melish, an English traveler, visited the town in 1811, and wrote in regard to Cincinnati : "This is next to Pittsburgh the greatest place for manufactures and mechanical operations on the river and the professions exercised are nearly as numerous as at Pittsburgh. There are masons and stone cutters, brick makers, carpenters, cabinet makers, coopers, turners, machine makers, wheelwrights, smiths and nailers, coppersmiths, tinsmiths, silversmiths, gunsmiths, clock and watchmakers, tanners, saddlers, boot and shoe makers, glovers and breeches makers, cotton spinners, weavers, dyers, tailors, printers, bookbinders, rope makers, comb makers, painters, pot and pearlash makers.
"These branches are mostly all increasing and afford good wages to the journeymen. Carpenters and cabinet makers have one dollar per day. and their board, when they board themselves they have about four dollars per one thou- sand. Other classes have from one to one dollar, twenty-five cents per day, ac- cording to the nature of the work.
"Wool and cotton carding and spinning can be increased to a great extent ; and a well organized manufactory of glass bottles would succeed. Porter brew- ing could be augmented, but it would first be necessary to have bottles, as the people here prefer malt liquors in the bottled state. A manufactory of wool
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hats would probably succeed, and that of stockings would do remarkably well, provided frame smith work were established along with it-not else. As the people are becoming wealthy and polished in their manners, probably a manu- factory of piano fortes would do upon a small scale.
"There are ample materials for manufactures. Cotton is brought from Cum- berland river, for from two to three cents. Wool is becoming plenty in the coun- try and now sells at fifty cents per pound, and all the materials for glass making are abundant. Coal has not been found in the immediate neighborhood, but can be laid down here at a pretty reasonable rate; and it is probable the enterprising citizens will soon introduce the steam engine in manufactures. Wood is brought to the town at a very low rate. There is a very considerable trade between New Orleans and this place, and several barges were in the river when we visited it. One had recently sailed upwards over the falls."
Richard Fosdick came to this place in 1810 and became the first pork packer. This is a significant statement in regard to the town that became known after- ward as Porkopolis.
In 1813 George C. Miller became the pioneer plow maker in this region. When he began this enterprise he was accustomed to hammer the shares out upon his anvil. He then was compelled to submit them to Bran, a weaver at Madisonville, to be stocked. In 1825, Miller built the first gig with steel springs ever used in this town.
A large steam mill was put up on the river side in 1812. George Evans, one of its owners, made the plans and William Greene, mason and stone cutter, built it. The foundations, on limestone rock, were sixty-two feet by eighty-seven and ten feet thick. The height of the building on the water side was one hundred and ten feet. The limestone used was quarried from the river bed and of this six thousand, six hundred and twenty perches were used. Ninety thousand bricks were employed ; eighty-one thousand, two hundred cubic feet of timber, and four- teen thousand, eight hundred bushels of lime. There were ninety windows and twenty-four doors.
Part of this building was used as a flour mill, and parts for woolen and cot- ton mills, linseed oil and fulling mills. A seventy horse power engine was the motive power. The flour mill was capable of producing seven hundred barrels of good flour per week.
Dr. Drake wrote of this structure that it was the "most capacious, elevated and permanent building in this place." It was completely destroyed by fire November 3, 1823.
In 1815 the manufacture of red and white lead was carried on extensively by the Cincinnati Manufacturing Company. The works produced about seven tons a week of its materials.
There was also a steam saw mill on the river bank. Its buildings were three stories high, and measured fifty-six feet by seventy. The Evans steam engine was used, which saved fuel by pouring a current of cold water upon the waste steam, thus heating water for the boilers.
Among other manufactures at this time were nails, cut and wrought, tea kettles, copper vessels, stills, tinware, rifles, fowling pieces, pistols, dirks and gun locks. Cotton and woolen machinery, saddlery and carriage mountings were
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"NASTY CORNER." FIFTH AND VINE STREETS ABOUT 1883
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manufactured. There were clock makers and watch repairers. Pottery for the home market was produced while all kinds of stone cutting were done. The making of window glass, hollow ware and white flint glass had begun. Cabinet furniture of all sorts, gilt settees, varnished wagons, carts, drays, coaches, phae- tons and gigs were produced.
A mustard factory was in operation. Distilleries produced liquors for local use. Thirty thousand bushels of barley were used yearly for beer, ale and porter.
Men of skill in their line were here for the painting of signs as well as orna- mental painting, engraving on copper of seals, address cards and vignettes.
In 1809 the first cotton and wool manufacturing had been begun. In 1815 one factory had twenty-three cotton spinning mules and throstles, with thirty- three hundred spindles, seventy-one roving and drawing heads, fourteen cotton and ninety-one wool carding machines, and one hundred and thirty spindles for wool spinning.
In 1816 a large woolen factory was opened by the Cincinnati Manufacturing Company, capable of producing sixty yards of broadcloth daily.
Four small cotton spinning factories existed, with twelve hundred spindles, which were run by horse power.
Dr. Drake notes that while little had been produced in the way of fabrics, yet several persons had had pieces of carpeting, diaper, plain denim and other cot- ton fabrics made.
There were four shops for the manufacture of tobacco and snuff. An estab- lishment existed for the preparation of artificial mineral waters. In the latter part of 1815 a sugar refinery was opened. There were six tanyards. Trunks covered with deerskin or oilcloth were made. Gloves, brushes, blank books, bookbinding, fur hats, ropes and yarn were produced. Jewelry and silverware were turned "after the most fashionable modes," Dr. Drake states.
Great progress had been made in coopering by means of a machine invented and patented by William Baily of Kentucky. Horse power took the place of man power in shaving and pointing shingles, and dressing and jointing staves, so that one man and his horses could in a day of twelve hours prepare the staves for one hundred barrels. This invention meant a good deal to Cincinnati, for it made possible the rapid production of dressed staves for use here and for ex- port to New Orleans and other points on the river.
In 1805 there had been but three brickyards, but by 1815 the large influx of population had encouraged the development of this industry so that at that period. there were eight places where bricks were made.
In 1817, a traveler noted that he found here two factories for making glass, a saw mill operated by two yoke of oxen by treading an inclined wheel, a large foundry and a second in process of construction, an air-furnace under construc- tion, several distilleries, several brickyards, and many factories operating with grain, skins, wood and clay.
The manufacture of fur hats was on so considerable a scale that large quan- tities of these were exported.
It is said that the invention of running small mills by means of oxen treading on inclined wheels was due to Joseph R. Robinson of this city and that the ox- saw mill in operation here in 1819 was the first of its kind. About two thousand
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feet of boards were being sawed in this mill per day. The same device was soon adopted in several other mills in Cincinnati and its neighborhood.
In 1817 William Greene set up the Cincinnati Bell, Brass and Iron Foundry. In 1818 he received into partnership General Harrison, Jacob Burnet, James Find- lay and John H. Piatt, the firm title becoming William Greene and Company. So greatly did this foundry flourish that in 1819 the establishment occupied al- most a square. One hundred and twenty employes were at work, forty thou- sand bushels of coal were used yearly and three thousand pounds of castings were made per day.
The Phoenix foundry was established in 1819.
The Directory for 1819 states that there were at that time six makers of tin- ware, four coppersmiths, nine silversmiths, three whitesmiths, two gunsmiths, one nail factory, one maker of fire engines, a copper plate engraver a gilder, a maker of sieves, a maker of lattice-work, a patent cut-off nail-maker. There were fifteen cabinet shops, with eighty-four employes, nine coach and wagon makers, sixteen cooper shops, four chair makers.
There were about one hundred boss carpenters and joiners, with nearly four hundred apprentices and journeymen. There were several ship carpenters and boat builders, employing seventy men. There was an ivory and wood clock factory. There was one maker of saddle trees, another of pumps and blocks, another of ploughs, one of spinning wheels, one of window sashes, one of bel- lows, one of combs, one of whips, one of the fanning mills, and one maker of "Rachoon burr mill stones."
There were twenty-six shoemakers, twenty-three tailors, eleven saddlers, six tobacconists, and five hatters. Twenty-five brickyards were now in operation and six tanyards. There was one steam grist mill and two horse power grist mills.
Fifteen bakeries were in operation, two breweries and nine distilleries. There were three potteries, two stone cutting shops, three rope walks, seven soap boilers and tallow chandlers, two wood turners, five bookbinders, five painters and glaziers. There were two brush makers, two upholsterers, two last makers, one hundred brick layers, thirty plasterers, fifteen stone masons, eighteen milliners, ten barbers, a dyer, ten street pavers.
The value of products in Cincinnati for the year 1818-1819 was considerably above a million of dollars.
Drake and Mansfields Cincinnati in 1826 reports great progress in Cincin- nati industries. It had become a city in which the manufacturers and mechan- ics were more prosperous than any other classes.
A large region of the surrounding country drew upon this city for its prod- ucts. Steamboats made here were upon many rivers. The manufacturers of hats, caps, furniture, castings, steam engines, brushes, sieves, whips and so on found ready markets in the neighboring states and in the states bordering on the Ohio and Mississippi.
The Phoenix foundry, the Franklin, the Etna, the Eagle, Goodloe and Hark- ness copper foundry were flourishing.
There were now in prosperous activity Kirk's and Tift's steam engine and finishing establishments, Green's steam engine factory, Allen and Company's
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chemical laboratory, the Cincinnati and Phoenix paper mills, a powder mill, the Wells type foundry and printers warehouse.
There were three yards for building steamers, with two hundred employes. There were nine printing establishments, and seven hat factories. There were eleven soap and candle factories, eleven tanneries, thirteen cabinet factories, four rope walks, two breweries, twenty-nine boot and shoe shops, two wall paper factories.
There were ten saddle and trunk factories, three tobacco and snuff factories, nine tin and coppersmiths, one oil mill, two wool carding and fulling mills. There were six chair factories, three wood turners, eleven cooper shops, one clock factory, three plough factories, eight carriage and wagon factories, two potteries.
There were two small woolen and cotton factories, two boot and shoe tree makers, two plane-stock, bit and screw makers, two comb factories, one looking glass and picture frame maker, five chemical laboratories. There were six book binderies, seven silversmiths, ten bakeries, one paper mill, twenty-two smiths, five hundred carpenters, thirty painters, thirty-five tailors and clothiers, one cotton spinning factory, one brass foundry, one mattress factory, one white lead factory. There were four stone cutting works, one hundred and ten brick- layers, stone masons and plasterers, one distillery.
The sugar refinery was flourishing. There were three copperplate engrav- ers, one miniature painter, three portrait painters, one cotton and wool carder, two steam saw mills, four carpet and stocking weavers, one powder mill, two crockery and stoneware factories, one wood carver, forty milliners, two brush makers, one wheat fan factory, one pump and bell maker. There was one saddle tree maker, one sash maker, two piano makers, one organ builder, five shoemakers.
Pugh and Teeters glass works at Moscow, Dewalts paper mills at Mill Grove and three cotton and spinning factories, that were all outside the city but owned and managed by citizens of Cincinnati, should also be included.
The value of the manufactures of Cincinnati for 1826 amounted to one mil- lion, eight hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
In 1815 the water traffic of Cincinnati was conducted by means of flat-bot- tomed boats, keelboats and barges. Steamboats were beginning to be used on the Ohio and Mississippi.
The chief export was flour. Next to this came pork, bacon, lard, then whis- key, peach brandy, beer and porter. Exports also included pot and pearlash, cheese, soap, candles, hemp, spun yarn, walnut, cherry and blue ash sideboards, cabinet furniture and chairs. Kiln dried Indian meal was sent to the West Indies.
Imports were received from Philadelphia and Baltimore. These consisted of many sorts of goods from Europe, New England and the East Indies.
Dr. Drake, at that period expressed his conviction that the West would re- ceive most of its imports through New Orleans. He noted the difficulties of bringing goods over the Alleghanies, and that at that very time coffee, salt fish, claret and other wines, copperas, queensware, paints, mahogany and logwood,
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sugar, molasses, cotton, rice and salted hides were being brought by way of New Orleans.
The government at that time was projecting the National Road, and this, when completed, would make land transportation easier. New York state was also planning its great canal, and this in time would also simplify importation into this region.
At that period the imports from Missouri were lead, peltry and skins. There came from Tennessee and Kentucky cotton, tobacco, saltpetre and marble. The imports from Pennsylvania and Virginia were millstones, bar iron, rolled iron and cast iron, coal, salt, glassware, pine timber and planks.
The furs came from the region of the Big Miami, the Wabash and the Maumee.
In 1815 the imports were valued at $534,680. In 1816 they amounted to $691,075. In 1817 they had risen to $1,442,266. In 1818 they amounted to $1,619,030.
Exports from Cincinnati from the month of October, 1818, to March, 1819, were $1,334,080. $650,000 of this sum was from flour at $5 a barrel. $150,000 was from pork at $15 a barrel. $22,080 was from hams and bacon at eight cents a pound ; $46,000 from lard at II cents a pound; $66,000 from tobacco at II cents a pound ; $40,000 from whiskey at 50 cents a gallon.
The directory gave the names of sixty-three steamboats, from 25 to 700 tons burden, plying between Pittsburgh, New Orleans and St. Louis.
About one-fourth of the boats at that time on western rivers had been con- structed at Cincinnati or neighborhood within a period of two years.
The first steamboat made on these waters as a passenger boat exclusively was the "General Pike," built at Cincinnati in 1818.
The largest boat mentioned was the "United States," 700 tons, constructed at Jeffersonville in 1819.
The canals through the Miami region were being discussed. The Cincinnati and Hamilton Turnpike Company had been incorporated January, 1817, for the building of a turnpike from Main street to Hamilton. The Cincinnati and Day- ton Turnpike Company had been incorporated in 1817 to make a turnpike from Cincinnati to Dayton, through Franklin.
The Cincinnati society for the promotion of agriculture, manufactures and domestic economy had been organized. William H. Harrison was president; Andrew Mack, first vice president; Ethan Stone, second vice president; Zac- cheus Biggs, third vice president; Stephen Wood, fourth vice president; Jesse Embree, secretary; James Findlay, treasurer ; James Taylor, Ephraim Brown, Daniel Drake, Jacob Burnet, William Corry, Gorham A. Worth, Isaac H. Jack- son, James C. Morris and Jacob Broadwell, standing committee.
This organization aimed to improve agriculture and home productions to counteract the ill results of introducing so much foreign materials. It declared itself in favor of reduction of the cost of living as a means of lessening finan- cial straits, and recommended citizens to decline to buy or allow to be used in their families imported liquors, fruits, nuts, preserves. It advised against the wearing of black as a sign of mourning; against expensive and merely orna- mental articles of dress, abstinence from use of imported goods of any kind
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when practicable, and giving preference to home manufactures; advised refusal to buy either food or dress of an extravagant kind; advised rigid economy in all respects and the making of purchases for use rather than for ornament. This course, the members believed would further the prosperity of the country.
The directory for 1826 had much to say of steam navigation and boat build- ing and claimed that no city had built more boats than Cincinnati. It declared that the coming of steam navigation had "wrought a change in the appearance and nature of commercial transactions which the most active fancy could a few years ago have scarcely conceived."
Sixty steamboats, of II,225 tons, had been built here.
There arrived and departed from Cincinnati twenty-one boats of 4,117 tons, from the 5th to the 12th of February, 1827.
In 1826 the imports were $2,528,590. The exports were $1,063,560. The larger part of the latter was taken to the West Indies and South America.
The value of the flour exported was $165,000, while there was $100,000 of whiskey and $100,000 of pork.
From 1811 to 1829, 81 of the 314 steamboats built on western waters had been put up in Cincinnati.
From March to June of 1829 there were 497 steamboat arrivals carrying 8,318 cabin passengers and 14,160 deck passengers.
The directory of 1829 observes "the gratifying fact that the pork and bacon and beef of Ohio have undergone a very considerable improvement since the in- troduction and liberal use of rock salt. There is now no substantial reason why these staple articles should not be as well cured in Cincinnati as in any part of the world, or why the hams of Ohio should not be held in as high repute as those of Boston or Westphalia, saving the very savoury difference between an exotic and a domestic production."
The Miami Canal was completed in November, 1828. The first boat went from Cincinnati to Dayton during March, 1829. The canal was in length 67.75 chains and 96 links. These figures include the Hamilton cut and the Miami and Mad river feeders, in which were twenty locks. The cost of the canal was $746,852, an average cost of about $11,000 a mile.
During April, May and June of that year, the canal tolls received were $3,515. The freight carried was 6,101 tons. The number of passengers was 2,302.
More manufactories had risen. One of these was the Cincinnati Cotton Factory, Miller and Company, owners, at Seventh and Smith streets. The Cov- ington Cotton Factory had also come into being. There had also grown up the Hamilton Foundry and Steam Engine Factory, owned by Pierce, Harkness and Voorheis, the steam engine factory of Goodloe and Borden, the steam engine factory of West and Stone, and the steam flour mill of Fox.
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