USA > Ohio > Allen County > History of Allen County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part One > Part 42
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THE CRUSADE AND THE W. C. T. U. By S. C. Berryman.
When the crusade movement swept our State in 1873, Lima's daughters entered the . struggle with a desperate determination to do or die. Not a few of them had sore hearts be- cause of the havoc being wrought in their own homes. A meeting was called at the home of Mrs. J. R. Hughes, and the Crusade in Lima was launched with Mrs. Hudson Watt presi- dent, Mrs. Richard Metheany, Mrs. J. R. Hughes and many others, vice-presidents.
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Mrs. Metheany has a very vivid recollec- tion of the stirring scenes that followed, and I am indebted to her for most of the facts in regard to it. She was very loath to enter per- sonally into the work, but she could not get away from the pleadings of duty ; she was trou- bled and could not put it out of her mind. She would not go to a meeting but sent her daugh- ter Clara. One day Clara came home and said : "Mother you might as well have gone; they have appointed you vice president." She thought, "I will not serve." Then the meet- ing was announced to be held at the Baptist Church and as a good church woman she had to go. There she heard her name read off for leader of one of the bands next day. She said to her husband, who was mayor, "How would you like to see me leading a gang of women along the streets and stopping in the saloons?" He replied, "I'd be proud of you." That made her feel worse than ever for she saw that he thought she ought to go. The next day she donned a heavy baize veil-most of the women wore heavy veils. She does not know why they wore them but she wore hers to cry be- hind.
The plan was to meet at Trinity Church and hold a prayer service, then to march forth two and two. Her impression is that there were about three hundred in line. At the Square they separated into two bands, and tak- ing all the saloons in their course, would meet at the depot, and then all march back to the church to report. She said it was wonderful how the feeling of timidity and self-consciousness left them when once they had fared forth. Women who had never prayed in public knelt on the sidewalk or in the saloon and prayed. Most of the saloon keep- ers would open the door with a "Walk in La- dies." If they were not invited in, they would sing and pray outside. Favorite songs were : "What means this eager, anxious throng," "Jesus of Nazereth passeth by," "All Hail the Power of Jesus Name," "Nearer my God to Thee."
Doepkins and Herrick were particularly angry with the movement. The former chalk- ed off a large space in front of his place and de-
clared that any one who stepped over would be. arrested. So they kneeled down close to the. marks. At Herrick's he ran out with a tin pan. and a hammer and made as loud a din as pos -- sible, then he went back and armed himself with a great knife, but he allowed his wife to. hold him back. At one place dirty water was. thrown into the throng of Crusaders. At an- other a trap was set just inside the door with the intent to precipitate the women into the basement, but some one gave it away and the ladies turned a deaf ear to his urgent invita- tion to enter. Most of the men would stand and listen to the service with the greatest atten- tion and respect. One man said: "Do you. think drink is the worst sin in the world. Some of you do worse than that." The next day Mrs. Webster was chairman of the meeting. and she talked so tactfully and pointedly that the two or three, who were bringing reproach, dropped out. They went three days in the week for several weeks, then they detailed two ladies to go to every saloon and watch.
Later a petition was written asking the sa- loon keepers to promise to quit the business and. women carried it to every one. One black- eyed fellow by the name of Fisher said to them "You are no ladies" and followed them a block or more scolding, but they would not talk back. The late Mrs. Calvin S. Brice de -- livered several temperance lectures, which are said to have been very fine. Mrs. Will Watt remembers seeing her kneel down in the slush and pray. Quite a religious awakening fol- lowed the crusade, and also the Murphy move- ment, which swept our State two or three years later. Lima was stirred as she never has been since. Great mass meetings were held and a pledge signing revival was soon in progress.
There was wild excitement the night so many prominent lawyers signed the pledge. They had staid quietly in the study until the in- vitation was given and then many prominent men marched in with them and signed and had the blue ribbon pinned on their coats. Among the many noble women of Lima who entered, heart and soul, into the crusade were: Mrs. Hudson Watts, Mrs. J. R. Hughes, Mrs. Sar- ah Robb, Mrs. John Luce, Mrs. Webster, wife
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of the pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church; Mrs. Charles N. Lanison, Mrs. T. P. Johnston, wife of the pastor of the Presbyterian Church; Mrs. Martha J. Ballard, Mrs. C. C. Brice, Mrs. Emma Metheany, Mrs. Anna Morris, Mrs. Calvin S. Brice, Mrs. Emma Lynch, Mrs. Holmes, wife of the pastor of the Baptist Church; Mrs. Thomas K. Jacobs, Mrs. W. L. Watt, Mrs. Josiah Williams, Mrs. H. A. Moore, and many others equally devoted to the great cause.
As everyone knows, the outgrowth of the crusade was the Woman's Chistian Temper- ance Union. The first union was organized in Lima in 1882 by Mrs. Mary A. Woodbridge. It did not long survive but was reorganized in 1899. In 1895 South Lima perfected an or- ganization and the two unions flourished for a time. They did a good work among the chil- dren. The North Side had a "Boys' Brigade," with 200 boys. Mrs. Henry Moore and Mrs. Eb Davis had charge. Captain Gale drilled them. On the South Side Mrs. W. E. Crayton was the superintendent and had 200 children enrolled in a "Loyal. Temperance Legion." For a time the unions had their own headquar- ters. The present organization was prefected in 1903. In 1904 an effort was made to pro- vide a rest and recreation room for women, but failed to receive the encouragement that would warrant launching the scheme. It is still un- der advisement and will doubtless be consumi- mated at no distant day. In 1890 a very suc- cessful State convention was held at Lima in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in 1892 the mid-year meeting was entertained. Tem- perance lectures have been frequently given and pledge cards provided for the Sunday- schools of the city and in many other ways the cause of temperance has been aided.
YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION.
The first attempt to establish a Young Men's Christian Association in Lima was made in the year 1870. Iniatiatory steps were taken and an organization effected. A constitution and code of laws was adopted for its govern- ment. Officers were elected, committees ap-
pointed and funds to the amount of $500 were raised for the support of the institution. A pleasant room was rented near the southeast corner of the Square in which were placed the weekly papers, monthly magazines and other choice reading matter. J. R. Hughes was president for the first year and H. Parham, sec- retary. For the second year, R. K. Darling was president; A. M. Metheany, G. W. Walk- er and D. S. Cross were vice-presidents and E. F. Davis was secretary; D. Newell was treasurer; Messrs. Dixon, Coldron, Moser, Selfridge, T. E. Cunningham and D. Angell constituted the board of managers. After two or three years the organization died out and though considerable talk was indulged in from time to time relative to starting a new organi- zation nothing definite was done until No- vember 7, 1887, when with Prof. Fred Bell as the leading spirit an organization was affected. There were at first 125 members. Rooms in the Collins Block were secured and improve- ments made on them to the amount of $1,000. The members struggled bravely during the first year to hold the association together. The work about this time received a new impetus under the able management of Mr. Gordon and Mr. Street and in the fall of 1888 a number of new members were received. The united co- operation of every minister and layman in Lima and vicinity made the February of 1890, when Mr. Yatman came, a memorable time and a high-water mark in the religious work for Lima.
The association at present (1906) is in a flourishing condition and has about a thousand members. The building which they occupy was finished in 1894 and is one of the hand- somest structures in the city. There are 24 rooms in the building. These include the par- lor, reading rooms, plunge, gymnasium, etc., and they are equipped and furnished with ev- erything that may add to the comfort or con-
venience of its members. The Y. M. C. A. to- day is a very potent factor for the good of the State, in that it works for the upbuilding of character. No part of the young man's life is neglected or overlooked. . Railroads, and all large employers of men, now recognize the
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value of the Y. M. C. A. and, in many places, these firms place the Y. M. C. A. on their pay- roll for a regular monthly contribution.
In Lima's Y. M. C. A. special emphasis is given to educational work for men and boys in the night classes. In these classes young men are supplied with a splendid opportunity to make use of their spare time and improve their earning power and ability. There are classes in mechanical drawing, ordinary and shop arithmetic, bookkeeping, penmanship and busi- ness English. The cost to the student of at- tending a class is merely nominal. Practical talks on subjects of general interest are also a feature of the educational work. These are offered free and also to all men whether mem- bers of the association or not. The associa- tion's reading room, stocked with all the popu- lar magazines, newspapers and technical peri- odicals, is visited by hundreds of men every week.
The chief purpose of the association is the development of character and therefore the strongest emphasis is placed on such lines of re- ligious effort as are best suited to develop strong, manly men. At the same time the liberty of every man to decide these things for himself is thoroughly recognized and attempts to force religious ideas upon any one are avoided.
The excellent work of Lima's Y. M. C. A. is shown by the following figures taken from the report for the fiscal year ending April 30, 1905. The year beginning May 1, 1904, there was on hand to the credit of the association $1,697.04. There was received during the year a total of $10,978.09, chiefly comprised in these items : Subscriptions $6,485.92; memberships, $3, 309.03 ; towels and baths $323.25; educational fees, $298.75; rent, $262.50; sundries, $104 .- 96; and Sunday collections, $69.43. There was paid out during the same period a total of $12,191.47, leaving a balance on hand of
$483.66. The assests of the institution amount to $41,665.07, of which the chief items are: Real estate, $35,000 and furniture and fixtures, $3,000. The liabilities amount to $5,- 595-79. During the year there was an attend- ance at all religious meetings of 13.274; total
attendance at educational classes, 931; while the attendance at social meetings, comprising seven banquets, three lectures, six receptions and nine socials, amounted to 2,409. There were eight gymnasium classes with class en- . rollment of 430 and total attendance of 10,001. The total membership of the association, as given in the report, was 974, of whom 174 were boys. The executive officers are: Frank Eberhart, general secretary; N. L. Snider, as- sistant secretary; H. M. Spaulding, office sec- retary ; and W. S. Shepard, physical director. The president of the board of directors is A. L. White, vice-president, J. A. Bendure; treas- urer, L. H. Kibby and recording secretary, G. A. Herrett.
THE LIMA CLUB
. Was incorporated October 22, 1894. The first officers were as follows: President, William K. Boone; vice-president, J. W. Van Dyke; secretary, Herbert L. Brice; treasurer, G. E. Bluem ; board of trustees-William K. Boone, J. W. Van Dyke, J. B. Vail, Samuel A. Bax- ter, F. A. Husted, Herbert L. Brice and Owen Francis ; house committee-J. G. Neubauer, William M. Melville and F. E. Baxter. The officers for 1904-05 were: President, F. C. Becker; vice-president and treasurer, T. J. Morris; secretary, C. W. Hollister; trustees- F. C. Becker, R. L. Bates, H. M. Moore, Wal- ter B. Richie, A. C. Reichelderfer, J. R. Sin- clair, and T. J. Morris; house committee-W. J. Booth, J. P. King and H. K. Fredericks. The following have served as presidents : Wil- liam K Boone, J. W. Van Dyke, J. B. Vail, T. K. Jacobs, C. H. Cory, R. L. Bates, J. G. Neu- bauer and F. C. Becker.
The pleasant antl well-furnished club home is located at the corner of Elizabeth and High streets The membership of the club is limited to 100. The membership in 1905 was as follows: W. T. Agerter. R. W. Argue. R. L. Armstrong, R. L. Bates, J. A. Bendure, Samuel A. Baxter, Frank E. Baxter, Clem S. Baxter, Alfred C. Baxter, Don A. Baxter, J. K. Brice, W. J. Booth, F. J. Banta, F. C. Beck- er, L. E. Beeler. G. E. Bluem, J. E. Cheuvront,
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F. D. Carpenter, C. D. Crites, C. H. Chappell, Jr., E. R. Curtin, M. Cokely, H. D. Campbell, George R. Carter, J. F. Cover, Asa Catt, G. W. Chisholm, H. F. Crandall, W. A. Campbell, D. J. Cable, F. H. Downing, G. P. Dildine, C. F. Dow, D. C. Dunn, J. J. Ewing, T. J. Ed- wards, H. K. Fredericks, C. H. Folsom, J. R. Finnell, D. L. Goodyear, E. M. Gooding, D. C. Henderson, C. W. Hollister, Laurens Hull, J. H. Huntley, J. O. Hover, J. P. King, M. M. Langan, W. W. Leighton, J. E. Mowry, J. C. Linneman, E. J. Maire, F. L. Maire, T. J. Morris, H. M. Moore, P. T. Mell, W. P. Mehaffey, W. M. Melville, G. H. Metheany, A. L. Metheany, J. V. Miller, J. C. McCoy, Nels Nelson, J. G. Neubauer, W. F. Numan, F. O. Olson, J. F. Orthwein, D. J. O'Day, (deceased in May, 1905), John O'Brien, J. S. Pursell, Jr., Louis Platt, H. H. Penny, Jacob Piper, Jr., G. H. Quail, J. C. Ridenour, W. B. Richie, W. L. Russell, A. C. Reichelderfer, T. D. Robb, J. W. Roby, Nelson Shook, W. M. Scott, M. W. Standish, D. W. Steiner, J. R. Sinclair, C. F. Stolzenbach, William Steward, G. F. Southard, G. D. Thrift, T. E. Thomp- son, O. G. Tague, R. O. Woods, A. L. White, B. F. Williams and H G. Wemmer.
The Lima Club was instrumental to a large degree in securing for Lima the State Hospital for the Insane, as it was in their club rooms that the members entertained the business men at a social session, and started the machinery going, resulting, as everybody knows, in a vic- tory for Lima.
THE BUSINESS MEN'S ASSOCIATION.
"One of the flourishing social and business organizations of Lima, and one that is highly appreciated by its extensive membership is the Business Men's Association.
"This organization first saw the light of day a little over a year ago, there being at the time of its institution the names of about 20 of our merchants on the rolls. Since that time it has grown and broadened in its field until to-day its membership embraces more than 100 of the foremost business men of the city, in fact practically all the leading men in the various lines of mercantile life in Lima.
"Quoting from the constitution and by- laws of the association it is found that its ob- jects are to unite all classes of business and professional men to work for the general good and promote by all legitimate means the social, moral and business interest of its members. Among the special objects sought to be at- tained are the following :
"I. Promoting kindlier feeling towards. honorable competitors and removing the in- clination to berate and criminate neighbors in trade.
"2. Greater care to secure good helpers and make and keep them worthy by a livelier interest in their efforts, habits and comforts.
"3. Inspiring confidence between buyer and seller by doing business on legitimate prin- ciples.
4. Abolishing the tendency to indiscrim- inate credit, and stimulating the selling of mer- chandise for ready pay.
"As is too frequently the case in all towns. and cities, there is also in Lima, or rather there was, a sort of jealous rivalry among mer- chants, especially among those in the same or similar lines of business which carried to the extent of almost open enmity. One object of the organization of the Business Men's Asso- ciation was to wipe out this situation and to create a deeper sentiment of brotherly love be -. tween the merchants of Lima ; to obliterate this. senseless opposition and to create a bond of unity and good feeling which would make it. possible in times of a desirability of union of action to get together and work together to a common end. That it has been successful in this regard is evidenced by the good work ac- complished by the association last year in the matter of the new State Hospital. But for the prompt and energetic work performed and as- sisted by it, it would never have been possible to accomplish the desired end in raising the guaranty fund.
"Another point in this same project was the entertainment tendered the visiting members of the commission, when more than 100 busi- ness men, members of the association, gathered in the parlors of the Lima Club to welcome the commissioners and aid in showing to them our deep interest in the project, and in convincing
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them that Lima first, Lima last, and Lima all the time was the proper location for the insti- tution. A closer bond of unity, a better and more brotherly feeling to-day exists among the business men of Lima than has obtained dur- ing the last 20 years, and it is all due to the organization of this association.
"The association again gave evidence of its power for good when it obtained from the lighting companies a much lower rate for the curb lighting than either city officials or polit- ical parties were able to obtain. It wields an influence and a power in private and in public business affairs which cannot be ignored.
"The association has agitated the question of taxation in this city with the result that the levy for 1906 is lower than it has been at any time during the past 10 years, while the gen- eral tax rate has been reduced from that of last year.
"Another object sought and attained by the association was legislation prohibiting the use of the Public Square and Main street by fakirs who heretofore came into the city, opened up shop and proceeded to dupe the peo- ple by selling to them all kinds of worthless stuff at fabulous prices, taking good money out of the city and leaving nothing in return for it.
It was upon their initiative also, that the or- dinance was finally passed by the Council re- quiring the express wagons and moving vans to vacate the Square and Main street.
"One of the objects of the association dur- ing the present year will be to show to the people of Lima the absolute foolishness and poor policy of patronizing mail order houses, who take money out of Lima but never send a dollar of it back to pay taxes, wages, the doc- tor bills, rent and the grocery and meat men. The association will endeavor to convince the people of Lima that a dollar spent at home in the long run buys much more than the dollar sent to Chicago or New York.
"The association celebrated the first anni- versary of its organization with a banquet at the parlors of the Y. M. C. A. building at which more than 200 covers were laid. On that even- ing new officers were chosen for the ensuing year to succeed President George L. Newson,
Vice-President Z. A. Crosson, Treasurer O. J. Feltz, and Secretary C. M. Chown. The result was as follows : President, W. E. Penny; vice- president, D. Cramer; treasurer, O. J. Feltz ; and an executive board was authorized and chosen as follows: G. E. Bluem, Jonas Wohlgmuth, T. F. Drake, N. L. Michael, F. E. Harman, George L. Newson, J. E. Grosjean, Charles Herbst and J. R. Rickoff. The power and prerogatives of the executive board are practically unlimited, and it will act for the association in all matters where authority is required. The organization of this board was made almost imperative from the fact that it is almost impossible to secure a majority at- tendance of the association for action on anything but matters of the utmost importance, and a smaller and more mobile organization for executive action was a necessity."
THE LIMA PROGRESSIVE ASSOCIATION
Stands for the development of the commercial and industrial interests of the city, and the organization, backed by men of sound busi- ness sense and integrity, is beginning to make itself felt. With this particular means of in- spiring a movement toward bigger and better things, the men with capital to invest, where the element of safety is sufficiently assuring, have shown a desire to respond to the recom- mendations of the executive committee of the association.
The primary purpose of the association is to advance the interests of the city in every way possible and look after conditions that suggest improvement in order that fundamen- tal principles of a live and up-to-date city may not be lost sight of.
Since the election of a permanent secretary, the association has come into close touch with the manufacturing institutions of Lima and the natural and healthy growth of most of them is an assurance of success for others that will come to be established where the best of facil- ities are offered as the first inducement.
There is material proof that Lima is grow- ing rapidly, and the opportunities are so great in every direction that a city of double the pres-
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ent population within the next 10 years is not deemed an extravagant prediction. To accom- plish this much desired end a feverish haste is not necessary, but every-day push and energy that will keep everlastingly at a thing until it is accomplished.
. It is to lead the way, offer means and meth- ods, accept and investigate suggestions, adver- tise the city and bring its unsurpassed facili- ties for factories and homes to the attention to the outside world, that the Lima Progressive Association was organized, and to-day the sec- retary's office in the Masonic Building is an active and busy one.
It is not the intention to make Lima the dumping ground for worn-out industries, but the association offers the open door to any solid institution, large or small, that will bear close investigation. The secretary receives almost daily bulletins of factory and industrial move- ments, the information covering every state in the union. A single letter is often times suffi- cient to make further investigation mere waste of time, but at present there are several propo- sitions that have proven to be worth probing, and will be presented to the stockholders as soon as the executive committee has carefully weighed every point in the controversy.
The movement to establish an iron rolling- mill in Lima was inspired by the desire of a similar concern to move its plant here, but the original proposition was de- clined as impracticable. The association had no desire to encourage the idea of giving abso- lute control to a foreign corporation which
could operate the mill at its pleasure. How- ever, the idea took root and those in touch with the project agreed that Lima, with its splendid railroad advantages and nearness to points of consumption, was an ideal location for just such an industry. It is also conceded that around an iron mill invariably cluster smaller factories that desire to be in close touch with the raw material, so that the proposed institu- tion has a double value.
It is as necessary to advertise a city and its advantages, as it is to advertise a man's private business and to this end the association is now working. A handsome prospectus of the city has been compiled by the secretary of the asso- ciation, which is illustrated with many half- tone cuts of factories, business blocks, resi- dences, street views, public buildings, parks, etc .; the prospectus contains just the informa- tion that men desire who are looking for a good town in which to live or do business.
The association has been given just the sort of encouragement that is needed to accomplish the purpose for which it was organized. The membership committee made a few days' can- vass and secured a long list of new members and since then many have come in vol- untarily.
The officers and directors of the associa- tion are as follows: President, A. L. White; vice-president, D. C. Dunn; secretary, Mc- Dougal Emmett ; treasurer, G. E. Bluem; exec- utive committee-J. C. Linneman (chairman), J. A. Bendure, C. F. Donze, F. E. Harman, D. J. Cable and J. D. S. Neely.
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CHAPTER XVIII
MILITARY HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY
The Military Instinct-"Old Militia System" -Headquarters at Allentown-Major General Blackburn and Brigadier General Armstrong-Division Martial Band-The Old Mus- ter Days-Gallant Mart Armstrong-First Company of Volunteers from Lima-The Honor Roll-"Nichols' Guards" -- Captain Lamison's Company-In Camp at Columbus -- At Benton's Ferry, Virginia-The "Home Guards"-Lima a Military Station under Colonel Pillars-Adjutant General Meily-"Melancthon Light Guards"-"Lima City Guard"-Famous Company C-Spanish-American War-"Kirk Cadets"-Company F, of Spencerville.
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