History of Crawford County and Ohio, Part 66

Author: Perrin, William Henry, [from old catalog] comp; Battle, J. H., [from old catalog] comp; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852- [from old catalog] comp; Baskin & Battey, Chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1034

USA > Ohio > Crawford County > History of Crawford County and Ohio > Part 66

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

bid for their lands. When Col. Kilbourne was surveying his road from Columbus to Port- land, he tried hard to get the road through James Leveredge's land, so the two roads would cross considerably east of where the crossing now is. Leveredge positively refused to allow it. It had been whispered around that Col. Kilbourne intended to lay out a vil- lage about half way between Columbus and the lake, and Leveredge was bound that his farm should not be cut up into lots. In this he showed the childish fear of a surveyor that pertains to the Indians, for the latter have a superstitious dread of surveyors. The Col- onel wanted to avoid the swamp, and talked up the matter of a village to Mr. Hosford. This gentleman had not the means to do anything, but became the warm friend of Col. Kilbourne. The latter had stopped a few nights with Leveredge, who charged him a high price for lis entertainment. Col. Kilbourne was a little soured, and, perhaps, justly incensed against the indifference of Galion, and when his com- pass came to the last sight before reaching Galion, it pointed farther west, and the road took its present location. Col. Kilbourne was bound to have his town. Soon after, he ran the road from Columbus through where Bucy- rus now is, and there he planted his town. It has done well, and perhaps but for the rail- road interest here, would have been much ahead of Galion, as, in fact, she was for many years. By his influence, the road became a stage route to the lake.

Thus it was that the Ruhls took up the work that Col. Kilbourne had planned, and that Asa Hosford had afterward contemplated. In nearly every instance they (the Ruhls) paid the price asked, and closed the bargain with ready cash or its equivalent. We are unable to find any of the deeds, or any records of their transfers, with the exception of one, which is in the possession of Hon. O. T. Hart,

of Galion, a son-in-law of Jacob Ruhl. It is a curious article of agreement between Samuel Brown and John Ruhl. At the time of the transfer, the land in question was in Sandusky Township, Richland County, the western line of the township of Sandusky being located on the west line of J. R. Clymer's orchard, and the west line of the farm in question, was the north and south quarter line, on the east line of Gill's farm. The land had been entered by Cracraft and sold to Samuel Brown. The document reads as follows:

Article of agreement, made and entered into this first day of August, A. D. 1831, between Samuel Brown, of Sandusky Township, Richland Co., Ohio, yeoman, of the one part, and John Ruhl, of Sandusky Township, and Crawford County and State aforesaid, yeoman, of the other part ;

WITNESSETH, That the said Samuel Brown, for the consideration hereinafter mentioned, doth grant, bar- gain and sell unto the said John Ruhl, a certain tract of land, with all thereunto belonging (excepting one acre in the southeast corner of it, which being sold for a church yard), situated in Sandusky Township, Rich- land County, aforesaid, being the northeast quarter of Section 31, Township 20, Range 20, and containing - acres, and adjoining the public road leading from Mansfield to Bucyrus, Frederick Dickson and others, for which the said John Ruhl is to pay unto the said Samuel Brown, the sum of fifteen hundred dollars, in the manner following, viz .: Eight hundred dollars in hand on the first day of September next, and seven hundred dollars on the first day of September, in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and thirty-three. The said John Ruhl is to have six geese, six hens and one rooster, to be delivered up to the said Ruhl when said Brown gives full possession, and the said Ruhl is to have liberty to cut timber, dig, etc., on said land from the date hereof, and the said Brown is to give the said Ruhl a good right and title for said tract of land when he pays the hand money. But the said Brown is to have the crops now on the ground, and have privilege to live on the said land until the first day of April next; then he is to deliver up all unto the said John Ruhl, excepting the house now on the State road (now occupied as a schoolhouse), which, in case said Brown would not move on the first day of April next, he is to have the privilege of living in two

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

months after, and Sarah Brown is to have stuff for a new frock when she signs the writing. The said Brown is to have the privilege of sugar camp next to the house, and all the pasture on the farm, excepting the six-acre meadow. But Ruhl is to have privilege to plow the fields. For the true performance of the above agree- ments, both parties bind themselves, their heirs, exec- utors or administrators, one to each other, in the sum of thirty hundred dollars. In witness whereof, both have hereunto set their hands and seals, the day and the year first above written.

Witnesses:

SAMUEL BROWN. [SEAL. ]

ASA HOSFORD,

JOHN RUHL.

[SEAL. ]

BENJ. GROVE.

The burying-ground referred to is the old one east of the German Reformed Church; the schoolhouse named above was the second one built and referred to before. It was a cus- tom in former days, that holds good now in some communities, to present the wife stuff for a new frock whenever called upon to sign a deed. From this piece of land, and a corre- sponding piece on the south, was laid out the public square, and the first thirty-five lots of Galion. It will not be unfair to say that the Ruhls had no idea nor full conception of the extent to which their new town would prosper. They could have had no knowledge of the coming of railroads, for it was not till the year 1844 or 1845 that Mr. Hosford was intrusted with the developing of an interest in railroads in favor of Galion. They could not have known that the Columbus and Portland wagon road would cease to be the highway to market, for the railroad from Sandusky to Mansfield had not been built. After all, they must have had undaunted courage, and strong faith in the future. At this very time, one could look around and see but few houses about the square, and fewer people, while, looking down West Main street toward the Corners, there could be seen on the north-and-south road and about the hotel and little cluster of buildings there, an almost unceasing stream of wagons, fairly blocking the roads at times. The bustle

and activity of the roads crossing here had, of course, made it an excellent tavern stand and location for post office and blacksmith- shop. Otherwise, it was a poor site for a grow- ing town or city. Any one having a proper idea of the development of our country and the growth of the State, would never have laid out a town at the Corners; but this could be known to no one. The first railroad would stop the travel to market on the wagon road, and travelers would at once have better egress and ingress at a less cost than by staging over rough roads and deep mud. Mansfield was growing; surrounding towns gave evi- dence of advancement; foreigners were arriv- ing in great numbers, and the land was being rapidly taken up; travelers were numerous everywhere, and the stages and hotels were crowded with men, whose purpose and busi- ness it was to put their shoulder to the wheel, and, with mighty efforts, crowd the line of the frontier on to the west-through forest and prairie and over river and mountain. This spot where Galion now stands has grown beyond all former expectations, and the whole State now occupies a position among her sister States that is enviable in the extreme. Nor is the end yet. The city of Galion has an inherent property pertaining to its potential powers and possibilities that few realize. There are large opportunities here for manufacture and whole- sale and shipping facilities that should be util- ized to a far greater extent than they are at the present time. We believe that a few more years of time will give to moneyed men a realizing sense of their golden opportunities.

However, returning to the Ruhls, they found their lots were having a fair sale, and quite a little business began to exist, which made some stir around the square. The business was gradually transferred from the Corners to the new plat, although it is a mistake to think that any of the buildings were removed. In

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

the winter of 1833, the Ruhls put on another addition of thirty-three lots, and they were much pleased with the prosperity of their young city. In the year 1836, Jacob Ruhl erected a saw-mill at the creek on North Mar- ket street. The timber was heavy, and the ground wet and swampy: the handling of the timber was an herculean task, yet paid well for the investment. It was the only saw-mill in the near vicinity, and furnished most of the sawed timber for the early buildings on the first and second plats. The panic of 1837 had little bad effect in Galion. The Ruhls had paid, and paid well, for all they got; they had bought out Asa Hosford's hotel and nine acres; they had bought the southwest corner of the square and the frame building that was the first erected in Galion. East of the square, Samuel Brown owned on the north side, and Asa Hosford had purchased south and east of the square. Mr. Hosford had his own idea of about what he intended to do, but had no idea that any other person contemplated doing just the same thing. He had had a talk with Samuel Brown, and the two had agreed that they together would lay out a plat and become the proprietors of a village. Hosford was full of this plan and was feeling quite posi- tive of success. Imagine his chagrin when he found that Mr. Brown had sold to the Ruhls, and the latter were at his door in a quiet, gentle and most apologetic manner in the world, begging to know how much Mr. Hosford desired for this last piece of ground. Mr. Hosford would like to have founded a town; but he was yet comparatively young and other opportunities might present themselves more favorably than the present. He accord- ingly asked a good high price for the land. Mr. Ruhl paid the price, and the platting went on. Thus, when the panic of 1837 came, the Ruhls were out of debt. The farmers were mostly out of debt, and the city passed through

the panic with colors flying, as she did during the panic of 1873.

As far as manufacturing is concerned, there was almost none in 1837. Produce brought a very low price, but it could be consumed or stored at home, and there was no crash by banks, for we had none in Galion; and what cash was in the county was in the hands of the people. As a matter of course, some lost by reason of bills that became bad while in their possession, but that was a minor evil compared with the distress in some communi- ties. We know of one man in the West who has one room papered with bills of banks that were broken while in his possession. Directly after the war of 1812, settlers coming to Ohio paid $2 a bushel for wheat, $1 for corn. Every- body sowed as much as they could, and put no restrictions upon the amount they would raise. In two years wheat was 25 cents a bushel, and could not be marketed when raised any distance from navigable streams, not even could the produce be traded for store goods. The result of this was that farmers raised no more than was sufficient for home consump- tion. Many of these men emigrated to Ohio, and some to this vicinity. They knew well from experience or tradition the results of the panic in 1815 or 1816, and treasured up wis- dom for what they had anticipated.

One of the duties intrusted to Asa Hosford during the session of the Legislature in the winter of 1841-45-during his visit to the State capital-was that of securing an opening through the township and city by means of a railroad. Mr. Hosford worked earnestly for this road. As first proposed, it was to end on the south at Columbus and strike the old San- dusky, Mansfield & Newark Railroad at some convenient point near Shelby. Now, to fully realize the condition of affairs, it must be re- membered that Polk Township and all the farming country that was nearer to Mansfield

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

than Sandusky, were having their trade and selling their produce at Mansfield and Shelby, Richland County, which was the most powerful county in Northern Ohio. She had brilliant men in her courts and legislative halls, among whom might be mentioned Gov. Bartley, Thomas Ford, Judge Brinkerhoof, Judge Stuart, Barnabas Burns, and hosts of others. At this time, Thomas Bartley was President of the Senate, and Hettrick was Representa- tive. Hettrick had secured an enactment whereby that portion of Richland County that had passed into Crawford was released from taxation for public buildings for all time. But in regard to the railroad, Mansfield was the market town, and her people knew that a railroad through Galion would destroy their trade with us; and on the west at Bucyrus, they were making a desperate struggle for the county seat against Galion. Mr. Hosford suc- ceeded in putting by the permanent location for two years, and it has been said that Galion came within one vote of securing the location here. With this opposition, Mr. Hosford had a large and formidable array of opponents and a perfect galaxy of talent against him. The Representatives from the two north and south extremes of the State were indifferent about the road, for neither extremes of the road affected them. Eventually, the Repre- sentatives of Cleveland and Cincinnati con- ceived the idea of projecting the proposed road from the lake at Cleveland to Cincinnati, on the Ohio River. They at once interested themselves in the project, and went to work with Mr. Hosford. They found an old charter bearing date of 1836. This charter was re- vived on the 15th day of March, 1845, and the road was completed in 1851, and known as the Cleveland, Columbus & Cincinnati Rail- road. It is a fact little known that Mr. Hosford never put forth any urgent claims to this honor, and has never made any clamorous

demands for recognition in this respect. It is fitting in this place, to give him the credit he deserves, and recognize in him the chief worker in the interests of Galion for this rail- road. The success following this enterprise was great; it took Galion from the woods and gave her a highway to the markets of the world. A great boon was this railroad to Gal- ion; her greatest era must date from its com- pletion; the natural growth and prosperity of Galion were immediately advanced; there were no valuable water privileges; there were no rich veins of mineral wealth hidden beneath the soil. Galion had heretofore existed as a mere convenient center for agricultural interests; there was now a road that brought foreign produce and articles of home consumption to their doors, and which took in return the wheat and corn and pork of their own pro- duction. For years, Polk and Galion had gone abroad with their products in search of a market. Now there was a reversal of condi- tions-Galion was now a market, and others came to her to trade. Sandusky, Milan, Mon- roeville and Mansfield were only casually men- tioned, and but few interests remained to call the citizens of Galion to these places. New settlers could reach the township and village with greater ease; goods and household fur- niture could be brought cheaper than by the long roads with cumbersome wagons across the mountains, through swamps and long reaches of wilderness.

Gradually the property left the possession of the Ruhls, but they yet retained an influ- ence and had considerable power in shaping the destiny of Galion. The lands changed hands rapidly; new buildings were erected, of a more modern style; new interests arose; the occupations of a large number of the citizens were changed, and from a country town Galion rapidly assumed the habits and manners of a railroad center. In the year 1840, Galion

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

was advanced to the dignity of a borough, the definite date of which is not known. At this time, the population of Sandusky Town- ship was 679, and as near as can be determined, the population of Galion within its present limits, was, in 1849, but 379. Surely there must have been a sparse settlement in 1840; however, as small as it was, she elected Joel Todd for her first Mayor. The first brick block in the village was erected in 1839, by Davis & Bloomer, on the northeast corner of the square, where for many years they carried on the dry-goods business. It was generally known as the "village store." This building is yet standing, and is occupied. The brick which forms it were made by Dr. Beard on the ground where now stands the Capitol Hotel. The Doctor found ample time between epidemics to manufacture brick. The first brick building for a residence was built by John Ruhl, on the property at the Corners, and is the little brick on what is known as the J. R. Clynyr property. This was followed by the brick, in the east part of the city, now known as the Harding property. Thus it will be seen that there were but three brick buildings within the present limits of the city of Galion in 1839, and each of them put on quite an aristocratic appearance. This can be readily understood when we know that the first frame building in the township was erected by Asa Hosford on the public square in the year 1832.

The charter for the Bellefontaine & Indiana Railroad was issued February 25, 1848; it was completed in 1859, and consolidated with the Bellefontaine & Indianapolis Railroad, forming what is now called the Indianapolis Division of the Cleveland, Columbus & Cin- cinnati Railroad; strips of land, 180 feet wide, extending from Main street to Atlantic & Great Western crossing, and from South Mar- ket street to the old junction of the Indian-

apolis branch with the Cleveland, Columbus & Cincinnati road, were donated to the com- pany by Alpheus Atwood. The old Bellefon- taine & Indianapolis shops were finished in 1854. Thomas Quigley was the first master mechanic; he took the first engine, “Wash- ington," over the road. The roundhouse was destroyed by fire in 1866, but was immediately rebuilt. When the road was completed from Galion to Marion in 1852, the shops were located at the latter place. A. M. Stewart, of Galion, was one of the first workmen employed. He afterward. in 1863, with Mr. Duck, built the cattle yards and sheds in Galion. H. S. Camp, also a resident of Galion, was employed by the company for many years at this point as agent; he sold the first ticket at Marion, using a box car for an office; the money and tickets were carried home with him every night in a tin box. Previous to the completion of this road to Galion and the location of its shops here, there were no resi- dences south of J. U. Bloomer's residence on South Market street. Many persons, at that time, desiring to take a walk into the country, would go no farther than the residence of J. U. Bloomer's, and the present site of the Ohio & Pennsylvania Railroad depot was well into the suburbs. The Atlantic & Great Western was finished through Galion in 1863, and the shops built shortly after the completion of the road. In 1871-72, the large brick shops were erected, and a new impetus was given to the building interests of Galion. These railroads, with their immense shops, constitute the life and vitality of Galion. It has been estimated that not less than 65 per cent of our present population is composed of railroad men and their families, and the average monthly sum paid out to the employes residing in Galion was, five years ago, over $45,000. Since then the amount has increased to a much greater extent. The men from the shops of the Cleve-

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

land, Columbus, Cincinnati & Indianapolis Railroad, were removed to the new shops at Brightwood some few years ago; they retained some hands here, and the blacksmith depart- ment is of greater extent than at the time of removal; there are upward of a hundred men in the old shops. There are at present twenty- two day-men in engine house, and twenty- three night-men; there are thirty-five helpers and forgers; twenty-three in machine shop, and twenty-two in car department. There are ninety-eight engineers and firemen, and the whole number of men in the employ of this company and residing in Galion is very near four hundred. Among the old and well- tried engineers, running now on these divisions, are A. B. Quigley, who commenced in 1852; John Brunton, 1855; William Smith, 1853; Jerry Myers, Samuel Rule, Samuel Alleman, 1860.

The Ohio & Pennsylvania shops are now in a prosperous condition; the men are working over hours. The immense undertaking of nar- rowing the gauge of the road from 6 feet to the standard of 4 feet S3 inches, has caused the narrowing of all the engines, and shorten- ing the trucks on all the cars. Before the large shops were built, a portion of the roundhouse was utilized as a shop. There are accommoda- tions for twenty-two engines in the round- house. All the water used about the works comes from the creek, where the company have a pump. This is about a quarter of a mile north on Edward street. The first super- intendent of the third and fourth divisions was H. D. Chapin, who remained for about one and a half years. Mr. T. A. Phillipps succeeded Mr. Chapin, and has retained the position ever since. On the 6th day of Jan- uary, 1880, the Atlantic & Great Western was sold by the foreclosure of mortgages, and passed into the hands of the Ohio & Pennsyl- vania Company. No sooner had they taken

possession than they began to plan for the narrowing of the gauge, and the general im- provement of the road. All being ready, on the 22d day of June, 1SSO, the signal was given, and from end to end of the road, men labored with might and main. This work had been so skillfully planned, every difficulty anticipated, and all preparations so accurately made, that the road was narrowed in less than half a day. Very few trains were delayed, and hardly a break occurred in the great business of this road. The work of narrowing engines is yet going on, the average cost being $1,600. If a new boiler and fire-box are re- quired, the expense runs upward of $3,000. The machine shop proper contains the loco- motive works, the smith-shop and carpenter- shop. Just west of the roundhouse, there is a building occupied as rail-shop. The cost of all the building's connected with local work has been estimated at nearly $100,000. The first master mechanic of these shops was James Ball; the date at which Ball took possession was 1864; H. M. Sprague succeeded Mr. Ball in 1866; Mr. Sprague remained till 1869, when Allen Cook succeeded him; in 1873, C. W. Butts succeeded Cook; it was during the stay of Mr. Butts that a large portion of the machinery was put in place; on the 1st of July, William Hill became the master me- chanic, and has retained his position ever since. Mr. Hill made large additions to the tools, and successively introduced new ma- chinery. In the same office with Mr. Hill are Mr. P. H. Martin, locomotive clerk for third and fourth divisions, and Samuel Parsons, assistant locomotive clerk for third and fourth divisions. Both these gentlemen have been long connected with the shops here, and are well acquainted with all the minutiæ and de- tails of their history. A. M. Brown is fore- man of the machine shop; William Price, foreman of blacksmith-shop; Robert Laird,

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foreman of boiler-shop; James Spittle, foreman of coppersmith-shop; A. M. Ball is engine dispatcher and foreman of roundhouse, and is the oldest man on the road; Ed Schrock is store-keeper; A. N. Monroe is foreman of carpenter-shop; C. H. Newell, foreman paint- shop; Hugh Ross has charge of the rail-shop, and Col. J. W. Holmes is superintendent of car repairs. Among some of the oldest en- gineers connected with the road are L. N. Harriman, J. T. Pinckney, J. T. Wright, J. C. Bull, J. M. Dando and E. A. Gurley. For several months the average number of men employed in the shops has been 362, including engineers and firemen of third and fourth divisions. The average pay to each man by the day is $1.93, excluding those employed by the month, whose pay monthly amounts to $710. The average monthly pay to the shop department is $21,500. All this does not include the superintendent's office. There the pay-rolls are made up of the conductors, brake- men, and the monthly men in their depart- ment.

For some considerable time, the subject of making Galion a city of the second class had been in contemplation. A number of times a vote was taken and the people declined to favor it. Finally, in 1878, a charter was se- cured, and an election ordered. The city is divided into four wards, each of which was entitled to two Councilmen. Abraham Under- wood was elected Mayor the last election before the charter was received. James R. Homer was elected Mayor; John D. De Golley, Solic- itor; H. C. Sponhauer, Treasurer. Members of Council-First Ward, M. Wisler and C. R. Miller; Second Ward, H. Helfrich and D. Hoover; Third Ward, Samnel Myers and A. Long; Fourth Ward, David Mackey and P. Daily. D. T. Price, Marshal. The names and the date of the election of cach Mayor, from the advance of Galion to a borough, up

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History of Crawford County and Ohio, Part 66

Author: Perrin, William Henry, [from old catalog] comp; Battle, J. H., [from old catalog] comp; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852- [from old catalog] comp; Baskin & Battey, Chicago, pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey Number of Pages: 1034

Author: Perrin, William Henry, [from old catalog] comp; Battle, J. H., [from old catalog] comp; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852- [from old catalog] comp; Baskin & Battey, Chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1034