History of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Part 76

Author: Johnson, Crisfield
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.B. Lippincott & Co.
Number of Pages: 716

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308

THE CITY OF CLEVELAND.

CLEVELAND ROLLING MILL COMPANY.

Cleveland's most important manufacturing indus- try, and one of the greatest in the world, is that located in the eighteenth ward of the city. (commonly known as Newburg), and operated by the Cleveland Rolling Mill Company. This company had its origin in the firm of Chisholm, Jones & Co., founded at Newburg by Henry Chisholm in 1854, and engaged from that year until 1863 in the manufacture of rail- way and bar iron. In September, 1863, the firm of Chisholm, Jones & Co., was superseded by a joint stock corporation, under the same leadership, with the name above given, and since that time the business has steadily expanded until it has now reached results which are almost marvelous.

The works proper cover an area of thirty-two acres; their products includes Bessemer steel and iron rails and fastenings, spring steel and wire of all kinds, steel horse shoes, tire, axle, and other forgings, boiler plate, galvanized and black sheet iron, corrugated roofing and siding of Siemens-Martin, Bessemer steel and iron, etc., etc .. The capital of the company is $2.000,000; the number of men employed averages four thousand; the yearly pay-roll reaches to more than two millions of dollars, and the annual con- sumption of coal is two hundred and fifty thousand tons. One hundred and fifty teams, besides locomo- tives, cars. etc.,-all owned by the company-are em- ployed in the transportation of material between the various departments of the works; the yearly product of steel and iron rails aggregates one hundred and ten thousand tons; that of wire, twenty-one thousand tons, and that of merchant iron and steel, twenty thousand tons.

These figures are given in a comprehensive form to show at a glance the scope of this remarkable in- dustry, the details of which are, of course, too elabo- rate to be described in our limited space. The wire- mills deserve, however, especial mention, for they are the largest of their kind in this country. All kinds of steel wire are made, ranging from the coarsest description known down to that of the fineness of a hair. More than six thousand tons of grain-binding wire alone were manufactured in 1879.

The company also operates in Chicago a mill that yields one hundred and fifty tons of rails daily, and two blast furnaces, the daily produet of which is one hundred and twenty tons of pig iron. It also owns all its own mines of ore in the Lake Superior region, whence its supplies are drawn.

The president of the company is Mr. Henry Chis- holm, who resides in Cleveland, and the vice president is Mr. A. B. Stone, of New York, who manages the business of the corporation in the latter city.

CLEVELAND PAPER COMPANY.

The Cleveland Paper Company was regularly in- corporated on the 1st day of October, 1860, by M. C. Younglove, John Hoyt, Hiram Griswold, N. W. Tay- lor and G. Worthington, stockholders and proprietors.

The capital stock was originally fixed at $100,000, but, owing to a rapid expansion in the business of the corporation, was in June, 1867, increased to $300,000. The factories, five in number, are located as follows: Two in Cleveland, (one on Broadway and one on For- est street). and one each in Massillon, Canton, and Monroe Falls. At these are manufactured all varieties of paper, and employment is furnished to over three hundred persons. The principal offices and salesroom occupy the entire four story building at No. 128 St. Clair street.

The present officers of the company are Ansel Rob- erts, president; N. W. Taylor, agent; H. S. Whittle- sey, secretary and treasurer; E. Mill, superintendent of warehouse; J. W. Brightman, superintendent of mills.

NOVELTY IRON WORKS.

This important industry was established in 1860, by Thomas R. Reeve. The works consist of a machine and blacksmith shop, in a building ninety by one hundred and fifty-seven feet in dimensions. located on the corner of Wason and Hamilton streets. Here are manufactured iron bridges, buildings, roofs, railroad frogs and crossings, and general machine work of all kinds. In these works are employed seventy-five men, at an average salary of about $12.00 per week.

THE STANDARD OIL COMPANY.

This extensive corporation had its inception in the year 1861. in a comparatively small copartnership business conducted by John D. Rockefeller and Henry M. Flagler. So rapid was the increase in the mann- facture of petroleum and the sale of its products that in January, 1870. a stock company was formed and incorporated under the name of "Standard Oil Com- pany," having its principal place of business at Cleve- land. John D. Rockefeller, Henry M. Flagler, Sam- uel Andrews, Stephen V. Harkness and William Rockefeller, comprised the board of directors and managers. The capital stock was fixed at $1.000,000 in shares of one hundred dollars each. The works and property of the company are situated on what is known as Kingsbury Run, and cover an area of about one hundred acres. The present officers are as fol- lows: John D. Rockefeller, president: William Rock- efeller, vice president: Henry M. Flagler, secretary; O. II. Payne, treasurer; S. Andrews, superintendent; (. I. Vail, auditor; L. H. Severance, eashier.

This company does the largest business in its line -the refining and sale of petroleum-in the world, and there are few manufacturing establishments of any kind which surpass it. It has absorbed the greater part of the product of the Pennsylvania oil regions, and these when refined are sold throughout all of the civilized and part of the uncivilized world.

MERIAM AND MORGAN PARAFFINE COMPANY.

The manufacture of paraffine oil and wax was com- menced in Cleveland in 1863, by the firm of More-

William Chisholm

Henry Celuisuicide

309

MANUFACTURES.

house and Meriam. In 1865 the firm was changed to Moorehouse, Meriam & Co., and again in 1869, to Meriam & Morgan. In 18:4 the firm became a body corporate under the name of the "Meriam and Mor- gan Paraffine Company," with a capital stoek of 8300,000. The offices and factory are located in a three story briek building, on the corner of Central Way and Ohio street. On the canal, opposite the main building, is an ice-house having a capacity of six thousand tons. The company's refinery is located on the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad, and cov- ers seven acres of land. The officers of the company are E. P. Morgan, president; J. B. Meriam, vice president and treasurer: William Morgan. superin- tendent: Herman Frasch, chemist: C. T. Carruth, secretary.

CLEVELAND FOUNDRY.

This industry, one of the leading enterprises of the city, was established in the year 1864 by the firm of Bowler & Maber. In 1870 C. A. Brayton entered the firm, which has since been known as Bowler, Maher & Brayton. In connection with the manufacture of car wheels, the firm also produces all casting pertain- ing to street railroads, rolling mills and blast furnaces. At the works, Nos. 1, 9, 11 and 13 Winter street, one hundred men are employed. The firm now consists of N. P. Bowler. Thomas Maher and C. A. Brayton.

BOURNE & KNOWLES.

The manufacture of hot and cold pressed nuts. washers, chain-links and rivets was commenced at the corner of Elm and Main streets, by the firm of Sher- man, Damon & Co. in the year 1864. This firm was composed of David S. Sherman. Roger Damon, Jr., 1 and E. F. Thayer. On the 16th of October. 1866. the business was enlarged and the old firm succeeded by Bourne, Damon & Knowles. Mr. Damon retired in September, 18:1, since which Messrs. Bourne and Knowles have continued the business. The building occupied by the firm is a two-story brick, one hundred and twenty by one hundred and sixty-three in dimen- sions.

UNION STEEL SCREW COMPANY.

This great establishment was incorporated by Am- asa Stone, Jr., William Chisholm, Henry Chisholm, A. B. Stone and HI. B. Payne, with a capital stock of $1,000,000 in shares of $100 each. The business of the corporation is confined almost entirely to the manufacture of serews, but in that line is one of the largest in the country.

GRASSELLI CHEMICAL WORKS.

The manufacture of acids by E. Grasselli. senior member of the present firm, was commenced at Cin- cinnati in 1839. The extensive oil interests which centered in Cleveland induced Mr. Grasselli, in 1866, to establish works here for the manufacture of chem- icals of different kinds. The buildings and yards of

the premises, on Broadway and Independence street, cover over twenty-two aeres of ground, and furnish employment for sixty persons. The firm consists of E. Grasselli and Cæsar A. Grasselli, his son.

TAYLOR & BOGGIS' FOUNDRY.

This enterprise was started on Central Place. in 1866, by the firm of Harvey Taylor & Son. A few years later the works were removed to their present location on Central Way, and the firm was changed to Taylor & Boggis. The works consist of the wood- pattern, foundry, machine and metal-pattern depart- ments.

CLEVELAND SPRING COMPANY.

This corporation was organized October 21, 1868. with a capital stock of $200,000. The works are sit- uated at the corner of West River and Winslow streets. having a front of one hundred and seven feet, and a depth of three hundred and fifty. The company man- ufactures steel springs for locomotives, ears, carriages and wagons. The officers are as follows: E. H. Bourne, president; Wm. K. Corlett. vice president : H. M. Knowles. secretary: E. Il. Bourne. Wm. K. Corlett. H. M. Knowles, S. Bourne and John Corlett. directors.

CLEVELAND STEAM GAUGE COMPANY.

The Cleveland Steam Gauge Company was incor- porated on the 20th day of April. 1869, with a capital stock of fifty thousand dollars. The officers and in- corporators were as follows: D. W. Cross, president; J. P. Holt, superintendent; W. S. Dodge, secretary and treasurer: J. E. French, general manager.

This company was organized for the purpose of manufacturing Holt's patent steam gauges for loco- motive and stationary engines, spring balances, water ganges, test pumps and test ganges, syphons. brass eocks, air and vacuum ganges, Watson's forge and blower, Emery's universal cotton gin, etc.

The business was established by Mr. Holt in 1867, and has steadily increased up to this time. The works of this company are located on West street, in a building one hundred and twenty-five feet square. The officers are D. W. Cross, president : J. E. French, vice president: J. P. Holt, superintendent: W. S. Dodge, secretary and treasurer.

WHITE MANUFACTURING COMPANY.

This company was incorporated on the 25th day of November. 18;0, by Thomas II. White, Rollin C. White, George W. Baker, Henry W. White and D'Arey Porter, who formed the association for the purpose of manufacturing sewing machines and arti- eles connected with them. The more partienlar ob- ject was the manufacture of the " White Sewing Ma- chine." of which Thomas II. White was the patentee. The capital stock was fixed at $200,000. In the works of the Company on Canal street are employed from five to six hundred persons, at anaverage salary of

310

THE CITY OF CLEVELAND.

nearly $75 each per month. The works occupy the five- story building at Nos. 22 to 26 Canal street: the main offices and counting room are at Nos. 358 and 360 Euclid avenue. From July, 1826, to the close of 1812. the company produced from one hundred and fifty to two hundred machines per day.

The present officers are Thomas II. White, presi- dent: R. C. White, vice president: S. E. Henderson, secretary: H. W. White. treasurer; D'Arcy Porter, superintendent; George W. Baker, assistant superin- tendent.

THE KING IRON BRIDGE AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY.

On the 26th day of January. 1871, Zenas King, Thomas A. Reeve, A. B. Stone, Charles A. Barnard, Charles A. Crumb, Dan P. Eells and Henry Chis- holm associated themselves together for the purpose of manufacturing bridges and all kinds of machine work. under the name of " The King Iron Bridge and Manufacturing Company." The capital stock was fixed at 8225,000.

In 1858 Zenas King founded the business, with a capital of 85,000, which was at first confined to the manufacture of arch and swing bridges. The com- pany now produces all kinds of truss, combination and wood bridges, as well as the patent arch. The works, located at the corner of Wason and Hamilton streets, cover one hundred and ten thousand square teet of land. The present officers are Zenas King, president: James A. King, vice president: Harley B. Gibbs, secretary: A. H. Porter, engineer.

OTIS IRON AND STEEL COMPANY.

The Otis Iron and Steel Company was formed on the 13th day of June, 18:3, by Charles A. Otis, W. S. C. Otis, E. B. Thomas, W. S. Streator and Dan P. Eells. The purpose of the organization was to engage in the manufacture of iron and steel in all of its various branches. The capital stock was $300,000, in shares of $1,000 each. The Company's works are located on Lake, near Lawrence street. and the pres- ent officers are Charles A. Otis, president: Jos. K. Bole, secretary, S. T. Willman, superintendent.

WORSWICK MANUFACTURING COMPANY.

This company had its origin in the manufacturing firm of Worswick & Lewis, and was incorporated October. 14, 18;6, the capital stock being $100,000. The company mannfactures wrought iron pipe, iron fittings and brass goods for steam, water and oil use. The works. located on the corner of Merwin and C'enter streets, occupy the entire three story building, ninety by one hundred and thirty feet in size. The present officers are as follows: J. R. Worswick, pres- ident: John A. Prindle, vice president: W. F. Brown. secretary: John F. Taylor, treasurer: J. R. Worswick, E. Lewis, John A. Prindle. Fayette Brown and II. E. Prindle, directors.

CHAPTER LXIII. SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES .*

The First School-Faint Traditions-The First Known School House in the Village-The Subscription-Sale to the Village-The Academy- Private Schools-The Free School-The First School System-Pur- chase of the Academy-New School Houses-Plenty of Readers-Uni- form Text Books Prescribed-The Seats-Salaries-Establishment of High School-Wide Awake Boys-A Three-story School House-Ap- pointment of a Superintendent-The Old Board-Faithful Members- Superintendent Freese-Annexation of Ohio City-The Schools there -The "Branch High School"-The Board of Education-The System thoroughly established-Annexation of East Cleveland-Consolida- tion-The New High School-Its Description-Supervising Principals and the Normal School-The Number of Scholars-Teachers and their Salaries-Conclusion.

THE first school within the territory of the present city of Cleveland was taught by Miss Sarah Doan, daughter of Nathaniel Doan of "Doan's Corners," in what was then known as the Kingsbury neighborhood, near the present corner of Kinsman street and Wood- land Hights avenue, about four miles from Monu- mental Park. Even now it is close to the western boundary of the city. Though there is no distinct record, it is safe to say that the school-house was built of logs as there was no other kind of buildings in this part of the world.

For several years schools were kept more regularly in Newburg and the Kingsbury neighborhood than at Cleveland proper, whence sickness repelled emi- grants so completely that two or three famihes was considered a large population. In fact, we can find no mention of a school or school house there until 1814. There is a tradition, as Mr. Freese says, in his " Early History of Cleveland Public Schools," that a school was taught about 1802 or 1803, when there were but five children. and another that there was one in 1810, when there were fifty-seven inhabitants, and when it would surely seem as if there ought to have been one. It is evident. however, that there were very few schools previous to the war of 1812, or some of the reminiscences on record regarding that period would have mentioned them. The first record of any school in Cleveland village is of one kept by a Mr. Cap- man in 1814.

The first school-house in the village, of which there is any account, was probably built in 1815, as the late Leonard Case, who came in 1816, mentions it as then existing (in a manuscript left by him), as does also Mr. Moses White. The latter describes it as a little new building. about eighteen feet by twenty- eight, with a stone chimney, located where the the Kennard House now stands. It was built by sub- scription: the following being the contributors, with the amounts subscribed by each: T. and I. Kelley, 820: Stephen S. Dudley, 85: Daniel Kelley, $10; T. and D. Miles. 85; Wmn. Trimball, 85; J. Riddall, 85: Walter Bradrock, $2.50; Levi Johnson, 810; J. Ileather. 85: Horace Perry, 810: John A. Ackley, $5; A. W. Walworth, 85: George Wallace, 85: Jacob Wilkerson, 85: Pliny Mowry, 85: D. C. Henderson, $15; David Long, 815; Samuel William-

Largely from Freese's Early History of the Cleveland Public Schools.

311

SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES.

son, $15; Alonzo Carter. $15: John Dixon, 85: N. H. Merwin, 85: James Root, 85; Joel Nason, $3; Ed- ward MeCarney, 85; George Pease, 85. The total was $198.70, which would build quite a school-house iu those days.

After it was erected, however, it was deemed bes that the village should own it, and on the 13th day of January, 1812. the tru-tees voted to return the sub- seription money to the donors and receive the title to the school-house. It was not only the school-house but the meeting-house of the village. being occupied as sueb in winter whenever an occasional minister visited the locality, while the larger but colder court- house was used for the same purpose in summer. This was the only temple of education in Cleveland for several years. The village gave the use of the house to successive teachers, who then managed the schools in their own manner. collecting what fees they could from the parents of the scholars.

In 1821 the citizens of the growing village united in erecting a two-story brick building. termed the Cleveland Academy, located on St. Clair street. It was finished the next year: the Cleveland Herald of June 6, 1822. mentioning with pride the convenient academy of brick, with its handsome spire. and its spa- cious room in the second story for public purposes. which was then nearly completed. Scarcely were the lower rooms finished, when, on the 26th of the same month, a school was opened in it under the Rev. Wm. MeLeau. The reverend gentlemen taught reading. spelling and writing for $1.45 per term: grammar and geography were included for 82.15 per term. while if there were any young Clevelander> ambitions to study Greek, Latin or the higher mathematics, they or their parents were obliged to disburse $4 per term to seeure them that privilege at the Cleveland Academy.

The building was abont forty-five feet by twenty- five: the lower story being divided into two school rooms, while the upper one was employed for church meetings, lectures. traveling shows, and all the mul- tifarious uses of a public hall in a frontier village. At a later date, when Cleveland became more popu- lous, the higher department of the school was re- moved to the upper story. Harvey Rice, Esq., then a young law student, just from the East, served as prin- cipal for a short time. beginning in 1824. The acade- my was kept up until about the time of the incorpor- ation of the eity of Cleveland in 1836, when it was superseded by the school system then adopted.

As early as 1825 a young ladies' academy was es. tablished, which advertised to teach reading, writing, grammar, geography. painting, needlework and em- broidery.

Meanwhile several private schools for young sehol- ars were maintained at different times. In 1830 an attempt was made to buy the academy building in be- half of the corporation but it did not succeed.

In 1833 or '34 a school was established, supported by charity, and attended by the children of the poor-

est inhabitants. It was called the " Free School," and probably received some aid from the village authorities, for very soon after the organization of the city government the council voted to employ a teacher and assistant to conduct it until a school sys- tem should be organized. In September following, R. S. Gazlay, principal of the free school, reported that two hundred and twenty-nine children had at- tended it during the preceding three months, at a eost of one hundred and thirty one dollars and twelve cents. On the fifth of the succeeding month the council appointed the first board of school managers, consisting of John W. Willey. Anson Haydon and Daniel Worley.

In March, 1837, the board reported that they had kept up the "Common Free School" at a cost of 8185.12 for the winter quarter. They advised a more liberal allowance for the support of schools, and es- pecially for the erection of school-houses, The second board, appointed in 1832, consisted of Samuel Cowles, Samuel Williamson and Philip Battell.

It was not until July 7. 1837, that any general sys- tem of public schools was established in Cleveland. An ordinance was then passed by the council, direct- ing its school committee to lease suitable buildings or rooms for school purposes. the expense not to ex- ceed half the amount which the council was author- ized to expend annually in building school-houses. The other half. or so much as might be necessary, was directed to be used in buying furniture and apparatus. The board of school managers was also authorized to establish in the rooms so obtained such elementary school> as they deemed necessary, to be kept up four month> from the 24th of July, to be entirely supported by the eity, and therefore to be restricted in expenses to the amount of that part of the eity revenue set aside for that purpose.

The board proceeded to organize three school dix- triets, in each of which separate schools for boys and girls were established as soon as possible, under three male and three female teachers. They were main- tained a little over four months, at an aggregate eost for tuition of $640.82. During the winter the six schools were retained. and two more added for small children. There were eight hundred and forty names on the rolls, and an average attendance of four hun- dred and sixty-eight; the cost for that term being 8868.62.

These schools were wholly free, and the authorities of Cleveland seem to have stepped at once from sub- stantial indifference (in their public capacity) regard- ing educational matters to a complete adoption of the free-school system. The income devoted to school purposes during the year was 82,830, which was suf- ficient to pay for tuition, rent and fuel.

During the next year the number of schools was increased to eleven, the average attendance being five hundred and eighty-eight. as appears by the report of Silas Belden, Henry Sexton and , Henry II. Dodge, the managers for that year.

312

THE CITY OF CLEVELAND.

The old academy was rented two years by the city for the use of the common schools, and in 1839 was purchased for $6,000. In the spring of that year, also, two lots were purchased, on the recommendation of a committee of which Harvey Rice was chairman, on each of which was erected a two-story brick school- house, forty-five feet square, one on Rockwell and one on Prospect street, each intended to seat two hundred children. Both were finished in 1840. The one on Prospect street was lately occupied by the board of education. These, with the academy building, would seat comfortably six hundred children, but were com- pelled for a time to accommodate nearly nine hun- dred.

Each of these three schools was organized in Decem- ber, 1840, with a senior and primary grade, and each of these was subdivided into a boys and girls depart- ment. The three principals, who were also the teach- ers respectively of the boys department in the senior grade were A. N. Gray in the Rockwell street school, Andrew Freese in the prospect street school, and George W. Yates in the St. Clair street, or academy, school. The first had two hundred and seventy scholars under them: the second two hundred and seventy-five, and the third two hundred and forty.

Besides these, there were the Bethel school with two teachers and a hundred and fifty-five scholars; one on the corner of Prospect and Ontario streets, with one teacher and fifty-five pupils, and one on Chestnut street with one teacher and fifty-six pupils.

Mr. Freese published a program of the daily ex- ercises in the Prospect street school in one of the early years of its existence, which shows a multi- plicity of " readers, " and of classes conformed to them, which seems almost Indicrous to the modern reader, though the extra labor and perplexity could not have been at all amusing to the teachers. The list em- braces classes in the " English Reader," "Porter's Rhetorical Reader." " Historical Reader" and " An- gell's No. 2 Reader": also in " Smith's Grammar" and " Kirkham's Grammar." Besides these, Smith's Arithmetic, Smith's Geography and " Parley's" His- tory were the principal text books. The only subiects higher than the ordinary English branches were alge- bra and natural philosophy; there being one class in each.

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History of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Part 76

Author: Johnson, Crisfield Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.B. Lippincott & Co. Number of Pages: 716

Author: Johnson, Crisfield
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.B. Lippincott & Co.
Number of Pages: 716