USA > Ohio > Erie County > History of Erie County Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 34
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
During this year the mayor, Ebenezer Warner, and the recorder, Zen ... W. Barker, both resigned. Zenas W. Barker was thereupon elected mayo: and William P. Chapman was elected recorder.
1849 .- Mayor, John M. Brown; recorder, Charles Barney ; councilmen- first ward, Henry C. Williams, Daniel Dibble and Rollin B. Hubbard ; secon : ward, Freeland T. Barney, Solomon C. Moore and Erastus Cooke ; third ward, David Souter, John H. Buck and Thomas Comstock; council appoint- ments, William Spaulding, marshal; I. W. Upp, collector ; David Souter, treasurer ; Walter F. Stone, city attorney ; I. W. Upp, clerk of the market .. E. S. Flint, chief engineer ; William H. Clark, assistant engineer ; Willian. Durbin, jr., city surveyor.
1850 .- Mayor, John M. Brown ; recorder, Charles Cochran ; councilmen -first ward, C. C. Keech, Cuyler Leonard and John A. Wright ; second ward. Freeland F. Barney, Solomon C. Moore and Christian Engel; third ward, Charles Cross, George C. King and George Homegardner ; council appoint ments, O. Rice, clerk of the markets, collector, and marshal ; Charles Cross. treasurer ; Walter F. Stone, city attorney; W. H. Clark, chief engineer . Henry P. Radcliff, assistant engineer ; William Durbin, jr., city surveyor.
1851 .- Mayor, Horatio Wildman ; recorder, George J. Anderson ; coun- cilmen-first ward, William P. Chapman, William B. Smith and William I' Witherell ; second ward, L. S. Beecher, Elias H. Haines and Conrad Wei- gand ; third ward, Solomon C. Moore, Charles Cross and George Homegard- ner ; council appointments, O. Rice, marshal, clerk of the markets, and col- lector ; Charles Cross, treasurer ; Homer Goodwin, city attorney ; Henry P. Radcliff, chief engineer; W. M. Pierce, assistant engineer ; William Durbin. jr., city surveyor.
1852 .- Mayor, Foster M. Follett; recorder, Samuel Lewis ; councilmen- first ward, Earl Bill, Jacob A. Camp and William Marshall; second ward. Frederick S. Thorpe, Michael Lipsett and John Chapman ; third ward, George Homegardner, Charles Cross and William S. King ; council appointments, O. Rice, marshal, collector, and clerk of the markets; L. S. Beecher, city at- torney ; Charles Cross, treasurer ; Foster M. Follett, chief engineer ; I. S. Thayer, assistant engineer ; William Durbin, jr., city surveyor.
The act of the State Legislature, passed on the 3d of May, 1852, was brought about by the new constitution then just gone into effect, and its pro- visions materially affected this and several other cities of the State. Regard- ing the classification of municipal corporations the language of the act is : " In respect to the exercise of certain corporate powers, and to the number, char- acter, powers and duties of certain officers, municipal corporations are, and shall be, divided into the classes following : Cities of the first, and cities of the second class ; incorporated villages, and incorporated villages for special pur- poses.
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THE CITY OF SANDUSKY.
" All cities which, at the last federal census, had or now have a population exceeding twenty thousand inhabitants, shall be deemed cities of the first class, and all other cities shall be deemed cities of the second class."
A further provision declares that " any incorporated village which, at any future federal census, or at any census taken under the authority of the State, as aforesaid, shall have a population exceeding five thousand and less than twenty thousand inhabitants, shall be deemed a city of the second class."
It will be seen from the above extracts that Sandusky was, at the time the act was passed, a city of the second class, as by the census of 1850 within the corporate limits was a population of five thousand persons.
A further section of the act provided that " the corporate authority of citi- zens, organized or to be organized under this act, shall be vested in one prin- cipal officer, to be styled the Mayor, in one board of trustees, to be denomi- nated the Common Council, together with such other officers as are in this act mentioned, or as may be created under its authority.
"It is also provided that in cities of the second class the mayor shall be elected annually, on the first Monday in April, by the qualified voters of the city ; and that he shall serve until his successor is elected and qualified."
Section fifty-nine provides " that the qualified voters of each ward within the several cities shall, on the first Monday of April, 1853, elect, by a plurality of votes, two trustees, who shall be residents of the wards in which they shall be elected, and who shall at the time be qualified voters therein; and when the city council, elected under this act, shall have been organized, as hereinafter provided, they shall proceed and determine by lot the term of service of each trustee, so that one of the trustees from each ward shall serve for two years, and the other for the term of one year ; and at every succeeding annual city election, one trustee shall be elected by the qualified voters of each ward, who shall possess the qualification hereinbefore required, and whose term of service shall be two years, so that the terms of the two trustees of each ward shall always expire in different years."
The same section also provides that the council shall elect, from their own body, a president ; they shall also appoint, from the qualified voters of the city, a city clerk. A further section provides for the election, by the qualified voters of the city, of all such city officers as shall be necessary for the good government of said city, and for the due exercise of its corporate powers, etc.
It became necessary under this act to substantially reorganize the city government. The discussion of it occupied the minds of the council for some time, and at their request called forth a long and able opinion from the city attorney, L. S. Beecher. In the course of his observations this officer ex- pressed the belief that certain provisions of the act would have to be interpreted by the courts before an intelligent understanding of their meaning could be had.
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
The first city election under the above described act was held on the fir .: Monday in April, 1853, at which the following named persons were chosen :) fill the respective city offices :
Mayor, Charles Cross ; city solicitor, John G. Miller, jr. ; city treasurer, Nicholas Buyer ; city marshal, James E. Mygatt ; assessors-first ward, Joh. A. Wright ; second ward, George A. Wheeler ; third ward, Vincent Kerler : trustees-first ward, Lester S. Hubbard, David Campbell ; second ward, L. S. Beecher, Henry H. White ; third ward, Charles Cross, Jacob Hertel.
On the 16th of April of this same year the council passed and adopted an ordinance by which the city was divided and two additional wards created, increasing the number to five.
A special election was thereupon ordered for the selection of trustees for the first, third and fifth wards, with the following result : First ward, William St. John and I. H. Robinson ; third ward, L. S. Hubbard ; fifth ward, John Carr and George Homegardner.
By this sub-division of the municipal territory the ward boundaries were as follows :
First ward .- All that portion of the city lying east or eastwardly of the center of Franklin street.
Second ward .- All that portion of the city lying west or westwardly of the center of Franklin street, and east or eastwardly of the center of Columbus avenue.
Third ward .- All that part of the city lying west or westwardly of the cen- ter of Columbus avenue, and east or eastwardly of Fulton street.
Fourth ward .- All that part of the city lying west or westwardly of the center of Fulton street, and east or eastwardly of the center of Camp and Shel- by streets.
Fifth ward .- All that part of the city which lies west or westwardly of the center of Camp and Shelby streets.
In 1855 Sandusky had acquired a population variously estimated at from six thousand to six thousand five hundred souls; and from 1850 to 1860 its growth was three thousand. It had, at the time first mentioned, three lines of rail communication with points east, west and south. These were the Mad River and Lake Erie road, running to Dayton ; the Sandusky, Mansfield and Newark road, and the Cleveland and Toledo road. These were sufficient for the exportation and importation of goods and material for trade and manufac- ture at that time. Added to this was the harbor and lake traffic, which, of it- self, was of large extent, the year 1850 showing imports to the value of $13,- 644,670, while the exports were valued at $4,656,641. During the next year these figures were nearly doubled.
At this time the population was decidedly mixed in characteristics and na- tionalities, the German and Celtic combined nearly equaling the American res- idents in point of numbers.
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THE CITY OF SANDUSKY.
The mercantile business of the city, which, in early years, was substantial- ly confined to the vicinity of Water street, was constantly reaching to other points, up Columbus avenue to the square, and largely on Market street, both east and west of Columbus.
Manufacturing industries were then, and always have been, kept as near the bay shore as possible, for here was the railroad center as well as the harbor.
Turning briefly to the mercantile, manufacturing and other business insti- tutions as shown by the compendium of 1855, the following appears :
Produce and Commission Merchants .- C. H. Williams, S. W. Butler, S. E. Hitchcock, on Columbus avenue; Boalt & Smith, George Thornton, A. Cheeseborough, on the Mad River Railroad dock ; James D. Whitney, on the S. and C. Railroad wharf; Marshall Burton, A. H. Barber, James A. Riley, Peck & Norris, Upp Brothers, on Water street; Lockwood & Smith at Bay City Mills dock.
Dry Goods Merchants .- Charles Converse, Monroe & Peck, J. W. Steven- son, Everett, Drake & Co., John N. Sloane, Hubbard, Shepard & Wilcox, on Water street ; W. T. & A. K. West, T. D. West, on Columbus avenue.
Tailors and Clothiers .- W. V. Latham, Lytle & Walter, J. Kneale, J. Kronthall, L. Monat, Lewis Dietz, L. Bowman, C. Prediger, Wm. Guiterman & Co., G. Hart, Cooke & Bloomfield, Adolph Cohen, on Water street; S. Kneen, on Market street.
Milliners and Dress Makers .- Mrs. Thomas Quick, Mrs. E. P. Smith, Miss Humphrey, on Columbus avenue ; Mrs. C. R. Souter, Miss E. McGraves, on Market street ; Mrs. Kramer, Wayne street.
Hardware, Iron and Stove Merchants .- F. T. Barney & Co., W. V. Moss, Gibbs & Sanborn, Joseph Flood, Gale & Gibbs, Water street; J. H. Williams, Washington Dewey, John M. Bailey, Columbus avenue; John B. Rickhart, Market street.
Upholsterers and Furniture Dealers .- Thorpe, Norcross & Thorpe, J. B. Mayer, Jacob Steitz, Market street; J. H. Guild, Jackson street; Charles W. Zollinger, W. H. Zurhorst, Wayne street.
Jewelers .- Hiram T. Dewey, William Simpson, Robert Holverscheid, Water street; V. Neesley, Wayne street.
Grocers (wholesale) .- S. S. Hosmer, J. W. Witherell & Co., Porter & Ly- tle, Smith & Parsons, Jacob Engel, all on Water street.
Grocers (retail) .- F. Rosenbaum, C. Wigand, R. Hathaway, C. Hadley, H. Aplin, W. A. Simpson, H. P. Radcliff, Lamb & Eck, John Irvine & Co., Straub & Lezer, J. Lammers, M. Hexter, Water street; H. Richenbach, Car- roll & Gagen, Thomas Laden, Homegardner & Vogt, William Fox, Market street; Parsons & Derr, Nathan Bear, Jackson street ; Henry Lutz, Washing- ton street; Ricker & Hubbard, Ira T. Davis, William Thompson, N. L. Brown, Robertson, Brown & Co., Columbus avenue.
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
Drug Stores .- Adams & Fay, A. R. Belden, F. R. Lange, W. G. Brain & Co.
Book and Stationery Stores .- George J. Anderson, William L. Cooke :; Co., Ruemonele & Ruess.
Hats and Caps .- C. C. Keech, Austin Ferry.
Boots and Shoes .- Gray & Son, J. P. Bean, L. B. Schrum, H. Walter, Moos, Joseph Fiedler, L Olrick, J. Ruprecht, Schneider & Bright, E. Otto. John Lehr, B. Esch, John Brandle, John Kuhn, C. Wigand.
Crockery Dealers .- L. H. Kilbourne, H. P. Merrill.
Manufacturing, in its several branches, seems to have been well represented by N. G. Olds, D. C. Henderson & Co., C. J. Messer, G. V. Griffith, the Fu !. ton Car Works, and the machine and repair shops connected with the vario ;;. railroad companies. Those above mentioned were engaged in the machine shop and foundry business.
There were engaged at the same time in wood working and lumber enter- prises, J. D. Lea & Co., Hubbard & Pierce, R. B. Hubbard, Peter Gilcher, P. Sprague.
No less than twelve hotels were doing business in the city in 1855, and this will be a no more surprising statement than the fact of there being twenty resident physicians and twenty-six lawyers, all in active practice. The name- of the former will be found in the chapter devoted to the medical profession. while the latter are enumerated in that relating to the bench and bar. (): architects, there were four ; of dentists two ; painters and glaziers four ; car- riage manufacturers two ; liverymen four ; confectioners three ; photographers three ; soap and candle makers two, and other branches of trade and manu- facture were equally well represented.
But not these alone made up the enterprising municipality of Sandusky, for there must be mentioned the other institutions, the schools, the churches, the public buildings, the attractive business blocks and residences. Then, again. were its societies, secret, social, literary and benevolent ; the fire and police departments, and other necessary adjuncts of a prosperous city. Such was Sandusky thirty-five and more years ago, with a population of less than seven thousand persons. That the city's growth has been steady and healthful, and not influenced by the later day creation, called " booms," is attested by the fact that in 1860 the federal census showed a population of 8,000; 1870, 13 .- 000 ; 1880, 15,838, and at the present time, according to the estimate of care. ful observers, the population cannot vary much from 20,000.
Business, trade, manufacture and commerce were never so great as no: Nothing seems overdone, but all branches of industry have kept even ste? with the general progress.
The natural advantages of situation, the excellent sanitary condition, added to which are the local improvements for various purposes, all combine to
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THE CITY OF SANDUSKY.
make the city of Sandusky one of the most inviting and desirable localities for business and residence to be found in the Buckeye State. It will not be nec- essary to trace here in chronological order, the history of the institutions with which the city is supplied, nor its trade and commerce, nor its societies, nor the several branches of its government, as each is made the subject of special notice in this chapter.
Recurring again to the subject of the political history of the city, at the time of re-districting the same and the creation of five wards out of the original three, and the special meeting for the election of additional ward offi- cers. For all time of the life of the town and subsequent city, it was a part of the township of Portland ; and it so continued to remain until, by a proceed- ing of the common council, and a proper application to the commissioners of the county, the whole of the township was included within the city's bounda- ries. Thereafter Portland, as a sub-division of Erie county, passed out of ex- istence ; and from that time forth its history was that of Sandusky.
The truth is, that Portland never had much of a history save that given it by having contained within its boundaries the shire town of the county. It possessed much good farming land and a number of substantial citizens, some of them pioneers upon the soil. But with the gradual increase in population, business and enterprise of the county seat, it became necessary that the town- ship should surrender its name and identity and become a part and parcel of the municipality of Sandusky.
The proposition for the annexation was not readily accepted by the whole people of the township, many of whom had no special anxiety to be brought within the range of a city assessment and taxation ; therefore they raised good and valid objections to the annexation, but without avail; the project was a necessity ; the commissioners so viewed it and their action carried it into ef- fect.
The ordinance of the council under which the proceedings were instituted was passed on the 18th of November, 1871, but the matter was not fully consummated until the following year. Ordinances were passed and adopted providing for the annexation of the newly acquired territory to the several wards as they then existed, without an increased number, nor was any in- crease made in the number of wards until the adoption of an ordinance De- cember 15, 1884, by which there was made an increase of five.
During the year succeeding that in which the limits were extended over the whole of Portland township, there began, and was thereafter carried out and accomplished in due time, some of the most substantial and worthy local improvements. Besides the water-works, provision was made for a proper system of sewerage. This was a substantial reform movement as well as an original effort. Its necessity was painfully apparent.
Upon this question we quote the words of a leading physician of San- 40
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
dusky : " From the first settlement of the city to the time the water-works and sewerage system were completed, its sanitary condition was, of course, very imperfect. This, in part, was attributable to the fact that the water is near the earth's surface. There was very little other than surface drainage to carry rapidly away the accummulated filthy and stagnant waters, and thus to keep the soil and air dry and healthful.
The city, however, had this natural advantage. Instead of being flat and level, the ground over much of its area has a decided declination toward the bay, which, with its inlets, or arms, surround the city largely on three sides, and at the same time furnishes the very best natural fall and receptacle for all surface drainings. By this means the movements of the surface water were, in many parts of the city, rapid.
In the level portions of the city, on the other hand, the lack of proper drainage bore, as it always does in every thickly populated district, the inevit- able result-a greater or less decomposition of animal and vegetable matter which influences health and promotes the development of intermittent, remit- tent, bilious, typhoid and scarlet fevers. Diphtheria, diarrhea and dysentery also prevailed in some seasons to a considerable extent.
Then, again, the rock being so near the surface, it was difficult and expen- sive to obtain sufficient drainage for factory refuse, stagnant pools, and to effectually get rid of dirty house waters. In gutters and low spots of ground in many places, the gases showed themselves on the surface of polluted waters in the form of bubbles, and when they burst and showed their noxious con- tents in the immediate vicinity of or under dwellings in those lower, flat dis- tricts of the city, especially after a rainfall in the summer season, they would remain until evaporated, pregnating the air and seriously affecting the health of the people. In many parts of the city were superficial and deep wells. . which were always suspicious sources of water supply, and particularly so when water is obtained by boring in lime rock till a crevice is struck in which it is found, for in such rock it is practically impossible to secure a supply free from surface overflows and disease breeding seepage.
During the terrible cholera scourge of 1849, and again in 1852, it was found that in every district in the city, and also in the outlying villages where the disease was most wide spread and fatal, the people were depending upon wells cut in the rock for their water supply. Several of these were public wells, and in the immediate communities about them the cholera swept with the most terrible and death-dealing force. One well, especially, in a thickly populated part of the city, from which water was obtained for culinary and drinking pur- poses by a large number of citizens, was noted for its fatal power, and the use of its water was prohibited.
These are but few of the many reasons why it became absolutely neces- sary that there should be inaugurated and carried out a complete sewer system
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THE CITY OF SANDUSKY.
for the city. And it may be said in addition to what is already stated that the mercantile streets and localities were being rapidly built up with large three, four and five story business blocks and hotels, and none had any commendable sewer connection prior to the year 1872, except that extending through Col- umbus avenue as far south as Market street.
On the 3d of June, of the year 1872, the council passed an ordinance to " establish Central Sewer District No. I, in order to form a plan for the drain- age of a small portion of the city." This was followed by another ordinance in May, 1873, for the establishment of Sewer District No. 2; and in August of the same year by the Whiskey Run 'Sewer District, No. 3 ; and in January, 1874, for the construction of sewers connecting with the public sewers ; and further, in the year last named, an ordinance was passed providing for the pro- tection of the sewers of the city.
This was but the beginning, but thanks to the enterprise of the council and the people who were burdened with the tax for the improvement, it was car- ried forward until to-day Sandusky is as well provided with trunk and lateral sewers as a means of preventing, so far as may be possible, the spread of contagious or epidemic germ diseases. Accompanying the establishment of the sewer system was the adoption of a city water works, the work for which was commenced in the year 1872. The water is taken from a crib well out in the bay away from the possibility of contact with sewerage discharge. The water supply system of the city needs no extended notice in this place as that is made the subject of special mention elsewhere in this chapter.
These two great improvements, the sewerage and water supply systems, being accomplished, next came the paving or macadamizing of the principal streets with mainly, if not wholly, native stone, and this last enterprise was accomplished in due time, satisfactorily and well. The performance of these expensive improvements was the longest stride ever taken by the city of San- dusky in the direction of a complete, metropolitan appearance; and it certainly was such, and it is, furthermore, very doubtful if any city within the State of Ohio, having no greater population than this, can present to the attention of a visitor as many substantial and permanent improvements as can Sandusky. And all this work has been accomplished since the year 1872. Its benefit is readily apparent; manufacture has doubled, and the mercantile business nearly so, in this time; and the city's population has increased from thirteen thou- sand in 1870, to at least twenty thousand at the present day. If this does not speak well for Sandusky, then certainly nothing does. The attention of the reader is directed to the department relating to the manufacturing industries, later in this chapter, for evidences of growth and the present well-being of the city.
This desirable condition of things has not been brought about without much effort, and it does seem a fact that a people are better able to appreciate the
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value of such work when accomplished in the face of some opposition. For- tunately for Sandusky, she has had in the control of her affairs men of energy, determination, and sense ; men who possessed the firmness to argue and the courage to carry out a proposition ; men of honesty, integrity, and worth. To these, and to the electors and taxpayers for their generous and willing sup- port of these several measures, is due the honor and credit of having beauti- fied, adorned, and benefited the whole city. Of course the burden fell upon the taxpayer, but the municipality has not been plunged hopelessly in debt, and there hangs over it now a no greater burden than can be easily borne. Sandusky became a city of the second class under the provisions of the law passed by the Legislature in the year 1852, and had there been no modification, amendment or revision of that law, it would now be ranked with the cities of the first class, for it is reasonably certain that the present population is in excess of twenty thousand persons.
But the act was subsequently modified-materially and radically modified -and not a year had elapsed before the Legislature repealed and amended many sections, but nothing that then materially affected Sandusky other than the term of the office of mayor was extended from one to two years. The representatives of the wards were called "trustees," but when assembled for the transaction of business of the city they constituted the "common council." By the name of trustees they were designated for a number of years, when, under proper authority, they became in name as well as in fact "common councilmen," or " members of the common council."
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