History of Medina county and Ohio, Part 47

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Battle, J. H; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852-1926; Baskin & Battey. Chicago. pub
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1014

USA > Ohio > Medina County > History of Medina county and Ohio > Part 47

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The general character of the early papers of the county was all very much the same. A very noticeable part of the literary part of these papers was the prominence given to State and national affairs, and the almost total lack of local news. The messages of the President and Governor were given in full, and, when very lengthy, were continued in several numbers. Frequently a long speech took up one-half of the paper, while the items of county news noted in the issues of a year, would not fill the space generally devoted to each week at present. Long communications, full of innuendo and contemptible insinuations, over assumed names, were not refused by any paper, and seemed to have been considered only vigorous arguments. The " poet's corner" was sacredly reserved for

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choice selections of such poetry as delighted the taste of that day, with but very few contri- butions from home talent. The Watchtower, established in 1838, bears marks of the most careful editing of any of the early papers. This occasionally devoted a page to reports of the township political meetings, but generally its arrangement of news was as follows : On the first page, the first column was devoted to se- lected poetry ; then "Esq. Olcott's Depart- ment"-made np of a long article on the cur- rency, credit system, etc .- took up several columns ; then the " Agricultural Department," followed by the department headed "Political," which took two-thirds of the space of the paper. This singular style of editing was probably sat- isfactory to the patrons of the paper, and arose from the fact that no other paper or means of general information was accessible to the people. The local news they knew or got from their neighbors, while the foreign news was furnished only by their home paper. The change from the old style to that of the present was almost im- perceptible until after 1845 or 1850. The Democratic Whig has a modern appearance, though there is but little attempt at editorial wisdom. In seeking for the source of power and influence of the carly papers, one must comprehend the character of the readers. The people of Medina County were remarkably in- dependent in their habits of thought. The polit- ical questions which pressed upon their atten- tion were calulated to arouse a wonderful mental activity, and, once having taken position upon these questions, there was manifested a stub- bornness born of an unchangeable conviction that left no room for argument. As a conse- quence of this fact, editorial arguments were not offered, and the only weapons of the press were personal attacks that should bring the op- posing candidate into disfavor. There was an obsequious tendency occasionly manifested on the part of the press, that totally ruined its in- fluence as a leader of thought and opinion. A

striking exhibition of this feature occurs in the Watchtower. In an issue of 1841, Mr. Olcott says : "I have just learned to my surprise that extensive dissatisfaction exists among the mem- bers of the Democratic party in this county, at 'My Department' in the Watchtower. I was greatly surprised at the result, because of the universal commendations I had previously heard of it from members of that party. I am very sorry I did not know of this dissatisfaction before, because, in that case, my financial essays would never have troubled anybody in the columns of the Watchtower with my consent. It is truc that I have not published those essays with intent to please Democrats or anybody else, unless they might happen to be pleased with what I supposed to be the truth. My ob- ject was to publish the truth, and truth, too, of great importance for the American people to understand. How far I have succeeded in this design, we can all judge. But the Watchtower is the official organ of the Democratic party in Medina County, is supported at their expense, and ought, of course, to be published to their satisfaction. Since, therefore, I have been so unfortunate as to be instrumental in producing a different result, however unintentionally I may have done so, I have now only to express my re- gret at its occurrence, and to assure the readers of the Watchtower, that a similar result in the columns of that paper shall never happen through my agency again." Without any re- flection upon the author of this apology, it may be observed that Uriah Heep could not excel it in humbleness, and that, where such condi- tions are accepted by the press and enforced by the people, the press is little better than the modern dead-walls on which showmen and quacks betray the eye to cheat the sense.

Of the papers outside of the county seat, the Wadsworth Enterprise is the oldest. In the winter of 1865-66, George A. Root started a job-printing office at Wadsworth, with W. P. Root as an assistant. Soon after the inaugura-

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tion of this enterprise, John A. Clark bought a half-interest in it, and, having added to the material, on the 4th of May, 1866, issued the first number of the Enterprise. The paper was a six-column folio. After running a year, Mr. Clark purchased Mr. Root's interest, and con- tinued the publication of the paper alone until 1870, when Emanuel Lowry became a partner for one year. The business again reverted to Mr. Clark's sole proprietorship, with a rapid increase of business. In 1874, a three-story brick build- ing was erected for its accommodation, steam presses bought, and no office in the county had better facilities for doing its business. The Eu- terprise has several times changed its form and style, and, in the present year (1880), was sold to George Dipley, but soon reverted to Mr. Clark, who is now the sole proprietor. The paper is independent politically, though de- voted principally to home news. It is now a seven-column folio.

The Seville Times is an eight-column folio, published weekly at Seville, by C. C. Day. The first paper in this village was established in 1868. This was called the Seville Democrat, and was edited by a Mr. Adams. The paper originated in the desire of the members of the Democratic party for an organ. Adams con- ducted it but a short time, when F. G. McCauley took up the editorial quill, changing the name of the paper to Medina County Democrat. This effort to give the paper a broader significance had but little influence upon its prosperity, and it went the way of all Democratic papers in Medina County, in the course of three years. In March, 1872, the Seville Times was estab- lished by Roberts & Coulter. The former soou left, and Coulter continued the paper until the spring of 1874, when he died. Mr. J. T. Graves wielded the editorial pen the succeeding sum- mer, and Mrs. Coulter, the mother of the former proprietor, conducted the paper for awhile. In March of 1876, C. C. Day took charge, and has conducted it with success and profit.

Gleanings in Bee Culture is a monthily peri- odical devoted to bees and honey, published and edited by A. I. Root. The history of this period- ical is told by the proprietor in the preface of his admirable work entitled "The A, B, C of Bee Culture." Speaking of his success in bee culture, he says : "This capped the climax. as inquiries in regard to the new industry began to come in from all sides; beginners were eager to know what hives to adopt, and where to get honey extractors. The fullest directions I knew how to give for making plain, simple hives, etc., were from time to time published in the American Bee Journal, but the demand for further particulars was such that a circular was printed, and, shortly after, a second edition, then another, and another. These were in- tended to answer the greater part of the queries, and, from the checring words received in regard to them, it seemed the idea was a happy one.

" Until 1873. all these circulars were sent out gratuitously ; but, at that time, it was deemed best to issue a quarterly at 25 cents a year, for the purpose of answering these inquiries. The very first number was received with such favor that it was immediately changed to a monthly, at 75 cents per annum. The name given it was Gleanings in Ber Culture. and it was gradually enlarged, until, in 1876, the price was changed to $1. During all this time, it has served the purpose excellently, of answering questions as they come up, both old and new." The Glen- ings is now about to commence its ninth year ; it is a neat pamphilet, 63x10 inches, contains an average of 52 pages, and has a circulation of something over 4,000.

The Teachers' Guide is an eight page quarto, with 10x14-inch page, published at York, by J. R. Holcomb & Co., and devoted to teachers and school interests. It was first is- sued in 1875, bi-monthly, and was, perhaps, more profitable as a means of advertising than as an educational journal. Still, it acquired

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considerable suecess, and has gradually beeu transformed into a regular teachers' journal. In the spring of 1880, J. D. Holeomb assumed editorial control, and has gained for it a good standing among teachers. It is printed on fine, heavy paper, contains in each number a portrait of some one prominent in educational or literary pursuits, aecompanied by a well- written sketeh of liis career, and is every way worthy of the sueeess it is receiving.

Juvenile periodieals have had some atten- tion in the county, as well as weekly newspa- pers. The Gem was the title of a juvenile paper that originated in York, and later was published in Wadsworth. It reached a large cireulation, gained by the shrewd use of pre- miums, but it gained an unenviable reputation a little later, and was discontinued. The Apple Blossom was another juvenile of this eharaeter, established in Seville by H. A. Brotts, in 1874. The proprietor had served some time in the office of the Gem, and sought to establish a kindred business in Seville ; it continued, how- ever, only about a year. There was another of these lesser periodical lights established in Seville a little earlier, but it was printed en- tirely at another place, and continued but a short time.

Seareely seeond among the great forees that develop the moral growth of a community, are the thoroughfares that conneet it with the out- side world. They are the arteries which earry the elements of growth and vigor from the een- ters of church and school influence, and of commercial activity, to remoter points, and the great hindranee to the rapid moral as well as material growth in frontier communities in that early day, was this laek of easy eommuuieation with the rest of the world. Information of all sorts was meager and generally inaeeurate, and a plaee ten miles away was more unknown to the pioneers for the first fifteen or twenty years

than Europe is to us to-day. The papers were almost universally taken up too much with State and national affairs to mention loeal matters, and there was nothing to ineite the community to a generous rivalry, or to awaken an enterprising enthusiasm.

The earliest road was the one now gener- ally known as the Smith Road, passing east and west through the middle of the county. This was a military road, but was so overgrown by underbrush that the earliest settlers found it almost impassable. There is a tradition that Gen. Smith was foreed to abandon several pieees of brass artillery near where the road erosses the Roeky River, and some attempts have been made to diseover them, but without sueeess. Another early road led from Cleve- land to Wooster, passing through Medina Vil- lage, aud was ultimately rebuilt as a turnpike and constituted the main line of travel. "For several years prior to the ereetion of Medina County, the establishment of roads was un- settled. Each settler undertook to make a road to suit his own eonvenieuee, and not un- frequently he joined with his next neighbor in opening a way that could be of mutual advan- tage. The making of bridges generally ealled together the whole foree of the then sparse community, and many days would be wholly devoted to the construction of a bridge that would probably be earried away by a sueeeed- ing freshet. After the organization of the county, small appropriations were made for opening roads and making bridges. As mouey was then searee, a man would work at road- making from rising to setting sun for 50 eents and board himself.

"It was much easier to get timber necessary for a bridge to the allotted spot, than to get the logs plaeed. Ox-teams were used in haul- iug, but rendered little aid in plaeing timbers. Rocky River was the largest stream flowing through several of the newly settled townships, and the intereourse between small settlements,

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forced the inhabitants, as a matter of conven- ience, to decide upon places for bridges, and unite in building them for general aceommoda- tion. Many of the first settlers spent days at their own expense for this purpose, and did not consider it oppressive. It was no uncommon thing to see all the men in a community eon- gregated early, without stockings or shoes, laboring all day in the water, fixing abutments and plaeing the long, heavy stringers thereon. As puncheons were used for flooring in nearly every dwelling, they were considered equally good for bridging. It is not hazardous to say that, in 1815, and for five years thereafter, five men actually performed more labor on roads than twenty men do in these latter days. Neces- sity forced them to be industrious, and their future prospects urged them to labor. It was not unusual for the men, while engaged in put- ting up a bridge, to see their wives coming through the woods in various directions, laden with eooked provisions intended for those em- ployed at work on the road, to save the time their husbands must lose if they resorted to their eabins for dinner."* The roads thns eon- strueted, were the local highways, known in common parlanee as county roads. As the community settled in Medina County increased in numbers, and its business began to assume considerable proportions, a demand for better communieations began to be felt. Cleveland was the principal market for all this region of country at that time, and about 1827 the Wayne, Medina and Cuyahoga Turnpike Com- pany was organized. This company was granted the privilege of turnpiking the old road which led from Cleveland to Wooster, and charge toll for the use of it, placing gates every ten miles along the pike. There were two of these gates in the county, one near the center of Medina Township, and the other in Guilford Township, near Seville. This road was finished in 1830, and became the great outlet of the county and

country south. Very soon after it was finished, Neal & Co., the great hack-line operators, estab- lished a line of coaches, that passed each way between the terminal points, daily. During the inclement season the road became almost im- passable, frequently obliging the stages to cease running, or to make only weekly trips. The Watchtower of February 9, 1842, speaks of the horrible state of the turnpike, and states that the mail was thirteen hours coming from Woos- ter, a distance of twenty-four miles, and four- teen hours coming from Cleveland, a distance of twenty-eight miles. Besides these evidenees of growth and activity, there were numbers of huge Pennsylvania " land-sehooners," that made regular trips from the South, carrying flour, pork and grain to Cleveland, returning laden with merchandise for the dealers in Wayne County.

The Ohio & Erie Canal, having been started in 1825, and passing through Akron, made this quite a market for produce, and the southern portion of Medina County found this the most convenient point for shipping their surplus product. In 1828, therefore, a free road was projected from Elyria, in Lorain County, to Akron, in Summit. About 1830, the building of railroads began to be agitated in the State, and the Mad River road was followed among others by the Cleveland & Columbus Railroad, now known as the Cleveland, Columbus, Cin- cinnati & Indianapolis Railway. Some of the preliminary surveys for this road were made through Medina County ; considerable subscrip- tions were made to the stock of the proposed road, and a citizen of the county, Jeremiah Higbee, eleeted one of the Directors. Strong influence at Berea, however, diverted the di- rection of the road to its present course. This was finished in 1851, and a project was at once set on foot by such men as Hon. Hiram Bron- son, Judge S. N. Sargent, Judge W. H. Canfield, and others, to secure a railroad from Medina to connect with this road at Grafton. This pro-

* Northrop's History of Medina County.

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HISTORY OF MEDINA COUNTY.

jected railway was called the Cleveland, Medi- na & Tuscarawas Railroad, and proposed ulti- mately to reach Wheeling by way of Doyles- town. Judge Sargeut was elected President, and, through friends in New York, secured a loan of $15,000 on bonds to be issued by the company, the iuterest being guaranteed by the Cleveland & Columbus road and the Lake Shore road. Work was begun about 1852 or 1853, a considerable amount being done on the road-bed between Graftou and Seville. Hiram Bronson was elected to succeed Judge Sargent about 1854. In the meantime, bonds to the amount of $400,000 were issued and placed on the market. Dr. L. D. Tolman, of Medina, was the general contractor for the whole road, sub- ject to the control of the President, and, under the financial embarrassments of the new com- pany, was forced gradually to discontinue work. Considerable dissatisfaction was expressed by the friends of the road at the cessation of work, even the contractor not fully agreeing in the necessity of this course. In the latter part of 1855 or early part of 1856, Mr. Bronson re- signed, and turned over to the company the building accouuts all settled, but the bonds un- negotiated. Dr. Toliau, who was thoroughly in sympathy with the progressive party, pro- ceeded to revive the work, and placed the bonds with Steven Paul, a broker in New York, to negotiate. In the meanwhile, a proposition was made by a New York broker to secure the iron, if a capital stock of $1,000,000 could be se- cured to give the road a standing in the com- mercial world. To accomplish this, Mr. Bron- son visited every town along the proposed line, holdiug meetings in the schoolhouses, and wherever it promised success to his plans, and secured some $850,000, but with a proviso that the subscription should be expended on the road through the respective places of the sub- scribers. This did uot assist the building of the northern end of the road, but it was hoped every day that the bonds would be negotiated

and the embarrassment of the company relieved. About this time, the papers announced the sale of some of the bonds on Wall street, at 90 cents on the dollar. Mr. Bronson, being in New York, subsequently, on business connected with his store in this village, called on Paul in regard to the report. He coolly informed Mr. Bronson that his partner had placed them as collaterals in the hands of his creditors, and, failing to re- deem them, they were sold for 9 cents instead of 90. On his return, Mr. Bronson reported the facts to the company, but, before any meas- ures were taken to secure the balance of the bonds, the whole $400,000 were used in the same way by Paul. This misadventure, of course, prostrated the whole enterprise, and work on the road stopped right there, leaving large liabilities to be borne by those who had taken an active part in the project. Mr. Bronson finally paid something over $14,000, and Hon. H. G. Blake, who had become security for the contractor, in some way eventually paid some $5,000. The " Clinton Airline Extension " was the high- sounding name of another railroad enterprise which was agitated at the same time with the one inaugurated by the Mediua people. This proposed to join Chicago with New York City, by connecting with the New York & Erie Rail- road, and pushing the "extension " on to the metropolis of the Northwest. The line of the proposed road through this county was nearly a due east-and-west liue, passing just north of the center of Granger, Medina, York and Litch- field Townships, when it curved northward in a dircet liue for New London. A considerable subscription was raised in the county for this project, and some very encouraging work was done at York, but the project failed, after ex- pending a large amount of money to no pur- pose. But, what was more unfortunate, this de- funct organizatiou left a score of claims as a legacy to its stockholders. The stockholders in Mediua County, representing some $7,000, formed an association, and employcd J. B.

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Young and Judge R. P. Ranney to contest thesc claims, which haunted the eourts for years. This course of litigation finally ended in April, 1871, by the finding of a judgment of $4.12 per share, which was paid by the shareholders. This road has recently been revived as the New York, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railway, and some hopes are held that it may eventually be- come a fact.

Though greatly disappointed, the people were by no means dispirited and ways and mneaus of reviving the Tusearawas road were constantly discussed. In 1865, Mr. Bronson was clected to the Lower House of the General Assembly, and, while there, advised with Judge Ranuey, as to the means of seenring what had been built of this road free of incumbrance. He was ad- vised to secure one of the bouds that had been issued, and eause the road to be sold, when it could be bid in by those who desired to rebuild it. This was communicated to Mr. Blake by Mr. Bronson, and soon after was made practical by the securing of a bond, the necessary pro- ceedings had, and the sale ordered to take place on the 15th of April, 1870. These proeecdings were not unobserved of those who were hostile to the building of this road. The Lake Shore road did feel that this would subserve its inter- est, and an agent was sent to attend the sale and purchase the road-bed. On the night be- fore, had occurred the terrible fire which laid so large a part of the county seat in ashes. It was the absorbing topic of conversation, and the Cleveland agent, falling in with Mr. Blake, was shown the ruins, and interested in the melan- eholy details of the whole disaster. In the mean- while, the hour for the sale arrived, aud just be- fore the time expired the property was struck off to Mr. Blake for $2,600, before the opposition knew what was going on. A suit followed to break up the salc, on the ground of fraud, prac- ticed in the disposition of the property, but the sale was confirmed by the court. There was no plan in mind, however, to utilize the property thus

secured, and, if there had been, the great calam- ity which had befallen the county seat would have indefinitely postponed it. But the demand for a railroad was pressing. All the travel and merchandise of the county, were brought in wagons from Berea, the nearest railroad point, at an exorbitant cost. Merchants found it im- possible to compete with more favored localities, and thousands of dollars' worth of trade, was diverted from local business houses to Cleve- land, Akron and elsewhere. The project, there- fore, was only postponed, and, in the Gazette of January, 1871, the following editorial appeared : " In the Gazette, partly published the week of the fire, we proposed the building of a railroad -wooden, iron or some other kind-from Me- dina to Grafton. It is now about time to return to the subject, as it is being considerably talked of among our citizens. We all know that but little dependence is to be placed on the great east-and-west, and north-and-south railroads, which have been going to run through Medina any time the last half-eentury, and which, for all we know, may be coming the same way for the next fifty years-though we hope for better things. If they should happen to be put through, we will accept them as so mueh clear gain. But we may depend upon it, that our surest way to have a road is to build it our- selves. And it can be done. The energy and public spirit that could rebuild a town from its ashes as speedily and handsomely as Medina has been rebuilt, can also build a railroad. Whether we are ready to begin it now is not really important. Only let it be determined that we will build it just as soon as we can turn our cnergies in that direction, and the point is gained." This article struek a respons- ive chord throughout the county, and hardly an issue of the paper followed for some weeks, without a long communication on the subject of railroad communication with Grafton, advis- ing the various methods of wooden, strap iron or regular T rails.

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In addition to Medina's interest in the road, a general interest was excited among the busi- ness men of Cleveland. There was a large ex- tent of coal fields in the Tuscarawas Valley, the product of which, it was thought, could be brought at a cheap rate to aid the manufactur- ing interests of Cleveland, and her citizens soon took an active interest in the matter. On the 13th of February, a meeting of prominent eitizens was held at the council hall in the city, to enlist the city in the project of building sueh a railroad, and a committee appointed to inves- tigate the subject. Two routes were under consideration and urged by those interested in the different plans ; one proposed starting from the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati & Indian- apolis road at Berea, running nearly south, along the most eligible grounds, to within one mile of the easterly side of Medina Village; thence bearing easterly to the nearest coal, near the north line of Wadsworth ; thence to the Tus- carawas Valley, near Clinton, and thence to the Pan Handle road, in Mill Township, Tuscara- was County, a distance from eighty to eighty- five miles. The second route proposed to start from Grafton or Berea, thence extending south to Medina, Seville, Wooster, Millersburg, Co- shocton and on to Zanesville or Marietta. An- other railroad project was one under the au- spices of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. This line proposed to extend from Pittsburgh to Akron, through Medina to Tiffin, thence to Valparaiso, Ind., and thence to Chicago. Another was called the Lake Branch of the Baltimore, Pittsburgh & Continental Railway. This project proposed to use the old road- bed from Grafton, through Medina to Dalton, in Wayne County, and then connect with a main line that should traverse the continent. The Cleveland & Marietta road was a variation on the Wooster & Zanesville route, and the Tuscarawas Valley road was a variation on the route proposed by the Cleveland interest, and proposed to go south through Hinckley, Gran-

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History of Medina county and Ohio, Part 47

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Battle, J. H; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852-1926; Baskin & Battey. Chicago. pub Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago : Baskin & Battey Number of Pages: 1014

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Battle, J. H; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852-1926; Baskin & Battey. Chicago. pub
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1014