History of Wayne County, Ohio, Volume I, Part 41

Author:
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1162

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WOOSTER INCORPORATED.

Six years after Wooster was platted and made the county seat, it began to put on "city airs" and was incorporated, October 13, 1817, and char- tered as a city of the second class and divided into four wards February 9, 1869, having been made a second-class city in September, 1868. The at the house of Joseph McGugen for the purpose of electing a president, re- first election after the incorporation as a town, in March, 1818, was held

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corder and five trustees for the incorporation. Isaiah Jones was elected presi- dent, John Patton, recorder, T. G. Jones, Thomas Taylor, Joseph Eichar, Thomas Robison and Benjamin Jones, trustees. These officers were duly sworn into office on March 12, 1818, agreeing under oath to support the Constitution of the United States and that of the state of Ohio. At their first regular business meeting, in the same month and year, they proceeded to appoint a marshal, treasurer and collector, when David Hoyt was elected marshal, Thomas R. Knight, treasurer, and Henry St. John, collector.

April 3, 1818, the board met, and on motion it was resolved to appoint a committee of two to prepare and bring in a bill for the prevention of immoral practices. At the next meeting a bill for the abatement of nuisances, introduced by John Patton, with some amendments, became a law, and as such is the first on record in Wooster.

ELECTION OF MARCH 29, 1824.

The following is the record of the election held for incorporation officers at the above date :

"President, Samuel Quimby, Edward Avery, Thomas Robinson, candi- dates. Recorder, Cyrus Spink, John Patton, William Larwill, candidates. Trustees, Edward Jones, David McConahay, Francis H. Foltz, Matthew Johnston, William McFall, Joseph H. Larwill, John Christmas, John Patton, William McComb, Moses Culbertson, Cyrus Spink. Charles Hobert, David Robison, Thomas Robison, Thomas Townsend, Horace Howard, William Nailer, Samuel H. Hand, Edward Avery, Benjamin Jones, Col. John Hem- perly, all candidates.

"We do hereby certify that Samuel Quimby had fifty-three votes for president, and William Larwill had thirty votes for recorder, and Edward Avery had fifty-two votes for trustee, Thomas Robison had thirty-seven votes for trustee, William McCombs had thirty votes for trustee, William Nailer had twenty votes' for trustee, and Thomas Townsend and John Patton had each nineteen votes for trustee.

(Signed) "MATTHEW JOHNSTON, "WILLIAM McFALL,

"Attest : JOHN LARWILL, Clerk of Election.

Judges."

ENTRIES IN BOARD'S JOURNAL.

Ordered, That Joseph Alexander be allowed twenty-five dollars for serv- ices rendered by digging up stumps in the public square, in July, 1816.

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Ordered, That Cyrus Spink be allowed two dollars for attending on David Wolgamot, a state's prisoner, as guard, in July, 1816.

Ordered, That Joseph H. Larwill be allowed the sum of five dollars and twenty cents for digging a drain to the court house, October, 1817.

Ordered, That Thomas Robison be allowed twelve dollars and fifty cents for making six poll boxes for the use of the county, 1817.

Ordered, That Joseph Alexander be allowed two dollars for waiting on grand jury, at October term, 1816.

Ordered, That Benjamin Franks be allowed two dollars for blazing a road from Paintville in a north direction.

Ordered, That Nathan Warner be allowed to spend two hundred dollars of the three per cent. fund allotted to this county, on the state road west of Wooster, for which he shall receive eight dollars.

Ordered, That Benjamin Thompson and Ezekiel Kelly, trustees of the Baptist church of Wooster, be allowed fifty dollars for use of same, to hold court and transact other public business in, for the term of two years, ending June, 1831.

Ordered, That David Wooley, deputy assessor, be allowed twenty-four dollars and seventy-five cents for assessing the townships of Sugarcreek, Baughman and Chippewa, June, 1830.

A contract will be sold at the auditor's office, November 17, 1830, to the lowest bidder, for the safe keeping and providing for of an idiot called "Crazy Sam."

TOWN PRESIDENTS.

1818-Isaiah Jones

1837-Lindol Sprague

1820-William Nailer

1838-H. Lehman

1822-Samuel Quimby 1839-J. W. Shuckles

1840-John H. Harris

1825-Thomas Wilson 1826-John Smith 1827-Thomas Wilson 1828-J. M. Cooper 1829-Benjamin Jones

1841-E. Eyster 1842-Kimball Porter

· 1843-Christian Eyster

1844-Charles E. Graeter

1845-Henry Lehman 1846-Evans Parker

1831-Thomas Wilson 1832-Thomas Wilson 1833-Matthew Johnston 1834-Mr. McConnahay 1835-John Larwill 1836-Lindol Sprague

1847-Thomas Wilson

1848-Samuel L. Lorah 1849-Everett Howard 1850-A. McDonald

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1851-Christian Eyster

1860-J. H. Kauke

1852-Jacob Vanhouton

1861-J. H. Kauke

1853-S. R. Bonewitz 1862-George Rex

1854-S. R. Bonewitz

1863-R. R. Donnelly

1855-William Childs

1864-J. H. Downing

1856-I. N. Jones

1865-G. W. Henshaw

1857-Neal McCoy

1866-James Curry

1858-Neal McCoy

1867-A. Wright

1859-A. Seybolt

1868-R. B. Spink

MAYORS OF WOOSTER.

1869-Charles S. Frost

1891-James R. Woodworth

1871-Charles C. Plumer

1893-Lemuel Jeffries

1873-James Henry 1895-Lemuel Jeffries

1875-Owen A. Wilhelm 1897-Lemuel Jeffries

1877-H. B. Swartz 1899-Robert J. Smith

1879-H. B. Swartz 1901-Robert J. Smith

1881-Dennis W. Kimber

1903-Robert J. Smith

· 1883-Dennis W. Kimber

1905-W. M. VanNest

1885-Lemuel Jeffries

1907-W. M. VanNest

1887-James R. Woodworth

1909-W. M. VanNest

1889-James R. Woodworth

PRESENT CITY OFFICERS.

The city officials for 1908-09 are as follows: Mayor, W. M. VanNest ; solicitor, Benton G. Hay; auditor, James B. Minier; treasurer, Crosley M. Tawney; board of public safety, William A. Lott, Emett Lee, N. F. Rob- erts, Henry Leiner, Charles F. Kingsley.

City Council-Charles A. Weiser, president ; Harley H. Franks, clerk; members-at-large, Max Bloomberg. Charles Lautenschlager, Charles F. Schopf ; first ward, John M. Russell; second ward, Wellington Matz; third ward, P. U. Rice; fourth ward, Samuel Kready.

Health officer, Dr. J. W. Lehr; tax commissioners. George J. Schwartz, John McSweeney, Alvin Rich, W. D. Tyler, James B. Minier. Library trustees, James Mullins, A. D. Metz, James A. Shamp, Rev. Frank Heil- man, D. L. Thompson, John N. McSweeney.

In 1905, under a new state law, cities of the class of Wooster were

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put under a new "municipal accounting system," and the office of city auditor created. It is one of the most important offices in the municipality, involving as it does a large amount of especially particular accounting for the various funds of the city. Prior to this modern system, the bonds, refunding bonds, and many accounts were lumped together and were hard to understand or get information from, but with the new way all is clear and understandable. However, it requires more than an ordinary account- ant or bookkeeper to form and run the various series of blanks and different books required in conformity to the new state law. James B. Minier was the first city auditor of this class, and has made an enviable and state-wide reputation as an expert in his office.

THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

The first fire company organized in the city of Wooster was, according to the minute-book of the company, organized between 1825 and 1827. One entry reads that : "At a meeting of the Wooster Fire Company No. I. convened at the house of William Nailer, Esq., on Saturday, the 20th of January, 1827, Capt. John Smith called the company to order and Samuel Quinby was appointed secretary.

"On motion it was resolved, that said company appoint two persons to act as engineers; six persons to act as ladder-men; two persons to act as ax-men and two as pike-men for said company.

"Thereupon, William Goodin and D. O. Hoyt were elected engineers; Samuel Barkdull, David Lozier, James Nailer, John McKracken, Calvin Hobert and Benjamin Jones were appointed ladder-men ; William H. Sloane and C. H. Streby were appointed ax-men, and I. E. Harriott and -, pike-men."

By-laws were drafted in 1827 and approved at the monthly meeting for January of that year.

From that small beginning away back in 1827 has come the efficient department of the twentieth century. The present department, under city control, has a paid chief and two drivers, but the twenty men who respond to the fire alarm are men-about-town, who work at other employment day's and sleep in the City Hall in rooms prepared for them especially, and for their services they get forty cents per hour when at fires. The engine house is within the municipal building, occupying two floors for the men and appa- ratus. A Gamewell system of alarms is in operation here. The apparatus includes a light hose wagon and modern ladders, with a chemical engine

_T-

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for certain places, and also there is in readiness a fire engine, but ordinary fires are extinguished by the direct pressure of the pumping station at the city water works.

WOOSTER OPERA HOUSES.

The first public hall of much consequence in Wooster was known as Arcadome Hall, that was built so as to be dedicated December 18, 1857. Its proprietors were Jo H. Baumgardner and Samuel Woods. The name Arcadome was coined in the poetical fancy of E. G. Clingan. It stood on East Liberty street near the present postoffice, and was destroyed by fire March 23, 1874. Another hall or opera house in the city was Quinby Opera House, located on the corner of Buckeye and Larwill streets. It was formally opened February 1, 1877, at which time "As You Like It" was presented to an overflowing house. This building was the enterprise of the Quinby Opera House Association, composed of Messrs. E. Quinby, Jr., president ; E. P. Bates, secretary ; J. H. Kauke, D. Q. Liggett, Ira H. Bates and D. C. Curry. Its dimensions were seventy by one hundred and four feet ; the auditorium was sixty by seventy feet, encircled on three sides by roomy balconies, the whole having a capacity of one thousand persons. It was named in honor of Mr. Quinby against his protest. This served many years and was finally razed to the ground and the lot used for other purposes. The next provision for an opera house was in 1887 when the city of Wooster planned the erection of its magnificent brick city building, when a portion of it was built for opera hall purposes, and is still the pride and comfort of the theater-loving people. It is modern and has all the conveniences of a well-regulated theater. It is in all appointments a mod- ern hall and has the latest fire-proof appliances, exits, screens, etc. It is managed by a local man and leased to him by the city, on the per cent. plan. This building was built in 1887 and is spoken of under head of City Buildings.

What is known as the Academy of Music, on West Liberty street, was erected originally in 1870 by John B. France, on the lot where stood the first banking institution of Wooster, the old German Bank. This was a profitable enterprise and in 1883 was raised one story higher, making a very large stage room and increasing the seating capacity. This is per- haps the largest hall in Wooster today. All of these opera houses have from time to time been the merry scene of gay theatrical troupes.

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THE CITY HALL.

The present City Building was erected in 1887 and is a massive, beau- tiful building. It has office rooms for the various city offices, in front, on the first floor; an engine house and upper story rooms for the use of the department, and the central portion of the first floor is an excellent opera house, which has all modern conveniences. This is leased out to local men of the city, who have charge of it. The building is an ideal, imposing struc- ture, on East Liberty street, and great care is taken to make its front very attractive by the cultivation of rare and common flowers and plants, with vines covering almost the entire front in summertime. The cost of this municipal building was ninety thousand dollars, including ground and all furnishings.

PAVING, SIDEWALKS, AND SEWERS.

The city is well supplied with sidewalks, having, in 1909, twenty-three miles, the same being constructed of either cement, flag-stones or hard brick.

Of sewerage, the city boasts at present of ten miles, while in paved (brick) streets it has an even six miles.

CITY WATER WORKS.

The following was written by Ben Douglas, in his 1878 county history, concerning the water-works system :

The first water works established in Wooster were constructed under a contract negotiated between the original proprietors of the town and the county commissioners, bearing date May 13, 1811. The conditions of the contract were that the county seat should be permanently located at Woos- ter, and among other specifications, it was agreed that the proprietors were to bring "water of the run, which at present runs through the town, in pipes of sound white oak timber of a proper size, well bored and laid, and raise the water ten feet above the surface of the center of the town."

The contract was complied with by the proprietors, and water was delivered to the town of Wooster, conducted through pipes, from 1815 to 1829. When the authorities of the town undertook to repair the pipes conveying the water one of the lot owners through whose premises the pipes were laid, prohibited them from so doing by an injunction of the court, and from that time no further attention or effort was made to sustain the enterprise.

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Subsequently the subject of supplying the city with water from springs of Mr. Reddick to the north of the city became a matter of grave con- sideration. May 14, 1874, G. Gow and John Brinkerhoff, civil engineers, gauged the stream and found it sufficient to protect the city against fire. The work being inaugurated, the reservoir was constructed under the super- vision of Mr. Gow, during the summer of 1875, by throwing a dam across the ravine immediately below the springs, thus raising the water to the depth of eighteen feet. No further labor was performed until the spring of 1876, when the works were commenced and conducted through the sum- mer of 1876, under the immediate supervision of John Brinkerhoff, civil engineer.

In the construction of the system the pipes used amounted to 3,980 feet of twelve-inch piping, 4,988 feet of ten-inch pipe, 6,432 feet of eight- inch pipe, 20,023 feet of six-inch pipe and 4,404 feet of four-inch pipe, in all 46,277 feet, or over eight miles.

The total cost of pipe and special castings was $36,390, the entire cost of the works being $76,256, and with later additions made it amount to $86,000. The surface of the water at the reservoirs is 128 feet above the public square. The water from eighty-eight fire plugs located on the line of the streets can be projected to various heights, ranging from forty to one hundred feet above the surface, by force of gravity alone. Gravity being the agent in the propulsion of the water, the expense of running it to the works was merely nominal. The supply of water is sufficient for all wants of the present city, and under improvements introduced by M. M. Smith, superintendent, during the summer of 1877. the water delivered in the city was as pure as spring water.

This system, with its additions and changes, served until, in 1907, the Applecreek pumping station was placed in operation, to the east of the city. Here two model gas engines pump the water from Applecreek. A brick pumping station is maintained there; the entire bonded indebtedness for this improvement to the water-works was nine thousand dollars. This supplies a great abundance of water for all fire and city street purposes, but is not of good enough quality to be used by the people for cooking purposes. The city is at this date (summer of 1909) making an experimental well north of town, with the view of obtaining a good supply of pure water, which the city badly needs.

WOOSTER GAS LIGHT COMPANY.

June 18, 1856, the village of Wooster passed an ordinance: "To pro- vide for gas in the incorporated village of Wooster," by which it provided

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that William Stephenson, of the city of Cleveland, and his associates, should use the streets, lanes, alleys and other public grounds of said village for the purpose of laying down and maintaining of their pipes for the con- veyance of gas in and through the same for the use of the village and the inhabitants thereof. The ordinance granted the right for a period of ten years, and restricted the company to three dollars per thousand cubic feet for gas to citizens, and two dollars for city, except lamp posts, three dollars, whilst the company owns the posts and lights and extinguishes them.

June 20, 1856, J. H. Kauke, J. H. Baumgardner, Isaac N. Jones, D. Robison, Jr., H. R. Harrison, John P. Jeffries and C. C. Parsons, Sr., duly incorporated, under the laws of Ohio the Wooster Gas Light Company, with a perpetual charter, and said company was duly organized January 14, 1857, by electing J. H. Kauke, Daniel Black, J. H. Baumgardner, I. N. Jones and J. P. Winebrenner directors, and by-laws were enacted for its government. The capital stock was twenty thousand dollars, divided into eight hundred shares of twenty-five dollars each. The gas works were erected in 1856 and 1857, and the village of Wooster was lighted with artificial gas in February, 1857, there being then one hundred and five consumers and twenty street lamps. In 1859 the capital stock was in- creased to twenty-three thousand seven hundred dollars. The demand for gas was so great that in 1864 the company pulled down the old arches or ovens and erected larger ones, and greatly increased the gas-producing ca- pacity of the plant.

In 1867 the company extended the pipes and increased the capital to thirty thousand dollars. In 1871 the old works becoming entirely too small to supply the demand, the directors resolved to erect a new plant. They purchased the old oil well on East Henry street, from the heirs of William Henry, and four lots adjoining from E. Quinby. Jr., giving them a frontage on Henry street of three hundred and ten feet, on which they erected new gas works with all modern improvements then known and of sufficient capacity to supply a city of fifteen thousand population.

This gas company thrived well until about the date that natural gas was first introduced in Wooster in 1905, when it was soon abandoned.

ELECTRIC LIGHT PLANT.

The first ordinance looking toward the establishment of electric lights in the city of Wooster was dated March 5, 1886, and was granted to the Schuyler Electric Lighting Company of New York city. It has always

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been conducted by private corporations and in later days was reorganized, and recently a central heating (hot water) plant was connected therewith. The stock is largely held abroad. The heating plant will furnish heat to residences and public buildings at the lowest possible cost to consumers, and guarantees to give any desired temperature in rooms, by use of an automatic device. The cost is little or no more than the ordinary methods of heating houses.

The city has the advantage of using either artificial gas, electricity, natural gas (which was first piped to the city from Knox county in 1905), or the less expensive methods employed by using gasoline or kerosene oil.

WOOSTER POSTOFFICE.

The first postoffice established in the county of Wayne was at the point where Wooster now stands. The date was December 8, 1812, when Thomas G. Jones was appointed postmaster. Just where the office was kept is not certain, but likely at the log residence of the postmaster, who was also the first Baptist minister and conducted a small general store. Following him came : John Patton, commissioned November 20, 1818; Ezra Dean, April 14, 1829; Bezaleel L. Crawford, March 26, 1841; Jacob M. Cooper, July 22, 1845; Thomas T. Eckert, April 26, 1849 ; George W. Allison, November 24, 1852 ; Jacob A. Marchand, November 17, 1853; reappointed April 2, 1856; James Johnson, January 10, 1860; Enos Foreman, April 17, 1861 ; re-ap- pointed March 17, 1865 ; Reason B. Spink, November 13, 1866; Addison S. McClure, April 19. 1867; re-appointed March 28, 1871, and also March 10, 1875; P. C. Given was next postmaster and served until L. P. Oblinger was appointed and he in turn was succeeded by the following postmasters: Sam- uel Metzler, John F. Marchand, T. L. Flattery and the present postmaster, W. B. Bryson.

The postoffice took its present quarters in 1892, having been moved from the Frick Memorial building on West Liberty street.

The first rural free delivery route was started out from this city April 1, 1899, and it has been increased in number to eleven routes with a total mileage of two hundred and sixty-six miles. Wooster first had free delivery carriers in the city July 1, 1887, and at this time has six city carriers. The number of mails received daily by mail trains is twelve.

WOOSTER BOARD OF TRADE.

There have been various organizations for the development and further commercial and industrial improvement of the city of Wooster, but that which took on the most important and tangible form was the Board of Trade,

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organized August 3, 1900, and which was duly incorporated under the laws of the state of Ohio December 14, 1908. This organization has been instru- mental in obtaining several additions to the city's industries and is still energetic in working for more. It now enjoys a membership of almost three hundred representative citizens. Its 1909 officers are: President, Walter D. Foss; first vice-president, John C. Schultz; second vice-president, M. M. Van Nest; secretary, Albert Dix; treasurer, Chas. M. Gray; directors : Nick Amster, Wm. Annat, W. R. Barnhart. W. G. Christy, Albert Dix, Walter D. Foss, H. Freedlander, G. Gerstenslager, Chas. M. Gray, E. S. Landes, J. C. Schultz, Geo. J. Schwartz, E. W. Thompson, M. M. Van Nest, John M. Criley.

It has committees appointed to look after the following matters: Pub- lic improvements, railroads and transportation, new enterprises and indus- tries, finance and location of office, local mercantile interests, real estate and insurance, statistics and advertising, legislation, produce and grain, manu- factures, membership, lumber and coal, taxation, streets and pavements.

WOOSTER PUBLIC LIBRARY.

The early-day library was a small affair and was carried on by the efforts of a few of the more thoughtful and educated citizens who saw the need of such a place in the city. Soon after the beginning of this decade the matter of further increasing Wooster's library facilities was advocated, and as a result the old library association was re-organized as a city institution in fact, and a new board of officers elected. In 1905 the present beautiful brick library, on the corner of Quinby and Bowman streets, was completed and first occupied. It cost, grounds and building, thirty thousand dollars, of which amount the philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie, donated fifteen thousand, with the provision that the city of Wooster was to annually raise the sum of one thousand five hundred to be used for maintenance of the same. It is a modern structure, having two stories, the upper one being used for museum purposes, and in which they are now already many rare specimens and articles of interest. The library also has in connection with it a fine reading room de- partment. The present year's report shows the number of volumes in the library to be five thousand, to which are being made frequent additions. The board of trustees is: James Mullins, president; A. D. Metz, vice-president and treasurer ; James Schamp, secretary ; Frank W. Miller, John McSweeney, D. L. Thompson, Rev. Frank Heilman.

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OLD MARKET-HOUSE DESTROYED BY A MOB.

The first market-house Wooster had, and the last as well, was built in 1833 on the southwest side of the public square, under direction of the town council, of which Thomas Wilson was the president and J. H. Harris, re- corder. The building was about forty by seventy-five feet in dimension, one story high, paved with brick, with ceilings arched and plastered. It was supported by fourteen columns of brick-work about two feet square, twelve feet high, firmly set on stone corners, eight to ten feet apart, between which the stalls were situated and each numbered.

It was not many years before the men doing business near the square declared this market a nuisance that ought to be abated: but the town author- ities refused to remove it. As a result it narrowly escaped "purification as by fire" at the hands of an incendiary. Finally, on August 9, 1847, a number of men, disguised beyond recognition, went at night time and, assembling about the building, armed with axes, hooks, ropes and tackle, and a horse strong in pulling qualities, they pulled down the offensive building, which at daylight lay a heap of smouldering embers. The destroyers were termed a "mob" and excitement ran high for a time. The mayor offered a reward for the detection of the vandals who had profaned the "temple of mutton and soup bones," but without resulting in anybody being arrested ; yet many of the "culprits" were well known, but praised for their public improvement spirit. Perhaps some are still honored residents of Wooster-at least a num- ber were living a few years since. This was the first and last market-house Wooster has ever had.

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History of Wayne County, Ohio, Volume I, Part 41

Author: Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F. Bowen Number of Pages: 1162

Author:
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1162