USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > History of the Cuyahoga County soldiers' and sailors' monument > Part 3
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"Captain Bolin offered the following resolution, which was adopted :
" That the Secretary of this Commission be instructed to inform the County Commissioners of Cuyahoga County of the fact that the Monumental Commission of Cuyahoga County, created by act of General Assembly of the State of Ohio, passed April 16th, ISSS, has been duly organized in accordance with the provisions of that act ; that the Monument Commission respectfully desires the County Commissioners to advise, as early as possible, the Monument Com- mission of the exact amount of funds now in the hands of the County Treasurer to the credit of the Cuyahoga County Soldiers' Monument, and that the Monument Commission requests the
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HISTORY OF THE CUYAHOGA COUNTY
County Commissioners to deposit said funds to the credit of said Monumental Commission, on interest, as required by said act, at their earliest convenience.
" After a great deal of discussion, the following reso- lution by E. H. Bohin was adopted :
" Resolved, That Commissioner Levi T. Scofield be requested to present to this Commission, at his earliest convenience, his develop- ment of the suggestions heretofore made as to plan and model of the proposed Cuyahoga County Soldiers' Monument, without cost to the Commission.
"The Commission then adjourned to meet at the call of the Chairman. The meeting was a long one, and much enthusiasm was displayed."
The Monument Commission, having its duties clearly defined, proceeded to systematic work. Recognizing their rights and responsibilities under the law creating them, they nevertheless desired to work in harmony with the City authorities. Agreeable thereto they made a written request to the Honorable City Council of the City of Cleveland, asking consent from that body, as representing the City, to locate the Monument on the site selected by them, viz., the southeast section of the Public Square. On June 29th, 1888, the records show that the following resolution was introduced in the City Council :
"By MR. ROBERT S. AVERY :
"WHEREAS, The Monument Commission of Cuyahoga County, authorized by the General Assembly of the State to have full charge of the erection of a Monument commemorative of the Soldiers and Sailors of Cuyahoga County, have selected in accordance with the provisions of the law the southeast section of the Public Square as a suitable site for such Monument ; therefore, be it
" Resolved, That the consent of the Common Council of the City of Cleveland be and it is. hereby granted to such Commission to erect such Monument on the site so selected."
The resolution was adopted without a dissenting voice. The Common Council was composed of the members of the Council and Board of Aldermen, and
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their combined action was highly pleasing and satis- factory to the Commission.
Following this consent the Commission asked and received permission from the Board of Improvements of the City to occupy a portion of the ground in the rear of the City Hall, on which to erect a studio, wherein might be commenced the practical work of the Monument. The Commission were largely encouraged and aided in their preliminary work by Hon. Brenton D. Babcock, then Mayor of the city. The studio was promptly built, and, immediately thereafter, artists, sculptors and modelers were employed. The grand undertaking of the Commission, this auspiciously be- gun, was prosecuted with vigor.
At the reunion of Cuyahoga County Soldiers and Sailors, held in 1889, the Secretary rendered a report of the work performed by the Commission up to that time. At this reunion the President demonstrated the neces- sity of providing more funds for the Monument. A resolution was unanimously adopted approving his recommendation. Agreeable thereto, one of the first bills introduced in the Ohio Legislature, at its session in January, 1890, was the following by Representative and Comrade W. D. Pudney, through whose zeal and influence it was at once made into law :
" [ House Bill No. 87.] "AN ACT
"To amend section one of au aet entitled, 'An act to authorize the County Commissioners of Cuyahoga County to build a Monu- ment or a Memorial Tablet commemorative of the deceased Sol- diers and Sailors of said County, and to purchase a site therefor,' passed April 20, 1880 (vol. 77, p. 368), as amended Feb. 4th, 1881 (vol. 78, p. 316), as amended April 22d, 1885 (vol. S2, p. 368).
" SECTION I. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, That section one of an act entitled, 'An act to authorize the County Commissioners of Cuyahoga County to build a Monument or Memorial Tablet commemorative of the deceased Soldiers and
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HISTORY OF THE CUYAHOGA COUNTY
Sailors of said County, and to purchase a site therefor,' passed April 2d, 18So (vol. 77, p. 368), as amended February 4th, 18SI (vol. 78, p. 316), as amended April 22d, 1885 (vol. 82, p. 368), be so amended as to read as follows :
"Sec. I. That the County Commissioners of Cuyahoga County be and they are hereby authorized to levy a tax upon all the taxable property of said County, not exceeding three-tenths of one mill on the dollar of the valuation of said property, in addition to any tax heretofore levied under said act, not more than one-third of which shall be levied and collected annually, for the purpose of erecting a suitable structure commemorative of the services, patriotism and valor of the Soldiers and Sailors of the Union Army and Navy in the War of the Rebellion, who enlisted from Cuyahoga County and either were killed, died of wounds or disease contracted in said service, or subsequently died residents of said County, and to pur- chase a suitable site therefor; and the funds heretofore collected under said act shall be applied, together with that raised under and pursuant to this act, to the purpose aforesaid.
"SECTION 2. That said section one (1), as amended April 22d, ISS5, is hereby repealed.
" SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.
" NIAL R. HYSELL,
" Speaker of the House of Representatives. "ELBERT L. LAMPSON,
"President of the Senate.
" Passed January 30th, 1890."
VI.
D URING the Spring and Summer of 1890, the Executive Committee held several meetings, approving bills and carefully watching the progress of the work. Artists, models and modelers were con- tinually employed. When the result of their work was ready, bids for casting it into bronze were advertised for. Proposals were received from the best known bronze companies in New York, Massachusetts, Penn- sylvania and Illinois, and contracts were let, at satis- factory figures.
In the meantime, the great task of obtaining the name, regiment, company and rank of each and all of the Soldiers and Sailors of Cuyahoga County during the War was going steadily forward. This was the solid foundation on which was to be erected the splendid Memorial that would hand down to future generations the names of the boys in blue who represented our county in the long and trying days when the union of our States was endeavored to be sundered by foes from within, encouraged and aided by hereditary foes in other lands. The names were to be chiseled on endur- ing marble, suitably arranged around the walls of the Memorial building, and surrounded by emblematic scenes and actual incidents that occurred while the boys of '61 to '65 were engaged in the patriotic work of doing their share to protect the Constitution, pre- serve the Union, and make our people what by right they should be, in fact as well as in name-free, equal, and united.
In the Winter of 1888, Mrs. Levi T. Scofield compiled
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HISTORY OF THE CUYAHOGA COUNTY
a preliminary list of names, carefully going over all of the records available at that time. There was no printed roster in the State of Comrades who had enlisted in the first three months' service, the Regulars, the Navy, or of those who were temporarily absent from the county and volunteered from other States. She procured and arranged about six thousand names. The compilation comprised a large amount of intelli- gent, painstaking work, which was cheerfully and . gratuitously done. It served a very useful purpose, ten thousand copies of it being printed in pamphlet form and circulated throughout the Grand Army Posts of the County, State and Nation. It was thus an indispensable medium for obtaining as nearly a correct record of the Soldiers and Sailors of our county as has been possible. The pamphlets were issued on May 15th, 1889, and corrections and additions to same were held open till May 15th, 1891. The revision of the roster was performed by the President and Secretary, pursuant to a resolution of the Commission. Their work entailed a large volume of correspondence, run- ning along through two years, five thousand letters and requests being freely answered. More than six thou- sand corrections, erasures and additions were made. There may possibly be a few errors in the spelling of names, or in omissions, but the Roll of Honor of the Cuyahoga County Soldiers and Sailors is as nearly perfect as the Commission have been able to make it, with the information at hand. Every surviving Com- rade in Cuyahoga County, and the relatives and friends of dead or living Comrades, have had ample opportunity and time for furnishing names and making proper cor- rections. If any errors or omissions still exist, it is certainly not through any lack of perseverance, zeal or industry on the part of the Commission.
In a large number of instances, Comrades served at
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different times with different commands. It has been the intention of the Commission, however, that in the Roll of Honor, and on the marble slabs in the Mont- ment, each Comrade's name appear but once. His name is recorded with the command, and given the proper rank in said command that he is entitled to, for which he or his family have expressed a preference. A careful reading of the names will demonstrate that nearly every one of the old families in Cleveland and the townships in Cuyahoga County had one or more representatives in the Civil War. To illustrate: The population of Cuyahoga County from 1861 to 1865 was about 60,000. Tlie Roll of Honor contains, by actual count, nearly nine thousand names, representing the Infantry, Artillery, Cavalry, and Naval branches of service, also staff appointments, and the Women's Aid Society. This extraordinarily large list of volunteers strongly exhibits the universal spirit of loyalty and patriotism that pervaded the people of our County in the dark and trying days of the Rebellion. The Roll of Honor, as it appears in the Memorial room of the Monument, will be found in an appropriate place in this volume.
As soon as the obtaining of the names was com- pleted, and the additions made and errors corrected, a contract was entered into to place them on marble tablets. The contract was finished and delivered in the latter part of 1891.
The bronze groups were completed, as was also thie material for the granite shaft, and the time for com- mencing the erection of the inain structure had arrived. In order to proceed in a dignified and business-like manner, and to prevent any further vacillating delay on the part of the Park Commissioners, the Commission ordered the following communication to be sent them :
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HISTORY OF THE CUYAHOGA COUNTY
" HEADQUARTERS CUYAHOGA COUNTY -
" SOLDIERS' AND SAILORS' MONUMENT COMMISSION, " ROOM 20, CITY HALL, "CLEVELAND, O., SEPTEMBER Ist, 1890.
"To the Honorable, the Board of Park Commissioners of Cleve- land, O.
"GENTLEMEN :- Pursuant to an act of the Legislature of Ohio, and the request of this Commission, the Common Council of Cleve- land has set apart the southeast section of the Public Square of Cleveland as a site for the Cuyahoga County Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument.
"As the Commission expects to break ground on the selected site on or before the Ist day of March, 1891, your Honorable Board is respectfully requested to remove the statue of Commodore Perry, and other things of use or ornament now occupying said site, to enable the Commission to begin work by the above mentioned date.
"Very respectfully,
" THE CUYAHOGA COUNTY SOLDIERS' AND SAILORS' MONUMENT COMMISSION, "W'M. J. GLEASON, President. "LEVI F. BAUDER, Secretary."
This letter not being immediately answered, all amended communication was transmitted, in which the word "demanded" was substituted for the word "requested," as the law technically required. The only result accomplished was the repeatedly expressed wish of the Park Commissioners "that the Commission would take and occupy either of the three other sec- tions of the Public Square as a suitable site." Each of said sections being of exactly similar dimensions, the Commission could not see the sense or propriety of giving up what the law entitled them to, and what was considered by them to be by far the most desirable site.
Then the Park Commissioners made a novel and purely original proposition : In the sweet bye and bye -very remote bye and bye-they would provide a grand boulevard to encircle the city. On said proposed boulevard they would locate a system of small parks. On one of said parks, to be established at the corner of
Copyright by the Sculptor, 1890.
BRONZE ARTILLERY GROUP, "AT SHORT RANGE."
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SOLDIERS' AND SAILORS' MONUMENT.
Woodland Avenue and Woodland Hills Avenue, to con- tain fifteen acres, they would set aside a plat for the Soldiers' Monument ! Happy thought ! Great heads had these Park Commissioners! Their generous offer was promptly declined, without thanks.
Following along in rapid succession, the schemes of the different street railroad corporations began to unfold. The East Cleveland Company, through its attorney and stockholders, argued for Wade Park; the West Side Company for the abandoned sand hill known formerly as the Water Works Reservoir; the South Side Company for the "old camp ground," Pelton Park; the Superior Street Company for Payne's Com- mons. Still, they all pretended to be disinterested; but the Commission knew their schemes, and baffled them. The street railroad corporations gained possession of all of the leading streets in the city, without the payment of a dollar for the privilege; but they could not, and did not, gobble the best site left in the county for the Monument. Neither did they succeed in establishing the location of the Monument, so that all who visited it would be compelled to pay them tribute.
From April, 1889, to April, 1891, Hon. George W. Gardner was Mayor of the city. During his administra- tion, he aided the Commission in every way possible, frequently visiting the artists' studio, and commending the work accomplished. Mayor Gardner, like his predecessor, Mayor Babcock, was an old and respected resident of the city; lience he took an active and per- sonal interest in the Soldiers' Memorial that was destined to beautify and render attractive and historic his old home. We very much regret that we cannot truthfully compliment his successor in the same manner.
Work was continually progressing on the Monument. To carry out the elaborate scale on which it was to be
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HISTORY OF THE CUYAHOGA COUNTY
erected, more funds were required. On request of the Commission, Comrade and Representative W. D. Pudney introduced the following bill in the Ohio Legislature, early in the session of 1891. His col- leagues generously co-operated with him in securing its passage into law:
"[House Bill No. 1609.] "AN ACT
"Supplementary and amendatory to an act to amend section one of an act entitled, 'An act to authorize the County Commissioners of Cuyahoga County to build a Monument or a Memorial Tablet commemorative of the deceased Soldiers and Sailors of said County, and to purchase a site therefor,' passed April 2nd, 1880 (vol. 77, p. 368), as amended February 4th, 1881 (vol. 78, p. 316), as amended April 22nd, 1885 (vol. 82, p. 368), as amended April 16th, 1888 (vol. 85, p. 564), as amended January 30th, 1890 (vol. 87, p. 391), be so supplemented and amended as to read as follows :
"SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, That section one of an act entitled 'An act to authorize the County Commissioners of Cuyahoga County to build a Monument or Memorial tablet, commemorative of the deceased Soldiers and Sailors of said County, and to purchase a site therefor,' passed April 211d, 1880 (vol. 77, p. 368), as amended February 4tlı, ISSI (vol. 78, p. 316), as amended April 22nd, 1885 (vol. 82, p. 368), as amended April 16th, 1888 (vol. 85, p. 564), as amended January 30th, 1890 (vol. 87, p. 391), be so supplemented and amended as to read as follows :
"Sec. 1. That the County Commissioners of Cuyahoga County be and they are hereby authorized to levy a tax upon all the taxable property of said County, not exceeding six-tenths of a mill on the dollar of the valuation of said property in addition to any tax here- tofore levied under said acts, to be levied and collected as follows : For the year 1891, one-tenth of a mill; for the year 1892, one-tenth of a miill; for the year 1893, two-tenths of a mill ; for the year 1894, two-tenths of a mill ; which amounts shall be levied and collected annually, as aforesaid, for the purpose of erecting a suitable struct- ure commemorative of the services, patriotismi and valor of the Soldiers and Sailors of the Union Army and Navy in the War of the Rebellion, who enlisted from Cuyahoga County, and either were killed, died of wounds or disease contracted in said service, or sub- sequently died residents of said County, and to purchase a suitable site therefor; and the funds heretofore collected under said act
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SOLDIERS' AND SAILORS' MONUMENT.
shall be applied, together with that raised under and pursuant to this act, to the purpose aforesaid.
"SECTION 2. That, for the purpose of anticipating the collection of said tax, the County Commissioners of said County be and are hereby authorized and directed to issue bonds or notes, payable at such times and in such amounts as will be, as near as practicable, equal to the annual or semi-annual collection of taxes levied for that purpose, which bonds or notes shall bear interest at a rate not to exceed six per cent. per annum, which bonds or notes may be de- livered to the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument Commission of said County, to be sold by them, or by the said County Commissioners, for money, at not less than their par value, but none of said bonds shall run more than five years from their date.
"SECTION 3. That as soon as said bonds or notes shall be con- verted into money, as provided for in Section 2, in this act, the same shall be placed at the disposal of said Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument Commission, as is now provided for by the several acts to which this act is supplementary and amendatory.
"SECTION 4. That said Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument Com- mission be and they are hereby authorized to direct the County Commissioners of said County to supply the said Monument with steam heat and lights from the County Court House.
"SECTION 5. This act shall take effect on its passage.
"NIAL R HYSELL, "Speaker of the House of Representatives.
" PERRY M. ADAMS, " President pro tem. of the Senate. "Passed April 2, 1891."
The enactment of the foregoing law rendered the speedy completion of the Monument a certainty, pro- vided the few recently developed intermeddlers and interested parties would cease their senseless, unlawful opposition. But, unfortunately for the taxpayers of the county and for the Commission, such was not to be the case.
VII.
W HILE in the height of the controversy, a few ward politicians succeeded, through the not uncommon accident of indifference and lack of interest on the part of the majority of good citizens, in electing to the Council a misguided opponent of the Monument site already granted by statute and confirmned by a former Council. This new member signalized his advent by introducing at the first meeting of the new Council, held on April 7, 1891, the following resolution :
"That the resolution passed by the Common Council of the City of Cleveland, June 20, ISSS, giving consent to the Board of Monu- ment Commissioners to erect a Monument ou the southeast side of the Public Square, be and the same is hereby rescinded."
The author of the resolution supported it by his maiden speech, in the delivery of which he felt encour- aged by the audible smiles on the countenances of all the members. A few remarks were made by others, touching the status of the whole matter and the impropriety of the resolution. On a vote, there being forty members of the Council, it was practically unanimously rejected, the only member voting in its favor being the introducer. Thus again was the voice of the representatives of the citizens of Cleveland emphatically pronounced in favor of the laws of the State, and in approval of the work of the Commission.
Agreeable to the communication sent to the Park Commissioners on Sept. Ist, 1890, "that ground would be broken on the selected site in March, 1891," a load of lumber was procured and conveyed to the southeast section of the Public Square, said lumber being
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intended for a fence, preparatory to proceeding with the erection of the structure. This event took place on April 10th, 1891. Commissioners Scofield and Hayr had charge of the lumber, and proceeded to unload it on the ground where its use was intended. When they commenced the work, for which they volunteered, they were peremptorily ordered to discontinue by the park policeman. On failure to stop, he informed them that he had orders from the Park Commissioners to place them under arrest. Our representatives continued their work, whereupon the park policeman rang up the patrol wagon, and Commissioners Hayr and Scofield were given an unwilling ride to the Police Station. Thus was the first gun in the municipal war of the rebellion against the statutes of Ohio, supplemented by the action of two City Councils, fired off by the Park Commissioners. We quote this overt act from The World of April 10th, 1891 :
"The Soldiers' Monument Commission fighit started in real earnest Friday morning, but it looks as though the Park Commissioners had made a bad bull of their case at the outset.
"Late Thursday evening, an order was sent to Woods, Jenks & Co., lumber dealers, by James Hayr, one of the Commission, to send a load of palings and posts to Con- tractor Slatmeyer's office on Bright street, Friday morn- ing. At 9 A. M., the teamster drove up with his load and was met by Commissioner Hayr. He ordered the driver to proceed to the Public Square, where Architect Levi T. Scofield joined the procession.
"Hayr and Scofield held a consultation and decided that the best place to start building the fence which will surround the new Monument would be at a point south of Perry's Momument. Accordingly, Scofield seized the horses by the bits and led them over the sidewalk and upon the grass.
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HISTORY OF THE CUYAHOGA COUNTY
"Just at this point, Park Policeman Terry Boylan appeared on the scene and said :
"'Gentlemen, I am instructed to arrest anybody who attempts to unload lumber in the Square.'
"Architect Scofield drew out his commission as a member of the Monument Commission and read it from top to bottom. Boylan still remonstrated, but Scofield and Hayr mounted the wagon and began throwing off logs. Boylan reached up and grasped Hayr by the arm, but that individual jerked away from him and kept on working. Boylan hesitated, and then going over to the other end of the wagon he repeated the same act 011 Scofield.
" The park policeman didn't know what to do, but in a few minutes he disappeared. The load was getting smaller all the time and Hayr descended to the ground. Boylan again hove in view, and placing his hand upon Hayr's shoulder, placed him under arrest.
"Scofield stopped work and the officer also grasped him by the arm. All this time the latter was protest- ing that he was a State Officer, and was engaged in the performance of his duty, under the law.
" Hayr jerked away before the corner of Ontario Street was reached and walked over to the point where the teamster was standing. Just at this time there was a clanging of bells and the police patrol drove up.
"Sergeant Denzer and Patrolman Walker demanded the cause of the trouble. Boylan told them and Denzer explained to Scofield and Hayr that he would be obliged to take them to the Central Station.
"Scofield didn't relish the idea at all, and said that he would rather walk down. Hayr didn't care, and after a moment's hesitation, both stepped into the wagon and were driven to the Central.
"At the Police Station, Architect Scofield braced up to Lieut. Burns' desk and protested against his arrest.
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"'I want this officer taken in charge for assault and battery upon Mr. Hayr and myself. In the per- formance of our duty as State Officers he laid hands upon 115.'
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