History of the Fire lands, comprising Huron and Erie Counties, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of the prominent men and pioneers, Part 102

Author: Williams, W. W. (William W.)
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : Press of Leader Printing Company
Number of Pages: 726

USA > Ohio > Erie County > History of the Fire lands, comprising Huron and Erie Counties, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of the prominent men and pioneers > Part 102
USA > Ohio > Huron County > History of the Fire lands, comprising Huron and Erie Counties, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of the prominent men and pioneers > Part 102

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Some years since, a very large, substantial frame building was built in the southwest part of the city, near the railroad depot, adjoining the track of the Lake Shore railroad, and all necessary machinery and other fixtures of every description required for the manufacture of steel, rails, etc., known as the Liliken Steel Works. All the work is of the most substantial and durable character. Liliken steel rails were made for some time, but in 1873-4 the works were sus- pended, and are still idle. The works were put up by a company from the State of New York.

It may be proper here to state, that the city, within a few years past, constructed works to supply the whole city with water. The water is taken from the bay into a stand pipe, by a powerful engine, located in the eastern part of the city, at a cost of between three hundred thousand and four hundred thousand dollars. They are regarded as the best works of the kind in the State, perhaps in the country.

BANKS.

There have been five banks in the city; three still exist. The first was established in 1834. William Townsend was the first president, Robert Whitney the first cashier. The majority of the stock was owned in the city of New York and in Albany, New York. Those in the city of New York were agents there of the bank. The institution did a large and successful business for some years. The second presi- dent was Oran Follett: second cashier, W. W. Weth- erell. Finally, Mr. Dan. Higgins, one of the stock- holders and directors, secured the proxies of the foreign stockholders, and officered and managed the bank to please himself. At the same time, his indebtedness to the bank largely exceeded the amount of his stock. Some of the stockholders and officers of the bank, knowing Mr. Higgins well, and his connection with the bank, expected a failure under his management, and sold their stock, resigned their offices and retired from all connection with the institution. The failure soon followed.

The second bank was known as the City Bank of Sandusky. S. W. Torry was the first president. - Flint, cashier. Mr. Torry failed and retired. The concern finally fell into the hands of a Mr. Robinson, then manager of the Sandusky, Mansfield and New- ark railroad, and the late John G. Camp, Jr. Under their management a failure soon followed.

Immediately after the present system of national banking was authorized, Mr. A. H. Moss and others

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HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.

started the First National bank of Sandusky; and L. S. Hubbard and others originated the Second National bank. A few years since Mr. L. Cable and his asso- ciates established the Third National bank. The most of the stock of this bank is owned by Germans. These banks are still in successful business, and are sound beyond all reasonable question. L. S. Hub- bard deceased a few years since and was succeeded by his brother, R. B. Hubbard.

COMMERCE AND TRAVEL.

From the first settlement of Portland, succeeded by Sandusky City, an active commerce opened with other lake ports, and more especially with Detroit. The territory of Michigan was then first settling, and so large and rapid was the immigration into that re- gion that its products fell far short of the home de- mand. That, for a time, was the principal, if not the only, market for the surplus products of Northern Ohio. Small crafts soon began daily trips to Detroit. The two first schooners engaged in this service were built in the east: one at Schenectady ("The Fire- fly"), and the other at Saybrook, Connecticut, ("The Sylph"), both of thirty or forty tons. Each was taken up the Mohawk to Rome, thenee through a two mile canal into Wood creek, through Oneida lake and down Oswego river to the falls (now Fulton), from which they were transported to Lake Ontario, up that lake and Niagara river to the falls, drawn around the falls, and then up the river and Lake Erie to Sandusky bay. In early times merchandise and goods followed the same route. For several years so constant and pressing were the demands for provisions in the territory that, in the winter, when the ice was of sufficient strength, sleighs often passed up the lake and river to Detroit from Sandusky. One heavy mer- cantile firm of Detroit (Levi Cook & Brother) estab- lished a branch at Sandusky, which was continued for several years.

This early trade, with concurrent causes, directed the travel to this point when bound to the interior of this State, to the south and to Washington City. The entrance to the bay, by nature, was open to crafts of all sizes on the lake. This travel became so large, constant and increasing, that the first tavern keeper, Cyrus W. Marsh, in the spring of 1822, put on a line of public conveyances from Sandusky through Milan, Norwalk and Mansfield to Delaware, ,where it con- nected with a line to Columbus, south, east and west. Constant Barney, of Monroeville, was for a time as- sociated with Mr. Marsh. It will be remembered that at this period the whole country was new and the roads much in a state of nature. There was little or no travel by wheels. All was done upon horses. The condition of the country and the state of the roads are plainly indicated in the advertisement of the new stage line, the only one from Northern Ohio to the south, found in the Sandusky Clarion, volume one, number fifteen, July 31, 1822. This first stage line carried the United States mails southward once a

week, and is described as follows: " Leave Portland [then often so called] each Monday, 8 a. m., arrive in Mansfield Tuesday, 4 p. m., Delaware, Thursday, 10 a. m., where it will meet the stage from the south which will convey passengers to Columbus the same evening. Returning: Leave Delaware Thursday, 2 p. m., reach Mansfield Friday, 10 a. m., and Portland Sunday, 11 a. m." The plucky proprietors, full of hope of growth and success, continued: "Being an infant establishment, and fostered only by an infant patronage, the subscribers have chosen to consult rather the strength and efficiency of their carriages than their elegance or beanty. As the country grows older, and the patronage increases, they pledge them- selves to improve both in the expedition of traveling and the style of their establishment." The writer takes pleasure in bearing testimony to the fair fulfill- ment of this pledge to improvements. The sound of the tin horn at "11 a.m. Sunday" is still ringing in his ears.

The travel did increase considerably from year to year, but not very largely till the completion of the New York canal in 1825-6. The travel, as well as commerce, did very materially increase from that noted event. The travel through to Cincinnati and south then became so wonderfully stimulated that the proprietors of other principal hotels in Sandusky, Colonel A. Root and others at Urbana and along the line, about 1826-6, put on a line of stages from San- dusky, through Lower Sandusky (now Fremont), Tiffin, Urbana and to Springfield, connecting there with the line from Columbus to Cincinnati. This was through a still more newly settled region and un- improved roads. It was nevertheless kept up for several years, till the travel and business were diverted to a different point and a more easy mode of travel.

MERCHANDISE, ETC.

The transportation of merchandise to the interior of the State and sonth did not increase very largely till the opening of the New York canal. From that date the increase was very marked. Sandusky was then the only point on the southern shore of the lake at which merchandise and property for the interior and south, was, or could be landed. So manifest was this sudden influx of freight for Cincinnati, and further south, that two business men of that eity, Gill & Gregory, came to Sandusky at once, put up the large stone block on the corner of Water street and Jackson street slip, built a dock, and did a large share of the forwarding business. The condition of busi- ness in Sandusky in 1828 is well set forth by a corre- spondent in the city, in an article published in Kil- bourn's Ohio Gazetteer, published in 1829. Having described the situation of the town, he proceeds:

"In the town are seven common mercantile stores, a drug store, a printing office, besides the usual me- chanics, good publie houses, etc. Here is also a ship yard where ship-building is carried on to a consider- able extent. Also, an extensive rope walk. Here,

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HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.

also, are eight or nine wharves, alongside of which steamboats and other vessels, navigating the lake, load and unload, as this is the great point of landing and embarkation between the Mississippi country and the State of New York; and as the several steamboats navigating Lake Erie between Buffalo and Detroit, regularly stop here to land and receive passengers; and also, as it has the best harbor on the southern shore of Lake Erie between Buffalo and Detroit, it has become a town of considerable importance. By a statement in the newspaper printed here, it appears there were four hundred and thirty-nine arrivals of vessels at this port during the year 1828; and during the same period one thousand six hundred and twenty-three large wagons averaging a ton each, were loaded by the commission merchants here, with dry goods and groceries, for merchants in the interior of Ohio, for Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkanas and Missouri."

The writer fully indorses the substantial accuracy of this statement in the Gazetteer, and adds several particulars.

1. During all this time, Sandusky Bay and the entrance into it were wholly in their natural condi- tion. Not a dollar had been expended for their im- provement; while the mouths of the rivers, for most part of the time in the business season, were closed up by sand bars, which, at times, were so high and compact that loaded wagons often passed across them.

2. The writer remembers to have frequently seen boxes of goods, marked for different places in the interior, and southern portions of this State, and the several States mentioned by the correspondent of the Gazetteer.

3. Scores of large, wide-tyre wagons, with four to six horse teams to each, arranged for the night on the public parks and vacant lots around the parks.

4. The ship yard referred to was first established by Capt. William Jones, from Black River, with his sons. He built several large schooners and steam- boats. He continued the business until the Ohio canal was so far completed, and the mouth of the Cuyahoga river, so much improved that Cleveland became the point of landing goods, designed for the interior and the south, when Captain Jones left Sandusky, and carried on the same business in Cleve- land. Ship building has nevertheless been carried on at Sandusky, more or less, by Captain Dibble, Stewart Bell, Captain Monk and others. The travel to and through Sandusky has been largely increased by the attractions in the islands in Lake Erie, and the pen- insula on main land, as places of summer resort for health, and for holding religious meetings and con- ventions of various kinds. These health and pleas- nre seekers began, many years ago, to visit the is- lands. Mr. Kelley first built a house of entertain- ment to meet this demand. But the tide set so rapidly to Put-in-Bay Island, that the enterprising hotel keeper, Mr. West, soon constructed a large commodious public house on that island. . To him,

doubtless, belongs the credit, more than to any other one man of attracting large companies of visitors. He took the lead, and others followed. Mr. West now keeps the Junction hotel at the Shelby Junction, the Put-in-Bay house having been burned down, and not yet re-built, though the Beebe house is still in blast, and accommodations are extensive. The de- lightfully fitted up, of what is called " Lake Side," on the peninsula, also attracts large parties for pleas- ure and health, but this is used mostly for holding religious and Sabbath school assemblages.

GROWTH AND POPULATION.

The growth of the place, in wealth and population, has not been rapid, but generally quite slow, yet con- stant. This is really unaccountable, in view of its many superior natural advantages; but the cause is easily explained. It is attributable mainly to a single and notable occurrence, which constitutes a very im- portant part of the historical record of the city.

Sandusky City, as already stated, is located on the south shore of Sandusky bay, on ground gradually rising from the shore to the distance of sixty to sev- enty rods, to the central parks, where the ground is level for some distance, and then very slightly descends to the south and east, without a single obstruction to the opening of streets, or the erection of buildings, to any desirable distance, even beyond the enlarged bounds of the city. The bay is eighteen miles in length, furnishing ample room for the safe and con- venient anchorage of all the water craft that could ever be required for commercial and naval purposes, at the same time, without being crowded; with easy en- trance and egress from and to the lake, and also afford- ing space for cheap and convenient wharfage for a distance of three to four miles, and even further, if needed. There was no other natural harbor within the State, on the shore of the lake. It had no possi- ble natural rival.

Had all these natural advantages, and facilities for all branches of business remained- as nature left them, Sandusky, beyond all question, would have been at this day, equal at least in population and business to those of Cleveland and Toledo united. What, then, occurred to interrupt and frustrate this naturally in- evitable event ? To the general public of the present generation the question is unanswerable. Let us, then, make inquiry.

As early as 1820, the subject began to be agitated of connecting the waters of Lake Erie and the Ohio river by a canal. As a result, the mind of the people generally became fixed upon a single route, the central one, as manifestly presenting the shortest, the most direct, and the least expensive. That was, therefore, the only one thought of, by all intelligent citizens, in all parts of the State.

At length a law was passed authorizing a survey for this purpose, and commissioners were appointed to procure a survey and estimate, and report. Alfred Kelly, of Cleveland, Micajah T. Williams, of Cincin-

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HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.

nati, (both members of the State Senate) and Buckingham, of Putnam, opposite Zanesville, were appointed commissioners. They first employed the services of James Geddes, a distinguished engineer, of the State of New York, to make the proposed sur- vey, estimate, etc. By direction, he made surveys and estimates of three routes. First, what was known as the central, from the mouth of Scioto river, up the valley of that river to the summit, and down the San- dusky river to the lake. Second, the route which the Ohio canal was finally located. Third, that known as the Miami route, from Cincinnati to the Miami of the lakes, or Maumee. The report of this engineer was de- cidely in favor of the central route, as the most di- rect, the shortest, and the least expensive; the sum- mit of which was also several hundred feet lower than those of the others. This report was not satisfactory to the commissioners, especially to Kelly and Wil- liams. It was well understood by these public officers, that as nature had arranged it, the northern termina- tion of the route of the carrying trade between the lake and the river, was as sure of being at Sandusky, as the daily rising of the sun. The termination of the canal there, would be only following the lead of providence, and add to the already decided advan- tages then existing. Therefore, something most de- cisively efficient must be done to change the order of nature, by fixing the northern termination of the main canal at the mouth of Cuyahoga river, and there construct artificial works in place of a harbor. The first step towards the accomplishing of that object, must necessarily be the discharge of Judge Geddes, who, doubtless, was unwilling to ruin his character as a civil engineer by a compliance with the wishes of the commissioners. Geddes was, therefore, dismissed, and another engineer from New York State, Judge Bates, was engaged to aid in their scheme of fraud. The report of the commissioners the next year, recom- mended the construction of two canals instead of one. One to commence at Portsmouth, thence up the Scioto valley to a point eleven miles below Columbus, thence a diagonal route leading over two summits, instead of one, and terminating at the month of Cuy- ahoga river; and the other, the Miami route, termi- nating at Cincinnati, and the Miami of the lakes. At the same time, they recommended the improvement of the Muskingum river, by slack water navigation from its entrance into the Ohio, up to Zanesville. All this was by agreement of the commissioners, by which the residence of each officer would be especially benefitted. To accomplish their purpose, it will be noticed, it was made the interest of the representa- tives of the counties through or near which one or the other of the canals was to pass, and the votes of the old connties on the Muskingum river, were secured by the work on that river. To make sure, also, of the vote of Franklin county, and the influ- ence of the capital, a feeder was to be opened from the point of divergence from the Scioto valley, up-to Columbus, eleven miles.

REASONS GIVEN.

As already stated, there was a sufficient number of votes in the legislature, by fixing motives of interest in them, yet it was deemed necessary and expedient, to place on record some reasons for this unexpected and extraordinary change and measure. Several reasons were set forth in their reports: 1. The first and prin- cipal pretext for the abandonment of the most direct. the shortest and least expensive route was, "insuffi- ciency of water on the summit of that route." This was obviously a mere pretext. Water was as abun- dant on that route as on either of the lines adopted. Reservoirs were indispensable on all the routes, and on the Cleveland route two were necessary; and the reservoirs on both the lines chosen were to cost double of that on the central route.

2. To fortify their claim of want of sufficient water on the Sandusky route, they were very particn- lar to enumerate all the sources of waste of water from the reservoir, such as "leakage, soakage, absorp- tion and evaporation." These causes of waste, un- doubtedly, exist to a greater or less extent, in all artificial bodies of water, but the commissioners did not feel bound to mention the fact that the reservoir on the central route would be wholly exempt from waste of water from all the causes mentioned, save the single one of "evaporation." The subsoil of the gravel to be covered by the reservoir, would be an "impervious blue clay;" but this important fact was carefully concealed by the crafty commissioners. They also failed to report that the reservoir on this route would necessarily be upon prairie lands, no timber to rot and decay, to produce diseases in the neighborhood, as on the other routes.

3. Another reason assigned for the opening of two canals through the State, in place of one was, that a much larger number of farmers would be benefitted, a canal being thereby brought "to every man's door."

4. It was reported that an ample harbor could be constructed at the mouth of Cuyahoga river, at a moderate outlay of, sav sixty thousand dollars. This amount is given by memory; it may fall a little short or be a little in excess.

But, as before stated, the members of the assembly were not influenced by any of these fictitious reasons. The scheme had been carefully and shrewdly arranged to fix and make sure votes enough to carry out the plan. The votes were given to promote their own interests, and those of their constituents. The large minority of the people were to be made to pay for their own loss, and build up the waste places of the State. No argument was needed on the floor of either house. The requisite votes were pledged outside. The character of the transaction was fully discussed, and pointed out, at the time, in the Sandusky Clarion, by the editor and correspondents. The writer remem- bers that, in one of his own communications on the subject, it was urged that the scenes enacted on the passage of the bill were only the exhibition of what

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HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO.

had been in rehearsal for weeks or months before the exhibition, which was emphatically true.

Thus the State was involved in a debt of millions and millions of dollars, in amount three or four times larger than what the single central route would have cost; and this enormous debt, after the lapse of over a half century, is still unpaid, to the amount of six mil- lions. And, at this time, the State is 'in utter per- plexity what to do with its two long canals, neither of which has ever paid the interest on its cost. The wisest of our public men are unable to determine what can be done with them, some advising to wholly aban- don them as entirely worthless, and waste no more money upon them. Instead of the sixty thousand dol- lars, the State has expended from ten to twenty times that amount, and the general government has con- tributed thousands to the same object; and yet it is not in a condition to answer the demands of the busi- ness unnaturally brought there; and the narrow river, all around the " Ox Bow," wholly inadequate to meet the wants of commerce, every craft that enters must either back out, or warp around with line or other- wise. To remedy the still existing insufficiencies, the general government is, from time to time, making large appropriations to make additional improvements and to aid in constructing an artificial harbor in the open lake; and, even with that addition, the whole works will not be equal to the natural advantages and facilities existing at Sandusky.

Now, it is evident to all, that, had the central route alone been opened, terminating in Sandusky bay, Sandusky City, at this moment, would have been much larger in population and in all kinds of busi- ness than Cleveland now is, and probably larger than Cleveland and Toledo united; and the State and na- tional government would have been exempt from the heavy contributions to create artificial facilities for making a city, contrary to the ordinance of nature. and to provide unnatural commercial privileges for it. At Sandusky there would have been no call for State or national aid to any considerable amount, and no neces- sity for burdening the citizens with large contributions, or with heavy taxes, to grade high bluffs to get to and from the place of commercial business and travel, to fill up valleys, ravines or swails to make snitable ground for streets and buildings, or to extend the bounds of the city, or vet, for the construction of via- ducts, the enormous figures of two and a half millions of dollars, nor, indeed, for any other improvements by way of supplying the deficiencies of nature.

RAILROADS.

A very large part of the through travel and carry- ing trade having been thus diverted from Sandusky by opening the Ohio canal, the citizens and the in- habitants of the westerly parts of the State turned

their attention to railroads. Charters were secured for two, one for a line from Sandusky to Dayton, first called the Mad River and Lake Erie, (now the Cincinnati, Sandusky and Cleveland), and the other from Sandusky to Newark, known as the Sandusky, Mansfield and Newark (now the northern division of the Baltimore and Ohio). Both of these terminate at Sandusky. The northern division of the Lake Shore Road passes through the city. The road to Newark was first built only to Monroeville, and was constructed by bedding large logs in the ground, hewed flat on the top, and scantling spiked to the logs. Light coaches were moved by horse power- two horses in single file. A few years sufficed to fin- ish up this device.

The Mad River line was commenced in 1835. Abut 1839 it was finished to Bellevne, and a stage line put on from that point to Columbus, which was trans- ferred to Republic and Tiffin respectively as the road progressed. As the line was extended, it drew an in- creased amount of travel and freight business. When completed to Dayton, much the largest part of the business to the south was reclaimed from the Cleve- land line. The opening of the line toward and to Newark had a similar effect. This re-division was so manifest and complete, that the Cleveland Herald earnestly called the attention of the business men of that city to the fact, and admonished them that with- ont a railroad from their city to the south, the travel and carrying trade would inevitably be done through Sandusky. This produced the desired effect. A

railroad was made in quick time to Columbus, con- necting there with the Little Miami road to Cincin- nati. Instead, however, of locating it on the most direct course to Columbus, it was shrewdly given a southwesterly course to Crestline and Galion, with the purpose of cutting off business from Sandusky and carrying it to their city. The intended end was, in fact, secured by the plan, and Cleveland was saved from a quick and ruinous decline, and again checked the prospects of the more rapid growth of her only rival city. All this time, the rapid increase of the prospects of the growth of Cleveland had attracted the attention of capitalists, and rescued that city from threatened disaster, and it has grown to its present dimensions and splendor.

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History of the Fire lands, comprising Huron and Erie Counties, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of the prominent men and pioneers, Part 102

Author: Williams, W. W. (William W.) Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : Press of Leader Printing Company Number of Pages: 726

Author: Williams, W. W. (William W.)
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : Press of Leader Printing Company
Number of Pages: 726