USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > History of the city of Cleveland : its settlement, rise and progress > Part 14
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All States were represented but one, and all the territories but two. The city was full of Esculapians for four days, over a thousand being in attendance. The general meet- ings were held in Case Hall, while different sections held sessions in the Board of Education rooms, Frohsinn Hall, United States Court Room, City Council Chambers and other places.
On the evening of June 5 a public reception was given at the Opera House. A band was in attendance and. luncheon was served in the Rink. This reception was. largely attended by the citizens; the honors of the occa .. sion were done by Drs. X. C. Scott, E. D. Dutton, S. D .. Gross, S. N. Davis, J. L. Atlee. Other evenings of the week some prominent men on Euclid and Prospect threw open their houses and entertained the doctors royally. Some of these were Judge R. P. Ranney, Colonel W. H. Harris, W. J. Boardman, G. E. Herrick, E. B. Hale, Judge Mc- Math, General M. D. Leggett, Stewart Chisholm, W. G. Rose, W. P. Southworth, Henry A. Stephens, Charles Hickox, A. C. Armstrong, Rev. Charles Pomeroy, W. B. Hale. The week's meeting wound up with an excursion on the Nickle Plate to the suburban residence of D. P. Eells.
One of the most important developments of the labor trouble in our city was the strike of the Cleveland Rolling Mill's operatives in May, 1882. The Amalgamated Asso- ciation of Iron and Steel workers and the Knights of Labor had gained a strong foothold among these men. The cause of the trouble was the refusal of the managers to sign the scale presented to them by the men. The mill's
,
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closed down and the whole immense concern-consisting of three rod mills, one rail, two wire mills, two blooming mills, one bar mill, Bessemer Steel Works, five Siemens- Martin steel smelting furnaces. one blast furnace, and one foundry and one machine shop-lay idle for over a month, and over five thousand men were thrown out of employment. The effect on business in Newburg was instantaneous and paralyzing. When the managers deter- mined to start the mills with non-union men, the strikers assumed a defiant attitude. Every method was resorted to of restraining and preventing the new men from work, and there were a number of assaults made. But the vigi- lance of the police and the increase of the force in that quarter averted any riotous acts. In a short time the strikers weakened and gave up the fight, some returning to work and many seeking employment elsewhere.
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CHAPTER XXII.
STRIKE OF TELEGRAPH OPERATORS - FREE SCHOOL SUPPLIES - THE GREAT CONFLAGRATION ON THE FLATS-BUILDING OF THE CITY FIRE- BOAT-LABOR ERUPTION AT NEWBURG-GENERAL GRANT MEMORIAL. SERVICES - REBUILDING OF THE NEW WESTERN RESERVE MEDICAL COLLEGE-REDISTRICTING THE CITY - CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW CENTRAL VIADUCT - THE BOARD OF INDUSTRY - FUR ROBBERY- REFORM IN ELECTIONS-TABLE OF POPULATION-LIST OF MAYORS OF CLEVELAND.
T T HE telegraph strike, though general, had a special effect on Cleveland, owing to the volume of its business. An average day's work for the Western Union was nine thou- sand messages, exclusive of the associated press. But though this was not all local business, there were three other lines, the Mutual Union, the American Rapid and the Postal Telegraph, to swell the grand total. The teleg- raphers in Cleveland formed a lodge of the Brotherhood of Telegraphers, and according to arrangements struck on July 19, 1883. The entire Western Union force left but two, and the American Rapid's also. Though some help was obtained, little could be done, because other offices were not occupied. No movement of wage-workers met with such hearty sympathy and support as this. The demands made were regarded as just, calling as they did for a restoration
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of the twenty-five per cent. reduction made, as pay for Sun- day work, for eight-hour day work and seven-hour night work. The meetings of strikers were attended and ad- dressed by some of the most prominent members of the bar. On July 30 one of the largest mass meetings ever held in Cleveland was addressed by Hon. M. A. Foran and others, in their favor.
The effect on local business was not very marked, except on the Oil Exchange and in brokers' offices. Some of these margin men lost heavily, and all were in a state of great anxiety until the American Rapid acceded to the demands of the strikers and transmitted the most urgent messages. It was never so clearly shown what important men teleg- raphers were until thirty-two of them threatened the financial ruin of some of our wealthiest citizens.
The incoming members of the new Board of Education in 1884 were elected on the issue of free school supplies. The war note was sounded by the election of Mr. Mahler as president of the board. The new members were active ad- vocates, and no later than the twenty-eighth of April, the Free Supply question was brought to issue by a resolution providing for the advertising for bids in all the daily papers. The proposals made on blanks furnished by the board were for crayons, ink, pens, etc., by the quantity, and were to be accompanied by specimens.
The question of legality was referred to the committee on judiciary, which decided it legal, and the board felt no further reluctance in the matter. Sealed proposals were received and the contract let to four firms. The first ship- ment of supplies was distributed, and the bills due were
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about to be paid out of the school fund when indignant taxpayers interfered.
In opposition to this action of the board, on September 20 James Parker applied for a temporary injunction to restrain the payment of bills then due under contract, on the plea of illegality, the petitioner claiming that the stat- utes gave no authority for the distribution of free supplies, save to pupils of indigent parents. Judge Hamilton granted this injunction after an exhaustive review of the case, not, however, enjoining the payment on goods re- ceived to date. This settled the vexed question that for months had filled the "voice of the people" columns in the daily papers.
On Sunday evening, September 7, 1884, the most disas- trous fire in the history of the city swept over that portion known as the flats. The destruction of property was swift and terrible, including everything on a space of over fifty acres, and seriously threatening the business portion of the city. The fire, of supposed incendiary origin, was first discovered in the lumber yard of Woods, Perry & Company. The vicinity of this yard was filled with lumber and, though the fire was comparatively small when first discovered, the dry piles of pine burnt as rapidly as the driest of pine can burn, and the fire spread in spite of the efforts of the Fire Department. Though no breeze was stirring the fire was soon seen to be assuming dangerous proportions, as it was spreading in every direction. Every engine and hose-cart was called out and despatches sent to Elyria, Erie, Delaware, Columbus, Youngstown, Paines- ville, Akron and Toledo for assistance. The fire reached
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the docks before a half dozen streams of water were turned onto it. By eight o'clock the yard of Potter & Birdsal was in full blaze. The heat was so intense that the Fire Department was practically useless. Burning brands soon communicated the fire to the vard of C. G. King & Company on the other side of Carter street. The fire now amounted to a conflagration and brought three-fourths of the city to the rescue, or, more properly, to the scene. The military were called out to be in readiness should they be needed. A brisk breeze carried the fire, first to the Nov- elty Iron Works, then to the machine shop of W. R. Enyon & Company, across the river to Stanley's Lard Refinery, thus jeopardizing the very heart of the city, as buildings stand thick from that point to Superior street. The fire- men had been driven out by the heat which was so intense as to be felt on Superior street. Many of their hose were ruined by the fire, and so they confined their attention to preserving the buildings on Scranton avenue, which proved to be one boundary of the burnt district, by their heroic efforts. But in spite of a strong west wind the fire crept toward the Bee Line railroad, destroying the yards. of House & Davison, then crossed into the yards of Hubbell & Westover and Cahoon & Hutchinson. By eleven o'clock steamers had arrived from nine surrounding towns and were set to work to stop any further progress toward the west. At one time nineteen steamers were at work along the Bee Line railroad.
It was not until three o'clock Monday morning that the fire was fully controlled. By that time over two million dollars worth of property had been destroyed. The scene of
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HISTORY OF CLEVELAND.
the fire was appalling. Fifty acres of lumber piles, some a hundred feet high, and numerous buildings sent up a blaze two or three hundred feet into the sky which was visible for seventy-five miles. The surrounding buildings were covered with spectators, the streets jammed with them, the firemen yelling, the engines puffing, and above all the horrible roar of the flames. Never has Cleveland so nar- rowly escaped the destruction that visited Chicago and Boston. Just two weeks after, the experiment of incendi- arism was tried at the other end of the flats, and all but suc- cessfully, too. The fires broke out in four different places almost simultaneously, and were not extinguished until considerable loss of property was sustained. Monroe Bros. & Co. lost $63,000, and Brown, Strong & Co, $90,000.
On September 19 of this year some consternation was caused by an earthquake shock felt in different parts of the city. Three or more shocks, properly undulations, were felt, more or less distinct according to the altitude of the observer. No damage was done. In some of the high blocks a very perceptible rocking was experienced, accompanied by rattling windows and slamming doors. In other parts of the city, notably Prospect and Euclid, the affrighted inhabitants ran out in the streets screaming that the houses were tumbling about their heads; but no buildings fell.
In 1886, about the time of the demolition of Charleston, South Carolina, by an eruption of the earth, a very palpa- ble shock visited the city, doing some damage to dishes, pictures, statuary, chandeliers, etc.
Megetone of Vestors History
Tardnes
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HISTORY OF CLEVELAND.
June 30, 1885, an advertisement to the effect that there would be a cut of ten per cent. in wages-making an ag- gregate reduction of forty-five per cent. within a year -- precipitated another strike at the Cleveland Rolling Mill Company's works.
The strike soon assumed alarming proportions, three thousand of the most ungovernable element-the Poles and Bohemians-being out. Headed by the leaders, they one day marched in procession to the city offices of the company, and asked that their demands be conceded. But obtaining no satisfaction, they proceeded to the office of Mayor Gardner and requested him to arbitrate the matter. Mr. Gardner cordially extended them sympathy, gave them some sound advice concerning their proper conduct as citi- zens, and promised to do his best to settle the strike.
It very soon became evident that serious trouble would arise, as the idle men were addressed daily by inflammable and seditious speakers, who denounced capitalists and preached anarchy. Emboldened by the wild, riot-inciting words of these agitators, particularly of one William Gor- such, a large body marched to the works of the Union Steel Screw Company, and in the alleged belief that it was oper- ated by the Chisholms in connection with the rolling mills, broke into the works and ordered the employés out, at- tacking all who resisted or disobeyed. Fayette Brown, the president, was quite seriously injured. The leaders were ar- rested the next day. Mayor Gardner now took a vigorous course. He told the strikers that they would not again be allowed to appear armed on the streets, and that any fur- ther riotous acts would be costly to the aggressors. Mr ..
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Gardner mingled with the men and often visited Newburg, giving them wise and kind advice, but impressing upon them the fact that no violence would be tolerated. His good judgment in dealing with them averted several im- minent outbreaks He called daily sessions of the Police Board, that prompt action might be taken to quell any dis- turbance, and the preparations were equal to any emer -. gency. Some weeks after, the Cleveland Rolling Mill Com- pany attempted to start up with new men, and a squad of police was kept on hand for protection. This precaution soon proved not unnecessary, for about one thousand strikers besieged the gates for admittance, and encountered the force of thirty policemen, who soon dispersed the mob, leaving a dozen or more wounded on the ground. Some blood was shed, but no lives were lost. This was the last at- tempt at violence. The strikers soon became so needy that a relief committee was organized to supply their daily wants. But finally, September 27, the former scale of wages was restored by the company, the strike was de- clared off, and the mills put in motion. This was one of the largest and most dangerous of labor disturbances in the history of the city.
The memorial services in honor of General Grant, August 9, 1885, were fittingly extensive and im- posing. The feeling of sympathy and patriotism prompted the citizens to a general participation. From sunrise until one o'clock in the afternoon of that day, guns were fired every thirty minutes. Church and fire bells tolled from 9:30 until 12, when the minute guns in Lake View began firing. From a stand in front
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HISTORY OF CLEVELAND.
of the City Hall the mayor and others reviewed the im- mense procession of veterans and civilians who had fallen in line once more to martial music. At 1:45 the vast crowd was addressed from the auditorium in the Park by Rev. Cyrus S. Bates, Hon. M. A. Foran, Hon. Amos Town- send, H. C. White, Governor Sheldon, and General Ed. S. Meyer. In the evening memorial services were held in the Tabernacle under the auspices of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Union. The enormous meeting was addressed by Colonel Winship and General Leggett. The day was generally observed, scarcely a window or door in the business part of the city being undraped.
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The Board of Industry, composed of one hundred of the foremost business men of Cleveland, was the outgrowth of a movement of a number of citizens for municipal re- form on the Federal plan. Early in 1887 the Federal plan assumed shape in a bill to be introduced in the State Legislature making the heads of departments appointive instead of elective, placing the appointing power in the hands of the mayor, and causing many other changes in the system of our city government. Several meetings were called at the Board of Trade rooms; and when the reform project was given up for the lack of proper support, the prime movers, not content that their work should bear no fruit, proposed the organization of a "Committee of One Hundred," composed of business men, independent of politics, the purpose of whose existence should be the dis- cussion, investigation and promulgation of all matters conducing to the commercial, municipal and general wel- fare of the city. The idea met with immediate favor and
-
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HISTORY OF CLEVELAND.
the committee was appointed, the organization being named the Board of Industry and Improvements. General James Barnett was chosen president; Thomas Axworthy, vice-president; X. X. Crum, secretary ; and C. H. Bulkley, treasurer. The organization at once commenced the dis- cussion of local matters of importance to the business interests of the city, and urged legislation on many in pressing need of attention. Their vigorous and admirable work is fresh in the minds of our readers. One worthy of particular commendation was their publication of statis- tics showing the enormous volume of business transacted in Cleveland, her immense manufacturing products and. marked advantages for business of all kinds. They also took steps to ascertain whether natural gas could be found near enough to the city to render it profitable, and. although the question, after the most thorough investiga- tion, was decided in the negative, the indomitable energy and push of the board, together with its findings, did much good in the way of stimulating an increased interest in general matters of common benefit. The board's name is descriptive of it.
The Superior Street Viaduct was dedicated to the public in 1878. It would appear improbable that any other public work of like magnitude should have had its incep- tion in the year following, but that is the fact. The Belt Line or Central Viaduct, which will soon provide the city with a second grand highway over the river valley, had its origin March 3, 1879, when a resolution by J. M. Cur- tiss was introduced in and adopted by the City Council, "that the City Civil Engineer be and is hereby requested to
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report the most feasible plan of improving the com- munication between the South Side and the central part of the city." This document did not even suggest a struc- ture of any kind. To have hinted at another bridge of any description to span the gulf at this time, would have required more temerity than any city officer possessed. The project was not revived until 1883, when a resolution passed the City Council submitting the question, "Elevated Roadway-Yes, No," to popular vote at the spring elec- tion, and wascarried in the affirmative by over six hundred votes. Soon after, a resolution passed the Council recom- mending a bill appropriating one million dollars for the work. A bill requiring a three-fourths vote of the Council was accordingly drafted at once, which wasintroduced in the State Legislature and passed by both branches April 11, in the exceedingly short time of one day. There wasno further important legislation on the subject till 1885. In the meantime, however, there were many heated discussions on the question of the most practicable route. In July, 1885, a declaratory resolution was adopted by the Common Council for the construction of a bridge from near the junction of Hill and Ohio streets on the East Side, in a straight line to Jennings avenue on the South Side, and thence to Abbey street on the West Side. An ordinance authorizing the construction of the work passed the Com- mon Council December 14, 1885. Contracts were promptly made with the lowest bidders and the work commenced early in 1886. Great credit is due the municipal officers who projected, carried forward and executed this vast im- provement, for their good judgment in letting the contracts
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at a time when the prices of iron and other materials were low, their careful and correct calculations, and their promptness in getting the work under way. There has been no change in the estimates and plans of City Civil Engineer C. G. Force, and the entire structure and right of way will not cost a cent more than originally estimated by him, nor exceed the appropriation of one million dol- lars-a fact unprecedented in the history of city improve- ments of equal magnitude. It will be completed and dedicated to public use in 1888. When finished, this viaduct will perfect a belt line extending around the entire busi- ness portion of the city, greatly facilitating communica. tion between the West, South and East sides, which are naturally divided and rendered uneasy of access from one to the other by the topography of the city, to the immense commercial advantage of the whole city.
The rebuilding of the Western Reserve Medical College was rendered possible by the benevolence of two citizens- Mr. H. B. Hurlbut, who left ten thousand dollars for that purpose, and especially Mr. J. L. Woods, who not only gave one hundred and fifty thousand dollars but was fore- most in the enterprise. Besides these gentlemen, Hon. H. B. Payne and Oliver P. Payne made tenders of adjacent lots, and the latter five thousand dollars in cash, extra. The gift of Mr. Woods was made in April, 1884; and imme- diate steps were taken toward erecting the new building. Architects Richardson and Cudell drew up plans, and it had been decided to build pressed brick with terra cotta trimmings, four stories high with a one hundred and sixty foot tower. Work was about to becommenced, thecollege
Magazine of Western History
Respectfully 201 Scott
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holding its sessions in temporary apartments, when the great "flats fire" of September 7 delayed any further action in the matter by compelling Mr. Woods to appro- priate the money set apart for this purpose to the restock- ing of his lumber yards. Agreeable to his promise, Mr. Woods furnished the funds so that work could be begun early in the following year, and added twenty-five thou- sand dollars to his already large gift. The plans were now changed and new ones drawn up calling for Twinsburg brown stone. The style is Romanesque. The building is three stories above ground, 82x134 feet, and is one of the best equipped buildings in the city. The edifice was finished and dedicated March 8, 1887.
The great need of better protection against fire on the line of the lake and river front was made painfully evident on the seventh of September, 1884, when the great fire on the flats occurred. The matter was brought to the atten- tion of the Council before the fire was out. On September 8 a resolution was introduced to instruct the City En- gineer to draw up plans for a fire-boat. That officer was not regarded an expert in ship-building, and nothing came of the resolution. On November 10 the Fire Commission- ers asked permission to build a boat not to cost more than twenty-five thousand dollars, giving as a reason for this request the statement that three hundred and eighty- six alarms had been turned in in six years to which a boat could have responded, and that these fires involved a loss of over two million dollars. The resolution was in- troduced and lost. Later, however, an appropriation of twenty-nine thousand dollars was made from the Sinking
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Fund of 1862, with which to build and equip a boat. A committee made two trips to New York to inspect the fire- boat of that city, and the contracts were let when Judge Griswold caused to be issued an injunction restraining the city from the use of the Sinking Fund for this purpose, claiming it to be unlawful. An act of Legislature re- moved this difficulty, and the work proceeded.
The architect who drew up the plans was William Cowles, a marine architect of New York City. The length of the boat, over all, is seventy-nine feet. Its maximum speed is eleven miles per hour. The pumps are very powerful, their capacity of discharge being thirty-two hun- dred gallons of water per minute, which is more than the capacity of three of the largest steam fire engines in the city. The boat-named the Weatherley-was put in service in November, 1886. It is estimated that this ap- paratus more than paid thecost of its construction within six weeks. This is one of the most important additions to our fire service.
No occurrence of its kind has awakened the interest of the people half as much as the robbery committed at the fur store of Benedict & Reudy on the twenty-ninth of January, 1887. The value of the goods stolen was not extraordinary, being between seven and eight thousand dollars; but the mystery was profound. The chain of startling events linked to this robbery, which have been transpiring ever since, are perfectly familiar to the public. It only remains to add here that the series of crimes start- ing with the fur robbery will go down among the most notorious in the criminal history of the city.
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The city has been twice redistricted in three years. Feb- ruary 4, 1884, by reason of the size of some wards, an ordinance was passed dividing the city into twenty-five wards and changing most of the boundary lines. Again in September, 1885, many of the wards were subdivided "for registration and election purposes." But this ordi- nance was repealed by one passed February 24, 1886, creating forty wards. It is hoped by all who desire to keep in mind the location of wards that there will not be- another ripping up of lines very soon.
The registration law of 1886, which compels all electors to register before voting, has had a very beneficial effect in Cleveland, and won the favor of all good citizens. It pro- hibits boisterous gatherings at the polls, and enables the judges and clerks to conduct elections in a quiet and busi- ness like manner.
The following table of population of Cleveland shows its growth from 1796 to 1887:
1796
4
1830 United States Census.
1,075
1846
. .
10,135
1850
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