History of the city of Toledo and Lucas County, Ohio, Part 133

Author: Waggoner, Clark, 1820-1903
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: New York and Toledo : Munsell & Company
Number of Pages: 1408

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June 20th. Mr. Osborn, on horseback, made the

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HISTORY OF TOLEDO AND LUCAS COUNTY.

trip from Toledo to Manhattan, for the purpose of ob- taining a draft at the Bank at that place, there being no facilities of that sort then at Toledo, But the Cashier had gone to Toledo, and the draft could not be had. The next day he went to Detroit to make deposit in the Farmers' and Mechanics' Bank of that City, and to secure a debt against the Washtenaw Bank.

June 25th. Made the trip to Perrysburg, by Steamer Sun, Captain Calvin K. Bennett; returning on the 29th, per the Steamer General Jackson.

June 30th. Daniel Segur, as landlord, closed the American Hotel, on account of excessive rent (some $1,500 per year).

July Ist. Rev. Mr. Muzzey, Unitarian, of Cam- bridgeport, Massachusetts, held services in Toledo, with about a dozen attendants. Mrs. J. Baron Davis, a superior singer, assisted by Mr. Osborn, furnished the music.

July 2d. In consequence of the closing of the American, Mr. Osborn began boarding with Chester Walbridge, and liked it very much.

July 3d. The Toledo Guards, a military company then just formed, had their first parade, with a band of music.

July 12th. Went to Manhattan Bank to get New York draft for the Bank's bills ; could only get Buffalo and Albany drafts, at +3 per cent. premium, and $15 in New York Bank bills at two per cent. premium.

July 14th. Preaching by Rev. John Janes, then Presiding Elder of Methodist Episcopal Church. He was the father of Mr. Frank Janes, now (1888) of Toledo.

August 3d. A great amount of sickness in Toledo, especially among the poorer classes. Large numbers, principally Irish, were employed in the construction of the Canal, and these, from the twofold cause of lack of suitable food and quarters and improvident habits, suffered very much ; while the public treas- ury was in no condition to render aid.

August 9th. Attended the celebration at Tecum- seh of the opening of the Palmyra and Jacksonburg Branch of the Erie and Kalamazoo Railroad. Te- cumseh was then a pleasant Village of about 1,200 inhabitants-the houses mostly of wood, and much scattered.

August 10th. Attended at Perrysburg, the closing- out sale, by order of Court, of " Marengo City," lo- cated on the River and between Toledo and Perrys- burg. Mr. Osborn represented one of the owners, John Miller of Norwalk (father of John Miller, who died in Toledo in 1885). Present at the sale were Judge David Higgins, General John Patterson, Rev. H. O. Sheldon and Nathan Jenkins of Milan, Direc- tors of the Marengo Company ; also, Charles Bor- land, of Mansfield, a stockholder. The lots were ap- praised at about $100 per acre, some higher, on ac- count of expected valuable "mill-privileges" from the Canal then under construction.

August 13th. The Steamer Rochester was at To- ledo. It was then "run upon Sunday and Temperance principles "-lying by on the Sabbath and excluding the sale of liquors on board.

August 16th. Visited Sharon, Michigan, with $650 in bills, of the Bank of Sharon, on $500 of which the preliminary demand provided for by law had been made 60 days before. The Bank was a " Wild Cat " and without funds, but had the " paper of good men," which Mr. Osborn accepted as security for final payment of the Bank's notes. The trip from Manchester to Sharon and return was made on foot, no other means of conveyance being available.

August 19th. Wrote several editorials for the Blade-one on the "Treasury," and another in the interest of the Young Men's Association. The Blade at that time was largely dependent on gratuitous con- tributions for its editorial matter.

August 20th. Two of Mr. Walbridge's children (Hiram and Heman D.) were sick with fever, though not severely. The fellow-boarders of Mr. Osborn then were Dan. Segur, John Poag, Gid. W. Weed and Robert W. Titus.

August 23d. Severe sickness and suffering continue. It is a dark day for Toledo. Mechanics aud work- ingmen are disheartened. None are coming in, and many here are talking of leaving. Speculators grasp the real estate, and it requires a fortune to obtain a Ioothold. When the unwary adventurer's capital is exhausted in procuring a home, disease comes upon him and his family, and they are destitute of means for obtaining even the necessaries of life.

August 30th. Had some talk with Iliram Wal- bridge about buying of him 80 acres of land in San- dusky County, eight miles from Toledo, which he offered for $200, or $2.50 per acre, payable in two years, which was cheap. He wanted to raise requisite money for educating himself.

Edward Bissell's property was then estimated to be worth $1,000,000, and his debts at $200,000.

September 9th. Met Alfred P. Edgerton, from Hicksville, a Town laid out in Williams [since De- fiance] County. He appeared to be a very lively and sprightly young man ; was from New York, and is looking after the property of the Hickses, in that County. He said they entered 40,000 acres of land at $1.25, which they were selling at $5.00. [Mr. Ed- gerton, subsequently a member of Congress, is now (1888) a member of the United States Civil Service Commission.]

October 22d. The Court of Common Pleas finds great difficulty in obtaining a Grand Jury, about one- half of the venire excusing themselves on the ground of sickness.

The price of board at the Mansion House was then $3.00, and at the American $4.00 per week.

October 29th. With Oliver Stevens and J. Baron Davis, Mr. Osborn was appointed an Examiner of Public School Teachers by the Court of Common Pleas. The Board organized by the choice of Mr. Stevens as Chairman, and Mr. Davis as Secretary. Two candidates applied and passed examination-E. Lathrop and - Birdsall.

November 6th. It seemed utterly impossible to sus- tain a clergyman in Toledo or in neighboring Towns. " Never knew such a period of calamity and distress in money matters. Every day the money in the place was going to other points, and every day finds the inhabitants poorer.'

November IIth. Made the trip over the Monroe- ville and Sandusky Railroad (16 miles) in two hours, the motive-power being horses, and the track without iron, except a short distance from Sandusky.

January 26, 1839. With A. W. Fairbanks, S. S. Blanchard, C. G. McKnight and T. S. Manly, skated on the River to Manhattan and return.

February 3d. Rev. Mr. Nightingale. Unitarian, preached in Toledo. The Church was a small one, largely supported by a Boston Missionary Society. Mr. Nightingale remained until February, when a lack of success compelled a suspension of his labors and he went to Chicago.

April 19th. The effect of the medicine taken the previous eve left Mr. Osborn very weak, but with the hope that he would have no more agne. Felt a weak- ness and lankness all day.

April 20th. Most of the former part of the day have been very sick, from effects of medicine taken yesterday. Walked toward the office, and met Mrs. Chester Walbridge and Mrs. John Berdan, who in- formed him that Judge Berdan then had a severe shake. Soon called on the Judge, and found him over his fit, but suffering from its effects. He had the ague for eight days in succession. While the fits were on, he was very sick and for several hours there-

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EVENTS AND PERSONS.

after ; but mornings and at night he could work in the warehouse, and while thus engaged felt to be himself again. Until last fall, his family had not been affeeted by sickness, although he had been for three years. " Dearly have they paid for their immunity. Every one of them has been sick, and that incessantly. The Judge has not escaped a chill for more than three weeks at a time since last summer." Was much en- tertained by the account the Judge gave of Lake matters as early as 1819. The Government then had made no improvements in harbors, and at nearly all the present commercial ports sand-bais excluded the entrance of vessels, except at Detroit and Black Rock, which latter place, it was thought, would be the prin- cipal City, instead of Buffalo, no pier having then been built at the latter place, which otherwise was inaccessible. The Steamboat Walk-in-the-Water had been built by General Porter of Black Rock. At the month of the Cuyahoga (Cleveland), Judge Berdan said he had seen persons walk over on dry land, from one side to the other.

April 21st. Hiram Walbridge was at the office, to whom I gave sundry suggestions as to a vigorous pros- ecution of his proposed studies at Athens College. He stated that he was the author of a couple of arti- cles upon Toledo (signed " W."), just published in the Blade, its prospects, improvements, etc. Was aston- ished at this information. The articles abounded in matters of minute statistical detail, and were well written and generally admired. He showed the original manuscript and told of the sources of his in- formation.

April 23d. At 8:30 A. M., took the cars at foot of Lagrange Street for a trip into Michigan. Were de- tained half an hour at Upper Town. A pretty rapid movement brought us to Palmyra, a distance of 27 miles, in little more than two hours. At this place, dinner was had at the tavern kept by Mr. George E. Pomeroy, who seems to be a very clever man. But one other passenger in the ear on leaving for Tecum- seh, which place was reached about 3 p. M., where a stage was taken for Niles. On return to Tecumseh, April 27th, took lodgings at the Stage-house, kept by General J. W. Brown, of " Toledo War " fame. Board was $1.50 per day. Went to Sharon to get returns of the claim on the Bank there. Got only $50, and left balance for collection by law.

May 3d. The American Hotel, Toledo, had 20 boarders.

May 7th. Went to Dr. McLean's Drug Store, and procured an ounce of Peruvian bark, to use instead of quinine. In bed all day, the chill being succeeded by fever and headache.

May 16th. At suggestion and solicitation of Chas. W. Hill, agreed to accept the position of Colonel of the Militia, and was elected at Maumee City.

May 19th. Attended services of the Presbyterian Church, then held in the School-house on or near Lagrange Street. A small congregation was assem- bled. Judge Berdan read a printed sermon, with the text, " Rejoice always in the Lord."

May 21st. C. W. Hill conducted the editorial de- partment of the Blade throughout the previous winter. May 22d. At Manhattan met Daniel Chase, F. M. Follett, of Sandusky, and Henry D. Ward, Cashier of the Manhattan Bank.

June 19th. At Perrysburg, the members of the Bar from abroad enjoyed the hospitalities of "Count" Coffinbury at his home, where were his two daugh- ters. He had a geological cabinet, including some 400 specimens of petrifactions, which he had gathered within the previous three years, and many shells and other curiosities.

Juue 20th. The officers of the Militia Brigade met at Maumee, to choose a Brigadier General. The polls were opened by Col. Osborn, who chose Capts. Brint- nal and Woodruff to assist as judges of the election,

and Sidney C. Sloane, of Perrysburg, as Clerk. The vote stood-for Colonel J. W. Smith, of Perrysburg, 19; Colonel E. S. Dodd, of Lucas County, 16-a result disappointing to the Lucas officers. As was the man- ner of those days, General Smith signalized his elec- tion by producing a basket of champagne, which, for the time, at least, materially mollified the feelings of the defeated ; but did not remove the informalities which would render his election void in case of con- test, which subsequently was successful.

June 23d. With Mr. Tilden discussed firm affairs. Had some $5.000 due on their books, but Mr. Osborn, who then had decided to leave Toledo, would be sat- isfied with $500 as his share.

June 29th. The last day of Mr. Osborn in Toledo. The partners divided their library and closed their business. He left on the Steamer Commodore Perry for Columbus, via Sandusky, arriving at the latter place at 11 P. M.

June 30th. At 4 A. M. took stage for Columbus, arriving at Marion (60 miles) at 6:30 P. M. Here the stage stopped for the night.

July Ist. At 4 A. M. again started, and arrived at Columbus about 4 p. M., making the time of riding 24} hours for about 100 miles.

Before leaving Toledo, Mr. Osborn had made arrangements for going to Norwalk, where he arrived July 18th, and at once resumed his practice as a partner of Courtland L. Latimer, which relation was continued for 15 years.

November 26th, Mr. Osborn and Miss Eliza- beth P. Hartwell, of Columbus, were married by Rev. Dr. Hoge, of the First Presbyterian Church of that City. Thence the couple soon proceeded to Norwalk, and there made their home until their removal to Toledo in 1858, which is yet (January, 1888) the home of Mr. Osborn, Mrs. Osborn having died November 15, 1884, aged 65.

The articles written by Hiram Walbridge, and referred to by Mr. Osborn, appeared in the Blade of April 3d and 17th and May 1, 1839. Mr. W. was then but 18 years of age. The productions fully justify the favorable mention by Mr. Osborn, and supply valuable historical facts, some of which are not elsewhere found. Among other statements, were the following :

The site of Toledo continued in its primitive con- dition until the summer of 1831, when a small settle- ment was commenced. The following Winter the Town was platted, in lots of 4x12 and 3x9 rods each. In the Summer of 1832, and during the year follow- ing, accessions of population were made; a small wharf commenced ; a warehouse erected ; and a building for a hotel enclosed. The Town, meantime, received the name of " Vistula"-from that of the River in the Southwest of Europe. " Port Lawrence" -- about three-fourths of a mile West, at the con- fluence of Swan Creek and the Maumee River-had been commeneed, and the Toledo House (of brick) finished. This season two mercantile stores were opened. The next Winter (1833-4) this building was destroyed by fire. A Steam Mill, raised during that Winter, was completed the following Summer. In July, 1834. the two Towns were united, under the name of Toledo. A press (the Toledo Herald) was established at that time, and edited by J. Irvine Browne. But one large Steamboat arrived during that season (the Daniel Webster), though many small boats plied between Toledo and Detroit. The popu- lation of the united Town was increased to 300. The

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following Winter much was done toward clearing the land of its heavy timber, as a portion of the plat was cleared of the more serious eneumbrance of a question of ownership. The season of 1835 was marked by rapid increase in population, business and improvement. This state of things was greatly promoted by the close of the " Toledo War," which resulted in the early location of the Canal, which hinged upon the boun- dary question. Operations, however, were not a little interrupted by the continued attempts of Mich- igan, through most of the season, to exercise juris- dietion here, including the frequent appearance of armed posses, patrolling the Streets and vicinity.

Mr. Walbridge, in that connection, quoted the Gibbon's reference to the career of an am- bitious man of another age, as follows :

The march of Tarik, from the Boctis to the Tagros, was directed through the Sierra Morena, that sep- arates Andalusia and Castile, till he appeared in arms before the Walls of Toledo. The question was raised whether the future historian would make record of " nocturnal marches of those motley collections, who, plundering as they advanced, appeared before, not the ' Walls' of the Western 'Toledo,' but directed their way to its very center and there encamped." The Spring of 1836 was signalized by two important events-the appearance of the Toledo Blade, and the completion of the American Hotel. This was the year in which the spirit of speculation raged most furiously. The Streets were thronged with people given up to the work of acquiring sudden wealth. Industry and economy were largely abandoned to the passion for greed, and "paper Cities " appeared on every hand. The population that year was swelled to 2,072 (ac- cording to a local canvass); with 41 mercantile estab- lishments, with Fall purchases of $231,300 ; six hotels, renting for $5,100 per annum ; six warehouses, whose advances for freight that season amounted to $54,000; 35 mechanic shops ; two saw mills, using four saws ; two printing offices, two newspapers, one of which (the Gazette) has been discontinued ; one iron foun- dry; four lumber yards; 12 lawyers, offices, etc .; three School houses ; 390 Steamboat arrivals, beside small boats plying between Toledo and Detroit, and 211 arrivals of Schooners. The united City was in- corporated in the winter of 1836-7, and its first corpo- ration election held March 4, 1837.

FLOODS.

The Maumee, in common with most other streams of any considerable size and extent, has always been liable to overflow its banks and flood adjacent territory, especially at the break- ing up of heavy ice. The damage arising from such cause has been much greater within the past 20 years, than previously. This fact, no doubt, is chiefly due to two causes-(1) the larger amount of destructible property which recent improvements have brought within range of such floods; and (2) the fact, that in conse- quence of improved drainage, by ditching and tiling, surface-water more promptly and rapidly finds its way to the River from the adjacent lands. The latter fact has special bearing in cases of " breaking up" of the River after a cold Winter, when the heavy volume of water finds the ice in full thickness, unimpaired in strength, and thus more formidable for damage than when weakened and partially reduced in thickness.

Various floods of note are recorded of this River ; although, in early years little damage was thereby caused, for the reason that there was little property along its banks to be in- jured. The breaking up of the River in 1832. swept away pretty much all that was left of the pioneer Town of the Maumee Valley, the once pretentious "Orleans of the North," located under the hill on which stood Fort Meigs. At the date named, there was not there much of value-little more than remains of a small Village abandoned to decay and history. The flood of 1847 was very high, covering the Cem- etery at Maumee. That of 1849 carried away the Hubbell Warehouse on the River at Mau- mee. In 1855 the water was eight feet deep on the Island between Maumee and Perrysburg.

The highest water then known in the Mau- mee River, occurred in 1849, in connection with the breaking up of the ice. At Miami, it tore the front of J. Austin Scott's warehouse nearly off ; injured Smith's warehouse some ; drowned four horses for B. F. Hollister at Perrysburg ; threw his Canal boats from their stocks, and ruined 400 barrels salt for him; carried away Kirk's slaughter-house, the ferry-house, and 15 head of cattle from the Island between Perrys- burg and Miami. March 7th, the water was much higher and carried away the bridge at Maumee, and completely destroyed the ware- houses at Miami. Swan Creek bridge at To- ledo was carried away.

The floods of the River most serions in dam- age to property, were those of 1867, 1881 and 1883. In the former case the water (February 17th) stood at a depth of three feet in Water Street for most of the distance between Monroe and Elm. The Cherry Street bridge, then the property of a corporation, was carried away by the water. The Middle Grounds were com- pletely submerged, the water standing about 15 inches deep on the floor of the Island House (the hotel in connection with the Union Railroad Depot). A few cellars on Water Street were at that time entered by water, and small damage caused.

March 10, 1868, was an ice flood. Water Street and the Middle Ground were submerged. A portion of the Cherry Street bridge was car- ried away. Two of the abntments were in -. jured. Abont 100 logs jammed in under the South side of the bridge, having been swept away from Mitchell & Rowland's Saw-mill. Part of the boom of logs owned by David Smith, on the East side, was swept away.

The flood of 1881, in its damage, was the inost serious in the history of the River. For a week preceding February 11th, there was apprehension of an unusual freshet, from the movement of the ice then rapidly giving way several miles above Toledo. The main eanse for alarm consisted in the heavy fall of rain during a large portion of the period named, which had both increased the volume and

EVENTS AND PERSONS.

strength of the current and weakened the ice. Step by step the burdened flood moved down the stream, bringing with it, beside the liber- ated ice, large quantities of debris of various kinds. About 7.30 p. M. of the 11th, the ice op- posite the upper portion of the City began to give way. The first damage done, consisted in sweeping away logs outside the boom at Mitchell & Rowland's and Tracy Brothers' Mills, on opposite sides of the River, in that lo- cality. The ice-12 to 15 inches thiek-massed in large and compact bodies, moved with ter- rific force. The Dayton and Michigan Rail- road dock, on the Bayon through which the water made a passage, was seriously torn. Four Schooners-the Mediterranean, Atmosphere, Dunford and Stalker-and the Steamer Eme- rald, were torn from their moorings and taken along by the current. The water rose to such height that it stood several feet deep in Water Street at Adams, and in Summit at Monroe. Water Street was the bed of a strong channel, in which passed immense cakes of ice, with lumber and other articles. On the night of the 12th, water stood in the Island House about five feet deep. Some 75 persons were spending the night in the house, all of whom were kept inside until morning, when a portion left by boats for higher parts of the City. So sudden was the rise of water, that passengers who had taken berths on the Wabash train, had to wade to the car doors in getting to boats. The Penn- sylvania Railroad Bridge (crossing the River from Elm Street) was wrecked. Railway prop- erty on the Middle Ground suffered severely. For several days trains were unable to reach the Passenger Depot or the Island House. The Lake Shore trains, for most of the time, were enabled to pass East and West on a branch of the " Y," at the West end of the Middle Ground, leaving and taking passengers on its tracks, near the Broadway bridge. The lumber dis- tricts suffered severely. The mill of Mitehell & Rowland was submerged to a depth of 8 or 10 feet, seriously injuring the machinery. Nel- son, Holland & Co., J. B. Kelley, and Barbour & Starr, were also heavy losers, their aggregate losses amounting to $30,000. Merchants and other tenants on Water Street, and on Summit about Perry and Monroe, suffered more or less from inundation.

In addition to the flood cansed by the direct overflow of the River, was that arising from the baekset of water through the Sewers con- neeted with the River-mainly that of Monroe Street.

The entire loss from the flood was estimated at about $1,000,000.

The next and latest serions flood here, was that of 1883, which, in the rise of water ex- ceeded all of its predecessors, so far as we have record. It occurred in February, the water being highest on the 17th. At that time, the River was 15 feet above the ordinary stage, and

abont three feet above that of 1881. The extent of damage, however, was far less than of that year. The water stood five feet deep in the office of the Island House, being about six in the adjoining depot. The Wabash Elevators on the River were flooded to the depth of five feet. The Union Railroad Bridge (belonging to the Wabash and Pennsylvania Railroad Compa- nies) lost a span ; the Pennsylvania Bridge. three spans ; while three of the four spans of the Cherry Street Wagon Bridge (then, as now, the property of the City), were swept away. The damage caused by the water, consisted more in the property submerged, than in that carried away. This was sustained chiefly in cellars of warehouses, stores and dwellings, which were reached both from the River directand through the Sewers connecting the lower portion of the City with the River. Many dwellings were subjected to serions inconvenience and damp. ness for weeks after the subsidence of the water. At the time, much apprehension was felt as to subsequent sickness to arise from such condition ; but such alarm was not justified by the fact, very little disease resulting from such cause.

THE "COLD NEW YEAR'S."

The 1st day of Jannary, 1864, was made specially memorable in this country on ac- count of the extraordinary, if not unprece- dented change of temperature which occurred the preceding night. At 9 o'clock p. M .. it was raining at Toledo, with every indication observable of a wet New Year's. About 11 o'clock the rain turned to snow, and soon a strong "Nor'wester" set in, when the tem- perature rapidly fell until 6 A. M, when the thermometer stood at 12º to 15° below zero. The range in temperature for the five days ending January 4th, was as follows :

December 31st-Highest point, 9 p. M., 42° above zero ; mean for the day, 38º above.

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History of the city of Toledo and Lucas County, Ohio, Part 133

Author: Waggoner, Clark, 1820-1903 Publication date: 1888 Publisher: New York and Toledo : Munsell & Company Number of Pages: 1408

Author: Waggoner, Clark, 1820-1903
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: New York and Toledo : Munsell & Company
Number of Pages: 1408