1400 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY & Company. It then became necessary to select a name for this new merger, and inasmuch as the combined efforts of the three companies were so wide in their scope that it really was a national industry, it was decided to take the name of the Eastern Company; therefore, in 1896, The National Supply Company was incorporated for $1,000,000; and that, friends, was a heap of money in those days. Mr. J. L. Wolcott was elected the first president of The National Supply Company in 1896 and Mr. Barr, who had shown great prowess in the company's affairs, became its secretary and purchasing agent. Hr. Hardee became its treasurer. Mr. Wolcott remained president until his death, which occurred in December, 1900, something less than four years and was succeeded by Henry M. Wilson of Pittsburgh, who had been one of the company's vice presidents. Mr. Wilson served as president until his death, which occurred in 1905, and was succeeded by Mr. William Hardee. "In the meantime the Toledo store had developed a very large jobbing business in the plumbing and heating supply line, and as a consequence, the heating business that was being carried on, that is, the installation of heating and power plants, became highly competitive with the company's own customer's; and therefore, it was decided that The National Supply Company should discontinue that line of endeavor; so, at the same time that The National Supply Company was incorporated, a new concern with headquarters at Toledo, known as The Shaw-Kendall Engineering Company, was incorporated, and the heating department was sold to that Company; Messrs. Shaw and Kendall becoming actively interested in the Shaw-Kendall Engineering Company and Messrs. Wolcott, Hardee and Hillman taking charge of The National Supply Company. "During its first year it was decided to purchase the Union Supply Co., which was a small concern with three or four stores adjacent to Toledo, in what was known as the Wood County field, and which was in charge of Mr. G. F. Mahan. This company's stores and assets were purchased, but the best thing we acquired at that time was a man who is now one of our vice presidents, G. F. Mahan, and who, as we extended our business into the Mid-continent field, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, etc., became the company's representative in full charge of its activities in that territory. "In 1908, we acquired two more men who are now in the executive famliy ; Mr. J. M. Wilson, a son of Henry M. Wilson, who TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 1401 first studied law and was admitted to the bar and later went into the banking business before taking employment with this company; also Mr. Charles R. Clapp, who studied law and was admitted to the bar, and became associated with our attorney. In 1908 Mr. Clapp took the position of treasurer and Mr. Wilson took charge of our tubular department. "In 1917, Mr. Hardee decided that he had served his time and resigned the presidency and took the chairmanship of the board of directors, Mr. J. H. Barr being elected president, which office he still holds (when this was written). "In September, 1919, due to the large demand for cable tools in Texas and the Mid-continent field and the inadequate supply from the manufacturers, we built a plant at Fort Worth, Texas, which was incorporated under the,name of The Fort Worth Drilling Tool Company, and which employed at that time about 100 men. In 1920, due to the death of its Manager, Edward Doble, the controlling stockholders of the Union Tool Company of California became desirous of disposing of their interests in that concern and at a conference held in New York City in July of that year, an arrangement was made whereby The National Supply Company purchased all of the stock of the Union Tool Company. The Union Tool Company had a very large plant at Torrance, a suburb of Los Angeles, California, employing about twelve hundred men, a number of field shops through the state of California, a plant employing about two hundred and fifty men at Carnegie, a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pa., and a third plant at West Chicago, Illinois, employing about one hundred and fifty men. "To show you the growth that this company has had and which is attributable, to such a large extent to the thrift, foresight, hard work, and suffering on the part of its early executives, I will give you a few figures : When I first went to work for the company in 1887, Dun and Bradstreet gave Shaw, Kendall & Company a rating of $50,000 to $75,000 with fair credit; today, The National Supply Company has the highest financial rating that is extended to any business organization by any credit rating agency in the United States. It has a capital and surplus of $32,000,000. All of that has been acquired, step by step, by perseverance and the hardest kind of work. "These five original incorporators of the old Buckeye Supply Company, Messrs. Shaw, Kendall, Hillman, Wolcott and Hardee have passed on to their reward and they took with them none of e wealth that they created; they have left it to us; we are now 1402 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY the stewards of its welfare, and every man on the payroll of The National Supply Company must assume his fair share of the burden and carry on the company's activities. I don't believe we can do better than those who have preceded us but it is my sincere hope that we may do as well. "The National Supply Company today has the following subsidiaries : The California National Supply Company, doing business largely in the state of California. The Illinois National Supply Company with stores in Illinois and Kentucky. The National Supply Company of Ohio with its Auburndale plant and stores throughout the oil fields of Ohio. The National Supply Company of Pennsylvania, covering the oil fields of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The National Supply Company of Texas with stores throughout the states of Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas. The National Supply Company-Midwest which covers Kansas, Oklahoma, Wyoming and Montana. The National Supply Company, Limited, which looks after the Canadian trade with a store at Tilbury, Canada. The National Supply Corporation, with its principal offices in New York City and London, England, that cares for our export trade. The National Supply Company of Mexico with a large store and warehouse at Tampico, Mexico, The Union Tool Company, which I have mentioned heretofore, with its three large plants and seven field shops. The Fort Worth Drilling Tool Company, Fort Worth, Texas. The Dayton Pipe Coupling Company of Dayton, Ohio, which I neglected to mention previously and which we acquired in 1919 which manufactures principally couplings for plain end line pipe and all other items in the way of fittings, saddles, etc., necessary in the way of pipe line equipment. "These various subsidiaries of ours have 96 branch stores throughout the United States and with our six manufacturing plants, heretofore mentioned, we are easily the largest manufacturers and distributors of material required for the production, refining, and transportation of crude oil and the production and transportation of natural gas in the world. "The company's present executive family (when this was written, 1926—Editor) is composed of men who have been long in its service : Mr. Barr, our president, forty-four years; Mr, Geismar, our assistant general manager, twenty-three years; the speaker, thirty-seven years; Mr. Mascho, thirty-six years; Mr, Mahan, twenty-eight years; Messrs. Clapp and Wilson, sixteen TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 1403 years; and so on down through the organization you will find any number of men who have been in the service from twenty to forty-five years; so I feel the Company is in the hands of those who have had wide experience and many of them have shown exceptional capability. "There are three things that I want to call to your attention that are so essential to the continued welfare of this organization. In the first place we must have satisfied employees and I want you to know that from the president down we all feel that we are employees. We have no bosses, we have executives who due to long service and ability have been taken into the executive family, but they are just as much on the job as any man in the company's employ. Every man has his shoulder to the wheel and perhaps the executives are putting in more overtime than some of the rest of us. "Secondly—we must have satisfied stockholders. They are our real employers and to them we must render satisfactory and successful service. Thirdly—and perhaps more important than all, we must satisfy the general public, our customers. I can't impress on you men in the shop how necessary it is to keep that in mind every day of your lives. Our material goes to the most inaccessible places, some of it being drawn through muck and mire for twenty-five and thirty miles and if an article gets to the well and fails, The National Supply Company suffers, and that suffering comes back indirectly to the man who causes it. There is nothing that contributes so much to the welfare or detriment of this company as careful or careless workmanship. Careful workmanship means good product and good product means satisfied customers. "The human body can well be compared to a savings bank which must have a surplus of health stored against the drain that you put upon it by any unusual exertion. The human mind is also a savings bank in which is stored by the recipient, both good and evil deeds. We cannot be drawing continually on our account in the bank unless we make corresponding deposits and in order to be happy it is necessary that we each and every one, create in the minds of our fellowmen a surplus due to good deeds. I therefore, suggest when you go home tonight that you resolve to start a bank account; on one side enter those things that you do for yourself; and, on the other side, those things that you do for others; and see if possible that from now on the latter account has the largest surplus. 1404 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY "You will find, as you go on, that you don't receive your pay from the fellow you help. I know this, for I have been assisted myself and the ones who have helped me were always in such a position that I could not repay them. It is necessary, therefore, to discharge that obligation that you help some one else who needs it, rather than to try to reward those that may have assisted you as they as a rule do not need it; and gradually you will find that you will have created about yourself a wonderful spirit of fello ship and good feeling on the part of your associates and you get your reward with interest and from the most unexpec sources. "Now I want to say a few words to the wives. How often we hear, whenever there is a scandal or even a murder, that cornmon remark "There must be a woman in the case." Let me say right here that there is a woman in every case and particularly in the good cases. Show me the man without a good wife, or sweet, heart, or a dear old mother to work for and I will show you a fellow who doesn't amount to very much. You have to have a woman somewhere in the background to work for and by the same token that woman has got to be right. No man can do a good day's work who leaves the house in the morning in a bad frame of mind; therefore, I want to charge you women to see that the man or boy when he goes to work is smiling and when he comes home at night that he finds you smiling." The general office building at the Auburndale plant was occupied in 1923, and in 1929, the officers were as follows: J. H. Barr, New York, chairman of the board; John M. Wilson, Pittsburgh, president; Frank Collins, Toledo, vice president; J. A. Geismar, Toledo, vice president and general manager; E. H. Green, New York, vice president; Chas. R. Clapp, Toledo, secretary; Chas, A. Meyer, Toledo, treasurer and assistant secretary; J. P. Mullen, Toledo, assistant secretary and assistant treasurer; and W. P. Bateman, Toledo, comptroller. Besides the main office of The National Supply Company at Toledo, the other principal offices are : The National Supply Cor poration, New York; The National Supply Corporation, London England; The National Supply Company, of Pennsylvania, Pit burgh, Pa.; The National Supply Company-Midwest, Tu Okla. ; The National Supply Co.-Midwest, Independence, Kan. The National Supply Company-Midwest, Casper, Wyo.; The Na tional Supply Company of Texas, Fort Worth, Texas; The Na tional Supply Company of California, Los Angeles, Cal.; The Na- TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 1405 tional Supply Company of Mexico, Tampico, Mexico; The National Supply Construction Corporation, Toledo, Ohio. The factories are: The National Supply Company, Toledo, Ohio; The National Supply Company of California, Torrance, Calif. ; The National Supply Company of Pennsylvania, Carnegie, Pa.; The Illinois National Supply Company, West Chicago, Ill. The Dayton Pipe Coupling Company, Dayton, Ohio; Superior Engine Company, Springfield, Ohio; The Otto Engine Works, Philadelphia, Pa. All through these volumes will also be found vitally entwined in the later progress of Toledo, the names of such men as Clement O. Munger, John N. Willys, S. O. Richardson, the Fords of the Ford Plate Glass Company, Robert A. and Frank D. Stranahan, Fred J. and Harold C. Reynolds, Henry L. Thompson, W. W. Knight, George M. Jones, Julius G. Lamson, Alfred Koch, Marshal Sheppey, Grove Patterson, Adam W. Kuhlman, Sam Davis, Irving E. Macomber, and scores of others. No city of the country has a people more liberal and philanthropic in the support of institutions of public welfare and merit, projected for the betterment of the conditions of the masses and the elevation of citizenship. JOHN N. WILLYS AND THE WILLYS-OVERLAND In a June, 1929 issue of the Toledo Sunday Times, under the heading, "The Writing on the Wall," appeared an article written by Dan Palmer, one of Toledo's able newspaper men. The subject matter is the story of the rise and progress of Theodore F. MacManus in the advertising field, and his vision of the automobile industry. Mr. Palmer refers to MacManus' book "Men, Money and Motors," a romance in business, and follows with this eference to one of Toledo's great industrial characters: John North Willys was owner of a sporting goods store in Elmira, N. Y., and was on a business trip to Cleveland in 1900 when he saw his first automobile. His companion was Gus Boyer, sales manager for a bicycle manufacturer Willys was representing. The car they saw was a Winton. Running to the curb Willys hailed the driver, asking him to stop. "Can't do it," yelled back the stranger. "Might not get her started again." Looking after the chugging machine, Willys enthused: "That's the business for me." 1406 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY "Shucks !" exclaimed Boyer. "Those things haven't a chance with horses and bicycles." Returning to Elmira, Willys learned that in his absence a doctor had purchased a Pierce Motorette—a small car with a DeDion motor on the rear axle. He investigated and the following day went to Buffalo, met Colonel Charles Clifton, president of the Pierce-Arrow company, and asked for the agency for the car. "Not right now," returned Clifton. "We are experimenting. We do not know that the car will be a success." Willys was insistent. Clifton finally capitulated and agreed to sell him the next car manufactured. The first year he had the agency Willys sold two machines; the following year he sold four, and then secured the agency for the Rambler. In 1903 he disposed of twenty automobiles and in 1904 and 1905 increased his sales to a point where he could not get deliveries. In 1906 he entered into an agreement with the Overland Company, then in Indianapolis, to take their entire output in 1907. The output consisted of 47 cars. In the fall of 1907 he increased the order to 500 cars and paid down $10,000 in binding the deal. On the way back to Elmira he read in a newspaper that the Knickerbocker Trust Company, in New York City, had gone to the wall. This failure contributed in a large way, to starting the "panic of 1907." The entire country was soon involved. Willys nervously awaited developments. They were not long in coming, Word came that the Overland company was in financial difficulties and the day following Thanksgiving, 1907, Willys went to Indianapolis. He arrived on Saturday morning; at the plant he was greeted by the manager : "I've got some bad news for you, Mr. Willys." "What is it?" "We are going into the hands of the receiver Monday morning." "You are not!" "Nothing can prevent it. As a matter of record, we paid off our crew today and we haven't enough money in the bank to meet their checks Monday morning." "That's a rotten thing to do," stormed Willys. "You've go to make good on those checks." "How?" "How much are you short on the payroll?" "Three hundred and fifty dollars." "I'll get it." 1408 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY Willys went to the Grand Hotel and gave the clerk a check for three hundred and fifty dollars. The clerk refused to cash it. Willys then sought the proprietor and was told that the banks had shut down on cashing "out-of-town" checks, protecting themselves by demanding several days' notice before meeting payment. Willys took the proprietor into his confidence, telling him the money was badly needed to pay the employes of the Overland company. He sold the proprietor the idea of cashing checks for no one until the three hundred and fifty dollars had come into the dining room or across the bar. At Midnight, Sunday, the proprietor came to him and informed him the money was ready. On Monday morning Willys was at the bank when it opener Plunking down a sackful of money he ordered : "Deposit this to the credit of the Overland company." "Who are you?" interrogated the teller. "My name is Willys. I'm from Elmira, New York. I'm a customer of the Overland Company. They've got ten thousand dollars-of my money made as an advance payment for automobiles. I'm here to protect that investment." The teller refused to accept the deposit. Willys went to th cashier—explained, pleaded, threatened; finally, the cashie acquiesced but advised : "You're just sending good money after bad, Mr. Willys. Th Overland company has been in a bad way financially for some time. It can't pull out." "It will pull out," pledged Willys, and walked out of the bank leaving the sack of money on the cashier's desk. Going to the plant, he met officials of the company and talked them into giving him a vote of authority to do what he saw fit in meeting the payroll of the following Saturday. That was the first step—getting the men back to work. For five weeks Willys did little but ride trains and buttonhole everyone he knew. He kept meeting payrolls and kept the plant working. He talked with suppliers and induced them to send materials. He pleaded with friends and succeeded in getting a little money. Not much—but enough to keep the wheels from stopping altogether. The day came when he received word from Indianapolis that the creditors were refusing to be put off any longer. The company owed $80,000 and an ultimatum had been issued : "Pay or quit !" That same day Willys went to E. B. Campbell, a lumberma of Williamsport, Pa., and succeeded in getting the half promise o TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 1409 a loan of $15,000. He agreed to repay the loan if the Overland company failed. Then he approached the creditors' committee and Thade them a proposition to pay ten cents on the dollar, in cash, and the balance in installments. These installments were to go to those insisting upon them; otherwise, their claims were to be counter-balanced with stock in the Overland company. "Where is the cash?" they asked. "I have no intention of paying it today," responded Willys. "The meeting is for the purpose of learning your intentions. The cash will be here tomorrow." Late that afternoon Campbell told Willys he had decided against investing in the Overland company. "I have investigated the company and have reached the conclusion there isn't a chance for it to pull out," he said. "But I'll personally guarantee the loan," pleaded Willys. "I don't want you to be in debt to me. It isn't fair to you. Besides, I'm trying to protect you." "I'm of age," grumbled Willys, and went on pleading. Campbell finally advanced $7,500. Willys returned to the creditors' meeting the following morning and told them the exact amount of cash he had raised. They wailed and they stormed and they swore. But Willys had his way * * * In January, 1908, Willys was made president, treasurer, gen:. eral manager, sales manager and advertising manager of the Overland company * * * The company, in the ensuing eight months manufactured and sold 465 automobiles and made a net profit of $58,000 after having taken care of all its outstanding indebtedness * * * So concludes excerpts from the story of Mr. Palmer. When the news came of the retirement of Mr. Willys from the control of the Willys-Overland Company in July, 1929, in the issue of The Toledo Blade of July 29, over the signature of Paul Block, publisher of that paper, appeared this: "The acquirement of the control of the Willys-Overland Company by men who, in addition to their local .reputation, are admitted leaders in the industrial and financial world, is a matter of the greatest importance to Toledo. As strong as the organization has been, it will be made stronger by the entrance of Mr. C. O. Miniger, Mr. George M. Jones, Mr. Marshall Field and their associates. There is no doubt that under this new direction this successful business will be made more successful than ever before. 1410 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY "The appointment of Mr. L. A. Miller as president and general manager of the company will not only be exceedingly pleasing to all who know him but will tend to inspire great confidence in the future operations of the plant. Mr. Willys, who retires from the active management, becomes Chairman of the Board and it will be good news to his many friends that he will remain in the company in an advisory capacity. Mr. Willys has been building the business for more than twenty years and properly feels that he has earned the right to take it easy now. "Whether this new ownership will later mean a consolidation with other concerns in the automobile industry or merely the enlargement of the business as an individual unit, it is a splendid move for Toledo and is bound to contribute tremendously to the industrial advancement and prosperity of the whole city." Concerning the change in the control of the Willys-Overland the Toledo News-Bee of July 11, 1929, said this: "Transfer of control of Toledo's largest industry, the WillysOverland, is slated to take place within the next few weeks. It will mark the passing from the local scene of one of the truly romantic figures of modern business, John N. Willys. It will signalize a continuance, to a large extent, of the interest and able guidance of a group of Toledo capitalists who have written their names large on the pages of present-day commerce. "Nothing is to be feared from the fact that Chicago capital will also come to the Overland. That is merely new evidence that the soundness of investment in Toledo has become obvious to big business. The interest of C. 0. Miniger and George M. Jones in the Overland is no new thing. Both have been directors for a decade. "It is impossible for Toledoans, to be sure, to regard the transaction with unmixed feelings. The thrilling and colorful career of John N. Willys has been of absorbing interest to his fellow townsmen. They watched his early efforts with sympathy, saw him build up the Overland to a high place in the auto world with pride, and then, after the war days, shared with him the concern and the worry that at times seemed to be leading to nothing but the completest failure. "The story of Willys' comeback as an auto magnate is one of the most breathless and inspiring annals in the history of American business. His back to the wall, his factory shut down, his creditors closing in on every side, it looked as if nothing but a miracle would save Willys—and Toledo's largest industrial concern. TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 1411 "Willys then demonstrated his masterly command of strategy, his ability as a supersalesman, his genius for organizing something out of nothing. For many weeks he slept in Pullman cars, touring nearly the entire country in a one-man sales drive that was an Odyssey of big business. He plugged and inspired and labored. "The fruits of his toil soon became apparent. The Overland came back to a bigger and more solidly-grounded prosperity than ever. Without Toledo backing him, Willys could not have done it. Without the business genius of Willys, Toledo would never have witnessed the miracle. "Now that Mr. Willys is soon to retire from active leadership in the Willys-Overland concern, Toledo is bound to wish him well. He has won the right to leisure, if he wishes it. "The concern of our city will henceforth be intimately directed to the new men in control. It is gratifying to see the responsibility for this giant industry resting on the shoulders of men who have been as distinguished for their civic pride and interest as for their own individual business successes. They represent great wealth. They represent also great qualities of citizenship. Toledo will stand behind them in the operation of the Willys-Overland enterprise and will look forward with the heartiest cordiality to its development and prosperity in their hands." CLEMENT O. MINIGER On the train passing over the Ohio border line and through many well known towns of southern Michigan were two men from Toledo. One of them seemed especially interested in the panoramic scenes that whirled by. Although one of America's captains of industry now, and on a mission that perhaps involved millions of dollars, for the time being the future was forgotten and he was living in the scenes of his earlier career. He had been a traveling salesman of the old school. While yet a comparatively young man as life is counted and with a great prospect before him, in his still younger years he had known the location of every water tank and curve not only on this road but every railroad in Ohio, Michigan and Indiana, covered by the trade of the company he used to represent. Automobiles had not been thought of then, and if it was winter time the boys of the grip would amble down to the first train out of Toledo, (walk to the station if the snow was too deep for 1412 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY the street car) huddle up by the coal stove in the day coach and open up their latest line of "have you heard this one"—stories. It was remarkable the number of towns they made in one day. "Doing" as many places as possible by rail, they would bring the livery stable man into action, or perhaps using the "drive yourself" system, would board an old rattle-trap buggy drawn by an antiquated race horse, record 2 :10 in his prime, and make the crossroad stores and isolated hamlets. Lucky were they when the Saturday nights found them home again with "Sally and the Kiddies." Well, upon the occasion here mentioned, (using fictitious names and places) this now industrial leader, traveling through his former familiar haunts would say : "The 'next station is Homeville. Engine broke down about a mile ahead and had to walk the rest of the way. Rained like the deuce and it was dark before we got in. But landlord Blank at the little hotel built up a big fire in the great stove and after a good supper (the evening meal was al ways supper) we all sat around the office and talked until midnight. "Never'l forget old man Jones I used to sell goods to at the little town out that road. He had a boy who got the western fever. Went out there somewhere and never was heard from. "And say," as they pulled out of another town, "blamed if that store don't look just like it did thirty years ago. Same sign 'J. Smith & Son, Drugs and Sundries !' Old hotel the same only its front is painted green now instead of red. Saw in the paper the other day that landlord King who kept it for fifty years was dead." And so continued his comments. Who was this man of reminiscence? Want to know? Why it was Clement 0. Miniger, head of The Electric Auto-Lite Company of Toledo, one of America's most prosperous industries. He was telling about the time between 1891 and 1901 he was traveling salesman for the wholesale drug firm of Walding, Kinnan Marvin. Almost daily in his mail come letters from the old towns he used to make. One wanted to know if he was the same Miniger who used to sell his father drugs. Another asked if Miniger remembered the writer's little daughter Kate. "Married now and has a fine little daughter of her own. Looks just like Kate did when she was a baby." Some missives tell of the good fortune that has come to the writer and his people. Others have sadness in their tone. Comedy; tragedy; failure; success. The way of the world in its daily revolution. 1414 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY Needless to say that nothing gives "Clem" as they call him, more enjoyment than meeting one of his old customers and recounting incidents of the times when the young salesman walked into the drug store and with a hearty handshake received the order held for him until he came around. And he is the same Clem Miniger now he was then. When the writer visited the plant in July, 1929, plans were under way for the construction of a new administration building. The office force was busy and "on their toes" every minute. No one looked at the clock or at a wrist watch. It honestly seemed that each employee would have to be aroused to the fact when the day was over. There was bustle and contentment everywhere. Figures and details are unnecessary. Clement O. Miniger's native state is Pennsylvania. Over at Fostoria, Ohio, where one of his factories is in operation, there are men who were his mates in high school there. He took up coal mining in a small way at Cambridge, Ohio, and for a time when he first came to Toledo was in the paper box manufacturing business. A man of vision he took over a little auto-light industry in Toledo and in 1911, organized what was then called the Auto Light Corporation. He has always been a close business associate of John N. Willys and for sixteen months during the World war was in charge of production of The Willys-Overland Company. He is one of Toledo's leading philanthropists and his name crops out all through this story of Toledo. It will not be long after this history comes from the press that plans for the finest office building yet constructed in Toledo, nearing forty stories and bearing his name, will be under way. EDWARD DRUMMOND LIBBEY The late Edward Drummond Libbey was a man easily approached. Even in the later years of his busy career, a legitimate audience was readily granted. Of the various times the writer had perhaps more than an ordinary conversation with him, three stand out most prominently. The first was in his modest office quarters before the name of Libbey and his glass industries had become internationally famous. The second was when in talking about the careers of men, their successes and failures, he mentioned what he considered one of the crises in his own financial career. There are many Toledoans who remember the beautiful building at the Columbian TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 1415 Exposition, Chicago, 1893, erected by the Libbey Glass Company at a cost of over $100,000, where the art of making and cutting glass was carried on in all its branches. However, for some reason the project at the outset did not function as desired or anticipated. More money was necessary to put the plan over and funds were not forthcoming. John B. Ketcham was at the head of the Ketcham National Bank, Toledo, and one day he invited Mr. Libbey for a ride behind a span of Ketcham's high steppers. In the course of the drive Mr. Libbey's World's Fair venture came up and he frankly stated to Mr. Ketcham his situation. "How much money do you need?" asked the banker. "One hundred thousand dollars," was Libbey's answer. "I'll let you have it," replied Ketcham, "come around in the morning." Needless to say Mr. Libbey was on hand when the bank opened, the loan was made and it is a matter of history how the Libbey people spun a glass dress for Princess Eulalia of Spain, crowds jamming the Libbey Chicago building to see the novel art. The Libbey Glass Company became world famed over night. It was the beginning of Mr. Libbey's spectacular career in the financial arena and Toledo reaped the reward. The third conversation took place in Mr. Libbey's office when he began to vision for Toledo a great museum of art. Probably he little dreamed at the time the extent of his final investment in the enterprise, but he was looking for a permanent director for the great idea. If the writer is not in error it was while the germ of the museum was located on. Madison Avenue. It was a serious question for Mr. Libbey's consideration and while one or two men he was pondering over were mentioned, Toledo knows his fortunate choice in the person of the late George Stevens, who so long directed the museum affairs and who, by the way, in Mr. Blake-More Godwin has a worthy successor. COLONEL SHELDON C. REYNOLDS For nearly a half century, to be exact, from 1869 to 1912, one of the most active figures in Toledo business circles was Colonel Sheldon C. Reynolds. He had an historical interest in the Maumee section, for his father served in the War of 1812. Born in Essex County, New York, Sheldon at the age of sixteen came west and entered the dry goods store of a brother at Jackson, Michigan, as a clerk, where he became one of the proprietors. After fourteen years' residence at Jackson, coming to Toledo, as 1416 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY noted, in 1869, with his brother W. R. Reynolds he purchased t old Armada Flouring Mills. Disposing of his mill interests 1875, Colonel Reynolds entered the grain trade. The first yea the firm shipped 2,000 carloads of grain and in 1885 handled t enormous volume of 85 thousand carloads, the largest that year the United States. The Reynolds firm was the first dealers to buy wheat in ca load lots for Toledo, west of the Mississippi and they were always in close touch with the markets of the entire world. Colonel Reynolds was a striking figure on the floor in the stirring days of the old Produce Exchange. As regular as clockwork behind his fine span of bays he would arrive down Madison Avenue at his office, vying with David Robison, Jr., the banker behind his high steppers and Robert Cummings with his dependable pair, in his promptness. Colonel Reynolds was also prominent in railroad circles, being director of the Wabash, Hocking Valley, Wheeling & Lake Erie and one or two other lines. After his retirement as president of the First National Bank he was chairman of the board of directors, which position he held at the time of his death Nov. 22, 1912. CHAPTER LXVII BUSINESS, SOCIAL AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE-PRODUCE EXCHANGE-TOLEDO CLUB-Y. M. C. A.-NEWSBOYS-BOY SCOUTS-SOCIAL CLUBS-FRATERNAL SOCIETIES-G. A. R. POSTS-AMERICAN LEGION. The Toledo Chamber of Commerce is one of the greatest contributing forces to the growth and development of Toledo. The purpose of the organization is the advancement of the commercial, industrial and civic interests of Toledo, and to that end to assist in the establishment and promotion of closer friendly relations and cooperation among the citizens of the community. The first movement which brought about the present organization was in 1893, when a Manufacturers Association was formed, the name of which a short time later was changed to the Chamber of Commerce. The Business Men's Club was organized in 1906, with William C. Carr its first president. This project, made up of prominent business men, grew in popularity, as it embodied withal the necessary social features. On May 9, 1910, the Chamber of Commerce and the Business Men's Club were merged under the name of the Commerce Club, which took over the rooms of the latter organization, located in the Nicholas Building. The first officers were: president, J. Gazzam MacKenzie; first vice president, E. H. Cady; second vice president, Geo. L. Shanks; third vice president, F. V. Culbertson ; treasurer, C. R. Clapp ; secretary, Louis H. Paine; assistant secretary, F. I. Lackens. It was in 1920 that the title, Chamber of Commerce was again adopted, with the idea of working on lines corresponding to the national body, the Chamber of Commerce of the United States. The older organization, the Commerce Club, was active in war work; the traffic bureau was organized in 1913 to look after the needs of Toledo shippers; the public research bureau was established in 1916; the Americanization board was formed in 1919 ; the industrial bureau was placed in operation the same year and has concentrated its activities upon the work of bringing new industries to the city, promoting trade through publicity, and plan- - 1417 - 1418 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY ning trade trips to various sections of the country. The traffic bureau has obtained a freight rate on coal which has saved the people of Toledo thousands of dollars, and a freight rate on grain which is restoring to the city much of its former prestige as a grain market. The public research bureau has investigated the city's financial condition and awakened the citizens to a greater interest in their municipal government and its affairs. The club had a membership in 1929 of 2,700, including the Junior Membership Department. There are several neighborhood commercial organizations designed to look after specific sectional problems and also aiding the Chamber of Commerce in its city-wide work. One of the most active in these is the South Side Chamber of Commerce, which has a board of ten directors, each of whom looks after a certain district. This organization alone numbers about a thousand. In addition to these are the Auburndale, West Toledo, and East Side Chamber of Commerce, each significantly caring for local problems. Although business conditions and opportunities for improvement are the first care of these local organizations, the social side of their activities is attentively looked after. January 1, 1926, enlarged quarters, the top floor of the Richardson Building, Jefferson and St. Clair streets, were taken over by the Chamber of Commerce, and within the past year hundreds of meetings and luncheons or dinners have been held, thereby creating through closer contact, a finer business friendliness and social spirit, the resultant effect of which is the development of a greater and better Toledo. There is a change annually in the list of officials except the secretary. The officers in June, 1929, were: George D. Welles, president; John 0. Munn, first vice president; A. B. Newell, second vice president; Harry C. Tillotson, third vice president; C. C. Whitmore, treasurer; A. J. Horn, secretary. Mr. Horn, an efficient, experienced worker, came from Schenectady, N. Y., and succeeded Mr. Benj. H. Bonnar, another expert, January 15, 1929. After Mr. Paine, the secretaries were John D. Biggers, George E. Hardy and Frank Saxton, before Mr. Bonnar and Mr. Horn. To illustrate the methods and accomplishments of the Toledo Chamber of Commerce, at the Manufacturers' Dinner held May 9, 1929, in the presence of eleven hundred members and guests at the Commerce gathering, the location of forty-four new industries during the year was announced, eighteen more than the year previous. At the same time high compliments were bestowed upon TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 1419 existing industries because of their remarkable expansion during the same twelve months. The intense and wide interest taken in Toledo's advancement was evidenced by the fact that never before were so many outstanding non-resident industrial leaders assembled in Toledo. An account of the meeting reports that statements were made by the speakers "that amazed and delighted the audience:" THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, TOLEDO Southeast corner of Summit Street and Madison Ave. Burned January 3, 1894. Vice President George M. Graham, of the Willys-Overland Co., who was toastmaster said, that out of the gross business of $187,000,000 of his company last year, (1928) more than $60,930,000, or almost one-third of the total, had been put back into Toledo through wages paid and purchases of material made. President H. E. Doehler, of the Doehler Die Casting Co., in a telegram expressing regret at his inability to attend the dinner, announced that he expected to build another plant in Toledo in the near future. 1420 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY ' President Charles A. Dana, of the Spicer Manufacturing Co., in his response to the toast "Industries Welcomed Last Year," said that his company, which has been operating its Toledo plant only since July 1, 1928, paid 1,150 men the week before $40,000 in wages. • President W. J. Harahan, of the Chesapeake & Ohio and Hocking Valley Railroads, responding to the toast "The Van Sweringens' Faith in Toledo," said that work on the Presque Isle six-million-dollar development would be started about June 1 (1929). Mayor William T. Jackson, responding to the toast, "A Welcome to New Industries," said the city's program called for the expenditure of about $15,000,000 in constructive improvements in addition to the annual budget of $10,000,000 to enable the city to keep up with its industrial growth. President Frank R. Coates, of the Toledo Edison Co., and the Community Traction Co., responding to the toast "Toledo Factories Owned Outside the City," said that a computation, made by himself and those seated near him, showed that the forty leaders seated at the head table represented a total investment of more than $5,600,000,000 in American industrial, transportation and utility enterprises, which was another way, he said, of showing the pride outside companies take in their Toledo interests. "This is, of course, a very proud day for Toledo," President George D. Welles, of The Toledo Chamber of Commerce said. "Years ago it was said that Toledo was destined for great things. We know that the day has come and that the great things are here. In evidence of that it is our great pleasure to welcome forty-four concerns that have begun operations in Toledo within the year. The record is unsurpassed in Ohio. I am sure our new friends understand our pride in Toledo, and I hope it is one of the reasons why they chose this city as their location." In a tribute to existing industries President C. O. Miniger, who received an ovation as he was introduced, said that corporations, like individuals, are generally known by the company they keep. He named many of the great Toledo industries and declared that the value of association with such companies is beyond estimate. He referred to the banks of Toledo, saying that they were always ready to help the manufacturer. He commended the city administration, referring in a complimentary way to Mayor Jackson by name. He said that Toledo has 1,071 factories and warehouses and declared that they did not locate here by ac- TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 1421 cident, but were attracted by the city's geographical location and the many advantages available here for business and growth. Mr. Miniger paid a tribute to the efficiency of the Toledo Chamber. of Commerce. Chairman A. B. Newell, of the Industrial Development Committee, introduced the forty-four new concerns to the audience. They are firms or companies that have actually begun manufacturing or other operations in Toledo's metropolitan area since May 1, 1928. The official representatives of these companies were seated at two tables, one at either end of the room, and as the name of the company was called the representative arose and bowed. "I want you to realize," Chairman Newell said to the audience in his introductory remarks, "that these men represent an initial investment of $6,065,000 and are responsible for the initial employment of 2,355 people." Because of recent announcements and prospective developments much interest was felt in what Pres. W. J. Harahan, of the Chesapeake & Ohio-Hocking Valley Railways, would say in response to "The Van Sweringens' Faith in Toledo," because it was believed that he was speaking for the Van Sweringen brothers. He spoke at length concerning the plans of the Hocking Valley for the Presque Isle development, and of the advantages likely to result from the railroad merger plans announced by O. P. Van Sweringen and his brother. Concerning the new Presque Isle, Hocking Valley terminals, where the Maumee River joins the Maumee Bay, an immediate expenditure of nearly seven million dollars has been authorized. With four slips for freighters, a concrete dock 200 feet in width and 14,000 feet in length, coal loading machines and ore unloading machines of the latest type and greatest capacity, a grain elevator more than 600 feet in length, a warehouse 1,000 feet long and many miles of railroad track in loading, holding and supporting yards, Toledo, it is declared, will have the largest terminal on the Great Lakes when the Presque Isle project is completed. At the group of three slips, where the Maumee rounds Presque Isle, there will be two coal-loading machines, each with a dumping capacity of fifty cars an hour. What is of even greater interest is the announcement that at these slips there will also be three Howlett stiff-leg ore machines, whose buckets of seventeen tons capacity will make it possible for each machine to unload 833 tons of iron ore an hour, or a total of 10,000 tons in four hours. 1422 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY The fourth slip, a short distance south of the group of three has sufficient space on its north side for the construction of an el evator and mill, and on the south side space for a second elevator. These slips will each be 250 feet wide and will range in lengt from 1,200 feet to 2,000 feet and will provide dockage for several big freighters at one time. In addition to the large handling and loading yards adjoinin the coal and ore machines there is to be a supporting yard that will have a capacity of 5,075 cars. The frontage along which the docks will be built, the plans indicate, has a total length of about 14,000 feet, or more than two and a half miles. As the concrete docks will have an average width throughout of 200 feet, the immensity of this portion of the development is evident. As to the expansion of industries already in operation, The Toledo Scale Company of which Hubert D. Bennett is president, will erect a new plant, at a cost of $1,000,000, on an eighty-acre site which it has acquired at the junction of the Laskey and Telegraph roads, in the heart of the big, new industrial district in West Toledo. The first unit will contain 250,000 square feet of floor space and will be erected immediately. The New York Central Railroad Co. is completing plans for the erection of a water softening plant at Air-Line Junction, to cost $1,000,000. This large investment is accepted as a clear indication of the increasing importance of Toledo as a rail center. A $500,000 addition enlarging the round house at the Junction is approaching completion. The West Chicago unit of the National Supply Co. will be moved to Toledo, the machinery and equipment of which will be installed in existing buildings. It is expected that a large addition to the company's Toledo plant will shortly be erected. The West Chicago plant has heretofore employed approximately 400 men. The Toledo Ice & Coal Co. has expanded its producing and distributing capacity by the acquisition of a plant at Blissfield, Michigan. The Atlas Electrotype & Stereotype Co. was incorporated in April and with the additional capital thus acquired, will expand its plant in the Toledo Factories Building to handle increased business. James E. Nagle & Sons, Inc., located at 3835 Alexis Road, is building an addition that will add 50 per cent to its floor space TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 1423 for the expansion of its metal finishing and electroplating business. Sam Davis, owner of the Toledo Factories Building is having an addition erected to provide space for the Engineering Department of the City Machine & Tool Co. The Bonny Sun Hat Co., now located at 641 Palmwood Avenue, has acquired a site of six acres on Jackman Road and will erect a new plant. Supplying some of the largest mail order houses, the company now produces over 1,200 hats daily and in the new plant will add women's under-garments. Work on the addition to the plant of the Spicer Manufacturing Co., on Bennett Road, off Sylvania Avenue, is progressing rapidly and it is expected that when completed the plant will have at least 2,000 men in its employ. These are the results shown at a single gathering of the Toledo Chamber of Commerce. The Merchants and Manufacturers Association composed of a large list of the leading industrial and mercantile concerns, is closely allied to the Chamber of Commerce, is well organized and a valuable enterprise. Run in the interests of Toledo and for its advancement it has a protective feature that is most commendable. The Toledo Transportation Club, formed in 1905, is what the name indicates, has a growing membership which affiliate for social and vocational betterment. TOLEDO PRODUCE EXCHANGE From its earliest years Toledo has been a leading grain center. The first grain dealers organization was formed in 1849. On June 7, that year, commission men, forwarders and produce dealers, met at the steam elevators of Brownlee, Pendleton & Co., located on Water Street. Matthew Brown, Jr., was chairman of the meeting and Edward B. Brown, secretary. Andrew J. Fields, John M. Boalt and H. L. Hosmer were appointed a committee to prepare a constitution and by-laws and Denison B. Smith, George Pendleton and D. G. Saltonstall were instructed to rent a room for holding meetings. An organization was formed with a membership seat price of two dollars. Denison B. Smith, who became identified with the grain trade of Toledo in 1841, was elected president; Matthew Brown, Jr., vice president; Francis Hollenbeck, secretary and superintendent, and Andrew J. Fields, treasurer. The board arranged to receive telegraph market reports from Buffalo and New York each day at 12 o'clock. The last record of this organization is dated September 21, 1849. 1424 - STORY OF THE IVIAU1VIEE VALLEY On April 23, 1851, at another meeting of commission men, forwarders and dealers, a second board was formed, with Matthew Brown, Jr., president, Andrew J. Fields, vice president and Harrison H. Dodds secretary-treasurer. This project lasted less than a year, although it had enrolled twenty-four members. A new organization was formed early in 1861 known as the Board of Trade, with Truman H. Hoag, president, Matthew Brown, vice president and Carlos Colton secretary-treasurer. This board continued to function until 1876, when it was deemed advisable to establish a more efficient organization, and January 6th that year the present Produce Exchange came into existence. The first president was Henry D. Walbridge; vice presidents, George Milmine, and George E. Wells; secretary, C. T. Wales; treasurer, Horatio S. Young. The board of directors besides the president and vice presidents, consisted of Abner L. Backus, H. E. Bangs, Miles D. Carrington, Edwin Goldsmith, Vincent Hamilton, Sheldon C. Reynolds, William T. Walker, William H. Whitaker, E. R. Williams and Elijah Williams. In 1878, the Produce Exchange Building, northwest corner of Madison and St. Clair was erected, where the organization had its quarters until 1922, when it moved to its present location, ninth floor of the Second National Bank Building (Toledo Trust). Denison B. Smith was long the secretary, followed upon his death by Archie Gassaway, who held the position until December 31, 1928 when he was succeeded by W. A. Boardman. The other officers in 1929 were: president, K. D. Keilholtz; 1st vice president, H. Anderson; second vice president, C. E. Patterson; treasurer, L. J. Schuster. Directors, C. S. Burge, J. D. Hulburt, E. A. Nettleton, P. C. Sayles, Harry Hirsch, H. W. Applegate, H. R. DeVore, G. D. Goodman, J. A. Streicher, and F. C. Bowers. GRAIN TRADE AND ELEVATORS As noted, the grain trade is a conspicuous part of Toledo co merce. The first Toledo wheat exported was in the fall of 1827, when 300 bushels raised on the farm, of Coleman I. Keeler were shipped in the schooner Eagle. The completion of the Erie & Kalamazoo Railroad to Adrian in 1836 made it possible to bring wheat from Southern Michigan for shipment at Toledo. Two years later, when work was commenced on the Wabash & Erie Canal, the large influx of laborers created a demand for breadstuffs. In that year, for the first time, the farmers of Lucas County and neighboring sections produced a small surplus of grain. Richard Mott built a warehouse on Water Street, between Adams and Oak 1426 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY (now Jackson) streets. It was equipped with a small elevator, operated by horse power. This was the first grain elevator in Northwestern Ohio. It proved to be a labor saving institution and marked the beginning of Toledo as a grain market. It was destroyed by fire in 1839 and Mr. Mott the next year built the "old red warehouse," as it was known for many years, at the foot of Monroe Street. Here an improvement was made in the manner of applying horse power, and Mr. Mott became the leading grain dealer in the Maumee Valley. The Wabash & Erie Canal was opened from Lafayette, Indiana, to Toledo in 1843, bringing the surplus grain from the Wabash Valley and the upper Maumee country. The next year (1844) one-half of the wheat delivered at Atlantic ports was shipped from the four Ohio cities—Cleveland, Milan, Sandusky and Toledo—and the greater portion of this half was shipped from Toledo. The great increase in the quantity of grain received at Toledo after the completion of the canal, created a demand for better shipping facilities. In 1847 the firm of Brownlee & Brown (John Brownlee and Egbert B. Brown) built the first steam elevator at Toledo. Its capacity was much greater than that of any previous structure of its kind and it was fitted with sloping bins, which would discharge their contents by gravity, saving much labor. This elevator was located at the foot of Madison Avenue, Shortly after it was built it passed into the hands of Brown, Walbridge & King, which concern began business in 1846, and sub. sequently into the hands of C. A. King & Company. A late report of the capacity of Toledo elevators shows the following : Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton R. R., Elevator B. 500,000 Central Grain Company 200,000 East Side Iron Elevator 1,500,000 Lake Shore & Michigan Southern R. R. 300,000 Imperial Feed Company 10,000 National Milling Company 1,500,000 Northwestern Elevator & Mill Company 265,000 Sheets Elevator Company 150,000 Toledo Grain & Milling Company 250,000 Toledo Salvage Company 200,000 Toledo Seed & Oil Company 350,000 Total bushels 5,225,000 TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 1427 All these elevators are so situated that shipments can be easily made, both by rail and water. Several of the firms in existence when the Toledo Produce Exchange was organized in 1876 are still members, though their personnel is different. COAL TRADE Situated as it is at one of the most strategic points between great industries and the coal mines, not considering local consumption, Toledo is a leading coal market. The port of Toledo ships more coal by water than any other port in the United States. The shipments reach during favorable conditions nearly nine million tons a year. The principal docks are the Baltimore & Ohio, Hocking Valley and Ohio Central. Among the local wholesale coal dealers, The George M. Jones Company, whose main offices occupy a large unit of the Ohio Building, is pronounced the largest operating company in Ohio. Another prominent and evidently the oldest coal concern in Toledo is the W. A. Gosline Company. W. A. Gosline, Sr., who died March 18, 1910, was one of Toledo's leading business men. The firm of Gosline & Barbour began business in 1872. In 1901 W. A. Gosline retired and his interests were taken over by W. A. Gosline, Jr., the present head of the company, which does both a wholesale and retail business. Other prominent dealers are The Big Four Coal Company and The Ironville Dock & Coal Company. There are some fifty wholesale coal dealers in Toledo and nearly as many retail firms. TOLEDO CLUB It was in the years around 1877, that a few Toledoans fell into the habit of getting together at the old Boody House and other places in an informal manner for an exchange of ideas and the discussion of current topics. Prominent among them were A. W. Gleason, William L. Hoyt, Charles A. King, David R. Locke, Ralph Osborne, George E. Pomeroy, Jr., and Frank I. Young. Informal meetings were also held in a small room on Jefferson Avenue near Summit Street. After a time Mr. Locke proposed the formation of a regular club and the name "Draconian Club" was selected. Mr. Locke was elected the first president, and Ralph Osborne, the first secretary. Permanent quarters were obtained on Summit Street near Madison Avenue. On May 15, 1882, the club was incorporated. A few years after the incorporation the name was changed to the Toledo Club and a club house was built on the southeast corner of Madison Avenue and Huron Street, the Home Bank Build- 1428 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY ing site. In the reorganization of the club the incorporators were: William T. Carrington, Walter N. Conant, William A. Gosline, William L. Hoyt, John B. Ketcham (second) and Dean V. R. Manley. Mr. Ketcham was chosen president and Mr. Hoyt, secretary. During the next twenty-five years the club house was outgrown by the increase in membership and it was decided to erect a new building adequate to the demands of the organization. A site on the southwest corner of Madison Avenue and Fourteenth Street was purchased and the following members were appointed a building committee : Elmer H. Close, Morris J. Riggs, Henry L. Thompson, Walter Stewart and Thomas W. Warner. TOLEDO CLUB The present home of the club was opened on June 19, 1915. It is one of the handsomest structures in the city and contains all the requisites of the modern club house—parlors, women's reception rooms, general and private dining rooms, billiard room, forty-two guest rooms, bath rooms, elevator service, etc. The cost of the building was $500,000. The Club includes in its membership a large list of the substantial business and professional men of the city. In 1922 the old club house, on the corner of Madison Avenue and Huron Street, was purchased by the Home Savings Bank & Trust Company, and where now stands its fine office and bank building. TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 1429 WOMAN'S CLUB What the Toledo Club is for the men, the Toledo Woman's Club is for the women. It was organized in 1892. Among those active in its establishment were: Miss Emily Bouton, Mrs. E. P. Breckenridge, Mrs. F. L. Geddes and Mrs. S. M. Jones. At first the organization was known as the Woman's Building Association. In May, 1911, the residence property at No. 2920 Cherry Street was purchased and remodeled for a club house. Among the alterations was the addition of a large auditorium, in which many of the largest social and educational gatherings of the city have since been held. The building was thrown open to the members on December 9, 1911, and the name of "Toledo Woman's Association" was adopted. The officers at that time were: Mrs. F. L. Geddes, president; Mrs. Ben W. Johnson, first vice president; Mrs. S. M. Jones, second vice president; Mrs. Charles P. Mettler, secretary; Mrs. Elizabeth M. Irving, treasurer; Miss Emily Bouton, Mrs. E. P. Breckenridge, Mrs. E. L. Camp and Mrs. Robert C. Morris directors. In 1918 the name was changed to the "Toledo Woman's Club." At that time, as the club house on Cherry Street was some distance from the center of the city's business activities, a downtown center was opened at No. 427 Superior Street, but changed a few years since to Adams Street between Huron and Erie. These auxiliary quarters serve as a place for board and committee meetings, and as a meeting place for many of the women's anizations, for the Toledo Woman's Club is most liberal and rooms are open. to every woman's club in the city. Its scope is civic, humanitarian and social, and its keynote is "service." THE NATIONAL EXCHANGE CLUB The first Exchange Club in America was organized at De-it, March 27, 1911. The second club was organized at Toledo, anuary 3, 1913, when a number of close friends were called to-ether for that purpose by Wesley S. Thurston, Jr., and Seaman Vrooman. Dr. Charles M. Harpster, later National Exchange resident was one of the original members, and under his admintration as local president the Toledo Exchange became a thriving organization. The National Exchange Club was organized at the old Boody House, Toledo, July 16, 1917. The first national convention was Id at the same place. The slogan of the organization is "Unity r Service." A number of the members of the first Toledo Ex- 1430 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY change Club were founders of the National organization. Harol M. Harter made National Secretary at the founding, still hold that position. Exchange is recognized throughout the United States as the largest national service club in the country and one of the four largest in the world. Toledo, in the heart of this immense organization composed of affiliated clubs in towns and cities of every state in the Union, has the distinction of being considered the capitol of The National Exchange Club Organization, it being the national headquarters. Exchange is especially well known for its national objectives which are : advancement of aviation, discouragement of excessive law making, tax reduction, citizenship training, community welfare, child welfare, The Sunshine Special annual picnic for un- derprivileged children, and National Community Service Week. In its program of "Service to Aviation," Exchange has received the whole-hearted support of the United States Department of Commerce and Post Office Department, as well as the Guggenheim Fund for the Promotion of Aeronautics, National Aircraft Association, and the Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce- Exchange Clubs in Northwestern Ohio in 1929 were : Archbold, Arlington, Bloomdale, Bowling Green, Bradner, Bryan, Clyde, Columbus Grove, Continental, Defiance, Delta, Edgerton, Edon, Elmore, Fayette, Findlay, Fostoria, Fremont, Genoa, Gibsonburg, Grand Rapids, Hicksville, Holgate, Kelleys Island, Maumee, Metamora, Monroeville, Napoleon, Oak Harbor, Pemberville, Perrysburg, Put-in-Bay, Swanton, Sylvania, Tiffin, Toledo, Auburndale-Toledo, Dorr Street-Toledo, West Toledo, Wauseon, Wayne, Weston, West Unity, Whitehouse, and Woodville. FIFTY YEAR CLUB In June, 1922, was incorporated the Fifty Year Club with David W. McAleese the first president, to serve for life; Andrew Snell, vice president; Claude S- Rogers, recording secretary; Joseph P. Falloway, financial secretary; Oliver S. Bond, treas- urer. To be eligible to membership, one must be a resident of Toledo fifty years, and when the club was chartered it already had a membership of over two thousand. It developed from the "Talk Toledo Week" inaugurated by the Chamber of Commerce with the idea to spread abroad the advantages of Toledo as a commercial and industrial center. It is the first organization of its character ever formed. TOLEDO AND. THE SANDUSKY REGION - 1431 LUNCHEON CLUBS Of the many luncheon clubs of Toledo with worthy and laudable fundamentals, the Rotary Club was one of the earliest to be established, dating from 1912, and holding a high position in the national organization. The Kiwanis Club, on the same high order, followed in 1915 and was fourth in the order of the National Kiwanis to receive a charter. The Lions Club was organized in 1920, the Optimists Club in 1922. Each club takes pride, outside of its regular order, in specializing in the aid of some worthy institution or cause. Through the initiative and efforts largely of the Toledo Rotary, a separate department of the Toledo public schools has been established to care for and educate crippled children and the Toledo Society for Crippled Children has been incorporated, the charter members of which were largely Rotarians. Following the example of their Toledo brethren, many schools of like character have been estab lished by the Rotary Clubs of Ohio and in other states, and the way was also opened for the organization of a state society for crippled children. The Kiwanis Club gives its attention to the aid of undernourished children, specializing with those of tubercular tendencies and maintaining for them a well located fresh air camp. The Lion's Club pays special attention to The Newsboys' Association. As the membership of these clubs comes from only one person identified with each business or institution, and as they are closely identified with the Chamber of Commerce, a harmonious union of effort exists which greatly aids in the philanthropic work in Toledo. THE TOLEDO Y. M. C. A. On Michigan Street facing Court House Park toward the rising sun, stands the main building and plant of the Young Men's Christian Association of Toledo. With a full equipment that goes with such an institution, it stands as a huge mile-post marking an important epoch on the road which leads from the beginning to the present broad range of local Y. M. C. A. activities. This story of the founding and development of the organization is taken from a paper prepared by Percy B. Williams, general secretary, for twenty years an indefatigable and tireless worker in its behalf. The Young Men's Christian Association of Toledo is part of an inter-national movement which had its inception in a meeting 12-VOL. 2 1432 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY held in the upper room of a wholesale dry goods establishment in London by twelve clerks who felt the need of a fellowship which would be helpful to them in comparison to the influences which were around them in their boarding houses, all of which were degrading. The movement rapidly spread and in 1854 reached this Y. M. C. A., TOLEDO country. It has grown to the maintenance of 2,795 organizations in twenty-eight different countries. The first suggestion of a Y. M. C. A. in Toledo was in 1859; it was called the Young Men's Christian Union and had its meeting place in the old First Congregational Church on St. Clair Street. The first chairman was Clark Waggoner. The War of the Rebellion compelled the discontinuance of its meetings because all of its members had enlisted. In July, 1865, it was reorganized with Henry G. Sheldon as president, Thomas Van Stone, TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 1433 vice president, Daniel A. Waterman, secretary, and Milo Bashare as treasurer- Its board of managers were W. Griffith, Charles Phillips, L. Peterson, E. H. VanHoesen, H. L. Phipps, G. W. Nort. For several months it met in the First Congregational Church. Its purposes were similar to those of the first organization in London and it continued an evangelistic organization, largely for the men at the Toledo docks and the more or less outcasts who gathered at or about the center of town, which was then Monroe and Summit streets. Within the first year it leased rooms in the Hartford Block. Its next location was where the First National Bank now stands. It again moved to the second floor of the J. J. Freeman property and in 1882 purchased what was known as the Speyer Block on Orange Street. This building was occupied until 1904, when the property was sold and the Y. M. C. A. moved to its present location on Michigan Street. Among the leaders in its past history who have been outstanding also in the community life, were such men as S- H. MacClaron, J. J. Freeman, John D. R. and Julius G. Lamson, R. A. Bartley, Charles H. Whitaker, Harry Tiedtke, L. V. McKesson, and others, only a few of whom are living. The program of the Young Men's Christian Association has been one of a pioneering character, endeavoring to interpret the needs of youth in terms of each present period. Originally it was purely an evangelistic organization, holding religious meetings only, but as the life of the city became more complex it endeavored to meet the more neglected phases of youth's life. This meant the instituting of a gymnasium; later, educational classes; a swimming pool; and finally, a camp. In all of which the Y. M. C. A. was the first to inaugurate this kind of service. Primarily, its members were any self-respecting young men who cared to apply for membership. Because of the increase of its privileges it became necessary to institute what was known as an Associate Membership, consisting of those who were not related to any church nor inclined to wish to participate in its program of Christian Evangelization, but who desired the use of its privileges. It was not exclusive because in the early days a number of our leading negro citizens were active participants. Because of the changing emphasis to material privileges and the increase of its users of these material privileges, this seemingly became impractical by reason of the racial prejudices which existed in the minds of those who were not thinking in the terms of service but of what they could receive. 1434 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY Its program was promoted by volunteer workers and only when this program grew so complex that expert or professional secretaries were necessary, did it employ such service. The first employed officer of the Y. M. C. A. in Toledo was Rev. T. A. Nelson who took that position in 1873. Its affairs at present are administered by a board of 21 trustees who are elected by the membership at an annual meeting. In theory it is a democratic organization operated by its membership. It is much confused as being simply a building offering privileges; in reality, it is a movement of Christian men seeking to place about young boys and men an environment that will help them toward the highest type of Christian expression. In theory it is open to any young men and its present membership includes not less than 21 different nationalities; includes all races except the negro and arrangements are being made now to provide privileges for this people. All religions are recognized among its members, although its voting membership are confined to the so called Evangelical group. The Y. M. C. A. has reached out of its present program to serve those who cannot come to its building for privileges and at this present time has clubs with a four-fold program emphasizing the fundamental values in their normal contacts and activities, such as the home, the church, and the school. In Toledo it cooperates with 65 churches in promoting a normal program for boys and effects their whole life. It trains leadership for these groups; it assists the schools with similar groups which tend to develop high standards of conduct among the students. This is continually noticed among the high schools where there exists the Hi-Y Club. It is promoting in connection with the churches an extensive recreational program in order to make it possible for the church to enter into a wider range of the individual's life than it might otherwise. One hundred twenty basketball teams have been organized into a league and some eighty-five baseball teams. This same service is rendered to men in industry, where athletic leagues are conducted as well as what are known as Luncheon Clubs of Industry or noon-day meetings. Opportunity is given to many industry men to hear the best thought of the community on economics, health, ethics, etc- In the extending of the program the Y. M. C. A. has found itself compelled to consider the girl and at the present time conferences are under way with the Y. W. C. A. for joining their program in certain communities for a common emphasis. TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 1435 One of the most remarkable developments of the Toledo Y. M. C. A. program, has been its camp which now ranks as the largest Y. M. C. A. camp in the country. It is located at Stony Lake, Michigan. Last year (1928) 926 attended the camp. Its program again is also developed on the four-fold basis, emphasizing health, ethical training, training for better religious and home life, and the education of the normal interests of the boys. It has been one of the most effective services to the home and church that the Y. M. C. A. maintains. One of the striking differences between the Young Men's Christian Association and other agencies is its aggressive, promotion of its activities through publicity, through campaigns, and through cooperative service. Most organizations depend upon youth coming to them from what slight knowledge they may have of them. The Y. M. C. A. maintains a promotion department for keeping before the youth of the community this opportunity. According to the 1928 report of the Toledo Young Men's Christian Association, the present organization has a paid membership of 6,485. It has definitely related to its organized groups, outside of its membership, 13,195 others; 15,198 events were promoted, the participators in which numbered 407,571. It owns the building on Michigan Street, valued at $350,000, It has five branches; one at 226 Main Street, carrying on what is called a non-equipment program—utilizing the equipment of the vicinity, which last year served 1,700 different individuals 36,226 times. A similar branch in the South Side of the city, at 1513 Broadway, served 1,800 different individuals 49,174 times. It has a branch providing sleeping rooms for railroad men at their "lie-over" period at the corner of Oak and Fassett streets. This building has a restaurant, 64 beds, pleasant club rooms, it operates a branch restaurant at the New York Central Yards, near Moline, and in addition carries on club work for 150 boys in the community. The Y. M. C. A. owns this building, which is valued at $30,000. The camp is organized as a branch; and there is also a small branch for college men at Toledo University.. The total cost of operating these various branches is approximately $199,000, of which $57,000 is subsidy, through the Community Chest and the Railroads. The Y. M. C. A. is not self-supporting because it would be impossible for two-thirds of the membership who use these buildings to pay the total cost of maintaining such an adequate equipment or their own use in their leisure time. Therefore, fees, are 1436 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY charged as nearly as possible in the light of the ability of the average member to pay, and the balance is invested by the community in return for the character values returned to the community. The Toledo Association is one of the most economically managed associations in the country, requiring less subsidy in proportion to the program than any other of its class. It has an employed staff of 18 full time secretaries. The task of the secretary being to promote the character building program of the association. In addition it has forty-four employees. The present service of the association might be enumerated under five heads. It is the logical place where a stranger turns for counsel, direction and help and it is the only social organization open to serve men 18 hours a day. Eight thousand six hundred young men came to it for guidance to proper rooming houses alone. Thirty-seven thousand, five hundred fifty-five strangers were its guests. One hundred seventy-seven were placed in good positions. Seventy-one were directed to probable places of employment. One hundred twenty-one were given free beds; fifty provided with meals; twenty-five received other relief- This during the current year. It operates an extensive vocational guidance service for students and dissatisfied young men- It operates an evening college which in 1928 had an enrollment of 629 students in 31 different classes. It is interesting to note in this connection that the Y. M. C. A. was the pioneer night school of the city and that Toledo University was able to start its first regular class instruction by the turning over of the Y. M. C. A. Law School to the university. It promotes social entertainments in which the young men away from home may meet proper friends and may be brought in contact with the proper girl acquaintances- This program of social life provides entertainment, lectures, etc. The building has 93 sleeping rooms accommodating 120 men; 700 different young men having occupied its sleeping rooms during 1928. During the same period, 3,285 men and boys used its health recreational facilities in the building; while 5,081 were enrolled in its various club groups in and out of the building- Its extensive recreational program is evidenced by the fact that 3,701 different games were played in its various leagues. To place this great organization on the footing its require. ments demanded, in October, 1928, under the leadership of that TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 1437 dollars was raised by popular subscription among the liberal and broad minded people of Toledo, to add to the assets of $398,000 already on hand for betterments and improvements- The manner in which Toledoans rallied to the movement speaks volumes for their high standard of thought and purpose. Success was made possible by such men as C. O. Miniger who led the list with a subscription of $200,000 followed by other large donations, and by the ceaseless work, with all his other pressing business activities, of Grove Patterson, then the association's president. With this nearly two million dollars, the plans for its thoughtful outlay now in progress are as follows : A new central building costing $1,250,000 and with 300 sleeping rooms which will take care of many more strangers and at the same time produce a much larger income, thus making the Central Building more nearly self-supporting and releasing much more of the Community Chest subsidy for other worth-while efforts. It will be able to serve forty per cent more boys and men and assure the income for : a secretary serving 1,500 under-privileged boys; a secretary serving 1,500 boys in rural communities. It will provide a building costing $190,000 for colored young men containing sleeping rooms to relieve the badly congested rooming situation among colored young men; to furnish a meeting place for utilizing leisure time of the self-respecting negro, training for leadership and developing character. It will secure a building for the South Side of the city, costing $150,000 which will more adequately serve the leisure time of the boys and girls furnishing a staff of trained secretaries where there is only one now to organize and develop new groups. It is estimated that this building will serve in this community 2,000 more boys and girls than are now being served, and with much more effect. It will also provide a building for the East Side branch costing $150,000, similar to the South Side. Twenty-five thousand dollars to purchase and equip the Boy's Camp—one of the most effective services of the Y. M. C, A., reaching every year, very thoroughly 600 or 700 boys. This should be increased to 1,000. A fund of $7,500 is secured to enable Toledo to furnish its share of a permanent endowment for its training school in Chicago which has become necessary to assure a future supply of trained leadership. For contingencies, campaign costs and floating indebtedness, $30,000, making a total of $1,832,500. This equipment will assure service for 10,000 to 12,000 more 1438 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY boys and girls, and will be possible with only a slight increase of the present subsidy from the Toledo Community Chest. The officials of the Association for 1929, to handle this problem were : president, A. R- Kuhlman ; general secretary, Percy B. Williams; treasurer, C. H. Proctor, Trustees: Grove Patterson, Alfred Koch, H. C. Truesdall, A. B. Richardson, C. V. Skinner, W. E. Wright, K. D. Keilholtz, R. C. Dunn, Pratt Tracy, A. R. Kuhlman, F. S. Lewis, H. W. Falconer, W. E. Myers, H. A. Anderson, George Vradenburg, O. C. Norton, J. B. Nordholt, C. O. Miniger, C. H. Proctor, Percy Roper, and Frank I. Consaul. NEWSBOYS ASSOCIATIONS One of the most valued organizations of Toledo city life is the Newsboys' Association, which was founded by John E. Gunckel in 1892. Mr. Gunckel was the son of a veteran newspaperman —William Gunckel, for many years publisher of the Germantown Gazette—and became widely known as the "Newsboys' Friend," Beginning in a small way, he developed a self-governing organization among the newsboys whose controlling principles were highly ethical. In the later years of his career the club was his vocation, and the success which he attained in elevating the ambitions and principles of his proteges was phenomenal. Some of the leading citizens owe much to his friendship and encouragement when members of the Association. He induced a number of Toledo's successful business men to become members of the organization and was the principal agent in raising $100,000 for the erection of the Newsboys' Building, which is believed to be the only one of its kind in the world. This building contains a fine auditorium and Mr. Gunckel, in his lifetime, was the director of numerous entertainments there, and for their benefactor the boys had the affectionate name of "Gunck." When Mr. Gunckel died more than fifteen hundred newsboys attended his funeral. The association in 1929 had 900 active members and 13,500 badge members; that is, "grownups," who were active members in their youth and who still proudly wear their badge of honor. There are among these many of Toledo's best citizens and successful business men. One of the great benefactors of the organization is Mr. J. D. Robinson, Sr., who lately made a gift of $100,000 which was utilized in making the association building practically a new one and who added $50,000 to his gift for vocational work. Mr. C. O. Miniger made a further donation of $25,000 for equipment, con- TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 1439 sequently the institution is on a solid footing. Besides the fine auditorium, there is a gymnasium, swimming pool, reading rooms, recreation ground and rooms for various elevating activities which brings an affiliation with the Boys' Clubs Federation of New York City. The institution under the name of "Boyville" has a regularly organized city government, with a mayor, council, court and other departments which function under specific regulations. Should there be an infraction of the rules, the offender is tried before a regular court, with a judge, jury and prosecutor; being allowed an "attorney" for his defense- There have been no serious infractions, but as an example, a boy entering the building with a wet, dirty ball, defaced the building walls somewhat by bounding the ball about carelessly. He was taken into custody under the charge of destruction of property (not maliciously). He was tried and found guilty by a jury and given a sentence by the court. The punishment usually is the suspension, for a period, of being allowed to engage in the activity or sport in which the offender takes most interest- The list of 1929 officials were : J. D. Robinson, Sr., president; W. H. Gunckel, 1st vice president; C. R. Clapp, 2nd vice president; C. C. Oswald, treasurer; R. D. Logan, secretary; and Earl G. Cook, director. The trustees were : C. R. Clapp, Aaron B. Cohn, Earl Farmer, Louis Gould, W. H. Gunckel, C. C. Oswald, J. D. Robinson, Sr., J. W. Robinson, R. D. Logan, W. E. Wright, Sam Logan, J. D. Robinson, Jr., and Wm. M. Booker. The executive committee was : J. D. Robinson, Sr., R. D. Logan, C. C. Oswald, W. H. Gunckel, C. R. Clapp, J. D. Robinson, Jr. The advisory committee was : Alexander Backus, Isador Silverman, F. R. Coates, Albion E. Lang, and Judge O'Brien O'Donnell. BOY SCOUTS One boy out of seven in this country, between the ages of twelve and eighteen years, belongs to, or has belonged to the Boy Scouts of America. The headquarters of the Toledo Area Council is housed in a delightfully situated "cabin" at Cabin Park, 325 Ontario Steet. This council takes in Toledo, Lucas County, outside of the city, and the counties of Wood, Sandusky, Ottawa, Henry, Defiance, Fulton and Williams. Other counties in the Maumee and Sandusky region which have troops, belong to other districts. The total number of boy scouts in the Toledo Aera is 3,000. Of this number, there are 1,023 leaders, scout masters, 1440 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY troop committee men, commissioners, assistant commissioners and merit badge counsellors. There are ninety merit badges—professional and vocational. The DeVilbiss Boy Scout Reservation, named for the late Thomas A. DeVilbiss who helped to make the reservation possible, contains 123 acres of forest, spread along an ideal location on Sylvania Avenue, two miles south of Sylvania. It is reached from Toledo out Monroe Street on the first road leading left after crossing the Secor road. This is Sylvania Avenue, and the reservation is about three miles west on this road. The entrance is the first lane on the right, after crossing the Ottawa River. The reservation contains twenty or more cabins, an Indian village with tepees, has many other attractions and is used throughout the year for week end camping. In summer 1,500 boys take advantage of the camp facilities for vacations. "Miakonda" is the name of the summer camp, which signifies "sacred moon." The scout movement was started in Toledo in 1910 through the Y. M. C. A., with two troops. It became a first class council with a full time executive in charge, in 1914. The Peter Navarre cabin reclaimed by Enos Mominee and given to the city and placed in Navarre Park, has been turned over for the use of the East Side boy scouts. The 1929 officials of the Toledo Area Council were : president, William M. Booker; vice presidents, Jefferson D. Robinson, Jr., Isaac Kinsey, Jr., William E. Wright, William J. Donkel, Carroll E. Cox; treasurer, Louis H. Sanzenbacher; commissioner, Charles L. Sawyer; district commissioners, Cornelius Thompson, North-Central, Charles H. L. Thompson, North-West, Arthur A. Swartz, South, Edward D. Ryan, East, Frank D. Segur, West area district chairman, Carroll E. Cox, Fremont, E. R. Hill, Port Clinton, C. J. Biery, Bowling Green; scout executive, Raymond S. Loftus ; field executives, Eugene E. Ball, Ralph P. Engle, Edward E. Fanning, Lawrence R. Hawkins, Henry E. Katschke, and Owen B. Thiel. The reservation is in charge of a superintendent who resides on the premises, and the situation offers wonderful opportunities to boys who, for a day or a week, desire to turn themselves into a Daniel Boone or a Kit Carson. GIRL SCOUTS The Girl Scout movement in Toledo was started in 1918. The organization includes thirty-two troops with a total membership 1442 -STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY of about one thousand. Only four troops are represented outside of Toledo- Their present summer camp is at. Catawba on Lake Erie, which is occupied six weeks each year- The movement is one of many supported by the Community Chest, and their headquarters are located in the Valentine Building- The officials of the organization are (1929) : Miss Katharine Geddes, commissioner; Miss Florence Hardee, first deputy commissioner; Miss Sibyl Wachter, second deputy commissioner; Mrs. Charles Rippon, secretary-treasurer ; Miss Dorothy Davidson, local director; Miss Glendora Gosline, field captain ; Mrs. George (Stevens) Rivera is honorary president of the board of councilors. OTHER SOCIAL AND BUSINESS CLUBS The Country Club is a social organization with a membership of less than four hundred. Its spacious grounds, club house and golf course, are delightfully situated on the left bank of the Maumee River and on the up River Road, running between Toledo and Maumee. Out Dorr Street some three miles west of the city, are the extensive grounds of the Inverness Golf Club, with a membership of about five hundred. The club was organized about 1905, is one of the best known in the United States, and its course is one of the finest in the country. There is the fine Sylvania and other golf courses. The Zonto Club, the first of its kind in Ohio, was organized on December 6, 1921, with thirty charter members and Miss Clara Millard, deputy probate judge, as the first president. This organization is to women what the Rotary Club is to men and the thirty charter members of the Toledo organization represent as many callings or occupations- The word "Zonto" is said to be of Indian origin and means "trustworthy." In the club constitution the objects of the organization are set forth as follows : "To demand fair dealings, high ideals and honest business methods." A weekly luncheon is served, with speakers and entertainment at each meeting. The Toledo Writers' Club originated through the efforts of Kate Brownlee Sherwood and Miss Emily S. Bouton, two of Toledo's best remembered writers, and holds monthly meetings from September to June. The officers of 1929 were : president, Miss Bessie A. Motter ; 1st vice president, Ruth Peiter ; 2nd vice president, Sara Kountz Diethelm ; treasurer, Mrs. Herman Ecker; recording secretary, Mrs. Claude W. Brown ; corresponding sec- 1444 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY retary, Janet I. Roche; and auditor Mrs- Florence Scott Bernard. Membership from Toledo : Mrs. Florence Scott Bernard, Mrs. Raina Boycheff, Mrs. Claude W. Brown, Miss Olive Colton, Mrs. Frank J. Daney, Mrs. Gotthard Diethelm, Mrs. Herman Ecker, Miss Julia Foley, Mrs. Josephine Scribner Gates, Mrs. H. B. Hineline, Mrs. Ben W. Johnson, Mrs. Ella Mollenkopf, Mrs. Robert C. Morris, Miss Bessie A. Motter, Mrs. Arnold H. Peiter, Miss Clara Ravenscroft, Miss Janet I. Roche, Mrs. W. H. Roemer, Mrs. Harold B. Rose, Mrs. Margaret Heather Sallume, Mrs. Herbert H. Stalker, Mrs. Lida Whitfield Wright. Outside membership: Mrs. Belle Case Harrington, Bowling Green ; Mrs. Lura Warner Callin, Bowling Green ; Miss Helen Waugh, Bowling Green ; Miss Frances Neibling, Fremont; Miss Sara V Preusser, Defiance. Honorary Members: Mrs. Elizabeth Mansfield Irving; Mrs. Nellie Cook Koella ; and Mrs. Grace Jennings Landon, Washington, D. C. Among the deceased members were : Mrs. Rose L. Segur, Mrs. H. P. Gurney, Miss Gertrude Clark, Mrs. Mary J. Cravens, Mrs. Luella Wilson Smith, Elizabeth Ayers, Mrs. Sophie Waldron, Mrs. Katherine C. Murphy, Mrs. Kate Brownlee Sherwood, Mrs. Julia Rice Seney, Mrs. Jeannie Wight Paul, Mrs. Marie B. Schilling, Miss Agnes Mary Machen, Mrs. Mabel Cronise Jones, Miss Fannie Harnit, Mrs. Sara R. Foley, Miss Emily S. Bouton, Mrs. Mary L. Fitz-John, Mrs. Esther C. Jennings, and Mrs. Lenore Sherwood. There is both a men's and women's advertising club. The purpose is to raise the standard and character of advertising, thereby establishing greater confidence between the seller and the buyer. Among the strong business organizations, the Central Labor Union, is made up of the various labor unions of the city recognized by the American Federation of Labor. Under the leadership of men of conservative ideas their operations in Toledo have been for the betterment of capital as well as labor. The K. O. G. Club is an organization of traveling men which operates in the interests of their vocation, including social improvement and attention to the betterment of civic affairs. Among the other organizations of a social or civic nature is the City Club which corresponds in activities and organization with clubs generally under the same name in other cities. It specializes in matters of general public interest. The Salesians is a club of young women of the Roman Catholic Church and suggested by Monsignor John T. O'Connell. It has been very success TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 1445 ful and prosperous. In the winter of 1921-22 this club bought the Unitarian church building at the corner of Prescott and Ashland avenues. Other clubs are : The Art-Clan; the Anglers; the Bachelors; the City Federation of Women's Clubs, a strong and influential organization ; Civic Voters' League; Maumee River Yacht Club meets weekly at the club house in Walbridge Park; Musicians Club ; Old Sod Club; Power Boat Club, Bay View Park; Toledo Athletic Club; Toledo Canoe Club ; Toledo Driving Club; Toledo Yacht Club, at the club house on Wausonoquette Boulevard, Bay View Park; United Commercial Travelers, Council No. 10, meets the first Saturday of each month in Valentine Hall. The city has a large list of literary clubs, of both men and women, and many small social or athletic organizations. FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS It will be readily understood that in a work embracing such a wide territory as covered by this history, it is impossible to give a story of the many and various worthy fraternal organizations- A sketch of Northern Lights Masonic Lodge of Maumee, chartered in 1818, and the first regularly instituted in the Maumee and Sandusky valleys, will be found in the chapter treating of "Lucas County Outside of Toledo" and in the story of Maumee- Even before that time Masonic meetings were held at Fort Meigs, in 1813, and this could not have been done without some sort of an organization. In 1842 Morris Brown, a teacher and farmer of Milton township, Wood County, called together the Masons of the Wood County section of the Maumee Valley, who gathered at the old Mission farm at the mouth of Tontogany Creek. The purpose of the meeting was carried out and June 7, 1843, a Masonic lodge was organized under dispensation granted April 29. The charter members were : Emilius Wood, Martin Warner, David Maginis, Sr., Sylvanus Hatch, Morrison McMillen, Jairus Curtis, Morris Brown and Leonard Pierce. It was the first Masonic Lodge in Wood County. The institution took place at Emilius Wood's log house situated near the right bank of Tontogany Creek and about one mile north of the present village of Tontogany. Meetings were held in the upper story of Wood's house until 1849, when the lodge quarters were moved to "Mt. Aararat," as a point in the southern edge of now Bowling Green and on the old Napoleon road was called. Here meetings were held in the second story of the old Lee Moore home or in the vicinity of the pioneer Klopfenstein residence- In 1854 a room was 1446 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY rented in the George H. Thomas hotel building, corner of Main and Wooster streets, after which quarters were taken in the J. V. Owens Building on the east side of Main Street north of Wooster. In 1870 the Rogers Block, third story was occupied and finally the present Masonic Temple. This is briefly the story of Wood County Lodge No. 112, F. & A. M. TOLEDO MASONIC ORDERS Toledo Lodge, No. 144, was organized on New Years' Day 1847, with the following charter members: Levi S. Lownsbury, Daniel McBain, Thomas D. Thomas, Jacob Landman, Thomas Dunlap, Abel W. Fairbanks, Henry Goettell, Thomas S. Haskins, Robert N. Lawton, Jerome Myers, David Plough, Myron H. Tilden and Robert H. Timpany. This is the second oldest lodge in Lucas County. On January 31, 1853, the second lodge was organized in Toledo. It was designated as Rubicon Lodge, No. 237, with the following charter members : Dr. Robert H. Timpany, Ezra Bliss, Thomas Dunlap, Hezekiah L. Hosmer, John Kaufman, William H. Hall, Willard W. Howe and James Love. Sylvania Lodge, No. 287, was instituted on October 23, 1856, with eleven charter members, viz : Benjamin Joy, Lucian B. Lathrop, William McCann, Jenks Morey, Andrew Printup, Elias Richardson, Benjamin Sumner, Foster R. Warren, Haskell D. Warren, William B. Warren and William Watson. In 1929, there were twelve Blue Lodges in the city, to wit: Toledo and Rubicon lodges above mentioned ; Sanford L. Collins Lodge, No. 396; Collingwood Lodge, No. 457; Yondota Lodge No. 572; Calumet Lodge, No. 612 ; Barton Smith Lodge, No. 613; Lotus Lodge, No. 625 ; Fort Industry Lodge, No. 630 ; Damascus Lodge, No. 643; Robinson Locke Lodge, No. 659 ; Boaz Lodge, No. 669 ; Port Lawrence Lodge. Fort Meigs Chapter, No. 29 is the oldest Royal Arch organization in the lower Maumee Valley. It was in 1846 that Alexander Anderson, John Bates, Thomas Clark, Paul Hawes, H. L. Hosmer, Daniel Knowles, Levi S. Lownsbury, Ephraim Wood and Andrew Young petitioned the Grand Chapter of Ohio for a charter for a chapter of Royal Arch Masons at Perrysburg. The petition was granted and the chapter was instituted before the close of the year, with Hezekiah L. Hosmer as the first high priest. Meetings were held at Perrysburg for about four years, when a majority of the members voted to remove the chapter to Toledo. TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 1447 The chapter now holds regular meetings in the Masonic Temple, corner of Adams and Michigan streets. Toledo Chapter, No. 161, was organized on October 4, 1894, being the second Royal Arch organization in Lucas County. A little later Port Lawrence Chapter, No. 176, was organized in East Toledo. Calumet Chapter, No. 191, holds its meetings at 1226 Broadway; Collingwood Chapter, No. 196, meets in the Masonic Temple in West Toledo; and Fort Industry Chapter No. 208 meets in the Masonic hall at Bancroft Street and Detroit Avenue; and Fort Miami Chapter, No. 194, meets in the Masonic Hall, Maumee, Ohio, on the second and fourth Mondays of each month. There are also three councils of Royal and Select Masters in Toledo. Toledo Council, No. 33, was instituted in 1868; Vistula Council, No. 108; Grafton M. Acklin Council, No. 127. Toledo has four commanderies of Knights Templars : Toledo Commandery No. 7, organized June 1, 1847; St. Omer Commandery, No. 59; Eu-Tah Commandery, No, 66; Lafayette Lytle Commandery, No. 77. Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Masonry was introduced in Toledo in 1880 by the organization of the Miami Lodge of Perfection Fourteenth Degree Northern Light Council, Princes of Jerusalem, Sixteenth Degree, was chartered on September 20, 1881, and the Fort Industry Chapter, Rose Croix, Eighteenth Degree, received its charter on the same date. The Toledo Consistory, Thirty-second Degree, was chartered on September 21, 1905- The above bodies meet in the Masonic Temple, corner Adams and Michigan streets. The Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine is represented by Zenobia Temple, corner of Fifteenth Street and Madison Avenue. Masonic Temples-—The Toledo Masonic Temple Association was incorporated in February, 1868, by David R. Austin, William W. Bolles, Leander Burdick, John B. Carson, D. P. Chamberlin, Sanford L. Collins, E. R. Finch, Dr. W. W. Jones, R. C. Lemmon, A. H. Newcomb, John G. Norton, Louis H. Pike, John Sinclair, Dennison Steele, John Stevens and C. H. Swain. This association erected a building on the southwest corner of Adams and Superior streets, in which the various Masonic bodies of Toledo held their meetings for about a quarter of a century. It was destroyed by fire in February, 1901, and the Smith & Baker Building was erected on the site. A site was acquired on the southeast corner of Adams and 1448 - STORY OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY Michigan streets for a new building. The cornerstone of that structure bears the inscription : "A. D. 1903—A. L. 5903." The Temple was dedicated in 1905. With the growth of the city and the expansion of the Masonic interests even this fine building has become inadequate for the demands and a magnificent new temple is in course of development. The Eastern Star branch of Masonry, established for the wives and daughters of Master Masons, has eight chapters in Toledo all in a flourishing condition and in excellent working order. Knights of Pythias-—There are nine Knights of Pythias lodges in Toledo- Pythian Castle, at the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Ontario Street, is owned by the order and most of the lodges hold their meetings in this building. Toledo Lodge No. 20, was instituted on December 20, 1869, and was the first in the city, The other lodges are as follows : Charles Sumner, No. 137; Anthony Wayne, No. 141; Lucas, No. 148 ; Concord, No. 149; Harrison, No. 185; Steedman, No. 208 ; Yondota, No. 335; West Toledo, No. 771; Ramadan Temple, No. 69 ; Dramatic Order Knights of Khorassan, meets in the Castle, and there are eight temples of the Pythian Sisters. The Uniform Rank K. of P. was established in 1878. Its manual of drill is that of the United States Army and in 1898 a number of officers in the volunteer service in the War with Spain were taken from the Uniform Rank of the Knights of Pythias. Independent Order of Odd Fellows-—Wapakonica Lodge No. 38, I. O. O. F., the first in Toledo was instituted May 19, 1845. The charter members were as follows : John Brownlee, T. C. Everts C. G. Keeler, C. A. King, Frederick Kruger, C. H. Ludlow, Horace Saxton, Denison B. Smith and L. Watkins. The institution of the lodge was followed by the installation of L. Watkins, noble grand ; C. A. King, vice grand ; C. G. Keeler, secretary; T. C. Everts, treasurer; Horace Saxton, conductor; Frederick Kruger outside guard. Toledo Lodge, No. 402, was instituted soon after at the close of the Civil war. Robert Blum Lodge, No. 413, was instituted on June 3, 1869 with sixteen charter members. Maumee Valley Lodge, No. 515 was instituted on June 14, 1872. The lodge started with fourteen charter members. Since the organization of Maumee Valley Lodge, the five other lodges established in Toledo are : Corn City, No- 734; Northern TOLEDO AND THE SANDUSKY REGION - 1449 Star, No. 824; Lucas, No. 876; Central Grove, No. 891; Viking Lodge, No. 982. There are five encampments in Toledo: Toledo, No. 118; Ruel, No, 250; Read, No. 305; Central Grove, No. 315; Rollo, No. 328. The Patriarchs Militant is a uniform degree, corresponding to the Knights Templars in Masonry. Local organizations are called cantons, of which Toledo has three—Canton Central Grove, Canton Imperial, and Canton Lucas. The Daughters of Rebekah lodges of Toledo are : Aurora, Corn City, Lucas and Pink Carnation. The Elks have a very strong representation throughout Northwestern Ohio. Toledo Lodge, No. 53, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, was instituted October 24, 1886, in the old Grand Army Hall. The organization met in different halls until the spring of 1902, when a lot on Michigan Street opposite the courthouse was purchased and in June, 1905, the building was formally dedicated- The club house and the lot on which it stands represent an investment of $225,000. The membership of the lodge is about 2,000. One of the members of this lodge, William W, Mountain, was honored by being elected grand exalted ruler in 1921. The Toledo Cherry Pickers, a uniformed organization of Elks, won distinction for some years by their exhibitions of drilling. This organization was revived in the spring of 1922 and accompanied the Toledo delegation to the Grand Lodge meeting in Atlantic City, where it entered the national competition. Other Orders-—Among the other prominent and worthy orders, organized in a measure for fraternal insurance, are the Fraternal Order of Eagles, Loyal Order of Moose, Knights of the Maccabees, Independent Order of Foresters, Modern Woodmen of America, Woodmen of the World and some others. Most of these have their corresponding women's organizations. This is the national headquarters of the National Union Assuranee Society, the National Union being originally organized ror fraternal and insurance protective purposes, and later changing or adding a regular "old line" form of assurance plan. The Ancient Order of Hibernians is represented by two divisions and a women's auxiliary. There is a strong council of the nights of Columbus; a branch (St. Martin's) of the Catholic nights of America; ten branches of the Catholic Knights of Ohio; eight branches of the Catholic Ladies of Columbia, and ther societies. Grand Army and Women's Relief Corps.—The ranks of the