(RETURN TO THE TITLE PAGE) 750 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE organization treated the proposal with contempt until it was adopted by a large majority in the election of November, 1924. The first election under the new plan was held in November, 1925. Over forty candidates entered the race for council but only the candidates of the Charter Committee and of the Republican organization received any substantial vote. The Charter candidates were six Republicans, four of whom were elected, and three Democrats, of whom two were successful. The council, as elected, consisted of four Republicans who had shown their independence of the organization, viz, Murray Seasongood, who had been a member of the Republican Advisory Committee but had resigned and had been a strong advocate of the charter ; Charles 0. Rose, who as a councilman had voted against the gas gouge ; Julius Luchsinger, a representative of the labor interests, who had been denied reelection to the General Assembly because of his refusal to obey orders from the organization, and Tyler Field, a prominent business man ; two Democrats, Edward T. Dixon and Stanley Matthews, both of whom had excellent records as judges of the Common Pleas Court ; and three organization men of recognized executive ability, Martin Daly, former county commissioner, Fred Schneller, former clerk of Council, and Albert Lack-man. At this election the voters approved the same bond issues which they had rejected when proposed by the former administration, showing their willingness to furnish funds to further the city's growth under proper administration and demonstrating also their confidence that they were about to elect competent officials. Cincinnati's freedom from racial and religious prejudice was shown by the fact that although the Protestants were at least a plurality of the population, the highest vote for councilman was received by a Roman Catholic and the next highest by a Jew. The result of the election indicates that proportional voting reflects the choice of the electorate with remarkable accuracy. The new council elected Murray Seasongood as mayor and Stanley Matthews as vice-mayor, and chose for city manager Colonel C. O. Sherrill, an army officer who had shown great executive ability in a similar position in the District of Columbia. Cincinnati faces the future with great confidence in her experiment. Previous forms of city government relied on a system of checks and balances like that of the Federal government, to prevent wrong doing by officials, a system which divided responsibility and reduced efficiency, and often placed the city in the power of a political boss who governed with unified control but without responsibility to the public. The city manager plan concentrates administrative power in one official who is responsible only to a small board, chosen by the electorate on a non-partisan basis. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT OF CINCINNATI - 751 In the acquisition of statehood for Ohio and the adoption of a liberal constitution ; in the popular movement of the Harrison campaign of 1840; in the formation of the Republican party in the '50's ; in the revolt against National corruption in the '70's; in the great men whom at all times Cincinnati has given to the service of the nation, she has played no insignificant part in the political development of the country, and as the largest city in the United States to establish a government by a small council, selected by proportional voting, on a non-partisan ballot, with administrative power vested in a city manager, Cincinnati has again exhibited advanced political leadership. The Charter Committee forces were not content with two victories. By submitting a full county ticket at the Republican primary election of August, 1926, they selected as their next objective, the county Court House, where the Organization was strongly entrenched, and after a bitter contest, succeeded in nominating four of their eight candidates, viz.: Charles P. Taft, II, for county prosecutor ; Samuel Ach for county treasurer; Robert Heuck for county recorder, and Frederick Swing for coroner, while the Organization Republicans carried the nominations of William F. Hess for county auditor; Jacob Krollman for county commissioner; Frank L. Lewis for clerk of courts, and William M. Anderson for sheriff. Most important were the victories of Taft for prosecutor and Ach for treasurer, as the incumbents of these offices constitute a majority of the Budget Commission, which apportions the tax levies among the county, the city and the Board of Education. The Citizens were successful in electing A. E. Anderson and P. Lincoln Mitchell as members of the State Republican Committee. The Democrats nominated for prosecutor, Leonard H. Freiberg; sheriff, Clarence L. Taylor ; county commissioner, Ray R. Robison ; clerk of courts, Ben Stein ; county auditor, Peter J. McCarthy ; county recorder, Gustav Koenig, and coroner, Frank J. Erdhaus. Such hopes as the Democrats built on the bitterness of the primary struggle between "Citizen Republicans" and "Organization Republicans," were dashed when the recent antagonists united in the selection of a Republican Campaign Committee and made Fred Schneller, Organization member of Council, its chairman. The weakening of party allegiance was shown at the November election when, notwithstanding the election of the entire Republican county ticket, Cincinnati gave Vic Donahey, Democratic candidate for Governor, a substantial majority over her own citizen, Myers Y. Cooper, Republican, and gave Atlee Pomerene, Democrat, the preference over Frank B. Willis, Republican, for Senator. The Lawyers' Club conducted a lawyers' primary to determine the bar's choice of candidates for judicial office, and the voters ratified that 752 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE choice by electing all but one of the candidates who were thus recommended by the lawyers. The successful candidates on the non-partisan judicial ballot were : Robert Z. Buchwalter, Republican, Judge of the Court of Appeals ; Charles W. Hoffman, Democrat, who was not opposed for reelection as Judge of the Court of Domestic Relations, and Charles S. Bell and Chester R. Shook, Republicans, and Edward M. Hurley, Democrat, elected to the Common Pleas Bench. A spirited campaign was conducted for election for the short term between the expiration of Judge Hurley's appointive term and the qualification of his elective successor, and Walter A. Ryan, Republican, whose name was placed on the judicial ballot by petition, was successful against Louis Weiland, Republican candidate endorsed in the primaries, and Lester Butterworth, Democrat. That the cooperation of the Citizen Republicans and Organization Republicans in the general campaign of 1926 was but temporary, was indicated by the challenge issued by the Citizens soon after the November election, announcing that they will submit a full municipal ticket to the electors in 1927. Whatever may be the future of the Citizens' Charter Committee, the Organization Republicans and the Democrats, Cincinnati has shaken off her former lethargy in political affairs. No longer derided as a horrible example of a boss ridden community, but recognized as an advanced and advancing municipality, Cincinnati faces her political future with courage and confidence. CHAPTER XLIX. THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution was organized at Washington, D. C., October 11, 1890, and Mrs. A. Howard Hinkle, of Cincinnati, Ohio, was elected National Regent for Ohio by the National Board of Management on February 4, 1892, and reelected to the same office in 1894. On April 27, 1893, Mrs. Hinkle organized the Cincinnati Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution at her residence on Pike Street. In 19o8 it ranked third in the roll of Ohio chapters, the first being the Western Reserve Chapter, of Cleveland, organized December 19, 1891, and the Mahoning Chapter, of Youngstown, organized April 18, 1893, being the second chapter. Cincinnati Chapter was chartered October 21, 1893, with the following charter members : Mrs. Margaret C. Morehead, Mrs. Virginia. Moss Van Voast, Miss Catherine Ann Peale, Miss Mabel Cilley, Miss Virginia R. Van Voast, Mrs. Levietta B. Conner, Mrs. Elizabeth M. Arnold, Mrs. Eleanor H. Peters, Miss Kitty Piatt Goodman, Mrs. Lucy Goodman Le Boutiller, Miss Ella Strait Hollister, Mrs. Mary Arabella Carroll, Miss Lily Broadwell Foster. Mrs. Brent Arnold was elected regent of the chapter at its first meeting, April 27, 1893 ; she resigned on account of ill health and Mrs. Van Voast was elected but declined to serve and Mrs. Arnold was prevailed upon to retain the office a second year. After the chapter was organized at Mrs. Hinkle's, its meetings were held at the rooms of the Historical Society at the Public Library Building. Children of the American Revolution was organized October 20, 1895, at Fort Washington Chapter by Mrs. Henry B. Morehead. The site of Fort Washington was "marked" by the Cincinnati Chapter of D. A. R. in 1899. This fort was built in 1789, on the Government reservation which was bounded by Broadway, Fourth Street, Ludlow Street and the Ohio River and was torn down in 1808, when the reservation was sold off as town lots. The chapter was the means of locating the present appropriate and beautiful monument on Third Street, near the center of the old fort itself. This monument was unveiled June 14, 1901, the first Flag Day of this century. Fort Thomas has also been well "marked" by this chapter. The first officers of the Cincinnati Chapter included : Regent, Mrs. Brent Arnold, 1893 ; vice-regent, Mrs. John S. Connor ; recording secretary, Miss Lily Broadwell Foster ; corresponding secretary, Mrs. Margaret C. Morehead ; treasurer, Mrs. Lucy Goodman Le Boutiller ; historian, Cin--48 754 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE Miss Kitty Goodman ; custodian (1894), Miss Anna Garrard. The first registrar was Mrs. Robert W. Carroll. The first board of management—elected November 5, 1894—was Mrs. Brent Arnold, Mrs. Robert W. Carroll, Mrs. William P. Hulbert, Mrs. Henry C. Yergason, Miss Alice Laws. CHAPTER L. THE CINCINNATI MARKETS. The people of Cincinnati were earlier than most places of its time in establishing public markets. As much of the food supply in the pioneer times came down the river, it was very natural that the first market-house should be situated upon or near the stream which furnished the main chance of communication to and from the hamlet. Accordingly we find that such a building was located close to the margin of the Ohio some time prior to 1800, for Dr. Drake arrived that year and makes special mention of it in these words : "In front of the mouth of Sycamore Street, near the hotel, there was a small wooden market-house built over a cove, into which pirogues and ()they craft, when the river was high, were pulled, poled or paddled, to be tied to the rude columns." The Cincinnati almanac of 1840 said the building was still standing at that date. In his "Recollections of the West," Mr. Breckenridge, in 1805, makes mention of this old market-house : "I went up to the market, which I found equal in goodness to that of Philadelphia, but much cheaper. A turkey may be had for sixteen cents, and if thought too high, a goose will be offered into the bargain." He probably had reference to the new market-house. In May, 1801, the "Spy and Gazette" noticed the market in these words : "For sale on Saturday, the twenty-third instant, at Griffin Yeatman's tavern, the building of a market-house in the town of Cincinnati ; the under story to be built of stone and lime, and the upper story to be built of wood, and will be sold separate." In pursuance of this, probably, was built the small structure remarked by the early writers as standing between Main and Sycamore streets. Another was put up on the Fifth Street market space some time before 1815, and another between Broadway and Sycamore shortly before. In the year 1815 four markets were held per week—two mornings at the old market between Main and Sycamore, and two afternoons on Fifth Street. Long and complicated ordinances had been passed by the select council to regulate them, and a clerk was appointed to secure their observance ; but, says Dr. Drake in the picture, "violations are constantly suffered to pass unnoticed." Fresh meats were to be had in town every day except Sunday, but a greater variety was to be had on the regular market days, when beef, pork, veal, and mutton were offered in abundance. The last was of superior excellence, but the first was far inferior to that obtained on the seaboard, owing to an unfavorable difference in the methods of fattening. The poultry was first rate. Fish, although abundant in the river, were not so in the market, probably because many citizens preferred to catch their own, for the sport and economy of it. Of 756 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE those exposed for sale, the yellow cat, pike, perch, sword or bill-fish, and eel were most esteemed, and the soft-shelled turtle, in particular, was considered a great delicacy. Venison was to be had in the season, and at times bear meat. In the history published by Mr. Cist in 1851, a dignified work on Cincinnati, he went into statistics deeply, as well as giving fine pen descriptions of the market-houses. At that time there were six markets—Lower, Fifth Street, Sixth Street, Pearl Street, Canal and Wade street markets. Seven hundred wagons were counted in one day at one of these markets, most of them being full loads for two horses. As many as 1915 wagons, carts, etc., had been enumerated at the Cincinnati market places in a single day. In his article on the market-places Historian Cist continues as follows : Christmas day is the great gala-day of the butchers of Cincinnati. The parade of stall-fed meat on that day, for several years past, has been such as to excite the admiration and astonishment of every stranger in Cincinnati—a class of persons always here in great numbers. The exhibition this last year has, however, greatly surpassed every previous display in this line. A few days prior to the return of this day of festivity, the noble animals which are to grace the stalls on Christmas Eve, are paraded through the streets, decorated in fine style, and escorted through the principal streets with bands of music and attendant crowds, especially of the infantry. They are then taken to slaughter-houses, to be seen no more by the public until cut up and distributed along the stalls of one of our principal markets. Christmas falling last year on Tuesday, the exhibition was made at what is termed our middle or Fifth Street market-house. This is 380 feet long and of breadth and height proportionate—wider and higher, in fact, in proportion to length, than the eastern market-houses. It comprehends sixty stalls, which, on this occasion, were filled with steaks and ribs alone, so crowded, as to do little more than display half the breadth of the meat, by the pieces overlapping each other and affording only the platforms beneath the stalls and the table, behind which the butcher stands, for the display of the rounds and other parts of the carcass. One hundred and fifty stalls would not have been too many to have been fully oecupied by the meat exhibited on that day, in the manner beef is usually hung up here and in the eastern markets. Sixty-six bullocks, of which probably three-fourths were raised and fed in Kentucky, and the residue in our own State ; one hundred and twenty-five sheep, hung up whole, at the edges of the stalls ; three hundred and fifty pigs, displayed in rows on platforms ; ten of the finest and fattest bears Missouri could produce, and a buffalo calf weighing five hundred pounds, caught at Santa Fe, constituted the materials for this THE CINCINNATI MARKETS - 757 Christmas pageant. The whole of the beef was stall-fed, some of it since the eattle had been calves, their average age being four years, and average weight sixteen hundred pounds, ranging from 1333, the lightest, to 1896, the heaviest. This last was four years old and had taken the premium every year at exhibitions in Kentucky, since it was a calf. The sheep were Blackwell and Southdown, and ranged from 90 to 190 pounds to the carcass, dressed and divested of the head, etc. The roasters or pigs would have been considered extraordinary anywhere but at Porkopolis, the grand emporium of hogs, suffice it to say they did no discredit to the rest of the show. Bear meat is a luxury unknown to the east, and is comparatively rare here. It is the ne plus ultra of table enjoyment. The extraordinary weight of the sheep will afford an idea of their condition for fat. As to the beef, the fat on the flanks measured seven and one-quarter inehes, and that on the rump six and one-half inehes through. A more distinct idea may be formed by the general reader, as to the thickness of the fat upon the beef, when he learns that two of the loins on which were five and a half inches of fat beeame tainted because the meat could not cool through in time, and this when the thermometer had been at no period higher than thirty-six degrees, and ranging, the principal part of the time, from ten to eighteen degrees above zero. This fact, extraordinary as it appears, can be amply substantiated by proof. Specimens of these articles were sent by our citizens to friends abroad. The largest sheep was purchased by S. Ringgold, of the St. Charles, and forwarded whole to Philadelphia. Coleman, of the Burnet House, forwarded to his brother of the Astor House, New York, nine ribs of beef weighing 190 pounds ; and Richard Bates, a roasting piece of 66 pounds, by way of New Year's gift, to David T. Disney, our representative in Congress. The Philadelphians and New Yorkers confessed that they never had seen anything in the line to compare with the specimens sent to those points. The beef, etc., was hung up on the stalls early upon Christmas Eve, and by 12 o'clock next day the whole stock of beef—weighing 99,000 pounds—was sold out ; two-thirds of it at that hour being either preparing for the Christmas dinner or already consumed at the Christmas breakfast. It may surprise an eastern epicure to learn that such beef could be afforded to customers for eight cents per pound, the price at which it was retailed, as an average. No expense was spared by our butchers to give effect to this great pageant. The arches of the market house were illuminated by chandeliers and torches, and lights of various descriptions were spread along the stalls. Over these stalls were oil portraits—in gilt frames—of Washington, Jackson, Taylor, Clay, and other public characters, together with landscape scenes. Most of these were originals or copies by our best 758 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE artists. The decorations and other items of special expense these public-spirited men were at reached in cost one thousand dollars. The open space of the market house was crowded early and late by the coming and going throng of the thousands whose interest in such an exhibition overcame the discouragement of being in the open air at unseasonable hours, as late as midnight, and before daylight in the morning, and the thermometer at fifteen degrees. We owe this exhibition to the public spirit of Vanaken and Daniel Wunder, John Buteher, J. and W. Gall, Francis and Richard Beresford, among our prineipal victualers. No description can convey to a reader the impression which such a spectacle creates. Individuals from various sections of the United States and from Europe, who were here—some of them Englishmen, and familiar with Leadenhall market—acknowledged they had never seen any show of beef at all comparable with this. It is to be regretted that the present historian has no figures at his command showing market-house statistics for the present day, so it must suffice to give the figures recorded in 1880, or forty-six years ago, which will give the reader a good idea of what market days almost a half century ago consisted of : There were in attendanee at the Cincinnati markets, from May 1st to December 1, 1880, a total of 75,840 farmers and 8,939 gardeners, or 84,779 in all. The average daily attendance was, of farmers and gardeners, 405 ; of hucksters, etc., 942—a total of 1,347. Of the latter classes the hucksters proper numbered 556; peddlers and beggars, 129; butchers (inside), 159; outside, 59; fishmongers, 20; florists, 19. Inspections were made during the year by the meat and live stock inspector, of beef cattle to the value of $5,431,560; hogs, $8,644,450; sheep, $1,055,892; calves, $75,450. Live stock and other marketable products were condemned to the amount of $25,832.80. The milk inspector reported 284 dairies registered and in operation, with 9,462 cows, and a total yield for the year of 5,957,640 gallons, sold at an average price of 2114 cents. Samples of milk inspected, 1368; below the standard, 133, or about ten per cent. The present brick market-house between Broadway and Sycamore Street, on Third Street, has upon both of its ends a bronze tablet with hundreds of words inscribed thereon, and from such "marker" has been obtained these faets : This edifice succeeds the first authorized market-house of Cineinnati, although not on quite the same site, though very near it. The first was authorized in 1804 between Syeamore and Main streets, west of the present building. That was torn down in 1816 and another erected on the site of the present market-house, the east end of which comes to Broadway and extends to Sycamore Street. It is built of stone base and pressed yellow brick. It was known as "Lower Market" THE CINCINNATI MARKETS - 759 to distinguish it from the one on Fifth Street built in 1811 near Fountain Square of today. The first house on the present site of the market on Broadway and Sycamore consisted of three rows of brick pillars, lengthwise of the street with frame roof and sides. The next market there was on the same site and had only two rows of pillars from which sprung the frame roof and arched ceilings. The present market was erected in 1898 and speaks for its own fine style of architecture. West Sixth Street and Court Street have good marketing facilities. CHAPTER LI. EARLY DAY FAMOUS HOMES. A local writer in "Cincinnati—The Queen City," several years since, treats some of Cincinnati's old-time homes after the following style, and it is all the more interesting when it is known that these sketches are from the pen of Mary MacMillan. Among her descriptions are these : The Symmes Home —The master of the manor, John Cleves Symmes, was a picturesque and resolute old figure. Erstwhile Revolutionary patriot, lieutenant-governor, member of council, judge of the Supreme Court of the State of his adoption, New Jersey—for he was born on Long Island—he had in him the adventuring blood of the pioneer and became the patentee of the Miami Purchase. His first visit to the new country was probably in the summer of 1787. The following year he came across the mountains with his family, horses and other animals, wagons and provisions. A traveler, meeting him, comments upon his complacency and the pleasing fact that his handsome, dark-eyed daughter was with him. He himself came down the river with a surveying party of men in the fall but returned to Limestone, now Maysville, where he had built him a "comfortable house," and intended to spend the winter. But the importunity of the Indians and others to see the new proprietor compelled him to "fall down the river" with his family in all the unpleasantness of January cold and floods. He passed the first settlement, poor little Columbia, drowned save for one house in the high water, and Losantiville, afterward Cincinnati, to the place of his particular choice, North Bend, called so because here the Ohio in a great graceful curve that is almost a complete horseshoe, makes its most northern point after it has dropped to the south in the eastern part of the State. Though his eyes had first looked upon the place of the sweeping river and rolling hills in the fairness of glowing summer and misty autumn, he was not sentimentalist enough to choose it purely for its beauty. Counting, as men did in those days, entirely on the waterways for commerce, he considered this spot most advantageously situated on the Ohio, and in his imagination saw Symmes City stretching across the neck of land of only a mile to the Great Miami River where the White Water flowed into it. To his friend, Captain Dayton he wrote an interminable and prosy yet paradoxically entertaining letter, all about the landing and settlement and subsequent trials and tribulations—for the poor judge had these latter thicker even than the woods he lived in. The first houses were cabins constructed merely for comfort, tight against the cold. It was not till some six years later, about 1795, that the famous White House was built. Judge Symmes, as he was always EARLY DAY FAMOUS HOMES - 761 called distinctively, was the father-in-law of one President of the United States and the grandfather of another, but the naming of his house had no connection whatever with the Presidential mansion at Washington. For the house was called so in his day—the overlapping years of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries—when he was a greater man in the country than William Henry Harrison or the then undreamed of Benjamin Harrison. In fact the astute judge objected to the match between his daughter and the impecunious young captain, and when he knew the marriage was to take place, he got upon his good horse and rode into Cincinnati. The ceremony did not actually occur in the White House but in a little stone dwelling down by the river-side where dwelt Dr. John Woods, "Squire Woods," a friend of the family, and where the young couple had invited a few joyfully sympathizing friends. It had the reputation and certainly the flavor of a runaway match. They had met in Kentucky it seems, where Miss Symmes attended school. And when the young lover asked her father's consent, the latter demanding to know what property Captain Harrison had to support a wife on, the Captain quietly laid his hand upon his sword. Those were the days of captains and romance. The White House was a big, rambling, two-story frame building, painted white and containing twenty-six rooms. It stood among the green hills back from the Ohio about a mile to the northwest of North Bend towards the Great Miami, on a tract of land of one hundred and eighty acres. Here dwelt the judge with his lady, a Miss Livingston, of New York, who was his third matrimonial partner, and his daughter. It was the first country mansion of the countryside, and its lord, being the proprietor of all the lands, must have given much hospitality and conducted much business within its walls. For in those days the great gentleman of a district had his office in his home, and when men came to see him on business, traveling some times thirty miles on horseback, they were entertained at his table and often stayed over night, sleeping in one of his canopied beds. The judge was no total abstainer and likely plenty of wine and old Monongahela rye flowed upon his sumptuous table. In those good times all the savory dishes were placed directly upon the board, and a guest could see exactly what was ahead of him, proportioning his appetite accordingly. In the evenings, with lighted candles that seem nowadays always like offerings before the shrine of the past, they sat around the great open brick fire places where snapped and glowed huge logs of wood. That pleasant liar, Thomas Ashe, who cheated poor Dr. Goforth out of his eye teeth and his mastodon's bones and went home to England to publish a book about his travels in America, describes the Symmes family life so as to give them the effect of a collection of genteel but doughy puppets who merely sat about and played with wild animals. 762 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE Mr. Ashe says effusively that he found it difficult to tear himself away from them. The White House, a feudal estate, in democratic simplicity, was a little community in itself. Provisions, brought from afar, had to be bought by the wholesale. Women in those days not only had to do their own knitting, sewing, and embroidering, but their own spinning and weaving. Some of them took the wool which grew upon the backs of their sheep in their own pasture, and had it fashioned at the nearest woolen mill into cloth and "coverlids" and blankets—and some of these blankets are still giving sweet comfort on cold winter nights in Cincinnati. In the early spring of 1811 the house was destroyed by fire, the incendiary, someone whom the judge had refused to appoint to office, having rowed across the river from Kentucky one night to apply the brand. Nobody living, of course, ever saw the White House. The blaze of it glowed among the hills over a hundred years ago. But for long afterwards the place was known as "the Burnt Chimneys" from the four great tall chimneys which stood there gauntly for years, and in the days of their activity extended far above the roof—that roof-tree which gave shelter to great Indian ehiefs, the governor of the giant young territory, famous generals, men of affairs, travelers from afar. The burning of the White House was a terrible loss, for in it Judge Symmes kept his papers, the destruction of which produced much confusion and invalidated titles to property. It was another blow to the ageing man who for years had been beset by worry and disappointment. Ernest Thompson Seton says that every wild life ends tragically—it would seem that every human life ends pathetically. John Cleves Symmes lived out his years amid opposition or disregard, and, his home burned, died in Cincinnati. A note of poetry is in the end. For to North Bend down the river on a boat with military honors his body was borne—the body which in life had been "great and majestic"—and carried up the hill to the little cemetery. It is an old fashioned grave with brick earth work above surmounted by a big horizontal stone slap. Around the lot is a rusty iron fence with a rusty iron padlock at the gate. The place is decayed and neglected and grown with brambles, but, high above the quiet river and the noisy trains, perfect peace is there. Overhead the sky is the wonderful blue with softly wandering white clouds in April—a red bird sings, and is beautiful, and the long new grass waves in the wind of the warm spring afternoon. General William Henry Harrison's Home —Only a few rods away, down the white road through a little declivity, and up to another knoll stands another and more famous tomb, that of John Cleves Symmes' son-in-law, General William Henry Harrison. The hill overlooks the silent sweeping bend of the river and the valley below in the soft green veil of spring. The knoll is supposed to have been an Indian mound, EARLY DAY FAMOUS HOMES - 763 and the thought of that is pleasant. It is oval and over its ridge extends a line of emaciated black cedar trees like sentinels, wasting away. The present tomb is a gray granite square topped by cement, erected by General Benjamin Harrison about fifteen years ago. By the side of it is a tall metal flagstaff from the top of which floats the American flag, bright and mindful and thrillingly comforting in this place where death lies neglected. It is said that river captains used to salute whenever they passed the tomb of Harrison and that once when General Andrew Jackson was aboard the captain went to him, told him of the custom and asked what he should do. The general knitted his heavy eyebrows. "Yes, give him two salutes for his good generalship," he said, "but, —damn his politics !" The Harrison house, too, was destroyed, set fire to by a "she devil of an Irish woman in the middle of the night," says his son-in-law, Colonel W. H. Taylor, so that the household barely escaped in their nightgowns. The chimneys, ruins of outhouses, and heaps of bricks and stones stood there among the grass, hopeful hardy perennials, flowering shrubs and fruit trees as late as 1868. Nearby were the wooded banks of a little creek flowing "through a little marshy dell into the Ohio just above." From this house General Harrison went forth to the War of 1812 and, crowned with victory and illustrious, came baek to it to live there the life of a country gentleman almost continuously except for the short time spent as United States minister to Bogota until his campaign for the Presidency in 1840. He lived only a month in Washington after his inauguration, but the house stood long after its master was laid away in the tomb on the hill near by. It stood only about three hundred yards from the river. Across was the never-failing beauty of the Kentucky hills, and up and down the waterway moved the steamers that even in Harrison's day were beginning to be the floating palaces which a little later made trips to St. Louis and New Orleans famous and fashionable. Standing on "the White House" tract, about a mile southeast of Judge Symmes' house, was a big two-story frame building with wings of one story. Rambling and oddly constructed, it probably never was planned but added to at various times. The oldest part of it was in the center to the left as you entered the hall, and was originally a log cabin tavern which at one time was in deplorably bad repute, being the shameless rendezvous for cock-fighting, horse-racing and other subversive sporting interests of the day so frowned upon by good folk. When General Harrison ran for the presidency some enemy said that he lived in a log cabin. The insult was taken up and made into a war-cry, as it has so often happened in history, and all the log-cabin lore in song and story goes back to that campaign. "The log-cabin and hard-cider campaign" it was called—the hard cider element 764 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE in it owing its existence to a different story : it was said that when General Harrison returned from the wars rather impoverished and with an expensive family to keep up, he started a distillery ; but later, seeing the error of his way, he abandoned it and henceforth hard cider was the unoffending beverage always offered in the "log cabin." That the house and the life in it were not precisely what the imagination conjures up with the term "log cabin" is brought into strong evidence by various side-lights. Timothy Flint, having taken refuge there from a storm on the river, remarks in a letter that the day was most pleasantly spent in receiving the hospitalities of the general. Also, for his entertainment the Harrison children were put through their paces by their private tutor, whom he pronounces an accomplished scholar and that they showed remarkable progress in geometry. The general had leisure to give the whole day to his guest. And the Rev. Timothy, who must have visited the Harrisons numerous times, speaks delightfully of the welcome every visitor received, and of the table laden with substantial good cheer, which made him think of English hospitality. He tells of the different kinds of game that lured their appetites and one remembers that April, 1816, brought the wild woods very close. General Harrison was a small, sallow-faced man, not popular and yet having fire and magnetism. Always the same characteristics are commented upon in Mrs. Harrison—her dark eyes, her delicacy, her modesty. They conducted their large household with an almost prodigal hospitality, a sumptuous simplicity that might have been ruinous to time and purse but was the ideal of western republicanism in that day. Occurrences often unrelated save in spiritual significance beguile one's imagination. In this house, the home of a general and future President of the United States, was born his little grandson, Benjamin, who was also to be a general and President of the United States, on a night when Harriet Beecher Stowe slept under its roof of br00ding import. The Dr. Drake Residences —In the days when militarism still must form the nucleus of settlement in the savage haunted wilderness—a fort was like the original cell in a vegetable growth around which the other little cells gathered close and grew. In Cincinnati the first log cabins were built around Fort Washington. These were succeeded by frame houses or, in many instances, were weather-boarded and added to, as in the case of the William Henry Harrison, until they became very attractive dwellings. On the square between Long and Pike, Fourth and Third, which has commonly been called Lytle Square, Dr. Richard Allison, who came with the army and was the first physician in Cincinnati, planted a peach orchard and built a house. A field of several acres stretched to the east and north and the place bore the pleasant name of Peach Grove. Here dwelt a little later Dr. Allison's successor, Dr. William Goforth. EARLY DAY FAMOUS HOMES - 765 and here was the first home in Cincinnati of Dr. Goforth's noted pupil, Dr. Daniel Drake. At night the boy slept in the shop where he helped to compound the evil-smelling medicines and ointments of those days, and in the daytime, whenever he could be spared, he took his books and studied under the trees along Deer Creek. After young Drake was married he lived in a house on Sycamore Street between Fourth and Third. The picture of it shows a quaint little old weather-boarded house with prim little walks—gravelled probably—and fence and gate and low wall beneath the fence to the street. The house itself had two stories with two wings, one of them of one story and the other built out like a bridge from the second floor to a high terrace—a house for a tale, a house for a honeymoon. When Fort Washington was abandoned the doctor bought part of the property included within the fort, and, after his sojourn for the sake of depressed health and finances in the country up towards Mount Auburn in the cottage he called "Mount Poverty," he descended and built, in the summer of 1818, his house on the south side of Third Street, near Ludlow. Later he had his abode in various houses both in Cincinnati and in Kentucky. In the directory of 1834 his address is given at the corner of Vine and Baker—the little court running from Vine to Walnut between Third and Fourth. This house, too, he built and it was here he and his daughters entertained Miss Harriet Martineau at tea after he had taken her a delightful drive all afternoon through the town and country round. Miss Martineau speaks contentedly of the meal, being in no wise different from an English tea. In this house, too, were held many of the meetings of the society to which belonged such people as the Mansfields, General and Mrs. King, the Beechers and Stowes, Mrs. Caroline Lee Hentz, and Judge James Hall. Dr. Drake sat at a little table and rang a bell to begin the evening and then followed papers and discussions. Some of these were upon heavy subjects but they were never treated heavily. It seems to have been a social time the members all delighted in. Dr. Drake called it the Buckeye Club—he liked to have the buckeye for decoration and a big buckeye bowl to hold their beverages. And he delighted to call this house, long since torn down, Buckeye Hall. However, it is the house near the corner of Third and Ludlow that seems more essentially the Drake house. It is standing still and it is still called so. It is the third entrance from Ludlow on the southwest corner and is now the Salvation Army Settlement. Built after the usual fashion of city houses, nevertheless it gives the impression that it was in advance of the houses of the time just as the doctor was in advance of the men of his time, and it has an unusual breadth of frontage just as he had an unusual breadth of view. Stone steps go down from the street to the basement where probably he had his office as did so many physicians of the past generation. Square cappings are over the windows and doors, 766 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE stone steps go up to the front door opening into the broad hall. To the left as you enter are the big double parlors and back of them the dining room whose windows open upon a little balcony with a pretty iron balustrade, the counterpart of the little balcony at the front of the house opening from the parlor. Behind is the back yard, a desert place enough now, but doubtless then turned into a joyous garden by the man who loved nature so well that he could make a semi-scientific treatise, the "Floral Calendar," read like a prose poem. The Burnet Home —The square between Race and Vine and Third and Fourth was once a part of the property of that excellent old citizen Jacob Burnet. Here on the corner of Third and Vine, on ground which the Burnet House now covers, stood his house. It was the plain and usual home of the times, not too like a city house, with an entrance in the center of the front and a hall through the middle. It was two stories and a mansard and had in the rear a two-story porch, roofed and pillared. In front was a row of big trees. Judge Burnet lived there until the financial crisis which involved so many of Cincinnati's important citizens. He was compelled to sell his property and later build a house on Seventh and Elm where the Odd Fellows Temple now stands. The Foote House —On the opposite corner of Third and Vine stood the home of Mr. Samuel Foote, Harriet Beecher Stowe's jolly sea-faring uncle, who brought home wonders of the Indies and made her childhood visits in her grandmother's home at Nut Plains a season of delight. He came to Cincinnati whither his brother had preceded him and which was to be the future home of his brother-in-law, Lyman Beecher, and built a fine mansion which was to be home till the disastrous crisis of 1837, after which he returned to the East. Most of the meetings of the famous Semi-Colon Club were held in this house. These were very delightful days, says the biographer of Mrs. King. There were papers on important subjects followed by discussions and sometimes the pleasant elements of music and verses. Always the evening ended with a glass of fine old wine and delicious sponge-cake, a cup of coffee and sandwiches, topped off with a gay Virginia reel led by the reader of the evening, and a merry-hearted girl. This and Judge Burnet's and other houses, whose walls could tell tales of people and things that have made Cincinnati what it is for us now, were torn down in the dim days of the past. Asphalt and cement cover the earth where their apple trees grew. Swarming business buildings cumber the ground where they offered cake and wine in their restful dining rooms. Electric lights glare where sperm-oil lamps glowed. But the spirit of those sane good men and of that hopeful spontaneous little city breathes in the air we breathe and speaks movingly to every one of us who loves our land. EARLY DAY FAMOUS HOMES - 767 The Cary House —While in the city these essentially city homes were buildings for men of great civic influence, out in the country a little house was put up which was to have far wider fame merely because of two little girls who lived in it. On the broad white way of the Hamilton Turnpike, a short distance beyond College Hill, stands this little brick house among the green grass and trees. It is a neat, pretty satisfying edifice with a distinction that seems to say quietly to you : "Yes, I am a little different from the others, you see, because I was the home of the soul of a poet." It faces toward the setting sun and across the road stretch away broad fields where the farmer drops his grain into the brown soil and the marauding crows strut in awkward and knavish impudence. Perhaps the most attractive thing about the house are the pillars in the rear, built of brick and supporting an upper balcony. Here the shade is cool to sit in and right at hand is the well where Alice Cary must often have drawn up the dripping cool bucket from the dark wet depths in which always some sort of Nicklemann dwells. Back of the garden is the stable, that hay-sweet place of the farm, home of soft-nosed horses and fresh-breathed cows. And, behind, the ground drops away in meadows and pastures with here and there at a fence corner a gentle blooming apple tree. The place has all the sweetness of Ohio farm country which so strongly formed the inspiration of Alice and Phoebe Cary's poetry. Made famous by them, Clovernook has another distinction for the noble-hearted Trader girls have established it as a home for the blind. So that generous philanthropy has taken the place of gentle verse in the spot which still breathes of bird-song and poetic life. The Beecher Home —Out Gilbert Avenue way when it was a road and not a very good one either, lived a family in the '30's and '40's whose name is known the wide world over. The Rev. Lyman Beecher came from Litchfield, Connecticut, in 1833, to teach theology in Lane Seminary. The Beechers, Lyman and Henry Ward, were of a tribe of preachers, and the daughter, Harriet Beecher Stowe, had all the tribal instinct, the ethical aptitude of the men of the family. They were all violently opposed to slavery and took an active hand in working the underground railroad after they came to Cincinnati. It was here that Mrs. Stowe collected all her materials for "Uncle Tom's Cabin." The house in which the Beechers lived still stands on the northeast corner of Gilbert and Foraker avenues. It has been very much added to and changed—a good house showing that it has always had a dignity of its own, standing back from the street on a low hill which slopes down and then drops abruptly to the pavement in a stone wall. The old panelled big front door and the few great trees are the same. In the days of the Beechers there was a rushing brook below the hill and plenty of room for trees and quiet thought on Walnut Hills. 768 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE The Beechers were of Puritan ancestry but were saved from the puritanical by the grace of humour. Edward Mansfield, who knew them in Litchfield when he was a law student there, before they and he came out to Cincinnati, says that Dr. Beecher would come home from a funeral service he had just conducted and play a merry tune on his violin. Out here in Cincinnati he was tried for heresy. He was a great lover of the poetry of Byron. Indeed, everything goes to show that the Beechers were keenly alive people with active minds working to a purpose. Their house was a plain brick structure of simple plan, a hall through the centre with rooms on either side. At the back was a second-story porch which Henry Ward, the future distinguished divine used to shin down at night for boyish sprees. But in this house it was distinctly plain living and high thinking. The story is told that when Dr. Beecher took one of his parishioners in to see his new rag carpet, she held up her hands and exclaimed, "All this and Heaven too, Lyman !" The Beechers were so viriley alive that even a rag carpet meant pleasure to them in their austere home. And, "all this and Heaven too," must be their portion now. The Probasco-Shillito Place —The Probasco place was built during the Civil War when everything was at its highest price and about the same time Mr. Truman B. Handy erected a fine house on the corner of Highland Avenue and Oak Street. Around the place extends a beautiful stone wall such as people no longer seem to have the good sense and good taste to build. The trees and charmingly clumped shrubbery remain the same that they were in days gone by. The house, like most of its time, is of limestone with trimmings of freestone. It is an adaptation of Elizabethian architecture. The woodwork is chiefly of walnut, heavily carved. In some of the rooms it is of oak or mahogany and always extremely beautiful. The floor of the main hall is in black and white marble. To the left, as you enter, is the library, which is finished in black walnut heavily carved, the ceiling of walnut, and the floor of marquetry in walnut and oak. Marble, walnut, ebony, crystal, give to the house all of the eleganee of its time. It was bought by John Shillito, who moved in during the holidays of 1866 and gave a splendid ball as a house-warming. For years after her husband's death Madame Shillito lived here and then the place became the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, which it is likely to remain, for Miss Baur has built one big addition and is adding another. These buildings are of brick but the architecture of the old house is continued in them. So that now young musical students flit about the halls which were once the home of some of Cincinnati's great mercantile leaders, and millions of bewildering notes of music make gay the quiet old house. The Salmon P. Chase Home —Salmon P. Chase was perhaps too scrupulously honest and too deeply interested in the great concerns of EARLY DAY FAMOUS HOMES - 769 the Nation to give sufficient attention to his own private business. He could make money, of course, but was most of his lifetime encumbered with debt, and owned four houses which he would not give up to clear himself. One of these, his last home in Cincinnati, is at No. 506 Broadway. It is a plain brick city house, with a rather narrow frontage and nothing remarkable about it except the connection with its remarkable owner. It is large, extending far back in the long narrow lot, the small yard is paved with stone flagging and a fine old iron fence separates it from the street. The house now bears the sign of rooms for rent. The once fashionable neighborhood in which it stands has fallen into the decay of junk-shops and cheap boarding houses. One cannot blame Cincinnatians for going to live in the beautiful suburbs, but it seems a pity that there is not enough loyalty to preserve the places our fathers and mothers loved from the greasy peddler and the lowest, laziest, most vicious order of "citizenship"—one uses the word with protesting indignation—that can degrade any section of a fair city. Sometimes it is too evident that a little ancestor worship could be infused into the American spirit with excellent advantage. Cin-49 CHAPTER LII. PIONEER REMINISCENCES. In former historical works of this city and Hamilton County have been recorded many of the facts and paragraphs contained in the following reminiscence : Storrs Township was one of the smaller subdivisions of Hamilton County, and lay immediately to the west of the city of Cincinnati, between Mill Creek and the meridian west of Price's Hill, now the western part of the city. It was erected as a township in 1835. It was among the first of the annexations to Cincinnati, being thus authorized September 10, 1869. A small part of the southwest corner, being within the limits of the incorporated village of Riverside, was not annexed. The first house was built by General William Henry Harrison in the country, long before his removal to North Bend, the same was still in good condition in the '8o's—a little west of Mill Creek, near Gest Street. In 1865 John F. Gerke and Colonel Henry F. Sedam, from whose family Sedamsville is named, were justices of the peace ; in 1866 Mr. Sedam and J. H. T. Crone ; in 1867-69 Sedam and William Dummick ; in 1870-80, Mr. Dummick. For many years this office was held by the father of Colonel Sedam, one of the most noted characters of local history, going back very nearly to the beginning of white settlement here. Colonel Cornelius R. Sedam was the progenitor of this remarkable family in the Miami country. He was a Jerseyman of Holland stock, and a colonel in the Continental Army, receiving his commission from the august Washington himself. He fought courageously in the famous battles in New Jersey, Princeton and Monmouth, and was engaged at Germantown and on other fields, displaying a bravery and dash that won him marked notice from his commander and fellow officers. He was in Losantiville almost at the beginning, coming as he did with Major Doughty and the force that built Fort Washington, in 1789. He rode with St. Clair to the terrible defeat on the Maumee two years after, and received a dangerous wound in the fight, besides having two horses shot down beneath him. Retiring from the army soon after, he invested his means in a large tract of the fertile lands about the mouth of Bold Faced Creek. This extended some distance up the valley and adjoining hills, being parts of the sections 34 and 35, below Cincinnati, in the former Storrs Township, upon a part of which Sedamsville is built. He fixed his home a quarter of a mile west of the old Sedam homestead buildings and built there, of the stone of the region, a substantial and tolerably large dwelling called the Sylvan House. It was built in 1795 and is doubtless the oldest stone building in Hamilton County antedating by thirteen years the Waldschmidt residence, south of Camp Dennison, in Symmes Township. He PIONEER REMINISCENCES - 771 improved a large farm here very successfully, sometimes sending his produce in flat-boats to New Orleans on his own account, instead of marketing it at Cincinnati. He was a very large man physically, but exhibited much energy in personal attention to his extensive interests and public affairs of Storrs Township after it was organized. He was a justice of the peace from the day of his original appointment by Governor St. Clair, in 1795, to his death in 1824, when his official mantle was taken up by his son and successor, Henry F. Sedam. One of his fancies is thus pleasantly described by his biographer, Judge Cox, in "Cincinnati, Past and Present" : He had imbibed a love for military affairs and military men, which adhered to him through life. Especially did he take an interest in the old and wounded veterans of the Revolution. Near his home he built barracks for the reception, to which every one who had lost a limb or an eye, or was unfit to make his living by reason of wounds, was invited and made perfectly at home. But they must conform to discipline. They were called from their couch at dawn by the rattle of the drum, and all lights must be out at "taps." During the day everyone must, if able to, attend such duties as was assigned to them, and regularly be at dress parade in the evening at a given signal ; and on all public days they were to be on hand for drill, according to their capacity. Many a poor soldier, unable to obtain proof that he was entitled to a pension, served in the corps of the colonel during his life, was comfortably fed, clothed and housed, and carefully nursed in sickness, and when dead buried by his companions, under the command of the old colonel, in true military style. His house was the headquarters for all military men passing that way, and also in the latter part of his life especially for all Methodist ministers, to which denomination he adhered. Many instances are given by those who knew him, of his good judgment in and knowledge of military affairs ; and his children remember distinctly a memorable instance which would make an historical painting. It was a day spent by General Harrison, with the colonel when on his journey to take command of the troops in the Northwest, in the War of 1812. Together they consulted maps and interchanged views as to the most feasible method of carrying on the campaign. The baek porch of the Sylvan house, extending along the whole length, was the scene of their conference. Here these two military men were seen on the floor on their hands and knees, with each a piece of chalk in hand, marking out the plans and details of march and battle which were to, and which did, decide the supremacy of the government in the Northwest ; and ever after the home of the colonel was the favorite stopping place of General Harrison on his journey from his home, at North Bend, to Cincinnati, and at each visit it was a rich treat for the old veterans, the neighbors, and boys, to gather around and listen to the war stories of these two commanders. 772 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE The colonel, though a Democrat, was always a stout defender of General Harrison, from whatever point he might be attacked. Henry F. Sedam was born in the Sylvan house July 18, 1804. When a boy of seventeen he was entrusted by his father with the management of one of the flat-boats laden for New Orleans with the produce of the farms. At the age of twenty-three he was married and left the old home for a new house which he built a few hundred yards east of that—by his son, Mr. Charles Sedam, near and south of the station of the Indianapolis, St. Louis & Chicago Railway. This was the site of an old Indian village, and here the Indians had often encamped for fishing and hunting in the neighborhood, after his father commenced his settlement. They were very friendly, and young Sedam became so familiar with them and their language that he came to consider himself one of "the Miami tribe." He inherited the traet of his father's estate east of Boldface Creek, here laid out the village of Sedamsville, and offered perpetual leases of lots to actual settlers. He is best remembered in this region as "the chief justice of Storrs," from his long occupancy of the office of justice of the peace. He put up a two-story brick building in his orchard, where he held his court room, "dispensing justiee by dispensing with law," as he was accustomed humorously to say. In pleasant weather he commonly heard cases under the trees of his orchard, where tables and benches were constantly set out to accommodate the attendants upon his court. His methods of procedure seem to have been, in the Carlylean phrase, "independent of formula." One of his old friends contributed to "Cincinnati Past and Present"—to which we are indebted for the material of these outlines—the following amusing account of his procedure as a magistrate : "His original and unique manner of disposing of cases was always attractive. He did not hold the office for the sake of making money, for he never, in that long time (thirty years) charged any fees for himself. Did some exasperated creditor or supposed sufferer come in great haste to bring a suit against his neighbor, the squire would set him down, carefully get all the facts from him, ascertain the best kind of compromise he would take, fix a day for trial and send the party away ; then send for the opposite party, talk with him, urge a compromise, and if he found him reasonable and willing to settle on a fair basis, enter judgment, give him such time as he thought proper, go his bail and notify the other party that all was settled, and the parties were told to pay the constable one dollar. Tuesdays and Saturdays were his court days ; and often would be found the litigants of half a dozen cases sitting around in the shade, all provided with fruit or melons by the squire, and told to get together and try to settle while he was trying the case of some litigious cusses who wouldn't be settled in any other way, in which event the squire made what he called a chancery case, in which he didn't give either party a chance to gouge the other. In this high court no legal quibbles were tolerated, and PIONEER REMINISCENCES - 773 there never was an appeal from his decision. The general principle on which he acted may be well illustrated by anecdote. A young man had just been elected magistrate in an adjoining township. He at once called on the squire and acquainted him with the fact and desired that he would give him some advice as to what law books he should read. The squire heard him patiently, and then said : 'I wouldn't advise you to read any law books at all ; my experience is that whenever a county magistrate undertakes to study law he makes a d--n fool of himself. You are elected as a justice of the peace ; now all you have to do is to use your common sense and best judgment in trying to do justice and keep the peace among your neighbors—and if they want law let them go to the higher court and be plucked to their heart's content.' "Living on the river's edge, with the constant improvement of a growing country going on all around him, building canals, railroad bridges, steamboats, flatboats, with another State just across the river, he had all kinds of folks to deal with—some very rough indeed, and which would well puzzle the most learned brain ; but he has managed to work through them, sometimes with good humor, sometimes with roughness and sternness and the invincibility of his strong will. But through all of them it must be said of him that he ever leaned to the side of justice and mercy. A favorite remedy with him for the vagrant class who get drunk and whip their wives was to take all the change found in their pockets, deposit it with some grocery keeper, with orders to give the family groceries in small quantities till exhausted, and then banish the culprit to Kentucky for from thirty days to six months. His strong and willing constable would take the criminal across the river in a skiff, and as the squire would say, 'put him in a foreign country without a cent in his pocket, and let him scratch for it.' Woe be to the luckless fellow if he ventured to return before the expiration of his term of banishment ; for there was the bastile, the raging canal, the boys with lithe and pliant apple-sprouts, ready to vindicate the high majesty of the court, and he was glad to tarry in foreign parts until the time of his return as prescribed by rule as immutable as the laws of the Medes and Persians, and when he came back it was as a better citizen than before. "A steamboat laden with pork and flour landed near his place. The men had not been paid their wages, and were clamorous for them. A number of suits were brought before him, in all of which the captain proposed putting in security for appeal to court and went to the city for bail. As soon as he started, the squire, with his constable, took a hatchet and a pair of steelyards, repaired to the boat, broke open some barrels of pork and flour, and weighed out to each one the amount of his judgment ; and when the captain returned with his security he found the judgment satisfied and the pleasing injunction to appear and be blessed. "A German living on the road about half a mile from the squire kept a 774 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE ferocious dog, which was very annoying to travellers. One Sunday morning an old gentleman presented himself to the court with the whole seat of his pantaloons torn completely off, and sundry marks in the naked hide, and demanded a warrant against the owner of the dog. The squire took him in to breakfast and sent his trusty constable for the culprit, who shortly returned with him, dressed in his best suit for church. The case was soon heard, the defendant chided for his frequent acts of carelessness, and the constable ordered to take both parties into the bastile and make them exchange pants. With many bitter cuttings and strong resistance on the part of the owner of the dog, this was at last done, and the old gentleman went on his way with a good breakfast, a dollar in his pocket, and his nether man clothed in decent garments. That dog never appeared in court again. "Sometimes two desperate fellows, intent on whipping each other, would be made to strip; and a couple of constables standing over with good switches, would compel them to fight to their heart's content. In some cases judicial ducking in the canal would rid the neighborhood of an old loafer. Sometimes at nightfall a drunken fellow would be brought in to be tried for a general row. The order would be given to the constable to put him in the bastile till morning, when, sobered off, he would be dismissed with his breakfast and an admonition not to be caught that way again. Instances like these might be indefinitely multiplied. "It is astonishing that in his long career some cases were not appealed to a higher court, or the squire mulcted in damages for preventing it. Often would some disappointed litigant demand a transcript of his docket in order to take the case up by appeal on error ; but the unvarying reply of the squire has been that he didn't keep any books, but always settled up as he went along. In fact, the entire entries made in his docket during his official life wouldn't amount to a dozen pages. The law requires each magistrate to make an annual report to the county auditor of the number of criminal cases tried before him during the year, the amount of fines and costs assessed ; and an appropriation from the county treasury is made to cover the costs. But his report of every case was ended with the remark, 'No costs.' " CHAPTER LIII. THE CITY OF NORWOOD. At present Hamilton County, Ohio, has two cities—Cincinnati and Norwood. The latter named community was first settled in 1804 and it 'became an incorporated village in 1881 and received its city charter in 1903. It is to the northeast of Cincinnati, proper, and when first made a village its limits coincided with the boundaries of section 34, but were later changed to include portions of sections 3 and 5 in Mill Creek, and 33 and 35 in Columbia Township, aggregating about three square miles of territory. The assessed valuation of property in 1894 was $2,500,000. The original village at this point was styled Sharpsburg, a mere hamlet, a cross-road intersection with a small tavern and later a post-office. Before that there were a few farm houses round about at the junetion of the Columbia road and the old Montgomery Pike, and its chief features included the tavern where all kinds of good "eats" and "drinks" were served at "moderate rates," as the sign board informed the passer-by. When the Marietta & Cincinnati Railroad was constructed that company named their station there "Sharpsburg." The least said about the earliest settlement at this place the better, the present law abiding citizens are suited. The first settlers there were not of a high standard, but within a few years things materially changed, and soon it was the boast of the village that it had a superior class of people. Schools, churches, business interests of a high, modern order was soon obtained. In fact many of the true builders of Norwood were those who took up their residence there while their business interests and usually their offices were situated down in the "roaring city" proper. It has come to be one of the choicest, cleanest, most enterprising and desirable places in which to live and rear a family. It is still a mooted question as to what "Sharpsburg" was named for. Really the public records are entirely silent concerning any man named Sharp, but tradition writes the story that "one Sharp located at this point among the first settlers. He might have been a squatter," but it does not appear of record that any such man ever owned land there in those early times. The first subdivision of property for the purpose of forming a village growth was effected by Powin, Lane & Bolles, and comprised eighty-one acres to the east of the railroad. This platting, however, was not a permanent success, owing to sundry causes. Only one house was ever built thereon. Norwood was in fact founded by L. C. Hopkins. He was one of the highly successful dry goods merchants of Cincinnati, but like many another unfortunate was crushed in the financial panic of 1873. But prior to that crash he had purchased thirty acres of land from Colum- 776 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE bus Williams, embracing that portion of the village joining to Hopkins Avenue Station. This he assigned to his creditors, but later repurchased it, and thereon erected a residence where he made his home several years. It was at his suggestion that the name Norwood was taken instead of "Sharpsburg." In the spring of 1873 he platted Franklin and Allison streets, north of Hopkins Avenue, and on June 13, in the same year, the first auction sale of lots at Norwood oecurred. Luncheon was served by Mrs. L. C. Hopkins and Mrs. W. C. Baker, at the grove on Allison Street. The sale was largely attended, and every town lot was sold. Mr. Hopkins made three other subdivisions in 1873. The second was south of the first, and embraced thirty-two lots on Wood and Reilly streets, which were so named by Mr. Hopkins in honor of the members of a dry goods firm by which he had been employed when he was a boy. The third sub-division was immediately west of the second and south of Hopkins Avenue. It comprised seventy-three lots, all of which were sold at private sale at the uniform price of $625, within three weeks from the completion of the survey. The fourth sub-division was north of Hopkins Avenue and west of the first. The tract comprised fifty-eight lots and these were sold at $700 eaeh. In all of these land sales the deals were made by R. C. Phillips & Son ; W. C. Baker was resident superintendent, and L. G. Hopkins and A. G. Boffinger represented L. C. Hopkins in effecting sales. Briefly it may be stated that the site of Norwood, as a village, was principally embraced in the Mill, Smith, Langdon, Williams, Durell and Drake farms and the chief sub-divisions have been those of Mills and Kline, in West and Central Norwood ; Wolz and Company, Elsmere ; Baker and Reed. Ideal Park ; Messenger and Fritsch, East Norwood ; William Durell, Ivanhoe ; Alberts and Kohle, and the Highland Syndicate. The first real impetus in the new village was the construction of the Cincinnati, Lebanon & Northern Railroad. Before that date the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern Railroad was used by its residents near the station on its line, and many also traveled to and from the city on the omnibus that ran between the city and Pleasant Ridge. The opening of the electric railway, July 1, 1891, resulted in a good degree of building activity in this beautifully situated suburb to Cincinnati, as then called. The population at that date had reached about 1,500 souls. In 1894 there were eight churches : Presbyterian, Methodist (two), Baptist, Berean Baptist, Catholic, Reformed, and Evangelical Protestant. There were then three spacious, well-built public school buildings, and local business included a number of creditable stores, shops, hotels, etc. The style of residences was excellent and of good values, showing the general character of the first settlers in the new place destined to ere long outstrip most if not all other suburbs within Cincinnati territory. The place was incorporated as a village in 1881, as before mentioned. THE CITY OF NORWOOD - 777 and organized August 6th that year, with the election of the following officers : Mayor, John Weyer ; clerk, Edward G. Bolles ; treasurer, John C. Masker ; marshal, Gerald Kehoe ; council, John P. Zimmerman, Fred H. Mehmert, Edward Mill, William Leser, D. H. Whitehead, and A. Wieand. The first town hall was provided by private subscription and cost $6,000. The place has long had many beautiful residential streets and well cared for drives and school grounds. Its present population is about 30,000. These are largely American born people, with quite a goodly number of German extraction. Its chief industries are inclusive of its mammoth playing card manufacturing establishment—largest in the world. Also it has large works wherein are produced a large amount of the popular patent elastic book-cases ; also electrical manufacturing plants, washing machines, large iron foundries, a piano factory, a t00l factory, mill work and iron works. Also here one finds an immense lithographing establishment with scores of lesser establishments. In 1919 the directory gave Norwood a Knights of Pythias Hall, Carnegie Public Library, a bank and eight churches. Its public schools numbered five and one parochial school house of rare beauty and of good values. Its railroads are the Pennsylvania System, Baltimore & Ohio, Ohio & Southwestern, the Cincinnati, Lebanon & Northern and the Norfolk & Western Line. The United States census reports in 1920 gave the population at various dates as follows : In 1900 it had 6,480; in 1910 it was 16,185 ; and in 1920 it had reached 24,966. The present population is safely estimated at 30,000. The Norwood Waterworks —The present excellent water works system was begun by the people voting, on November 8, 1892, on the proposition to construct water works by selling city bonds amounting to $50,000. The vote stood 491 for and 136 against. Later it was seen that as much again would be required to build the needed system and this was also cheerfully voted by the tax payers. Mayor McNeill appointed as his water-work trustees Dr. Alfred Springer, George Puchta and Henry Rickhoff. During the financially dark days of 1813, hundreds of men were at work on the water works of this city, laying mains, and working in the foundries where the steel plates for the water tower were welded in the shops. The immense water tower is a very striking and handsome structure with its spiral stairway from base to the canopy top, the whole being built of steel, as well as the mammoth water tank itself. This tower may be seen a great distance, owing to its height ; its bottom line is 378 feet above low-water mark in the Ohio River. Since the '90's vast changes have had to be made in order to keep abreast with the growth of Norwood, as relates to its water supply. No more romantic scene presents itself to the eye in all this country than the old Indian mound on which relic this water tower was constructed. Indeed the spot 778 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE was one made famous long, long years ago by the redskin as he roamed over his happy hunting ground. This great knoll is crested with fine forest trees and man of modern years has materially embellished the scene until it has come to be a real beauty spot and a park of the worthwhile kind. Without going into further detail concerning the water system of Norwood it may be said that it answers every purpose demanded to date by the growing city. The reports of the city auditor show the following items concerning the finances to date : Total receipts $81,418. Balance on hand January I, 1925, $22,948. Total receipts and balance $110,186. Total expenditures December 31, 1925, $61,010 ; balance December 31, 1925, $30,409. Total expenditures and balance, $110,186. The 1926 superintendent of the water works is David Ross. Other Financial Statements —Further reports by the city auditor gives these figures on receipts and disbursements : Balance January I, 1925, $245,366; actual receipts for the year, $1,081,664 ; actual disbursements of the year $1,146,305. Deficiency of receipts for the year $64,640. The expenses of the previous year paid in 1925, $9,145. Total amount of salary and wages for 1925, $191,708, of which $27,085 was for water works system. Banking —The present banking business of Norwood is in the hands of the following corporations : The Commercial Savings Bank was incorporated in August, 1914, with a capital of $50,000 ; the First National Bank was incorporated in July, 1902, with a capital of $400,000; surplus is $300,000; Norwood National Bank, incorporated 1907; capital $200,000; surplus is now $197,000. Fire Department —Norwood boasts of a fine fire department whose chief is now Joseph A. Geller. The department consists of Company No. 1, west side of Montgomery Avenue, between Sherman Avenue and Elm Avenue ; Fire Company No. 2, junction of Montgomery Avenue and Ivanhoe Avenue ; Ladder Company No. I, west side of Montgomery Avenue between Sherman Avenue and Elm Avenue. The police department is of a high order, and they, with the fire fighters of the fire department, keep the sprightly city safe from law breakers and the ravages of the fire fiend. The present chief of police is Andrew J. Hart. Schools of the City —The present board of education is composed of George Guckenberger, president ; Harry McBride, vice-president; H. H. Baker, Jacob B. Miller, William E. Ellison, William F. Bonner, clerk ; Charles W. Johnson, superintendent of schools. The locations of school buildings at present are : Norwood High, north side of Sherman Avenue, between Station Avenue and Allison ; THE CITY OF NORWOOD - 779 Allison School, southeast corner of Allison and Courtland Avenue ; North Norwood, from Hopkins Avenue to Highland Avenue and from Marion to Wesley ; Norwood View, northeast corner of Carthage Avenue and Hannaford Avenue ; Sharpsburg, Smith Road, Robertson Avenue and Forest Avenue ; Williams Avenue School, north side of Williams Avenue opposite Spencer Avenue. The parochial schools are : SS. Peter and Paul Parochial School, northwest corner Moeller Avenue and Drex Avenue ; St. Matthews Parochial School, southeast corner of Floral Avenue and Kenilworth Avenue ; St. Elizabeth High School, northwest corner of Lincoln Avenue and Carter Street ; St. Elizabeth's Parochial School, northwest corner of Carter Street and Courtland Avenue. Newspapers —The newspaper press is represented in Norwood by the newspapers : Norwood "Advertiser" (weekly) ; Norwood "Enterprise," Dale Wolf publisher ; Norwood "Republican," Wallace B. Roberts, editor. The postoffice is a branch of the Cincinnati postoffice and has two substations—No. 14 and 22. The present postal superintendent is A. R. Burk. A branch of the Cincinnati Public Library is located at the corner of Montgomery Avenue and Weyer Avenue and is a well regulated library. The present city hall is a fine structure erected after modern plans and specifications in 1915. Building Associations are very numerous and all seem to be prospering. The list includes these : Central Norwood Building and Loan Association ; Elsmere Loan and Building Company ; First National Building and Loan Company ; Hunter Avenue Savings and Loan Company ; North Hyde Park Building and Loan Association Company ; Norwood Eagle Building and Loan Association ; Norwood Home Savings Association; Norwood Improved Building and Loan Company ; Norwood View Building and Loan Company ; West Norwood Building and Loan Company. Churches —Norwood Baptist (Harmon Memorial) ; Christian ; Church of Christ (Scientist) ; Evangelical—Salem Evangelical ; Jewish—Sons of Abraham ; Lutheran—Church of Our Savior ; Norwood English Lutheran; Methodist Episcopal—Grace and Norwood First Methodist; Nazarene—First Church of the Nazarene ; Presbyterian—Norwood Presbyterian ; Protestant Episcopal—Church of the Good Shepherd ; Reformed—Zions Church ; Roman Catholic—St. Elizabeth's, St. Matthews, Paul and Peter Church, all of the Roman Catholic Faith. Grace Methodist Episcopal Church of Norwood was organized April 1, 1885, with about thirty charter members. It now enjoys a membership of about six hundred. The present edifice, built in 1911, cost, or rather is valued now at $115,000. The list of pastors is as follows : Revs. 780 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE G. M. Hammell, A. B. Austin, D. W. C. Washburn, M. E. Ketcham, G. B. Shannor, A. K. Stabler, C. C. Peale, W. A. Deaton, F. S. Weaver, F. H. Cherringinton, C. W. Hoffman, J. J. Richards, William McK. Brackney. The subjoined sketch has recently been furnished by one of the officials of the church. This church (formerly known as the Ivanhoe Methodist Episcopal Church) began her remarkable history and development with the organization of a Sunday School, having a membership of about thirty, in the fall of 1884. Meetings were first at the homes of the members and later, in the Ivanhoe Railroad Station. John W. Baker was the moving spirit in the enterprise, and was the first superintendent. On April 1, 1885, the church was organized by Rev. C. W. Rishell, at that time pastor of Avondale M. E. Church. The following were selected to be members of the first board of trustees : Dr. E. W. Ebersole, Dr. Mitchell, John W. Baker, Ferd Fromlet, John G. Evans, T. W. Timberlake, John L. Coulter, C. G. Strahley, and Dr. Gratigny. This board was confirmed by the quarterly conference of the Avondale M. E. Church. the Rev. D. J. Starr presiding. Active steps were at once taken toward the construction of a building. Ground breaking ceremonies occurred in September, 1885, and the corner stone was laid October 1, 1885. The keys of the church were received from the contractor May 11, 1886. Dedieatory exercises were held June 6, 1886. Dr. Cranston preached in the morning, Bishop Joyce in the afternoon and Dr. Rishell in the evening. The Ivanhoe M. E. Church appears in the conference minutes of 1884 but no regular pastor was appointed until 1888. Previous to this time the pulpit was supplied in various ways. The church was remodeled in 1896, and the name changed to Grace Methodist Episcopal Church, Norwood, Ohio. On September 18, 1905, steps were taken looking to the sale of the church and the building of a new edifice on a new location. This finally consummated in the splendid new church on Slane Avenue, which was dedicated June 11, 1911. The church now has a membership of 600, two only of whom, namely, William D. Baker and his sister, Mrs. George H. Crowther (son and daughter of John W. Baker) were members when the church was organized. The Norwood Baptist Church was organized in 1866 with sixty members. Its present membership is seven hundred. Their edifice is on Courtland, near Main Street, completed in 1917 at a cost of $112,000. The subjoined sketch of this society has been furnished the historian for this work : The Duck Creek Baptist Church was one of the eight Baptist churches founded by Rev. B. F. Harmon, the father of Hon. Judson Harmon, THE CITY OF NORWOOD - 781 former governor of Ohio. It was located on what is now known as Edmonson Road, at a point about two hundred yards east of Duck Creek Road, upon ground which is now within the corporate limits of the city of Norwood. A few crumbling grave stones still remain in the plot, but the church building has long since gone into decay and disappeared. It was about the elose of the Civil War that a movement took definite form to found a Baptist Church in the town of Pleasant Ridge. This because it was more accessible to many of the members and in a community that was larger, and situated about midway between Cincinnati and Montgomery, Ohio. On April 14, 1866, a special meeting was held in the Duck Creek Church, at which time permission was granted to members so desiring to withdraw by letter and form a new church organization. This action was taken by authority of a law of the State passed May 1, 1852. On April 21, 1866, the Pleasant Ridge Regular Baptist Church was incorporated in accordance with the State laws. On May 31, 1866, a council of Baptist churches, by unanimous vote, recognized the new church and received it into full membership. The church officers were : Moderator, Blair Kineaid ; pastor, J. A. Kirkpatrick ; trustees, Frank Kincaid, Horatio B. Turrill, J. C. Lyons ; clerk, J. C. Lyons ; senior deacons, Blair Kincaid, Henry P. Bowman ; junior deacons, J. C. Lyons, Moses F. Buxton. There were sixty charter members received by letter from the Duck Creek Church and a list of these is preserved in the minutes. This list includes the names of many old and honored families of this vicinity. Mrs. Anna Cox, who passed away March 28, 1923, at the age of 84 years, was the last surviving charter member of the church. The rapid growth of the village of Norwood in the '80's seemed to warrant the occupation of that field, and as work at Pleasant Ridge was not prospering, the ehurch was moved to Norwood. The pastor was Rev. T. C. Probert. The name was changed to Norwood in 1892. The pastors since then have been : Rev. Harmon, who was succeeded by Revs. C. Cox, E. L. Swift, and J. S. Sowers, who came in 1901. A new chureh corporation was affected in June, 1901. The next pastor was Rev. Clarence E. Lapp, from April I, 1910. Ground was broken for the present church building July, 1911, the corner-stone being laid, with the Hon. Judson Harmon as speaker, on November 15, 1913. After an illness of many months Dr. Lapp resigned October I, 1915. Since then the pastors have been : Dr. William G. Everson, who completed the building in 1919 and served until 1921, when he was succeeded by Rev. F. L. Fraser and Rev. Lummis until the coming of Rev. Miles W. Smith, February 5, 1922, and he remained until June, 1924. He was succeeded by F. G. Cressey of Granville, who was "acting pastor," having commenced preaching in November, 1924. The present pastor is Rev. Leland Jerome Powell, who came to the pastorate from Richmond May I, 1925. Zion Reformed Church of Norwood is the legal name of the church 782 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE organized January 10, 1892, at the village of Norwood. Its charter members numbered only 38, but today the membership reaches 435. The total membership of the Sunday School is 485. The following have served as pastors in the order here given : Joseph L. Schatz, Carl Schaaf, D. D., Louis D. Benner, Josias Frieli, Victor T. Tingler, George F. Zinn, Calvin M. Zenk. The church building was dedicated in April, 1893, and enlarged and remodeled in 1910. Its cost was $15,000; Sherman and Walter, architects. Lodges —Almost all modern-day civic societies and secret orders are represented in Norwood. These include lodges as follows : The Masonic bodies—Ara Chapter, No. 160, 0. E. S.; Melrose Lodge, No. 671, Free and Accepted Masons ; Nor-Mel Chapter, No. 2, Free and Accepted Masons ; Norwood Chapter, No. 193, Royal Arch Masons ; Norwood Lodge, No. 576, Free and Accepted Masons ; Norwood Ladies' Chapter Eastern Star, No. 421 ; Trinity Commandery, No. 44, Knights Templar. Knights of Pythias—Normont Lodge, No. 759; Pythian Sisters, Normont Thistle Temple, No. 399. Knights of Maccabees—Norwood Tent, No. 495 ; Ladies of Maccabees, Norwood Hive, No. 415. Royal Order of Moose—Norwood Lodge, No. 301. Independent Order of Odd Fellows—Hawthorn Encampment, No. 281; Kirkup Lodge, No. 4o1; Rebekah Lodge, No. 673. Junior Order of Mechanics—Norwood Council, No. 226. Knights of Columbus—Norwood Council, No. 1162. American Legion. Catholic Knights of America ; Catholic Knights of Ohio ; Catholic Order of Foresters. Daughters of America—Norwood Council, No. 86. Daughters of Isabella—Norwood Circle, No. 143. Fraternal Order of Eagles—Highland Aerie, No. 449. Independent Order of Red Men—Wakamansta Tribe, No. 449. Modern Woodmen of America—Norwood Camp, No. 10,217; Royal Neighbors of America—Rose Camp No. 4377. City Officers —The following is a list of the city officials of Norwood serving in 1924-25 : Mayor, Louis H. Nolte ; president of the council, Walter N. Lindsay ; auditor, W. R. Locke ; treasurer, Howard S. Cox ; clerk, J. E. Thorpe ; solicitor, 0. F. Dwyer ; engineer, Charles E. Baker ; council, Clifford A. Steding, Alfred Fairhead, Walter E. Stever. Incorporated Companies of Norwood —The latest business directory of Norwood, that of 1924-25, gives the list of incorporated companies as follows : Active Printing Company, incorporated 1916; American Laundry Machine Company ; The C. A. Bartlett Company, incorporated 1916, THE CITY OF NORWOOD - 783 $30,000 capital ; Bartson Driveway Company, incorporated 1923, capital $5,000; Boss Washing Machine Company, incorporated 1907, $145,000; Burgett Varnish Works, incorporated 1915, capital $50,000 ; Cincinnati Chemical Works, incorporated 1920, capital $2,500,000; Cincinnati Coal Company, incorporated ; Cincinnati Dehco Baked Enameling Company, incorporated 1924, capitalized for $10,000 ; Cincinnati Rubber Manufacturing Company ; Cincinnati Tool Company, incorporated 1884, $100,000; Colman Bell Company, incorporated for $20,000 in 1921 ; Commercial Savings Bank, incorporated in 1914 for $50,000; Corcoran Manufacturing Company ; Dalton Adding Machine Company, incorporated 1914, $3,500,- 000; Decorative Paper Company, incorporated 1909, $20,000; Dexter Lumber Company, incorporated 1892, capital $25,000; Erdman Shoe Company, incorporated 1904, $20,000; Freeman Perfume Company, incorporated 1912 ; Goetz, The Edward J., incorporated 1922, capital $25,- 000 ; Henderson Lithographing Company, incorporated 1882, $500,000; Highland Tire and Battery Company, incorporated 1920, $100,000; Hopkins Avenue Garage Company, 1920, capitalized for $50,000; Hyde Park Lumber Company, incorporated 1902; Jackson Box Company, incorporated 1924; Kemper-Thomas Company, incorporated 1901 ; Kinsey Hardware Company, incorporated 1923, capitalized $40,000; the R. K. Le Blond Machine Tool Company, incorporated 1902 for $2,500,000; Lobnitz Company, incorporated 1917 for $10,000; The McClure Building Company, incorporated for $10,000; Mendel-Brucker Company, incorporated 1912, $325,000; Miami Auto Sales Company, incorporated 1923 for $100,000; Miller, Du Brul & Peters Company, incorporated 1873 for $300,000; Norwood Auto Sales Company, incorporated 1923; Norwood Gas and Electric Shop Company, incorporated 1920, capital $10,000; Norwood Paint and Glass Company, incorporated 1924, $10,000; Norwood Republican Company, incorporated ; Norwood Sash and Door Manufacturing Company, incorporated in 1911, capital $100,000; Norwood Theatre Company, incorporated 1904 for $75,000 ; Palm Brothers Decalcomania, incorporated 1923, $700,000; The Safe Cabinet Company, incorporated 1906, for $4,000,000; The Scribner & Sons Company, incorporated in 1883, with a capital of $800,000; Shepherd Chemical Company ; Southwestern Institute, incorporated 1920, $25,000 ; Sterling Lumber Company, incorporated 1913 ; Strauss Building Company, incorporated 1921 for $10,000; Superior Hy-Test Motor Gas Company, incorporated 1921 for $75,000; The Paint and Glass Company, incorporated 1917, $10,000; Tredway Oil Company, incorporated 1922, capital $50,000; Tesler Oil Company, incorporated in 1924 for $20,000; United States Can Company, incorporated 1908 with a capital of $328,000; The United States Playing Card Company ; the United States Lithographing and Printing Company ; Weir Frog Company, $1,000,000; Work Motor Service Company, incorporated 1920 for $50,000; Yellow Pine Lumber Company, incorporated 1922, for $25,000 capital. CHAPTER LIV. THE CITY OF COVINGTON. The city of Covington, in Kentucky, opposite Cincinnati, is kissed by the rippling waters of the Ohio River on one side and the waves of historic Licking River on another ; with bridges of iron and steel spanning both streams and connecting it with Hamilton County, Ohio, and Campbell County, Kentucky, to say nothing of the sundry railway bridges reaching out like great arms toward the heart of this commercial center. It lies within five minutes car ride of Cincinnati. The beautiful city of Covington seems intended by nature to be a center of business and enterprise. The land where now lies this sprightly city was granted February 14, 1780. Covington was incorporated as a town February 8, 1815 ; as a city February 24, 1834. This very spot was where formerly the pioneers of Kentucky met before starting out on their campaigns against the Indians north of the Ohio River. On account of its peculiar location, lying at the junction of the Ohio and Licking rivers it was commercially spoken of as "The Point" by the early settlers. In 1780 and 1782 the Kentucky pioneers, under George Rogers Clark, gathered here to march against the Indians in the Miami and Scioto valleys. When the Indians were so crushingly defeated by General "Mad Anthony Wayne" at the battle of Miami in 1794, the "Point" ceased to be of the least importance. There was not even a settlement left here at that time and the only sound that broke the stillness was that of the cry of the blue-jay and the scream of the wild-cat. Kennedy's Landing —In 1780 Thomas Kennedy, who had obtained a grant of land from the government, built himself a house and in 1782 started a landing and operated a ferry-boat across the Ohio River. He then removed into the old stone house standing on Front Street, near the foot of Garrard. The land was beginning to increase in value rapidly and capitalists from Cincinnati negotiated with Mr. Kennedy and 150 acres of his farm were transferred to General John S. Gano, Richard M. Gano and Thomas Davis Carmeal. This tract of land was incorporated February 8, 1815, and named Covington, in honor of General Leonard Covington, who was born in Aquasco, Maryland, in 1868, and was commander of a cavalry troop in October, 1792. He joined General Wayne and distinguished himself at Fort Recovery and was honorably mentioned by his commander in the account of this battle of the Miami. He served two years in the Maryland Legislature from 1805 to 1807. In 18o9 he was made a colonel of cavalry and in 1813 made a brigadier-general. He was mortally wounded at the battle of Chrysler's Field, which was fought in THE CITY OF COVINGTON - 785 November, 1813, and he died two days later of his wounds. The late lamented Theodore Roosevelt in his "Winning of the West" describes the bravery of General Covington at the battle of Fallen Timbers as follows : "It would have been difficult to have found more unfavorable ground for cavalry, nevertheless the dragoons rode against their foes at a gallop with broad swords swinging, the horses dodging in and out among the trees and jumping the fallen logs. They received a fire at close range whieh emptied a dozen saddles, both captains being shot down. One was killed and the other, Captain Van Rensselaer was wounded. The command devolved upon Lieutenant Covington who led forward the troops with Lieutenant Webb alongside him ; and the dragoons burst among the savages at full speed and routed them in a moment. Covington cut down two Indians with his own hand and Webb one." First Town Lot Sale —After Covington was settled and named, the first sale of lots was on March 20, 1815, the lots bringing from $8 to $12 per foot. The first plat of the town was reeorded August 31, 1815, and embraced that part of the city known as the "Old Plat," bounded on the west by the line of Washington Street. The ground later occupied by the city building and jail was set aside for public buildings, with the stipulation that it should revert to the original owners if it ceased to be used as such. That is the reason why no attempt was made to locate the city buildings further uptown. At this time "The Point" was the only part of the town that was settled and the ferry-boat landing was the center of all activities. The streets from the Licking River westward were named after governors of this State, namley : Garrard, Greenup, Scott ; Kennedy Street was named after Thomas Kennedy. Sanford Street was named for General Thomas Sanford, the first Representative in Congress from this district. One street was named for Governor Isaac Shelby, one of the earliest and best known governors of Kentucky, and a famous Indian fighter. This street, which was the first to be named, has now passed from the plat. The last street was left unnamed until after the election of the governor, which was then pending, and George Madison being chosen, Madison Avenue came into being. It is singular that this street, whieh was the last to be named, should now be the first in importance, while the one bearing Shelby's name has passed into oblivion. The other streets of Covington have been named after the makers of various sub-divisions, and the pursuit of the various stages of development in the early growth of the place is also interesting. Early Municipal Government —At first the government of the small town was in the hands of trustees. The first trustees were : Alfred Sanford, John Hudson, Uriel Sebree, Joseph Kennedy and John 0. Cin--50 786 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE Buckners. This was in 1816—four years after the War of 1812 and it was an interesting period in the infancy of the place. Those were the days of homespun goods and flint-lock guns. The church edifice was usually a rough log house in the depths of a solitary forest where sound of a church-going bell had never been heard. Then one might have seen the old-fashioned inn, suitable "for both man and beast" as was indicated on their sign-boards. It had a huge fireplace and there in the spacious room was drunk hard cider and whiskey, while the patrons discussed the late Indian outrages. In 1830 Covington had grown to contain a population of 715 souls, all told. The town then embraced the territory from the Lieking River to Main Street and from the Ohio to Sixth Street. There were then no houses south of Fifth Street or west of Madison Street. There was one bank whieh had been established in 1821 by Benjamin W. Leathers ; a fire brigade, a cotton factory, and a rolling mill. The old ferry gave place to one run by horse power and in 1833 the first steam ferry was put in operation. In 1834 an aet of the Legislature was passed making Covington a city. The first election under the city charter, which was passed February, 1834, was held in April of that year and Mortimer M. Benton was elected the first mayor ; the first marshal was Edward G. Bladen ; first fire chief was L. D. Croninger, who was appointed in 1864 and the first engine house was located at Pike and Washington streets. Population —By 1840 the population had increased to 2,026 and a number of good faetories had been started. The city was really holding the key to the markets of the North and South and it began to be known as a commercial center, handling the manufacturers' products of the East and the great agrieultural products of Kentucky, which were developed by the slave trade labor. The outbreak of the Civil War brought about vast changes throughout the South, but Covington was one of the first of the Kentucky cities to recover from the disastrous results of the four-year struggle and bravery faced the future. The population in 1915 was 56,000 and it is now placed at about 6o,000. Industrial —In order to induce manufacturers to Covington it has offered exemption from taxes for a term of years to all such who located there. This feature, with good shipping advantages, cheap coal, realty at fair prices, has drawn scores if not hundreds of enterprises to the city. In 1903 it was written of Covington : "This city is now lighted with an unusually good quality of electric lights. All of the streets and alleys are well illuminated and the chief business streets are kept well lighted throughout the night hours. There is also an abundance of gas. Many residents heat the place they occupy by natural gas. The Union Heat and Power Company keeps the streets lighted and also furnishes THE CITY OF COVINGTON - 787 power for the street car system so much patronized by the population most universally." The industries of Covington include extensive packing houses, distilleries, breweries, cotton factories, iron works, vinegar works, brick and tile works, potteries, rope making plants, metal signs, auto trucks, X-ray machines, circus tents, pianos, cordage. The United States census for factories gave Covington as having 161 establishments, employing 3,736 persons, receiving in 1918, $1,800,000 wages. In 1914 the new "commission form of government" was obtained for Covington and has worked well ever since. The Americana Encyclopedia of a few years back gave the following notice concerning Covington, Kentucky : "Covington is the county seat of Kenton County, Kentucky ; is opposite Cincinnati, connected with that city by fine suspension bridges, one being 2,250 feet long and costing $2,000,000. This city is the northern terminus of the Kentucky Central Railroad line ; also the Lexington Railroad between Cincinnati and Louisville. Covington is a resident city for Cincinnati business men and is the See of a Roman Catholic bishop. The city has an area of five and one-fourth square miles. It is a fine plain surrounded by charming hills and contains many hundred modern residences and building blocks. There is a massive Federal Building, a Carnegie Public Library, a race track, eity hall, hospital, Catholic and Protestant orphanages, one of the finest Catholic cathedrals in Kentucky. The water works plant was built in 1887, the water coming from the Ohio River thirteen miles above the city. The annual budget in 1914 was $66o,000, of which schools took $108,000 ; settled in 1812 ; laid out three years later ; chartered as a city in 1834." Present City Officers —The following is a list of the 1926 city officials holding the more important official positions of the municipality : Mayor, Hon. Daniel A. O'Donovan ; police judge, Hon. George E. Philipps ; city engineer, Henry G. Meiners ; building inspector, Joseph A. Hellmann ; assessor, Barney Bussman ; auditor, William H. Newhall ; cashier, John J. Reed ; solicitor, Alfred E. Stricklett ; recorder, Walter H. Ritte ; board of park commissioners, E. S. Lee, C. G. Pieck, R. J. Dibawski, Warren Ellison, Charles Zinmer ; secretary, Ulie J. Howard. Fire Department comprises officers as follows : Chief engineer, Ed. A. Griffith ; assistant chief engineer, John F. Schroeder ; superintendent of fire alarm system, Samuel Terry ; assistant superintendent, John Acley. The various companies constitute the department : Chemical Fire Company, No. 1 ; Engine Company, No. 1 ; Engine Company, No. 3 ; Engine Company, No. 4; Engine Company, No. 5 ; Engine Company, No. 6; Engine Company, No. 8; No. 1 Truck Company ; pumping house at Fort Thomas, Campbell County ; water works office at city building, Covington. 788 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE Public Library —This institution now has 20,151 books on its shelves. Its loeation is Robbins and Scott streets. Its present officers are : Hon. Daniel A. O'Donovan, president ; Kate Scudder, secretary ; Frank R. Evans, treasurer ; James B. Powers, Mrs. Henry James, Rev. Joseph W. Hagins and Harry B. Mackoy, trustees ; Mrs. Anne M. Spears, librarian. Public Parks —The following are named in the recent city records as the city park tracts : Devou Park ; Dixie Park, northeast corner Main and Pike ; Eleventh Street Park, between Greenup and Scott streets ; George Roger Clark Park, Riverside drive and Garrard ; Sixth Street Park, on Sixth between Johnson and Philadelphia streets ; William Gobel Park, corner Fifth and Philadelphia ; Withers Park, Government Place from Scott to Greenup streets. Newspapers —The most important newspapers of Covington at this time are the "Kentucky Daily Post," the branches of the Cincinnati "Enquirer," the "Commercial-Tribune" and the "Times-Star." Public School Buildings —The subjoined is a list of the public and parochial schools of Covington in 1926: Holmes High School, south side of Twenty-fifth Street, east of Madison ; John G. Carlisle, Jr., northeast corner of Twelfth Street and Russell Avenue ; First District, west side of Scott Street between Fifth and Sixth streets ; Second District, southeast corner of Fifth and Philadelphia streets ; Fifth District, northwest corner of Eighteenth Street and Holman Avenue ; John W. Hall, Jr., east side of Seott, between Fifteenth and Sixteenth streets ; Sixth District, Maryland Avenue and Nineteenth Street ; Seventh Street District, southeast corner of Locke and Thirty-eighth Street ; Ninth Street District, southeast corner of Thirty-second and Graff streets ; Tenth District, east side of Clifton Avenue ; Eleventh Distriet, No. 1257 Parkway ; Lincoln-Grant (colored), south side of Seventh Street ; Lincoln-Grant (annex), colored school, Twelfth and East Sixth Street. Present Banking Institutions —Covington has, in 1926, banking houses as follows : Central Savings Bank and Trust Company, Twentieth and Madison Avenue ; capital $60,000; John H. Schulte, president ; Joseph B. Theissers, secretary and treasurer. Citizens' National Bank, southeast corner of Pike Street and Madison Avenue ; organized March, 1890; capital $200,000; Joseph Feltman, president ; B. L. Zimmermann, cashier. Covington Trust and Banking Company, incorporated April 15, 1890; capital $100,000; located at Sixth Street and Madison Avenue ; C. W. Simroll, president ; H. S. Berry, secretary ; A. W. Timmerding, treasurer. First National Bank of Covington, northwest corner of Madison Avenue and Sixth Street ; organized January, 1865; capital $500,000, surplus $400,000; E. S. Lee, president ; R. C. Stewart, vice-president ; Henry J. Humpert, cashier. THE CITY OF COVINGTON - 789 First National Bank of Latonia, northwest corner of De Coursey and Southern avenues ; incorporated May 9, 1902 ; capital, $25,000; Dr. H. C. White, president ; H. B. Beck, cashier. Latonia Deposit Bank, incorporated June, 1906; capital $25,000, surplus, $35,000 ; Winston Avenue and Southern Avenue ; R. Lee Bird, president; Warren Elliston, cashier. Liberty National Bank, located at No. 6o2 Madison Avenue, Covington; capital, $350,000 ; George E. Engel, president ; Frank R. Evans, cashier. People's Savings Bank and Trust Company, southwest corner Sixth and Madison Avenue, organized April 2, 1903; capital $100,000 ; Herbert Jackson, president ; F. H. Hugenberg, secretary and treasurer. Security Savings Bank, Ninth and Pike ; organized February 18, 1908 ; capital, $35,000 ; Ed. Zeisz, president ; George J. Weischorster, secretary and treasurer. Covington Churches —That the religious element is in the majority in this city, one only needs to read the following list of churches at the present time : Baptist Churches —Calvary Church ; First Baptist Church ; Immanuel Baptist Church ; Latonia Baptist Church ; Madison Avenue Baptist Church ; South Side Baptist Church ; First Baptist Church (colored) ; Ninth Street Baptist Church (colored) ; Mount Olive Street Church (colored) ; Zions Baptist Church (colored). Disciples of Christ —First Christian Church, north side of Fifth Street ; Latonia Christian Church, southeast corner of Thirty-ninth and De Coursey ; Madison Avenue Christian Church, east side of Madison Avenue, between Fifteenth and Sixteenth streets ; Robins Street Christian Church (colored), 426 East Robins Avenue. Jewish —Temple Israel, No. 107 East Seventh Street ; Samuel V. Levinson, rabbi. Lutheran Churches —First English Lutheran Church, No. 1007 Madison Avenue. Methodist Episcopal Churches —Immanuel Methodist Episcopal Church, southeast corner of Tenth and Russell Avenue ; Epworth Methodist Episcopal Church of West Covington, No. 1279 Parkway ; Main Street Methodist Episcopal Church, northeast corner of Main and Eighth streets ; Shinkle Methodist Episcopal Church, Fifteenth between Greenup and Scott streets ; Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church, southeast corner Church Avenue and Southern Avenue ; Union Methodist Episcopal Church, southwest corner of Fifth and Greenup ; Lane Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church (colored), south side of Lynn ; Ninth Street Methodist 790 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE Episcopal Church (colored), north side of Ninth Street, between Scott and Madison Avenue ; St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church, No. 12o Lynn ; St. Paul Methodist Church (colored) Zion, No. 238, East Robins ; Methodist Episcopal Church (South), southwest corner of Eighteenth and Greenup ; Scott Street Methodist Episcopal Church, east side Scott, between Fifth and Sixth streets. Presbyterian Churches —First Presbyterian Church, north side Fourth between Madison and Russell avenues ; Latonia Presbyterian Church, Rev. S. A. Caldwell, pastor ; Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, west side Madison Avenue, between Eleventh and Robins Avenue ; First Presbyterian Chapel, No. 1807 Eastern Avenue. Protestant Episcopal —St. Johns Trinity Protestant Church, Eighteenth and Scott streets ; St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Thirty-ninth and De Coursey Avenue ; Trinity Protestant Episcopal Church, east side Madison Avenue between Third and Fourth streets. Protestant Churches —St. John's Evangelical Protestant Church, south side Highway Avenue, West Covington ; St. Mark's Evangelical Church, northwest corner of Park Avenue and Thirty-eighth, Latonia ; St. Paul's Evangelical Church, northeast corner of Eleventh and Bank Lick. Reformed Churches —Grace Reformed on the northwest corner of Willard and Lockwood. Roman Catholic Churches —The following Roman Catholic Churches have been mentioned in the Catholic history of Cincinnati proper, hence will only be named here briefly : Church of the Holy Cross, Mother of God, St. Aloysius, St. Ann's, St. Augustine, St. Benedicts', St. John's, St. Joseph's (German), St. Mary's Cathedral, St. Patrick's. Other Churches —First Seventh Day Adventist, No. 121 East Fifteenth Street ; Latonia Pilgrim Holiness Church ; Pilgrim Holiness Church ; Salvation Army Citadel ; Union Bethel Holiness Church ; Union Mission and Volunteers of Ameriea Mission. Fraternal Societies, Lodges, Etc. —Covington has long been noted for its prosperous lodges of various types, including most all of the ancient and modern-day societies calculated to better mankind by their teachings and practical activities, exemplifying such teachings. The present list of these fraternities includes these, with possibly a score more with which the writer is not fully advised as to their organizations. American Legion, Post No. 7o; Ancient Order of Hibernians (Catholic), Division No. 1 ; Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Covington Lodge, No. 314; Boy Scouts of America, made up of fourteen troops ; Catholic Knights of America ; Catholic Ladies of Columbia ; Catholic Order of Foresters ; Daughters of America, six councils ; Daughters of THE CITY OF COVINGTON - 791 Isabelle, Circle No. 161; Foresters of America ; Fraternal Order of Eagles ; Girl Scouts of America ; Grand Army of the Republic, James A. Garfield Post, No. 2 ; Grand United Order of Odd Fellows (colored) ; Elks, B. P. 0. E. (colored) ; Improved Order of Red Men, Iola Council, No. 33; also Scioto Tribe, No. 4; Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Covington Lodge, No. 129 ; Magnolia Encampment, No. 67 ; Colfax Lodge, No. 4, Daughters of Rebekah ; Knights of Columbus, Bishop Carrall Council, No. 702, Knights and Ladies of Security ; Knights of Maccabees, Kentueky Tent, No. 5o and Latonia Council, No. 38; Knights of Pythias. meet in Castle Hall at No. 115 East Fourth Street ; Friendship Lodge, No. 20 ; Latonia Lodge, No. 107 ; Morning Star Lodge, No. 22 ; Pythian Sisters, Loyalty Temple, No. 2 ; Mystic Rose Temple, No. 23 ; Twilight Temple, No. 20 ; Covington Uniform Rank, No. 4. The eolored men also have Covington Lodge, No. 6, Uniform Rank, too. The Loyal Order of Moose has two lodges in this city. With headquarters in Masonic Temple at the northwest corner of Fourth and Scott streets the Masonic Order has many bodies of great interest and usefulness, including Covington Lodge, No. 109 ; Colonel Clay Lodge, No. 159 ; Golden Rule Lodge, No. 345 ; Covington Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, No. 35 ; Kenton Council, No. 13 ; Covington Commandery, No. 7, Knights Templar ; Delta Lodge of Perfection ; Latonia Lodge, No. 746, Free and Accepted Masons ; Order of Eastern Star, Keturah Chapter, No. 50; Daylight Chapter, No. 375 ; Order of Eastern Star, No. 392 ; Order of De Molay, Covington Chapter. The colored men of Covington also have six Masonic Lodges. There is a Modern Woodmen of America Lodge, "My Old Kentucky Home" Camp, No. 11,515 ; Sons and Daughters of Liberty, Martha Washington Council ; Tribe of Ben Hur, Council No. 2 ; United Brothers of Friendship (colored), have lodge, camp and temple at Covington ; No. 73 of United Commercial Travelers are here represented ; Young Men's Christian Association, No. 62o Madison Avenue and the Railroad Department at the northwest corner of Seventeenth and Madison Avenue. Of trades unions and clubs and social societies of both men and women there is almost an endless number in Covington, including railroad and insurance societies. Other Kentucky Towns and Cities —West Covington is a village next west of the city just before named, and South Covington is a hamlet two miles south of the city. About the same distance beyond it is Latonia Springs. A mile west of Covington, at the Kentucky end of the Southern Railroad bridge, opposite the mouth of Mill Creek, is Ludlow, a place of about 1,500 people, occupying pretty nearly the site of the extinct village of "Hygeia." One mile further down the river is Bromley, which had a population of 121 in 1870. The beginnings of Newport were made in 1791, when Hubbard Tay- 792 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE lor, agent of General James Taylor, of Caroline County, Virginia, the original proprietor of the tract including its site, laid out a small number of lots, upon a few squares extending back from the river. A sale was had in October. Dayton, a mile further up the river, was originally Jamestown, platted in 1847 by James T. Berry, and Brooklyn immediately above, the creation of Walker and Winston in 1849. The two were united as Dayton by an act of the Kentucky Legislature in 1868. This chapter contains other brief mention of these places, for recent years. Industrial Interests of Covington at Present —Covington has the largest X-Ray manufaeturing company in the United States. The largest iron fence works in the world, the largest tile works in the South. The largest wood-carving plant in the South. The finest inlaid furniture factory in the United States. The largest manufacture of external electric operating switches in the United States. The largest sheet-metal and corrugated iron plant in the entire South. The largest shoe factory in Kentucky. The third largest engine and boiler plant in Kentucky. One of the largest art bronze and brass concerns in the country. It is also the center of the tobacco market. Other important prdducts include lithographing, electro-plating, cigar boxes, ice, rosin, bottles, machine tools, safes, architectural iron, brass, bronze, overalls, glass, flour, cordage, textile and dye mills, canned fruits, cigars, toys, pianos, wagons, portable garages, soap machinery, sporting goods, boats. The annual value of these products is estimated at thirty million dollars. The "Incorporated Companies" according to the last directory, are as follows : The Ben A. Adams Company, incorporated 1922, Capital $15,000; corner Fifth and Madison streets. Adams Music Company, incorporated August, 1919 ; capital $25,000 ; No. 15 Pike Street. Advance Mill Work Company, incorporated April, 191o; capital, $75,000; southeast corner Eighth and Garrard. Authe Machine Works, incorporated May 1, 1918; capital $20,000; No. 407 Madison Avenue. Avery Drilling Machine Company, L. B. Patterson, President ; Nos. 25 to 33 East Third Street. Ballman Cabinet Company, ineorporated November, 1916; capital, $6o,000 ; No. 314 Russell Avenue. Brinbryer Furniture Company, incorporated February, 1915 ; $10,000. Boehmer Paint Company, incorporated April, 1917 ; capital $25,000 ; No. 114 Pike Street. Bremenkamp Fred W., incorporated June, 1925 ; capital $10,000 ; No. 260 Pike Street. Busse Brick Company, incorporated 1891 ; capital $5o,000; Seventh and K. C. Ry. Cambridge Tile Manufacturing Company, southwest corner of Sixteenth and Woodburn Avenue. The Carl Construction Company, incorporated May I, 1921 ; capital $50,000 ; No. 708 Lewis Street. Cincinnati Abrasine Wheel Company, incorporated 1924 ; $40,000 capital ; No. 2 Scott Street. Cincinnati Grain and Hay Company, incorporated 1906 ; capi- THE CITY OF COVINGTON - 793 tal $250,000 ; No. 117 Pike Street. The Columbia Carton Company, incorporated June, 1924; capital $3o,000 ; Fifth and Craig streets. Consumers Coal and Supply Company, incorporated April, 1913 ; capital $40,000 ; No. 433 East Thirteenth Street. Cooperative Pure Milk Association, incorporated, Nos. 113-119 East Seventh Street. The John R. Coppin Company, incorporated September, 1907; Seventh Street and Madison Avenue. Covington Brick Company, incorporated September, 1920; capital $40,000 ; located at No. 620 Scott Street. Covington and Cincinnati Bridge Company, ineorporated February 17, 1846; capital stock preferred, $750,000; non-preferred $146,000; cost of bridge $1,822,123. Covington Ice Cream Company, incorporated October, 1925 ; southwest corner of Second and Court Avenue. Credit Men's Association of Kentucky, incorporated August 30, 1915; office at First National Building. The Crescent Dairy Company, Incorporated 1919; capital $10,000 ; No. 4 East Southern Avenue. Crescent Pipe Tube Company, incorporated December, 1919; capital $10,000. The Cynthian Carriage Company, incorporated November, 1913; capital $15,000; No. 22 Shaler Street. Dine-Schabell Furniture Company, incorporated May I, 1921; capital $85,000; No. 521 Madison Avenue. The Richard P. Ernest Realty Company, incorporated November 22, 1923 ; capital $250,000. The Evans Motor Car Company, incorporated July 23, 1923 ; capital $50,000 ; No. 548 Madison Avenue. The Fischer Brothers Company, incorporated September, 1907; capital $6o,000 ; No. 1046 Madison Avenue. Fisher Builders' Supply Company, incorporated 1921 ; capital $15,000; No. 208 Main Street. The Fries and Son, incorporated September, 1922; capital $50,000 ; northwest corner of Second Street and Madison Avenue. Fritz Louis Mineral and Soda Water Company ; incorporated May 7, 1906; eapital $25,000 ; No. 340 Pike Street. Golden Rule Company, incorporated March 15, 1924; capital $25,000; No. 431 Madison Avenue. Gottschalk Furnace and Roofing Company, incorporated with capital of $7,500; No. 242 Pike Street. The Hehnle Provision Company, 315 West Twelfth Street. Hatfield Coal Company, incorporated August, 1891 ; capital $100,000 ; No. 728 Madison Avenue. Helle Brothers Company, ineorporated 1920; No. 507 Scott Street. The Home Realty Company, incorporated 1907. Imperial Eagle Mining Company, incorporated May, 1919; capital $75,000 ; No. 9 East Fifth Street. The Insurance Foundry Company, incorporated April 5, 1916; capital $50,000 ; Fifteenth and Madison Avenue. Jansen Hardware Company, incorporated March, 1913; capital $5,000; No. Ho Pike Street. Johnson Battery Company, incorporated March, 1911 ; No. 1612 Madison Avenue. R. A. Jones Company, incorporated April I, 1923 ; capital $250,000 ; Fifteenth and Kendall. Kelley-Koett Manufacturing Company, incorporated 1905 ; capital $250,000; No. 212 West Fourth Street. The Kenton Coal and Land Company, incorporated July I, 1918; capital $6o,000 ; No. 728 Madison Avenue. Kenton Hay and Grain Company, incorporated May, 1912 ; 794 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE capital $10,000. The Kenton Ice Company, incorporated January, 1925 ; capital $50,000; Fifth and Pike streets. Kenton Loose Leaf Tobacco Warehouse, incorporated at $150,000; located southwest corner of Second and Scott streets. Kenton Pharmacal Company, incorporated 1912 ; capital $10,000; No. 409 Coppin Building. Kenton Realty Company, incorporated 1912 ; capital $250,000; northwest corner Madison Avenue and Sixth Street. Kentucky Burial Association, incorporated July 1, 1921 ; located at No. 811 Madison Avenue. The Kentueky Independent Oil Company, incorporated 1907; capital $200,000; No. 2036 Madison Avenue. Kentucky Livery Company, incorporated May 9, 1914; capital $50,000; No. 122 Pike Street. Kentucky Motor Car Company, incorporated December, 1911 ; capital $2o,000; No. 325 Scott Street. Kenworth Shoe Company, incorporated 1922 ; capital not named ; located at No. 565 Pike Street. Kozy Theatrical Company, incorporated 1911 ; capital $24,000; No. 730 Madison Avenue ; Kyle Printing Company, incorporated January, 1914; capital $5,000; located at No. 422 Scott Street. Latonia Ice and Fuel Company ; incorporated at $8o,000. Leather Product Company, incorporated 1912; capital $48,000; located at No. 2 Scott Street. Levosser Realty Company, incorporated May, 1920; capital $100,000 ; northwest corner Fifth and Madison Avenue. The Liberty Cherry Fruit Company, incorporated 1914; capital $10,000; southeast corner Second and Madison Avenue ; Lowell & Buffington Tobacco Company, incorporated 1923 ; capital $500,000; located at No. 235 Scott Street. The Luhn & Steine Company, incorporated February, 1907; capital $8o,000 ; located at Nos. 28-30 Pike Street. Martin Foundry Company, incorporated February, 1918; capital $10,000; Martin Hardware Company, incorporated 1915, capital $7,500; De Coursey Avenue. Masonic Temple Association of Covington, Fourth and Scott streets. Meyers Brothers, incorporated 1925; capital $3,000; No. 17 East Seventh Street. Louis Meyer Motor Company, incorporated 1921, capital $50,000 ; No. 628 Seott Street. Michaels Art Bronze Company, incorporated July, 1914; capital $10o,000; No. 236 Scott Street. Moeschl-Edwards Corrugating Company, incorporated 1905; capital $200,000; No. 122 West Ninth Street. Montgomery County Coal Company, incorporated 1905 ; capital $35,000 ; northeast corner Second and Philadelphia streets. Moses Brothers, incorporated March 24, 1908, was capitalized for $15,000. Mosler Lock Company, incorporated April, 1918; capital $150,000; northwest corner Third and Scott streets. National Art Works, incorporated July 1, 1916; capital $10,000; office No. 710 Greer Street. Nawco Neckwear Company, incorporated 1925 ; capital $25,000; southwest corner Sixth and Madison Avenue. New England Distilling Company, incorporated February, 1885 ; capital $25,000; No. 115 Pike Street. Northcut Brothers, incorporated No. 226 West Twelfth Street. O'Brien Furniture Company, incorporated 1915 ; capital $15,000. Ohio Scroll and Lumber Company, incorporated THE CITY OF COVINGTON - 795 October 3, 1896; capital $125,000; northeast corner Russell Avenue and Stewart Street. Paris Dry Cleaning Company, incorporated May, 1912; capital $30,000; No. 35o Pike Street. Pike Street Monument Company, incorporated March, 1924; capital $20,000; No. 246 Pike Street. Precision Truing Machine and Tool Company, incorporated 1918; capital $4,000; No. 33 East Third Street. Probert Sheet Metal Company, incorporated 1920; capital $50,000. Reliable Safe and Lock Company, incorporated October, 1913 ; capital $50,000. C. Rice Packing Company, incorporated March, 1915; capital $50,000; southwest corner Patton and Eastern Avenue. The Riggs-Curd Optical Company, incorporated July 1, 1901; capital $5,000; No. 438 Madison Avenue. The I. E. K. Reliance Company, incorporated 1925; capital $500,000; No. 211 Madison Avenue. Sanitary Laundry Company, incorporated 1914; capital $10,000; No. 208 Greenup Street. Sebastian Lathe Company, incorporated January, 1922 ; capital $1400,000 ; southeast corner Third and Philadelphia streets. Security Service Company, incorporated 1920; authorized capital $250,000; No. 519 Madison Avenue. Seiler Motor Company, incorporated January, 1918; capital $50,000; No. 1324 Madison Avenue. Semple & Schram Printing Company, incorporated November 1, 1916; capital $8,000 ; Fifth and Scott streets. South Covington Concrete Company, incorporated June, 1921; capital $1o,000 ; No. 306 East Forty-second Street. Stanwood Corporation, ineorporated December, 1924; capital $150,000. Star Laundry Company, incorporated August, 1906; $40,000 capital ; Nos. 221-231 Main Street. Stewart Iron Works, incorporated 1903 ; southwest corner Seventh and Madison Avenue. The Marion F. Stout Company, incorporated 1923 ; located corner Thirty-fourth and De Coursey Avenue. Summe & Ratterman. Company, incorporated July, 1916; capital $40,000; No. 224 East Twentieth Street. The Swetnam M. L. & Sons Co., incorporated September, 1914; No. 26 Pike Street. Tri-State Loose Tobacco Warehouse Company, incorporated September, 1924; capital $45,000; northwest corner Second and Russell Avenue. John T. Underhill Plumbing Company, incorporated October, 1921; capital $10,000; No. 412 Scott. Union Light, Heat and Power Company, incorporated May I, 1901 ; capital $500,000; southeast corner of Third and Court Avenue. United States Motor Truck Company, incorporated 1914; capital $1,000,000; southwest corner Seventh and Madison Avenue. Wadsworth Electric Manufacturing Company, incorporated May, 1918; capital $500,000; north side Eleventh, west of Madison Avenue. Willard Maehine Tool Company, southeast corner Third and Madison Avenue. L. B. Wilson Company, incorporated 1922 ; capital $40,000; No. 611 Madison Avenue. Wyn-Pla Company, incorporated December, 1925 ; capital $200,000. Yates-Lahner Company, incorporated 1920; capital $50,000. There are many points of interest to be seen by the visitor in the city and its environs. A few miles out on the Lexington road or pike are the 796 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE old fortifications and ramparts of historical Fort Mitchell. Here during the '60's was fought a fierce battle between the blues and the grays. A novel was written on this vicinity, called "Stringtown on the Pike." In another direction hard by is Fort Thomas in the heart of the Kentucky Highlands where there is now a favorite summer resort. Two miles away in still another direction is the eelebrated Ludlow Lagoon, one of the most eharming resorts in all this part of the country. Tobacco Culture —It would be hard to exaggerate the claims of Covington as a place for the location of tobacco production and tobacco warehouses. As far back as 188o, out of a total output of tobacco in the United States of 473,000,000 pounds, Kentucky produced 171,000,000 pounds, and with the passing years the crop has been much increased. Charitable Institutions —Covington has a goodly number of real charitable institutions. The St. Elizabeth Hospital is annually caring for hundreds of sufferers. There is also a Home for the Aged and Indigent Women, the Protestant Children's Home, the Wayside Rest, the St. John's Orphan Asylum, the Colored Old People's Home, etc. Street Railway System —This enterprise was commenced in 1891-92. It then consisted of a few little dinky cars drawn by patient mules. When one desired to attend a theatre in Cincinnati they had to start fully one hour before the curtain raised. By 1903 Covington had fifty-seven miles of street railway lines. In 1895 the construction of the old Holman Street line, the Belt line from Covington to Newport and Cincinnati was under the presidency of James C. Ernst. In 1903 a handsome office building was erected by the street car company, at the corner of Third and Court Avenue. Police Department —In 1903 it was written of this department of the city government : "Covington police department is a good one, and as a result few cities in the country have less disorder. This is easily proven if one looks over the poliee records or pays a visit to the police court. He will find that the police judge has little to oecupy his attention ; and that the percentage of 'drunks' is indeed small. There has not been a large burglarly in the eity in five years. Criminals have been dealt such heavy doses when they do make their appearance on the Kentucky side of the Ohio River that they have given the city a wide berth." Business Men's Club —This is an institution organized by a few conservative business men on September 18, 1901, and had for its first officers : E. J. Hickey, president ; M. J. Miller, viee-president ; Edwin E. Smith, secretary, and John H. Dorsel, treasurer. From the start this club proved of great value to the best interests of the city's growth. In 1901-03, there were one hundred and eighty members. It carried a motto reading thus : "All for the Honor and Glory of Covington." THE CITY OF COVINGTON - 797 An Industrial Club was instituted and incorporated in 1911. This is a commercial civic organization. It owns a modern club-house equipped for the convenienee of its members, located in the heart of Covington. To advance the interests of Covington in the best of all things is their sentiment and watchword. They promptly provide meeting places for the various business and secret organizations in Covington. The courtesy of the executive staff has been the means of placing their club in the foremost ranks of any in the State of Kentucky. The Covington Rotary Club was formed in 1920 as Fort Mitchell Country Club, with twenty-five members, but in 1923 had grown to have sixty-four. The first president was J. Robert Kelley. The Rotarians are busy in caring for the crippled children of Kenton County. They have also organized a State Society to aid in the care of crippled children. Booth Memorial Hospital —This Covington institution was organized in 1914 with the most meager equipment possible to give service, a departmental system, and organized training school of ten student nurses. It has grown immensely, all on account of hard work and the magnificent gift of the Shinkle Mansion, by Mrs. Amos Shinkle, to the Salvation Army. Since its organization more than 12,000 patients have been admitted for treatment. The Booth Memorial Hospital has done an unusually large amount of charitable work. The charity and semi-charity list at times running to the unusual average of thirty-three per cent. Every ward is kept filled and many are turned away for lack of room to care for them. Masonic Temple —The Masonic Temple Assoeiation was incorporated June 1, 1911, by Hugh P. Colville, Edwin K. Creasy, Alfred B. Daily, Charles H. Fisk, Benjamin A. Frazier, Thomas J. Green and Thomas W. Sanford. This association purchased and now owns the "Temple" at the northwest corner of Fourth and Scott streets. The membership was, in the various Masonic bodies, in 1911, 1,900; but several years ago it was reported to be more than seven thousand. Public Library —This was opened to the reading public in March, 1891, in temporary headquarters on Seventh Street. The present building was finished in 1904 and stands at the corner of Robbins and Scott streets. In 1920 it had a cireulation of i00,000 volumes. There is a separate reading room for children. A fine lecture room is here found to accommodate meetings and clubs of teachers, etc. Young Men's Christian Association —This useful uplifting society was organized in Covington August 21, 1888, in Cooper's Hall at Sixth Street and Madison Avenue. It was not until December 18 of that year that actual work commenced, when the headquarters were removed to Eighth Street and Madison Avenue, where rooms were equipped and a 798 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE paid secretary was employed. January 31, 1913, the present building at Pike Street and Madison Avenue was completed. In 1918 a woman's department was organized and this has proven a great aid. J. D. Hearne was the first president, serving from 1888 to 1892, and was succeeded by Senator Richard P. Ernst under whose work the society greatly progressed. Covington Lodge of Elks, organized as No. 294, January 29, 1895, at the old Hermes Hall, Fourth and Court streets, by Senator John P. Newman. There are now 500 members. In 1887 the Covington Lodge of Elks, No. 294, was changed to No. 314 by the Grand Lodge. Kenton County, in whieh the city of Covington is situated, is twelve miles wide and twenty-five miles long. It lies between Campbell County on the east and Boone County on the west, Pendleton and Grant counties on the south and the Ohio River on the north. The county seat is Independence, eleven miles south of Covington. It was incorporated in 1842. Covington is the largest city in the county. The United States District Courts of eastern Kentucky, as well as the eounty courts hold their sessions in Covington. The first white men to visit what is now known as Kenton County were a small company under Christopher Gist, agent of the Ohio Company, and crossed the Licking River near the mouth in 1751 and were the first whites upon the waters of that stream so far as is definitely known. In 1756 Mrs. Mary Inglis and a companion, making their escape from the Indians, passed through this county. The first actual settlers of Kenton County are claimed to have been Edmond Rittenhouse, whose family attempted to make settlement in Bank Lick in 1793, but were driven away by the Indians. He returned in 1795 and settled on the west side of Licking River. John Martin with his family settled near by about the same time. Their descendants still number a considerable number in this vicinity now. Kenton County and the World War —Under the direction and supervision of the Kentucky Council of Defense, Mrs. Shelley D. Rouse, of Covington, Kentueky, in volume I of the large four-volume work authorized in this county by the State, the introduction says : "In 1918 the Kentucky Council of Defense inaugurated a State-wide movement to make a reeord of the part this State took in the World War. It appointed a State historian in each county. Then persons were charged with the duty of collecting and preserving such material as would be of value to the people of the counties of the State, including service records of the men in the army and navy and records of the activities of the men and women who stood solidly behind the fighting forces and gave them time and labor untiringly to the winning of the war." The headquarters of Kenton County Council of Defense was in the First National Bank, Covington. The advisory members were as follows : THE CITY OF COVINGTON - 799 Mrs. S. D. Rouse, Women's Committee ; Frank Gofton, Food Administrator ; C. C. Chase, Fuel Administrator ; George C. Stahl, United States Employment Service ; E. J. Morris, Boy Scout Council ; Charles J. Davis, American Red Cross ; Wayland Rhodes, County Farm Agent. Executive Council : Polk Laffoon, chairman ; Joseph L. Luhl, agriculture ; Richard P. Ernst, finance ; W. G. Walker, industry ; John C. Herman, public safety ; H. B. McCoy, military affairs ; W. M. McIntosh, publicity and speakers bureau ; John Allison, labor ; Ories Ware, executive secretary ; John M. Crowe, treasurer. Remember the county of Kenton at this date had a population of 70,355. The chairman, Mrs. Shelley D. Rouse, Covington, gave this summary of women's work during the war, as touching on Kenton County, Kentucky: "After two months work this unit has filled all its chairmanships, appointed its officers and held its first regular meeting as a complete organization December 13. Prior to the organization, in September, 2,000 food cards were distributed through the churehes and signed as the result of work done by the women. Three hundred women were engaged in the food drive in October and the number of signatures obtained was 12,015-93 per cent of the allotment. The publicity of this campaign was managed by the publicity committee of the county unit. Home economics committee in cooperation with the government's appointee, Miss Deitemeier, who had formed a class in the factory districts and among the colored women. Demonstrations in substitutions and conservations have been given. Registration was begun in December, 1917, after due publicity. An office was opened and with the aid of the twenty-four assistants, twelve of them trained, has to date registered 1,153 women. A registration will be held on selected days each month. Labor conditions for women affected by the war have been investigated by trained workers and the same applies to conditions among the school children. The women sold $182,100 worth of bonds in the second Liberty Loan campaign, under direction of the chairman. In response to an unofficial hurry call for help for a group of sentinels at Fort Oglethorpe, over four dozen sweaters, scarfs and helmets were forwarded by the women of the allied relief committee. The educational committee has listed and instituted schools of business, telegraphy and nursing. It has also arranged for meeting under the supervision of nurses of the Cincinnati General Hospital to stimulate interest in the study of nursing, and is now engaged in listing all women's organizations in this county and requesting them to arrange for five minute talks on government propaganda at every meeting. Twenty organizations of education, church, philanthropic and patriotic war relief and social have been communicated with and have readily agreed to the plan. Ten women have offered their serviees as speakers. Other plans are under way. Social service com- 800 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE mittees are aiding the local churches to meet increased burdens and problems, and the affiliation with the Red Cross, has helped stranded and rejected soldiers and given aid to soldiers' families who were found to be suddenly and desperately in need. The publicity committee has kept the work constantly before the public through notices in the newspapers ; has interviewed about three hundred persons to secure their sympathy ; has had posters and notices distributed for registration work ; has distributed 10,000 notices among sehool children for them to take home to their mothers ; has obtained publicity through the kindly aid of the various methods and is constantly and untiringly occupied in keeping the work of the Red Cross before the public. The most significant work of the committee is that done through the propaganda. It should go on a Christmas report, as it has spread good will among all societies which it has come in eontact with, and, in a great and utterly unreportable way, has been of immense value. This work appeals to the Warwicks among women and it is able to get the social value out of individuals of mueh power who would never before give time and aid to public work, but who under this influence of patriotism and vital interest, are now making themselves and their communities skilled in defense work. The Red Cross work has been very active in Kenton County." Work of Auxiliaries —These did sewing, knitting and gauze work, anything that was required of them. Their aggregate number of workers totalled one thousand. In headquarters rooms there was an average of 1,200 workers a month, when running full force during the special drives. Think of 1,200 days work during one month. Activities began to slow down with the cutting down of this work in the summer of 1918. In the fall the influenza kept away more women and then came the signing of the armistice. After that fewer were worked and a lack of zeal obtained necessarily. The following is an invoice of work performed and of goods produced during that never-to-be-forgotten World War period : Hospital linens, 9,650 pieces ; garments, 13,421 ; refugee garments, 3,143; knitted garments, 8,340; surgical dressings, 471,194; eomfort kits, 2,204; miscellaneous items, 9,922; face masks (influenza), 3,463. In the auntmun of 1916 (before the United States entered the strife), two units of the National Surgical Dressing got under way in Covington —one under Mrs. Hugh Colville and Mrs. Will Eaton ; the other under Miss Boyd and the Art Club. They did a great amount of work for the French hospital service and financed themselves until absorbed in the Red Cross work. The Junior Red Cross —This branch was under Miss Southgate, general chairman ; Mrs. John Reed, chairman for the Roman Catholic schools ; Mr. Mills was in charge of the county schools, and had a membership of 1,019. From dues, etc., they collected $1,999. THE CITY OF COVINGTON - 801 Children also made hospital linen pieces to the number of 3,203; ambulance robes, 12; knitted garments, 28; miscellaneous (scrap-book puzzles), 1,890. They also worked hard in "War Gardens," and bought some war stamps. The Girl Scouts formerly allied themselves with the Women's committee and did yeoman service in all of the drives, financially and otherwise, and they were ever to he depended upon when duty called them. Young Men's Christian Association Work —This body was intensely active all through the war period. The local association furnished thirteen workers to go abroad from this eounty ; seven overseas and six for post work in America. The association here made four trips to Louisville with troop trains and distributed 4,000 pieces of literature. Being in close proximity to Fort Thomas, they did everything possible to promote the work among the men there. Free baths, billiards, reading rooms, information bureaus and participated in the Red Cross and other welfare drives ; were also an agency for the sale of War Savings Stamps. There were four hundred "Y" members in various branches of the service. Money to the amount of $170,000 was raised by the Y. M. C. A. for Kenton County war work. War gardens were promoted. Ten boys and young men were sent from Covington to work on farms. A number of gardens were raised at "Y" camp at Rosedale. There were fifteen high class socials given for returned soldiers. Association secretaries and officials devoted their entire time when possible to war work. Two hundred free membership tickets were given to returned soldiers. United War Work Campaign —From November 11 to 18, 1918, with headquarters at No. 623 Madison Avenue, Covington, a great drive was made. The quota asked for was $86,915. This was made up as follows : Y. M. C. A., Y. W. C. A., National Catholic War Couneil, Jewish Welfare Board, The American Library Association, War Camp Community Service, Salvation Army, women's department, girls' department, boys' department, colored people's department. Other reports show what the county and Covington did in those days : Up to October 28, 1919, the total amount of pledges and subscriptions were for certain societies as follows : Pledges of men and ladies, $138,- 821 ; Victory Girls, $10,807; Vietory Boys, $6,958. Total $156,593, and of this amount $134,781 had been already paid in. The following shows the officers and executive committeemen of the Kenton County United War Fund Campaign : General chairman, Harry B. Mackoy ; secretary, Mrs. Harry Hartke ; treasurer, Alexander W. Timmerding ; city chairman, John M. Crowe ; county chairman, Elmer B. Stansifer. The executive council : Y. M. C. A., Dr. George B. McClintock, Mrs. F. D. Van Winkle for the Y. W. C. A. ; Fred A. Pieper, Cin-51 802 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE National Catholic War Council ; Meyer Berman, Jewish Welfare Board ; F. D. Van Winkle, War Camp Council ; American Library Association, Mrs. Harry Hartke; Salvation Army, A. E. Stricklett. Colored People's Organizations —The following were the officers for the colored people's organizations : Rev. J. C. Brewer, chairman ; Rev. William Taylor, treasurer ; Rev. F. E. Locust, publicity chairman ; Rev. J. H. Ross, chairman of public speakers ; Rev. I. McFerrin, parade chairman ; Mrs. Elizabeth Deloney, women's chairman; Mrs. Ethel Winn, girl's chairman ; W. M. Foreman, boys' chairman. Liberty Loan Work —The committee in Liberty Loan drives in Kenton County was as follows : Polk Laffoon, C. W. Simrall, Herbert Jackson, Howard Stephens, Charles W. Larsh, George Engel, E. S. Lee, with E. S. Lee as chairman and George E. Engle, secretary. Now follows the amount subscribed and the number of persons subscribing in each of the five great loan drives : -