Nation	Men Under Arms	Lives Lost	Total No. of Casualties
The United States Great Britain France Italy Russia Belgium Serbia Roumania Germany Austro-Hungary Turkey Bulgaria	3,764,700 7,500,000 6,900,000 5,000,000 14,000,000 350,000 300,000 600,000 11,000,000 7,500,000 1,500,000 1,000,000	71,700 658,665 1,400,000 500,000 1,700,000 50,000 150,000 200,000 2,000,000 800,000 250,000 50,000	275,500 3,049,991 4,000,000 2,000,000 9,150,000 300,000 200,000 300,000 6,068,000 4,000,000 750,000 200,000
	59,414,700	7,830,365	30,293,501

These figures, except in the case of Great Britain, include men who died of disease in the service. In the case of Russia they are only con- 808 - YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY jecture, since no adequate records were kept of the many armies destroyed in that vast country. No account is taken of millions of men made prisoners, whose sufferings are often worse than death; nor does this fearful total contain those who died of starvation and disease due to conditions caused by the war far from the battle fronts. Estimates have placed the destruction of wealth at $200,000,000,000, although of course this can only be guessed at. Of even greater moment was the loss of productive power over almost the entire world during the more than four years of the war. The waste of life and human energy, as well as that of wealth, during this period probably exceeded that caused by all the wars since the beginning of history. At the time the armistice was signed, November II, 1918, the Allied nations had the following numbers of men on the western front alone, to say nothing of those in other theaters of war, which spread over half of the world. * France - 2,559,000 The United States - 1,950,000 England (with Portugal) - 1,718,000 It will be seen that when the armistice was signed the United States had more troops on the western front, where this momentous conflict was decided, than any other nation except France, ,a fact which should of itself settle all controversy as to the part played by the American people in the victory, even though its army was, perhaps, secondary in importance to the tremendous contribution of this country in the form of .war materials. The war was carried on with every conceivable resource of the participants and raged on land, in the clouds, on the sea, under the sea and under the land. On the western front for months at a time the ground was so deluged with high explosive shells that the armies were forced to spend all their time in trenches and dug-outs. A thousand cities and towns were utterly destroyed, and one-third of all the world's shipping was sent to the bottom of the sea. Poison gases Were used to deluge armies ; explosives of previously unheard of power were thrown by guns as far as sixty-seven miles; aerial armies darkened the skies ; submarine war weasels prowled beneath the seas ; liquid fire was deluged over opposing forces ; and millions of tons of steel were showered upon armies and cities. No such conflict of physical and mental forces was ever before seen in the world, and no period through which the human race has passed equalled this in point of destructiveness, savagery, ferocity and death. Germany, Austria and Russia entered the war among the mighty monarchies of the earth. They emerged from it in chaos, their age-old dynasties dethroned, their governments overturned, their resources exhausted, their people impoverished and their pride and arrogance hum- * Literary Digest History of the World war. YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY - 809 bled in the dust. This saturnalia of death brought upon the earth by men who sought to increase and entrench despotic power has ended for all time the reign of kings. It has even shaken the foundations of civilization and imperilled, in a large part of the world at least, the progress achieved by the race in more than 2,000 years. This is only the barest outline of the tremendous conflict into which America threw her whole resources at the critical moment, turning the tide and saving for generations to come the established order of things. CHAPTER XXXVIII PERSONAL REMINISCENCES In the preparation of this work the author has been particularly impressed by two facts. The first is the exceeding difficulty attending an accurate and complete narrative of events that must, in the nature of things, depend largely upon memory and fugitive records, the latter often made from memory. It is surprising how much has been written and printed concerning happenings in the Mahoning Valley that proves, upon painstaking investigation, to be inaccurate both in detail and date. The explanation is, however, simple. It is a human weakness to believe that which we prefer to believe, and conscious error thus cherished comes in time to have all the aspects of truth. But history, if it is to have value, must be more than that which is pleasing or plausible. It must recite what actually took place at times and under conditions described. The second matter to force itself on the attention is the large amount of interesting and instructive fact that seems to have no definite place in a narrative of this kind, and yet is needed to complete a picture of life in this locality such as it is sought to place before the reader. The character of men, the conditions amid which they lived and worked, their motives and even their achievements are sometimes illuminated in a surprising way by things seemingly unimportant and difficult to include in a narrative dealing chiefly with more important events. To give the reader some of these details and thus complete as far as possible the story of life and progress in the Mahoning Valley up to this time, this chapter has been undertaken. It will be devoted chiefly to matters covered by personal recollection and will include such incidents as may seem likely to entertain or instruct, but which other portions of the book offered no opportunity to present. For these reasons it will be written largely from a personal point of view. WHEN CHILDREN STOOD AT TABLE A curious and interesting custom fifty years ago was that of children standing at their meals. This may .have originated in the scarcity of furniture among the pioneers, but I am more inclined to believe that it was due rather to a desire to promote filial respect among the rising generation, for I have seen it many times in the homes of well-to-do people, where there was an abundance of seats. Usually children were expected to eat their meals standing at table until they were about sixteen, or until they began to contribute materially to the resources of the home. Incidentally, the virtue of filial respect was in those days much more highly - 810 - YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY - 811 thought of than that of filial affection, and lack of discipline in the home such as is the usual rule at this time would have been regarded as an indication of lack of character on the part of parents. WRESTLING IN THE EARLY DAYS While I may not in any sense lay claim to the honor of being a pioneer in the Mahoning Valley, my memory takes me back to another custom that survived from pioneer days. Physical strength and courage was then naturally prized much more highly than at this time, and one of the most popular sports was wrestling. This was not confined t0 the young, by any means. At every gathering in the country there was sure to be a number of such bouts, and quite often the best of them were between men with well grown sons. The custom was that the man who was thrown had the privilege of "calling out" any other man in the company to compete with the victor, and neither he nor the man summoned to compete could refuse without arousing the ire and perhaps the ridicule, which was more feared, of the crowd. COLONEL RAYEN'S PERSONAL APPEARANCE Few people in the Mahoning Valley, or at least the eastern portion of it, are unfamiliar with the name of Col. William Rayen. I can recall Colonel Rayen quite distinctly as a genial faced, white haired old gentleman, who sat in front of his store on West Federal Street on pleasant days, his hands folded over the head of his cane and his keen eyes taking in everything that went on about him. He lived in the old Parmalee residence on the north side of Federal Street across from Spring Common, which was torn down when the street was straightened. Colonel Rayen was especially popular with the children, of which he had none of his own, and they all received a smile and friendly word from him in passing. He literally knew everybody, and if a strange face appeared, he made it his business to get acquainted with the newcomer, whether man or woman, boy or girl. Colonel Rayen's foundation of the Rayen High School is an excellent indication of the character of the man, and the village was much richer for his presence in it, although he was not a captain of industry and had acquired his modest fortune in mercantile enterprises. In his later days he was usually referred to as "Judge," and although he deserved this title, he preferred to be called "Colonel." AN EARLY IRON MASTER Another man whom I can recall more easily than Colonel Rayen and who died about the same time (1857), was Robert Montgomery. Robert Montgomery did not build the first blast furnace in the Mahoning Valley, as some historians have stated, but he was certainly a pioneer in this industry. He was a man of great courage and energy, as well as considerable shrewdness. He had a military bearing, in spite of his age, 812 - YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY and opinions that could be learned on the slightest provocation. He lived on a farm somewhat east of Youngstown, and for some years before his death was a justice of the peace. I did not see him often, as at that time I lived at Niles and visited Youngstown only occasionally, but the fact that I can easily recall his appearance is sufficient to show that he must have been a man of considerable force. Mrs. Montgomery, who survived him for a number of years, was one of the splendid women among the pioneers. She came here as the bride of John Stark Edwards, and married Mr. Montgomery after her first husband's death. She was beloved by the young people of the village and her home was a place of great attraction for them. She was Louisa Maria Morris, daughter of a member of Congress from Vermont, and was a woman of education and refinement as well as of strong character. A BELLE OF FORMER DAYS There is still living in the city of Youngstown a woman who is well remembered by older citizens as one of the belles of the town in her youth, and who, in spite of eighty-three years, is still handsome and vivacious, giving little indication of more than four score years and her full share of sorrows and cares. This is Mrs. Pamela Cook Medbury Ward Weaver. Her maiden name was Pamela Cook Medbury, and her father was Asahel Medbury, one of the first journalists in the Mahoning Valley. She retains her excellent memory and can relate many interesting events occurring in times beyond the recollection of most people now living. Sunday, January I, 1838, in Youngstown, Ohio, was such a mild day that the boys were going barefooted and winter seemed to have passed. Doctor Manning, grandfather of Mr. W. E. Manning, was attending divine worship, when one of the ushers whispered in his ear and he left the church to bring into the world Pamela Cook Medbury. He did not have very far to go because the Medbury homestead was on West Federal Street on property adjoining the old town hall, on which grounds subsequently stood the Loftus Hotel. Asahel Medbury and Almira Crandall Medbury, her parents, were of those pioneers who moved to Youngstown in the early days, coming here from Plymouth, Shenango County, New York, in 1830. Their family consisted of three boys, Sheldon, Homer Tylie, Charles Dutton, and two girls, Alice McKinney and Pamela Cook. Many of our older residents still remember Pamela as the belle of Mahoning County, but of all her suitors James Duncan Ward was the lucky man. She married him on December 1, 1859. He was a son of William Ward, who with his brother James Ward, owned the Falcon Iron Works at Niles, Ohio. Of this union were born William Duncan Ward, on November 6, 1860, and Lide Morris, on January 13, 1863. James Duncan Ward was employed at the Falcon Iron Works in the capacity of purchasing agent, and in those days the position of purchasing agent was rather different from what it is at present, as it was necessary for him to go out and get his materials instead of having a salesman call to sell them to him. The old Cleveland & Mahoning Railroad ran through Niles to Sharon YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY - 813 and the early morning freight train was often used by Mr. Ward to get over to that town in search of coal to run the plant, although it seldom stopped at Niles. His wife tried to discourage this practice, and her last words to him were: "I expect you will get killed there yet." Nevertheless., one morning Mr. Ward attempted to board this train, was thrown under the wheels and both of his legs cut off above the knees. He lived a short time only, and I was among those with him when he died. He was aged only twenty-six, but he had lived a useful and energetic life. He was a devout Christian, loved his home and prayed nightly with his children. It was recalled that the night before his death he had quoted from the Seventeenth Psalm in praying with these children, asking God to "keep them as the apple of Thine eye." Mr. Ward was a member of the famous "Squirrel Hunters," a military organization that did excellent service during the Civil war. One of Mrs. Weaver's prized possessions is the engraved certificate which Governor, Tod issued to the members of this organization after they disbanded. In speaking of Mrs. Ward's father, Asahel Medbury, it is interesting to know that the firm of Medbury & Holcomb established the first tinner's shop in Youngstown, Ohio. Later Mr. Medbury became postmaster of this town, and then was a member of the state legislature. Together with John M. Webb, he founded the Ohio Republican, a paper which exerted considerable influence in this part of the country. The Ohio Republican is now the Youngstown Daily Vindicator. From 1859 to 1866 Mrs. Ward lived in Niles, on the old Ward homestead, where the McKinley Memorial now stands. On June 10, 1866, Mrs. Ward married Charles Babcock Weaver of Sherburne, New York, and lived in Sherburne for six years, 1866 to 1872, where Mr. Weaver was engaged in his business of manufacturing hats and as a shoe dealer. In 1872 they moved to Youngstown and Mr. Weaver opened a shoe store at Phelps and Federal streets, on the spot now occupied by Frankle's cigar store. Mr. Weaver died in September, 1991. RECOLLECTIONS OF THE IRON AND STEEL BUSINESS If I were asked what has been the most interesting thing in the history of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley, I should say without hesitation that is was the development of the iron and steel business. For sixty years this has been my principal occupation and it has been my privilege to keep in close touch with the progress of these great industries here as well as throughout the United States and, to some extent, throughout the world. Looking back over that period I can recall so many interesting incidents that it is impossible to decide which deserve to be mentioned here. My experience began in the small iron mill of James Ward & Co. at Niles, in 1857. We secured pig iron wherever it could be obtained. Not a little of our supply came from a small charcoal furnace in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, and was hauled to the mill at Niles over very bad roads in 814 - YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY wagons. What this means can be understood best if we consider the task of hauling in wagons the pig iron needed by our present furnaces a distance of thirty-five miles, even with improved roads and motor trucks. The blast furnaces in those days made only three or four tons of iron each working day. They were operated only six days a week, shutting down over Sundays and at night. One of the troubles well remembered was the sudden increase in the number of church holidays when foreign labor first began to be employed around the mills and blast furnaces. There was a great difference in working conditions. The owner generally knew all his employes by name and was able to keep in close touch with their fortunes, good and bad. Viewed from our present standpoint, these fortunes were generally bad. Wages were low and work was very irregular. Men worked harder and worked longer hours. Their welfare received little consideration, and no special efforts were made for their safety. They had no hospitals and no medical attendance except what they could secure for themselves. The employers were then, as they are now, usually good men with warm hearts, but they could do little for their employes because they had not then learned how to do those things in this line which are now common in all large plants. The improvement in conditions which has made the American iron and steel industries the greatest in the world, increasing our production far beyond that of all other nations combined, and at the same time enabling manufacturers in this country to pay the highest wages ever paid to any large body of workmen in any industry at any time in history, has been gradual. It has, in my opinion, been due chiefly to three causes, the protective tariff system, a new spirit of cooperation and understanding among manufacturers, and finally, the remarkable vision and ability of leaders in the industries. I went into the blast furnace business at Girard, in 1866, in company with men whose names are still honored in this community, although they have long been dead. Since that time has occurred practically all the wonderful improvement in blast furnace practice which enables one stack to produce more iron in a day than was made in the United States before that time in the same, period. I saw the invention and adoption of the Bessemer and the open-hearth steel processes ; the opening of the Lake Superior Ore Region; the introduction of coke as a fuel ; the invention of the by-product coke process; the introduction of gas, both natural and artificial, in steel plants ; the development of markets from almost nothing to their present stage, together with the gradual the growth of transportation facilities that has gone with these things. In fact, it has been my privilege to watch the growth of industry in this valley from what might almost be regarded as its true beginning. So much for the practical side. In the matter of management I have been equally fortunate in the way of experience. The formation of the first large combination of manufacturing interests in the country involved interests with which I was connected, and the trials and problems connected with the building of the first steel plant at Youngstown were very familiar to me. For years I served as president of the Bessemer Pig Iron Association, and for even longer as official head of the American YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY - 815 Pig Iron Association—two bodies which I may be permitted to class as among the most useful and beneficial of .their kind in the history of industry. The celebrated "Gary Dinners," concerning which the public press manufactured so much mystery, were not mysterious to me, for I was a guest at every one of them. So far as I know, no other guest has ever described these gatherings, and I may be permitted here to do so without the accusation of misrepresenting the facts. The first of them was held November 20, 1907. It was a gathering of iron and steel men for the purpose of honoring Judge Gary because he had recently enunciated a new business creed at a time when nothing else seemed able to save the country from financial and industrial disaster. Business had been unusually good from 1904 and prosperity seemed to be at its height at the beginning of October in that year. The vast expansion resulting from this condition had created a feeling of nervousness, however, and when, on October 7, 1907, .a large financial concern in New York failed, the country was plunged, almost overnight, into the most sudden and severe financial depression it had ever experienced. Credit froze up and distrust reigned from one end of the country to the other. By the first of October normal production of pig iron had been reduced more than half a million tons. The situation was still worse on December 1, and by the end of the year only 139 blast furnaces out of 398 then in the country were in operation. When the depression began, Judge Gary had made public statements to the effect that the proper course among business men was "cooperation and conciliation." He reiterated these at the dinner in his honor, and the affair immediately became, as it was probably originally meant to be, a gathering for the consideration of ways and means to allay the general distrust, restore confidence and stabilize business, especially the iron and steel business. The keynote of all the speeches was an effort to help the other fellow and prevent the necessity for throat-cutting practices which had followed every previous depression of this character. There was not a word spoken there that the general public could not have heard with approval. No thought of stifling competition or reducing production was entertained. Instead, following the lead of Judge Gary, every man present resolved to do all that he could to avert disaster from anyone in the industry, keep the wheels turning and prevent ruin and stagnation for the iron and steel industries as well as all other industries. J. A. Campbell, president of the Youngstown Sheet & Tube Company, and John A. Topping, chairman of the Board for the Republic Iron & Steel Company, were the other guests from this district, and they will bear me out in this statement. The same may be said of all the other "Gary Dinners." They were all held for the same purpose, and at none of them was a word uttered that could have been objected to by any individual or any government official, no matter how zealous he might have been in seeking for evidence of unlawful combination in restraint of trade. There were in all five or six of these famous dinners, and it is surprising, in looking back over subsequent events, to discover what an immense influence they had in reassuring business and checking the panic 816 - YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY conditions existing at the time. No law ever did so much to protect the weak against the strong and. finally preserve wholesome competition in industry. Moreover, out of these gatherings came an entirely new spirit in the industry, since reflected to a great extent in other lines of endeavor in this country. It was a spirit of personal acquaintance and friendship— of consideration for others, and of determination to introduce into business the Golden Rule. Just what this meant can hardly be fully appreciated by those whose memory does not extend back at least a quarter of a century. In the old days the iron and steel business was, as it is yet, a man's I game, in which those with the greatest strength and resourcefulness were usually the winners. In spite of the fact that one of the most honored of the old steelmasters in Youngstown was descended from a clergyman, it I might have been truly said that the iron and steel business in those days ((was no game for a minister's son." It had its years of plenty and its years of famine, and when the latter came along a scramble for business I began which recognized few courtesies and was not characterized by consideration. The strong had no regard for the fate of the weak, and there was no hesitation about getting orders anywhere or in any way they could be secured, with the result that trade was utterly demoralized and hundreds of men thrown into idleness, to say nothing of many who were ruined. Under the new policy evolved from the "Gary Dinners," cut-throat methods have practically disappeared and all manufacturers are given a chance during conditions such as this. As a result, business has been stabilized and it is doubtful if the old-time spectacle of thousands of workers in want and scores of plants rusting in idleness will ever he seen in this country again. From this stabilization has come a tremendous influence toward progress, and the majestic development of recent years is largely due to this new and better business creed in the greatest of all the basic industries. It seems to me that even the personality of the leaders in these industries has been improved by this policy. At any rate, the manufacturers of iron and steel now exhibit a larger degree of generosity, of culture and of public spirit than was the rule in the olden time. There is no business in the country today in which such vast aggregations of capital and such tremendous forces are in the hands of so few men, and there is no other line of effort in which leaders enjoy so thoroughly the confidence of the public or suffer less from criticism on the ground of incompetence or improper motives. Nor in any other industry is there a similar feeling of fellowship, so wide a personal acquaintance or so general a respect for competitors. To go back to a period long antedating the Gary dinners, or even the manufacture of steel in this locality, there was a time when the Mahoning Valley was far from being the prosperous locality that it is now, and when people here lived in constant apprehension of some business disturbance which would bring on hard times and cause a shut-down of the mills. Added to this were interminable and frequent disputes over wages. The industries were then weak and suffered severely from these conditions. Every time somebody in Congress thought to start an investigation, whether it was ever the tariff or something else, the industries here paid YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY - 817 the penalty. The financial fabric of the country was shaky, and any unusual disturbance was always felt here first and continued here longest. These conditions continued until the organization of the United States Steel Corporation. There had been efforts made before that time to form combinations that would strengthen the industry, but they were unsuccessful. The Federal Steel Company and the National Steel Company were big things in their day, and the men who formed them understood the need for combination. The thing they did not understand was the size of the industry and the vastness of a combination that would achieve their purpose. There are many men living who were engaged in the iron and steel industry when the United States Steel Corporation was formed, and I think that everyone of them except the group actually connected with that colossal enterprise (and there is a suspicion that even some of these might do so if they were frank enough) will agree with me that the new giant was regarded with distrust by its competitors as well as the general public. Few men had then enjoyed the vision of what this country needed in the way of metal products, and a still less number were able to foresee a policy that would revolutionize conditions under which business had been carried on. Consequently, some of the properties sold to the corporation were given up with little reluctance. No one trained in the business. wanted to sell himself out of it, but many did so simply because they feared the future. Some few were not of this mind, however, and were shrewd enough to enlist capital, which was then abundant in new independent enterprises, and among these are now some of the largest and most successful companies in the country. Likewise those who held on to their properties were abundantly rewarded for their courage and faith, and all of them will bear testimony that they have been fairly treated by their big competitor. The question of proper tariffs was always of great importance to the iron and steel industry. Reference has been made elsewhere to the troubles of the early ironmasters when English competition was renewed after the Napoleonic wars. The menace of foreign competition in those days was due chiefly to the greater efficiency of English furnace practice, acquired in longer experience. Later the situation became even worse because of the constant advance of wages in America and the greater cost of operating blast furnaces and rolling mills on this account. A protective tariff was essential to build up the industry, but constant effort and watchfulness were necessary in order to prevent the reduction of duties to a point that would be ruinous. In this work the leaders of the industry in the Mahoning Valley were active. I was a witness before the Ways and Means Committee of every Congress after 1872, and many other men, including those who were employed as workmen, were also called on for evidence. Labor leaders rendered valuable assistance, and the valley owes a debt to such men as Phillip Hagan, Roger Evans, Patrick McEvey, as well as to Richard Brown, H. 0. Bonnell, C. H. Andrews, Henry Tod, and, above all, William McKinley. We local people stood together with Mark Hanna, James M. Swank, Abram S. Hewitt and other national figures in the fight for a tariff that would per- Vol. I-52 818 - YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY mit the iron industry here to thrive. We met with many discouragements, but every time the tariff was attacked, we were on the firing line. These tariff disturbances were invariably reflected in Mahoning Valley industries, and every time the question was opened fear that the tariff was to be reduced reacted on business and brought hard times. These were always accentuated by the effort of everyone to get business enough to keep his, organization together and prevent his employes from starving. During one of these periods concerning which I have found some statistics, bar iron sold at 90 cents a hundred, Bessemer pig iron at $8.75, and the scale for puddlers was $4.00 per ton. Even at these prices no business of any account could be secured, and thousands of skilled iron workers in Youngstown plead for a few days work in Mill Creek Park in the dead of winter at one dollar a day. This was an exceptional occasion, perhaps, but there were many times when conditions were almost as bad, and it was generally due to "monkeying" with the tariff. I can recall the time when three or four of the leading manufacturing plants in the valley were in the hands of receivers at once, and everyone of those here previous to 1890 had been, at one time or another, in financial difficulty. It is a noteworthy fact, however, that everyone of those located in or about Youngstown was finally able to pay its obligations and the memorable Ward failure at Niles was the only great and irreparable disaster of its kind within my recollection. MORGAN'S RAID An incident that few people then living in the Mahoning Valley have forgotten was Morgan's raid, in July, 1863. It was one of the stirring events of the Civil war for all of us. Morgan had crossed the Ohio, probably with no intention of staying long, but the river became flooded and he could not get back, so he moved northward and eastward, while the state officials made efforts to get together a force sufficient to capture his command. One Sunday in mid-summer, when the weather was extremely warm, a horseman rode into Niles with the news that Morgan had crossed into Columbiana County and was headed north, of course directly for Niles. It was generally believed that he meant to raid the Mahoning Valley, destroy the iron mills and capture the money in the banks. The money was not such a great amount, perhaps, but the iron mills were immense value to the government, as from them and from the blast furnaces came a great deal of material needed to win the war. The news caused great excitement at Niles, where I was then living. The town bell, in the town hall then on the present site of .the McKinley Memorial, was rung loudly, and within half an hour all of the adult population and most of the children had gathered to see what could be done to check the progress of the Morgan band. I was then only a boy, but the first thing I did was to send a telegram to Governor Tod asking for authority to burn the wooden bridge across the slack-water of the canal at Niles. Governor Tod replied that this was a good suggestion YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY - 819 and would be considered. He considered it long enough to save a perfectly good and much needed bridge. Then we proceeded to organize a force to meet the raiders before they got to the town. We had an old cannon, used in celebrating the Fourth of July, and a few guns of many different kinds were got together. The cannon was loaded with black powder and small pieces of scrap iron, and if it had been fired off there would certainly have been some dead gunners as a result. The man chosen as captain of this "battery" was an ex-officer in an artillery regiment who had been discharged or was home on a visit. I was selected as adjutant—an entirely new and unknown kind of artillery officer at that time. We gathered about thirty men, most of them either too young or too old for regular military service, loaded the cannon on a wagon and started to meet John Morgan. The start was made about sundown, and it was dusk before we reached the country home of Hon. Eben Newton, some distance east of Canfield. Mr. Newton had retired, but he got up and made a speech to us in his red flannel nightgown and red nightcap. He seemed to think it was necessary to establish the fact that we had a right to bear arms, even if not legally organized and commissioned, although nobody had thought about this circumstance before, and insisted that there were no legal obstacles in the way of our capturing Morgan's band. After hearing the speech we went on to Canfield and there found a fine supper waiting for us at the hotel. It turned out later that this supper had been ordered for a similar party from Youngstown, but we enjoyed it just the same. There was considerable delay at Canfield. Most of us, especially the younger ones, wanted to go right on, but the captain thought that it would be better to stay at Canfield until daylight. Apparently he knew more about rebels than we did. He carried his point and most of our party slept on the hay in barns there until morning. Then there was more delay, the commanding officer believing that it was prudent to send out scouts and learn something of the whereabouts of the enemy and the nature of the country before proceeding. With two or three others I went on, hoping all the time to get in with some more energetic expedition. We were on horseback and rode in the general direction of the Ohio River, and it was a good thing that a larger party had intercepted the raider before we got to him, as otherwise he would probably have taken us prisoners at the best. We had learned that, in the meantime a company of regular militia had been hurried after Morgan's party, and, with my scouts, I arrived just in time to see the capture of the raiders at Salineville, not far from the Columbiana County line. One of the features of this affair concerning which few people were informed was the sending to Cleveland of the money and records of the banks in Youngstown. This was done on a special train which passed through Niles about 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Whether or not there was much real danger of Morgan ever coming north as far as the Mahoning Valley has never been known. He had come across the southwestern part of the state, evidently making for 820 - YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY Marietta in the hope that he would be able to cross the Ohio there, and his original command had been greatly reduced in numbers. There were stories that Morgan's real destination was Pittsburg, where he expected to capture the arsenal, but the ease with which he was captured and the condition of his command at that time scarcely justified the belief that he had any other purpose than to get safely back across the Ohio, which was then in flood and had trapped him in a country where he was without supplies and in constant danger of capture. ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S NEIGHBOR Gustavus B. Simonds, who was one of the partners in the Lake Superior Nut & Washer Company, a concern which occupied a factory among the trees on the north bank of the river, just west of where the old bridge crossed the Mahoning at what is now the Market Street Viaduct, in the late '60s, was a very interesting figure. He came here from Springfield, Illinois, where he had lived next door to Abraham Lincoln. One of the interesting things he told his close friends was of the family jars in the Lincoln household. All of these Mr. Simonds blamed on the temperamental Mrs. Lincoln, saying that Mr. Lincoln never quarrelled with anybody, not even his wife. Some of these episodes must have been pretty lively from his description. Mr. Simonds was a great admirer of Lincoln and was proud of the fact that he had been neighbor to the martyred president in the days when he was a struggling lawyer. THE OLD ROLLING MILLS People who are familiar with the steel mills of today can have little idea of what the original mills in the Mahoning Valley were like. Looking back to the time when I first went into an iron works, it seems impossible that so many changes could have been made. In 1857 James Ward, Sr., came into the company store at Niles, where my father had charge, and told him that the shipping clerk in the mill was "on a spree," and that he would have to borrow one of the clerks until this man sobered up. Father said : "There are three of them; take your pick of the lot." Mr. Ward looked the boys over and chose me, and that was the way I got into the iron business. The mill made iron bars of various kinds. One of its products was known as "Dandy Tire," which was a mixture of iron scrap and puddled bar iron used as tires for wagons and buggies and had a great reputation. The first bar iron made west of Pittsburg was made at this mill, long before my time, of course. Likewise the first cut nails manufactured west of the Alleghenies were made there, the making of nails having begun at Niles even before they were made at Pittsburg. The mill was owned by James Ward, William Ward and Thomas Russell, all of whom were practical iron workers. James Ward at first ran the engine and looked after the clerical work. William Ward was the YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY - 821 heater, and Thomas Russell the roller. James Ward was, however, the leading man in the firm and did most of the managing. One of the first things I did in the mill had reference to the making of these bars. It had been the custom to reheat the iron for each bar separately before it was rolled, and no one had thought of making the "pile" as it was called, of just the right weight to roll into a bar of the size wanted. I suggested this, and it was found that the table I got up to regulate these piles saved considerable money, as in this way not so much of the iron was wasted. Before that time there was always more iron than was needed, and it had to be reheated and rerolled. Mr. Ward appreciated this suggestion and it helped me to get along in the mills. The plant was small of course. It had no fence around it and anyone could go in and talk to the workmen at any time. There was no time clock, the foreman keeping the time of his men. The men themselves were interested in their work and in the success of the plant. Much rivalry existed among them as to who could turn out the most iron. The puddlers had a very hot job, as they still have, and I have seen men working in front of the furnaces with sweat running out of the tops of their shoes. They drank a good deal, even at work, and were in the habit of sending out to a nearby saloon for a bucket of beer whenever they wantd it. Sometimes they drank a mixture of barley flour and water, but more generally beer. Nearly always these men stopped at a saloon on their way home and drank a glass of whiskey, with a glass of beer. This was known as a "Puddler and a Helper." Nobody thought drinking was wrong at that time, when whiskey was sold from a barrel in the store, much as cider was later on. There were no labor unions then—at least none at Niles. There was not much trouble over wages or conditions of work. James Ward knew every man in the plant, and when one of them had trouble with the foreman he would go to the office, take off .his cap and go in to see Mr. Ward. They went to him with other troubles, too, and most of them came out with brighter faces. The men were paid principally in store goods. It was this way. When a man went to work in the mill he was given credit at the store, and many of them bought so much that they were always in debt. It was the custom to give even these men a little money at Christmas and the Fourth of July, and of course they had to have some cash occasionally for the doctor, the church and other purposes. But there was little money in circulation and frequently the entire payroll of the mill would take no more than fifty dollars in cash. In spite of the fact that wages were very low, the prices charged for foodstuffs and other things were so low in comparison with those of the present that it was about as easy to make a living then as now. One thing that helped was the fact that people did not want as much then as they do now. The old Ward mill employed at that time about 200 men, and it was surprising the amount of bar iron they got out. Of course everything then was iron, for no steel was made in the Mahoning Valley by the old "blister" process, and no other process was known in those days. 822 - YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY SCHOOL DAY RECOLLECTIONS There is probably no other way in which the passing years have changed educational methods so much as in the matter of school buildings and books. There has certainly been less progress made in the degree of success with which knowledge was imparted, for, in spite of short terms and rude accommodations, a scarcity of books and sometimes difficulty in securing teachers, boys and girls then seemed to learn about as much as they do now. There were not so many studies, but the foundation of an education was well built, something that is probably the best thing that any school can do, since real education cannot be wholly obtained in schools and must come in part from the desire of the pupil for knowledge. The early schools were generally, so far as I can recall, of frame construction, one story in height and with only one door, that being always in the end. The seats, usually a home-made combination of desk and bench, ran around the room, with an opening at one end as a passage to the door, and a wider gap at the other, in which the teacher sat at a pine desk placed in front of a blackboard. At first the room was warmed with a huge fireplace, for which the pupils were expected to carry wood. Later, a big, round-bellied stove was' placed in the center of the room, and this also the pupils were expected to fire with wood, or coal, when that fuel came into use. Water for drinking was carried from a spring or well in a wooden pail, and when one of the pupils wished a drink, he would hold up his hand and thus get permission to visit the pail. The last one to find enough for a drink had always the privilege of taking the pail and going for a fresh supply, so that the pupils, always anxious to get out of school, would learn to watch the bucket and time their thirstiness in such a way as to get the trip outside. Teachers were furnished boarding as a part of their compensation, and the families sending children to school were expected to furnish lodging and board for the teacher during a certain portion of the time, usually depending on the number of children sent to school. This was known as "boarding 'round." It is a tribute to the earnestness of parents in the cause of education to say that they were generally glad to thus take care of the teacher, since during the time he spent at any house he was expected to and did give special instruction to the children. Sometimes there was little room in the home for an extra guest, but that made little difference, as children in those days could sleep on the floor as well as in a bed, and were as much at home in the attic as in the guest room. The teachers were sometimes rather poorly taught themselves, and it was not infrequent that their chief recommendation was ability to maintain discipline, in which a fearsome birch located immediately over the blackboard was supposed to assist. Teachers were usually selected by the more prominent citizens, and these same men conducted whatever examinations were had to determine the fitness of the pedagogue. One of 'these teachers was said to have passed chiefly because he was able to YOUNGSTOWN AND THE. MAHONING VALLEY - 823 spell "rhubarb," a word which had always "stumped" the leading member of the board. The principal studies were spelling, reading, writing and arithmetic, and classes in each of these were held daily. Sometimes there were high and low classes, but more generally there was but one, the teacher helping along any backward pupil so that he could keep somewhere in sight of the others. The books were furnished by the pupils, and so scarce were these that they were frequently made to do double duty, being loaned from family to family. While occasionally men engaged as teachers were unfit for the task, most of those whom I can recall were conscientious and devoted in their efforts to instruct their charges, taking great pride in children who responded to their teaching and showing patience with those who did not. It seems to me that one great difference between the old days and the present was the esteem in which learning was held among the people. Children were proud of their attainments and parents watched their progress with a jealous eye. Nobody in those days ever heard of overworking the pupil, and home study was general, instead of the present plan of confining it to the schoolroom. Considering the number of men who, with these limited opportunities, acquired a start and a taste for learning that later enabled them to educate themselves fairly well while they were engaged in other occupations, the old-time schools seem to me to have been a great success. One difference between these times and those of fifty or sixty years ago is the number of women engaged in teaching. In those days the teacher was almost invariably a man. Usually he was an elderly man and not infrequently a deep scholar, with a love of learning and a fatherly interest in the progress of his pupils as well as in the general welfare of the community. SKATING AND RACING ON THE MAHONING Thousands of people now living in the Mahoning Valley have never seen ice on the river below the city of Niles. Yet there was a time when the Mahoning froze over each winter and furnished, not only excellent skating, but also a good driveway for sleighs and sleds during a considerable portion of the winter. The reason for this change is not any considerable variation in the temperature of the winters, although there is little question that we do not now have as much snow and probably not quite as low temperatures as those of fifty years ago. The water of the Mahoning is now pumped through steel mills and used in cooling furnaces and rolls to such an extent that its temperature is raised appreciably during the winter. One of the large plants uses more than 200,000,000 gallons of water in this way every day. -All of it flows back into the river again, and the result is that no ice forms on the stream in winter and during the summer months it becomes so warm in places that the boys cannot swim in it. But before the steel business reached its present importance, there was good skating on the river at Niles during most of the winter, especially 824 - YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY on the reach known as the "slack water." The boys made free use of this ice, and skating parties were a source of much enjoyment. The skates we used were made by the local blacksmith. A good pair always had runners fashioned from old files, and they were the only part of the skates in which steel was used, the rest being made of iron. They were fashioned with a great deal of skill, but were nevertheless heavy as compared with the modern skate, and one trouble with them was their tendency to keep the feet cold. There were then none of the present devices for fastening the skate, and we used straps. A good pair of skate straps was quite a possession, and much trading was done among the boys in this line. Reference has been made to driving on the ice in the river. It is a matter of record that races between Warren and Youngstown were run on this ice and some very good time made. Of course it was necessary to leave the river at several points, where dams had been erected, but a sort of portage around these places was provided. Usually these races were between the owners of fast horses, in which there was much rivalry at both Warren and Youngstown in the early days. One party would wager the other the price of dinner, and those dinners would seem strange in these days of national prohibition. It was great sport, calculated to induce hardiness and spirit, and it furnished a better form of amusement than most of those now available in this locality. OLD TIME SPORTS In these days when we have base ball, foot ball, basket ball, alley ball, volley ball—and every other kind of ball except highballs, together with motion pictures, theatres, musicals and many other kinds of amusement, it may be interesting to recall the sport which was at one time the principal source of masculine recreation in the Mahoning Valley. This was the gain now known as "pitching quoits." We called it "pitching horseshoes," for the reason that it was carried on with old horse-shoes in the absence of the round, perforated disks used in the game of quoits. In all other respects it was very much the same, however. It seems astonishing to look back and contemplate the amount of time put in at this game in early days and the fascination it then had for men and boys alike. Nobody was too busy then for a try at it, and remarkable skill was developed by long practice and keen interest. There was such rivalry that even towns quarreled with one another over the relative prowess of their champion horse-shoe pitchers and not a little money frequently changed hands over inter-community games. Sometimes on a Sunday afternoon—we pitched horseshoes on Sunday, I am sorry to say, because all of our week days were generally needed in the task of making a living—half the men and boys of Niles would gather and indulge in this game, perhaps a dozen groups being centered around as many sets of pitchers. Within the past few years there seems to have been a revival of this old game, and on a recent visit to Niles I saw men pitching horse-shoes on practically the same spot where some of the great games went on sixty years ago, and I am told there is a "Horseshoe Club" there. Interest in YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY - 825 this pastime seems now to be more individual, however, and there are no longer the bitter contests between individuals, groups or communities that were common in the olden time. "Town Ball" was also a favorite sport many years ago, although it did not come into general use until somewhat later. This was somewhat like base ball. The teams were selected usually by lot. The most common method was to have each leader choose a man alternately, the first choice being decided in various ways, usually by taking handholds on a bat, the last hold by which the contestant could throw the bat over his shoulder giving the first choice of the available players. Shooting Matches were also common, these giving an opportunity to display skill with the rifle as well as to enjoy a mild sort of gambling, in which all men of all times have always been eager. Turkeys, chickens and all sorts of property formed the prizes. The range was usually a hundred yards, and it testifies to the general proficiency in the use of a gun in those days to say that almost anyone had a reasonable chance of winning. An entrance fee was charged sufficient to pay a fair price for the prizes, and a good dinner was generally served to the contestants. Some remarkable scores were made with the old, long-barrelled muzzle-loading rifles used. YOUNGSTOWN'S TOWN PUMP There are many people still living in Youngstown who can recall the Town Pump. It was located on the north side of the street in the Public Square, on the spot now occupied by the fountain, which replaced it some years ago, having been donated by a well known woman who provided for it in her will. The pump was originally of, wood, but when this was worn out, an iron pump took its place. About the first thing to lead people to suspect that Youngstown was becoming a city was the necessity to chain the drinking cups in order to prevent greedy or needy persons from carrying them off. At first there was one tin cup, hung on a nail at the side of the pump. Later this cup, which was much like a small sauce pan, with a handle at one side, was replaced with two sheet iron cups, and later still these gave way to large tin cups, additional ones being added as the village grew until finally there were four. All of these were chained to the pump. The chains were strong enough, but occasionally they would be broken off and the cup carried away. This, it should be said, was usually done by some hilarious individual who regarded the pump as an offensive insinuation after imbibing too freely in refreshments more potent than it furnished. The police records of old days—and even those of days not so old—contain docket entries showing that men had been arrested for breaking the cups off the town pump. GOVERNOR TOD'S REFUSAL OF A CABINET POSITION An incident that will always stand prominent in my memory, was the receipt by Governor Tod of a telegram from Abraham Lincoln in 1864, offering him the position of secretary of the treasury, made vacant by 826 - YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY the resignation of Salmon P. Chase. The telegram was brought to Brier Hill on a switching engine. I happened to be in Governor Tod's office when the message was delivered. He opened the envelope, read the message and handed it to me to read. His face changed suddenly, but he made no comment. I said, "Governor, I take it for granted that you will accept this honor." He instantly replied, "No, I will decline it. It means if I undertake this job, that in a short time I will be brought home from Washington in a coffin." In declining the honor, I think Governor Tod had in mind, not only his health, but other things. He had been refused, and unjustly, a nomination for the second term of Governor of Ohio, for which he was entitled. I think he had in mind that the authorities at Washington agreed to the deal by which he was robbed of renomination: It seemed very strange, that, after 8o of the 88 counties in Ohio had been instructed to vote for Tod for the second term, he should have been turned down, without some influence from Washington. I never heard the Governor express himself on this question in a way to create this impression, but I do know that he felt keenly the fact that he was not renominated af ter his patriotic record as first War Governor of Ohio. Bearing on this question, I some years ago wrote a letter to Ex-Gov. J. D. Cox, asking him specifically if he could give me any information as to why Tod was not renominated. As a matter of interest I am copying below the reply of Ex-Governor Cox to my letter. LAW SCHOOL of the CINCINNATI COLLEGE Cincinnati, 0., 17 June, 1896. Jacob D. Cox Dean of the Faculty My dear Sir :- I wish I could satisfactorily answer your question why Gov. Tod was not nominated for a second term. I was in active field service in the army at the time and not in active touch with the politicians—yet, my understanding was that both Gov. Tod and Gov. Brough found the jealousies aroused in the organization of new regiments and in the numerous promotions and appointments in the old ones, were so numerous and so virulent, that both those Governors made such large numbers of personal enemies among influential men as to find the nominating convention impressed with the idea that they were not "available" for a second term. No one who did not see it can appreciate the embarrassing nature of this duty of appointment. Thousands of appointments had to be made, and several were usually offended for every one appointed. The governor therefore was making enemies by wholesale every month, and when a convention met, these would be either in the body of the convention or in the lobby, active in hostility. Disappointed military ambition was keenly felt and bitterly resented. I therefore, really think, that there was no strong reason but this, why Gov. Tod did not have a second term. Am glad to be reminded by your letter of old associations and friendships, I remain, Very sincerely yours, J. D. Cox. Jos. G. Butler, Jr. Esq. YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY - 827 EARLY BLAST FURNACE EXPERIENCE When a young man I was called as a witness in a lawsuit at Canfield. After the lawyers had asked all the questions they could think of, Judge Tuttle, who was presiding, asked when I had my first knowledge of the iron business. My reply was that I had been born within twenty feet of a blast furnace. The court thought this was a joke, but it is an actual fact. The furnace "honored" in this way was a small stack built by my father about 1837 or 1838, near Sheakleyville, in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. He called it "Temperance Furnace," after my mother, whose maiden name was Temperance Orwig. This furnace was later sold by the builder and the new owners called it "Harry of the West," after Henry Clay, that much beloved but unlucky statesman of the olden time. When this stack was sold, our family removed to Niles. In the meantime, however, I had arrived, the date being December 21, 1840. In 1853, as I recall it, my father again went to this locality to manage a blast furnace known as the Tremont, just over the Mercer line in Lawrence County. Father succeeded William McKinley, whose son afterward became president of the United States, as manager at this furnace. It was a small charcoal stack, scheduled to make 400 tons of iron per year, and was one of B00 such furnaces then in operation in the country. Our family remained at this point only one year and lived at New Wilmington. Father tried to get me a job in the store, but the proprietor said that I would "have to stand on a stool to reach the scales," and so would not suit very well for such work. I was, however, quite strong for my age, and drove a cart and did other work nearly all the time we were at that place. I remember going with my father to the camps where they made charcoal in open mounds. The growing scarcity of wood for this purpose was what led to the abandonment of many of these old furnaces. In August, 1919, with a party of friends, I visited this locality and was greatly interested in it. The ruins of the old stack are still to be seen, and there is a large dump formed of cinder from the furnace. On this dump I picked up a piece of charcoal iron which had been run out of the furnace in sheet form about 12 by 15 inches in size. The spring at this old furnace for many years supplied the village of New Wilmington with water, but it is now abandoned. When we moved back to Niles in 1854, I was assigned the duty of chaperoning our fresh cow on the journey, and drove the animal through Youngstown, riding our pony. This caravan stopped at New Bedford for luncheon and I can recall that all I had to eat was coffee, bread and molasses. The animals fared even worse, as they had nothing but water. We reached Youngstown about dusk and "put up" at the Old Mansion House, located at the head of Federal Street. Norman Andrews kept the hotel. His son, Chauncey H. Andrews, greeted me at the hotel and accompanied me to the barn, helping me to feed and "bed down" my stock for the night. It was it February and I was somewhat chilled with the long ride, so Mr. Andrews took me into the bar and gave me a mug of Smith's ale, which warmed me up quickly. After a good, hot supper and a fine night's rest, I went on to Niles and delivered the pony and cow to 828 - YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY Mr. Swank, who then kept the hotel in that village. I recall that Mr. Swank scolded me for feeding the animals so liberally with hay. The family arrived the same evening with the remainder of our household establishment. It is worth mentioning that I was frequently a guest at this old hotel afterward when the circumstances were quite different, such, for instance, as dinners held to celebrate some successful business achievement like the building of a blast furnace or the starting of a new mill. It is also interesting to observe that Chauncey H. Andrews, who then dispensed wayside hospitality there, was afterward one of the most forceful and successful business men in this community and had a great deal to do with the development of coal mines as well as the building of railroads, mills and other enterprises here and elsewhere. THE MCKINLEY FAILURE In 1892 Grover Cleveland was elected President of the United States, probably because of a financial depression which was already beginning to be felt, but which did not reach its full development until the latter part of 1893, in which year he assumed office. William McKinley was then Governor of Ohio. He was well known here, of course, and had many warm friends, among whom was Robert L. Walker, a resident of Poland, who was heavily interested in mining and other enterprises. Walker became financially involved in February, 1893, and it was then discovered that Governor McKinley had endorsed about $90,000 worth of his paper. McKinley was already regarded as a potential candidate for president, and the fact that he was in this position seemed likely to cost him not only all his property, but also his political future. The news of Walker's failure reached Governor McKinley at Buffalo, while he was on his way to New York, where he was to speak at the annual banquet of the Ohio Society. He recognized the gravity of the situation, abandoned his trip and came to Youngstown to see what could be done to save the situation. Gen. James L. Botsford had been his companion in the army and was a close personal friend, and to Botsford's home the Governor went on his arrival here, late at night. Governor McKinley had but little idea of the amount of his joint obligations with Walker. He had been advanced money to attend law school by the latter when he came home from the army, and the two had been close political and personal friends. It proved that, instead of being involved for a few thousands, he was obligated to an extent that made it seem impossible for his friends here to assist him as they would have done without hesitation had. it been within their available means. Through Myron T. Herrick, of Cleveland, Herman H. Kohlsaat, of Chicago, and a number of local people, arrangements were finally made by which a sum sufficient to take care of the obligations was raised. The matter got into the newspapers eventually, in spite of every effort to prevent this. Mark A. Hanna was said to have advanced the money to McKinley, and much ado was made of it during the presidential campaign in which he was elected, several Years later. This was a misstatement, YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY - 829 as Hanna was at that time in Milwaukee, making a desperate fight to save his own financial reputation, which was endangered by his being involved in the great Schlessinger failure. He had nothing to do with McKinley's affairs, having all he could do to care for his own at that time. Neither was there any political deal whatever connected with the assistance rendered to Governor McKinley. He was helped by his personal friends, who knew that he was innocent of any wrongdoing and that the affair was a misfortune into which lie had fallen because of his generous nature and the gratitude he felt for favors rendered to him by Robert A. Walker. The whole affair was only one of many disasters occurring in that strenuous time, and the part taken by McKinley's friends was simply another illustration of the affection and esteem in which he was held among them. BOOTS AND BOOTJACKS There are a lot of people now who never saw a. boot, at least not what was known as a boot in the early days. And there are probably even more who would not recognize a bootjack, although that was once a very important toilet requisite in the Mahoning Valley, used alike by the wealthy and the poor. In the early days there were no shoes worn by men, and the footgear for both men and women was made by local shoemakers. Work boots and shoes for women's everyday wear were made of heavy cow skin. For Sunday wear those who could afford two pairs had them made of calf skin. These "fine" boots, as they were called, were sometimes ornamented with red tops, and the shoes frequntly had semi-circular copper plates set in over the sole at the toes, the idea being to prevent wear at that point, rather than for ornament. In those days the dandy was very particular about his "fine" boots, and spent a good deal of time shining them, especially before he started on a courting expedition. The common kind were never shined, but were frequently treated to a bath of mutton tallow or some other form of grease to make the leather waterproof and keep it soft. All had heavy soles put on with pegs or nails. The old shoemaker shop was a sort of gathering place for the children. We used to sit for hours and watch the shoemaker driving pegs—a thing which he did with almost unbelievable skill and rapidity, taking them, one after another, from his mouth. Youngsters in those days usually had to wait for the mending of boots because their parents seldom had more than one pair. They took great care of their footwear, and I can well remember seeing people from the country sitting along the road close to town putting on their shoes, which they had carried to save the wear until they entered the village. Some of the more economical even went barefooted clear to the church on Sundays, putting on their footwear only when they reached the door and taking it off before they started home. In the summer all children and many grown people went barefooted. The bootjack referred to above was a contrivance something like a clothes pin with short legs near one end. It was usually about a foot in length, with the horns at one end elevated so as to bring them several 830 - YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY inches from the floor. It was used by standing on the jack with one foot, inserting the heel in the prongs and pulling upward and backward. The jaws held the boot until the foot was pulled out, something that required a good deal of effort if the boots were tight-fitting or wet. These boot-jacks were to be found in every home. Most of them were home-made, but some were of cast iron. I recall seeing one made to resemble a huge beetle and painted green, with stripes and eyes, feet, long horns and all the other trimmings of a real beetle. This was regarded as quite an ornament and occupied a position of honor in front of the fireplace. COMMUNITY FISHING One of the things that the first settlers in the Western Reserve speak about most frequently in the meagre records they have left is the abundance of fish in the Mahoning River. This stream was them much larger than it is now. Even in the early '50s it was bank full for most of the year. The water .was beautifully clear and it was then full of fish. Varieties most numerous were pike, bass and salmon. When I was a boy I caught a pike in the river at Niles which weighed forty-two pounds. It was so big that I had to call for help to land it. The people of Niles at one time organized a sort of club among themselves for the purpose of buying and operating a community seine. In this club were; among others, my father and the father of President McKinley. Once a week they would gather, about fifteen or twenty men being in the club, and seine the river or creek, securing quantities of fine fish. These were great occasions for the boys of the village and we enjoyed them almost as much as a circus. The fish taken at these times would be sufficient to last for a week or so, and those that could not he used at once were salted down. This scheme helped to reduce the high cost of living, which troubled our ancestors much as it troubles us. It also helped to reduce the number of fish in the Mahoning River, although the final cause of their complete disappearance was the fouling of the water by sulphur from the coal mines and later by refuse from steel mills. There are now no fish to he found in the Mahoning River below Newton Falls, although they may still be taken from most of the creeks that empty into it. GETTING ALONG WITHOUT UNDERTAKERS One of the last conveniences essential to modern life to be enjoyed by the people of the Mahoning Valley was the undertaker. Perhaps it were better to say that the undertaking business was one of the last lines of endeavor to be taken up by the pioneers. I cannot say when the first undertaking establishment appeared in Youngstown, but there was no such thing at Niles when I was a boy. When anyone died there the local carpenter made the coffin, covering it with black cloth if the deceased had been well to do, or if he had been poor, merely painting it with black. The wealthier people usually sent to Cleveland or Pittsburg for a regular coffin, but most of the few needed in those days were made YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY - 831 of pine boards by the rolling mill carpenter. Apparently they served the purpose just as well. In most cases a minister was available to conduct the services, for the pioneers were usually good church people; but occasionally the last rites were in charge of a layman.. Perhaps the cases of this kind which I recall were the funerals of people who had no church affiliations, or perhaps they were held when the minister was absent. At any rate, there were some funerals with homemade coffins and amateur undertakers and ministers. There is no record that any of the people thus laid to rest did not sleep well. DOING WITHOUT DENTISTS There are probably few people now living in Youngstown who can remember when the local blacksmith was also the local dentist. There was such a time, however, and, without casting any insinuations at the usefulness or skill of the modern dentist, it may be said that people had better teeth in those days than they have at present. The blacksmith-tooth doctor was usually equipped with a special pair of pliers for this branch of his trade, but sometimes he merely wiped off one of the regular tools on his apron and proceeded with the work of extraction forthwith. Of course there were no such things as fillings or false teeth in his repertoire, but he could stop a toothache most effectually. In those days not a few families had a small set of dental tools of their own, and the father was expected to use them when occasion arose and thus prevent the visit to the blacksmith shop. Trips to the dentist were not any more alluring in those days than they are at present, and their attractiveness was probably not improved by the fact that the patient usually found the "dentist" engaged in shoeing a horse. Where no suitable pliers were at hand, the offending tooth was often removed by tying a stout string to it, fastening the string to a door knob, and then slamming the door. After the blacksmiths lost this branch of their trade it was taken up by physicians, but the date when the first dentist came to Mahoning Valley has escaped my recollection. BUSINESS EIGHTY YEARS AGO I am rather inclined to think that what many people like to call "the good old times," were really not such good times in which to live, after all. In looking over an old account hook used by Henry H. Mason, who kept a store at Niles about 1842, some interesting facts concerning business at that period are revealed. Among Mr. Mason's customers were many men who afterward became prominent in the development of the Mahoning Valley, and some who became both wealthy and famous. These names include that of William McKinley, father of President McKinley ; James Ward, the widely known ironmaster at Niles ; Isaac Heaton, one of the pioneers in local industry ; J. G. Butler, my own father ; and many 832 - YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY others whose descendants are now prominent in the locality. The merchandise they bought, as well as the quantities in which they bought it and the prices they paid, reflect conditions at that period in a very interesting manner. Niles was then a small village, but apparently an active one. Mr. Mason's store was connected in some way with the iron business of the firm of Mason & Robbins, although it does not seem to have been exclusively a "company store." Frequently the men employed in the iron works of the above-named firm were charged with purchases to the full amount of their earnings, and sometimes they were also charged with small cash advances against these earnings, so that practically the entire payroll of the mill was taken care of in this way. On the other hand, the store also helped to finance the iron concern, trading goods for raw material, occasionally paying its obligations in cash. Sometimes it also sold iron in small quantities. Such a method of doing business would seem strange in these days, but it was common enough then. One of the entries indicating this plan of operation reads : Cash from King, Soule & King for Pig Metal - $112.00 This is the largest entry in the entire book, which covered operations for almost six years. The first entry was made under date of November 9, 1842, and the last sale recorded July 19, 1848. This was also the largest sale of merchandise during the entire period, and recorded the selling of a "two-horse waggon" to Zachariah Kerr for $45.00. Incidentally Zachariah paid only $20 in cash and was to pay the remainder "within ninety days," a task he did not accomplish until September 19, 1850, two years after the deal, when an entry notes that he made the final payment of $5.00. Many entries in this book show that farmers and others in the vicinity were in the habit of paying wages and other obligations with an order on the store and settling the obligation later by bringing in produce of one kind or another. The carpenter work on a number of houses at Niles, was evidently paid for in this way. Page after page of this old book is filled with charges in amounts ranging from 5 cents to $5.00, only an occasional transaction exceeding the latter amount being found. Evidently people were careful buyers in those days and their wants were exceedingly simple as compared with those at present. One entry charges, under date of May 3o, 1844, Hover Ad-gate with the use of a boat for five days at one dollar per day. There is no information given as to what sort of a craft was thus leased, or the purpose to which it was put. Another entry, less mysterious but even more interesting in these arid days, charges Josiah Robbins with "Four Gals. Beavertown," at 75 cents per gallon. A later entry indicates that a then very prominent resident of Niles had purchased two gallons of "Malaga Wine" for two dollars. Wines and liquors were then articles of common merchandise and were sold regularly in most stores. Isaac Heaton, who then lived near Niles and was a frequent customer of the store, was not among the buyers of this class of merchandise, however, as he had already organized the first temperance society west of the Alle- YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY - 833 ghany Mountains. In one occasion Mr. Heaton purchased a "Fur Hat," for which he was charged $5.00. Entries against the names of James Ward, William McKinley, Josiah. Robbins, Jacob Robeson and others of the more wealthy residents, indicate that their wives did most of the shopping and that these ladies were partial to calico, bombazine, and a commodity known as "sparables," whatever that might have been. Calico cost 22 cents per yard, the bombazine was 60 cents, and the sparables cost 12 1/2 cents per paper. Saleratus was evidently in great demand, and there were many sales of log-wood, indigo, and copperas, then used as dyes. A notable feature of these entries is the large number of school books purchased, and apparently every customer bought these. Boots and shoes cost from $1.00 to $3.00. Most other articles were expensive, such materials as gingham, drilling, ticking, muslin and similar fabrics selling for about twice their present prices. Wheat, on the other hand, was only 66 cents per bushel, lumber about $2.00 per thousand feet, apples 25 cents per bushel, and manufactured articles, except cloth, quite cheap. Sometimes a new customer would come to town and buy an outfit for his domestic establishment. This was usually made up of kitchen utensils, a few dishes, a bed or two, and the simplest of furniture. Usually only one part of it was bought at a time, the kitchen equipment being always first. This cost about $10.00 or $12.00, and the remainder of the furnishings were priced in proportion. Of course the wealthier patrons bought most of this sort of material elsewhere, since the choice was limited at Niles. Lard lamps and candle snuffers were common purchases, the lamp costing 42 cents and the snuffers 38 cents. Butter sold for six cents per pound, eggs for seven cents per dozen, lard for eight cents. Sugar was 9 cents per pound and molasses 50 cents per gallon. Very little of either of these articles was sold, probably because much sugar was made in the forests of Trumbull County and sold direct by the farmers. In one entry James Heaton is charged with the "makings" for a suit, which cost him $23.78—more than the same material would cost at this time. Many names used for merchandise then are now unknown, although we still have some of the same designations-for common articles, such as "Castor Oil," "Bobbinette," "Edging," "Insertion," etc. The record indicates that the little store carried a bewildering array of merchandise, covering the fields now occupied by hardware, furniture, drug, grocery, shoe, clothing and women's stores. In all of the six years covered by this account book, the entire business does not seem to have been as large in volume as that now done by many stores in Youngstown in a single day. Nevertheless, it was a good store and was regarded as the principal emporium in the village. Its business and the prices charged its customers indicate that we have progressed far since 1842, and that, contrary to the claim made by some writers, prices now realized for products of the soil have increased much more than those of articles manufactured. The explanation for this lies in the fact that efficiency in transportation and manufacture has increased much more rapidly than in farming so that, in spite of the much higher wages paid in Vol. I-53 834 - YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY both lines, the supply of manufactured goods is much larger in proportion to the population than is the supply of food stuffs. RECOLLECTIONS OF PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS Boys used to take an interest in politics earlier than they do now. I was only sixteen years of age when the Republican party was founded, yet took an active interest in the campaign for the first presidential candidate of that organization, as I have in every campaign since that date. My father had been a Whig, and this may have been one reason for my youthful leaning in politics, but, looking back to 1856, it seems to me that everybody around Niles and most of those I knew in the Mahoning Valley were for Fremont, the "Pathfinder." The new party was a loosely formed organization, however, and in spite of the great interest aroused by his romantic career, Fremont was badly defeated, although he succeeded in anchoring nearly all the Western States in the Republican column, where they stayed for many years. Even then there was great interest in the slavery question and the domineering attitude of the South was hotly resented in the North. This feeling increased as the years passed. My part in the Fremont campaign was only that of a marcher in the parades and an interested listener to the speeches. Warren was the center of excitement, being the county seat, and many men and boys from Niles went there several times during this campaign, listening to fiery speeches by Ben Wade, Giddings and other orators. When the campaign of 1860 came on I was almost old enough to vote, lacking only one month. But I was for Lincoln just as strong as if I had been able to cast a ballot for him, and did considerable work in getting out the vote, talking to doubtful voters and working generally for the Republican ticket. It was a stormy campaign, with much bitterness, friends and even brothers being separated by their political convictions. In those days these convictions seem to have meant more than they do now. We were not so tolerant, and regarded it as our duty to see that our neighbors voted right, or at least that they were informed on the issues as we saw them. Lincoln spoke at Columbus, and I happened to be there to hear him. I saw him after his election when he visited Cleveland, and heard him make a speech there from the balcony of the Weddell House on April Is, 1861. He was on his way to Washington for the inauguration and was given a non-partisan reception. He was driven from the station to the Weddell House in an open barouche. In spite of the chilly weather and the rain, he took off his high stove-pipe hat and rode bareheaded most of the way, bowing to the people gathered along the route. There had been so much feeling over the election, and also over the threatened refusal of the South to abide by its result, that everyone was deeply interested in Lincoln's speech. He ref erred to the talk of secession, of the crisis in national affairs, as it was generally called, and said that there was no crisis except in the minds of a few. Those who heard him were reassured; but there was much excitement and a good deal of the bitterness of the preceding campaign continued. The next time I saw Lincoln YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY - 835 was when his body was brought through Cleveland in April, 1865, and lay in state for a short time in the park there. In the meantime, we had gone through another campaign in which both sides were embittered by the tremendous tragedy of civil war. In those days many devices were used to create excitement and arouse partisan enthusiasm. One of these was the "Liberty" pole. At first this was "raised" during the campaign, although later it, became a part of the celebration by the victors, which celebration was never neglected. The Democrats always used a hickory tree for a pole, and the Republicans made theirs of pine. There was much rivalry as to which could secure the tallest pole and successfully plant it, with a flag on its top. Occasionally, where the feeling was exceptionally bitter, these poles would be cut down by the opposition, and then there was pretty nearly sure to be a row. These poles were put up all over the country, the women sometimes making the flags out of muslin and using red flannel for the stripes. Another feature of the campaigns was the torchlight procession. The marchers were furnished with oil torches and oilcloth capes and carried transparencies or banners. They made a brave showing as they went along singing the campaign songs, and led by a fife and drum corps. People drove miles to see these parades and farmers often brought their whole families in wagons to enjoy them. After the procession the marchers gathered around a stand and listened, sometimes for hours, to impassioned pleas for the various candidates. When the victory had been greater than usual or the contest unusually spirited, a "ratification" celebration was always held. Generally an ox was roasted, liquor furnished free and sometimes even fireworks were displayed. The houses along the route of the torchlight parade occupied by adherents of the victorious party would be brightly illuminated by placing tallow candles in the windows, and it was thus easy to pick out the householders belonging to the two principal parties on such an occasion. The campaign of 1864, when Lincoln was a candidate for reelection and McClellan was the Democratic candidate, was extremely bitter. The main strength of McClellan was with the soldiers. He had taken great care of his army and they were fond of him, but the opposition called him "the shovel candidate," alleging that he did all his fighting with shovels. During the second Lincoln campaign Governor Tod was the principal local speaker on the side of Lincoln. He had been elected Governor as the "Union" candidate, and had great influence with the Democrats, since he had been, until the Union was threatened, a Democrat. He made many speeches in Mahoning and Trumbull counties, and proved himself a remarkable orator. A book could be written about this campaign alone. The next campaign was that in which General Grant was elected, in 1868. It was a hot fight, as there was much dissatisfaction over the Johnson administration and much scandal over some of the affairs at Washington. Grant's military reputation made his election certain, however. I was very active in this campaign,' serving on the county committee and having charge of many of the details. Grant was recognized as a better soldier than a statesman, but here in the Mahoning Valley we were much interested 836 - YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY in his election, both because he represented the Republican party and because he was regarded, to some extent at least, as from this part of the country. In the campaign of 1872, the Republican party was split for the first time by the nomination of Horace Greeley on the "Liberal Republican" ticket. There had been some scandals during Grant's administration and Greeley, who had been a great leader for many years but had been unable to secure a regular nomination, agreed to lead the new wing of the party. The result was a most exciting campaign. Greeley had been led to believe that he would be elected by the Democrats, but in this he was mistaken, and his defeat broke his heart. Grant was elected, but his administration failed to take warning, and when the next campaign came around, in 1876, conditions made the contest extremely doubtful. The friends of Grant made a bad situation worse by threatening to run him again for a third term; and there was fear that they had so strong a machine that they could do this. Finally, however, the chief candidates were Rutherford B. Hayes, Republican, and Samuel J. Tilden, Democrat. The panic of 1872 had prostrated the country and there was much dissatisfaction. Tilden was a strong man, and the combination of circumstances left the result in doubt, not only until the last vote was cast, but for weeks afterward, if not even to this day. Hayes was finally seated, and Tilden accepted the verdict, chiefly, I have always believed, because he feared that it was the only course to prevent civil war. Hayes was well known in this section and visited Youngstown as the guest of Gen. James L. Botsford after he was elected. He had also been here on a number of previous occasions. In 1880, Gen. James A. Garfield was nominated for the presidency by the Republican party, and had for his opponent Gen. Winfield S. Hancock, a sterling Democrat and a Union soldier of the highest character. Garfield was born on the Western Reserve, his father having been one of the pioneers. He lived at that time at Hiram and frequently visited this section, where he was well known. He was a brilliant man, hut there was considerable doubt as to his position on the tariff question. The country was still suffering from the panic of 1872, there was much dissatisfaction over a number of issues, and Democrats were still sore over the alleged "counting out" of Tilden. The campaign was therefore extremely bitter and the result was in grave doubt until Gen. Benjamin Butler became a candidate on the Greenback ticket and swung enough support from Hancock to make Garfield an easy winner. I knew General Garfield well before he was elected president and had considerable correspondence with him afterward, principally on tariff questions. Of course I (lid everything possible to aid in his election and was shocked inexpressibly, as was everyone who knew him, when he was cut down by an assassin's bullet in 1881, leaving his high office to his vice-president, Chester A. Arthur. I was a spectator at the convention in Chicago at which General Garfield was nominated. His nomination was not expected, but I was strongly for him and kept predicting his nomination in the face of ridicule. An unusual combination of circumstances finally made him the candidate. In 1884 the campaign between Jas. G. Blaine and Grover Cleveland YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY - 837 resulted in the election of Cleveland after a most exciting contest. Times were bad, there was a general desire for a change, and many accusations were made against the candidates on both sides. The campaign was heated and the result was in doubt until the vote was counted. There is hardly any doubt, however, that Blaine would have been elected if it had not been for the ill-advised action of a clergyman in Brooklyn, named Burchard, who preached a sermon a few days before the election which injected into. the campaign the question of religious prejudice and brought about Blaine's defeat. I was a strong supporter of Blaine, although I had been and am, yet a fervent admirer of Grover Cleveland, who was one of the strongest and most courageous presidents the country ever had and who, on a number of occasions, took a stand on important issues that offended his own party. During this campaign Blaine, who was a powerful and magnetic orator, spoke at Warren and, because I had considerable to do with the Republican organization in this district, I talked with him on that occasion. This was the first campaign in which the question of contributions by the corporations began to receive serious attention. John A. Logan was Blaine's running mate in this campaign. In 1888 Benjamin Harrison was the Republican candidate, running against Grover Cleveland, who sought a second term. Cleveland's firm stand against the free coinage of silver and other heresies popular with the Democrats, together with his determined opposition to lawlessness and a number of other circumstances, among which was the contempt he had shown for politicians in the distribution of offices, made his defeat practically certain. Harrison was a cold-blooded, non-magnetic man, and his campaign aroused only moderate interest in this locality. He was an able president, but did very little during his term to strengthen his party in the estimation of the people, so that, in 1892, Grover Cleveland, who had been again nominated by the Democrats, had little trouble in winning. This election was more largely influenced than any other, unless it was that of 1872, by the condition of business. Times had been hard for several years and there was much dissatisfaction. The campaign was lively in this locality, principally because the iron and steel industries were in such shape that the election of a Democrat and the downward revision of the tariff threatened ruin for them. This fact spurred the leaders to renewed effort. I was active in that campaign and can testify that a good fight was made by the Republicans here and elsewhere, but conditions were such that they could not be overcome and Cleveland was elected. His administration did less than nothing to better financial or industrial conditions, which were more deeply seated than many of the people suspected, and by 1896 the country was ready to return to the Republican fold again. The campaign of 1896 was a memorable one, at least so far as the Mahoning Valley was concerned. William McKinley was nominated by the Republicans and William J. Bryan was the Democratic candidate. In spite of the fact that McKinley was a native of this section, had a splendid record and had thousands of warm friends here, the enthusiasm aroused by Bryan's advocacy of the free coinage of silver at a ratio of sixteen to one, together with his ability as an orator, made him an extremely popular 838 - YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY candidate. He came to Youngstown and was given a tremendous greeting, the public square being packed solidly with humanity. I could not help comparing the demonstration in honor of Governor Cox during the recent campaign with that accorded to Bryan in 1896, and considering that Cox was an Ohio man, it seemed to indicate a falling off in Democratic enthusiasm quite remarkable. Of course the Republicans were spurred to renewed efforts by the interest shown in the rival camp, and between the two parties some form of excitement was going on constantly throughout the campaign. The Democrats wore a badge made to resemble a field daisy, with sixteen petals of silver and a gold center, and there were entirely too many of these worn during the campaign for the comfort and peace of mind of McKinley's friends. I was more than ordinarily interested in this campaign because of the great issues at stake, my warm personal friendship for McKinley, and my pride in the Republican candidate. I had been a delegate to the convention at which McKinley was nominated and had been from the first one of his warmest supporters. His election therefore meant a great deal to me personally, as well as to the country at large, because there was never a time when the protection principles which he championed were so vital to prosperity and the continued development of our industries. Nothing for which I have exerted myself ever gave me more deep and conscientious satisfaction than the choice of McKinley as president in 1896. Bryan and McKinley were rival candidates again in 1900, but the result of that campaign was never seriously in doubt and there was far less enthusiasm on either side than during 1896. The free silver craze had died out to some extent, and the successful conclusion of the Spanish-American war had strengthened McKinley to such a degree that there was little hope for his Democratic opponent from the start. The campaign was vigorous, however, and marked by numerous parades and much oratory. McKinley and his running mate, Theodore Roosevelt, were elected by good majorities. President McKinley was assassinated at Buffalo in 1901. Roosevelt became president, thus securing an opportunity to impress his strong personality on the country in such a way as to eventually make him a political figure of great importance, as well as to firmly establish his name among those of great Americans. In 19o4 the Republican candidate was Theodore Roosevelt, who had made a popular president while serving out the time between McKinley's death and the next election. Alton B. Parker was the Democratic candidate. Parker was an able man, but he was entirely too conservative to suit the ideas of the Democrats at that time, since they had not yet recovered from the populistic and free silver notions of the Bryan campaigns. Parker was opposed by some of the more radical Democratic papers and made a poor showing. In this locality he was given a very good vote, however, and his campaign was more lively than in many other districts. This campaign was, on the whole, rather quiet, so far as the Mahoning Valley was concerned. The campaign of 1908 stands out in my memory very boldly. It was the only presidential campaign in the history of this country, I believe, that was opened and closed in the same city. Youngstown enjoyed this dis- YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY - 839 tinction, as the first meeting following the nomination of William H. Taft as the Republican candidate to succeed Theodore Roosevelt was held at Youngstown on September 5, 1908. The principal speakers were Gov. Andrew Harris, Hon. Charles E. Hughes and Senator Albert J. Beveridge. The campaign was closed in Youngstown on November 2, when Mr. Taft was the principal speaker. The campaign was vigorous, but lacked the excitement of previous affairs of the kind here, as the old time spirit was then beginning to die out and the, disposition of prominent business men to pay less attention to politics and more to their own affairs and their amusements was beginning to be felt. Taft was not enough of a partisan to arouse much enthusiasm, and while he was victorious, there were, even during his first campaign, signs of conditions that were later to overwhelm him in a defeat that he did not deserve. During his term he accomplished much good, but failed utterly to stem the tide of restlessness which was rising in the Republican party and which was later to manifest itself in a most pronounced form. Taft was re-nominated in 1912, after an exciting convention at Chicago, in which the so-called progressive element of the party demanded the selection of Roosevelt. The result was a party split which swept Woodrow Wilson into the presidency with the largest plurality given any man pp to that time. Roosevelt became an independent candidate, against the advice and pleadings of his best friends, and made a wonderful appeal to the voters, especially Republicans of less conservative tendencies. He had returned from a vsit to Africa and a trip over a considerable part of the world, bringing with him tributes of respect and admiration bestowed by kings and princes, republics and public men in many lands. He represented a thoroughly American spirit and was surrounded by the glamour that attends travel in far and difficult places. Besides this he was a very forcible and magnetic orator and made a strenuous campaign. Many Republicans were won over to him, while apparently the Democrats remained to a large extent loyal to their ticket. Taft was badly beaten and Wilson elected. This election proved almost a tragedy in the light of subsequent events, the World war beginning in 1914 making astrong and wise administration peculiarly essential. Nevertheless the result, disappointing as it was to Republicans generally, was the logical consequence of an unfortunate situation. In 1916 Woodrow Wilson was again the Democratic candidate and his opponent was Charles Evans Hughes, one of the ablest and best fitted men nominated for a generation. The campaign was marked by extreme earnestness and a subdued spirit indicating that the people generally realized the gravity of the problems facing their country. Undoubtedly they were inclined to a change of administration, but hesitated to "swap horses while crossing a stream." It had already become apparent to well informed people that it would be almost impossible for the United States to avoid war with Germany and at the same time preserve her., national honor. Nevertheless, there was a universal desire for peace, and the Democrats conducted their campaign for Wilson on the platform: "He kept us out of war:" Naturally the administration did nothing to antagonize this propaganda and preparations for war that should have been made tinder the 840 - YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY circumstances were utterly neglected, with the result that we entered the most momentous struggle in our history almost totally unprepared. At the same time the desire for peace and the hesitation to change leaders at such a critical time resulted in the election of. Wilson. Hughes made an able campaign, speaking to a large gathering in Youngst0wn during its progress. The result was exceedingly close, many states giving a plurality for the Democratic electors of only a few hundred votes. The seventeenth presidential campaign in which I have taken part, that of 1920, has just closed with the most remarkable Republican victory in more than a generation. The two candidates were both from Ohio. Warren G. Harding was nominated at Chicago and James M. Cox chosen at San Francisco. The campaign in this state was naturally more exciting than elsewhere, but it was not marked by any great number of demonstrations. The situation was complicated by a number of elements and YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY - 841 issues and was puzzling to the most experienced politicians. It was evident from the beginning that the chances were largely in favor of the Republican candidate, but his tremendous electoral and popular majorities were hardly expected by even his most enthusiastic supporters. For the first time in our history women enjoyed the right of suffrage and exercised it quite generally. The principal issue was the question whether or not this country should enter a league of nations on the plan proposed and insisted upon by President Wilson. This issue was complicated by the prohibition question and by a number of others. The result, however, seems to indicate that the most powerful factor was disapproval of the dictatorial attitude of the Wilson administration and a general desire on the part of the people to return to a spirit of government more in accord with the Constitution and less influenced by a disposition to paternalism and meddling with business. I was a delegate to the Republican convention, and from the beginning a strong advocate of the nomination of Harding. At first there was not much enthusiasm for his nomination and his friends in the convention had reason to feel discouraged. They remained firm, however, and developments finally made his nomination seem logical and wise, the election proving his choice to be in accord with the desires of the country to a remarkable degree. I have attended three Republican national conventions as a delegate from this district, and been present at many others in the capacity of a spectator. It has been my privilege to know personally many presidents of the United States and to consult with a number of them on questions of national policy. But, except in the case of William McKinley, who had been my boyhood friend and an intimate associate through his lifetime, I have not seen any man honored with the highest gift of the American people in whose ability, integrity and vision I have had such great faith as- in that of Warren G. Harding, or with whom I have enjoyed a longer or more sincere friendship. Of the latter a suggestion may be found in the photograph reproduced herewith. The autograph on it was written on the night of his great triumph, at an hour when he was being overwhelmed with congratulations and must have been occupied with his own affairs to an extent that, with many men, would have precluded thought of others. Owing to this, the photograph of the president-elect is one of my prized possessions, and I may be excused for presenting it herewith as evidence that ingratitude is not one of the traits of the man whom the American people have just chosen to preside over the destinies of their country at a time when it is facing the solution of many and grave problems. EARLY DAYS IN NILES During the progress of this work the author was visited by John M. Woodruff, of Fostoria, Ohio, who lived in Youngstown in 1843 and was later a boyhood companion at Niles. Mr. Woodruff has furnished the following reminiscences of the early days, which are inserted in this chapter because they seem to fit in here : "I was born on August 19, 1836, at the mouth of Black River, now 842 - YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY Lorain, Ohio, from which place my parents moved to Columbiana when I was two years old. My first recollection of anything political is the campaign of 1840, when William Henry Harrison was elected President. During this campaign I marched in a procession on its way to New Lisbon to hold a political meeting. "We moved to Youngstown in 1843, and there I made the acquaintance of many persons and have a distinct recollection of them and of many circumstances connected with the town. Among the persons I then knew in Youngstown were Judge Rayen and Norman Andrews. The latter kept a hotel near the old covered bridge. One of his sons afterward lost his life in a fire in New York City, and another was Chauncey Andrews. I knew Caleb Wick, Sr., Paul Wick, Thomas Wells (who had a warehouse for canal supplies), Benjamin Grierson (who afterward became famous as a cavalry general during the Civil war), Mr. Lake (who had a tannery), Ames & Murray (merchants), Mr. Medbury (distiller). During that summer there came from Ireland a gentleman named McCurdy, with his family. He was accredited with being wealthy. They lived opposite us and his son, John, was my friend. Young Caleb Wick and I were playmates and quite fond of each other. "Abram Powers, my uncle, lived two miles above Youngstown, on the right bank of the river. He owned a farm which sloped gently down to the bank and is now covered with mills and furnaces. "On the first day of April, 1844, we moved, via canal boat, to Niles, where I grew to young manhood. How well I remember the day we landed and marched up the street to Ephraim Woodworth's tavern, where we remained until my father could secure a place of residence. "At that time Niles was a small village, containing not more than B00 or g00 inhabitants. There were three stores, a rolling mill, a blast furnace, a grist mill, two churches—Methodist and Disciples. A Presbyterian Church was built soon afterwards. How vivid is my recollection of the little white school house and •the hazel nut field in its rear, where I spent so many happy days ! That dear old school house was the scene of many pranks. One winter "Santa Anna," one of our old teachers—God rest his bones in peace—held singing or some other kind of school after night and excluded us little devils. The building was one story high and had stout board shutters which were kept closed in the evenings. We propped these shut, fastened a rope to the door so it could not be opened, and then climbed on the building and laid a board over the top of the chimney, after which we gathered in my father's haymow, where we could watch what transpired in safety. Well, that was a corker ! I laugh yet when I think of the things they said and did when they found the doors and windows fastened. In this were 'Jim' Drass, 'Tom' Evans, 'Tip' Butler, 'Bill' Reiter, 'General' Robison and 'Dune Ward. 'Dune was my lifelong friend, and if he had lived would have made his mark ; but he fell under the wheels of a train and his young life went out just as he arrived at manhood. "I recall with great pleasure a reunion held some years ago—six or seven—perhaps, of the survivors of those who attended that little old school house. This was the first intimation I had of Mr. Butler's inten- YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY - 843 tion to build a memorial to the name of President McKinley. I thought it a Herculean task for one man to undertake, but I did not understand his resource and energy. I discouraged him, telling him that McKinley had a monument in his own achievements, and he said : 'Nevertheless, John, it will be built'—and it has been. I have had the pleasure of placing my name on the register of visitors. What a splendid monument it is—not only to McKinley, but to Mr. Butler himself. The friendship between these two men should be as celebrated as that between Damon and Pythias. "Speaking of McKinley, there seemed to run between our lives something like a parallel. We attended the same school; grew up together at Niles ; I slept many years in the room in which he was born ; at the call of our country we both hastened to its aid; we both rose from privates to commissioned officers ; he died on the same street in Buffalo on which I attended school in 1852 ; we had been both wounded in the same part of the Brady mine at Atlanta. The parallel did not continue, as he reached the highest pinnacle of fame and a place in the hearts of his countrymen which few other men attained. "I stood a few days ago—September 8, 1920—on the spot where we played together as boys, and what thoughts then came rushing up to swell my heart ! These lines occurred to me and I gave them utterance then: "I am sitting today on the old playground Where we played so oft together ; I am thinking of joys when we were boys In the days that are gone f orever. "It was here that we sat in the merry old time And dreamed of the wide world before us  With visions and hopes of the coming time As bright as the sun that shone o'er us." THE SOLDIERS' MONUMENT AT YOUNGSTOWN All over this country, monuments were erected to the memory of those who had made the supreme sacrifice in the Civil war. As few communities then in existence were without their honored dead, so few are now without appropriate memorials to these heroes, but it is doubtful if, in all the land, there is a soldiers' monument with a more interesting history than that which stands on Central Square, Youngstown, and which is now a bone of contention between those who would remove it to make way for modern needs and those who would preerve it in its present location in spite of all considerations. Governor Tod first proposed the erection of a soldiers' monument in Youngstown. He was chairman of the committee to raise funds. The first steps were taken in that direction in 1864. The original plan was to make the movement a popular one and secure funds by contributions of one dollar, so that all might share in the work. As there were only about fifteen hundred families in the township at that time, however, this plan was soon abandoned because it was impossible to build a proper memorial with the sum it would make available. A second subscription brought the 844 - YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY amount in hand up to $6,000, but it was found that at least $10,000 would be required. Leading citizens having agreed to make up the deficit, a meeting was called and a contract let for the shaft, which was to be erected in the old cemetery, later used as a site for the courthouse and now owned by the city and Erie Railroad, which expects to use it for grade elimination purposes. Here the cornerstone was laid with Masonic ceremonies conducted by Rutherford B. Hayes, then Governor of Ohio. Before the monument was erected it was seen that its site would be needed for the courthouse and the decision reached to locate it in Central Square, where it was completed and unveiled with appropriate ceremonies on July 4, 1870. Governor Hayes and James A. Garfield, both later to become President of the United States, were present and delivered orations. When completed, the monument cost about $15,000 and a dispute arose over the transportation of the granite shaft from the railroad station to the "Diamond," as it was then called. This was not settled, and James Caldwell, the contractor, secured an attachment and the shaft was sold to him as the highest bidder. He owned it for twenty-two years. In 1892, when McKinley was conducting his second campaign for the governorship, he came here to make an address and was entertained at dinner by Henry Wick. During the conversation the subject was brought up and Major McKinley suggested that some action should be taken to clear up the title of the monument. At his suggestion a committee, consisting of Judge L. W. King, Henry Wick and Joseph G. Butler, Jr., was appointed to provide funds and secure the transfer of the shaft to the City of Youngstown. There was no difficulty in raising the money needed. A settlement was made with Caldwell ; the monument was deeded by Caldwell to Messrs. Bonnell, Butler and Wick and they in turn, deeded it to Youngstown Township, where the title now rests. General Garfield, then in Congress, secured the four cannon surrounding the monument.