Crawford County, Ohio - Chapter 25: City of Galion, 1912 (part 2 of 2)

Travelers were first cared for as early as 1817 by Benjamin Leveridge m his little log cabm, and then followed William Hostord with his double log cabin, and finally in 1824 this was run as a regular tavern by Asa Hosford. Later Jacob Ruhl had his tavern on the Square and John Kroft a tavern a block east of the Square, about where the road to Mansfield bore to the north, afterward abandoned, and the road run straight east as it is at present. The Jacob Ruhl tavern later passed into the hands of Michael Matthias, and in 1848 it was run by David and Joel Riblet, the latter having been a driver on the stage line between Mansfield and Bucyrus. In 185 1, David and Joel Riblet put up a brick building on the southwest corner of the Square and Main street, and here they started a store, but the next year the building was rented by Brown & McMillan and they started the Western House, and it has been run as a hotel ever since, the name being changed later to the Central Hotel. While Brown & McMillan were in charge, an addition was built by the Riblets, and in 1856 Smith Ferris took charge of it, and a third story was added.

The Cleveland, Columbus and Cincmnati railroad having their depot on east Main street, John Tracy built a hotel there in 1850 which was called the American House, and in 1854 he sold out to A. Reeve who refitted and refurnished it throughout. It passed into various hands, became the brick structure that was destroyed by fire a dozen years ago, since which time it has no longer been used as a; hotel, but the eastern part of the building is the large restaurant of Bland and Irwin, which has a state reputation as "The Big Store/'

On East Main street a hotel was started years ago. It came into the hands of Gust Keen, who ran it as a regular hotel; it underwent many changes under the hands of different managers, and the present brick building was erected, and it is today the Phoenix Hotel.

To the ladies of Galion is due the present public library. The Current News Club, one of the Women's Clubs of Galion, began to agitate the subject of establishing a public library and their efforts met with a hearty approval by a large number of citizens who were in sympathy with the enterprise. The club started a library fund, which was contributed to by other clubs and associations until several hundred dollars were gathered for the purpose. In 1898 a state law was passed whereby it was made mandatory upon boards of education in cities the size of Gallon to make a tax levy to support public libraries under certain conditions. With the assurance of support as guaranteed by this law, the ladies of the Current News Club, on March 26, 1901, incorporated the Gabon Public Library Association, with the declared purpose of building and maintaining a public library free to all the citizens of the Gallon public school district. The organization being perfected, a demand in accordance with the law was made upon the Board of Education of the city for the necessary tax levy, which was cheerfully granted by the board, and the new library association started upon its career with bright prospects of making a success of its undertaking.

As a first step in their establishment of a public library the association, then composed of ladies only, purchased In-lot No. 56, on the east side of North Market street for a consideration of $2,850. This lot had an old log residence on it, one of the oldest buildings in the city, and was one of the early school houses half a century previous. This was converted into a comfortable library and reading room and promised to become the pride and glory of the -infant library association, if not the fullest satisfaction of the city's ambition in the direction of library building. But no sooner had the library taken form and the public began to lend its influence and support, than a new and higher ambition took possession of the members of the association and they began to aspire to better and more permanent library buildings and facilities.

Andrew Carnegie was helping other libraries ; would he not also help them to secure a better library home? An application was made to Mr. Carnegie in August, 1901, for a building fund, but as nothing came of this effort, the association sent a committee of two citizens to New York, in February of 1902, to present the matter personally. The committee was successful and in March of that year Mr. Carnegie made an appropriation of $15,000, conditioned upon his customary demand of a guarantee of an annual support for the library of not less than ten per cent of that amount. The Association then asked the city council to give Mr. Carnegie the required guarantee of support, which was done by resolution passed April 18, 1902.

The fund for a library building being now secured, the plans of the present building were approved, and the contract for the building was let for the sum of $13,578, and with the heating and other appliances, together with the walks and curbs, brought the total cost of the improvement, exclusive of books and furnishings, up to $16,559.50. To these improvements should be added the cost of the lot, which makes an aggregate cost for the library, exclusive of contents, of $19,409.50.

The Gallon Public Library was formally dedicated Thursday evening, April 28, 1904. Following the exercises, which were held at the City Opera House, a considerable sum of money was raised to meet the cost of the building. At the present time (July 25, 1912) the library contains 5,014 books for circulation, exclusive of about 700 government documents. Miss Estella Coyle is librarian and Miss Doris John, assistant librarian. The Board of Directors is composed exclusively of ladies, as follows: Mrs. M. R. Crim, president; Mrs. Elmer Stout, vice president; Mrs. David G. Bryfogle, secretary; Mrs. H. A. House, treasurer; Mrs. A. W. Lewis, Mrs. A. W. Monroe, Mrs. H. E. Smith, Mrs. J. J Schaefer and Miss Nettie Kinsey.

The Police Department is under charge of L. E. Christian, who is now serving in his third year as chief. Under him are Capt. C. D. Riblet and five patrolmen. The department holds communications through its own telephone system, which is independent of the city exchange, there being 14 box or patrol phones. The jail is immediately back of the station, in the same building, and contains four cells, strongly constructed, while upstairs there is a hospital room, which is used also for female prisoners.

The telephone company was started by George Ristine about 1885, and today the public are served by the Central Union Telephone Company and the Gallon Telephone Company.

As nearly as can be estimated, the population of Gallon in 1850 was about 421, so In those early days, outside of little stores and small shops, there were no important industries. Robert Cowden writes that as late as 1848-9 he has seen as many as a hundred covered wagons a day passing north from Morrow county along the Portland road to Sandusky and Milan. But now, after more than half a century has passed. Gallon no longer looks with jealous eye at the abandoned crossing, but points with pride to the prosperous city with its many shops and factories giving employment to hundreds of men ; its handsome residences and improved streets; its advanced schools and stately churches; its important railroads and solid financial institutions; and its citizens enjoying all the advantages of every modern public improvement. And taking a just pride In all this, the citizens should sometimes recall the names of those early pioneers who went through the hardships necessary to level the forest into a settlement, have a kindly remembrance for Michael and Jacob Ruhl, who from that settlement founded a village, and drop an occasional flower on the grave of Asa Hosford, whose energy and perseverance transformed that village and made possible the city of today.