Shelby County, Ohio - Chapter 7: Sidney, the County Seat, 1913

Chapter 7: Sidney, the County Seat

Name of Sidney - Early Settlers - Sidney Made County Seat - First Houses and Roads - Jail and Court House - Benefit of the Canal - Sidney's Groivth - Mayors - Police and Fire Departments - Commercial Club - Cemeteries - Wagner Conservatories, etc.

Sidney, as stated in the preceding chapter, was named in honor of Sir Philip Sidney, and the land on which the city now stands, was a farm owned by Charles Starrett, who donated some fifty acres to be platted into lots in consideration of the county seat being located at this point. Whether there were at that time any houses on the plat is not known, but within a few years after the settlement of the county seat, a number had been builded.

Between 1805 and 1810 the families of James Thatcher, John Wilson, James Cannon, Samuel Marshall, Joseph Mellinger, Cephas Carey, and the McClures came to Shelby county as permanent settlers. Sidney was incorporated as a village in 1820, as a town in 1834, and received its present charter in 1897. The town was laid out on the farm of Charles Sterrett who donated seventy acres to be platted into lots in consideration of the county seat being located at this point, and that he receive one-half the proceeds from the sales of the lots. A copy of the provision is here reproduced and it seems to have been a good business proposition for the donor as the land was used for a cornfield and could be bought for eight dollars an acre, and he received more than $3,000 from the sale of lots.

I. the undersigned subscriber, proprietor of fraction No. 36, in township 8, range 6, east of the meridian line, and on the west bank of the Miami river, do make a donation to the commissioners of Shelby county of seventy acres of land, for the use and benefit of said county, on any part of the above named tract of land that the commissioners appointed by the legislature see proper to locate the seat of justice for said county, provided the commissioners for fixing the said seat of justice see proper to fix said seat permanently in said fraction provided that I do receive one-half of the proceeds of the sales of the lots after the said county commissioners locate, lay off, and sell the lots which may be laid off on said donation.

I. the said Charles Sterrett, do make the following reserves out of the sev enty acres proposed to the commissioners for the seat of justice for the county of Shelby, to-wit : One acre for the public square, two half acres for two different denominations of religious societies for graveyards, and one acre for use of schools.

The sum of $690 was also subscribed by citizens to secure the county seat among whom were Musselman, Johnson, Defrees and Puckman and the glory of Hardin departed when Sidney became the county seat. The town wa:; named for Sir Philip Sidney an English knight.

Abraham Cannon's log cabin on Sterrett's run was used for a court house till one could be built which was done in 1822. The first frame house was built in 1820 by John Blake, with English and Montaney contractors, on the site of Thedieck's store and was later bought by John Carey and changed to the National Hotel where board could be secured at $1.25 a week.

It occupied this lot until 1882. and was used as a hotel, a store, and a meat Citizens Bank now stands, . The Sterrett homestead still stands on Walnut market. The first brick building was erected about 1830 and stood where the street at the west end of South just south of Klepstine's lumber yard.

There was said to have been a swamp four feet deep on the east side of the square. Roads were built from Piqua to Wapakoneta; Troy to Dingmansburg: Dingmansburg to Wapakoneta. and the Piqua-Wapakoneta road to Hardin and St. Marys, a road from Hardin to the State Road and many others. After all of these improvements in 1825. the books showed $128 in favor of the county.

An old road ran diagonally across the square, northeast to southwest, till the brick court house was built. A log jail stood on the southeast corner which was burned in 1839 when a brick one was erected 6n the southwest corner which stood until the seventies. A market house partly filled Poplar. street between Fry's and Taylor's corners. The only school house, though there were private schools, prior to 1857 when the Central school building was erected, was that in a log cabin on a lot given by Sterrett afterwards called the old Schwerer property. The Monumental building was constructed in 1875 on the site formerly occupied by the Farmers' Hotel. The present court house was built in 1881. The town was dark at night in these early days except when the moon shone. There were neither gas nor oil lamps. Most of the people used tallow candles, lard oil or camphene in their homes. There were no matches: tinder, flint and steel being used to obtain a light. The married women wore caps and all women carried "reticules" which were sometimes adorned with cucumber or muskmelon seeds to "set them off." Every Saturday night the young men greased their shoes w ith tallow to look well for Sunday. When they needed blacking, soot was taken from the under side of the kettle and mixed with water lor the purpose. Such an article as a cooking stove was unknown in early Sidney, the wide chimneys affording sufficient space for all cooking purposes. Time was kept without a clock and they were as regular in their habits as we.

And Representative Citizen'S 173

The coming of the canal and the railroad to Sidney were events of supreme importance. The former was finished to the town in 1837 and put her in touch with the outside world.

About this time produce in Sidney was commanding the following prices : Flour, per barrel, $2.62 ; wheat 3754 cents ; bacon, per pound, 3 J/2 cents ; chickens, per dozen, 50 cents ; eggs, 3 cents ; butter, 6T4 cents ; sugar, 654 cents ; tallow, 654 cents. In a short time the canal was found inadequate for the shipping of grain and the railroad was heralded as the only salvation for the people. In 1850 the C, H. & D. began running through Sidney. Shortly after trains on the "Bee Line" as it was then called passed through Sidney from Cleveland to Indianapolis and it was then the town took on an air of importance for in the days of the canal Port Jefferson was the principal town of the county.

Sidney never had a phenomenal growth ; its advance has been healthy. In pioneer days it was a country town dependent upon the country for support. Sidney merchants have realized this and the past quarter of a century her progressive business men are not only taking care of local trade but forging ahead. They have seen the necessity of manufacturing interests and today the varied products of the city's industries find a ready sale in all markets of the civilized world.

The total assessed valuation of all taxable property in Sidney for 1913 is $6,500,000; that of Sidney school district over $7,000,000, and of the county approximately $38,000,000.

The old landmarks are fast disappearing with all their sentiment which yielded to the commercial aggression of this bounding age and to the exigencies of business life.

In other chapters will be found mention of the banks, schools, churches, the press, and the several industries of the city. I realize that the present chapter does not fully cover the history of Sidney and Shelby county, but its salient features have been given with all the accuracy attainable and is thus submitted to the reader.

The old frame building which, up to 1882, occupied the lot on which Thedieck's store now stands, was one of the first business houses of any consequence erected in the village. The first brick building was erected about 1830 on the present site of the Citizens Bank. For some time the place grew slowly, almost the only considerable influx in the population being at the time that some construction work was undertaken, as the digging of the canal, and the building of the Big Four and the C. H. & D. railroads through the village. Though covering a short time, these were periods of great activity and when the work was finished many of those who had been employed, and who had come from other places, remained here and subsequently became some of the most successful mechanics and merchants of Sidney.

But though the growth of Sidney was slow, it was a healthy growth. The surrounding country, with its fertile fields, yielded bountiful harvests, and the village w ith its progressive merchants, became a popular trading point for miles around. During the last quarter of a century, however, Sidney's progressive men, no longer satisfied to depend entirely upon local trade, have recognized the value of manufacturing interests as a town builder, and have engaged in various lines of manufacturing industry, in general with gratifying success. An account of the principal industries of this nature may be found in a special chapter of this work. Other important interests and activities of the city may also be found under their appropriate heads in separate chapters of the volume.

The Old Stone Bridge

The old stone bridge over the canal on which many have "stood at midnight" is doomed and before long will be but a recollection. No structure in this county has served its purpose so well. It was built in the latter part of the forties on honor when that commodity was fashionable, before the age of graft, at a cost of $2,800. This amount was deemed so extravagant by the people of the county that Samuel Marshall, then serving his first term as commissioner, was not reelected on that account for he put the matter through. He builded better than the people knew or he himself, for there it has stood for over sixty years never crying to be done over again, nor to be repaired, nor clamored for a coat of paint. In spite of the fuss it made it was the best and cheapest structure the people ever paid for public use in the county.

The contractors were two brothers by the name of Chamberlain of New York, and James H. Fletcher, whose memory embraces a period of over seventy years, furnishes this incident.

Among those trundling a wheelbarrow with stone and mortar, was an Irishman, but a stranger here, who had applied and got a job at $1 a day. In constructing the arch over the canal it had twice fallen and the contractors were getting discouraged when this Irishman ventured the remark that according to mathematical principles they were not building it right to stand. At first he was scoffed at but finally they told him to superintend the work if he thought he knew enough. He did so and the bridge stands a monument to his skill though his name is forgotten, if it ever was known here. Mr. Fletcher, at that time, was going to the private school of Mr. McGookin, where the Grand Hotel stands, and one day this Irishman, in his blue overalls, came tc visit the school and took a seat l>eside Mr. Fletcher, whose geometry was oj>en on the desk. He took it up and began to ask questions showing familiarity with geometry and a trained and educated mind. It was subsequently learned that he was a graduate of Dublin University but had become stranded here.

If the sturdy "arch de triomphe" had kept a record of the doings, sayings and happenings of the last sixty years, and a register of the names of those who have passed over it and under it, it would be a roster of the inhabitants, not only of Sidney but a more complete one of those of the county, than could be obtained anywhere else and thousands, now in the maw of relentless and speechless oblivion, would be rescued.

In view of the fact that the old bridge makes a hump in the paved street leading to the C. H. & D. station, unsightly in aspect and somewhat difficult

Sentiment has a poor show in this materialistic age when pitted against traffic and comfort, and in this unequal contest the old bridge must yield and give up the ghost. This bridge gave place to the new one in 1907.

Mayors Of Sidney From 1846 To I9I3 Police Department

The police department of Sidney is under the control of the chief, William O'Leary, subject to the general supervision of the director of public safety. The department consists of the chief and three patrolmen, Jacob Eisensteih, Charles Williamson, and Frank Kritzer. The chief, William O'Leary, has been identified with the department for twenty years, fourteen as chief. The expense of maintaining this part of the public service was $3,394.41 for the year 191 2.

A rather unique system of calling the police obtains in Sidney, two signal lights on the spire of the court house, turned on by the telephone operators, call the attention of the safeguards of the public to the fact that they are wanted in some locality.

Fire Department

The fire department is full paid and under the control of the chief subject to the general supervision of the director of public safety. The first organization was a volunteer one which was changed to a paid one in 1885. George Hume, the chief, has been identified with the department for nearly seventeen years, five as chief. He is assisted by five men. The expense of this branch of the public safety was $5,738.55 in 191 2. The quarters of the fire department are on the first floor of the Monumental building and plan's are on foot to make the equipment as efficient as the most progressive cities by the purchase of a triple combination pumping, chemical engine, and hose motor car, sealed proposals for which are being received now. The machine, which will cost in the neighborhood of $10,000, must have six cylinders with not less than 100 horse power and carry 1.200 feet of 2'S inch fire hose and one 40 gallon chemical tank.

Contract this with the early days when the equipment consisted of a hook and ladder wagon pulled by ropes in the hands of the men and a "bucket brigade." which worked in conjunction with them.

An incident which is recalled by a survivor of the old days was the burning of the C. H. & D. station when long lines of men were formed and the buckets, which were filled from a near-by creek, were passed laboriously along the line practically empty when they reached the last man. These buckets were of leather and Sidney's were red.

Henry Young was the first chief of the voluntary fire department and the Holly system of water works furnished the extinguishing liquid. On January 28, 1885, the paid fire department was organized and the chiefs in their order are: John B. Edgar, James McClung, A. O. Waucop, John W. Kendall, Jasper Wade. George W. Covill, John \V. Kendall, Jasper Wade, H. C. Jones, Mort McNeil, Henry Yost and George Hume, the present incumbent.

Water Works

If Sidney has one thing more than another of which to be justly proud it is her splendid supply of pure water from artesian wells fed by underground streams adequate for all present and future demands.

The present system was installed in 1889 and consists of six eight-inch and two twelve-inch wells sunk around the pumping station at various depths, none lower than 100 feet. The station embraces about two acres of ground located between the canal and the river in the northeastern part of town.

The Pohle Air Lift system is used with an Ingersoll-Rand duplex air compressor with a capacity to lift 1.100,000 gallons a day. A stand pipe built at the top of Miami avenue hill is connected with the distributing system which has a storage capacity of 300.000 gallons. There are 130 public fire hydrants. This system supplanted the old Holly water works which was installed in 1873 ar,d which was located across the river where the electric light plant now stands.

The plant is owned by the city of Sidney and the system is under good supervision and well managed. It is operated under the direction of the superintendent of water works, G. A. Hatfield, who has served in his present capacity since 1909. The secretary is S. D. McCullough. The water works come under the management of the director of service, D. H. Warner.

The water works is now more than self-supporting. The cost of operation in 191 1 was $15,126.09 and the total receipts $26,055.81, leaving a balance of $10,929.72. The figures for 191 2 show the cost of maintaining the department to have been $9,314.41: extraordinary expenses such as extending the mains, $4,278.60; other items which bring the cost of the department to $14,276.58; total receipts $18,159.94, leaving a balance which includes that carried from last year of $14,813.08.

The Commercial Club Company

These articles of incorporation of the Commercial Club Company; Witnesseth, That we the undersigned, all of whom are citizens of the State of Ohio, desiring to form a corporation for profit, under the general corporation laws of said State, do hereby certify :

The books were opened for subscriptions to the capkal stock March fifth, 1903, and the names of the1 original members of the company are here given:

The club occupies the second floor of the Harry Wagner building, on Poplar street, which it has fitted up in luxurious style for the comfort and enjoyment of its members and guests, and its annual banquets are looked forward to by Sidney society as a feature of the winter season.

The company labors faithfully for the welfare of the community, promotes business enterprises, encourages new industries and stands for civic improvement.

After an initiation fee of $25.00 each member pays $10.00 annually. The first Monday is held to hear reports and suggestions, at which time refreshments are served. There are about 100 members.

If Sidney is becoming such a beautiful place to live in it is hardly less beautiful in which to die in, if the word has a place as a qualifying term to the dread hour which Time will bring at last to the high as well as the low. On the banks of the murmuring and willow-fringed Miami is the ever-growing and peaceful white city of Graceland with its shaded drives and silent repose. Views have entirely changed from the pioneer ideas a" to the Festing-place for the dead - the neglected graveyards, weed and briar infested, which Whittier so truthfully describes as being

Sidney can lay claim to one of the most beautiful burial grounds in the state. It consists of 23 acres of gently rolling ground overlooking the Miami river and adjoining the town on the south. This land was bought of H. B. and Robert Reed, in 1866, and three sections were laid out by William Brown and J. D. Moler, of Springfield, Ohio. The first deeds for lots were made August 12, 1867, to J. F. Frazer, George Vogel, D. L. Bush, George Ackerly, Jason McVay, E. H. Arbuckle and Sophia Young.

The first interment was that of Mrs. Jane Irwin, the 27th day of September, 1867. Three burials were made that year and eleven during the year 1868. The first sexton was Rudolph Kaser, appointed April 17, 1868, at a salary of $400.

Much credit is due W. P. Stowell, who followed Samuel Mathers, the first superintendent for the artistic taste shown in laying out the grounds, planting trees and shrubs, for some most magnificent maples spread their branches in this ever growing city. Mr. Stowell devoted a large share of his time for fifteen years to this work.

The present superintendent, G. C. Anderson, has been connected with the management of the cemetery for more than 30 years and since the death of Mr. Stowell July 10, 1894. has carried on with such marked efficiency the beautifying of the grounds that one might say of Graceland, as was said of the spot where Keats lies buried, that it makes one fall in love with death to be buried in so sweet a place.

Glen cemetery in Port Jefferson, Salem township, is a most beautiful burial ground on the banks of the Miami and Cedar Point in Perry township which takes its name from the cedars planted there, is most artistically laid out on a triangular piece of ground overlooking Mosquito creek. Houston and Hardin in Loramie and Turtle Creek townships respectively have beautiful cemeteries.

Fraternal And Social Orders

Temperance Lodge No. 73, F. & A. M.. Sidney, O. ; charter granted Jan. 20th, 1826, with William Fielding as master; Robert Blakely, senior warden; John Lenox, junior warden. Officers for 191 2 and 1913 are as follows : Bros. James H. Millikin, W. M. ; Thaleon Blake, S. W. ; Chas. E. Betts, J. W. ; \V. A. Graham, Treasurer; Jesse L. Frazier, Secretary ;- Benjamin F. Martin, S. D. ; Henry B. Albuis Jr., J. D. ; John A. Mumford, Tyler.

Officers for 1912 and 1913: Companions, Chas. E. Betts, T. I. M.; Benj. F. Martin, D. I. M. ; Thaleon Blake. P. C. of W. ; W. A. Graham, Treasurer; Jesse L. Frazier, Secretary; C. E. Johnston, C. of G. ; L. M. Studevant, C. of C. : R. H. Toy, Steward; John A. Mumford, Sentinel.

K. of P. - Summit Lodge No. 50, meets every Wednesday evening in Castle hall. Sidney Company, U. R. K. of P., meets first Monday evening of each month in K. of P. hall. El Shereef Temple No. 32 Knights of Khorassan, meets the fourth Thursday of each month in K. of P. hall. Summit Temple No. 9, Pythian Sisters, meets second and fourth Tuesday evening of each month in K. of P. hall.

Jr. O. U. A. M. - Western Star Council No. 340, meets every Monday evening in their hall. Arabian Degree Klan meets on call in Jr. Order hall. Honorable Council No. 104 meets first and third Tuesday evenings of each month in Jr. O. U. A. M. hall.

K. of C. - Sidney Council No. 659 meets second and fourth Wednesday evening of each month in K. of C. hall. Fourth Degree Assembly meets quarterly on call in K. of C. hall.

G. A. R. - Neal Post No. 62 meets second and fourth Monday evenings of each month in G. A. R. hall. Neal Relief Corps No. 76, meets second and fourth Monday afternoon of each month in G. A. R. hall.

K. of G. E. - Miami Castle No. 8 meets every Thursday night in Golden Eagle hall. Valley City Temple No. 8 meets second and fourth Monday evening of each month in Golden Eagle hall.

And Representative Citizens 181 The Wagner Conservatories

The beautiful park west of Sidney and joining the corporation is a charming spot of over one hundred acres and growing in beauty each year. Twenty acres or so is a natural forest of lofty trees indigenous to Ohio. The underbrush has been removed, the dead limbs also, and drives wind beneath a shaded canopy while artificial lakes abound.

The entire conception of the park originated in the brain of Bernard P. Wagner, one of the four brothers of the Mathias Wagner family. Possessing ample means to indulge fully his exquisite aesthetic taste his fancies have been given full play and landscape gardening has become to him an assiduous study.

In the year 1900 the Wagner Park Conservatories were started, being the outgrowth of the love and interest B. P. Wagner had for years taken in flowers and landscape gardening. The work increased each year and Wagner Nursery stock was recognized for its quality and the care used in packing it for shipment.

The work of planning and planting grounds and the giving of advice has now extended its field over a number of states and the Wagner organization is prepared to go anywhere in the United States to execute or advise on lari'dscape work.

Recently the company has been incorporated under Ohio laws for $100,- 000.00 under the name of the Wagner Park Nurseries Company. The officers are B. P. Wagner, president and treasurer; W. H. Wagner, vice president; H. L. Brown, secretary. These officers with Messrs. M. M., L. R. and J. F. Wagner and Mr. A. M. Brown make up the board of directors.

Upon entering the grounds of the Wagner park the chief group of buildings are the conservatories in which many of the flowers are cultivated. Fifteen thousand square feet of space is under glass for this purpose.

A new office building has recently been built. The first story is stucco and the second mission timber. Mission finish is also carried out in the interior. The room entered first is the library reception room: Here on file the periodicals and books relating to flowers and landscape gardening are kept for the use of not only the visitors but for the men in the nurseries. On this same floor are the general offices together with the private offices of Mr. B. P. Wagner and that of the secretary and general manager, Mr. Brown. The second floor is given over to the landscape department. It is beautifully lighted and in every way adapted to drafting room purposes. The building has also a fireproof vault for plates and records.

Leaving the office via the green house the first section entered is the palm house which is 20 x 100 ft. in size. Here numerous palms of all varieties are kept for inspection and sale. Two rose houses are maintained. In the first the roses are at present in full bloom and present a most striking appearance as the visitor passes into the long glass roofed structure. Roses of all varieties are grown here. In the second rose house which is the exact size of the first recently the plants have been stripped of their bloom and over thirty-five thousand cuttings made which have been transplanted into the sand of the propagating frame.

A large hot water heating system furnishes heat for the entire conservatories. This is located in another building equipped for the purpose. The tank house contains a large water tank into which the water for the grounds is pumped by a gasoline engine. From the tank house into the packing house where the plants and flowers are prepared for shipment and the mission plant boxes are made during the slack business months.

Leaving the buildings proper the lath house is next of interest. Here in a structure built entirely of lath as the name indicates are kept boxwoods and the more tender evergreens for use in landscape gardening. The lath house furnishes the slight protection necessary to these evergreens from the changes in the climate so common to this part of the country.

In the propagating frames planted in sand fifteen thousand shrub cuttings and thirty-five thousand rose cuttings are making their struggle for life. The size of this one frame is six by one hundred feet.

Close by the propagation frame is the soil pile in the barnyard court. Here soil fit for certain plants is in the process of manufacture by decay constantly. The pile is probably one hundred feet long by twelve feet wide by twelve feet deep.

The growing fields are over one hundred acres in extent. Here flowers of all varieties are cultivated for the market and the use of the landscape gardening department of the firm. In busy season seventy-five men are required to attend to the cultivation and shipment of these. They present a most entrancing appearance with their variety of colors spread over the fields as far west as the observer can see. Each foot of space is cultivated and ravines and plains, hills and valleys which go to make up the general contour of the land occupied is utilized for different species of flowers, shrubs and trees.

Most unique and interesting is the arboretum just started by the gardeners. Here every species of plant cultivated by the conservatories will be grown for display. Evergreens and plants, flowers and shrubs from China, Japan, France, Germany, in fact from every portion of the known world are here cultivated and nurtured. Over three hundred varieties of evergreens are planted here, the varieties of shrubs number five hundred and of trees two hundred and fifty. The bed is over two thousand feet long and ranges from twelve feet wide at the narrowest place to fifty feet at the widest. The arboretum extends the width of the grounds and doubles back following the west park boundaries. Although this was just commenced this spring and the weather was not the best for the purpose the arboretum is most beautiful and interesting. When after a few years' growth it will be as interesting as those of Arnold at Boston and Shaw at St. Louis. Students from all over the country will visit these gardens to study and observe plants and plant life from all over the world, where hundreds and hundreds of foreign plants have been imported and grown in this arboretum. For convenience and study all the plants are arranged in alphabetical order and designated by markers bearing the Latin name.

Nearby the entrance to the park from the south and north of the office the Isle of Nippon gardens captivate the eye. Here around a little lake and on several islands of that lake Mr. Wagner has caused to be planted and made a real Japanese garden with only flowers from the fair Isle of Nippon. The waters of the lake are clear and placid. Rustic bridges span the space to the islands. At the entrance a Japanese gate of logs has been erected and bears a small placard with the legend "Nippon."

For Sidney and Sidney people Mr. Wagner has been very considerate in building the beautiful Wagner park with its shaded drives following the natural contour of the woods, its pretty little lakes and novel gardens in which are planted wonders of nature from everywhere. Here Sidney people are privileged to hold picnics and reunions and enjoy the beauties of the parkplace. Here are wonderful stretches of stately old flowers our grandmothers loved grown in marvelous perfection. Here are scores of admirable if less well known horticultural beauties, rescued from obscurity by botannical expertness and presented to the modern hardy garden: myriad groups of shrubs in superb condition, deciduous, decorative, useful; unusual and effective conbinations; long avenues of fine native trees; plantations of many interesting specimens that you may not know - such is the language of the florist in the Wagner park catalogue in describing the beauties of the park.

Probably the one section of the Wagner business that is best known is his landscape gardening. The \\'agner"s landscape service has become known the world over. This department is conducted under the personal supervision of B. P. Wagner assisted by a corps of able landscape artists, who have not only been thoroughly trained in the theory of every branch of this profession but have had a number of years of practical experience on the park grounds and are perfectly familiar with the "Wagner" methods of landscaping which have met with such universal success and given satisfaction and pleasure to thousands of patrons throughout the United States and foreign countries.

"By the Wagner method of landscaping, lawn, garden and wooded ground are treated in a pictorial way, mainly with large effects. Lesser incidents, flower borders and masses, specimen shrubs, etc., are introduced in such a way as to add to the repose and simplicity of the whole. Harmony of color is especially studied. Unsightly outlooks are obliterated. Privacy is created. 'Vistas' are formed where existed moi.otony of outlook and illusions are manufactured by art, working on the principle of nature.

''The dominant feature in landscape beauty is an unbroken lawn space. All the better if it passes around the sides of the house. Beyond the green stretch of perfect turf are groups or formal planting of fine trees, with here and there - placed exactly at that point for some sound artistic reason - clumps of shrubbery adding their varying heights to the picturesque irregularity of the planting line. Across a shaded lawn also what a picture is formed by the brilliant undulation of hardy perennials grown in borders, a drift of bulbblossoms, or a glorious mass of single flower-color! The arrangements of all these features make or mar the aspect of a place."

The landscape department does an extensive business in planning and laying out private and public grounds. The principles characterize the Wagner idea : First, keep the center of the lawn open ; second, plant in masses ; third, avoid straight lines.

In the literature published for the company appear many cuts of the homes of prominent Sidney people who have employed the services of the Wagner architects to plan and plant their grounds. Private grounds are pictured located all over the United States where the Wagnei artists have done good work for a beautiful America.

The Wagner park nurseries have been the birthplace of many new species or varieties of flowers and shrubs which have been grown by selection years have been devoted to the cultivation and manufacture of a species to delight some fancier. The Wagner park new phlox varieties and the novelty roses, President Taft, Madam Taft, Jean D'Arc and others are some of the cultivations made and originated here.

In addition to his contributions to the flower world Mr. Wagner and his able assistant publish Landscape and Garden, a periodical which tells of how to make the home beautiful, a distinct contribution to the literature of flowers.

The Miami Valley Gas & Fuel Company was originally incorporated by outside parties, as The Mercer Gas & Fuel Company, Calvin S. Brice, of Lima, O., and William P. Orr, of Piqua, being the chief promoters, and Mr. Orr the first president of the company. No stock was taken in Sidney. The system went into operation July i, 1888. About four years later the supply of gas gave out and the company then extended its pipe lines to Red Key, Indiana, at which time a pumping station was put in. The new supply lasted about four or five years, at the end of which time the pipe was dug up and taken to the Sugar Grove field, in Fairfield county, O. (known as the Lancaster field), from which gas has been obtained up to the present time. The pumping station was also removed to Sugar Grove. Durng the past six years an additional supply has been obtained from the Pan Handle field, in West Virginia. The old field in Mercer county was sold to the corporation of Minster and they now get some gas from it, it not being entirely exhausted. The company now supplies Sidney only, the gas being used for heating purposes, factory power, and to some extent for illumination. The present officers of the company are in part: Frank E. Randall, of New York, president; F. L. Chase, of Columbus, O., secretary and treasurer. The local agent is A. L. Marshall, who has held this position for the past 20 years, he having served five years previously. as assistant to Frank Hunter, the former agent.

The Sidney Electric Light Company is an offshot of the Sidney Gas Light & Coke Company, established in 1872. About 1886 certain persons who were interested in the gas company organized the electric light company, which had the same stockholders - D. W. Pampel, W. P. Metcalf, Judge Hugh Thomson, Jacob Piper, Sr., and J. C. Royon. An arc-light system was soon installed and went into operation for the lighting of the streets, stores and public buildings. About ten years later the arc-light system was supplemented and in part superseded by incandescent lights, which were introduced into private dwelllings. A few years after the organization of tlie Miami Gas & Fuel Company in the interests of the Electric Light Company were transferred to the latter and the two systems were combined under one administration, Mr. Pampel and Mr. Metcalf being then the controlling stockholders. About ten years ago the artificial mains for conveying coal gas were abandoned and natural gas was adopted. A. L. Marshall is local agent for the company.

The Sidney Telephone Company was organized in 1899, the articles of incorporation being filed February 13th of that year, and the franchise granted on the same date. The company was capitalized at $30,000, the incorporators being L. M. Studevant, I. H. Thedieck, W. H. Wagner and Frank Crissman. At that time a company using the Bell system was operating here and until about three years ago the two companies were in competition, when the Sidney Telephone bought out the interests of its rival and came into full control. During the summer of 1910 a complete new central office equipment was installed, known as the central energy system, and of Western Electric Company's make. In 1905 C. R. Bleakney became manager, at which time the company had 780 phones. The number of phones at the present time (January 1, 1913) is 1,575, m Sidney, with Anna and Ft. Loramie exchanges. W. H. Wagner is president of the company; I. H. Thedieck, vice president; A. J. Hess, secretary, and L. M. Studevant, treasurer. Five men are employed, four of them on outside work.

The Farmers Telephone Company was incorporated April 16, 1910, for the purpose of constructing and purchasing telephone lines, or both, and doing a general telephone business in Shelby and adjoining counties. It was capitalized at $24,000, by J. H. Millhouse, Charles F. Snyder, John C. Ward, Oliver C. Steley, Elva N. Middleton, James M. Baker and George L. Mar- tin. The company now has about 700 phones in Sidney and the vicinity, the system being up-to-date, and the prospects are good for future business. The present officers of the company are as follows: R. J. DeWeese, president; J. H. Millhouse, vice president; Charles F. Snyder, secretary; T. M. Beamer, treasurer, and C. C. Hermetet, manager. The directors are R. J. DeWeese, G. L. Martin, P. A. Howell. W. F. Valentine, Sherman Cain. J. W. Harp, R. M. Yinger, M. K. Coon and Orin C. Staley.

I have seen gas "works installed in Sidney, the electric light plant, the Holly system of water works across the river which did service for some fifteen years, the new water works built up the canal, which pumped river water into the mains for some time but which was supplanted by pure crystal water from artesian wells from the rock between one hundred and two hundred below the surface and which is Sidney's special pride. All the old churches have been demolished since the sixties and ten or more beautiful structures erected, and a modern courthouse built in the delightfully shaded park of nearly three acres in the center of the city; a magnificent $60,000 monumental structure, several miles of street paving, the city's sidewalks all paved with Berea ore or concrete, and a fire department so alert and well equipped that conflagrations for years have been nipped in the head. A one hundred thousand dollar high school nearly completed, where once was the Presbyterian graveyard, a building site purchased by the government for the next postoffice, and the location secured on South street, formerly the Mount Vernon African Baptist church, for an armory to be built by the state.

A row of elms, years ago, of more than a mile in length, was planted on the berme bank of the canal, the roots of which, extending" to the water, promote a most luxurious growth which in time will be magnificent.

The C. H. & D. Railway gives the city and the contiguous region a much desired outlet to the south. The C. C. C. & St. L. places Sidney in communication with the east and west and an electric trolley line of two hundred miles in length connecting Cincinnati with Toledo, with lateral branches east and west passes through Sidney with its cars at frequent intervals. The beautiful parks at the C. H. & D. and Big Four stations displays exquisite taste, the latter the result of ceaseless efforts on the part of our fellow townsman, William Shine. The tender consideration of the poverty stricken and unfortunate is seen in the beautiful surroundings of the infirmary with the commodious apartments for their care and comfort while the Children's Home for orphan waifs is charming in every feature. The aesthetic taste dispalyed in the selection of the site and the beautifying of the environments, the wholesome instructor in manners and manual training, as well as books and the varied landscape of indescribable charms can not fail to make indelible impressions for good upon their children's plastic minds.

Aesthetic taste received an impulse from the beautiful Wagner conservatory which has achieved a national reputation and from the efforts of the Commercial club, which is ceaseless in its endeavors to make Sidney one of the prettiest gems in the incomparable Miami valley.

And Representative Citizens 1H7

I have seen Sidney grow from a village of two thousand to a city of seven thousand, not a phenominal growth but a healthy one. Thirty years ago we were entirely an agricultural community. Gradually a change has been wrought in the character of our industries until we have become quite an important manufacturing city with varied products which find a ready sale in all markets of the civilized world. We now have about forty manufacturing plants with invested capital of more than two millions which give employment to nearly fifteen hundred people. These industries bring to Sidney about $3,000,000 annually, and about one-fifth of the entire receipts is paid for wages yearly.

Some idea of the growth of the city and her resources may be had by a comparison of her financial institutions with those of thirty years ago. There were then two banks with a capital and surplus of about $20,000 and deposits of about $350,000. Now we have four financial institutions with capital and surplus of more than 500,000 and deposits of about $3,000,000. This does not mean the wealth of the community for there are large sums invested in bonds and mortgages that do not appear in the operations or statements of the financial institutions.