Columbus City (part 39 of 57)

By the final report of Treasurer L. M. Boda, of the War Chest Committee, it was shown that $52,009.87 was still undistributed, and the committee closed its business by turning that amount over to the American Legion chapter as an endowment for future ex-soldier and sailor relief.

There is pride in the war-time service of Columbus nurses. Promptly and cheerfully they responded to every call from the Allied armies by way of Washington, and to those engaged in private duty and public health work as well as to hospital superintendents and officers, was presented for individual solution the difficult problem whether duty lay in going to war or staying at home. Many went, but those who remained rendered service as necessary, if not as thrilling.

in war service. She went in the early days of the .struggle to Serbia, serving seven months in a Belgrade hospital, a part of the time while the city was under Austrian fire. When she returned she brought an inspiration that helped to make Columbus one of the most fruitful centers for the supply of nurses. In the several campaigns, as elsewhere described, for the enrollment of nurses, the total listed for the Red Cross nursing service was 401, of whom 275 were in active service either in camps in this country or in hospitals abroad. A few went into the army service direct. Five Columbus nurses died while in the service of their country: Aurora E. Parry at Camp Taylor; Garnet O. Peck at the Great Lakes Naval Station; Nelle E. Lathrop in Cleveland; Elsie M. Davis at the Government shipyards, Philadelphia; Mary Holz, immediately after her return from foreign service in December, 1918. The first four died in the preceding October during the influenza epidemic. The record of the service of Columbus nurses abroad is incomplete, but it is known that Louise A. Dildine, Red Cross, and Minna A. Meyers, Army Nurse Corps, have been cited for bravery under fire in France. The Ohio enrollment in the Red Cross nursing service November, 1918, was 1,901.

One of the events of the spring of 1919 was the gift of $100,000 in Jeffrey Manufacturing Company preferred stock, by Joseph A. Jeffrey to the city and county. The donor, in his deed of trust named the Mayor, the presiding Judge of the Common Pleas Court and the Probate Judge of the county as a board of control to administer the fund, re-invest the principal if desirable and spend the proceeds for charitable purposes or to beautify and improve any part of Columbus in their discretion. The stock and deed were presented to and accepted by Mayor Karb at a dinner in Mr. Jeffrey's honor at the Columbus Club.

In April, the will of Mary J. Sessions, recently deceased, was probated, revealing an estate of about $1,500,000 and gifts of about .$100,000 each to the Young Men's Christian Association and the Young Women's Christian Association of Columbus. Berea College, Kentucky, and the American Missionary Society of the Congregational church received similar bequests.

A joint Y. M. and Y. W. campaign for home expenses and improvements resulted in subscriptions totaling $150,000. The Big Sisters' Association, that it might buy and equip the old Shepard Sanitarium as a home for the protection and care of girls, in a three-days campaign, passed the goal of $50,000. To establish its work in Columbus the Salvation Army asked for and in a week, largely in recognition of the organization's fine war work, received more than $100,000. A project to endow a number of beds in the American Memorial Hospital to be erected in Rheims, France, also laid claim to the generosity of many Columbus people and in July a total of $12,000 was reported by Alexander W. Mackenzie, treasurer.

About the same time a campaign, under the auspices of the Central Philanthropic Council, in which Joseph Schonthal, Stockton Raymond, Rev. W. E. Burnett, Mrs. J. A. Riebel and Miss Lily Atkinson were leaders, resulted in the subscription of $12,000 for the establishment of free dental clinics for children. Co-operation with the medical inspection department of the public schools, the Children's Hospital, the Godman Guild, the South Side and West Side Settlement Houses, and Jewish Community House was established and the clinics were ready for operation in September, with a board of managers representing the so< that had been foremost in the solicitation of funds.

A Catholic endeavor somewhat along new lines was inaugurated in Columbus early in 1919. With the surplus funds left over at the close of the war the National Catholic War Council inaugurated a plan for starting in all the large cities Catholic Community Houses for social service work. Representatives of the National Catholic War Council came to Columbus early in the year, and two sites for houses were at once selected - one at Marble ('ill', in the midst of a settlement of foreign quarry workers; and the other on Barthman avenue, near Parsons, on the South Side. The Marble Cliff building was remodeled and opened auspiciously in May; and the Barthman avenue building was ready for opening early in August. Botli grew rapidly in value and service. The Catholic Woman's League, organized for this purpose, has charge of the community service work. Mrs. James .1. McNnlly is president of the League and Miss Mary Blakelev is secretary. A third house, combining a home lor young women, strangers in the city, and a central community house, will be added to these endeavors, but at the present writing no site for this had been chosen.

Back To Peace, 1919 99

need for such a home lias been felt for some time. Stimulated by the help of the War Council it was finally decided to have a joint drive in connection with the Knights of Columbus, who also had plans for a recreational center for boys and young men. Tindrive was carried on the last week in June, resulting in the sum of .$323,000, one-third of which was for the Knights of Columbus. Of this fine sum $75,000 was collected by the Catholic women through parish work and house to house canvass. The Marble Cliff house was the first community house under the auspices of the National Catholic War Council, and much of its success was due to the untiring work of Miss Mary Dury, temporary head secretary in Columbus.

The Catholic Community League, through its board of sixteen members, had entire charge of the furtherance of the work started by the Catholic War Council, and planned and carried through the big drive to its successful conclusion. The Board is made up of prominent men and women of the city, under the chairmanship of Mrs. W. P. Anawalt. Miss Maud Flynn is secretary, and Mr. Bernard Smith the general treasurer of all funds.

War-time regulations had put out of business all the saloons in the vicinity of the United States Barracks. State prohibition, effective in May, was the next blow to the traffic in intoxicating liquors, and the preparations on the part of those engaged in the business effected some remarkable changes. Flaming signs announced the immediate sale of liquor stocks and great quantities were sold and stored in the cellars of the individual purchasers ; many rooms that had long been used as saloons were vacated, while the proprietors of other saloons planned to continue the business with the sale of soft drinks. The result was at once seen in the decrease of public drunkenness ; in Police Court in July there were but 32 such cases, whereas in July, 1918, there were 155. The Work House population correspondingly decreased. Breweries turned to the manufacture of soft drinks and were, some of them, busier than ever, employing more persons, instead of none at all, as some had expected. National prohibition under constitutional amendment, now ratified by 48 of the states, loomed up effective in January, 1920. The "wet" interests were still full of fight and prepared referendums aimed at both state and Federal prohibition. The June tax collection showed a loss in saloon tax of $176,000, but a gain of more than $250,000 from other sources.

The Methodist Centenary, celebrating one hundred years of missions by that denomination, was a great feature of the summer of 1919, an exposition being held on the State Fair Grounds from June 20 to July 13. There were exhibits from all the foreign lands where missions are maintained, with demonstrations of the methods of work and the customs of the natives. The buildings were so equipped as to represent chapels, hospitals and the familiar features of native life. Native as well as missionary workers were there, and in every one of the large buildings there was a continuous demonstration of missionary work in India, China, Japan and other countries, as well as in the Americas. Every evening in the Coliseum, a great spectacle, called "The Wayfarer," with hundreds in the cast and chorus, was given, generally to an audience that filled every one of the 6,500 seats and left many would-be attendants outside the doors. The spectacle portrayed a troubled world and the hope in a risen Christ and employed the most elaborate of scenic effects and the noblest that has been written around the theme of the salvation of the world. A massive and powerful pipe organ, put in for the occasion, aided the great chorus in the rendition of the music. The exposition was the greatest of the kind ever given anywhere and drew people by the thousands from every part of the country. A preliminary campaign for accommodations for visitors in private homes was entirely successful, and Columbus had the satisfaction of knowing at the close that no visitor had gone without food and shelter. Visitingministers occupied the local pulpits without regard to denomination, during the exposition, and the result was a powerful incentive to closer co-operation and greater missionary endeavor.

The end of the war found Columbus with a population for which there were not enough houses, the shortage being estimated at 3,000. Several thousand negroes had come in from the South seeking the jobs that were offered during the period of war-time manufacture. They had filled to overflowing the .sections already occupied by members of that race, and spread to others. There had also been a large influx of whites, drawn by the opportunities of business. Rents in consequence advanced and the prices of property were increased. War-time regulation of building operations which had ceased with the signing of the armistice, was for a time followed by a disinclination to build on account of the high prices of labor and matt-rial. But not for long. A campaign to stimulate building was inaugurated, backed by the Chamber of Commerce and enlisting the efforts of the Mayor and others, and the effect was soon manifest. In July 359 permits were issued for new buildings and alterations, estimated to cost $658,710 - a substantial gain over the heaviest previous July record. The total for the seven months of the year was 2,021 permits for construction valued at $3,378,450.

The close of the war did not end the high prices. A Federal Government bulletin issued after a survey of retail food prices in seventeen cities disclosed that Columbus prices were slightly below the average. The price of one pound each of sirloin steak, rib roast, pork chops, bacon, sliced ham, lard, chicken, butter, flour, potatoes, navy beans, sugar and coffee and one dozen eggs was $-1.92, compared with an average of $-1.95 for the seventeen cities. These prices were all maintained and some of them increased as the months passed. Canned goods kept abreast of other food staples in the steady course upward and fresh vegetables in midsummer of 1919 were selling at prices in most cases more than twice the prices that prevailed before the war. The cost of living was such that it could not have been borne had not wages been increased. Small-salary persons suffered most, and there were numerous organized demands by employes of the city and state for increases.

On August 6-7, the 5,000 shopmen of the Pennsylvania, T. & O. C. and the N. & W. railroad shop went on strike to hasten action on their demand for higher wages, but returned to work on the 11th on the assurance by President Wilson that such action was necessary to secure the desired consideration. Other smaller strikes and many strike threats stirred the authorities to action. Governor Cox and Attorney General Price had already inaugurated a war on profiteers in foodstuff's, and at the end of July there was a meeting of county prosecutors from all over the State to plan for the indictment and trial of violators of the anti-trust and cold storage laws. Prosecutor Hugo Schlesinger found that the Columbus Packing Company owned 120,000 pounds of pork in the cold storage plant of the Fairmont Creamerv Company. As it was found to have be«".n stored more than six months it was seized by court process and ordered sold at the price that had been paid for it. Judge Robert Duncan in this action was sustained by the Court of Appeals, all the Judges sitting; also by the Ohio Supreme Court. The United States Supreme Court refused to review the ease, and the meat was sold at the Columbus markets.

In the meantime Council had established on Main street and also on Mt. Vernon avenue. producer-to-consumer markets where farmers sold at prices lO^r below the prices on the regular markets. The Federal Government also planned to sell to the people the immense stores of army food in the warehouses east of the city. Mayor Karb, assisted by Postmaster Kinnear, Director of Public Service Borden and others arranged for the purchase and sale at different places in the city of canned vegetables and meat. The first purchase amounted to about $50,000 at prices which the Government had paid for them. To cover the cost of handling, one cent was added to the price of each can and two cents to the price of a pound of bacon. Baked beans were offered at from 8 to 20 cents a can, according to size: corn at 15 cents, peas at H cents, tomatoes at from 14 cents to 17 cents, corned beef hash at 23 cents, one-pound can; roast beef, one-pound tin, 12 cents; bacon, one-pound slab 36 cents. The special markets were opened August 11, each buyer to pay cash and carry his purchase home. There was a rush of purchasers ; prices in the general market fell, and prices to the city by the War Department and bv the city to the buyers were correspondingly reduced. The markets were kept open until all the citv could secure, about $75,000 worth, had been sold. Foodstuffs were also bought from the Government warehouses at Chicago through the postoffice, being transmitted to the buyers by parcel post. A store for the sale of army supplies of various kinds was subsequently opened on North High street and, under the supervision of army officers, blankets, shoes and other articles were sold to eager buyers.

On August 8, 1919, the linemen employed by the Street Railway, Light & Power Company struck for an increase of wages from 51 to 75 cents an hour, time and a half for overtime and an eight-hour day. Trolley lines were broken in several places, and there was no one to repair them. Cars were detoured or were skidded under the break. Westerville was deprived of light and the usual water supply owing to lack of pumping power. When the company used two platform men to repair the lines in the worst places, a crisis was precipitated. Wednesday morning, September 3, the street car conductors and motormen went suddenly on strike, demanding wage increases, shorter hours, a "closed shop," reinstatement of a discharged meter reader, discharge of the platform men who had worked on the broken wires and payment in full of the back pay awarded by the War Board at the time of the previous strike.

Mayor Karb, President Frank L. Packard, of the Chamber of Commerce, and others, haying done all they could to avert the strike, now did all they could to end it. They urged that President Wilson was to be in Columbus for a speech the following day and Civil War veterans were about to arrive for the Encampment of the Grand Army. The negotiations continued for three days with not a car wheel turning and the people getting to and from their work as best they could. On the 6th at 2 o'clock p. m. the platform men returned to duty, having, together with the company, agreed to arbitrate the demands and to abide by the decision. The linemen, however, having partially relieved the Westerville situation, remained out until the 1 0th, when they too signed an arbitration agreement and returned to work.

President Wilson, on his tour of the country to explain the terms of the treaty with Germany and of the League of Nations covenant, made Columbus his first stopping place. He and Mrs. Wilson and the others of their party reached the city at 1 1 o'clock, Thursdav morning, September i. Greeted as he entered the city from the east by circling airplanes and by a great throng at the Union Station, the President and his party were escorted to automobiles. Headed by the Barracks band and a body of soldiers from the Barracks, the procession moved to Memorial Hall where a capacity audience awaited him, other thousands filling the street outside. Former Governor James E. Campbell and Dr. W. O. Thompson, President of Ohio State University, rode in the automobile with President and Mrs. Wilson and went with them to the stage, the audience cheering and singing "Dixie." President Frank F. Packard, of the Chamber of Commerce, called the meeting to order and Dr. Thompson and Governor Campbell made a few preliminary remarks, the latter introducing the President, who spoke for forty-five minutes to an intensely interested and enthusiastic audience, leaving amid another ovation for his further journev into the West.

Even before the President's visit the city was putting on its gala attire for the Fiftythird Grand Army Encampment, beginning Sunday, September 7. Street decorations, including four white pillars at each street intersection of High street from Spring street to Main street, bearing the American eagle and G. A. R. insignia, were prepared. In the State House yard elaborate preparations were made for the registration and assignment of visitors. There were no camps this time, as there were at the previous Columbus encampment of 1888; the "boys in blue" were too old for that sort of entertainment, and they were now to be taken into the homes, hotels and boarding houses. It was a great task, but Columbus was equal to it and under the direction of a citizens' committee, of which former Governor James E. Campbell was chairman, all arrangements were perfected and well executed.

Columbus churches of all faiths and denominations united Sunday afternoon at Memorial Hall in welcoming the veterans. There were eleven short addresses by as many clergvmen ; patriotic singing by the great audience, and the pledge of allegiance recited by all standing.

All day Sunday and Monday and even later the stream of visitors flowed into Columbus by every train from practically every part of the country - members of the G. A. R., Woman's Relief Corps, Ladies of the G. A. R., Sons of Veterans, Sons of Veterans' Auxiliary, Daughters of Veterans, Ex-Prisoners of War, Army Xurses of the Civil War, the Army and Navy Legion of Valor, and other organizations. Memorial Hall, the State House, Club Houses, State institutions, the hotels and the churches in the central part of the city afforded headquarters and meeting places, and as rapidly as possible all were assigned to places of entertainment. Sunday evening there was a community sing in Memorial Hall, with 1,500 people, led by Prof. Karl Hoenig and accompanied by the Barracks Band in the melodies of the Civil War.

Commander-in-Chief Clarendon E. Adams, of Omaha, and the Executive Committee were quartered at the Deshler Hotel, where they began their business sessions Monday. Mondav evening, the 8th, there was a semi-official meeting and reception at Memorial Hall, open to the public, with addresses by Governor James M. Cox, Mayor George Karb, and Commander-in-Chief C. E. Adams.

to automobiles bearing the visiting veterans. The call for automobiles for the comfort and convenience of the visitors had been insistent and the responses were many and generous ; a Grand Army badge or other Civil War insignia commanded every courtesy and attention. The program for Tuesday evening included: Grand Army campfire at Memorial Hall, campfire of the Union Ex-Prisoners of War, in the hall of the House of Representatives, reception and ball by the Sons of Veterans at the Elks' Club House and the opening session of the Army Nurses of the Civil War. At the G. A. R. Campfire Past Commander-in-Chief Samuel R. Van Sant presided, and there were addresses by Commander-in-Chief Adams, Mrs. Eliza Brown Daggett, President of the W. R. C, Mrs. Rose Houghton, President of the Ladies of the G. A. R., Past Commander-in-Chief James Tanner and Past Commanderin-Chief Washington Gardner.

In the afternoon of the same day a tablet in honor of the Andrews' Raiders was unveiled in the State House rotunda. Joseph W. O'Neill, Chairman of the dedication committee, told the large crowd of the enterprise on which James J. Andrews and twenty-one others had set out April 12, 1862. Eight of the party were executed by the Confederates. Eleven of the survivors were present at the Columbus encampment of 1888, but only one, John Reed Porter, of North Vernon, Ind., was present at the dedication of the tablet. All the others are supposed to have died in the interval. Gladj'S Slavens, granddaughter of one of the men executed, unveiled the tablet, and Governor Cox, Commander-in-Chief Adams and Colonel W. L. Curry spoke in praise of the men who made the raid.

The spectacular event of the encampment was the parade at 10 o'clock on the morning of the 10th. A reviewing stand had been erected along the north side of the State House square, and a short line of march had been adopted: Grant avenue from Broad to Main, to High, to Spring, countermarch to Broad, east on Broad to Third, past the reviewing stand. Chief of Staff George A. Hoslev, of Boston, was in charge, with General John C. Speaks as marshal. Led by a platoon of police, Chief Charles E. Carter, there came the veterans of the World War, soldiers, sailors, marines, Medical Corps of the army and navy, Spanish War veterans, Sons of Veterans, Commander-in-Chief and Staff, the G. A. R. State Departments in the order of their organization, naval veterans, veterans in automobiles. At the end of the line came the Ohio posts. Sidewalks and buildings along the entire line of march were alive with eager humanity. Bands played the martial airs of 1861-(55, marchers cheered and were cheered. There was applause for all, but most of all for the Civil War veterans whose coming was heralded by the music of the fife and drum. Just as the first of these passed Gay and High streets the rain began to fall and fell so heavily for a few minutes as to drive the spectators to cover and to interrupt the parade. However, all ultimately passed the reviewing stand except the cavalry under command of Colonel W. L. Curry, their horses having become unmanageable in the storm. The last detail of marching veterans passed the reviewing stand at 12:30, and the last automobile carrying veterans at 1:18, the whole time consumed being three hours and eighteen minutes. The reviewing party consisting of Commander-in-Chief Adams, Governor Cox, Mayor Karb, Lieut. -Governor Brown, General Johnny Clem, Mrs. Elizabeth Brown Daggett and Mrs. Rose Houghton braved the storm until the last of the interrupted parade had passed. The number in the parade was estimated at :i0,000, of whom one-third were Civil War veterans.

Commander-in-Chief Adams at the close of the parade said: "It was the greatest patriotic demonstration in the history of America. The patriotic pulse of the nation is beating loudest in Columbus today. Too much cannot be said in praise of Columbus. I am supremely happy and satisfied."

Eighteen first aid stations along the line of march ministered to a number of the veterans who found the effort too great for their strength, sending a few to the hospitals for further treatment. Stretchers and motorcycle ambulances were everywhere available, and drinking water was carried to the men in line, while along much of the line chairs were provided for the aged women visitors. Everywhere there was an outburst of affection and a benediction of kindness.

Wednesday evening was given over to receptions at the Deshler Hotel by the Woman's Relief Corps, Ladies of the G. A. R., Sons of Veterans Auxiliary and the Army Nurses of the Civil War, at which Commander-in-Chief Adams and staff were guests of honor, and a smoker to the Sons of Veterans given by Governor Dennison Camp No. 1, at the Elks' Club House.

Back To Peace, 1919 103

The sentiment of the Grand Army as expressed in speeches and resolutions was bitterly hostile to everything and everybody un-American. A resolution adopted after long debate denounced the covenant of the League of Nations as formulated at Versailles. Another opposed any consolidation of soldiers' organizations that would submerge the G. A. R., though there was approval of co-operation for patriotic ends. The creed, "One country, one flag," was modified to read "One country, one flag, one language," Colonel James D. Bell, of Brooklyn, N. Y., was elected Commander-in-Chief, and Atlantic City was chosen as the place for the next encampment.

The Sons of Veterans adopted vigorous resolutions demanding a citizenship 100 per cent. American, urged the deportation of unregenerate aliens and declared that Congress should investigate the social unrest and apply the proper remedies. Henry D. Sisson, of Pittsfield, Mass., was elected Commander-in-Chief.

The Woman's Relief Corps elected Mrs. Abbie Lynch, of Pittsburg, National President, and Mrs. Hattie E. Lear National Senior Vice President. The presidency of the other organizations was bestowed as follows: Ladies of the G. A. R., Mrs. Lillian Clark Cary, Dubuque, la.; Daughters of Veterans, Mrs. Clara G. Yengling, of Cleveland; Sons of Veterans Auxiliary, Miss Mary L. Tredo, of Paterson, N. J.; National Daughters of the G. A. R., Mrs. Grace T. Armstrong, Detroit; Army Nurses of the Civil War, Mrs. Alice Bradv, of Columbia, Mo.

The local expenses of the encampment, estimated at about $25,000, were met bv a fund raised by popular subscription. Former Gov. James E. Campbell, chairman of the Citizens' Committee, estimated the number persons in attendance at the encampment at 90,000

The election November 4, 1919, presented to the voters of Columbus (women this time included, under the amendment to the city charter) a multiplicity of propositions. The offices to be filled were those of Mayor, Municipal Court Clerk, two Judges of the Municipal Court, four members of the Council and four members of the Board of Education. There were proposals for additional city and county tax levies; bond issues for a Riverside park, water works extension, completion of the grade crossing elimination, a Greenlawn avenue bridge, and an addition to the County Tuberculosis Hospital. The "wets" had also caused to be submitted four propositions to interfere with prohibition.

Women were permitted to vote for Mayor, Municipal Court C'.erk and members of the Council and Board of Education. They asked for the election of but one woman - Mrs. William McPherson, candidate for the Board of Education - but organized efficiently to make their influence felt in the mayoralty contest. Two organizations prominent in the campaign were the Franklin County League of Women Voters, Mrs. Orson D. Dryer chairman, and the Women's Political Committee, Mrs. J. G. Battelle president. Emphasizing the vice issue, they were severely critical of the Karb administration and demanded a change. The registration for the election, men and women, totaled 72,000; about 65,000 votes were cast, approximately 1(5,000 by women.

The count of the preferential ballots, all choices included, showed that James J. Thomas had received 31,188 votes, George J. Karb 26,288, Fred P. Zimpfer 19,260, John J. Dun 6,533. Other successful candidates wre: William M. Jones, Clerk of the Municipal Court; Frank E. Ruth and Edward F. Berrv. Judges of the Municipal Court; Milton W. Westlake, Joseph C. Nailor, W. L. Millikin and Charles E. Justus, members of the Council : Fred D. Connolley, William H. Conklin, Frank I.. Holvcross and Lucretia (Mrs. Wm.) McPherson, members of the Board of Education.

The city and county voted "dry" on all propositions except that they went with the remainder of the State against the act of the General Assembly for enforcing prohibition. The tax levy proposals were approved, as were all the propositions for the issue of bonds except that for a Riverside park, the majority for that being not the required two-thirds. Every official elected, with the exception of two conncilmen, was rated a Republican, and there was consequent Republican elation at party control of all branches of the city government.

Mayor-elect Thomas reiterated his promises of an efficient and economical government, but warned the people against expecting too much in the way of immediate tax or debt reduction. He was inaugurated January 1, 1920, and in his address advocated many policies for a progressive city - the relief of traffic congestion north and south, the parking of the Scioto, the creation of a city planning commission, increased recreation facilities, closer CO- operation between city departments, no further issue of bonds except for permanent improvements, the postponement of street paving, except for the great thoroughfares, and a civil service supervision that will eliminate all inefficient employes.

The Mayor's first appointments were: John P. MeCune to be Director of Public Safety, and William H. Duffy to be Director of Public Service. The inaugural ceremonies in the packed Council chamber were in charge of a committee, M. A. Pixley chairman, on which there were two women - Mrs. J. G. Battelle and Miss Georgia Hopley.

General John J. Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Force in France during the World War, visited Columbus by invitation, December 17, 1919. He arrived at 3 p. m., and was met at the station by a committee headed by Mayor George J. Karb, former Governor James E. Campbell and President Frank L. Packard of the Chamber of Commerce. The automobiles carrying the guest and the reception committee and escorted by the Barracks Band and four companies of troops from the Barracks proceeded down High street, cheered by throngs of people and greeted by a battery of guns in the State House vard. General Pershing held a public reception in the rotunda of the State House and afterwards addressed the General Assembly in the hall of the House of Representatives. After a reception for the legislators, General Pershing was escorted to the Hotel Deshler where at 6 o'clock he was the guest of honor at a dinner attended by 500 citizens and legislators. Governor Cox and Mayor Karb spoke in welcome and praise and the General felicitously responded. General E. F. Glenn, General Charles G. Treat and the officers of General Pershing's staff were other guests. At the close of the dinner, General Pershing went to Memorial Hall, by invitation, and spoke to a gathering of negroes in appreciation of the part of the negro soldiers in the war. Leaving the city en route to Toledo, he was escorted as far as Springfield by a committee from the latter city, headed by General J. Warren Keifer.

In the early part of January, 1920, a drive under the direction of a committee, headed by Rabbi Joseph S. Kornfeld, for the city's quota of .$85,000 for a national fund for Jewish relief in file war-torn countries, resulted in a subscription of -$1 15,000.

The census of 1920, taken under the direction of John Pfeifer, revealed a population of 237,031. Of these, 199,159 were American-born, and 176,319 were born in Ohio. Males numbered 119,436, females 177,595. There were 220,315 whites, 16,637 negroes and 79 of other races. Of the foreign-born, 7413 were from Germany, 2,363 from Ireland, 2,114 from Italy, 1,995 from Russia, 1,471 from England, 1,267 from Hungary, 1,068 from Austria, 867 from Canada, 697 from Wales, 412 from Switzerland, 400 from Greece, 358 from Scotland, 195 from France, 171 from Turkey and 624 from other countries. The total number of families was 55,694, children of school age 57,926, males of voting age 79,525. The increase in the number of foreign-born whites during the decade was 4,965, increase in negro population 3,898. The illiterates over ten years numbered 5,788.

Chapter Xiv Forms Of Government

Director Appointed by the General Assembly in 1812 - Torvn Incorporated in 1816 - Mayors and Councilmen of the Borough - Columbus Created a City in. 1834 - City Watch of 1849 - City Reorganization of 1852 - First City Hall in the Central Market House - Municipal Code of 18G9 - First Board of Police Commissioners - Board of Public JVorks Regime of 1890 - Partisanship Runs High - Municipal Code of 1902 - Corrupt Officials - The Federal Plan of 1908 - Marshall Efforts at Reform - Home Rule Demand Met by the Constitution of 1912 - Columbus Charter Commission - Present Charter Adopted in 1914 - Principal City Officers Since 1834 - Suburban Villages.

The act of February 11, 1812, locating and naming the capital of the State, set up no particular form of government. The legislature appointed a director who assumed charge and the business under the contract with the proprietors of the land proceeded. But to meet the needs of a growing community the Fegislature on February 10, 1816, passed an act incorporating the town of Columbus. After describing the boundaries of the town, the act made it lawful for the qualified electors, resident six months, to meet at the Columbus Inn on the first Monday of May and elect by ballot "nine suitable persons, being citizens, freeholders or housekeepers and inhabitants of said town, to serve as Mayor, Recorder and Common Councilmen" ; the persons so elected to choose out of their own body by ballot a Mayor, Recorder and Treasurer and to determine their terms as common councilmen - three for three years, three for two years and three for one year - three new members of the bodv to be elected each year in May. The Council, Mayor, Recorder and Treasurer were made a body corporate and politic, with power to receive, possess and convey real and personal estate for the use of the town ; to appoint an Assessor, Town Marshal, a Clerk of the Market, a Town Surveyor and such other subordinate officers as they may deem necessary ; to give such fees to officers and impose such fines for refusal to accept office as may seem to them proper and reasonable ; to levy and collect taxes, to erect and repair public buildings ; to make, amend or repeal ordinances and to fine and imprison persons who offend against laws and ordinances, "provided always that no person shall be imprisoned under the provisions of this section more than 24> hours at any one time."

The Mayor was vested with the powers of a justice of the peace and the Marshal with those of a constable. The Marshal was also required to collect taxes and empowered to sell property for delinquent taxes, the original owner being given one year in which to recover. The Marshal was directed to pay all tax money received to the Treasurer, and both Marshal and Treasurer were required to give bond satisfactory to the common council. The Recorder was required to keep a true record of all laws and ordinances passed and of all the proceedings of the Mayor and Common Council, which should always be open to the inspection of any elector who, if he felt aggrieved by any judgment of the Mayor, could appeal to the Court of Common Pleas.

The Mayor, Recorder, Treasurer or Common Council, or any three of them were made judges of the annual election, and were directed to make a fair record of, and publicly declare, the result on the same day, as well as to give personal notice to those who were elected. A vacancy in the office of Mayor, Recorder or Treasurer was to be supplied from the Common Council, and a vacancy in the Common Council was to be supplied by the remaining eight from the electors of the town. In case of misconduct in office by Mayor, Recorder, Treasurer or Councilman or subordinate officer, the others were given power to remove by a two-thirds vote. In the absence or inability of the Mayor, the Recorder was authorized to act in his stead. This act was signed by Matthias Corwin, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Peter Hitchcock, Speaker of the Senate.

The first borough election was held at the Columbus Inn May 6, 1816. Those elected were: Jarvis Pike, John Cutler, Henry Brown, Robert Armstrong, Michael Patton, Jeremiah Armstrong, Caleb Houston, Robert W. McCoy and John Kerr. These Councilmen met at the same place May 13, and elected Jarvis Pike Mayor, R. W. McCoy Recorder and

Robert! Armstrong Treasurer. They also appointed these officers: Assessor, Daniel Liggett; Marshal, Samuel King; Clerk, of the Market, William Long.

At the end of the first year, the Council found that it owed #126.78 J, with $165,614, in the treasury. The Treasurer had personally advanced #20 to pay the Marshal a quarter's salary; there were stationery bills amounting to $16.31]; $88.50 was due the councilmen for fees, and there were many small bills outstanding. The councilmen relinquished their fees for the benefit of the corporation," and the indebtedness was thus reduced to $172.67].

In the 18 years of the borough organization, from 1816 to 1831, the following, in addition to those already named served as councilmen; James B. Gardiner, Christian Heyl, Wm. McElvain, James Kooken, Townsend Nichols, Ralph Osborn, P. H. Olmsted, John Jeffords, Eli C. King, Lincoln Goodale, Charles Lofland, W. T. Martin, John Greenwood, John Laughry, James Robinson, John W. Smith, Wm. Long, Joel Buttles, Nathaniel McLean, Joseph Ridgway, George Jeffries, John Warner, Robert Brotherton, Jonathan Neereamer, Robert Riorden, Samuel Parsons, John Patterson and Moses R. Spurgion.

The appointive officers in the order of their service, were: Marshal, Samuel King (two years); James P'isher, Wm. Richardson, Samuel Shannon (four years), Benjamin Sells (two years), Samuel Shannon (again two years), John Kelly, Benjamin Sells (again two years), J. G. Godman, John Kelly, Benjamin Sells, George B. Harvey; surveyor, John Kerr (four years), Jeremiah McLene, John Kerr (again two years), Jeremiah McLene (again eight years), Joseph Ridgway, jr., Byron Kilbourne (two years) ; Clerk of the Market, Wm. Long (two years), Wm. Richardson (two years), Samuel Shannon (seven years), John Kelly, Benjamin Sells, (two years), Julius G. Godman, John Kelly, Bejamin Sells, George B. Harvey.

The first change in the form of government for Columbus came with the enactment of a new charter by the General Assembly, March 3, 1834. After describing the boundaries, the act created Columbus a city and its inhabitants a body corporate and politic, with all the usual powers. It divided the city into three wards - the first consisting of all territory north of the center of State street, the second of all between the center of State and the center of Rich street, and the third all south of the center of Rich street. It provided that the Mayor should be elected on the second Monday in April, biennially, for the term of two years, making it his duty to enforce all ordinances, to punish official negligence, to sign commissions and issue licenses and permits granted by the city council, and giving him the authority and jurisdiction of a justice of the peace. It provided that the qualified electors of each ward should at the April election choose four freeholders or householders resident therein as members of the council, one for one, one for two, one for three and one for four years, to be determined by lot, and that at each subsequent annual election, one councilman should be elected in each ward for a four-year term.

It was made the duty of the Council to elect from their own body a President, a Recorder and a Treasurer, each for one year, and appoint Assessors, Tax-Collectors, a City Surveyor, Clerk of the Market, street commissioners, health officers and all other officers necessary for the good government of the city. The Council was given custody and control of all city property, with power to purchase, hold and sell for the benefit of the city, but it was prohibited from selling any public landing, dock or wharf used by those engaged in trade and navigation, also from issuing money and engaging in banking. It was directed to make ordinances for the peace and safety of citizens. It was given power to establish a board of health, to create a police and a fire department, to prohibit the erection of fire-traps and cause their removal, to regulate taverns and all places where spirituous liquors are sold, theatrical and other exhibitions and auctions, to require the abatement of all nuisances, to keep open and repair streets and regulate traffic, to establish new streets and alleys, to levy and collect taxes on real and personal property, to erect a city prison and provide for its; government.

Forms Of Government 107

It was required that all moneys raised by tax, license, penalty, fine or forfeiture should be paid into the city treasury and should no! be drawn therefrom except on order of the City Council; that the City Treasurer should give bond to the satisfaction of Council; that the Recorder should keep a true record of all ordinances and proceedings and perform such other duties as required by ordinance; tint the Council should elect annually a City Marshal and fix his fees, giving him power t » appoint deputies and making it his duty to execute and return all writs directed to hiii by the Mayor, to suppress riots and disturbances and to make arrests for violations of law.

The Mayor was required to issue proclamation of elections and to receive the returns except those of the election for Mayor which were to be sent to the President of Council; and the returns of all elections the Recorder was required to tabulate and enter in a book provided for the purpose. Every white male inhabitant having qualifications as an elector for members of the General Assembly, if a resident for one year, was made a qualified city elector. Judges of the election in each ward were appointed by Council from their own number, never, however, candidates for re-election, and Council was given authority to make by ordinance other election arrangements as deemed necessary.

The General Assembly, in granting this charter, reserved the right to amend it at will. It was signed by John H. Keith, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and David T. Disney, Speaker of the Senate.

The first election under the new charter was held April 14, 1834. John Brooks was elected Mayor, and councilmen were elected as follows: First ward, Joseph Ridgway, R. W. McCoy, Henry Brown and Otis Crosby; second ward, Jonathan Neereamer, Noah H. Swayne, Francis Stewart and Wm. Long; third ward, John Patterson, Christian Heyl, Wm. Miner and Wm. T. Martin. This council elected Robert McCoy President, Wm. T. Martin Recorder, Wm. Long Treasurer, J. A. Lapham Surveyor, Abram Stotts Marshal and Clerk of the Market.

On February 18, 18-1G, the Council, exercising the power given to it under the charter, divided the city into five wards - all the territory north of Gay street being the first, all between Gay and State the second, all betwc ;n State and Rich the third, all between Rich and Mound the fourth and all south of Mould the fifth - and fixed the number of councilmen in each ward at three. In 1840 the office of City Clerk was created by Council and ten years later that of City Recorder was abolished.

In 1819 the Council created the "city watch" and assumed the duty of appointing annually in May and November as many watchm n as were deemed necessary for the ensuingsix months, these watchmen to be cr officio police officers for the enforcement of the laws and ordinances. They were to assemble at the city watchhouse every night, precisely one hour after sunset, for evening roll call. They were to serve during the night as the Marshal directed and to meet again for morning roll call; the absentees were to be noted and reported to Council, and two absences without satisfactory excuse was to mean dismissal. Thus Council sought to meet the complaints of ruffianism, breaches of the peace, obstruction of the streets and sidewalks, the accumulation of garbage and the openness of vice. The government, it will be observed, was by Council which passed ordinances, elected officers to enforce them and sought to punish official neglect. The Mayor was little more than a justice of the peace.

The next significant change in the city government was in 1852 when, under the then new constitution of the State, the General Assembly passed a general act for the organization of cities and incorporated villages. Bv this act the Mayor became the chief executive officer of the city, charged with the duty of enforcing the laws and ordinances and supervising the conduct of all officers. In cities like Columbus the Mayor remained police judge and was elected at the polls for two years, as were the Marshal, Civil Engineer, Fire Engineer, Auditor, Solicitor and Superintendent of Markets. The councilmen were elected, two from each ward for two years, their terms to expire alternately. Thus the Council lost much of its executive power and became more directly responsible to the people. In the application of this law to Columbus, each ward had four councilmen in 1853, three in 185-1' and two in 1855. The personnel of the large cou u-il in 1853 is interesting. In it were Wm. Dennison, jr., afterwards Governor; J. Wm, Baldwin, afterwards Circuit Court Judge; John Miller, John Noble, Luther Donaldson, Robert W. McCoy, Theodore Comstock, Lewis Hoster, Jacob Reinhard, all variously prominent in the city's history; M. P. Hewlett,

In the meantime (1851) rooms for the Council and city officials had been fitted up in the second story of the new market house on Fourth street. A room 92 feet long, 27 feet wide and 1!) feet high was appropriately furnished as a City Hall. The Council held its meetings in the southern part of this chamber, and there were offices adjoining for the Mayor, Marshal, Clerk and Surveyor. Cells for the confinement of prisoners were on the same floor, though the County Jail was still used for all but temporary purposes. It was not till 1855 that the first station house was erected at a cost of $2,800. It was a two-story brick and was located across the alley from the market house; on the first floor were the cells in two rows, while the second floor contained a hall for the use of the police. The force consisted of twelve men for night duty and three for day; they were paid from .$150 to $500 a year. In 1858 ten regular and 20 special policemen were elected by Council and Henry M. Wakeman was appointed captain. In 1860, John Uncles was chosen captain, with the following members of the force: H. M. Wakeman, Israel Lyon, O. T. Huff, Albert Hazleton. Solomon Justice, Albert Fox, Charles Gain, W. B. Huffman and Nicholas Ketzel. B. McCabe was captain of police in 18(51 and reappointed in 1862.

An act of the General Assembly, April 29, 1862, provided for election at the polls of a City Marshal for one year and a City Sol'citor for two years, also for appointment by Council of a City Clerk for two years. In 1867 the General Assembly passed an act extending to Columbus the provisions of the metropolitan police system, and John Field, Harvey P. Bancroft, Nelson Rush, John J. Janney and James G. Bull became Police Commissioners by appointment of the Governor. An injunction on behalf of Columbus was secured and, on May 21, was made permanent and later, the act insofar as it applied to Columbus was repealed.

In 1869 the General Assembly passed a municipal code for the State, giving the Mayor, in Columbus and other cities of its class, the judicial powers of a justice and the police powers of a sheriff, but leaving the organization and control of the police in the hands of the Council. The elective officers were Mayor, Clerk, Treasurer, City Solicitor, City Commissioner and Marshal. The last named was declared to be the "chief ministerial officer of the corporation" and was given power to appoint one or more deputies. When a petition bearing nearly 6,000 signatures was presented to Mayor Meeker, asking him to close the saloons on Sunday he pointed out the fact that under the law of 1869 he had no more power than the petitioners and that they should address themselves to Council and the committee on police.

A Board of Police Commissioners appeared for the first time in April, 1873, when Francis Collins, Joseph Falkenbach, Theodore Comstock and Luther Donaldson were appointed by Governor Noyes as a bi-partisan body, in accordance with an act of the General Assembly. The Mayor was ex-officio a member of the commission. The following year the General Assembly passed an act making the police commissioners elective and fixing their terms at four years each. But still there was dissatisfaction with the results. In 1882 an unsuccessful effort was made to exclude the Mayor from the board and in 1883, as the Council was still dividing police authority with the board, the General Assembly passed an act giving control of the force, including appointments, discipline, etc., to the board.

In the succeeding years the men who served as Police Commissioners, aside from the Mayor, who was always an ex officio member, were as follows: 1875, D. W. Brooks, Louis Zettler, Thomas Bergin and F. W. Merrick; 1876, the same with George Butler in place of Merrick: 1877, the same, with E. J. Blount in place of Bergin; 1878, the same, with John V. Rickenbacher in place of Zettler; 1879, Van S. Seltzer, H. F. Amos, B. McCabe and M. Hums; 1880, Alonzo B. Coit, Henry Pausch, Burns and McCabe; 1881, the same; 1882, the same, with Thomas J. Dundon in place of Burns; 1883, the same; 1881, the same with D. II. Hover in place of Pausch; 1885, Jacob Albright, P. H. Bruck, McCabe and Royce; 1886, the same; 1H87. George Burke, Jacob Albright, F. W. Merrick and Dennis Kelly; 1888, B. McCabe, Charles I.. Young, Kelly and Albright; 1889, George J. Karb, Young, Kelly and McCain'; 1 S90, the same with Wm. D. Dickson in place of Young; 1891. Kelly, McCabe and Dixon; 1892, John A. Pfeifer, Kelly and Dickson.

In 1885, Allen O. Myers, while a member of the General Assembly, fathered a bill reorganizing the government of Columbus which became a law but was declared uneonstitu- tional before it became operative. The purpose of the bill was to redistrict the city in the interest of the Democrats and to create an administrative board of three members.

In 1890 the General Assembly passed an act, introduced by A. D. Heffner, creating for Columbus a Board of Public Works of four members, appointed in the first instance by the Mayor, but thereafter to be elected, each for a term of four years. To this board were given all the usual functions of an administrative commission except the control of the police. It was given authority to appoint a Civil Engineer, a Sealer of Weights and Measures and such superintendents, market master and clerks as it deemed necessary. To it was committed the inauguration of all public improvements, the purchase of material and the supervision of the work. The first board, appointed by Mayor Bruck, consisted of E. L. Hinman, William Wall, James M. Loren and Joseph A. Schwartz. Mr. Loren was the first president. He was elected by the people to the board in 1891 and, on the reorganization of the board Mr. Hinman became president. When Mr. Loren retired William M. Mutchmore took his place; and in 1892 Schwartz was defeated for re-election by Jerry P. Bliss, the board thus becoming for the first time bi-partisan.

Partisan spirit ran high. The Republicans, pleased witli the equal division of the Board of Public Works, charged that in the two years when the division stood three Democrats to one Republican, the appointive offices had been filled with Democrats. A reorganization bill was introduced in the Republican General Assembly in April, 1892, but it failed of passage at the last moment by one vote. At the next session, however, a similar bill was passed, creating the administrative departments of public improvements, public safety, law and accounts, and at the head of each a director. Mr. Bliss, of the old board of public works, became Director of Public Improvements, in charge of the water works, engineering, streets, public grounds and buildings; Mr. Wall became Director of Accounts; Mr. Mutchmore became Director of Public Safetv, in charge of the police, fire-fighting force, public health and the construction and inspection of buildings ; while Gilbert H. Bargar was appointed Director of Law. Wm. H. Williams was for a short time Director of Accounts, succeeding Mr. Wall and in 1895 was appointed Director of Safety and continued in that position till 1899, the beginning of Mayor Swartz's term. Under Mayor Cotton H. Allen, Martin A. Gemuender was Director of Public Improvements, Edward Denmead Director of Accounts and Gilbert H. Bargar Director of Law. Under Mavor Samuel L. Black in 1897-

98, Selwyn X. Owen was Director of Law, Felix Jacobs Director of Public Improvements and Edward Denmead Director of Accounts. With tbe election of Samuel Swartz as Mayor in 1899, the administrative offices all fell into the hands of Republicans. Ira H. Crum was Director of Law and Linus B. Kauffman was Director of Public Improvements, each for the full term. J. W. Dusenbury, first Director of Public Safety, was removed by Council July 20, 1899, on charges of negligence, extravagance and defiance of Council. Oliver M. Evans and Dr. W. U. Cole divided the remainder of the term. Lawrence H. Cott, the first Director of Accounts, resigned and was succeeded by A. C. Armstrong. With the election of John M. Hinkle Mayor, the pendulum swung to the other extreme and all the administrative heads were Democrats: C. C. Philbrick Director of Safety, Luke G. Byrne Director of Lawr, Fred J. Immel Director of Public Improvements; W. C. Cussins, Director of Accounts.

In all of these administrations there was much good public service, but the partisan fireworks were too frequent. These explosions laid heavy claim on the public attention and there was discontent, not only in Columbus but in other cities of the State. The General Assembly had proved a willing agency for the reorganization of cities chiefly to accomplish partisan ends, sometimes to correct recognized local abuses. In this way it had created fourteen different grades and classes of cities that it might distinguish them in the legislation it enacted, and finally it was realized that a vicious system of special legislation had sprung up and that home rule was well nigh destroyed. Recognizing these facts, Governor Bushnell appointed, under the authority of the General Assembly of 1898, a commission to draft a municipal code. Judge D. F. Pugh, of Columbus, and Edward Kibler, of Newark, were the appointees. They prepared a code which was introduced as a bill in the General Assembly of 1900 and defeated; it failed also in 1902. In June of the latter year the Supreme Court of the State created a crisis by declaring unconstitutional the existing system of classifying and legislating for cities. Governor Nash called the General Assembly to meet in extraordinary session August 25 and in the meantime, with the assistance of Nicholas Longworth, of Cincinnati, and Wade H. Ellis, of Columbus, undertook the preparation of a municipal code to be submitted to the legislators when they met. The bill was offered as a part of the Governor's message and was the basis of the code which passed October 22, 1902. By this act the Mayor was made the real head of the local government, appointing all the chief officers not elected by the people, including Tax Commissioners, Sinking Fund Trustees, members of the Board of Health, Library Trustees, etc., and was empowered to suspend for misconduct or incapacity any officer or head of department, pending charges which he was authorized to file with the Council; he was authorized to appoint, subject to civil service regulations, all policemen and firemen, to fill vacancies in office till the next regular election, and was clothed with the veto power. He was directed to prepare an annual budget on estimates which the heads of departments were required to submit to him. The elective officers were, besides the Mayor, the President of the Citv Council, the Treasurer and Solicitor for two years each and the Auditor for three years ; also a department of public service to consist of three or five men as determined by Council. A department of public safety of two or four as determined by Council was to be appointed bv the Mayor. Council was to have not feTcr than seven members, three of whom were to be elected at large.

Under the provisions of this act, the Council divided the citv into 12 wards, created a Board of Public Safety of two members and a Board of Public Service of three members. In 190.3, by election, Robert H. Jeffrey became Mayor. Svlvester C. Noble Auditor. C. H. Smith Treasurer, James M. Butler Solicitor, and Henry Bold. Fred J. Immel and H. O. Pond a Board of Public Service. A Board of Public Safety consisting of James W. Meek and Daniel H. Sowers was appointed by the Mayor. Later, Mr. Bold resigned and Charles B. Burr became the third member of the Board of Public Service. At the next election DeWitt C. Badger was elected Mayor, George S. Marshall solicitor and Fred Lied was elected to the Board of Public Service with Burr and Immel. William S. Connors was appointed to serve on the Hoard of Public Safety with Meek. On March 19, 1907, Mayor Badger preferred charges in Council against Burr, Immel and Lied, constituting the Board of Public Service, alleging misfeasance and malfeasance in office. The Council at once suspended them for 1.") davs and after a hearing, removed them from office. Burr fled from the citv and never made reply to the charges. Immel and Lied were criminally prosecuted, found guilty and sent to the Penitentiary. Mayor Badger appointed George D. Jones. John F. Andrix and James W. Meek to the Board of Public Service to serve until the first Monday in January, 1908, and appointed Frank MeCafferty to the Board of Public Safety vice Meek transferred to the other board.

This upheaval led to a Republican victory at the next election. Charles A. Bond being chosen Mayor, George S. Marshall Solicitor, Charles H. Smith Treasurer, S. C. Noble Auditor, and D. J. Fisher, Fred Weadon and Charles A. Pearce Board of Public Service. Foster G. Burdell was appointed to serve with Connors on the Board of Public Safety.

With this administration the boards disappeared and under the provisions of an act passed by the General Assembly the so-called federal plan of government was put to trial. This act (April 29, 1908) made the Mayor the chief conservator of the peace, fixed his term at two years and gave him power to appoint and remove the Director of Public Safety and Director of Public Service and the heads of the sub-departments under both; the directors to attend Council meetings when requested and to answer questions. The Mayor and his two directors were constituted a board of control to pass on all contracts involving the expenditure of more than $500, and the Mayor was to make to Council such recommendations as might seem to him wise. A classified and unclassified group of city employes were defined, and a civil service commission with authority over the former was created - a body of three appointed by the President of the Board of Education, the President of the Sinking Fund Commission and the President of the Council.

In 1909 George S. Marshall was elected Mayor, Edgar L. Weinland Solicitor and H. Clayton Cain Auditor. The Mayor appointed E. L. MeCune Director of Public Safety and Harry S. Holton Director of Public Service and set out on a vigorous program of reforms. In his message to Council in March, 1911, Mayor Marshall, as evidence that the city was committed to municipal ownership of public utilities, cited the water works, the electric light plant, the asphalt repair plant and the systems of sewage and garbage disposal and street cleaning. He pointed to the street railways, commercial heating and lighting and the natural gas service, recommending municipal ownership of all with the possible exception of the last named, as the gas supply seemed uncertain. He urged juster and higher taxing of interurban railways, and enthusiastically supported a civic betterment program, including public play-grounds, baths, drinking fountains, comfort stations and municipal lodging houses, supervision of theatres, dance halls, housing conditions, etc. He reported that the Sunday and midnight closing and anti-gambling laws had been enforced; that the social evil had been treated with a view to its ultimate extinction, that the Seventh street "red light" district had been closed, houses of prostitution removed from the vicinity of schools, wine rooms closed and men and women of questionable character driven from the streets. He estimated that the houses of prostitution were 65 fewer than before and that 500 scarlet women had left the city. He reported cleaner streets and alleys, supported city charities, urged the building of a contagion hospital, a new City Hall, and a new City Prison, aimed to make the workhouse a human repair shop instead of merely a place of punishment, inaugurated the plan of selling from the city electric light plant current for day power, urged that overhead wires be put underground, street encroachments and hanging signs be abolished and smoke abated.

No administration could undertake so much without treading on many corns. The program was nothing short of revolutionary, and to the outcry from those who were hurt was added the criticism of many who disapproved the Mayor's attitude in the street railway strike of 1910. To these causes as well as to the personal popularity of George J. Karb was due the election of the latter in 1912, called from a retirement of 16 years. With him were elected Stuart R. Bolin as Solicitor and Fred Neff as Treasurer. He appointed Samuel A. Kinnear Director of Public Service and Colonel B. L. Bargar Director of Public Safety. In 1911 Mayor Karb was re-elected, Henry S. Scarlett Solicitor and Fred Neff Treasurer, H. Clayton Cain was Auditor and Kinnear and Bargar were continued at the head of the Service and Safety departments.

Meanwhile throughout the State the cry for city home rule had been renewed and the Ohio constitution of 1912 met it by providing that any municipality might frame, adopt and amend its own charter and setting fortli how it could be done. At a primary election, the people of Columbus decided in favor of a commission to frame a charter and elected as such commission: Martin A. Gemuender, George W. Gillette. Emmett Hysell, Felix A. Jacobs, Jose'ih S. Kornfeld, Theodore Leonard, E. D. I.amnman, Clayton A. McCleary, L. Benton Tussing, Albert Zettler and Edgar E. Weinland. Mr. Gemuender was president and Charles

William Wallace was secretary. The commission sat for many weeks in the auditorium of the Public Library building, listened to the arguments of citizens and experts, discussed the various features of city government and on May 5, 191 1, submitted to the electors the document they had prepared.

The vote was light, but the charter was adopted. Among its features were: Home rule in the sense of escape from rule by the General Assembly ; the removal of party emblems from the ballots ; the creation of a Council of seven members, elected at large, instead of from different wards, for a term of four years ; reduction from nine to five in the number of offices to be filled at any election ; preferential voting for Mayor, City Attorney and Auditor ; adoption of the initiative, referendum and recall ; the lengthening of the term of all elective officers from two to four years; maintenance and improvement of the merit system of appointments and promotions; establishment of a division of public welfare and permission to Council to elect a public defender; establishment of a board of purchase; safeguards in the granting of franchises ; continuing the Mayor's power of veto, but permitting Council to pass ordinances over his veto by the original vote; fixing clearly the responsibility for legislative and executive acts. The Mayor's salary was fixed at $5,000. He was made the chief conservator of the peace and directed to supervise the administration, enforce ordinances, recommend measures to Council and to appoint a Director of Public Safety, a Director of Public Service and any other officers whose positions may be created by Council. The salary of councilmen was fixed at $1,000.

On his re-election in 1916, Mayor Karb appointed George A. Borden Director of Public Service and Michael J. Barry Director of Public Safety. W. H. Ginder was elected Auditor and Elmer E. Jenkins was appointed Treasurer by the Council. When Barry died in August, 1918, Arthur J. Thatcher, who had long been secretary to the Mayor, was appointed to the vacancy.

Win. T. Martin was continued as Recorder till 1839, when he was succeeded by Wm. Miner. Miner was succeeded by Joseph Ridgway, jr., in 1 8 13, and he served till 1850 when the office was abolished, the most of its duties having been transferred to that of City Clerk which was created in 18 10, with B. F. Martin as first incumbent. Succeeding City Clerks

Forms Of Government

The Sinking Fund Commission, consisting of four trustees appointed by the Mayor, became a part of the governmental machinery in 1883. It has had an honorable record from the first and has performed a most useful service in saving money for the taxpayers and maintaining the credit of the city. Its members have been in the order of their service: John M. Pugh, Isaac Eberly, Luther Donaldson, Joseph H. Outhwaite, Henry C. Noble, Benjamin F. Martin, W. J. Gilmore, C. Wesley Hess, Robert S. Smith, Benjamin Woodbury. Adolf Theobald, Albert D. Heffner, C. D. Firestone, William F. Burdell, Emil Kiesewetter, P. W. Huntington, Frederick W. Prentiss, Howard C. Park, George W. Bright, David E. Williams, Joshua D. Price, C. Christian Born, Fred Lazarus, William F. Hoffman, John L. Vance, jr., George J. Schoedinger, Simon Lazarus, Foster Copeland, George A. Archer, Joseph C. Campbell, Howard C. Park, Frank L. Stein, and Lee M. Boda. The last four are now serving. The Secretaries of the commission have been: David E. Williams, Martin A. Gemuender and Willis G. Bowland, the last named now serving.

A statement by Secretary Bowland in March, 1918, showed: Assessment bonds (street improvement and sewer) $6,035,800; water works bonds, $3,716,000; other general city bonds, $13,125,150; total bonded debt, $22,907,250. Bonds and cash in the sinking fund applicable to debt payment, $8,013,908; net debt, $11,863,312. Value of real and personal property was assessed for taxation, 1918, $311,725,200.

Capital University is situated in Bexlev, which has also a grade school and is about to build a $200,000 high school. All the principal streets of Bexlev arc paved and sewered. Its mayors have been: Frank Holtzman, F. D. Chamberlain, J. T. Sheppard. Present officers: Dr. A. C. Wolfe may<or, S. W. Roderick clerk, O. P. Dunlap, T. K. Hatfield, E.

E. Legg, L. Loy, R. J. Wheaton, and Frank Bonnett eouncilmen; S. R. Southard, G. R. Wanamaker, John Henney, H. 1). Harris and Carl Busch members of school board; George Frey, E. D. Barnett, H. T. Fishaw and M. S. Connors trustees of public affairs.

East Linden is in the Columbus school district and has two schools and five churches. J. B. Denune has been mayor from the date of the village organization and so continues. The other officers are: A. W. Selby clerk, Charles Shaffer treasurer, George Hess, Charles Radebaugh, P. P. Denune, L. A. Russel, A. A. Hoffman and Rozelle McNabb eouncilmen; A. E. Green marshal and health officer.

Upper Arlington is a highly organized community, due largely to the fact that every resident is a home owner. The first officers were: James T. Miller mayor, Edward D. Howard clerk, Warren A. Armstrong- treasurer, Paul G. Spence, E. J. Crane, John J. Morgan, J. Edwin Haris, F. P. Rogers and W. G. Kern eouncilmen. On March 29, 1919, by unanimous vote the village adopted a charter by which its full government is vested in a commission of five members as follows : Cyrus Woodbury mayor, Wm. A. Gieves vice mayor, E. J. Crane, Lemuel D. Lilly and John J. Morgan. Edward D. Howard is clerk, treasurer and solicitor. Social and recreational activities are in charge of committees appointed by the village commission. The school building is a social center and is used by both children and adults, and there are summer playgrounds with a salaried instructor, and community basket picnics in Miller Park. A survey in 1918 disclosed a majority sentiment for a community church, but no organization has yet been effected.

East Columbus lias three churches - Church of Christ, Methodist and Roman Catholic, and has approved a project for an indenpendent school. The present officers of the corporation are: George A. Ross mayor, M. P. Devore clerk, Frank Stelzer, jr., treasurer, Joseph Gerstner marshal, George Cassidy, F. B. Jonees, Benj. Strausser, Herman Ehrenbach and Harvey Chrysler, eouncilmen; J. F. Daniels. Martin Stelzer. Benj. Mitchell, Norman Plank and George Mohler, board of education.

Hanford is smaller in area than it was when organized, a portion having been taken into the city, and the residents depend upon the latter for church and school facilities. Present officers: Walter Teters mayor, Robert S. Lowerv clerk, Frank Reber treasurer, W. M McCathran marshal, W. M. Ludwig, George McKibben, Wm. Harris, W. A. Starkey and George H. Shazer, eouncilmen ; W. M. Thomp's >n health officer and road commissioner.

Chapter Xv Public Utilities

Borough Streets and First Improvements - Nicholson Wooden Block - Improvements Under the State Law with Brick, Stone Block and Asphalt - First Water Works and the Present Improved Supply - Volunteer Fire Companies - Growth of the Department - Servers and Sewage Disposal.

The streets which were marked out at the time of the founding of Columbus were for a long time ill eared for. In 1816 obstruction of the thoroughfares by lumber, firewood, stable refuse or otherwise was forbidden under penalty of a fine at the discretion of the Mayor. In May, 1818, John Kerr and Caleb Huston were authorized to gravel the center of High street, 75 feet wide, from the center of the capitol square to the south side of Town street, the gravel to be one foot thick in the center of the street and six inches on each side. By ordinance of June 26, 1820, the marshal was directed to remove all stumps and fallen logs from Broad street, west of Fourth. The same year, Henry Brown was allowed $24 for erecting two bridges on Fourth street; a graveled sidewalk was ordered, on Friend street from High to Front and thence on Scioto street to the Penitentiary, and a good bridge was ordered constructed on Rich street across Front. In 1827 the gutters on High street to Mound were ordered paved at the expense of the lot-owners. In 1832, the sidewalks on Broad from High to the river and on Front between Broad and Friend were ordered paved. The appointment of a street commissioner was provided for in 1835, and an ordinance for the protection of the capitol square was passed in 1836. On 1837 members of Council from the various wards were authorized to contract for and superintend whatever public improvements were found necessary. Council approved plans and furnished each councilman with the necessary funds. This authority seems to have been abused, for in 1840 Council forbade any member to spend more money than was specifically authorized. Scioto street was "extended, laid out and established" in 1815; it was to be 70 feet wide and its northern extremity was to be the center of the present Penitentiary. In September of the same year there was complaint that a gutter at Fourth and Town streets was so constructed as not to drain "the flats in the eastern part of the city." In 18 18 an ordinance directed that the streets, lanes and alleys be cleared of fences and other obstructions.

In 1852 Broad street from High street to the Insane Asylum at Lexington avenue was a mud road almost impassable in rainy weather. A resident, writing to the Journal, February 28, that year, says his vehicle stuck fast in the mud about Washington avenue. Farmers coming into town with produce had similar experiences. As a measure of economy in street improvement, the city purchased in that year 17 acres of gravel-bearing land on the north side of the Harrisburg road, west of the Scioto. In April, 1851, the city, according to a report, had about 10 miles of graveled street, 15,200 feet of paved gutters and graveled walks on the streets and 28,000 feet of paved gutters and graveled walks in the alleys; besides there was a plank road from Broad street to the railroad depot. Five plank roads led into the city from the north and five graveled turnpikes from the south.

In 1857 the names of streets were posted at a cost of $528.87, and Broad street was made the dividing line north and south, and High street the dividing line east and west. In the same vear, the first trees were planted in Broad street under the direction of a committee consisting of Wm. G. Deshler, John Noble and Alfred Kelley. Two years later, the plan of a double line of trees on each side was adopted. The suggestion came from Wm. G. Deshler who had just returned from Havana where he admired the sylvan beauty of the streets.

Tlie first escape from the old graveled roadway was in 1867, when Robert McClelland, of Chicago, entered into a contract with the city to pave Higli street with Nicholson wooden block from Naghten street to Friend. The job was completed October 15, 1867, at a cost of #82.955.99, or $10.88 a foot front. The next year the Nicholson pavement was extended to South Public Lane, and in 1869 a portion of Town street was similarly paved. In 1873 B»-oad street was surfaced with gravel and broken stone at $3 per foot front. At that time the Nicholson block pavement on High street had been broken down and worn out, and it was resurfaced with what was called Parisen asphalt, and the completion of the job, September 3, 1873, was celebrated with a promenade concert in front of the capitol. In 1875 Town street was repaved with concrete in the center, the Nicholson block being allowed to remain at the sides. In 1877, Colonel N. B. Abbott laid an experimental piece of Trinidad asphalt on State street from High to Third - the first use of the material in this city. High street was resurfaced in 1876 and the city engineer in his 1881 report estimated that the wooden and asphalt pavements and their repair had cost a quarter of a million dollars - enough to put down a granite block pavement which would have lasted 30 years. In 1885 the paving of High street with Ligonier and Medina stone blocks and Georgia granite began, Colonel Abbott executing two-thirds of the contract. In 1876 North High street, from Naghten to the north corporation line, 3i miles, was paved by Colonel Abbott with a mixture of coal tar and Trinidad asphalt at a cost of $226,253, the city issuing its bonds as the work progressed. A dispute as to the levying of the assessments resulted in an appeal to the courts which found that the Penn act, under which the street had been constructed, was unconstitutional. Suits followed to enjoin the collection of some of the assessments and in some cases were successful. These assessments fell on the city at large, and the assessments for the others at the end of the litigation had increased through interest from $7.15 to about $12 a foot front.

Under a street improvement law of 1886, amended the following year, many streets and alleys were permanently improved at the expanse of the owners of property, the city issuing bonds on its own credit and collecting in installments with interest from the property-owners. In 1886 the cost of street improvements was about $65,000; in 1887, $186,000; in 1888, nearly $454,000 and so on up to nearly $1,000,000 in 1892. There was a revel in street improvements, the main purpose sometimes being the sale of land which had been platted and added to the city.

In 1915 High street was repaved with asphalt and stone block gutters and the cost by ordinance of Council, March 27, 1917, was assessed on the abutting property owners. Asphalt had returned to high favor as material and methods had been improved. Broad and other streets had been successfully paved with it and there had been ample proof of its durability under the new traffic that had come with the introduction of the automobiles. A municipally owned asphalt repair plant had also been used for some years to prolong the life of these pavements. Counting interest and depreciation, it was estimated that the repair in 1916 cost: For asphaltic concrete, 91 cents a square yard, sheet asphalt, $1,22, which "while considerably less than it would cost to make these repairs by contract, would be materially reduced if the plant were running at its full capacity and for a full season."

In 1917 there were 312.38 miles of street that had been improved since 1886. Of this, 71.4 miles were some form of asphalt, 196.7 miles, miscellaneous brick and block, 36 miles granite and stone and the remainder was macadam, tarviated concrete, etc. Brick was for a considerable period in high favor as a street paving material, due largely to the ease of manufacture here and at points nearby, but its popularity soon began to decline, while that of asphalt began to increase and since 1916 has been increasingly greater.

High street north of the Union Station has long been too narrow for the traffic it had to carry. In 1914 a plan was adopted for widening it from Spruce street to the north corporation line. By this plan 10 feet was to be added on the east side between Spruce street and Buttles avenue, and 10 feet to be added on each side between Buttles avenue and Fifth avenue. The property owners were to donate the extra 10 feet and the city was to pay the cost of moving the buildings and repaying the street and sidewalk. This work is now in progress, and it is estimated that the cost to the city will approximate half a million dollars. When it is completed High street will be for the greater part of its length 76 feet wide.

Springs and wells supplied the earlier city witli an ample supply of drinking water, but the burning of the Neil House in 1860 and of the Asylum for the Insane in 1868 gave impressive warnini>- that something more was necessary to a growing city. Besides the water of the wells was becoming contaminated, with the growth of population. For ten years the matter was discussed officially and in the press Finally, February 15, 1870, an ordinance was passed by the Council providing that a "supply of water shall be provided for the city by the construction of water works upon the system known as the Holly waterworks, in accord- ance with the contract entered into by the city and the Holly Manufacturing Co., as approved by the City Council on the 7th day of February, 1870, which contract is hereby ratified and confirmed." The ordinance also located the water works on eight acres of land at the mouth of the Olentangy, purchased from W. A. Neil for $8,000, and created a board of three water works trustees, one of whom should be elected annually for a term of three years, salary $100 a year. N. B. Kelley was appointed architect and superintendent, contracts were made for the trenching and piping and the necessary building. The laying of pipe began September 12. A huge well was sunk in the basin of the river and on November 12 it was announced that the gauge in the water works showed a supply of 2,000,000 gallons a day. In February, 1871, a schedule of rates for domestic consumption was announced; on March 6 the first water was turned into the pipes. Five miles of pipe had then been laid ; about 70 miles more was laid in the ensuing season. The amount expended on the works up to November, 1871, was $149,700. In 1873 filtering galleries were excavated from the well, and the pumping equipment was increased from time to time until the plant, as it existed in 1885, with pumping machinery, well, 7,000 feet of filtering gallery and an extended system of service pipe, represented an expenditure of $1,700,000. Still there was apprehension as to the supply for the growing city and accordingly in 1889 a second pumping station was established in the valley of Alum Creek on a seven-acre tract bought of Wm. B. Hayden for $1,000. A well was sunk, a building erected and two large Holly engines were installed, the purpose being to supply the entire eastern section of the city with water from this plant. The forecast as to the supply of water from this source was justified. In 1898 the pumps were driving 6,000,000 gallons daily into the pipes, while the pumps at the West Side station were producing 9,000,000 gallons daily. But the growth of the city was rapid and as early as 1893 the service was again a source of anxiety, and numerous official recommendations were made to Council for its improvement.

In the summer of 1893 Wm. D. Brickell, proprietor of the Dispatch, on his own account, employed Rudolph Hering, an experienced engineer of New York, to make a brief examination of the local water resources. The city engineer heartily co-operated, and Mr. Hering's report was not only accorded the highest respect, but became the real basis for water supply improvement. He reported that a storage reservoir in one of the river valleys would be necessary ; that the Scioto would give the largest quantity of water and had less surface pollution than any other stream, but that, in any event, purification of such supply would be required. Two years later, another engineer, Allen Hazen, recommended a storage reservoir in one of the four streams near the city. In 1896, definite plans were formulated for a storage dam in the valley of the Scioto, and after numerous soundings and measurements, a site near Wyandot Grove, midway between the Jones and Fishinger mill dams, was selected.

lor temporary purposes these two dams were bought for $10,000. But together they furnished but four days' pumping supply and in the unusually dry summer of 1897, there was further resort to low temporary dams of sandbags, brush and earth which stored at night water that was turned in the conduit the following day. The situation had now become acute, the Board of Trade and other bodies of citizens discussed the project, and out of it all came a demand, whatever the necessary cost, for an abundant supply of pure water which should be sold to consumers at the lowest possible rates. Suggestions of a private company were thrust aside, and it was decided that the city should construct and own the system. The consulting engineers had recommended a 52-foot dam, but the people of the West Side were afraid of so large a body of water and, after much discussion, it was decided to have a .'50-foot dam, with an estimated capacity of 1,627,000,000 gallons and a surface area of 363.3 acres. Bonds in .$175,000 were authorized at the election in the spring of 1898; the necessary land (138 acres) was bought a little at a time, some by court procedure, at a cost of approximately $80,000; bids for the construction of the dam were invited, and Samuel M. Gray was employed as an expert engineer. The construction of the Scioto river dam was begun in 1901-. It is a curved concrete structure, 1,006 feet long, the overflow section 500 feet long, and its height is 30 feet above the former water level of the river. It creates a reservoir 5.8 miles long, with a surface area of 363 acres, a mean depth of 14.5 feet and a capacity of 1,627,000,000 gallons. The drainage area above the dam is 1,032 square miles. The cost of the dam was $390,000; of 472 acres of land, $150,000 and of roads, bridges, etc., $160,000. The water flows from the dam to filtration basins, where it is separated from mud and bacteria and softened by chemical process, and from thence to the pumping station and the service pipes. The work on the water purification plant was begun in 1905 and on the pumping station in 1906. Filtered water was first delivered to the city in August, 1908, and one month later the operation for softening was begun. The effects of the new service were at once noticeable. The number of deaths from typhoid fever dropped from 170 in 1908 to 31 in 1909; cisterns began to be abandoned, the water being soft enough for most household purposes, and the incrustation of boilers was checked. The cost of the dam, pumping station, purification works and mains was $2,040,000.

In 1919 a bond issue of $3,000,000 was authorized for a further extension of the water supply system. An engineering force was organized, C. B. Hoover resident engineer and John H. Gregory consulting engineer, and work was begun in the summer of 1920.

Until 1890 the water works department was managed by a board of three trustees. Wm. B. Hayden served continuously on the board until 1885. E. B. Armstrong served until the same year, with the exception of one term when Daniel H. Royce served. Richard Xevins served continuously till 1883, when Isaac B. Potts took his place and served a term. Other members of the board were. C. T. Pfaff, Robert Curtis, John Kilroy, L. W. Sherwood, R. B. Collier and Peter Monroe. The superintendents have been: Frank Doherty till 1884, W. Royce till 1887, A. H. McAlpine till 1895, Jerry O'Shaughnessy now serving The secretaries have been E. B. Armstrong. J. R. Armstrong, S. P. Axtell, Dudley A. Filler. The plant is now a division of the public service department and is managed by the director of the department and the superintendent of the division.

According to a recent report, the amount of water pumped and delivered to the city shows a daily average of 19,000,000 gallons. There is 350 miles of water main, with 36,000 active taps, and 96% of the consumption is metered. The annual receipts are approximately $550,000 and the cost of operation about $400,000. The earnings are applied to extensions and the payment of interest on a bonded indebtedness of $3,671,000.

The first fire of consequence in Columbus occurred in the spring of 1822. Eight buildings were consumed - a dwelling and seven small shops. It was probably this fire which led the Council to provide oti February 21. 1822, by enrollment in the Mayor's office for "one hook and ax company consisting of 15 men, one ladder company consisting of 12 men and one company consisting of 12 men, as a guard to property." The ordinance empowered the Mayor to draft men for these companies, if necessary, and made it the duty of all men from 15 to 50 years to serve as bucket men; called for the appointment of one supreme director at all fires and required the marshal, on the first alarm of fire, to ring the bell or cause it to be rung. An inspection of the borough for fire dangers four times a year was required, and the Mayor was directed to procure at public expense "two long ladders, four axes, four short ladders and two hooks" and required each owner or occupant of a dwelling, store or shop to furnish as many "water buckets of good jacked leather, each to contain 10 quarts," as the committee of safety should direct. In 1825 the existence of 217 of these fire-buckets was reported, and in the following year their possessors were made responsible for their care and keeping them in condition under penalty of a fine. The General Assembly was asked to make an appropriation for an engine, and it seems that the State bought one. It was a force pump worked by moving levers up and down, and was called "The Tub." In 1831 Council provided a reward of $5 for the first man to reach the engine house after an alarm of fire, and $3 for the second. The house that sheltered "The Tub" was on the capitol square east of the State House.

In 1835 the city bought two of the primitive engines, erected an engine house at the cost of $1,000 and provided for five fire cisterns, each to cost $130 and having a capacity of 6,000 gallons, at the intersections of High street with Broad, State, Town, Rich and Friend (Main) streets. An ordinance created a company of fire wardens, another of fire guards, a hook and ladder company, an engine and hose company and a protection society, each of these com- panies to be composed of volunteer members, exempt from military duty and holding their places at the pleasure of Council. Membership was for a time attractive, but the service lost its novelty and within two years after their organization there was talk of disbanding them. They were continued, and various efforts were made to stimulate interest. The force was divided into two brigades, the engines of one being located on the State House square and those of the other near the corner of High and Mound. Rewards were offered to the company which should first arrive at the scene of a fire, and a sharp rivalry was thus created, as also at the time of the election of chief engineer. John Miller, Alexander McCoy, William McCoy, William Westwater, G. M. Swan and John Weaver were among those who at various times occupied this post, and there is the testimony of the newspapers of the time that they commanded as efficient a force of volunteer firemen as ever operated.

In 1842 two new engines - one named the "Franklin' and the other the "Scioto" - were bought and other cisterns were dug at the intersections of Third with State, Town and Friend, at the intersections of Front with Broad, State and Rich, at High and Gay and Mound and High. On August 11, 1851, the city bought three lots as engine house sites. One was on Third street near Town; another on Gav street east of High and the third on State street between High and Front; and in the following year there was talk of an alarm bell which would save the firemen much effort by locating the fire for them. An ordinance in 1853 forbidding the firemen to run their engines on the sidewalks gave them great offense, and several of the companies disbanded. The same year, Council fixed the salary of the chief engineer at $100. The engine house on Gay street was completed in 1851 and the one on Third street in 1855. Council bought a steam fire engine and put it in the Third street house at a cost of .$6,000. This gave still further offense, and two other companies disbanded and their hand machines were found to be disabled. The need to reorganize the fire department was apparent and Council acted to that end, but it, too, got into a foolish contention over the election of a chief engineer, and it was only on the 170th ballot that Charles M. Ridgway was chosen. However, it was not certain whether the chief engineer or the fire committee of the Council was in control, and a newspaper of the time remarked: "The Columbus Fire Department is composed of two unequal parts - the ornamental and the useful. The ornamental but by no manner of means useful part is called the committee of the Council on fire department. The useful, but not all ornamental, is composed of one chief engineer, one operator, five men, five horses, three wheels and a great squirt." In this crisis James YVestwater organized a hand engine company March 15, 1856, and asked for the Franklin engine and the Niagara hose wagon. This company did good service at a fire on the west bank of the Scioto, the same year, but the steam engine was unable to reach the fire because its chimney was too high to pass through the bridge.