Springfield Township (part 14 of 69)

Possibly in no state in the Union was there a hotter time politically during the war than in Ohio. Chase and Stanton, both former Democrats, had become members of Lincoln's Cabinet. Vallandingham, while exercising what he claimed as "the right of free speech," was arrested and deported to Canada; his cause was then taken up by the Democracy and he was nominated, in his absence, for governor. The Republicans nominated John H. Brough, and the nature of the canvass was such as would naturally cause a high spirit and feeling to prevail. Brough was elected by the unheard-of plurality at that time of 101,000. Previous to the Brough campaign a notable canvass was made for Congress between S. S. Cox and Samuel Shellabarger. Cox was an exceedingly bright and witty public speaker residing at Columbus. Shellabarger was an able law>'er of Springfield. Both had previously served in Congress. By the re-districting made in 1861 they were both thrown in the same Congressional district and were named by their respective parties as candidates again for Congress.

A notable meeting was held in this campaign near Bowlusville in the northern part of this county, one of its features being an immense barbecue. The Democrats of that and the surrounding vicinities contributed liberally of their means to make it a great sucees.s. It was the intention to feed those present. Tables \vere set and ropes ]mt around with the purpose of permitting the women to go inside the ropes and serve the dinner to those outside. This arrangement did not

Thomas A. Hendricks of Indiana, S. S. Cox, Daniel Vorhees, and a number of other distinguished Democrats were present. It was estimated that 65,000 people were there, but like most estimations of the sort this is doubtless an extreme. Mr. Cox always attributed his election to the success of this meeting.

In the Brough-Vallandingham campaign the Democrats of Grerman Township formed an eighty-six horse wagon team to attend a political meeting. Each horse had a rider who was dressed in some patriotic costume. Upon the wagon were women representing the Goddess of Liberty, and various matters of that kind. The Republicans were not behind the Democrats in party demonstration and political meetings.

Springfield and its vicinity has for a long time in political matters been of sufficient importance to those managing party campaigns to secure from them some of the noted ijolitical sjieakers of the day. In former times General Harrison, Henry Clay, and Thomas Corwin made political addresses in this city, and perhaps every governor that has ever been elected by the Republican or Whig parties appeared before a Springfield audience.

Formerly, and until a quite recent time party managers sought to influence the voter by the demonstrations made at these political meetings. It was a common thing to have parades in which as

A large portion of the Democratic party was composed of Germans and Irishmen, while a considerable portion of the Republican party were of the negro denomination. These two elements were always antagonistic and generally during these parades some participant would be the recipient, somewhere along the line, of a brickbat or some other missile of a like character. Speeches and speakei-s were often forgotten by most of the paraders. Cannons were fired, fireworks blazed forth to impress upon the mind of the voter the importance of casting his vote for a certain candidate.

In 1877 during the governorship campaign between Judge West and R. M. Bishop, a series of debates were arranged for between James A. Garfield and George H. Pendleton. Garfield was then a leader of the House of Representatives, and Pendleton a senator from this state. Both were leading and talented men and fairly representative of their parties. Pendelton had been the nominee of his party for Vice-President.

The debate was held in Black's Opera House, and it was the general opinion of those who were present that Garfield was more than a match for Pendleton.

John Sliei-man frequently made speeches in Springfield and was always enthusiastically received; so was William McKinley whose speeches were always of a serious kind, scholarly and thoughtful throughout.

One of the most favorite speakers that frequently visited Springfield was Gen. Wm. H. Gibson, of Tiffin, whose power to entertain an audience was never excelled

And Repeesentative Citizens

Blaine was here, I think, in 1876. In 1884 when he ran for the Presidency he stopped at South Charleston but did not come to Springfield. He was a very great favorite here, especially with the younger element of Republicans.

Perhaps one of the most popular speakers for the Democrats was S. S. Cox, former representative in Congress. William J. Bryan was here during each time that he ran for the Presidency.

The canvass of 1880 was a spirited one in this county. A noted Republican meeting was addressed by ''Rob" Ingersol, and later in that campaign Samuel Shellabarger made his last political speech in Springfield. William ' N. Whitley was then in the height of his manufacturing career and contributed both his means and eiforts in this campaign.

General Keifer was one of those politicians who did not meet with success without an effort and opposition, llo was nominated for Congress the first time over Judge William Lawrence, then in Congress, and present circuit judge Walter Sullivan, Gen. R. P. Kennedy, and

In 1880 Gen. R. P. Kennedy of Bellefontaine, Col. W. R. Warnock, Coates Kinney, and others, had Congressional aspirations and sought nomination, but were unsuccessful. In 1882, Keifer being Speaker, the opposition did not manifest itself.

When Keifer was elected to Congress he recommended as post master one John A. Shipman. The latter made a reasonably good ofiicial but was not a particularly 23opular citizen. When his first term expired some protest was made against his re-appointment, but he was re-appointed. In 1881 Keifer was elected speaker of the House of Representatives and necessarily his time was considerably taken up by his duties at Washington and perhaps he did not pay as close attention to his constituents as he otherwise would have done ; anyway, opposition developed, and in looking around for a candidate it was decided that General Bushnell should contest the nomination in 188-4.

Bushnell had lived in Springfield for a long while, married into a prominent family, was popular and at that time was practically the head of one of the largest manufacturing establishments of the city.

General Keifer had by some rulings in Congress excited the opposition of General Boynton, who was special correspondent of the Cincinnati Commercial, and through that paper the latter relentlessly pursued General Keifer. Keifer's fighting spirit would not let him withdraw and thus we had the most memorable eontest for political votes that this county ever witnessed. It was fiually left to a primary, the most pernicious method, when money is or may be used, that could be adopted, and considerable was spent by both participants. Bushnell finally prevailed in carrying the county. The Congressional convention was held in this city and the feeling of opposition among the Keifer adherents was so strong and bitter that it prevented the delegations from the other counties casting their vote at any time for Bushnell. John Little, of Greene County, finally received the nomination.

^Vhile Bushnell did not receive the nomination, the result of his canvass gave liim much prominence, and paved the way to the governor's chair. In this convention Clark County could have nominated Geo. M. Eichelberger, Champaign County's candidate, and because she did not, secured that county's political enmity, which a score of years has not entireh' effaced.

The effect of this canvass in Republican politics was felt for a number of years, but was fast fading away before Governor Biishnell died, and at the time that General Keifer was a candidate again, in 1904, the county was enthusiastically for him, and he was renominated in 1906 without opposition.

In the Congressional and judicial districts, as generally mapped out, Springfield was the largest city in the district. Being fiom a reliable Republican county, it would natui-ally claim recognition from the candidates for those positions.

In 1886, the county in the meantime having been placed in another Congressional district, and by reason of General Kennedy's popularity in this county, no candidate was presented.

In 1890 Edward S. Wallace was the choice of our delegation. The Congressional Convention met at Washington C. H. After casting a large number of votes, each comity for its own candidate, the Convention adjourned without nomination.

A second convention was called and proceeded in much the same manner as the first, but finally, after a large nuniljcr of ballots had been cast and the delegates tired out, about 2 o'clock in the morning of a night session "Bob" Doan, of Wilmington, was made the candidate.

At this convention General Keifer might have been nominated, but those in control of the Clark County delegation would not permit that result.

When the Circuit Court was first established, J. K. Mower, afterwards Common Pleas judge, was Clark County's candidate without success, and when Judge Williams declined to be candidate for reelection because nominated for Supreme judge. Judge Chas. R. White was presented as the choice of this county, likewise without success.

In 1899 Chase Stewart, former prosecuting attorney, and representative from tliis county, made a very respectable but unsuccessful cami)aign for attorney general of the state.

House, Springfiicld

Notable m this respect was the action of the Prohibition party. On at least three different occasions that party, came here for their candidates for governor - at one time nominating Rev. M. J. Firey, the distinguished Lutheran minister, at another time, in 1885, Dr. A. B. Leonard, a noted Methodist divine, and in 1881, A. R. Ludlow, an old time and prominent manufacturer. At one time the Prohibition ticket received as high as seven hundred votes in this county.

In 1881 the Democrats nominated Hon. John W. Bookwalter, a prominent manufacturer and distinguished traveler, of this city, for governor, who was defeated in the election by Governor Charles Foster.

For a number of years prior to his nomination for President James 6. Blaine had a very respectable following among the Republicans of this county, and when he finally received the nomination in 1884 there was very great enthusiasm among his followers. Y^hile this state had endorsed John Sherman for the Presidency and while many recognized his very great ability, yet it could not be said that he Avas at any time the choice of the people generally.

In the campaign that followed Blaine's nomination, the famous "Plug Hat Brigade" was organized. It took its name from the hat, which was the only uniform required of its members. This was a white plug, in imitation of the hat that Mr. Blaine frequently wore. The organization was a popular one and no requirements were essential to become a member otherwise than to be a Republican.

The club made a number of important trips to other cities and at one time sent seventeen hundred members to a large meeting that Blaine was holding in Indianapolis, Indiana. In the succeeding campaign, when Harrison was a nominee for President, a second trip was made to Indianapolis.

When R. P. Kennedy was a candidate for Congress, a trip was made to Bellefontaine, and when McKinley was a candidate for President, a like excursion was made to Canton, so that the organization became famous in the Republican political circles throughout the state. The last demonstration that the club made was the one to Canton to call upon Mc- Kinley in 1896. It was an important factor in all the Republican political campaigns from 1884 to 1896.

Casting our ballots now under the provisions of the law known as the Australian Ballot Law, we hardly realize the methods formerly in use in the conduct of elections.

Not many years ago the ballots representing the candidates of the various ])arties, which were then gotten out by the parlies or candidates themselves, were of a different style. Sometimes decorated with the photo of the individual candidate, and so made that judges of election might easily determine the partyism of the ticket from its characteristics. This was by law changed in order to jirevent fraud and all tickets were required to be printed on the same kind of paper, but the parties themselves took charge of the printing and distribution of the tickets.

An exciting time was usually had in selecting judges to conduct the election, for upon their decision might depend the results of the ballots.

The Board of Election officers were selected and organized on the morning of the election, and whichever party could insure the presence of the largest number of adherents at the time the polls were opened, was in a position to select the judges. So there was quite a spirited contest in getting a number present at the opening of the polls. They would line up in separate ranks, a count would be taken of those Tiresent at that time, and the majority would choose the election officers. This method, of parties taking charge of the election in this way and printing their own ballots, gave ample opportunity for the opposition to claim fraud.

As an example showing what might happen, the writer knows of an all-night ride to correct an apparent mistake in the ballot. On the night before the election, somewhere between ten o'clock and midnight, it was discovered that the name of the supreme judge had been mis-spelled. and the party managers were afraid that this might afl'pct his election. So new ballots were printed and these were ordered distributed throughout the county. The writer took the route leading north through Moorefield Township, leaving some of the ballots at John Sultzbaugh's. on the Urbana Pike, who was then a judge of election of Moorefield Township, and then proceeded on up to Tremont and left those for that precinct with Dr. Frank Reigel; thence to Lawrenceville, where E. G. Coffin then resided, rousing him from his moi-ning slumbers ; and thence to North Hampton, arriving there before the polls had opened at six o'clock in the morning. Under the present system such occurrences necessarily are avoided.

Until 1885 the state and county elections were held in October, and whenever a president or members of Congress were to be elected we had two elections in the fall, one in November and one in October, and until 1905 all municipal and township officers were elected in April of each year. In 1904 the spring elections were abolished, and all officers were chosen at the fall election held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

In 1906 another change went into effect, and now state and county officers are elected in the even-numbered years, and city and township officers in the oddnumbered years.

This county has never furnished very many state officials. Asa S. Bushnell was Governor from 3 896-1900. William White, supreme judge, 1864-1881. Augustus N. Summers, supreme judge from 1904 to this date. John F. Oglevee, state auditor, 1881-1887. R. F. Hayward was for several years Sergeant-at-Arms of the State Senate. Thomas L. Calvert is now secretary of the State Board of Agriculture.

And Bepresentative Citizens

among the several states according to their respective numbers, and that the number of representatives should not exceed one for every thirty thousand, but each state shall have at least one. This constitutional i^rovision is likely to require, after the return of each census, changes in the Congressional districts of the state; for it is not often that a state will retain for a score of years the same relative population to other states of the union. If the parties in power were absolutely fair in dividing the states into districts, there perhaps would never be a change of districts between the returns of the census. However parties are not fair in this matter, and by an ingenius arrangement the counties can be so placed that the minority party will not have its fair proportionate number of Congressional representatives. From this fact it is not an uncommon thing for a change in the complexion of our State Legislature to mean a change in the boimdaries of our various Congressional districts.

AVhen Congressional districts are made unfairly, or changed by reason of such unfairness, and then made unfairly to the other party it is called "gerrymandering," this terra being derived from Gerry, a Massachusetts man who first employed such tactics. The map of our state sometimes presents some very queer looking boot-leg situations after the gerrymander has gotten in his work.

On examination of the list of counties of the various districts in which Clark County ha? at various times appeared, it will be noticed that in the two decades from 1872-1892, there were no less than six different divisions of the state made for Congressional purposes. This happened because of a frequent change of the political complexion of our Legislature, and while General Keifer was first in Congress, from 1876-1881, during four successive terms, it so happened that his Congressional district was changed at each time he was elected.

From 1842-1852 it was in the Fourth Congressional District, which was comjDosed of Miami, Clark, Champaign, Madison, Union, and Logan Counties.

From 1880-1882 it was again in the Eighth Congressional District, which was composed of Madison, Clark, Miami, Logan, and Champaign Counties.

From 1892 to the present date it has been in the Seventh Congressional District, which is composed of Miami, Clark, Madison, Fayette, and Pickaway Counties.

Miscellaneous Notable Events

Centennial of the Battle of Piqiia - Springfield Centennial - Underground Railway - White Rescue Case - Springfield's First Riot - The Second Riot - Cyclones - Freshets - The Great East Street Shops - The Crusades.

Unless care is taken to preserve historical matter by printing and publication, it won Id surely be lost, and we would thus have no record of the past, save a few broken and disconnected facts, or fancies, transmitted to us by the unreliable medium of tradition. We of today have a proper realization of this fact, and now that printing is so much cheaper than formerly, and the art of illustration proportionately advanced in quality and decreased in price, much more is expected in this direction; and still more may be expected in the future, especially as a result of the historical centennials, such as that of which we now have occasion to write.

But a few years ago, the centennial of the admission of the State of Ohio was held in Chillicothe. Proceedings of it were published and formed a most admirable history of many of the events of our state.

In 1870 the Mad River Valley Pioneer and Historical Association was formed and before that body, in January, 1871, Dr. John Ludlow read a paper entitled, "The Early Settlements in Springfield."

In the organization of this society the Rev. A. H. Bassett, who was its first president, well stated the object of the association as follows: "To rescue from oblivion interesting facts and important information would seem a duty which we owe to those who come after us. The present is indebted to the past, so the present should provide for the future. Today has the benefit of yesterday's observation and experience; so should today preserve and carry forward its accumulated information for the benefit of toinorrow. ' '

This organization had but a short duration, but imbibing its spirit, the Hon. Thomas F. McGrew prepared a paper describing the battle of Piqua, being the same heretofore used in this work. This paper attracted wide attention and sug-

Steele, who was then engaged in the writing of Beer's History and who was ac- Col. Eobert L. Kilpatrick, with efficient tive in historical matters moved that a staff, Chief Marshal of the Day. Signal committee be appointed to consider the Code - red and white pennant and national feasibility of the project. The motion flag at half mast, where Clark's men were prevailed and Captain Steele, Col. How- buried and site of the old stockade; solid ard D. John, Andrew Watt, D. C. Ballen- red guidons, outlines of old stockade fort; tine and William H. Grant were appointed diagonal red and black guidons, Indian as a committee. line of defense, right wing ; orange-col-

A number of sub-committees were ap- ored guidons, triangular, Lynn's cornpointed to carry out the i^roject, the fol- mand. Gen. Clark's right wing (between lowing being the program : these opposing lines the conflict was the

Monday morning. August 9, 1880 - As- triangular, Logan's command; large semblv of all organizations at their re- ^^'^^^^^ ^^^ ^^i^'^ ^^^^^^ ^^<^^-'^'^ cannon, spective quarters at 8 o'clock A. M. For- supposed position of Clark's gun; broad mation under direction of Chief Marshal, shallow-tailed pennant, red, on top of on High Street, with right resting on ^^"' ^^^^^^^ ^'^^^ station; large red flag Limestone, at 8 :45. Eeception of Gover- ^^^h white ball on top of cliffs, opening to nor Foster and party and invited guests ^^^^"^ ^" ^'^^^^ ^^^^"^ Indians are supby the Council Committee and Veteran i^°'^®*^ ^° ^^^^ escaped; national colors, Memorial Association. Parad(--East on ^^^°^° ^^^'^^ speaker's stand. High street to Linden avenue, counter- Battle - The exercise of the day march west to Spring, north to Main, west ^^'^ conclude with a mimic battle, to to Market, where the column will divide, terminate in the destruction of the Inand the portion which is mounted and in ^^^^ quarters. Persons represented: carriages will continue the march to the ^^'^^ ^^o^ge Rogers Clark - Col. Harvey battle grounds; those on foot will move ^^'"^^5 ^°^- ^-J^^ - Col Peter Sintz; Col. to the depot and take the cars for Pontoon I^ogan - Capt. Perry Stewart ; Col. Floyd Bridge. Upon arrival at the grounds, the - Capt. Lewis; Maj. Slaughter - Capt. following program Avill be obsei'\'ed at "^^- K^^^^lit.

vertised and an immense concourse of people assembled, some placing it as high as twentj' thousand. General Keifer made the address of welcome, which was responded to by Governor Foster. Thomas F. McGrew read a valuable paper suitable to the occasion. This was followed by an address of Gen. W. H. Gibson, who was then adjutant general of Ohio. He in turn was followed by Col. T. M. Anderson of iHe United States Army. Hon. Stephen Johnson of Piqua also made some remarks. Mr. Johnson's mother was a lady of Kentuelcy, and was a friend of Daniel Boone; she was also acquainted with Tecumseh. Letters were read from Judge Force, Prof. 0?ton, M. M. Munson, Greenville; Dr. J. J. Musson, St. Paris; Isaac Smucker, Newark; C. W. Butterfield, Wisconsin; President Hayes, Senators Thurman and Pendleton, Mayor Noble of Tiffin ; William Patrick, of Urbana, and Theophilus McKinnon of London. These letters are published entire in Beer's History and give much valuable historical information about our eoimty.

After the dinner hour was over, the exciting events of the day took place. There was a sham battle fought upon the grounds, the purpose of which was to illustrate and bring vividly before the mind the events that occurred one hundred years before and, as can be attested by those who were present, it was excitable in the true sense of the term, soldiers appearing here and there representing as best they could the hardy ranger of Clark's command, or the fierce Indian of one himdred years ago.

instructive lesson to all in the history of our county, and brought before the people as had never been done before, the one great important military event that happened on Clark County's soil.

When the time arrived when we could properly hold another centennial we had a Historical Society, the Clark County Historical Society having been formed in 1897. This organization, early in 1900, took up the question of celebrating the centennial of our city of Springfield. Somewhat doubtful of the power of its own influence, the society sent forth a paper urging the importance of holding such an event, and had attached thereto the signatures of B. F. Prince, the pi-esident of the society, C. J. Bowlus mayor of the city, Joseph Spangenberger, president of the City Council, John W. Burk, president of the Board of Trade, and W. H. Schaus, president of the Commercial Club. In response to this paper a number of citizens met in the Council Chamber, on the evening of March 13, 1900, and appointed a general committee of seven to have charge of such celebration: This committee was composed of Judge F. M. Hagan. Prof. B. F. Prince, Dr. John H. Rogers, Capt. E. L. Bookwalter, Mr. John Foos, W. H. Schaus, and D. P. Fox.

A number of sub-committees were appointed. It was finally determined to have a celebration at the Fair Grounds and an entire week was devoted for that purpose. The following program was formulated:

Military Day

General J. W. Keifer, Chairman. Parade at 10 :30 a. m. of all soldiers' and sailors' organizations and soldiers of all wars of Clark County. Address - "Camp Fires and Military Maneuvers"

Afternoon

This program was carried out in detail, the proceediugs were duly published under the editorship of Dr. Prince, and make a very valuable collection of historical matter relating to Clark County. Various displays were made on the Fair Grounds illustrative of both past and present, articles in former use presenting an interesting contrast with those manufactured at this time. The Historical Society displayed its collections, and many of our people were surprised at the large amount of historical matter in the possession or at the command of that society. The schools of the city also made a display which was very creditable.

The papers prepared by the various persons whose names appeared on the program, showed much care and research, and they have collected and preserved in an accessible form a vast amount of useful historical information for the benefit of those who are interested in such matters.

The word "railway" ordinarily conveys to the mind a road laid with rails for the purpose of conveying cars from one place to another, and the name "underground railway" would seem to be a misnomer, but it very appropriately de- scribes the institution it stands for - that is, a pathway used by persons who were ia stealth and secrecy moving from one place to another, and was more particularly applied to the route which fleeing slaves took to escape from their masters, leading from the Southern States to the Canadian boundarj^ line.

On the question of slavery diverse views were held by our peojjle, some considering that the slave was property, and was entitled to protection as such, and that the master of the slave had the same right to pursue and recover a fleeing slave, no matter where found, as he would have to recover any other kind of property. Others, however, took the view that there could be no property in a human being and that the law could grant no rights in property of that kind ; and that hence they were perfectly justified in using all the means in their power to assist a runaway slave in evading the jjursuit of his master.

Clark County seemed naturally adapted for a roadway of this kind. The early setters, as well as the aboriginals, in going from Kentucky to the Lakes, either crossed the Ohio River at Cincinnati and then followed the Miami and Mad River Valley, or they crossed at the ford in Brown County, prominent in early history, being a point where Eagle River enters into the Ohio, and thence went north through what are now the counties of Brown, Clinton, Greene, Clark, Champaign, and Logan or Union, and on up to the lakes. In these counties there was a large settlement of persons from Maryland, Virginia and Kentucky, many of whom had left their old homesteads in order to avoid living in the atmosphere of slavery with its disagreeable associations. These men naturally became strong in their opposition to the institution and to its upholders. Not much is known now of this "railway" in Clark County, but it is known that Selma, in the southern part of Madison Township, was one of the main stations of the road. There was there a large settlement of Hieksite Quakers, which sect was particularly violent in its opposition to slavery. From Selma the slaves, some of them, came through Springfield, but a more direct route was up through Mechanicsburg, or Marysville. Among the stopping places upon this route, it is said was that of John D. Nichols, 127 S. Mechanic street. The citizens of Clark Coimty were considerably wrought up over a controversy which arose in 1857, in which our sheriff, then John E. Layton, was involved.

Sometime in the latter part of 1856, one Addison White, a slave, had escaped from liis home in Kentucky. By means of the underground railway he had gotten as far, in 1857, as Mechanicsburg, Champaign County. This slave was described as being a man of great physical streng-th, over six feet in height, and weighing over 200 pounds, and with a spirit to defend himself under all circumstances. A few years previous to this time Udney H. Hyde had made of his place one of the stations of the underground railway. He then resided in Mechanicsburg and up to May, 1857, he had helped 513 slaves in their race for freedom.

In the spring of 1857 'Mr. Hyde moved out of the village to a farm about two and a half miles away. Addison had left a wife, who was a free woman, in Ken- tucky. In order to conceal his location, his letters were mailed at Springfield and those from his wife were sent to the same place. In someway not absolutely known the authorities became strongly of the opinion that Addison was at the Hyde residence. About two weeks before the attempted seizure, a man by the name of Edward Lindsey came to the home of Mr. Hyde and sought work which was given him. No doubt this man was a spy, for he disappeared on the morning of the first visit of the marshals and was never heard of again.

On the 21st of May, 1857, B. F. Churchill and John C. Elliot, deputy marshals, accompanied by Captain John Poffenbarger, I.Tnited States deputy marshal from ChampaigTi County, with five Kentuckians, appeared about sunrise at the home of IMr Hyde for the arrest of Addison. The fugitive slave was the first to discover them. He saw them entering the gate of the door-yard, and it didn't take him long to understand what it meant. It seems that about this time Mr. Hyde, who was then building a new house, lived in a double log house which had a loft above. To enter this loft there was an opening just large enough to admit one person. Here the slave took refuge armed with a large revolver.

The marshals got a glimpse of the slave entering the house, saw the loose boards which made the floor of the loft, and moving them, fired a shot gun through the crack to terrify the slave aljove. Elliott, one of the marshals, then mounted a ladder with a double-barrel shot gun in his hands. When the marshal's head appeared above the floor the slave fired at him and the ball struck the barrel of the marshal's gun, making a mark on his cheek and taking a nip off his ear. Mr. Hyde who was lying in bed with a broken ankle, gave instructions as to what should be done. One of his sons had been seized by the marshals, but a daughter about fourteen years of age was at home, and she was directed to go to the house of another son and ask him to send word to friends in Mechanicsburg. She accomplished this mission, although the marshals' bullets were flying thick and fast about her. The brother hastened to Mechanicsburg and aroused the people. Before long quite a mob appeared, and after a short parley the marshals concluded that a retreat was about the most advisable course of action on their part.

The slave was then secreted successively in other places. Mr. Hyde, who was satisfied that charges would be brought against him for harl)oring a slave, put himself in hiding for the next six or eight months, and while the United States authorities were very anxious to get him in their clutches they were not able to do so.

About six days after the attempted arrest of the slave, the United States marshals Elliott and Churchill reappeared in Mechanicsburg for the purpose as they declared of arresting Mr. Hyde. As soon as their presence was observed, it was suspected that they were there for that purpose, and they were followed by Charles and Edward Taylor and Hiram Gutridge. The officers went to the house of the senior Hyde and in some way a controversy arose between the Marshals and these followers, and the United States officers arrested them without a warrant. Thev allowed thorn to change tlieir cloth- ing and prepare somewhat for their journey. The Mechanicsburg people gave the prisoners to understand that if they did not want to go they would release them, but the officers said they intended to take them to Urbana for preliminary examination, and Urbana not being an unfriendly place, this was accepted as satisfactory. However, after the United States officers had gone some distance towards Urbana they changed their course and proceeded towards the south. One of the followers, Mr. Caldwell, whom the marshals had threatened, proceeded to Urbana and secured a warrant for the arrest of the marshals on the ground that they had interfered with him on the public highway. A Mr. F. W. Greenough proceeded in another way and filed a Avrit of hal)eas corpus before Samuel B. Baldwin, judge of the Probate Court of Champaign County. This writ of habeas corpus was directed to the sheriff of Champaign County and it had also been placed in the hands of sheriff John E. Layton, of Clark County. The United States officials with their prisoners, it had been learned, were proceeding toward South Charleston. Sheriff Layton with dejiuty sheriff William Compton, met the United States officials at South Charleston and seizing their bridles prevented them from going further. Sheriff Layton attempted to serve the writ on Churchill, but was knocked down by a stroke from a Colt revolver and was so badly beaten that he sutfered from the assault all of his subsequent life. Deputy Marshal Elliott fired some shots. About the same time the Urbana officers appeared and the deputy marshals thought it wise to depart.

another feature to the case. Soon after a warrant was issued by J. A. Houston, justice of the peace, of South Charleston, for the arrest of the United States marshals. This warrant was placed in the hands of E. G. Coffin, who was constable then of that court. He, accompanied by a large crowd, began the race after the United States Marshals. He had not gone very fai- before he was joined by sheriff Melntire of Greene County, in whose hands a writ of habeas corpus had also been placed. During the entire night the pursued and the pursurers were making the best headway they could, passingthrough Greene County into Clinton County, and about the hour of sunrise, near the little village of Lumberton, the marshals with their prisoners were overtaken. Some of the party escaped, but the rest with the four prisoners from Mechanicsburg, were taken in charge by constable Coffin. They returned to South Charleston, where they were arraig-ned before Justice Houston's Court, found guilty and bound over to the Court of Common Pleas on the evening of the 28th. On the next morning they were brought before the probate judge of Clark County, James L. Torbet, and admitted to bail in the sum of $150. As soon as Churchill and Elliott were released they were again arrested on a warrant charging assault with attempt to commit a murder on May 30th, and trial was had. J. S. Haucke was attorney for the state and J. M. Hunt for the de- ' fendants. They were bound over to the Court of Connnon Pleas in the sum of $1,500. Other arrests were made and the prisoners were compelled to remain in jail for a good many hours.

United States district attorney of Ohio, ordered that they be released from custody of Clark County and brought before him. Then arose the question that has presented a good many difficulties as to the ji^risdiction of State and United States Courts.

On July 16th Judge Leavitt decided that the United States officers were properly discharging their duties and ordered their discharge. In the following July, the prisoners who were originally arrested by the deputy marshals, were again arrested on warrants and taken before the United States District Court in Cincinnati. Two of them, Grutridge and Hyde, were dismissed, but Edward and Charles Taylor were held and gave bail for their appearance in court. Extraordinary excitement was created all over the State of Ohio, and especially in Clark County, by these proceedings. The people had been aroused on the slavery question to an extent never before observed. The assault upon Layton and proceedings generally left its impress on our people, and no doubt had much to do with the extensive anti-slavery feeling that afterwards developed here. The case dragged along in the United States Court for some time, and finally it was proposed by the owner of the slave that $1,000 should be paid him, when the eases would be dropped. The people in Clark County were much opposed to this course, but Mr. Udney H. Hyde who had not been molested, but who had been in hiding on account of this affair agreed, and the money was raised.

It may be a matter of interest to those not familiar with such proceedings, to know something of the form of an instrument which granted to a slave his freedom. The following is a copy of the Deed of Manumission, which was granted to Addison White.

Deed Of Manumission

' ' Know all men that I, Daniel Gr. AVhite, of Fleming County, Ky., in consideration of the sum of nine hundred and fifty dollars on hand paid to me by John A. Corwin of Champaign County, Ohio, in behalf of Addison t^Hiite, a negro man, aged about thirty-five years, who is my slave under the laws of Kentucky, and who has left my service, do hereby free, acquit, release, and manumit the said Addison White, my slave as aforesaid, and give and assign him to freedom to go and to do as he pleases during his life, without constraint or obligation of any nature by and to me at any time or place or mider any circumstances whatever. And I herebj' covenant and agree with the said John A. Corwin and the said Addison White that the right of the said Addison Wliite to visit, or reside in the State of Kentucky or elsewhere, shall be free and unrestrained, except by the laws of Kentucky or the laws of the place where he may be and sojourn, and without any claim of mine or any other person upon his liberty or upon his personal services. In witness whereof I have hereunto affixed mv name and seal this 12th day of November, A. D. 1857, at the City of Covington in the State of Kentucky.

I am indebted for much of the data contained in the above account of the rescue case, to a very interesting i^ajier of Dr. B. F. Prince, that appeared in the July nuniber, 1907, of the Quarterly of tlu>

While onr neighboring cities of Urbana, Bellefontaine, and Xenia had witnessed mob law, it was our boast and pride that such a thing had never happened in Springfield, and we did not think that it ever could occur; but communities like individuals, when attacked by a dangerous disease, require drastic means of relief, and do not realize how deep seated some treacherous diseases in governmental affairs may become until a sudden eruption brings the disorder prominently to view. No person had ever suffered the penalty of death for the commission of a capital offense in this county, and people had become rather of the opinion that no matter how brutal a murder might have been committed, the full penalty of the law would not be applied. For some time previous to 1903 our community seemed to be overwhelmed by a deluge of crimes. Within the period of one year more than twelve murders had been committed, quite a number of them by colored people. For some time Springfield seemed to be the rendezvous of disreputable colored people from Kentucky, and other points within and without the state. They came to Springfield probably because there was a large colored population here, and also for the reason that no colored line had been drawn against them in the shops and in the pursuit of other avocations. But the colored man. ever eager to assert and maintain his equal rights with the white man, had frequently come into collision with the latter. Furthermore, while a number of colored people had made reputable citizens, there were a number of the younger and more foreign element that had justly made themselves obnoxious to the white people, and this had created more or less of a race feeling. Added to this, there was a controversy and conflict of authority between our Police Court and the Court of Common Pleas, which did not tend to elevate either in the minds of right-thinking people, and which resulted to the detriment of their authority' among the lower classes. By reason of the lax enforcement of police laws, resulting no doubt from the inadequate realization of crime that was committed, then common among our citizens, a number of disreputable saloons and other places where disreputable jieople congregated, had been allowed to exist with very little molestation ; and so on March 6, 1904, when Richard Dixon, a dangerous colored man from Kentucky, shot and killed without provocation Police Court Bailiff Charles Collis, it took very little encouragement to arouse a spirit that placed his life in the hands of a mob. The murder was without the least semblance of provocation. Dixon had been in trouble before and it seems had conceived a hatred against the court bailiff. Collis was an exemplary police officer and a well-liked citizen and as soon as the report had become thoroughly circulated that he was dead, some of those who had known him very well suggested that they take the law in their own hands. It was rumored in the afternoon that an attempt would be made to lynch Dixon, but the idea was scouted by the better class of citizens. However, in the evening a howling and hooting mob gathered around the jail clamoring for the life of

Dixon. To the on-looker this mob appeared to be composed of boys and a class of men that would not go to much risk in a matter of that kind. None or scarcely none of the citizens of the better type were at all engaged in its work. It was composed of mechanics and a set of hoodlums who had a natural antipathy to the colored man, together with a desire to be mixed np in a rumpus should one occur. The officers at the jail attempted to protect the prisoner, however, not escaping criticism by reason of their failure so to do. The sheriff made repeated requests to the crowd to desist, but finally about 11 o'clock, a more determined set of men seemed to take charge of the proceedings. Taking a railroad iron, they burst open the door and secured the prisoner. Half dead, he was dragged up to the corner of Fountain Avenue and Main Street, where he was hung to a telegraph pole and his body riddled with bullets.

The next morning everything seemed quiet and the mob seemed to have expeuded its force. However, in the evening the crowd gathered again, and this time with the purpose of destroying the disreputable saloons, set fire to a row of buildings on Washington Street facing the railroad, east of Spring Street, and they were burned to the ground, the fire department being powerless to save them. Other places were likewise threatened and the situation became serious. In this condition of affairs the militia was called out, and on March 10th there were about 600 troops in Springfield, the city being placed under martial law. The loss by this fire was about $14,000. The militia was in the city about a week, when things calmed down and business went forward in it usual way. At no time was there any danger to the ordinary citizen, except such as might result from fire caused by some hoodliuns. An attempt was afterwards made to convict some of the persons engaged in this riot, but it was not successful.

After the "levee" was burned by the rioters in 1904, a large number of disreputable people who had lounged about that thoroughfare took up their quarters in the neighborhood of what was known as the "Lone Tree Saloon" on East Columbia Street, which locality became the "bad lands" of our town for a while.

On February 26, 1906, two negroes named Ed. Dean and Preston Ladd got into a difficulty at this saloon, which was termed the "Jungles," and cut a fellow by the name of Sulkins. They then went over into the railroad yards and because M. M. Davis, a brakeman, did not reply to a question they asked him just as they thought he should, shot him. Davis did not die immediately, but it was stated at once that his life was in a precarious condition. The mob gathered together the next evening, and before it could be controlled set fire to the disreputable buildings surrounding the "Jungles" on East Columbia Street, and again the militia was called out to protect the pro]ierty in the City of Springfield. While both of these riots were to be deplored, they were not nearly so bad as they were reported to be by some of the outside papers. At no time was the life of a reputable citizen in danger and at no time was there a general disposition on the part of the people to violate the law.

And Eepkesentative Citizens

These manifestations of the mob spirit were probablj' due to the manner in which a large number of our people regarded the enforcement of the laws. Many of our citizens had expressed sentiments favorable to the methods of Judge Lynch. Frequently it could be heard said, when moli law was spoken of, that if the accused party were guilty, that was the best course to be taken.

After this last riot a number of the rioters were arrested, but because some of them were young, or by reason of the sickly sentimentality exhibited by some of our best citizens, they were not punished ; nothing was done after either of these riots that resulted in the punishment of the participators. However, since that time there has been a more strenuous enforcement of the ordinary police laws in regard to crimes, and at this writing the record of the county promises soon to be broken and at least one person will pay the penalty of his crime in the electric chair.

So far as we are able to learn at this time, Clark County has been visited by a few cyclones or tornadoes. Frequently there is a high wind in certain localities, which maj^ unroof a few houses or destroy frail buildings. In some parts of the county there is a growth of timber, indicating that at one time the older growth might have been destroyed by cyclonic instrumentality, but of this there is no certainty.

In 1833 a cyclone passed near Enon, completely demolishing the house of Mr. Ezra D. Baker, likewise the house of Dr. Bessey, which stood near the former residence of David Shellabarger, and several

In September, 1885, a cyclone visited the northwestern part of the county near Dialton ; houses were unroofed and growing corn was blown down in every direction and forests were destroyed.

In 1892 a cyclone visited the southern part of Springfield, having its greatest force in what is known as the Tibbetts Addition, from Grand Avenue south. About fifty houses were injured more or less. No one was killed in any of these cyclones, some having a miraculous escape.

On July 27, 190G, a hail storm visited Springfield and to the northwest in German Township, in some places completely destroying the corn and oat crop. Some fields of corn were mown down as if cut with a scythe, this appearance being notably so with respect to that of William Hyslop in German Township.

In September, 1866, and March, 1867, Mad River rose higher than it was ever known to do before. It swept across the National Road west of the city to the depth of three feet or more. A person whose name is not now remembered attempting to cross on horseback was swept off of the road and lodged in some trees below, and was rescued with some difficulty. The horse swam on down to the Big Four Railroad and was pulled up with ropes onto the railroad embankment.

Eiver occurred in 1897, when the water became as high, or very nearly so, as in 1867 and 1868, and again an accident happened on the National Road west of the city, when a young man, in attempting to cross the National Road on horseback, by reason of a liole being washed out at the edge of the road, lost his horse's footing and they were both rescued with great difficulty. By this last freshet, the eastern part of town along Columbia and North Streets became flooded, some houses having as much as three and four feet of water in them.

In the spring of 1886 the citizens of Springfield were somewhat startled when they took up their morning paper and saw the announcement that the bridge across the Big Four Railroad on East High Street had been washed away during the previous night. It was more than could be realized by those who were acquainted with the surroundings, how this bridge, situated on high land, crossing no stream and not being in proximity to any very large stream, could possibly be washed away, but the facts showed that, while the bridge itself was not washed away, the west end embankment was so undermined as to become unfit for use, and a large amount of the railroad track had been washed away. During the night before there had been a cloud burst or something of that nature and Mill Run having been sewered through the city to a certain extent, could not carry away the water in its ordinary channel and it was therefore diverted, following the Y, in the Big Four under this bridge, coming down with very great force. Once since the same thinghas occuired, the damage, however, not reaching such a serious extent.

While not in the nature of fi'eshets or cyclones, it might not be improper to here mention the fact that in 1889, while quite a number of persons were being baptized by inmiersion in Buck Creek, the bridge on North Limestone Street gave away and quite a number of persons who were standing on the bridge were precipitated into the creek and some seriously injured. A number of suits were brought against the city, but no recovery was had in any of them and none of the injuries resulted fatally.

From 1870 until 1880 the manufacturers of the Champion reapers and mowers enjoyed very great prosperity. Within this decade, three mammoth establishments were making this machine exclusively. The Lagonda Manufacturing establishment, which was founded early in the fifties, was now controlled by Mr. Benjamin F. Warder and Asa S. Bushnell, and through royalties paid to the Whitley, Fassler and Kelly Company was now making this machine.

Shortly prior to 1870 the new Champion macliine company was organized, the moving spirits in which were Amos Whitley, Robert Johnson, W. W. AVilson and Daniel P. Jeffreys. This company likewise was engaged in manufacturing the Chamijion Machines. The old company of Whitley, Fassler & Kelly, which began the manufacture of this machine liack in the fifties, was located where the Arcade building now stands. This firm was composed of Wm. N. Wbitley, Oliver S. Kelly and Jerome Fassler. The machines that they put on the market principally were the reaping machines of the self-raking and dropping attachment kind, and mowers of varions styles. The outlook for the future for the Champion machines was bright and it seemed that the old plant, located where the Arcade now stands, was entirely too small and that a larger plant should be erected. The partners, however, could not agree on this matter, so William N. Wliitley purchased the interest of the other partners, and in the deal the old shops were taken by Mr. Kelly, who soon thereafter began tearing them down and erecting the Arcade Building. This was in 1881. Mr. Whitley bought a large tract of land between the Big Four Railroad and what is now Eastern Avenue, extending from East Street to the Burnett Road. Immediately east of East Street was a considerable elevation. This was leveled down and erection of the Great East Street Shops was begim.

The work was carried on with great energy. Cellars were dug and walls put in for the entire front and the north wing in a very brief time, and much of the brick work was laid during the cold weather. This building had a frontage on East Street of 624 feet, and was four stories in height, with a basement. Enormous wings extended off from the main building toward the east, the north wing being the warehouse part, 1,140 feet in length, with a basement under the entire length. Four other wings were built toward the east of varions lengths. A mammoth malleable plant was erected on Eastern Avenue covering more than two acres of ground space. A ])attern shop four stories in height was erected east of this malleable shop. North of these were placed buildings designed to be rolling-mills; so that, taking it all and all, it constituted the largest shop in the world devoted exclusively to the manufacture of reapers and mowers. At one time there were two thousand people employed. It had not been open long, however, until Mr. Whitley had some trouble with the labor organizations, and that was in 1886. In 1887 occurred the great Harper failure of Cincinnati. It seems that Mr. Whitley had indorsed some of Harper's paper and Harper had indorsed some of Whitley's paper in return. ^\Tien Harper went under through his speculations, Whitley was called on to pay these indorsed notes. This, together with the trouble caused by the labor imions, compelled an assignment in 1887. General Keifer was made assignee and proceeded to close out the business. Before he had been thus engaged very long he aroused the antagonism of Mr. Whitley, and finally gave up the duties of assignee. Afterwards George H. Frey was appointed, and the great East Street shops, costing $1,200,000, were put np at auction and bid in by vice-president Fairbanks for the sum of $200,000.

Hard times had arrived and the works stood idle for some time. There having been some discord in the Krell-French Piano Company, manufacturers of pianos of Cincinnati, one of the partners came to Springfield and through the efforts of our local capitalists was finally induced to locate here and purchased the north wing of this East Street establishment for the purpose of manufacturing pianos. The entire building was renovated and fitted for its new use. A ceremonious opening was held and citizens were invited to an exhibit of the company's product, the Krell-

French Piano. A few days afterwards, on February 9, 1902, from some unknown source, the building caught fire and the entire north wing, which the Krell-French Piano Company had purchased, together with the whole front and some other portions immediately attached thereto, burned to the ground and has never yet been rebuilt.

In other parts of this mammoth establishment there have been located the Indianapolis Frog &. Switch Company, the Fairbanks Tool Company, and the Kelly- Springficld Boad Roller Company.

It can hardly be said that the building of this great shop was of any material benefit to the city of Springfield. For a long time it was idle and it seemed rather to be a hindrance than a help to real progress. However, its burning was a matter of sincere regret to every citizen of Springfield, and all were obliged. to sympathize with Mr. 'William N. Whitley, who viewed the burning structure with tears streaming down his face.

For many years the saloon traffic has been a source of comment, contention, argument and persuasion among the people of Ohio. The evil of the traffic was presented in such strong terms by its adversaries that the Constitutional Convention in 1851 provided that no law should ever be passed licensing the traffic in this state.

In 1870 a call for a new constitutional convention had been made and soon thereafter members were elected to that body. It was well known that the question of license or no license would again be submitted to the people.

Springfield, while not worse than other cities of its size, had its fair portion of saloons and the influence of the men who had become connected, as workers, with our vast and increasing manufacturing plants, tended, if anything, to augment the ranks of the liberal element in the community. The churches were alive to the existing conditions. The temperance element throughout the state had invited Dr. Dio Lewis, of Boston, a very distinguished and eloquent advocate of temperance, to make addresses in various places in Ohio, and in the winter of 1873-1874 tHere arose in the southern part of this state the novel campaign against the whiskey traffic, which was termed the "Woman's Crusade." It began in Hillsboro, the last of December, and in a few months had extended to other states. In the large cities it was not very successful, but in small villages results were sometimes summary, in some cases the crusaders closing almost every saloon.

The incidents attendant on this work in Hillsboro gave it wide notoriety. The method pursued by the crusaders was to go to a saloon and offer prayer that the saloonists might repent.

J. C. Van Pelt was the keeper of the saloon "Dead Fall" at the Union Depot at New Vienna, and was said to be the wickedest man in Ohio. He was a tall, solidly-built man. with a red nose and the head of a prize fighter, and was noted for his bull-dog pluck.

When the ladies' assembled at the "Dead Fall," he threatened all manner of things against them if they came again, and the next dav decorated one of his sa- loon windows with whiskey bottles ; in another appeared an ax covered with blood. Across the door empty flasks were suspended, and near thena a large jug bearing the name of "Brady's Bitters," while a representation of Van Pelt was seen in the act of throwing a club. All this had no effect, however, upon the ladies. About fifty of them began praying; when he seized a bucket of muddy water and threw its contents against the ceiling, from which it came down on the praying women, the crusaders standing to their post. This conduct on the part of the saloon keeper won for the crusaders the sjTnpathy of the people, and Van Pelt was arrested and staid in jail several days. However, his saloon continued running. Upon Van Pelt's release he was more bitter and determined. He attended their meetings, publicly argued and disputed with them at length on question after question. Finally, however, he began to weaken and offered to sell his place of business, but the feeling was such at the time that no buyers presented themselves. The ladies continued to visit the saloon and he continued to harass them with blasphemous language, calling the women brutes and nam.es of like character, but the women still persisted, and finally, to the surprise of everyone, at one of their prayer-meetings in the saloon. Van Pelt appeared and made a complete surrender of his stock and fixtures, yielding, as he said, on love and the work of these women, and the whiskey and beer were rolled out upon the sidewalk and emptied in the gutter and Van Pelt took up the cause of temperance.

Pelt, appeared before a Springfield audience. Prior to this time, in 1873, a petition signed by over 600 women had been presented to our City Council to prohibit the sale of beer and whiskey, and on January 6, 1874, a woman's temperance association had been formed, a petition for which had been circulated by Mrs. E. I. Stewart, who was afterwards known at home and abroad as "Mother Stewart."

When Dr. Dio Tiewis and Van Pelt were in the city, the first praying band went out and visited the "Lagonda House Saloon." All these matters created intense excitement. The crusaders visited other saloons. Their method was to go inside the saloon and pray, if permitted, if not upon the sidewalk outside. Some few saloons closed, and the impression made upon the people was considerable.

Afterwards, in 1877, when the fame of Murphy had reached Springfield, a new impetus was given to the temperance movement, and a number of people attended what was then called "The Murphy Meetings." A badge of membership was a blue ribbon tied upon the lapel of the coat. These blue ribbons were prominent decorations of a number of prominent citizens for a considerable length of time and very great good was done by this movement. In 1880 Edward S. Wallace, who became a follower of Murphy, ran independently for mayor and was elected.

Spring-field had a number of intensely active, energetic temperance women, but one of whom attained renown above all others - Mother Stewart, by her winning ways and persuasive personality, became known all over the world as a most noted temperance advocate. She made addresses in almost every county in Ohio and in a large number of other places throughout the United States, and upon invitation of the temperance people in Great Britain she made a visit to that country and was received with honors never before or since accorded to any American woman. She is still living at this writing, in retirement, at the ripe old age of ninety-one.

Other temperance advocates of Springfield have been noted in Ohio history and on three or more different occasions furnished candidates for governor on the Prohibition ticket.

Dr. M. J. Firey was a strenuous and life-long fighter of the evil of intemperance. He took it upon himself as a duty which he could not evade, and whenever

Dr. A. B. Leonard for a time was pastor of the Center Street Methodist Church and has since become a Bishop, while a minister here was no less strenuous in his opposition to the saloon than Dr. Firey. He was a very eloquent speaker from the rostrum.

A. R. Ludlow, an old time citizen of this place, who has since departed from this life, joined in the temperance movement and was equally strenuous in his opposition to all matters connected with the saloon traffic.

It is stated in Beers' history, that from the formation of the Murphy meetings in 1877 to December, 1880, 15,621 persons had signed the pledge. At one time the Prohibition ticket of Clark County received 800 votes.

Chapter Ix County Buildings, Etc

Wliile Springfield was for a short time the county seat of Champaign County, it did not in that capacity receive sufficient attention to be provided with a court house. Prior to the organization of Clark County in 1806, there was one term of court held in Spring-field. A single case was tried - that of Robert Eoenick, for killing an Indian. The act was justified by some and condemned by others, but the jury granted a verdict of "not guilty."

For more than four years after the organization of the county in 1818, regular sessions of the court were held at a tavern of John Hunt on Main Street. In March, 1819. the coinmissioners gave public notice that on the 22d propositions would be received for a site on which to erect a county building.

On April 12th, Maddox Fisher and about forty others pledged themselves to pay the sum ,of $2,115 toward the erection of a court house, provided the same

This square includes what is now occupied by the Court House, the Soldiers' Monument, the Historical Society Building and the County Ofiicers' Building.

Upon receipt of the pledges of Fisher and others, the commissioners decided to accept the site selected by them, and ordered Col. John Daugherty, the surveyor, to find the true lines of the square, and not long after the commissioners adopted a plan furnished by Mr. Fisher and John Ammon for the erection of a building for the sum of .$3,972, the work to be done by January 1st, 1820. This contract was only to include the walls and roof.

In 1821 a further contract was made for the floors, windows, etc., and through various stages the building was continued until its completion in 1828, and in accordance with the custom of early days, a bell was hung in the cupola and this gave its first warning to the people of Clark

This building was used for court purposes until 1878, a half century, when it was sold to former Probate Judge J. H. Littler, for $50.00. Long prior to that time it was recognized that the court house finished in 1828 was entirely inadequate for the need of the people of Clark County.

The building was not more than thirtyfive or forty feet square, with hip roof and a cupola thrust up through the center of the roof. A very good picture of the old court house adorns the court room of our present court building.

In 1877 a proposition as to the building of a new court house and its location was submitted to a vote of the people. One of the principal bones of contention connected with the erection of a new court house had been, up to this time, with respect to where it should be located. As far back as in 1852, the commissioners had acquired the lot upon which the Post Office Building is now located, and had constructed a jail thereon, with the intention ultimately of also erecting a court house there, but the friends of "Sleepy Hollow" would not without strenuous opposition agree that the old court house site should be abandoned; so at the time that the vote for a new court house building was submitted, a question of the site was also submitted to the voters and the champions of "Sleepy Hollow" prevailed ; but the opposition, probably, made themselves felt in the amount that was voted for a court house.

With the money at the command of the commissioners the present court house was begun in 1878 and finished in 1881. Architecturally it is a handsome building, but its arrangement inside could hardly be worse for the purposes for which it was built, and sooner or later it will require a remodeling to bring it up to the needs of our city and county, and to accord with the modern ideas of buildings and the arrangements properly belonging to a court house. For the money expended, no county ever received a handsomer or a better building. Its stone finish outside and its walnut finish inside are all that could be desired. The court house and the jail, with furniture and $10,000 paid for ground, are said to have cost not more than $115,000.

As a make-shift until a new court house could be had, or better arrangements made, a building was erected in 1868 on the southeast lot of the square, which was used as offices for the treasurer, recorder, auditor, commissioners and board of agriculture. This building at first was two stories in height. Afterwards a wing or addition was made running back almost doubling its original capacity, which served for' the purpose for which it was erected, until 1904, when the county officers moved into the present building situated on the opposite side of the street. This building is now used by the Clark Countv Historical Society. '

Shortly after the erection of the East County Building, a building very much similar was erected on the west side of the street, on the lot now occupied by the county officers ' building in which the Probate Court and other offices are located. This West County Building was used by the Probate Court, county surveyor's office and county commissioners, and likewise for a while by the clerk and sheriff.

During the erection of the new court house from 1878-1881 court was held in this west building in the room upstairs over the Probate Court office.

The building erected in 1869 was torn down in 1900 for the erection of the present commodious building now located upon that site. This building was erected and furnished at a cost of about $110,000. It is modern in every respect and reflects credit to the architect that designed it, and the people who were instriunental in its erection. As a specimen of ai'chitecture it is not excelled by any building in our county.

The jail is a complement of the coiart house. The first one in our town was a log and plank building on Fisher Street. It was on the east side about half way between Main and Columbia Streets, and it was erected by the citizens of the west end of the town, then called "Old Virginia."

The people of this vicinity petitioned the county commissioners and agreed to build a jail sixteen feet squai-e and one story high, for such price as the board might see fit to pay. It was finished in

1818. It is said that the first jailor, whose name was Abraham B. Mereness, to assist him in his duties kept a black bear chained to a stake near the jail door. A black man named Jackson being confined in that jail pried off the door, threw it into Mill Run and set out for parts unknown.

This jail was finally demolished and another one was erected on the lot now occupied by the Soldiers' Monument opposite the court house. It was built of oak timbers, hewed square, and bolted together. The floor was of like material, covered with several courses. The ceilings were built much in the same manner, though not quite so thick. Then over the outside of these there was built a brick wall inclosing the whole of the entire building, giving it a respectable appearance. It was two stories high, and the brick work was extended to the south of the jail far enough to enclose sufficient space for several county offices.

This jail was torn down in 1869 to make room for the Soldiers' Monument. However, previous to this time it had been abandoned for jail purposes, as it was said in speaking of the court house, that it was the original intention of some to build a court house and jail combined, and with that object in view a building was begun about the year 1850 upon the lot where the Post Office is now situated, and was continued until 1852 far enough to complete the jail. This fourth jail was built of stone and brick, the labor being largely done by the day and superintended by the county commissioners. This jail was pulled down about the year 1880 and much of the stone taken therefrom used in building the present court house and jail.

It was from this jail that the murderers of Daniel Hertzeler escaped. Just how they ever received their freedom has never been definitely known, but they made their escape in such a complete way that they were never afterwards re-arrested, or their whereabouts discovered. The present jail was erected at the same time that the present court house was erected, the coimty now owning the lot out to the alley. A large part of the ground now occupied by the jail was purchased for the sum of $10,000. It has served its purpose very well and seems to have been sufficient for the confinement of criminals. No escapes have been made, unless by neglect of some one in charge. Here was enacted an exciting scene when the rioters took from within it Henry Dixon in 1904.

For some time it had been felt by the people of our county that some fitting tribute should be paid to the memory of the "Boys in Blue" who had so nobly represented this county in the Civil War of 1861-65. It is said that Clark Coimty furnished more than 3,000 soldiers to the Civil war.

A vote was taken upon the question and it was decided that this recognition should take the shape of a monument to be placed upon the lot where the old jail was located. The statue was modeled by J. A. Bailey and east by Henry H. Lovie, of Philadelphia. It is made of antique bronze and stands upon a pedestal of Quincy granite which weighs over thirty tons. The height of the figure is eight feet five inches, and the whole height of the monument is twenty-one feet and a few inches.

It was dedicated May 30, 1870. The entire cost of monument and base was $10,- 000. The late Judge Mower was chairman, and the orator, the late Judge Cox, of Cincinnati.

On several occasions a movement has been started to remove this monument from its present location to the mound in the cemetery; at no time, however, has the movement been of sufficient force to accomplish that result, and until the plot of land upon which it is situated is needed for some other county purpose, it is likely that the monument will stay where it is. It seems that its present location is not an inappropriate one, and that it can serve the purpose for" which it was erected just as well where it is as it would if moved to the cemetery.

In 1833 the Board of Coimty Commissioners passed a resolution to purchase a lot suitable for the erection of a poor house, and the following January, Joseph Parrott conveyed 48.54 acres to Clark County. To this was added in 1839 the tract upon which the Children's Home is located, and an infinnary was erected. This infirmary has been enlarged and remodeled and in its remodeled condition is still used for infirmary purposes. In 1836 the first board of directors met and oi'ganized. Today the ground is quite valuable, and on several occasions it has been seriously urged that the grounds be sold and an infirmary be erected upon a larger tract of land, which could be purchased, from the proceeds of such sale, at a farther distance from the city. This no doubt will happen before many years roll around.

Mom Ana

When the present buildings become unfit for infirmary purposes, either by reason of their age or from iusufiSciency of room, it is likely that some other place will be selected. From the record we find that John Ross, of Bethel Township, was the first person to be admitted, that Dennis Jones was the first superintendent, and that Francis Elliott was appointed to succeed him in 1842. The records are not complete, but in 1861 Christopher Labourn was re-appointed superintendent. In 1863 W. H. Ford was superintendent and he served imtil 1876. Then Isaac Curl was elected to that position and he in turn was superseded in 1878 by James Fleming, and in 1892 William H. Hughes was elected to that position and served until 1902, when A. 0. Huffman was chosen; he was succeeded in 1907 by the present superintendent, Edgar W. Albin.

For some time philanthropists had discussed the problem as to the manner in which orphan children should be taken care of. It was realized that the present .child makes the future man or woman, and that if society is to be improved and civilization advanced, the child must be properly cared for. A large number of orphans left by soldiers who lost their lives in the war of 1861 ser\^ed to bring this matter to prominence before the people, and in 1866 the legislature passed an act permitting counties to erect homes for such children.

The commissioners of our county submitted the matter to a vote in 1875 and it was carried by a large majority and in 3877 they selected the present site, wjiich is north of the city of Springfield, east of the Urbana Pike, about one-half mile north of the corjioration line. It is on a tract of land bought by the county from Richard Rodgers in 1839, and was formerly used as a wood lot for the infirmary. It is well chosen and the buildings erected are commodious and properly arranged for the purpose intended.

In 1878 the trustees for the home were appointed, Frederick Ilolford, Clifton M. Nichols and E. B. Cassilly being the first persons to fill that position. In March of the same year William Sloan was appointed superintendent and his wife as matron. In 1880 Nathan M. McConkey and wife were appointed to succeed Mr. and Mrs. Sloan, and they served until the death of Mr. McConkey in 1885. Adam Lenhart and his estimable wife were appointed superintendent and matron respectively of that institution. It is conceded by all who have come in contact with the management of that institution, that the persons in charge of it are admirably adapted for the positions they occupy and the benefit received by the community and society at large is beyond estimation, and the good accomplished by the institution is fully up to the expectation of those who urged its original erection.

The original building for the orphans' home cost $20,000.00. It is a large commodious structure made of brick. Since that time other buildings and improvements have been added imtil the total expenditure has reached the sum of $45,678. Immeasurable good has been accompli.shed, and a large number of children have been put into good homes, and many adopted by respectable people.

Great care has been exercised by those in charge in seeing that persons who apply for children, either to be apprenticed or adopted, be persons of a suitable and proper character. Since th^ home has been opened it has furnished a place of temporary abode for 1,546 children. The present number in the home is sixty-seven and the cost per capita is $122. The woods surrounding the home has been trimmed out and shows a most beautiful grove. Tn the southwest corner a part has been set off in which to bury the little ones that have come to the institution and have gone thence to their final home.

A school has been conducted in this building and the children are taught in a substantial way the rudiments of knowledge, and in all respects the institution has been the success hoped for by its founders.

On the 25th of January. 1840, a meeting was held at the court house for the purpose of organizing a county agricultural society. Of this meeting John E. Lehman was chainnan. On motion of Ira Paige a committee consisting of Ira Paige, Matthew Bonner, Charles "Ward, William H. Harris, Anthony Bird and John H. Cartmell were appointed by the chairman to report the names of persons for office. This committee reported John E. Lehman for president; James Bogle for vice-president; W. W. Spencer,' recording secretary; Benjamin Moore, for corresponding secretary; Adam Stewart, treasurer; S. G. Moler, W. G. Serviss, John A. Alexander, executive committee.

Prior to this time there had been an agricultural society organized in the village of South Charleston, in 1837, of which Eoland Brown was president and Alexander Waddle secretaiy. I am not aware how long this society was in existence, but perhaps not very long after the organization of the Clark County society; for we are told that for some time after the organization of the Clark County society the fair was held in various parts of the country. This society, organized in 1840, held fairs for several years, but was never on a very substantial basis. In 1853 tlie society was reorganized and ten acres of land were purchased from William Huntington for the sum of $120 per acre. Afterwards additional tracts were bought until the sum total amounted to forty-six acres. In 1870-71 the Ohio State Fair was held on these grounds and for that purpose an additional tract was rented from George Spence and George Dibert. In those days the state fair was moved every two years from place to place. Soon thereafter it was located permanently in the city of Columbus, where, with State aid, very fine grounds have been acquired. The Clark County society having become involved and its members seeing no way in which they could be relieved unless the grounds were to be sold, the proposition was made that if the county would assume the indebtedness, which then amounted to little over $12,000, the society would deed the groimds to the county and the fair could be conducted in such manner as the law would jirovide. This proposition was submitted to a vote of the electors of the county and having received a majority vote in the affirmative, in due time these grounds were transferred to the countv which now holds title to the same. By a law then in force or soon after passed, the directors were elected by the electors of the various townships, two from each township. Only persons were entitled to vote who held tickets for the next fair; it being thus sought to interest not only persons in the fair, but to place the management of the fair in the hands of the persons that were interested in its welfare. In this manner the directors were elected until some four years ago, when it was discovered that there had been a change in the law and that they would have to be selected in some other manner. Accordingly the directors are now elected by the parties that hold tickets, but they are not divided among the townships in the manner that they formerly were.

Some twenty or more years ago an association was formed called The Springfield Trotting Association, and this organization leased the grounds for their purpose for twenty-five years, and at once began to grade the race course. After spending in that manner some six or eight thousand dollars, the association went under, and the Agricultural Society received the benefit of the expenditures that they had made. A great many of our citizens who are interested in such matters have on different occasions served on the agricultural board, usually a thankless task; S. Van Bird has been the obliging secretary for a number of years, H. Ij. Rockfield is president. The grounds being situate within the corporate limits of the city, ai'e now quite valuable, and every once in the while some person suggests that they should be sold or converted into a park. Neither of these suggestions has, however, at any time struck a popular chord, and the probability is that it will remain for some time the property of the county, and that for j^ears we will annually visit the "County Fair" in its old-time location, dating back to our childhood days, and that the merry-go-round and the big snake and hairy man and armless child will amuse our children and grandchildren as they amused us in the years that are gone. Some criticism is annually dealt out to the directors on the charge that the fair has gone to horseracing and that agricultural matters are largely forgotten; but if such is the case it is because the people themselves display more interest in that direction. The fair is not supported in any manner by taxation and the management must provide the kind of attraction that ensures attendance. The more that come, and the more the gate receipts are swelled, the more can be paid in premiums and the better will be the exhibits.

Public Roads And Highways

Boad Map of Ohio, 1810 - Condition of Roads Indicative of Advancement - Indian Trails, etc. - Early Roads - Military Routes - Corduroy Roads - National Roads - Toll Pikes - Stage Coach Trip Through Springfield in 1834 - Dickens' Ride Through Ohio in 1842.

Before the building of railroads all commerce carried on from place to place was necessarily transported over roads or highways, or lakes and rivers. Necessarily the constmiction of good highways became a matter of the snpremest importance, and thus we find that it engaged the attention of our statesmen who gave their earnest efforts to the solution of the problem until the railroad came. Then for a time it seemed to be less a subject of public attention, but it has always been one that has received more or less attention because of its affecting directly a larger number of people than almost any other as regards their welfare, comfort and happiness. Indeed the advancement that a community or people make in this respect has been taken to indicate the degree of their advancement in civilization. A distinguished writer has said: "If you wish to know whether society is stagnant, learning scholastic, religion a dead formality, you may learn something by going into universities and libraries; something also by the work that is doing on cathedrals and churches, or in them; but quite as much by looking at the roads. For if there is any motion in society, the road, which is a symbol of motion, will indicate the fact. When there is activity, or enlargement, or a liberalizing spirit of any kind, then there is intercourse and travel, and these require roads. So if there is any kind of advancement going on, if new ideas are abroad and new hopes rising, then you will see it by the roads that are building. Nothing makes an inroad without making a road. All creative action, whether in government, industry, thought or religion, creates roads."

pathways made by the great wild aniluals that formerly roamed over our country are those which are best adapted for the building of roads required by modern civilization. Upon this point Archer Butler Hulbert in the introduction of his "Historical Highways of America," says: "It was for the great animals to mark out what became known as the first thoroughfares of America. The plimging buffalo, keen of instinct, and nothing if not utilitarian, broke great roads across the continent on the summits of the watersheds, beside which the first Indian trails were but traces through the forests. Heavy, fleet of foot, capable of covering scores of miles in a day, the buffalo tore his roads from one feeding ground to another, and from north to south on high ground. Here his roads were swept clear of the debris in summer, and of snow in winter. They mounted the heights and descended from them on the longest slopes, and crossed each stream on the bars at the mouth of its lesser tributaries. * * * "But the greatest marvel is that these early pathfinders chose routes, even in the roughest districts, which the tripod of the white man cannot improve upon. A rare instance of this is the course of the Baltimore Ohio Eailroad between Grafton and Parkersburg, West Virginia. That this is one of the roughest rides our palatial trains of to-day make, is well known to all who have passed that way, and that so fine a road could be put through such a rough country is one of the marvels of engineering science. But leave the train, say at the little hamlet of Petroleum, West Virginia, and find on the hill the famous old thoroughfare of the buffalo, Indian, and pioneer, and follow that narrow thread of soil westward to the Ohio River. You will find that the railroad has followed it steadily throughout its course, and when it came to a more difficult point than usual, where the railroad is compelled to tunnel at the strategic point of least elevation, in two instances the trail runs exactly over the tunnel. This occurs at both 'Eaton's tunnel' and 'Gorham's tunnel.' "

There is no doubt but that the red man had a number of trails or paths over various parts of this county. As he planted his villages generally along the river valleys, his movements would be, as ours are today, from village to village, sometimes following the streams of water and at other times going across the table lands from one valley to another.

We know from Simon Kenton's adventures, when in captivity among the Indians, that a trail came up Mad River, through what was then the Indian village of Piqua, to the city of Springfield, probably crossing Buck Creek not far from the present Limestone Street, thence north near the Urbana Pike leading on to the villages of Wapakoneta and Wapatomika.

We know also that there was a trail or pathway leading from old Chillicothe down to about where Goes' Station is now, and ujt through Enon through the ancient village of Piqua, for it was over this route that General Clark and his troops came on their march to the famous battle there fought. Then no doubt there vras also a trail or Indian path that led to the southeast, its ultimate object lieuig the Little Miami River further towards its source, and no doubt there was another trail or pathway leading from where the old village of Piqua was located, passing not far from the present location of New Carlisle to the Indian villages on the Big Miami, and possibly there may have been a trail southwardly from the city of Springiield reaching the Little Miami River and afterwards the Indian villages down on the Scioto. AVhile we do not know that there were any other trails in the eastward direction, yet there may have been one running that way.

Whether the Old Columbus Road or the road leading from here through the Yellow Springs is the oldest, is somewhat of a doubtful question. That there were roads leading from Springfield east towards Columbus or south through Yellow Springs before any record of such roadways was made is unquestioned, for we know that Griffith Foos and his companions came to Springfield from Franklinton. This Franklinton was a town laid out west of the forks of the Olentaugy and the Scioto Rivers in 1797. It is therefore older than Columbus and it is now absorbed by that city and is usually designated as West Columbus. We also know that a great many of the settlers in this county came from Kentucky, either up the Big Miami from Cincinnati through Dayton, or by fording the Ohio River not far from the entrance of Eagle Creek in Brown County, and in close proximity to Maysville, Kentucky, and !ip north through Greene County. It seems that under our early laws the common pleas judges had jurisdiction over road matters, and thus we find that one of the orders made, I think, in the November term of the Court of Common Pleas sitting at Franklinton, viewers were appointed to lay out a road from Franklinton west to Springfield. At what time of the year 1803 this order was made I do not know. Neither am I aware of how soon thereafter the order was carried into execution and a road laid out.

In Beer's history it is stated that a wagon road was surveyed in 1803 between Dayton and Springfield, and that two years after the road had been located between Springfield and Dayton, Captain Moore and his brother Thomas taking the contract to open the road'from Franklinton to Springfield. That the arrival of the construction corps was greeted with as much enthusiasm by the citizens of Springfield as when in after years they welcomed the railroad and locomotive; that when within a few miles the contractors made a frolic of the job and invited all the people to come and help them, so that they might go into Springfield in one day, the event being celebrated by a supper and immense ball at Foos' Tavern.

In the November term of the Court of Common Pleas, 1803, sitting at Xenia a view of the road was ordered coramencing from Spring-field and passing through Yellow Springs. James Galloway, Jr., was surveyor.

The old Clifton Road was no doubt one of early date, as was the one leading to Urbana and another one leading southwest through the village of Piqua or New Boston.

ords show that the Urbana Eoad was laid out in 1823, Yellow Springs 1821, Old Clifton 1830, Possum 1829, Springiield and New Carlisle in 1867, Garther Pike 1867, Davidson Pike, 1880, Mad Eiver Valley 1843.

The old Boston road led west from Boston (Piqua) past the Paul mill, near New Carlisle, up past the farm of Horace W. Stafford to the Miami River, and was no doubt upon the route taken by the Indians, when going from one village to another. At a very early day a road was laid out southeast through a point near S. Charleston to Chillico^the. (See Pike Township for route of Captain Black coming from Virginia.)

No very great armies have ever crossed the soil of this county. In the war with Great Britain in 1812, General Hull started from Dayton on the 15th of June and marched north to Detroit. At Urbana he received a considerable reinforcement. It has been contended by some that in his march from Springfield to Urbana he came up the Mad Eiver Valley, either on the east or west side, to some point between Donnelsville and Springfield, and then went up over the hill lands not far from Lawrenceville and up that way to Urbana. Indeed, there are persons living along this route who assert that old people have formerly told them that along here jiassed Hull's Army. It seems to the writer however that this is probably a mistake. In Lossing's history it is stated that General Hull moved north through Staunton and Urbana and that he was from there on four months hewing his way through the unbroken forests to reach his destination. We find that the Staunton mentioned was the name of the first platted town of Miami County and that it was located about one mile east of Troy.