Woodward High School - Treasures Yearbook (Cincinnati, OH)

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Cincinnati of l83l as an Industrial City OHN MELISH, an English traveler visiting Cincinnati about a hundred years ago, said, ttThis is, next to Pittsburgh, the greatest place for manufacturing and mechanical operations on the river, and the professions exercised are nearly as numerous as in Pittsburgh. There are masons and stonecutters, brick-makers, car- penters, cabinet-makers, coopers, turners, machine-makers, wheelwrights, smiths, mailers, coppersmiths, tinsmiths, silversmiths, gunsmiths, clock and watch makers, cotton spinners, weavers, dyers, tailors, printers, bookbinders, rope-mak- ers, comb-makers, painters, pot and pearlash makers, tanners, boot and shoe-mak- ers, g'lovers, and breeches-makers, and iron and steel foundries.n In 1831, Cincinnati had a number of factories and plants that had been estab lished as early as 1819. There was the Glass Manufacturing Company at the foot of Plum Street, which employed about thirty-five workmen in manufacturing vari- ous kinds of glass. There was an 0x sawemill which was the first to be estabiished with animal power. The saws were driven by an inclined wheel put in motion by cattle walking on the wheel. This mill was invented by Joseph B. Robinson, and cut eight hundred thousand feet of board annually. Other important plants started this early were the Cincinnati Bell, Brass, and Iron Foundry, owned by William Green and Company, and the Phoenix Foundry. There was a sugar refinery on the hill near Broadway, which had an output of one hundred and eighty thousand pounds a year. Several new companies were started in 1826. The Cincinnati Water Company was incorporated and was in complete charge of the city water supply. The prin- cipal steam mill at this time was located on Front Street between Ludlow and Broadway. Many mills and factories were started in the east end of the city. There was the steam mill for sawing stone, owned by Alvin Washburn, situated between Front Street and Columbia Avenue. Tiftis Steam-engine and Finishing Establish- ment was on Columbia, east of Broadway. Other important plants were the Goodloe and Harkness Copper Foundry, the Phoenix Paper Mill, and the Cincinnati Steam Paper Mill. By 1829, the value of manufactures was $1,858,000 compared with $1,059,459 in 1826. There were three boatyards along the river for the construction of steam- boats. Nine printing companies were established. The chief exports of Cincinnati were flour, pork, bacon, lard, whiskey, cheese, candles, spun yarn, and furniture. The Cincinnati Cotton Factory, owned by Miller and Company, was started in 1829. It was located at Seventh and Smith Streets and occupied a three-story brick building. It was capable of running two thousand spindles. In this same year, the Cincinnati Water Works started to operate. The water was conveyed to the reservoir in twelve-inch iron pipes, and from the reservoir to Broadway in eight-inch iron pipes. From there it was distributed throughout the city in wooden pipes, fifty thousand feet of which had beeen laid. The manufacture of pipes, also, had begun at the Water Works building. In 1831, Cincinnati was known as Porkopolis because of her large pork inter- ests. The first attempts at curing pork in the earlier days had been unsuccessful, but by this time the methods were improved because of the introduction and use of rock salt. The industry was now so extensive that it was declared to be larger than that of Baltimore 01', perhaps, any other city. An average of forty thousand hogs Twelve

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Everyday Life in Cincinnati of I83l INCINNATI, in 1831, was a flourishing little town with bright hopes for the future. Even at this early date, considerable business was carried on. The most outstanding feature of the Cincinnati of 1831 was its market. This, it seems, was famous for the abundance and cheapness of its supplies. As there were no shops for the sale of food except bakeries, everything for breakfast, dinner, and supper had to be purchased at the market. Accordingly, the gentlemen 0f the city were accustomed to attend to the marketing. They would arise early and with capacious baskets sally forth in search of meat, butter, eggs, and vegetables. Even Mrs. Trollope, our archcritic, says that the beef, then only four cents a pound, was excellent. The poultry, mutton, and veal also were exceptionally good An abund- ance of good fish was always to be found in the market at very low prices, as well as an excellent supply of butter, eggs, and. vegetables. Tomatoes of the highest perfection were to be found from June to December, and a great variety of beans was available. The fruit on sale seems to have been inferior. At this time, there was an almost total want of pasturage near the city, and it is difficult to understand the source of the abundant milk supply. Evidently there were more ways than one of keeping a cow. Many a family in town, particularly of the poorer class, kept a cow, though apparently without pasture. These cows were fed morning and evening at the door of the house, and while they ate, they were milked. When this operation was completed, both the milk pail and the meal- tub were taken into the dwelling, leaving the cow to finish her meal on the neigh- boring hills or in the gutter, as might suit her fancy. The wife and daughter of the family usually had to work very hard. They were, virtually, domestic slaves. The women were broken and prematurely aged at a time when they should have been in the prime of life. The girls married at a very early age and took upon their shoulders the added cares of married life. The average wage of the laboring man was about ten dollars per month with lodging, board, washing, and mending. If the workman lived at his own expense, he was paid a dollar a day. Among the men, the use of tobacco and whiskey was almost universal. Some used both moderately; some, excessively; a few, not at all. At this period, the absence of public amusement was most noticeable. There were no concerts or dinner parties, no public balls except during the Christmas holidays. Billiards and cards were forbidden by law. The only place of public . amusement was the one small theater. Plays were poorly attended. Ladies were rarely seen there, and by far the larger proportion of them considered it an offense against religion to witness a play. It was in the churches and chapels of the town that the ladies were to be seen, in handsome costumes. The proportion of men ' attending these evening meetings was very small. The ladies were too actively em- ployed within their homes to permit much morning visiting. Had it not been for public worship and private tea drinkings, all the ladies of Cincinnati would have been in danger of becoming recluses. Mrs. Trollope says that on the Fourth of July alone, the Americans appeared to be amiable people. It is then that ttthey awake and appear high spirited, gay, sociable, and generous. The women had but little to do with the pageantry, the splendor, or the gaiety of the holiday, but the men made it a glorious celebration. The many growing industries of the city made for a constant year-round activity and prosperity. This steady whirl of every-day life was of special interest to the outsider. Although Cincinnati was not a full-grown city in 1831, it was, indeed, a very promising one. ANNA MAE LUNSFORD, '31 Eleven

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were packed in four months. For a long time, the slaughter houses were chiefly in the valley of Deer Creek, and the packing-houses were spread over the entire city. Later, however, both slaughter and packing-houses were removed to the Mill Creek Valley where they are now located. We know that Cincinnati is today one of the largest industrial cities in America. In 1831, when the West was just being developed. Cincinnati industries were very important and helped to give our city the name, Queen City Of the WBStf, a title which she still proudly bears. MARIE LIND, '31. The City Government in l83l HE government of the city of Cincinnati in 1831 operated under its second city charter, granted by the act of the General Assembly of January 26, 1827. It was not such a government as we have now, but very much simpler, though adequate to the needs of the period and the size of the city. The City Council was the main governing body of the city. It consisted of trustees, three from each of the five city wards. The trustees, elected by the people, were men who had lived in the city for at least three years, and who had been freeholders or householders for a year. The Council could pass ordinances concerning the health of the city, fire companies, the night watch, erection of wooden buildings, licenses for ale-houses, taverns, etc., appropriations for expenses, and taxes. The tax was one-fifth of one per cent of the total value of taxable prop- erty in the city. Every white male over twenty-one years of age could vote, regardless of property qualifications. The mayor was elected by the people for a twoayear term. His duties included participation in the dispensing of justice in the City Court, of which he was a member, and the holding of the office of J ustice of the Peace. Associated with him in the court were three Aldermen, also elected by the people. Other court officials were the Clerk and the Prosecutor, both appointed by the Mayor and Aldermen. The other officials of the city were the Marshal, the Inspector of Flour, Inspectors of Whiskey, and the Collector of Canal Tolls. The Fire Department of the city was composed of six companies. Thirteen engines and several hose reels formed their Equipment. They proved inadequate to cope with large fires, but at that time the Council would not provide new equip- ment for them. The engines were manned by volunteers. The Cincinnati Fire Association was one of the organizations formed by the volunteers. Its purpose was to regulate the Fire Department, to settle disputes over fire losses, and to provide for sick or disabled members. A feature of this association was the parade of the fire companies on the first Thursday Of May, each year. There was no Police Department, but some protection was given by the City Night Watch, which consisted of not more than twenty men appointed by the Marshal. These men met in a building purchased for them in the center of the city, and made their rounds each night. Such was the situation in Cincinnati, in 1831, when William Woodward opened the doors of the first Woodward school building. LAN WONG, t31. Thirlmz