Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-10-13
CLEVELAND AS SEEN THROUGH
PHILADELPHIA SPECTACLES.
Cleveland, OhiO--Ifs Commemorate
SecIusiVe PeOPle-An Avenue Of
Magnifeence- Euclid r $50 The
Lawns of the Forest Cify--A Quaint
IdfOm.

A letter writer in the Philadelphia Nelcs
writes the following sketchy description of
Cleveland, which our readers will find
suggestive and interesting
Cleveland is the second city Of Ohio In
commercial Importance. 1t is the supply
centre of the southern coast Of Lake Erie,
and rivals Detroit for ths trade of the
upper peninsula of Michigan. It Is the
centre Of the summer lines Of the lower
lakes Buffalo and Detroit have daily con-
nection by large and commodious steatr1-
ers, and lines of boats run regularly to the
upper waters of Superior, communicating
with the steamer on the Lake Michigan
routes, The iron of Marquette, the min
eral of Portage, and the copper Of Kewee-
nav range, find outlet at Cleveland. The
docks of the railroad shipping depots over
the inrolling wash Of Fries waters are
empurpled by the stain of Negaunee, and
the coal of Ohio lies in huge heaps on the
waters edge of Cleveland awaiting trans
portation to the more inaccessible shores
of the upper Huron and Superior. In the
docks and at the mouth of the river
that flows through the city lie hundreds of
coas ing schOoners and clipper-built ships,
the forest of masts forming an intricate
network, the heraldry of commerce, the
arms of prosperous trade. The wbarves
in summer are astir with industry and
labor. for the winter on the lakes Is
sealed season. The winter stores of the
distant regions are procured during the
summer or else drawn by sledges over the
| snow from the railroad terminus at Mar
quette.
The streets of Cleveland are rcgtaar and
generally wide. Near the lake they are
Sotiplieated, and the business thorough
fares are pulling to a stranger, but De
yond the precints of the shipping and for-
warding houses all is regularity. The city
bears the lame Of the Forest City. 1t was
settled by wealthy merchants from Con-
neeticub and Eastern New York, who,
i~ourpeving out into the wilderness of
Northern Ohio, founded n city and built
themselves homes where h world could
| not intrude, and their own society would
be their business, domestic, religious, and
| social theatres combined. They tinctured
| Cleveland with a stiffness and ~seclusive-
rass II now contains. ! found the gen.
erous hospitality of Our own Chester coun-
w Ouakers among many OF the people OF
= .is city by the lake, but l found many
-e who seemed TO live in their own
ny ,uings, and who mover turned to the
comm . eft to- take a fellow man by the
IislS VI hi him hope and cheer in ife's
haIG ;nnrnev. 1t seemed to me hat this
up II Tested like an incubus upon
tIe citv, Il seemed 10 Paralyze its
the cIIy' rive it Of the power of
Strength' anu ueP, untrammelled inter
course. 1 stopped a ge- .tocks and de-,
banker with his satchel Of - cry aCan
posts under his arm, with the o. sir ?'
you tell me where your post office is, ~
''Right ahead" ITO the right or left, sir.
fright ahead; you can'tmiss i'll" and he
passed me. / went ahead until found my
self in the suburbs ofthe city, when l turned
about, and found tho banker could have
shown me the building l was looking for
by the simple trouble of crossing a pave
ment. 1t is difficult to penetrate this pc
culiar reserve. Walking along Superior
street with a friend who has resided inthis
city for W years, he pointed out scores
of business men whom he knew. "Theres
the president of the First National Bank"
This is the cashier of the Ohio National"
'Do you see this gentleman with the three
cornered hat2 that's the postmaster"
Here's one of your craft, the editor Of the
Plain Dealer" THAT is the treasurer of
the principal street railway Of Cleveland,
talking with the senior partner of the new
line of Superior steamboat men, and sc
my friend pointed out the people of the
/, city. / noticed that he never spoke to
them, and 1 alluded to it.
"Oh, that's nothing" was his reply
"We never speak to each ether out of the
T shop. Here comes the cashier of the Sec.
G ond National. l have deposited with hin
for two years, and sometimes talk witt
him for half an hour over the counter, but
l never speak to him on1the street. Tht
u first time 1 nodded to him his eyes grew
into a fixed stare, and the second time
: tried the experiment he stood still on tn
4 pavement and looked after me until l wa
6 out Of sight. This bald-headed gentleman
is one of the bank directors. See, he goe
: by without looking at hts own cashier
5. That's Cleveland"
n Others told me the same story. ltseem
ed strange to a Philadelphia, accustomed
to the constant freedom of society here
The Cleveland people were not all seclu
n sive. l received unqualified kindness AM
e hospitality from our Cleveland cOmpan
o ions on the Lac Ia Belle, but the odd sOcia
degrees that seem to e~ncircle the city wer
y to me like a second Old Fan of the Sc
: pressing down the vigor and growth Q
the embryo metropolis. The engraftatiOl
$ of sturdy enterprises from the East, All
= the i~nfusing of capital and labor from tn
! Atlantic seaboard will overthrow the clatl
= nishness of Cleveland, and make it social
4 ly and domestically free.
., -r,N-rr
s On my return from the lakes, 1 remain
ed in Cleveland long enough to visit tn
principal buildings and to examine tn
le rare beauties of the singular city. Wit
Mrs. Raymond and Samuel, IdrOve throug
the shaded borders of Euclid and ProspeC
lie avenues, doubtless the most beautifulthOl
to oughfares in the United States. Tn
a. streets of the city, that reach dow
to the waters edge, course in directiO
p east and west. Euclid street extend
oil from the lake for over three miles, and tn
entire length of the avenue is crowied b
ne splendid residences that rival if they d
i'd not eclipse the dwellings of any other cit
Il in the Union. The suburbs of West Philt
lg delphia or Chestnut Hill bear no compar
to son to the magniticence of the outskirts {
Cleveland. On either side of Euclid streC
oil the ground gradually rises towards tn
centre of the square, and then slopes slowl
or downwards to the rear. The square o
lie either side is nearly two furlongs in dept
and the mansions situate on the rise of IL
r. lawn have diminutive parks reaching til
entire length of the square. lii three mil,
ne of residences on the avenue there is L
cd division of the spacious square. In ii
as lawn stand centurion forest tregs-ches
as nut, maple, and beech-giving tothe broa
SO acres surrounding the houses a rural an
verdant freshness, and atixing to Clev,
OF land the title it bears, of the Forest Cit,
Mt Many of the mansions on the street haJ
lawns of twenty acres, and in several cas-,
where families have intermarried, an
father and daughter, or mother and sol
of live in the same enclosure, two massiN
as residences statid iii the centre Of a beaut
1e, full plat of fifty acres laid out Wit
ed walks and drives like the grount
IN Of an English ~baronetcy. The maj
siohs are square. They stand upon Il
IL swell of the curving ground, aid the
o~bservatories command q range of visio
y sweeping tens of miles out upon the lax
mn