davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-08-06
TOLEDO BLADE BUILDING.

In the very beginning Toledo was
blessed with the Maumee River and the
nearby lake. The first craft regularly
trading on the river was a 25-ton
schooner bearing the name of Black
Snake, in 1915. 1t was commanded by
Capt Jacob Wilkison. Small sailing
vessels were added thereafter year by
year. The first steamboat to operate
on the river was the Sun, in 1898, Of
which c. X. Bennett was Captain. In
the following year regular steamer runs
were established between Toledo and
Detroit. In 1890 a stage line was put in
operation from Cleveland to Toledo. The
mud led later to the construction of
several plank roads running from Tole-
do out into Lucas County.
In 1882 the first steps were taken by
the enterprising citizens of the embryo
towns on the Maumee River to build
railroad, the first in the West. At
that time the progress of railway i'm
proyement had reached but 229 miles
of completed track in the United States.
The original plan of the road was to
use oak rails four inches square, the
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-08-06

Board of Public Service. The heads of
the sub-departments are Perry d.
Knapp, Chief; Edward O'Dwyer, In
spector of Police; j. w. Carcw. Inspec-
tor of Detectives. There are three Cap
tains of Police, four Lieutenants, 10
Sergeants. 1S5 regular patrolmen, eight
regular detectives and eight detailed
detectives There are three regular sta
tons. each provided with wagons,
horses, motor cycles and every accessory
required to promptly meet calls. Spe-
cial provision is made for taking care
of women and children who may be
arrested and for emergency cases. The
fire and police alarm service has head
quarters at one of the stations, also the
electrical inspection service.
There has never been in the history
of the city any affair which the police
have not been able to keep we'll in hand,
altho great cities are near at hand
from which crooks can come quickly
and cheaply. Many public meetings are
held here during the year, and thou
sands of strangers annually entertained
within the city limits, yet robberies are
rare, and when they do oc-
cur the guilty are usually captured and
punished. Strangers visiting Toledo
may note wide -openness" in certain
things that are kept well under the lid
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-08-06
scHUcHMAN HOTEL.

quality, transportation facilities for
moving the complete product, nearby
markets, healthy location plentiful and
moderate residence rentals. But these
are not all. There must be, besides. as
an attraction to labor, good wages,
school and church privileges, but above
and beyond all and primarily there
must be capital ready to invest and
banking facilities willing to accommo-
date and liberal in their terms of do
ing it.
Does Toledo fill these requirementsg
Practically So Near the center of pop.
ulation of the United States, direct rail-
connection with every part of the land,
water connection thru the Lakes with
great markets, by canal with the Ohio
River, Toledo has vast consuming ter-
ritory before it.
Raw material, cheap fuel, moderate-
priced living, central location and plen-
tiful competing transportation facilities
are the principal necessary potentiaIi-
ties in the upbuilding of a business city
of to-day. Any additional concomi-
tants are Injuries.
it is to New England. 1t is nearer the
cotton fields of the South than Boston,
it is nearer the source of the wool sup
ply, of iron ore and coal. One only
needs to see the giant machines at work
handling ore and coal from mammoth
vessels to the docks along the shores Of
the river to realize that Toledo has
made more than start in the coal and
iron business.
Toledo has labor of ali grades, and
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-08-06

UNITED BAKING CO.'S PLANT.
enough to provide place to sleep and
something to eat.
A g:fry of Toledo is shown in its in
terest in the poor. the friendless and
unfortunate. While care is taken that
fmpostors and unworthy persons shall
not receive assistance to which they
are not entitled. the deserving poor
never make an appeal that is not lis
tened TO. or that fails 10 awaken the
sympathy of those actively engaged in
works of philanthropy. Several of the
churches have societies with this end
in view The Catholics. as everywhere.
are especially active III :.,is matter. The
Elks and various orders are also proml-
nent in this work.
In charitable and lecmosynary in
etitutions Toledo is peculiarly blessed,
having homes for the blind, the old, the
orphans, shelters for the sick and af-
licted, the strayed, hospitals and in
frmaries, free dispensaries, etc, and
some of them are handsomely endowed.
The first hospital in the city was st.
Vincent. a Catholic institution estab-
lished in 1850 The first Protestant
hospital was established in 1874.
Toledo has a Ncwsboys' Homo, and
there is an organization having in hand
play grounds FOR the children and also
b. helpful work. Its plan is that the
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-08-06

Bay View Park, head of Summit ave-
nue., 292 acres: Central Grove Park, Gen.
trail avenue, 100 acres; Erie Place, Erie
street, Ash street to Buckeye street, one
acre; Jefferson Place, Collingwood ave-
nuc to Jefferson street. one acre; Oliver
Place, Oliver street and Williams street,
one acre; 80 triangular parks at street
intersections, 10 acres
A boulevard and parkway. IS miles
long, encircles the city, and connects
all of the large parks. A public ZOO
logical collection of over 200 animals,
birds and reptiles is located at Wal
bridge Park. The interurban traction
lines have been alert in this splendid
work to rejuvenate the old and provide
new places of innocent amusement such
as pretty parks, resorts with Summer
theaters, pleasant groves and bathing
beaches, usually situated within easy
riding distance, where the family of the
busy man, if only for a day. may find
the maximum of recreation and restfui
enjoyment at an almost trifling item CT
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-08-06

cars to be drawn by horses. The diff
culties in the way included the lack of
money The work had only been fairly
started when ii was decided to iron
the track and use steam power. The
modern devices of mortgage bonds. pre-
ferred stock, etc, were unknown to
these pioneers, but by allowing a lib
eral bonus on the stock and furnishing
the paper of the company, Endorsed by
the directors and other supposed re-
sponsible hackers, the iron was secured.
1t was known as strap rail-" two and
half inches wide, five-eighths of an
inch thick, and was spiked to the wood
en- rail. The road was Incorporated by
the Legislature of Michigan, and was
10 extend from Adrian to Port Lawrence
(ToIedo). The Port Lawrence Director
was Andrew Palmer; Darius Comstock
was President and Joseph Chittenden
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-08-06

hours to make. the trip. In June, 1912,
the two locomotives and entire rolling
stock of the company were sold by the
Sheriff under judgment of $4,000. To
further trace and tell the story of the
development of Toledo's transportation
facilities by boat and car, BY canal and
plank road would be later History and
of much interest, but suffice it 10 say
that to-day Toledo is one of, the great
est railway centers in the country. In
Guiding branches it has 20 steam rail-
roads: Ann Arbor Railroad; Cincin-
natl, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad;
Cleveland. Cincinnati, Chicago & St
Louis Chg -Four Route); Detroit G.
Short Line Railway; Grand Trunk Sys-
tenn; Hooking Valley Railroad; Lake
Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad
tNorwalk Division); Lake Shore &
Michigan Southern Railroad (Sandusky
Division); Lake Shore & Michigan
Southern Railroad (Air Line Division) :,
Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Rail-
road (Michigan Division): Lake Shore
81 Michigan Southern Railroad Detroit
Division); Michigan Central Railroad
PENNSYLVANIA Railroad; Pcre Marquette
Railroad; Toledo, Angola e. Western
railroad; Toledo e. Ohio Central Rail-
road eastern Division); Toledo &c Ohio
Central Railroad (Western Division)
Toledo Railway & Terminal Company;
Toledo, st. Louis & Western Railroad;
Wabash Railroad Chicago Division)
Wabash Railroad est. Louis Division)
Wheeling & Lake Eric Railroad.
OF interurban or traction railways it
has 10 lines, with total trackage of
SIS miles, as follows: Detroit, Monroe
& Toledo Short Line Railway; Lake
Shore Electric Railroad; Toledo, Bowl
ing Green e. Southern Traction Com
pany; Toledo & Indiana Railway; To-
ledo, Port Clinton & Lakeside Railway;
Toledo Urban e. Interurban Railway;
Toledo & Western Railway; Maumee
Valley Railway: Lima & Toledo Trac-
ton Company; Toledo, Fostoria & Find
lay.
The Toledo Railway G. Terminal Com
pany has Belt Line 80 miles in length,
entirely encircling the city, with track
connections at grade with every rail-
road entering the city. 1t has the dis
tinction of being the only complete
steam belt line railroad in the country.
There ar five regular steamer lines
with serv from the city, as follows:
Detroit & Cleveland Lines from Toledo
to Put-in-Bay. Cedar Point and Cleve-
land; to Detroit and Mackinaw; White
Star Line to Detroit: Merchants Mon
treal Line to Toronto and Montreal;
Georgian Bay Line to Georgian Bay and
the 500: Starr-Cole Line to the 500
The harbor of Toledo is the most
commodious on the Great Lakes. The
dock privileges now extend distance
of over 16 miles. The channel to the
lake thru the river and bay is 400 feet
wide and Fl feet deep and well lighted,
and has foghorn signal station. The
shore line possible of being utilized for
docks is SO miles long. The harbor Is
the best protected one from storms on
the Lakes.
The city is also the terminus of the
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-08-06
THE TONGUE OF THE CITY.
The Newspapers. Publishers, Printers
Book and News Dealers.

In no other manner has American ap-
probation of the press as an agency for
the promotion of mental, moral and
material prosperity been more clearly
shown than in the prominent position
given the same in nearly every advance
of population and development of the
great West. Closely associated with
the school house and church, and al
ways cooperating Herewith, the news
paper has gone. as soon, and often be-
fore, the conditions gave reasonable as
surance of even meager support. Its
effectiveness has been recognized by the
adventurous investor of capital in local
enterprises. no less than by those seek
ing any form of benefit from its pres
ence. These cooperating Influences,
stimulating the characteristic enterprise
of printers. did much toward the early
presence of the press turnout the pio-
neer settlements of the West Many
times such ventures proved altogether
premature. and for lack of sufficient
support entailed severe toll, protracted
struggle and ultimate failure. The story
of this feature of pioneer experience, If
fully recorded. would be one to place
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-08-06

in other cities, but despite all this order
is the rule.
The fire department employs POI men
and 102 horses. and has an efficient
Chief Engineer in William Mayo, who
has under him two assistants and vari-
Gus district chiefs. The department
consists of 16 stations, 10 steam fire en-
gines, seven city service hook and lad
der trucks, 16 combination hose and
chemical wagons, one aerial hook and
ladder truck and one water tower.
The military history of the city is a
most honorable one. Toledo sent
company of men to the Mexican War
When the civil war began Toledo, ac-
cording to the census of 1861 consisted
of 1853 persons. Yet the city was
represented in II regiments of infan-
try (by an average of three companies
TO the regimenD, in two batteries of ar
tillery and in one cavalry regiment, be-
sides many Citizens enlisted in regi-
mcnts raised in neighboring States. A
statue of James -,Bs~sSteedman, one of
Toledo's Generals. stands at the inter
section of two prominent streets, and
Toledo honors another citizen, Isaac
r. Sherwood who wore the stars of 4
General. by sending him to Congress.
Another soldier of Toledo, John S.
Kountz. who had had high command
at the front during the war, was 18th
Commander-in-Chief of the G.. A. r.
Another citizen of Toledo James NJ.
Ashley. altho not a soldier, was profni-
nent in Congress curing war-times and
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-08-06

boat, car and carriage or by automobile
No more pretty and restful stretch of
scenery will be found anywhere than
along the route of lake steamers from
Toledo to historic Put-in-Bay and Cedar
Point. The route is dotted with beau
tiful islands. each with an interesting
story or tradition. The boats move just
close enough to shore to keep in hazy
oudine the confines of the main land.
Once at the journeys end ample hotels
are found. forms of amusement are
there to suit any t;lstc. and miles and
miles of the finest kind Of beach. Do
the people of Toledo to whom the beau
ties of this splendid stretch of land
scape have become OF everyday interest,
realize just what q store of treasure
this Summer home land is? Do they
realize that n great interior Summer
play ground IS here? A few do, but
with the majority familiarity has passed
ii to the commonplace.
The city of Toledo has wisely antici-
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-08-06

pated the future b. providing parks in
advance of population, knowing tina.
nothing adds more TO the well-being o.
city than to have plenty of breathing
places. The park and boulevard de-
partment is under control of the Board
of Public Service. There are now eight
large parks and sc small ones, in all
covering go acres. These parks, their
locations and areas are as follows:
Riverside Park, Ash to Ohio street, SO
acres; Riverside Park, Galena to Ohio
street in water blocks, SO acres; Wal
bridge Park, Upper broadway to Glen
wood avenue, CO acres: Ottawa Park,
West Bancroft street, ESQ acres; City
Park, City Park avenue and Nebraska
avenue, Z acres; Navarro Park, East
Toledo. White street from East Broad
way to Navarro avenue, So acres; Col
Inns Park, East Toledo. between Con-
saul street and York street, 80 acres;
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-08-06

TOLEDO PRODUCE EXCHANGE.
by the wages it is able to offer can
draw as needed from other parts of the
country 1t is located in n spot nat
urally healthful and artificialIy i'm
proved to the highest state of SANTA
ton. 1t has and is building abundant
residences of moderate rental. 1t has
churches of every prominent denomi-
nation and creed, schools and colleges,
hospitals, asylums and orphanages. It
has as fine stores and markets as can
be found anywhere in a city of her.
population. 1t has gas, electric light.
artesian water, electric street cars.
parks, amusement houses. and it has
in its banks and trust companies money
to aid any legitimate enterprise.
The development of manufactures ina
Toledo is only fairly begun. AS the de-
velopment of the country tributary to
it is just beginning, not more than A.
small portion of its possibilities are as
yet understood, as the knowledge OF
the earth's raw products and their pos.
sibility of utilization is in its infancy
Untold wealth yet lies in the grip Of
Mother Ear thin Ohio, Indiana and
AIichigan-and the soils of her surface
that are as yet undreamed of, and these
in time-as in oil and gas-will be
discovered and utilized and Toledo viii
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-08-06
lend a hand to others

also lend a hand to others.
The 18th and 18th centuries in Amer
ica were given to the conquest of wild
men and wild lands. The Goth CEN
fury will be given to even better work.
1t will be devoted largely to the con-
quest OF poverty and incompetency, and
thru the rescue of the children of the
Nation this will be brought about. What
the period makes of itself depends on
what it makes of the children. Herein
lies the democratic enrichment of the
future.
The tendency is now taking practi-
cal shape in handling the poor, the I'M
fortunate and the incompetent. Socie-
ties under city and State control are
assuming the distribution of funds and
giving relief The handing out of money
has about ceased. The Salvation Army
and Volunteers of America set the key
note to all applicants for help: Can
you work2' Are you willing to work.
Favorable response to these test ques-
tions ends in the securing of work
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-08-06

be away at the front as a great city.
The prices of fuel, due to closenesa
of supply, variety of same, competition
of fuel companies of railroads, and OF
best lines, are as low in Toledo as in
any city OF its size in the Union,
standing argument for the location
of ranufacturing plants. There is
practically no possibility of a fuel
famine occurring in Toledo for the next
century and then some more The
coal felix's of Ohio and surrounding
States VIII not fail for generations
and the oil and rasur;,l gas territory so
close to Toledo is one of the greatest
in the world. Within au hours ride.
OF Toledo on trolley car the June so
report showed more than $4,000, 600
barrels of crude petroleum in storage
tanks. Wood, 400. is far from being
exhausted. as the lake region is still
extensively ferostcd.
There has seldom been trouble with
labor organizations in Toledo. There
are various unions in the city. but their
policy is one OF peace, patriotism and
prosperity. That they are determined
to so conduct their affairs as 10 add in
large measure to the community's adj
vaucement there is ample evidence. Per-
haps, however, nothing demonstrates
this fact so fully as the actual part
they are taking in the conduct of the
business of the community. 1t is a
fact perhaps not generally known that
he roll of almost every union in Toledo
contains the names Of numbers of men
who are not merely worilingmen. but :
are operators, owners and employers in
their respective lines. True. there has
been more or less labor agitation in the
city during and since the days of Golden
Rule Jones, whose career as Mayor drew
considerable attention TO the city.
To call off a list of the things made
and sold in Toledo would be to run
thru the alphabet There are over 1900
factories, large and small, in and around
the city. with monthly pay roll OF
s3,000.000. Automobiles and airships
are made here. This is the home. OF
Barney Oldfield, who established q rec
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-08-06

Adrian, these connecting with a line
of stages for the West, Michigan City,
Chicago and Wisconsin Territory. Emil
grants and others destined for Indiana,
Illinois and western Michigan will save
two days and the corresponding ex-
pense by taking this route in preference
to the more heightened, tedious and
expensive route heretofore travelled. All
baggage at the risk of the owners.
Edward Bissell. w. P. Daniels. George
Crane, Commissioners, Erie & Kala-
mazoo R. r. Co.; A. Hughes. Super
intendent. Western Stage Co."
In July, 1897, it was announced that
1.-THE accommodations of the railroad
were increased by the arrival of new
passenger car of a pretty, tho rather
singular and fanciful model" The fol-
lowing illustration was made from a
sketch prepared by Richard Mott. of
Toledo, at that time a Director of the
company. It's builders termed it a Goth
ic car, but the Directors called it a
pleasure car" 1t was divided into
three compartments, each holding eight
persons. The rate in this car from To-
ledo to Adrian, 33 miles, was II shill-
ings (s1.5O). 1t took three and half
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-08-06

flied to speak is that the past decade has
witnessed a doubling of the interest
that the successful and the fortunate
can show for the poor and the unfor-
tunate. AS the number of associations
has multiplied, so also have the lines
of activity increased. Charity has been
reduced to a science, and there are
those who make it profession. The
work has been practically revolution
lied in recent years.
The activity of a decade or two ago
was palliative rather than curative.
The effort was mainly to relieve dis
tress rather than to remove its cause.
To-day the question is treated as one
that calls for a cure. The charity sub
ject in days gone by was treated as an
individual. To-day he is treated as a
member of the State, and the effort is
TO get him on his feet, so that he may
not onlysstand of his own Will, but may
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-08-06

follows: Daily, 100; tri-weekly, "a, and
weekly, 81. Since then the Blade has
been under various owncrships and
arrangements. The best-known name
associated with the editorial control of
the Blade is that of David Ross Locke,
whose Nasty" letters have a world
wide reputation. His sons are still con-
nected with the Blade. the weekly issue
of which has a large circulation, MAIN
tanned since Na5by days. Among other
names associated with the Blade are
those of Clark Waggoncr. A d. Pelton,
A. p. Miller and John McElroy, now
editor of The National Tribune There
are now "a different publications in the
city, of which four are issued daily, viz:
the Blade, the News-Bee, the Times
and the Express, the latter in the Ger
man language The Times is the only
morning paper. The Polish and Magyar
tongues are represented by weekly pa
pers.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-08-06
BosTwIcK BRAUN HARgwARE co

Maumee & Erie Canal, which comes
across Ohio from Cincinnati, and also
of the Wabash & Erie.
A projected enterprise as a part of
the enlarged inland water system of the
country is a canal from Toledo to Chi
cago. BY way of Fort Wayne the dis
lance is go miles. Connection can be
made with the Drainage Canal at Chi
cago for the Mississippi River. Boats
could run from st. Louis to Chicago
and by Toledo and Lake Erie to Buffalo,
and thence by the Erie Canal to Albany
and down the Hudson TO New York. 8
The shipping advantages enjoyed by
Toledo can scarcely be overestimated.
With rail lines giving connection to all
parts of the land, water facilities sec
ond to no other interior city, by lake
and canal, Toledo has a splendid future
before 1t.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-08-06

the standing and value of any city.
Manufactures mean buildings Great
ed, machinery bought and installed,
skilled and unskilled labor brought for
ward as paying personalities of the
community. families added to the popu-
lation, voters to the Government pupils
to the schools customers to the retail
stores, depositors to the banks, tax
payers to the public support, suppliers
to the general public consumption and
business to the railroads or other means
of transportation. They also mean sup
port to growing suburban population,
market to the farmer, the stock raiser,
the fruiter, the trucker, the poultry
man.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-08-06

expense. In all truth it will be hard to
find region containing a greater va
riety of pretty places for the pilgrim
seeking rest and quiet, where the hand
of man has made it possible to come
and go at will. Electricity now sup
plies power, light and heat to cars run
ming to all points of the compass from
Toledo. Intervening the villages and
towns and bringing rural communities
formerly isolated into easy access to the
city, and in turn the city with the coun-
try
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-08-06

wants. 1t finds utterance in the public
press, in favor of every good and hui
snanitarian movement. 1t concerns it.
self with pure food. 1t cham
pions every good cause. 1t finds God
here, and seeks to make this world
worthy of His presence Is 1t thus with
your religion 2,'