Sinking Fund Commission: R. S. Smith, John M. Pugh, A. Theobald, A. D. Heffner, C. D. Firestone; D. E. Williams, Clerk.

Board of Elections: Nelson A. Sims, President; James D. Poston, Charles Kemmler, William F. Burdell; W. S. Connor, Secretary.

Board of Public Works: E. L. Hinman, President; W. M. Muchmore, William Wall, Jerry P. Bliss; F. M. Senter, Clerk.

Board of Equalization: C. C. Neff, James Burns, Charles Ebner, John Wagenhals, George Beard, Benjamin Clark.

PUBLIC LIBRARY AND READING ROOM.1

The first meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Public Libary and Reading Room was held February 19, 1872. Trustees er officio: James G. Bull, Mayor; Luther Donaldson, President of the City Council; Frederick Fieser, President of the Board of Education. Trustees chosen by the City Council: John W. Andrews, A. S. Glenn, William B. Hayden and Otto Dresel. The Board organized by electing the following officers for the ensuing year: President, John W. Andrews; Secretary, Otto Dresel; Treasurer, A. S. Glenn; Librarian, Rev. J. L. Grover.

1873.

Trustees: John W. Andrews, President; Otto Dresel. Secretary; A. S. Glenn, Treasurer; William B. Hayden. Ex officio: James G. Bull, Mayor; John G. Mitchell, President of the City Council; Starling Loving, President of the Board of Education. Librarian, James L. Grover.

1874.

Trustees: John W. Andrews, President; Otto Dresel, Secretary; Charles C. Walcutt, Treasurer; Luther Donaldson. Ex officio: James G. Bull, Mayor; Isaac S. Beekey, President of the City Council; C. C. Walcutt, President of the Board of Education. Librarian, James L. Grover.

1875.

Trustees: John W. Andrews, President; Otto Dresel, Secretary; C. P. L. Butler, Treasurer; Luther Donaldson. Librarian, James L. Grover. Ex officio: J. H. Heitman, Mayor; John G. Mitchell, President of the City Council; Charles C. Walcutt, President of the Board of Education.

1876.

Trustees: John W. Andrews, President; Otto Dresel, Secretary; C. P. L. Butler, Treasurer; Luther Donaldson. Ex officio: J. H. Heitman, Mayor; Isaac B. Potts, President of the City Council; C. C. Walcutt, President of the Board of Education. Librarian, James L. Grover.

1877.

Trustees: John W. Andrews, President; Henry Pausch, Vice President; Luther Donaldson, Treasurer; Frederick Fieser, Secretary. Ex officio: J. H. Heitman, Mayor; Henry Pausch, President of the City Council; Starling Loving, President of the Board of Education. Librarian, James L. Grover.

1878.

Trustees: John W. Andrews, President; S. S. Rickly, Vice President; Frederick Fieser, Secretary; C. P. L. Butler, Treasurer. Ex officio: J. H. Heitman, Mayor; Henry Pausch, President of the City Council; Starling Loving, President of the Board of Education. Librarian, James L. Grover.

1879.

Trustees: John W. Andrews, President: S. S. Rickly, Vice President; Frederick Fieser, Secretary; Luther Donaldson, Treasurer. Ex officio: G. G. Collins, Mayor; Charles Breyfogle, President of the City Council; Henry Olnhausen, President of the Board of Education. Librarian, James L. Grover.

1880.

Trustees: John W. Andrews, President; Luther Donaldson, Vice President; John J. Janney, Treasurer; Frederick Fieser, Secretary. Ex officio: G. G. Collins, Mayor; W. B. McClung, President of the City Council; C. C. Walcutt, President of the Board of Education. Librarian, James L. Grover.

1881.

Trustees: John W. Andrews, President; Frederick Fieser, Secretary; J. J. Janney, Treasurer; Luther Donaldson. Er officio: George S. Peters, Mayor; W. B. McClung, President of the City Council; C. C. Walcutt, President of the Board of Education. Librarian, James L. Grover; Assistants, Charles H. Bell, John J. Pugh.

1882.

Trustees: John W. Andrews, President; Frederick Fieser, Secretary; John J. Janney, Treasurer; Luther Donaldson. Ex officio: George S. Peters, Mayor; R. C. Hoffman, President of the City Council; C. C. Walcutt, President of the Board of Education. Librarian, James L. Grover; Assistants, Charles H. Bell, John J. Pugh.

1883.

Trustees: John W. Andrews, President; Luther Donaldson, Vice President; Frederick Fieser, Secretary; John J. Janney, Treasurer. Ex officio: George S. Peters, Mayor; William Felton. President of the City Council; Edward Pagels, President of the Board of Education. Librarian, James L. Grover; Assistants, Charles H. Bell, John J. Pugh.

1884.

Trustees: John W. Andrews, President; Luther Donaldson, Vice President; Henry C. Taylor, Secretary; John J. Janney, Treasurer. Ex officio: Charles C. Walcutt, Mayor; Edward Pagels President of the Board of Education; Henry C. Taylor, President of the City Council. Librarian, James L. Grover; Assistants, Charles H. Bell, John J. Pugh.

1885.

Trustees John W. Andrews, President; Luther Donaldson, Vice President; Walter B Page, Secretary; John J. Janney, Treasurer. Ex officio: Charles C. Walcutt, Mayor; Walter B. Page, President of the City Council; B. N. Spahr, President of the Board of Education. Librarian, James L. Grover; Assistants, John J. Pugh, Evan J. Williams.

1886.

Trustees: John W. Andrews, President; B. N. Spahr, Vice President; Frederick Fieser, Secretary; Luther Donaldson, Treasurer; E. O. Randall. Ex officio: C. C. Walcutt, Mayor ; Richard W. Reynolds, President of the City Council; B. N. Spahr, President of the Board of Education. Librarian, James L. Grover; Assistants, John J. Pugh, Evan J. Williams.

1887.

Trustees: John W. Andrews, President; B. N. Spahr, Vice President; Frederick Fieser, Secretary; Francis C. Sessions, Treasurer; E. O. Randall. Ex officio: C. C. Walcutt, Mayor; Frank E. Hayden, President of the City Council; B. N. Spahr, President of the Board of Education. Librarian, James L. Grover; Assistants, John J. Pugh, Evan J. Williams.

1888.

Trustees: John W. Andrews, President; E. O. Randall, Vice President; Frederick Fieser, Secretary; Francis C. Sessions, Treasurer. Ex officio: Philip H. Bruck, Mayor; J. E. Robinson, President of City Council; J. E. Sater, President of the Board of Education. Librariau, James L. Grover; Assistants, John J. Pugh, Evan J. Williams.

1889.

Trustees: John W. Andrews, President; E. O. Randall, Vice President; Frederick Fieser, Secretary; Francis C. Sessions, Treasurer. Er officio: Philip H. Bruck, Mavor; D. J. Clahane, President of the City Council; J. E. Sater, "President of the Board of Education. Librarian, James L. Grover; Assistants, John J. Pugh, Evan J. Williams.

1890.

Trustees: John W. Andrews, President; E. O. Randall, Vice President; Frederick Fieser, Secretary; Francis C. Sessions, Treasurer. Ex officio: Philip H Bruck, Mayor; D. S. Wilder, President of the City Council; J. A. Hedges, President of the Board of Education. Librarian, James L. Grover; Assistants, John J. Pugh, Evan J. Williams.

1891.

Trustees: Francis C. Sessions, President; James Kilbourn, Vice President; C. O. Hunter, Secretary; J. B. Schueller, Treasurer; E. O. Randall. Ex officio: George J. Karb, Mayor; C. O. Hunter. President of the City Council Librarian, James L. Grover; Assistants, John J. Pugh, Evan J. Williams.

1892.

Trustees: James Kilbourn, President; John H. Culbertson, Vice President; Osman C. Hooper, Secretary; J. B. Schueller, Treasurer; E. O. Randall. Ex officio: George J. Karb, Mayor; John H. Culbertson, President of the City Council. Librarian, James L. Grover; Assistants, John J. Pugh, Evan J. Williams.

1. The author is indebted for the foregoing compilation to Librarian Grover and his assistants.

2. Pursuant to act of the General Assembly a reorganization of the Board of Trustees took place July 29, 1891.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

STREETS, SEWERS AND PARKS.

The Borough of Columbus began without thoroughfares of any kind other than trails through the forest. No wagonroads entered it from any direction. Its earliest paths for wheels were private lanes, crossed by gates. The first task of the original settlers was to build their cabins; having accomplished this, they began to study public conveniences and to prepare the way for village traffic and neighborhood intercourse. Foresttrees standing in the streets laid out by the State Director were cut down, and a portion of their stumps were pulled out or burned. The stems were used in building or were split up and corded for fuel. Through the clearings thus formed crooked footpaths were soon beaten by the busy villagers and wagon tracks, disdainful of the surveyor's lines or corners, were cut in the virgin soil. As marshes, treestumps, brushheaps and other obstructions had to be avoided, the first streets of Columbus were very devious, and in wet weather very difficult.

Probably not much attention was paid to their improvement until the incorporation of the borough, a consummation which their condition may have hastened. The first street ordinance of the village, of which we have any account, was passed May 23, 1816. By this measure obstruction of the thoroughfares by lumber, firewood, stable garbage, earth from cellars or any other means, was forbidden under penalty of a fine at the discretion of the mayor. At a later date which does not appear on the records, but which seems to have been in May, 1818, John Kerr and Caleb Houston were appointed a street committee with authority to gravel the centre of High Street seventyfive feet wide," from a point "opposite inlot No. 268, and extending to the south side of Town Street," being in all about sixty poles. The ordinance required that the thickness of the gravel should be one foot at the centre of the street and six inches at the sides. By an ordinance of June 26, 1820, the marshal was "directed to remove any logs from Broad Street, west of Fourth Street, that may have grown on the ground and is fallen thereon. On July 17, same year, Henry Brown was allowed twentyfour dollars for the erection of two bridges on Fourth Street. On May 21 a graveled sidewalk was ordered to be laid on the north side of Friend Street from High to Front and thence to Scioto Street and the Penitentiary. On March 1, 1822, a council committee reported against graveling the sidewalk on High Street from Broad to the Run. May 8, same year, a contractor was required to "make a good bridge' on Rich Street between inlots 104 and 105." On March 12, 1827, the gutters on High Street" from Broad Street to the alley on the south side of the Mound," were ordered to be paved at the expense of the lotowners. On January 11, 1832, the sidewalks on Broad Street, between High and the Scioto River, on Front between Broad and Friend, and on State between Front and the first alley east, were ordered to be

paved. Another ordinance of the same year, date not given, required the occupants of lots on High Street between Broad and Friend, "to collect the dirt into convenient heaps on Saturday of each week before ten o'clock, from May 1 to November 1." On September 8, 1834, all improved lots on Front Street, between Broad and Friend, were ordered to be paved on the credit of the city." The appointment of a street commissioner was provided for by an ordinance of January 9, 1835. An ordinance for protection of the Public Square was passed August 22, 1836.

On May 15, 1837, it was ordered that the member of the council from each ward be authorized to contract for and superintend whatever public improvements might be necessary in his ward The members charged with these duties were furnished funds sufficient for the execution of a programme of improvement mapped out in council beforehand. This arrangement grew into a practice which was kept up for many years, and led to abuses. On May 14, 1838, the marshal was instructed to inspect the streets and gutters every two weeks, and see that they were kept clear of all obstructions. By ordinance of June 29, 1840, it was required that no member of the council should spend more, as superintendent of any public work, than was specifically appropriated. On April 19, 1840, the marshal was directed to employ some one as often as necessary to "clean the paved gutters within the city of all dirt and filth." On petition of A. H. Pinney, P. Hayden, S. T. Heffner, J. Ridgway & Co. and William Phelan, Scioto Street was "extended, laid out and established" in 1845. Its required width was seventy feet; its direction "from the centre of the second door from the east end of the Franklin Building (socalled) to the centre of the front of the Ohio Penitentiary." On petition of John Walcutt, Philip Reed, Charles Scott and others an ordinance was passed June 14, 1845, to lay out Pearl Street. In September, same year, a gutter at the corner of Fourth and Town was complained of as being dangerous; also as not being so constructed as to drain "the flats in the eastern part of the city." On April 19, 1847, a supervisor was appointed by the council for every ward in the city. An ordinance directing that the streets, lanes and alleys be cleared of fences and other obstructions was passed February 16, 1848. On March 23, same year, proposals were invited for cleaning market spaces and all paved gutters, removing and burying dead animals, removing firewood, etc. The houses of the city were imperfectly numbered in 1849. In that year North and South High Street began to be so designated. The construction of a bridge over the canal on Mound Street was ordered September 10.

On May 14, 1850, contracts were made, on proposals, for cleaning the streets and alleys. On July 11, 1851, the City Engineer invited proposals for surfacing High Street from Broad to North Public Lane with broken limestone, the grade to be first brought up to the proper level with unscreened gravel. On February 10, same year, a committee was appointed to consider the propriety of the names of streets at all intersections, but there is no record of its having been done. In March the Statehouse Commissioners were authorized to lay a track on Third Street from the Columbus & Xenia Railway to the Capitol Square. On February 28, 1852, a citizen thus wrote of the condition of East Broad Street:

On Tuesday last a couple of friends from Cleveland, delegates to the Temperance Convention, wishing to visit the Lunatic Asylum [then on the grounds now known as East Park Place], I took them in my carriage and set out on the perilous undertaking of reaching that institution and by trespassing on the gravel sidewalk of Mr. Kelley, and some others, we contrived to get within 40 or 50 rods of the Asylum gate, when we were stuck fast in the mud, and after breaking the carriage and harness in endeavoring to proceed, we were compelled to wade on foot through the mire.

:

The same writer stated that farmers "frequently broke down or got mired in hauling their produce to market, after getting within the limits of the corporation."