Cleveland Past and Present | Page 9

President of the Council--Amos
Townsend. Trustees--1st Ward--Charles C. Rogers, Silas Merchant. 2d
Ward--Ansel Roberts, Peter Diemer. 3d Ward--Amos Townsend, J. C.
Shields. 4th Ward--Maurice B. Clark, Proctor Thayer. 5th
Ward--William Heisley, Thomas Purcell. 6th Ward--John Huntington,
Edward Hart. 7th Ward--Christopher Weigel, Charles B. Pettingill. 8th
Ward--William H. Truscott, Joseph Houstain. 9th Ward--John Martin,
F. W. Pelton. 10th Ward--Reuben H. Becker, William Wellhouse. 11th
Ward--Robert Larnder, Charles E. Gehring.
1868. Mayor--Stephen Buhrer. President of the Council--Amos
Townsend. Trustees--1st Ward--Silas Merchant, C. C. Rogers. 2d
Ward--Peter Diemer, H. G. Cleveland. 3d Ward--J. C. Shields, Amos
Townsend. 4th Ward--Proctor Thayer, Maurice B. Clark. 5th
Ward--Thos. Purcell, Nathan P. Payne. 6th Ward--Edwin Hart, John
Huntington. 7th Ward--Charles B. Pettingill, George Angell. 8th
Ward--Joseph Houstain, Patrick Carr. 9th Ward--F. W. Pelton, John
Martin. 10th Ward--William Wellhouse, John J. Weideman 11th Ward
--Charles E. Gehring, George L. Hurtnell. 13th Ward--E. C. Gaeckley,
Benj. R. Beavis. 13th Ward--George Rettberg, Major Collins. 14th
Ward--John Jokus, A. E. Massey. 15th Ward--B. Lied, John A. Ensign.
1869. Mayor--Stephen Buhrer. President of the Council--Amos
Townsend. Trustee--1st Ward--C. C. Rogers, Silas Merchant. 2d
Ward--H. G. Cleveland, Peter Diemer. 3d Ward--Amos Townsend,
Charles Coates. 4th Ward--R. R. Herrick, Proctor Thayer. 5th
Ward--Nathan P. Payne, Thomas Purcell. 6th Ward--John Huntington,
W. P. Horton. 7th Ward--George Angell, Horace Fuller. 8th
Ward--Patrick Carr, Patrick Smith. 9th Ward--John Martin, L. L. M.
Coe. 10th Ward--John J. Weideman, Wm. Wellhouse. 11th
Ward--George L. Hartnell, John G. Vetter. 12th Ward--Benj. R. Beavis,
Eugene C. Gaeckley. 13th Ward--Major Collins, J. H. Slosson. 14th
Ward--A. E. Massey, A. A. Jewett, 15th Ward--John A. Ensign, C. W.
Coates.
[Illustration: With Respect, Levi Johnson]

Trade and Commerce.

The commercial history of the early years of Cleveland does not differ
from that of most western settlements. When the white population
numbered from a few dozen to a few hundred, it is difficult to define
what was commerce and what mere barter for individual
accommodation. Every man did a little trading on his own account. The
carpenter, the tailor, the judge and the preacher were alike ready to vary
their customary occupations by a dicker whenever an opportunity
offered. The craftsman purchased what necessities or comforts he
needed, and paid in the work of his hands. The possessor of one article
of daily use traded his superfluity for another article, and for all articles
furs and skins were legal tender, as they could be sent east and
converted into money or merchandise.
The first strictly commercial transactions were with the Indians. They
needed powder and lead for hunting, blankets for their comfort, beads
for the adornment of the squaws, and the two great luxuries--or
necessities--of frontier life, salt and whisky. In payment for these they
brought game, to supply the settlers with fresh provisions, and skins,
the currency of the West. In course of time the opening up of the
country beyond made a new market for the salt, whisky, and salt
provisions collected at Cleveland, and with these staples went
occasionally a few articles of eastern made goods for the use of the
frontiermen's wives. As the country became more settled the
commercial importance of Cleveland increased, until it divided with
Detroit and Buffalo the honors and profits of the commerce of the
lakes.
Cleveland was settled in 1796. PFiveyears later the first commercial
movement was made by the erection of a distillery for the purpose of
providing an adequate supply of the basis of early western
commerce--whisky. The trade operations were of a promiscuous and
desultory character until about the year 1810, when a log warehouse
was built by Major Carter, on the bank of the lake, between Meadow
and Spring streets, and this was speedily followed by another, built by
Elias and Harvey Murray, which became the centre of business and
gossip for the village and the country round about. Of course a full
supply of the great staple--whisky--was kept.

In 1813 Cleveland became a lively and prosperous place, it having been
chosen as a depot of supplies and rendezvous for troops engaged in the
war. A good business was done in selling to the army, in exchanging
with the quartermasters, and in transporting troops and supplies. This
was a flourishing time for Cleveland, and its inhabitants in many cases
made small fortunes, realizing several hundred dollars in hard cash.
The close of the war brought the usual reaction, and the commerce of
the embryo city lagged, but gradually improved under the stimulus of
increasing emigration to the West. In 1816 it had reached such a point
that a bank was deemed necessary to the proper transaction of trade,
and the Commercial Bank of Lake Erie was opened, with Leonard Case
as president. It had the misfortune of being born too soon, and its life
consequently was not long. At the same time,