July 19th, and closed with Perry's Victory Day on September 10th. Owing to an existing financial stringency and national political agitation, and to other causes, the celebration was not as extensive as at first proposed, yet it was sufficiently elaborate to attract widespread attention and to materially increase the fame the Forest City had already gained. The programme comprised fifteen special events, so arranged as to cover as far as possible the different phases of the city's history. First in order came Founder's Day, which was suitably observed on July 22d, this being the anniversary of the landing of Moses Cleaveland with his party of surveyors at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River and the founding of the city. Next came New England Day, July 23d, a day made memorable by the pioneers, their sons and daughters, in honoring their native States. Then came Wheelmen's Day, when the devotees of the popular and health-giving sport of bicycling engaged in a parade which brought out a large percentage of the youth, life and beauty of the city and the country round about. Following this came Woman's Day, affording proper recognition to the work done by woman in the development and progress of the city, and emphasizing the trend of woman's thought at the close of the century. Early Settlers' Day was a day given over to those who had a part in laying the corner-stones of the city, and was observed on July 29th. Western Reserve Day came on July 30th, when the patriots of Northern Ohio joined, hand and heart, in celebrating the glories of their capital city. In honor of the tamous victory achieved by Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry over the British fleet on Lake Erie, September 10th was chosen as the closing day of the Centennial period, being designated and celebrated as Perry's Victory Day.

On many of these days orations were delivered by well-known public men, odes were read and songs were sung portraying the progress of the city from its early settlement to its proud position among American municipalities. On some of them, demonstrations were made attracting thousands of people from the surrounding towns and country, densely crowding the business portions of the city. Aside from the pomp and display of the celebration, a valuable series of historical conferences were held, treating the topics of education, religion and philanthropy.

Among the special features of the Centennial programme were the encampment of the Ohio National Guard and United States Regulars, a grand Floral Exposition, a Centennial Yacht Regatta, and the biennial encampment of the Uniform Rank Knights of Pythias of the Worid, together with the convention of the Supreme Lodge of that Order. A long list of collateral events also characterized the Centennial year. Chief among these were the quadrennial conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the convention of the American Library Association, the annual meeting of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, the convention of the Society of American Florists, and other important State and National assemblages.

Many important facts hitherto little known by the masses of the people were brought out by the Centennial. For decade after decade Cleveland had been growing and expanding, but never before had so favorable a time been afforded for considering its advantages and achievements. The remarkable prosperity which had attended it, its culture, conservatism, beauty and wealth were emphasized as never before and Cleveland was crowned by all a leading queen among the civic products of the Nineteenth Century.

CHAPTER I.

PRELIMINARY ARRANGEMENTS.

JULY 22, 1893-FEBRUARY 5, 1896.

The first steps toward a fitting celebration of the one-hundredth anniversary of the city of Cleveland were taken by the Early Settlers' Association, a society of pioneers of the Western Reserve. This organization was established in 1879, and had upon its membership rolls more than seven hundred representatives of the city's early inhabitants. Many of these were prominent in business and professional life, and their influence given to such a movement augured well for its success. They were patriotic, loyal and devoted, and were early imbued with the idea that so important an event in the history of the city should not be allowed to come and go without more than a passing notice.

Accordingly, this association, at its fourteenth annual meeting in Army and Navy Hall, on July 22, 1893, formally decided to start the Centennial project. The session began at 10 o'clock in the morning and was attended by a large company of pioneers. It was an opportune time for launching such an enterprise. Near the close of the session, Hon. John C. Covert, a well-known member of the association, introduced a resolution requesting the president to appoint a committee of nine, the president to be the chairman, to confer with the City Council, Chamber of Commerce and other local bodies to provide for a celebration. Pursuant to this resolution the president, Hon Richard C. Parsons, announced the following members of the committee: Hon. John C. Covert, Hon. A. J. Williams, Bolivar Butts, General James Barnett, George F. Marshall, Wilson S. Dodge, Solon Burgess and H. M. Addison.

Interest was at once manifested by the general public in the undertaking and the press of the city gave it strong endorsement. At the November meeting of the Chamber of Commerce the subject was discussed and the following resolution, introduced by Wilson M. Day, was unanimously adopted:

WHEREAS, The year 1896 will mark the one-hundredth anniversary of the founding of the city of Cleveland, and,

WHEREAS, So important an event deserves commemoration in the degree to which Cleveland has made advancement during that period, in population, wealth, commerce, education and arts, therefore,

Resolved, That a committee of five be appointed by the president of the Chamber of Commerce, whose duty it shall be to begin at once timely and suitable preparations for an appropriate celebration of the city's Centennial, to the end that various important improvements now in progress or in contemplation may, by unity and harmony of action, be brought to a culmination in that year, and the occasion be thus distinguished by tangible evidences of the city's growth and glory.

At the December meeting of the chamber, President H. R. Groff announced the appointment of Wilson M. Day, H. A. Garfield, Esq.,

July 19th, and closed with Perry's Victory Day on September 10th. Owing to an existing financial stringency and national political agitation, and to other causes, the celebration was not as extensive as at first proposed, yet it was sufficiently elaborate to attract widespread attention and to materially increase the fame the Forest City had already gained. The programme comprised fifteen special events, so arranged as to cover as far as possible the different phases of the city's history. First in order came Founder's Day. which was suitably observed on July 22d, this being the anniversary of the landing of Moses Cleaveland with his party of surveyors at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River and the founding of the city. Next came New England Day, July 23d, a day made memorable by the pioneers, their sons and daughters, in honoring their native States. Then came Wheelmen's Day, when the devotees of the popular and health-giving sport of bicycling engaged in a parade which brought out a large percentage of the youth, life and beauty of the city and the country round about. Following this came Woman's Day, affording proper recognition to the work done by woman in the development and progress of the city, and emphasizing the trend of woman's thought at the close of the century. Early Settlers' Day was a day given over to those who had a part in laying the corner-stones of the city, and was observed on July 29th. Western Reserve Day came on July 30th, when the patriots of Northern Ohio joined, hand and heart, in celebrating the glories of their capital city. In honor of the tamous victory achieved by Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry over the British fleet on Lake Erie, September 10th was chosen as the closing day of the Centennial period, being designated and celebrated as Perry's Victory Day.

On many of these days orations were delivered by well-known public men, odes were read and songs were sung portraying the progress of the city from its early settlement to its proud position among American municipalities. On some of them, demonstrations were made attracting thousands of people from the surrounding towns and country, densely crowding the business portions of the city. Aside from the pomp and display of the celebration, a valuable series of historical conferences were held, treating the topics of education, religion and philanthropy.

Among the special features of the Centennial programme were the encampment of the Ohio National Guard and United States Regulars, a grand Floral Exposition, a Centennial Yacht Regatta, and the biennial encampment of the Uniform Rank Knights of Pythias of the World, together with the convention of the Supreme Lodge of that Order. A long list of collateral events also characterized the Centennial year. Chief among these were the quadrennial conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the convention of the American Library Association, the annual meeting of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, the convention of the Society of American Florists, and other important State and National assemblages.

Many important facts hitherto little known by the masses of the people were brought out by the Centennial. For decade after decade Cleveland had been growing and expanding, but never before had so favorable a time been afforded for considering its advantages and achievements. The remarkable prosperity which had attended it, its culture,' conservatism, beauty and wealth were emphasized as never before and Cleveland was crowned by all a leading queen among the civic products of the Nineteenth Century.

S. F. Haserot, V. C. Taylor, and L. F. Loree as members of the committee provided for in this resolution. After canvassing the subject the committee prepared an elaborate report setting forth the possibilities. of the proposed celebration, which was presented to the chamber and was enthusiastically received. The same committee, having been reappointed, made a further report on February 7th, 1894, which contained a recommendation that the celebration be held in 1897 instead of 1896, the time for preparation being considered short in comparison with the magnitude of the enterprise. It was further recommended in this report that a Centennial Commission be appointed to consist of twenty-five members, on the following basis: Five from the State the Governor, the Secretary of State, the Auditor of State, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives; five from the Municipality-the Mayor, the Director of Public Works, the Director of Law, the President of the City Council and the Director of Schools; fifteen at large, to be chosen from representative citizens of Cleveland, their appointment to be made jointly by the Mayor and the President of the Chamber of Commerce. There was more or less agitation relative to the plans during the remainder of 1894, but not until the month of May, 1895, was the appointment of the Commission effected. A conference was held in that month, attended by Mayor Robert E. McKisson, Mayor's Secretary Samuel G. McClure, President Wilson M. Day and Secretary Ryerson Ritchie of the Chamber of Commerce. At a subsequent meeting there were present Mayor Robert E. McKisson, representing the city; President Wilson M. Day and Secretary Ryerson Ritchie, representing the Chamber of Commerce, and Hon. A. J. Williams, H. M. Addison and Wilson S. Dodge, representing the Early Settlers' Association. A discussion of the best date for holding the celebration developed the fact that the Mayor and the members of the Early Settlers' Association were in favor of 1896, while the Chamber of Commerce, in accordance with the report presented by its committee, favored 1897. An amicable decision was, however, reached in favor of 1896, the anniversary year.

The Centennial Commission was then selected. In its original form it comprised the following members:

State. Hon. William McKinley, Governor; Hon. Samuel M. Taylor, Secretary of State; Hon. E. W. Poe, Auditor of State; Hon. A. L. Harris, President of the Senate; Hon. Alexander Boxwell, Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Municipality. Hon. Robert E. McKisson, Mayor; Miner G. Norton, Director of Law; Darwin E. Wright, Director of Public Works; Dan F. Reynolds, Jr., President of the City Council; H. Q. Sargent, Director of Schools.

Early Settlers' Association.- Hon. R. C. Parsons, George F. Marshall, Hon. A. J. Williams, H. M. Addison, Bolivar Butts.

At Large.-W. J. Akers, Henry S. Brooks, Charles W. Chase, Wilson M. Day, Hon. M. A. Foran, L. E. Holden, Moritz Joseph, George W. Kinney, Jacob B. Perkins and Augustus Zehring.

The officers, as originally chosen, were Hon. William McKinley, Honorary President; Samuel G. McClure, Secretary; Mayor Robert E. McKisson, President; Wilson M. Day, First Vice-President; Hon. A. J.