THE PLAIN DEALER . SUNDAY, MARCH 8, 1998 5-E OUR CENTURY 1905

AT A GLANCE

PD FILE Press carriers in front of the Barlow Agency on Woodland Ave. Journalists compete PD FILE for the big stories In the teeth of the fight for After the clip-clop of horses, the most com- streetcar business, Mayor Tom L. mon sound in downtown Cleveland at the be- Johnson would send out work gangs ginning of the century was the shouting of — sometimes in the middle of the newsboys — in several languages. There were night — to rip up streetcar tracks six English-language dailies, and the German and replace them. At left, workers Waechter und Anzeiger had a comparable laid tracks near what is now Public staff and circulation; the Hungarian Szabad- zag was to go daily the next year. Square. Above, temporary tracks The age of consolidation began in 1905 when were laid overnight. The poles were Charles Otis Jr. merged the Herald, the World wedged in barrels propped between and the Evening Plain Dealer into the after- wagon wheels. noon News. At the same time, Otis and Medill McCormick bought the morning Leader. With the morning Plain Dealer and the afternoon Press, Cleveland was down to four English dailies. The news gatherers were as competitive as the newsies. When Cassie Chadwick returned Cleveland expands — with drama from New York to stand trial for swindling, the marshal’s carriage left the railroad station surrounded by carriages full of reporters and Mayor Johnson fights for city-owned utilities, annexation of villages photographers. The procession moved off, but when the Two explosive issues of the early Twenty-five of the city’s 26 wards marshal tried to evade it by heading for the 1900s — Cleveland’s expansion and supported Johnson and his council back door of the federal building, his carriage Mayor Tom L. Johnson’s battle with slate in the 1905 election. The Plain became bogged down amid coal drays and utilities — met on Dec. 12, 1905. The Dealer editorialized that “the people mail wagons. Police had to clear the way while result was what The Plain Dealer of Cleveland know a clean, efficient spectators crowded around and boys on roof- called “scenes bordering on the sen- administration when they see it and tops dropped cakes of snow on them. sational and strenuous.” can be depended upon to retain in of- With “Mayor Tom” out of the city, fice public servants who have been · City Clerk Peter Witt sent his deputy found faithful to their trust.” In March, seven members of an Engineers and a policeman to seize the books of The new council appointed a differ- Battalion of the National Guard were the village of South Brooklyn, which ent commission and approved its re- killed and many injured in a train wreck near was to be annexed to Cleveland two port on Nov. 11. The next day, an Pittsburgh. The veterans of the Spanish- days later. The action was of ques- alarmed South Brooklyn Mayor Fred American War were on their way to take part tionable legality but of such urgency Mathews hurried to Cleveland to say in the inauguration of President Theodore that “the municipal automobile was that the previous night, the Republi- Roosevelt in Washington, D.C. called into service,” a Plain Dealer can Village Council had approved an In June, the Century, the crack express train between New York and Chicago, was story declared. ordinance on second reading, one speeding west through Mentor when it hit an The seizure blocked an attempt by step short of passage. open switch. The accident killed 21 and in- the South Brooklyn Village Council to The ordinance was for a 25-year jured 17. Relatives crowded into lakefront grant a 25-year streetcar Union Terminal to meet the train bringing the streetcar franchise franchise for victims to Cleveland. to Johnson’s bitter Pearl and rival, the “Con-Con” Stateview · railway. Of more streets (now When John Hay, who served as secretary of lasting significance, Pearl and state under Presidents William McKinley and it gave the city its State roads) Roosevelt, died in July, the president, vice first municipal light to the Cleve- president and Cabinet members came to plant, the beginning land Electric PLAIN DEALER FILE Cleveland for his funeral and burial in Lake of what is now Railway Co., View Cemetery. It was said that no such trib- During the Con-Con vs. Johnson fight, this cartoon, titled “The Midnight Cleveland Public which had Army,” appeared in The Plain Dealer. ute ever had been paid a civilian other than a Power. been formed president. Hay also had served as President The story really by the 1904 Abraham Lincoln’s personal secretary. started two years merger of two land in 1905 — the section of the vil- came part of the countywide Regional · earlier, when voters consolidated lage of Glenville that had not been Transit Authority. companies Once more, the Naps were preseason favor- in both South Brook- annexed in 1898, and the city of New- Meanwhile, Johnson expanded the called “the ites to win the American League pennant, but lyn and Cleveland burgh. tiny light plant he founded in South approved the Big Con” and Brooklyn. In 1908, he added another Napoleon Lajoie, now manager and star The Newburgh annexation wasn’t second-baseman, was sidelined by a freak ac- merger. But, John- “the Little plant when Collinwood was annexed. son wrote in his au- Con.” without drama. Just before the an- He, and then Baker — who was to cident for two months. He was spiked, and dye nexation took effect, the Con-Con from his stockings seeped into the wound, tobiography, “Privi- With John- serve as mayor from 1912 to 1916 — came in with an ordinance to extend causing an infection. By September, the team lege was opposed to son and Law continued to expand the system, but was out of contention. annexation.” PD FILE Director the Kinsman Ave. line eastward. the expansion ground to a halt when Lajoie’s batting average of .329 was the A City Council Newton D. Newburgh officials assured Cleve- Republicans regained control of City Newton D. Baker and an land they would take no action, and Hall. highest in the league, but he played only 65 friendly to the Illu- unidentified youngster. Baker away, games, too few to qualify for the title. In what minating Co. voted Witt took mat- Cleveland did not feel it necessary to For 75 years, the system known as obviously was a pitcher’s year, his teammate 17-6 to set up an an- ters into his send the municipal automobile Muny Light served only 20 percent of Elmer Flick was batting champ at .306. nexation commis- own hands. speeding to the scene. Clevelanders. Then, in 1990, City sion, which tried to He not only Council approved an expansion pro- · Municipalizing the streetcar sys- gram and voters passed a charter thwart the light plant turnover; two had the books seized, but the three tem was Johnson’s greatest goal, but Football is a noble game worthy of any col- South Brooklyn police were assigned amendment to carry it out. Democrats joined the Republican he failed to achieve it during his life- On May 17, 1993, Mayor Michael R. lege man’s enthusiastic support, Western Re- majority. Johnson vetoed the ordi- to guard the Village Hall to prevent a serve University President Charles Franklin time. In 1942, however, the city White and council members held a nance, charged the Republicans with council meeting. On Nov. 14, South Thwing told those attending a dinner at the bought the private Cleveland Railway press conference to announce that misfeasance and the two Democrats Brooklyn uneventfully became part Co. and turned it into the Cleveland Muny’s cheaper power would be Hollenden Hotel. of Cleveland. Taking note of criticism of the sport’s bru- with bribery, and led a campaign to Transit System. In 1975, CTS and the available to virtually every Cleve- tality, Thwing nevertheless declared, “I be- sweep them from office. Two other suburbs joined Cleve- Shaker Heights Rapid Transit be- lander by 1997. lieve that this historic game is too good to be abolished. In some respects, it may be bad, but the evil should be cast out.” LOOKING AT A YEAR · Having sold its original site at Euclid Ave. and Erie St. (E. 9th St.) to the Cleveland Trust Jan. 7: After three rejections, the when troops open fire on 100,000 Sept. 5: Japan and Russia sign a Dec. 9: College football changes its Co., the First Methodist Church opened a Senate finally confirms President Russians who marched in St. Peters- treaty ending their war in Korea and rules to permit the forward pass and $250,000 church with gothic spires and gar- ’s nomination of a burg to protest poor working condi- award a first down after a 10-yard goyles at Euclid and Sterling St. (E. 30th St.). Manchuria. Terms of the treaty show black to a high customs post in South tions. The “Bloody Sunday” massacre that Japan achieved all of its war ob- gain. Carolina. Roosevelt’s black nominees was ordered by Czar Nicholas II. · jectives. Born: Dag Hammarskjold, Greta for important government jobs April 14: A 16-year search for the Garbo, Henry Fonda, Claudette Col- New this year: The Legal Aid Society, the usually met with defeat in the Senate, body of American naval hero John Nov. 8: Political unrest in Russia Red Cross (national organization and Cleve- but the president persisted in making Paul Jones ends when the coffin with continues, as 1,000 Jews are killed in bert, Robert Penn Warren, Howard land chapter), Hathaway Brown School, Reli- the nominations, in part, at the urging his remains is found in a Paris ceme- Odessa by peasants convinced by Hughes, Christian Dior. ance Electric & Engineering Co., the Anti- of Booker T. Washington. tery. Two months later, the body is army officers that the Jews are be- Died: Jules Verne; Lew Wallace, Tuberculosis Society (now the Northern Ohio Jan. 22: More than 500 are killed returned to the . hind protests against the government. author of “Ben Hur.” Lung Association).