More on Fostoria

More on Fostoria 1904

From R/t July 19, 2001

Article by Gene Kinn

Local Buggy company elects officers

The Peabody Buggy Company stockholders met in regular annual session yesterday (Sept. 8, 1904), in the office adjoining their commodious factory in the north part of town (now the Honeywell sparkplug plant).

The following officers were elected for the ensuing year; President, E. W. Allen--Vice President and Treasured, W. O. Allen--Secretary, J. L. Allen--Directors, E. W. Allen, W. O. Allen, J. L. Allen, E. Brown, C.C. Hess, and C.G. Cook.

The report of the treasurer showed the company to be in a very prosperous condition, and a substantial cash dividend was declared.

Thirty-five hundred buggies, most of them of a high class were manufactured and sold last year and the probabilities are that the number will be increased to four thousand for this year.

About 1,000 skilled men are given employment at the plant, when in full operation, and it is one of the most successful factories in Fostoria.

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Big Four Passenger Trains to stop in Fostoria.

It is now settled that all trains on the new Big Four line from Detroit to Cincinnati will stop at Fostoria for passengers.

the matter was arranged by Col. W.C. Brown, who went to Columbus Monday and had a long conference with Mr. W. H. Fisher, general passenger agent of the Hocking Valley road, over which the line of the Big Four goes to Toledo, from Carey.

As a result of this conference, Col. Brown went to Toledo on Wednesday and had a further conference with Mr. L.W. Landman, the new Passenger Agent of the Big Four Line there, giving him many very cogent reasons why Fostoria should be made a stopping point on the new line.

The outcome was that Mr. Landman decided to put Fostoria on the time card, and stated that the city may now claim the Bog Four road, and its twenty five hundred miles of track are added to her already long list of first class roads.

This will give Fostoria ten passenger trains to and from Toledo daily.

It is a matter of general congratulations that Fostoria secures the Big Four road, which means much to the traveling public and helps make it one of the greatest railroad centers in the country.

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Underwear Manufactured here.

The announcement was made yesterday (Sept. 15, 1904) that the C. C. Anderson Mfg. Co. will begin the manufacture of underwear next Monday morning with twenty five machines.

For the past two weeks, the old Campbell planing mill, located on the corner of North and Wood streets (now the parking lot for the YMCA) has been in the hands of the carpenters, brick masons and painters so that it now bears but little resemblance to its former appearance.

The whole interior has been remodeled. The upper rooms were choked with waste material and the whole factory filled debris. this has all been removed and the interior given a couple of coats of white kalsomine, making it look fresh and inviting. New flooring has been laid in all the rooms, stairways constructed, new windows added, the outside stair on the North Street removed and the whole exterior painted.

There will be four departments in the work including the cutting, sewing, pressing and packing rooms. The first floor will be used for the accommodation of these Departments while on the second floor will be the machine room. Power will be secured from the T. F. & F. (Tiffin Findlay & Fostoria)

The factory will be lighted by the City Heat and Light Co. Gas, water and a sewer have been placed in the business by the city.

The first work will be on Ladies and Misses underwear, the men's wear to be made later. Twenty-five hands will be employed at the start to which a number of others will be added as the work progresses.

From R/t July 5, 2001

Article by Gene Kinn

U.S.A.'s Largest Manufacturer of Fire Crackers

It is doubtful whether the average Fostorian is aware of the fact that this city has the largest firecracker factory in the United States, but such is the fact and it is soon to be even larger.

The company occupies five acres of ground and when the proposed buildings have been erected, the ground will be as thickly covered as they care to have it.

It will be remembered that one of the large warehouses of the company was recently destroyed by fire. This is to be rebuilt, another of equal size is to be erected and three additional brick building are to be constructed, two of which are to be devoted to the manufacture of railway goods, fuses and torpedoes, which have become an important branch of the business of the company.

Three new powder houses are to be erected. These are to be of brick and are to be chimney shaped.

In case of fire, in the powder used in the manufacture of these goods, it always goes up, usually with little more than a single flash. by the arrangement proposed, the flame and smoke will be carried upward and out at once, making the spread of fire much less probable than under existing conditions.

The company has been manufacturing crackers for the past seven years. They use 200 tons of specially prepared paper and 2,400 kegs of potash annually in the manufacture of their goods. They have a large storage capacity, this being necessary from the fact that there are but two seasons for fire crackers, Christmas, when they are used in the South and the fourth of July, when they are used everywhere.

From R/t April 19, 2001

Article by Gene Kinn

Charles Foster (Former Governor of Ohio)

A telephone message was received at the home of the Hon. Charles Foster at 2:15 this morning (Jan 9, 1904) to the effect that Mr. Foster had been stricken with paralysis at 11:30 at the home of Gen. Warren J Keifer, at Springfield, and that his condition was serious.

Miss Foster at once began making preparations to leave for Springfield and left on the six o'clock train for Tiffin to catch the Big Four train leaving there at 7:08 and due in Springfield at 10:20

The following special from Springfield appeared in a number of the morning papers

Charles Foster, former Secretary of the Treasury and former Governor of Ohio, was stricken with paralysis at the home of General Keifer and is an unconscious condition. His recovery is doubtful.

Mr. Foster came here last evening from his home in Fostoria for the purpose of visiting General Keifer over Sunday. They intended to go to Columbus together Monday, to be present at the inauguration of Governor-elect Herrick. After eating a hearty supper, and appearing in perfect health, Mr. Foster went to the General's library where they began talking over business maters. In the room with the two distinguished men were Judge A.N. Summers and Captain Horace C Keifer. At 11:30 Mr. Foster was suddenly seized with paralysis and fell forward from his chair. Dr. Allen Vance was summoned and everything possible is being done for the stricken man. Dr. Toby, superintendent of the Asylum at Toledo who is visiting in Dayton, was notified immediately and will arrive here this evening.

A telephone message was received about eight o'clock this morning stating that Mr. Foster had had a hemorrhage a short time before and that his condition is very critical.

Dr. P. L. Myers, of Toledo the son-in-law of Mr. Foster, joined Miss Foster en route to Springfield, He telephoned to the home of O.T. Brown at noon and asked that Mrs. Foster be told that her husband had died. Mr. and Miss Brown went down and performed toe sad duty. The news did not come as a surprise as Mrs. Foster had practically no hope for his recovery after receiving the first statement. the body will be brought here (Fostoria) tonight, leaving Springfield at 4:30 and arriving on the 10:00 o'clock car.

The sad news spread over the city rapidly this morning and caused a distinct shock as many had seen him yesterday apparently in the best of health and spirits. The nature of the attack was another cause for worry, as it recalled the fact that his father suffered a similar attack in 1883, while sitting in the office of attorney J. V. Jones, in the old Hale block, which resulted fatally, after an illness of a couple of days, during which time he did not recover consciousness.

Mr. Foster was born in a log cabin, on a farm in Seneca Township, near Tiffin, on April 13th, 1828, and came here with his parents when but four years of age. The senior Mr. Foster built a double Log house at what is now Tiffin and Main Streets, occupying one part as a residence and establishing a store in the other. The store was destined to become one of the most important of the sort in this section of the state and this store, together with real estate investments, formed the nucleus of the family fortune.

Like many other of this generation, Mr. Foster became a man of extensive knowledge with very limited opportunities for schooling. He received his preliminary education in the log school house presided over by the late Hon. Warren Noble of Tiffin, and at the age of 12 entered an academy at Norwalk. His stay there was limited to about nine months, illness in the family necessitating his return home to assist with work in the store. He assumed the duties of manager at the age of 15 and became a partner three years later.

From R/t Jan. 9, 1904

At the outbreak of the Civil War, Foster consented to assume the office of Colonel in the 101st O.V.I. (Ohio Volunteer Infantry), but owing to imperative exigencies, his parents prevailed upon him to decline the commission.

In 1867, Foster & Co.'s bank was started, a hardware store was opened and the grain and produce business, so long conducted where Franke Bros.' mill now is, was established.

The store, originally started by Mr. Foster Sr., was continued without interruption until 1888, a period of 56 years.

Mr. Foster was Fostoria's first treasurer and held other local offices, but was first a candidate for an important office in 1870 when he was induced to make the race for congress and defeated Edward F. Dickinson who had previously been elected by over 1,600 votes.

Mr. Foster was a member of the committee on claims during his first term and was accorded more recognition than is frequently given new members.

A letter written by Horace Greeley to the Hon. James G.Blaine, the speaker of the house at the time, stated that "A man who could carry his district as had Mr. Foster, must possess power and ability entitling him to places on committees not usually accorded to new men."

This has been a valued memento of that period of history since it was sent by Mr. Blaine a number of years later.

The Fostorian was twice reelected to congress and performed important services in each of his terms. He was the only Ohio Republican to vote for the electoral-count bill, a democratic measure, and he always felt that the most valuable service rendered by him, as a congressman, was the successful efforts to secure the peaceful and orderly inauguration of President Hayes, whose confidential friend he was.

In 1877, the Democrats redistricted the state, giving but one Republican county to the district.

In the face of certain defeat, Foster made the race and reduced the majority, according to the previous election, of 5,000 to 1,800.

He was elected Governor of Ohio in 1879, defeating General Thomas Ewing, of Fairfield County, by 17,000 votes and was re-elected, over Hon. John Bookwalter, of Clark County by a majority of 25,000.

During his first gubernatorial race, the Democrats first dubbed him "Calico Charlie". the idea being to ridicule the pretensions of a simple merchant, but the sobriquet proved a veritable boomerang. Calico was used for badges towards the end of the campaign and this material was used instead of paper in printing many Republican newspapers. His administration of the affairs of state have been spoken of as being a model.

Mr. Foster was appointed Secretary of the Treasury by President Harrison and in this important office he proved anew his executive ability and fidelity to trust imposed.

One of the prominent acts of his administration was the adjustment of the four and one half percent government loan. Of the more than $50,000,000 in bonds of this character outstanding, over $35,000,000 were refunded, on July 1, 1991. at two percent and the remainder called in and paid.

This was the first loan ever negotiated by the government at so low a rate of interest.

Mr. foster and Miss Ann M. Olmstead, daughter of the late Judge Jesse Olmstead, of Fremont, were married Nov. 7, 1853.

Mrs. Foster and two daughters, Mrs. P. L. Myers of Toledo, and Miss Foster survive him.

The deceased was a member of local lodge of Odd Fellows and the Masons

From R/t May 17, 2001

Gene Kinn Article

Fostoria an Enterprising City

(Year 1904)

Fostoria is a city that may boast of many enterprises that would do credit to cities many times it's size. Fostoria has a glove factory, operated by F.H. Winikert, of East Fremont Street. He launched into the manufacturing world by starting a mattress factory and met with good success. Then he conceived the idea of the glove factory.

A Fostorian is at present competing against the celebrated violins of Cremona. He is H.W. Davis of West Fremont Street who spends all of his spare time in shaping and manufacturing violins. Musicians who have tested them state that it is possible to get tones from them that is not found in the average store violin.

T.J. Maloney, residing on East Jackson Street, manufactures brooms and has a steady market in his product.

J.H. Morton, of this city, is a manufacturer of gold wire jewelry and issues a regular catalogue, a fine specimen of the art of printing. His specialty is the making of Christian Endeavor pins.

R.L. Short and N.G. Copley are at present manufacturing a water level regulator which is said to be one of the best articles of it's kind on the market. It has been placed on many local boilers.

The manufacture of artificial stone has become a recognized Fostoria Industry. J.H. Jones, of North Main Street is operating a plant on Summit Street. -- J.S. Parish, in company with others, is also manufacturing similar articles.

The Gem Garter Company is operated by W.J. Wagner, the North Main Street clothier. If you buy such an article at his store, you may rest assured that it is "home made"

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