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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY 159
worth, Kansas, gives the following description of Sandusky as it was
in 1826:
"The feAV business houses of the toAvn were confined to AVater street.
'Billy' Townsend's unpretentious stoije marked the extreme western limit
of the business section. All beyond to AIills' creek Avas covered with timber
and brush. On the North side of Water street, betAveen Air. Townsend's
store and the foot of Jackson street there Avas but one building:
that a small stone dAvelling house that stood something like tAventy rods
east of Air. ToAvnsend's store. On the South side betAveen these points
the most business-like establishment AVIIS Solomon Aloore's blacksmith
shop. There Avre several very small and common frame buildings that
stood just west of Aloore's shop, one a small tavern, as such AVCIV called
in those days.
"On the South side of Water street betAveen Jackson street and Columbus
Avenue there Avas a class of very common buildings, most of
them frame and many of them only one story. On the corner Avhere now
stands the stately West block then stood a very common one and a half
story frame building occupied much of the time as the loAvest kind of a
dramshop. On the opposite corner where now stands Mr. Graham's
drug store then stood Aloors Farwell's common frame store building.
On the South side of AVater street, betAveen Columbus Avenue and
Wayne street there Avere several small trading establishments, and one
or tAvo business shops. There A\;as a hotel at about the middle of this
block >vith a covered driveAvay on the AVest side leading to a large barn
in the yard at the rear of the hotel. I think it was understood at the
time that this hotel Avas the headquarters of a stage line. Most of the
retail stores of every kind were on the North side of Water street betAveen
Columbus Avenue and AVayne street. There was no business house of
any kind on Market street. Later there Avere two frame market houses
erected, one on East Alarket street and one on West Market street.
"I can recall.to mind only one residence on this street at this time
that the city Avould IIOAV be ashamed of: this AA'as the residence of old
Captain Ransome, it stood about midAvay betwWn Columbus AA'CIIUC and
AVayne street on the South side.
"I can IIOAV recall to mind no improvement that had as yet been
made on A\ T ashington street. All to the South of this for a considerable
distance Avas an open common. **
"Columbus Avenue Avas at, this time as devoid of any manifestation
of business as a prairie dog toAvn of the West in Mid-Winter. Captain
Charles Rice Avas then the only Avagoninaker in the county. His shop
stood out on the common to the Southeast of the present Alasonic
Building. Boots, shoes and clothing were not imported then as now.
All such AA'ere made bv local tradesmen and dressmakers. Blacksmiths
»
made their OAVII shoes and nails. The only paper Avals the Sandusky
Clarion, a small-sized Aveekly.
"Something like tAtelve years after arriving in the county I attended
one AA T inter the only public school then maintained in Sandusky. This