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200 HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
Joshua B. Davis says: " I came here in 1854. The Wayne House at
the foot of Wayne Street Avas the old St. LaAvrence Hotel. There Avas a
stone flour mill on the north side of Water Street, near Franklin, where
the B. & 0. now is. The Euterpian Hall AA'as the theater then on the third
floor over the American Express Co. on Water Street. The Empire House
AA-as the hotel afterAvard knoAvn as the Mansion House, kept by R. E. Colt.
This building was on southeast corner of Franklin and Market streets.
'' The strap railroad came in on Water Street, and ran doAvn to the
corner of Wayne and was the road to Republic and Bellevue. The Mad
River depot AA'as in a frame building Avhere the Big Four depot now
stands. The old Veranda Hotel had nothing betAA'een it and the
bay. The bay came up to Water Street, and in a storm the Avaves
broke over the railroad. The old Bay City Mills stood where Booth &
Co.'s fish shanty is IIOAV at the foot of Columbus Avenue, and boats Avould
go up to Venice and partially load Avith flour and then come doAvn to the
Bay City Mills and finish their load. The old Congregational Church
on the corner of the square Avas built over a former church, which had
steps on the outside of the building. The old High School Building to
the south of the Congregational Church Avas used as a cholera hospital in
1852 and 1854."
The Sandusky Directory of 1855 contains the following: "In railroad
enterprises Sandusky was the pioneer city Avest of the Allegheny
mountains. The Mad River & Lake Erie Railroad, connecting this point
Avith Dayton and Cincinnati, AA'as the first commenced in the Western
States. With the completion ^of this road began the career of success
Avhich has since advanced Sandusky to a commercial position of primary
importance. Other railways have since been built, East, West and South,
connecting her with all the principal towns and cities in those directions.
The Cleveland & Toledo Railroad has recently been completed, affording
a direct connection with the each of these cities, and forming an important
link in the great 'south-shore line' of railway uniting the Atlantic
seaboard with the Mississippi river. The Sandusky, Mansfield & Newark
Railroad has been in operation several years.
'' Gas works erected in 1855. The erection of the gas works by Messrs.
Lockwood & Co. during the past year has been of vast improvement and
benefit to the city. Nearly five miles of street mains (pipes) have been
laid during the season. The construction of water works, by which pure
lake water will be introduced into every street and house, is a necessity
now forcing itself upon the attention of our citizens; and doubtless a
favorable action upon the subject will be taken before long by the authorities."
This picture represents Sandusky about 1855. Beginning at the West
House, going south, the next building was a two-story frame building
containing Adam Smith's bakery (now between the Ramsey flat and
SchAveinfurth's grocery), then an alley, then a stone building Avith outside
stairs, containing the Sandusky Bank, then a one-story saloon building,
then a saddler's shop, then Robinson & Brown's grocery, all one-story
frame buildings. Where the postoffice stands was a two-story frame