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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY 211
defendant from interfering with certain fishing rights claimed by the
plaintiff, AA'hich rights Avere denied by the Supreme Court. The decision
of the Supreme Court and the statement of the case SIIOAVS that as late
as 1878 practically the only value there was in Cedar Point AA'as in connection
Avith the fishing rights, Avhich the Supreme Court found had
been leased from October, 1849, up to the time of the decision for fishing
purposes except Avhen the OAvners fished themselves. No mention is made
anyAvhere in the case of any other value.'
The first mention of Cedar Point as a resort occurs in the Register of
June 24, 1884, Avhere the Register describes a trip on the R. B. Hayes, in
company Avith B. F. DAvelle, and the cleaning up of the underbrush and
the moving of the bathing houses from the bay side over to the lake,
Avhere there were then sixteen bathing houses. Seats and SAvings are
described as scattered everyAvhere Avith tables for lunches. On the bay
side AVIIS a restaurant kept by John Butts, and above the dining hall a
dancing room.
The Register of January 26, 1888, mentions D. L. Stem, of Toledo,
coming here Avith plans for buildings on Cedar Point, and on December
31, 1897, the Cedar Point Pleasure ^Resort Company is mentioned as incorporated
under the laAvs of Indiana, Avith a capital stock of $250,000,
the original holders being A. J. Stoll, Charles Batz, Jacob Kuebeler,
Louis Adolph and 13. F. DAvelle. Of these A. J. Stoll is the only one
alh'e, and, Avith the exception of the holdings of the Kuebeler estate, the
property on Cedar Point, largely increased in value has passed into
other hands. For several years under the present management its natural
advantages have been improved by art and thoroughly advertised,
so that it has a patronage for a range of several hundred miles in all
directions. It has become noted as a convention point, and is sometimes
called the Atlantic City of the West because of its unexcelled natural
bathing advantages.
SANDUSKY HOTELS
In the year 1817 Cyrus W. Marsh erected a chvelling house near a
building put up by W. 13. Smith and later built a front portion to the
house and opened the first hotel in the toAvn, knoAvn as Marsh's Steamboat
Hotel. This building is still standing and has been knoAvn as the Veranda
Hotel, Raymond's Hotel, Scott's American and the NCAV Lake House, and
is IIOAV vacant. ,
The second hotel is advertised in the Clarion of February 19, 1823,
as A. Root's Hotel, next the store kept by 0. & L. Cook. It is advertised
as the tavern kept at the Sign of the Ohio Coat-of-arms. On March 31,
1827, Moors FarAvell adA'ertised the tavern for sale, and on October 13,
.827, it is advertised as the Portland House at the Sign of the Golden
Lamb, Avith C. F. Drake as proprietor, and that the stage line leaves from
that point. Colonel Drake Avas a very eccentric gentleman of the old
school, quite large, stood very straight, and had a very dignified and
pompous manner of speech. On September 15, 1827, he advertises he