Cincinnati, Ohio, USA (Losanteville)
1916



Cincinnati, sin-sin-na'tee, the metropolis of the state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton co., is on the right or N. bank of the Ohio River, opposite the mouth of the Licking, 476 miles by water below Pittsburg, Pa., and 1520 miles above New Orleans, La. It is the terminus or inter section of several great trunk lines of railway, and is 305 miles SE. of Chicago, 111., and 553 miles due W. of Washington. Lat. of the Cincinnati Observatory, at Mount Lookout, 38° 8' 19" N. ; Lon. 84° 25' 21" W. Cincinnati, the tenth city in population of the United States, is situated in a valley about 3 miles in diameter, environed on the N. side by a semicircular range of hills rising 400-500 feet above the river, while around the southern margin the Ohio River sweeps in a grand curve. The greater part of the city is built on two terraces or plains, the first 60 and the second 112 feet above low-water mark, and occupies a position 430-550 feet above sea-level. It is connected by several bridges with Covington, Newport, and Ludlow, on the Kentucky side of the Ohio, the most noted of which is the suspension bridge erected in 1865 and reconstructed in 1897. It measures, inclusive of the approaches, 2720 feet in length, and carries the roadway 103 feet above low-water line. Three of the bridges are railroad bridges. The central and business portions of the city are compactly built and the streets are laid out with much regularity. The lower quarters, which are largely occupied by warehouses and manufacturing establishments, are frequently flooded at stages of high water. There is, below the Newport bridge, a fine public landing or levee about 1000 feet long, which, with its floating wharves and wharf-boats and the busy commercial life, presents an animated and inspiring picture.

The city is well provided with street- (mainly electric-) railways, which render the suburban villages readily accessible and afford pleasurable trips for citizens and visitors. Several "inclined planes" ascend to the surrounding heights and make a rapid approach to Clifton Heights, Mount Auburn, Mount Adams, Fairview, etc., where are located the best residential quarters, and which present a charming alternation of hillocky undulating tracts. Beyond the Miami Canal, which connects the city with Lake Erie, is the district known as "Over the Rhine," which is mainly occupied by the extensive German contingent of the population. Of the buildings of a more or less public character a few of the more notable are the Chamber of Commerce, a striking edifice, monumental In effect ; the United States government building, 364 feet long and erected at a cost of nearly $5,000,000 ; the city-hall, 332 by 203 feet, a structure of brown granite and red sandstone and costing about $1,600,- 000 ; the Springer Music Hall, Art Museum, St. Peter's cathedral, armory, Odd Fellows' temple, public library (with 275,000 volumes), court-house, opera-houses, etc. A feature of special attraction is the Tyler-Davidson Fountain, on Fountain Square, considered to be one of the finest pieces of monumental art executed in the United States. Among other features of special interest are the zoological gardens and the Rookwood Pottery, on Mount Adams, famous for its faience-wares.

Cincinnati maintains many hospital and sanitarian institutions, a commodious insane asylum (Longview Asylum), workhouse, etc., within and about the city ; also numerous medical, dental, law, and commercial colleges of high grade, among the medical schools being the Ohio Medical College and the Miami Medical College. The University of Cincinnati (constructed from institutions whose foundation ex tends back to 1819 and reorganized in 1870), with which the Cincinnati Hospital is affiliated, has academic, medical, law, clinical and pathological, and dental departments, and was attended in 1900 by 1550 students. It has asso-ciated with it the Cincinnati Observatory. Other educational institutions are the Mount St. Vincent's Academy, St. Xavier's College, Lane Theological Seminary, Hebrew Union College, Art Academy of the Cincinnati Museum Association, College of Music, and the Ohio Mechanics' Institute. The city is liberally provided with public parks, one of which, the Burnet Woods, occupies about 170 acres, while the famous Eden Park, often styled the " Garden of Eden," has an area of 216 acres. Spring Grove Cemetery is noted as one of the most beautiful and picturesque cemeteries in the country. Cincinnati ranks high as a manufacturing city, the annual value of the output of its factories being about $160,000,000-$200,000,000 and representing the labor of approximately 8000 factories. Tho more important products include clothing, iron-wares, machinery, engines, safes, wagons, boots and shoes, malted and distilled liquors, soaps, paints, pottery, furniture, etc. The city is largely engaged m the manufacture of hog- and beef-products, and is one of the chief centres of the pork trade of the country. It is also an important horse-market and a leading exchange for grain and pig-iron. The city is most favorably situated as a central distributing- point between the eastern sea board and the West, and is the great gateway from the North to the South. Its river commerce is important in both passenger and freight traffic.

Cincinnati (named in honor of the Society of the Cincinnati) was first settled in 1788, but not until 1816 was there any manifestation of important growth. In that year steam navigation on the Ohio River was inaugurated, and the place thenceforward grew rapidly. It was incorporated as a town in 1802 and as a city in 1819. The population in 1820 was 9642 ; in 1830, 24,831 ; in 1840, 46,338 ; in 1850, 115,435; in 1860, 161,044; In 1870. 216,239; in 1880, 255,139; in 1890, 296,908; in 1900, 325,902. The oity is the seat of a Catholic archbishop.

Lippincotts New Gazetteer: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World, Containing the Most Recent and Authentic Information Respecting the Countries, Cities, Towns, Resorts, Islands, Rivers, Mountains, Seas, Lakes, Etc., in Every Portion of the Globe, Part 1 Angelo Heilprin Louis Heilprin - January 1, 1916 J.B. Lippincott - Publisher

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