An Alaska Adventure

 

The best word to describe traveling in Alaska is ‘adventure’.  It’s not that there aren’t the luxuries from home, it’s simply that you’re traveling to a sparsely populated area, with many locations still untouched by humans.  The state is roughly twice the size of Texas with a population of around 500,000.  Texas’ population is almost 27 million.  The Alaskan wild life is plentiful and the people real and genuine and for any person interested in traveling, this is must see destination.   

 With no roads between most cities in Alaska your choice of traveling is by boat or planes.  If you’re interested in local wildlife such as whales or other marine mammals and fish, then traveling by boat is a good choice. 

We choose to cruise on Princess Cruise lines and other friends cruised with Regency.  Some of us choose to be in a suite which offers room to gather talk and play cards.  However other friends took an interior cabin and had just as much fun as anyone else.  With many cruise lines offering many different itineraries and price points, there is something available for almost any traveler. 

We started in San Francisco as the airfare was less expensive than flying to Canada.  It was also less expensive to go on a ten day cruise from San Francisco than a seven day cruise from Canada.  Needless to say it’s important to shop around and keep in mind the airfare can vary widely between starting points.  We normally fly out the day before in case of any issues with weather and/or flights.  Spending an extra day in a new city can also add to the fun of your vacation.  A friend that took their family to Alaska one week early, to do some camping and exploring before boarding their cruise ship. 

We had a couple sea days which is a good way to get to know the ship and see some good shows and meet some new people.

Our first stop was Ketchikan and this is a small town with less than 10,000 inhabitants.  They are in need of doctors and medical personnel and offer some great packages for people willing to move there for a few years.  Our cruise sponsored tour took us to an old saw mill area, where we saw fresh bear claw marks on the trees however didn’t see any bears.  We saw a few banana slugs and learned they make your mouth go numb so animals know not to eat them.  According to our guide the Alaskan youth play a game to see who can hold a banana slug in their mouth the longest; her friend was able to do so for 35 seconds.  Not sure I wanted to partake in this game. 

 The old saw mill now has a bird sanctuary and we saw a Native American carving a totem pole.   Totem poles are of great importance to the local people and it was interesting to learn once created; they are never again painted so they can return to the earth.  We saw many bald eagles and the one guide said they are so numerous they are similar to our pigeons. 

The local tour guides they learn early that they have to be hearty to grow up here.  Around 5^th grade teachers take their classes into the woods for a long hike.  In the next year or two the kids are dropped off in the woods with few supplies and they are told to make it home.  Survival in this rugged area must be learned early as the weather can change quickly and they don’t ever want the kids to get stuck in the woods. 

They also play all their sports on cinder fields as grass would be too wet and muddy all the time.  They proudly show off their scars from their high school sports participation.  We also learned of a new game called “hide and seek with cars”.  Was it mentioned they seem to have too much free time in high school.

To our surprise, we learned the weather is fairly tempered.  This is due to being near the coast and the winter average temperature is in the 30’s and 40’s with very little snow.  This was different than our and most individual’s perception of Alaskan winters. 

 The main road through Ketchikan is roughly 37 miles long and then simply ends.  They are proud their road is now over 35 miles long.  One road off the main drag had a new sign stating ‘No Outlet’.  It previously had a sign that read ‘Dead End’, however as the road ends at the cemetery, they felt it was better to change the sign. 

 Most return to the ship after tours however we usually explore further.  Found a local place and spoke with few individuals.  Smoking is still permitted inside bars and restaurants though you’ll only find it in the local ones.   Alaska has recently legalized marijuana however its uncertain when it would start being sold or how it would impact the citizens.    Toward the end of the day, shop owners many times give better deals as they understand the ships are leaving. 

The next stop was Juneau which is Alaska’s capital city and has more book stores and coffee shops than the other cities.  One local trivia buff told us this is the only State Capital that borders a foreign country. 

The downtown area is close to the docks and has great shops and restaurants.  We went off the main street looking for old book stores and found some unique shopping.  At the other end of town there is a great restaurant and it’s worth the walk.   

Our planned tour for the morning was moved to the afternoon and this ended up working to our advantage.  It rained early but cleared up later.   The Alaskan guides call blue skies a ‘cloud failure’.   Rain gear is an important piece of equipment for traveling in this region.  Anyone looking for relaxing sun bathing trip would be better served heading south. 

The cruise sponsored tour was whale watching and a forest hiking trip and both were great.  We drove to the dock area and boarded a small ten person boat.  A whale came close and we able to take some great pictures.  These humpback whales migrate to the Hawaiian Islands in the winter and return for the Alaskan summer.  Each whale has a unique tail and can be tracked by the shape of their tail and the black and white color on it.  During the boat ride a bald eagle took off from a buoy and circle our boat and flew back.  He seemed interested in our small craft. 

 

After the whale watching we walked a small trail about one mile in length and not hilly or rocking.  Shortly after starting the walk we saw 4 small animals frolicking around.  Our guide was uncertain what they were so we took pictures.   They stayed around long enough that we each wanted to reach down and pet them; however we didn’t dared to do so. 

 

On each side of the trail there was gold colored moss which almost made the place feel like the land of Oz.  

 

 

There are also glacial markers from 1915 and 1925 and from their placement, it shows how far the glacier has moved in the past 100 years.  Declining glaciers are not a recent phenomenon. 

 We showed the older bus driver pictures of the small animals and he said they are minks.  These are rare in the wild and he said we were lucky to see them.   

After the tour we walked around the town and went into a fur coat store.  We told the owner we had seen minks and he disagreed.  He stated we saw muskrats or something else.  When he was shown the pictures, he was excited and said we had see minks! He asked where however as he ran a fur shop, we would not tell their location.   

 

Skagway

From others we heard this was many people’s favorite stop and anyone who wants to understand the feel of a 19^th century American town should visit Skagway.  It’s a small town that feels big.  The population is 2,000 in the summer and declines to 900 in the winter.   There are wide wooden sidewalks on each side of a wide main street.  It gives a feeling of going back in time.  There is a RV camp at the end of town.  Our guess is these were for the gold prospectors in the area.   

There are two trains that serve the town.  This is the only Alaskan city we visited with train service.  This was left over from the 19^th century however it is still used today; mostly by tourist and prospectors.   Its great way to venture in the mountains. 

The town has the usual tourist shops and has a great brewery at the end of town. The brewery also serves food and served some of the best food we had on our trip.  There are plenty of knifes, jewelry and artwork for sale at all the stops.  In some of the shops the workers work here in the summer and in the Caribbean during the winter.  They understand where the tourists travel. 

Sitka

This was an unplanned stop for our trip however turned out to be our favorite port city.  Sitka is known as the “Paris of Alaska” and has the cultural heritage to prove it.  All the shops are locally owned and the merchandise is truly unique.  The book store had a large 19^th century cast iron printing press in the store and looking it over, saw it was made in Cleveland, O.  It was interesting to think of its traveling here over one hundred years ago and compare it to ours. 

We generally don’t buy t-shirts from places we visit however we did buy Sitka t-shirts.  The only other place we have purchased t-shirts is from Jost Van Dyke.   The movie “The Proposal” was based in Sitka however filmed in Massachusetts.   This city originally belonged to Russia and still has Russian influences. 

 

Victoria, Canada

Most ships have to stop at one international port so we stopped in Canada, which was change from spending time in Alaska. 

Once off the boat there is a sign stating it is a 40 minute walk to downtown.  As it was a nice day we decided to walk.  It was only a 10 minute walk to get to Fisherman’s Warf and this is a must see for anyone visiting Victoria.  There are shops and house boats on a working dock however the charm is hard to capture in photographs and should be visited in person.

 

It was only about another 10 minutes to get to the British Columbia Parliament Building and Empress Hotel.  The Empress is an old late 19^th Century early 20^th Century Railroad hotel.  The place is beautiful and well worth a visit.  The jewelry stores are higher end than we saw in Alaska.

We were told there is a world famous water taxi ballet.  We listened and watched these and other boats perform a water taxi dance.  Volunteers told us about this show and other points of interest in Victoria. They were mostly retired individuals and a great bunch of people.  What a great way to make people feel welcomed!

From there we had a couple of more sea days, filled with fun activities, shows and more than a few games of cards. 

Disembarking wasn’t too difficult and from there we headed to the airport and home.  As mentioned above, Alaska is a must see for any individual interested in traveling. 

 

 

Stops:   Ketchikan – population 8,200 (2013)

                Juneau – population 33,000 (2013)

                Skagway – population 900 (2015 estimate)

                Sitka – population 9,000 (2013)

                Victoria, Canada

 

 

 

Ice Bucket Challenge's Full Meaning

A dozen years ago my family had little knowledge of ALS or as it’s more commonly known, Lou Gehrig’s disease. However this soon changed.

My father’s lung was removed due to cancer and simultaneously, my mother’s voice started becoming weaker. We felt this was due to a stroke which occurred due to the stress of her husband’s surgery. Unfortunately, her voice continued to deteriorate and we began to realize it was something more than a stroke. As currently there isn’t a test to determine if someone has ALS, it was many months before we learned she had ALS. Fortunately the ALS Association of Northern Ohio provided great comfort, insights and patience with our family as we struggled to learn about this little known disease and come to term with my mother’s terminal illness.

My mother (Emily Gertrude Jump Whipple) was formally diagnosed with ALS in the spring of 2003 and after spending as much time with friends and family as possible, in July 2004 she passed away. She was 74 years old. She was greatly missed by all that knew her.

It would be good if I could say this is the end of my ALS story; however unfortunately it is not. In 2006 my brother started having health issues and his physicians could not diagnosis his symptoms. My son and I traveled down to his daughter’s high school graduation and, upon seeing him, we knew immediately he had ALS. It was another 4 months before he was formally diagnosed. We were fortunate to travel with our sons to NYC for a couple of Yankee’s games that summer and also have a great family get together on the Lake Erie Islands.

My father became rather gloomy after his wife of 50 years passed away. He would many times cry at his desk calling her name. When he learned his eldest son had ALS, this hurt him even more. We had a large birthday party for his 80th birthday and literally two weeks later, he passed away. It could be said he died of a broken heart in March 2008. Interestingly he passed away on the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter.

My brother continued to do the best he could and was cared for at home by friends and family. Unfortunately Jon lost his battle with ALS in April 2009. Interestingly Jon also passed away on the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter. This small coincidence gave the family hope that they were in a better place and in good hands.

Needless to say, losing our mother, father and brother took a toll on the remaining family members. My brother Tim took it the hardest and told me he would cry for 20 minutes at a time. Tim passed away just before Memorial Day 2010. As my father had, it can be said Tim died of a broken heart. Neither of my brothers reached the age of 50. As there are more centurions living today than ever before, their passing was at too young an age.

ALS was directly responsible for the loss of my mother and brother, however indirectly it was responsible for the death of my father and other brother. The ALS organization keeps track of the number of individuals who pass away from ALS however it’s not possible to track the number of individuals who indirectly pass away from ALS. How many spouses, family members or friends have passed away due to the loss of a loved one from ALS? ALS takes people directly and indirectly.

For this reason the Ice Bucket Challenge and the accompanying fundraising are more important toward saving lives than any of us can imagine. Let’s hope this fundraising will advance the research ten if not twenty years.

Fortunately the leading ALS specialist in the country (if not the world) is at the Cleveland Clinic. His name is Dr. Erik Pioro and he is known throughout the world as the leader in understanding and researching this little known disease. He has been a friend and comfort to all his patients and their families. He is a real asset to Northeast Ohio. This newly raised money will help his research and will also benefit our region.

Many years ago Lou Gehrig gave this disease a name, now thankfully in 2014, the Ice Bucket Challenge has given this disease greatly needed public attention. With the new funding and public recognition, maybe one day we’ll gain a better understanding of this disease, how to diagnosis it and how to treat it; and if at all possible how to cure it. Thanks to all who took part in the Ice Bucket Challenge, it will help more than we know.

This story was originally published September 29th, 2014, but the good people at "Cool Cleveland"  Please see their informative weekly news letter

 

The Best Man - Stories about Ted Luntz

In October 2012, Ted’s family asked me to do a eulogy for Theodore Michael Luntz.  Ted was a great and generous Clevelander.  For those who knew him and for those who weren’t fortunate enough to know him, below is my eulogy for this influential and important individual. 

If you read to the end, you’ll understand the title of this piece.

Ted and I visited often in his last few years and he told me many of these stories.  My thought is he wanted me to pass them along. 

Ted’s family was originally from the Canton area.  In Canton, Ted’s  father played football against Jim Thorpe.  When I asked  Ted how his father reacted, when Jim Thorpe had the ball, he said his father ran the other way.  Probably a wise decision. 

Ted graduated from University School with honors and went to Yale University.  At Yale he tried out for the baseball team and this is where he first met George HW Bush.  They wanted Ted  to play however he decided not to play as he didn’t like 90 mph fastballs passing by his head. 

A few years after graduation he was drafted and sent to Fort Bragg.  Ted was to be shipped to Korea and at a seminar for incoming troops he heard Major Levi  Jackson  give a speech.  Levi was an All American Football player from Yale. Ted spoke to him afterward said he attended Yale and enjoyed watching Levi play.  Levi asked Ted what he was doing and Ted said he was scheduled to go to Korea.  Levi said a Yaley should not go to Korea and took Ted to Germany with him.  Ted credited Levi with saving his life. 

It was in the army at Fort Bragg North Carolina, where my father met and became life long friends with Ted and his family.  Ted was in the 503^rd MP and if you don’t know anything about the Military Police, they are both feared and respected.  Ted played bridge with my father and Jim Klonoski.  They were the 3 musketeers and they have all now passed on.     

We all understand Ted was successful in business and  was the CEO of the Luntz Corporation.  The Luntz Corporation was founded in the Canton, Ohio area in 1898. He was also CEO of the related Marquette Steel in Cleveland.  A couple of quick stories help one to understand the quality work Ted and the Luntz Corporation performed.   

My uncle’s  father was the salvage manager for the Lake Erie / Wheeling railroad.  If there was a derailment they always called the Luntz Corporation.  The reason they used them was if the Luntz Corporation picked up a derailed car, the railroad knew they would have the check the next day.  When I told Ted this story, he laughed and agreed.  

A year or two ago, I spoke to a friend who owns a large manufacturing company and asked him if he knew Ted.  He said at the time everyone in the scrap business was price fixing and shorting companies.  He said Ted came in and was a class act.  He said Ted was a professional and honest and you could tell he enjoyed working with Ted .  He then asked “is Ted still in business?”

While Ted was CEO they salvaged 3 of the large great lakes ships, the Princeton, Harvard and something else.  One of the ships sank(the Harvard)  as they towed it to the scrap yard area and they had to raise it. 

My father helped in Ted’s decision to be on the board of Baldwin Wallace University.  Ted was on the board for 30 years and was a great assistance to them.  They honored Ted with a doctorial degree.  Ted also sat on the boards of University School, Cathedral Latin School, Cleveland College of Jewish Studies and Hawken School. Later my father re-introduced Ted to George Bush Sr.  and they became close friends.    George HW Bush wrote letters to Ted and credited Ted for the idea of being Ronald Reagan’s VP before running for President. 

Ted said he never had a speeding ticket as he thought it was a privilege to drive.  (one of his children later told me this may not have been the case)

Ted enjoyed playing piano every day and his mother was a concern pianist.  He was an avid art collector.  He donated art to the Cleveland Museum of Art, Kent State, University school and others  He enjoyed skiing and skied until he was 83.   In the summers he enjoyed sailing and in the 1960’s he was the top sailor for 5 years at the Mentor Harbor Yachting Club.  He enjoyed each and every season. 

In the last few years, Ted would ask, “having any fun”, or “making any money”.  Ted was an intense individual and you had to be on your toes when you spoke with him.  He also enjoyed challenging people to be better and to work harder.   Whether it was providing scholarships for students or just challenging someone to be better.   He enjoyed others doing their best.    

In the last year or two while visiting Ted at the nursing home and someone asked how I knew Ted.  I told them Ted had been my father’s best man, but then I realized this did not fully explain my sediments toward Ted, so I followed up, ‘Ted was my father’s best man and I understood why my father choose him, as he is quite simply the best man I’ve ever known’. 

Ted and my love and respect for each other was real and deep.  One fun story which needs to be shared is when late one evening around 11pm, Ted called.  he asked me what I was doing and my response was trying to sleep.  when I asked why he called, he asked if I could pick him up.  Naturally I agreed to do so and then I asked where was he and his response was a classic line...

"I don't know...".  needless to say it was a long night and I went to visit him the next day.  Ted had been placed in a nursing home and his surroundings were unfamiliar to him.  he did over time become comfortable there.  Sadly I have lost contact with Ted's family

The attached photograph was taken in April 2011.  Ted passed in October 2012

Revealing the Real Great Gatsby

Revealing the Real Great Gatsby

 

(originally published July 14, 2014 – Cool Cleveland)

Did you ever wonder it how it would feel to be present and experience one of The Great Gatsby’s parties?  While this story was written in the 1920’s, every young generation wants to experience a lavish party where one rubs elbows and interacts with the rich and famous. This fictional prose was set it the New York City, and while it will never be believed in New York City or other east coast cities, it’s literally possible the Great Gatsby was based on Cleveland area families and parties that occurred in the region during the period.   The recent Great Gatsby movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio, and the original F. Scott Fitzgerald book, reminded Clevelanders of all the similarities between this fictional character and the Van Sweringen brothers.  An earlier publication “Mentor and Mistress” tells of these two extremely wealthy and powerful brothers sharing a love for a married woman named “Daisy”, just as Gatsby’s fictional love was named.  The similarities between the real life Van Sweringens and fictional Jay Gatsby are so numerous they needed to be examined more fully.  From the evidence below its likely The Gatsby Character was based on Clevelanders and their life styles. 

As a writer, F. Scott Fitzgerald was known to have based his stories on real people.  The story Bernice Bobs her Hair was said to be written about a young woman from Eau Claire, Wisconsin.  As F Scott was from St. Paul Minnesota he may have heard stories about her and this is upon who he based this story.  It’s therefore not too hard to fathom that Jay Gatsby and his love Daisy could have been based on real life Clevelanders.   

The real Daisy’s maiden name was Louise Davidson and when the name Louise was quoted to a friend who knew Daisy, she simply stated “they didn’t know her”.  Anyone who was a friend of Daisy knew her by that name.  Mr. Fitzgerald may have given his leading lady the name Daisy for a reason.  Daisy is not a common name and searching database names from the 1920’s it wasn’t even in the top 100 names during that period.  In addition the name Daisy is usually associated with a rural family and not a high society family.  It curious Mr. Fitzgerald choose this name and it’s my belief he did so as to give credit to the inspiration for the story.

 

Photograph reprinted with permission of Shaker Heights Historical society

 

Daisy Davidson married Mr. Ben Jenks and shortly thereafter the two Jenks became close friends with two of the Van Sweringen brothers.  The ‘Vans’ were beginning their careers in real estate and railroads.  Daisy’s wisdom and drive helped her husband and the two ‘Vans’ begin to build a multi-billion dollar railroad and real estate empire.   People who knew them and even the Van Sweringens gave credit for their success to Daisy.  In a book Daisy published in the 1940’s she remarked how OP Van Sweringen came to their home one night and told her she was the reason behind their success.      

The Vans started with a single small railroad and quickly began expanding their enterprise.  Using the stock market to raise capital they continued to purchase railroads and soon they were the largest railroad owners in the country.  They had amassed great wealth and by some accounts had net worth of over $2 billion dollars in the 1920’s, a massive fortune today but even bigger during the time.  This is similar to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s character in The Great Gatsby. Mr. Gatsby had started from humble beginnings (The Vans started out as paper boys) and amassed a great fortune.  Also just as “Jimmy Gatz” had changed his name to Jay Gatsby, the Van Sweringen’s also changed their name.  Originally their last name was Sweringens, and they added the “Van” early in their career. In both stories they were in love with a woman named Daisy. 

 

By the 1920’s the Vans and the Jenks had moved to Hunting Valley on what is now known as “Daisy Hill”.  The Jenk’s front door is directly across from the front door of the Van Sweringen home.   In the book Gatsby could see Daisy’s home across the way, just at the Vans could.  F Scott wrote also of a light at the end the pier and that the light could be seen from Gatsby’s home.  To this day there is a prominent light and light fixture on the Jenks home.  Anyone driving anywhere near the home would see this prominent architectural feature and this may have been why it was written into the story. In the fictional story there was a water way separating the two homes, in the real world there is half mile of open land between the two homes.  Not in the story however in the real world, there is an underground tunnel between their two homes; it exists to this day. 

 

It was said the Vans worshipped and idolized Daisy and were lifelong friends.      The Vans at the time were known by all Clevelanders and used their money and influence over much of the Cleveland area.  It was they who moved the private schools and many country clubs out of Cleveland into the suburbs.  They also developed many area  roads and railways which we still in use today.  If you have ever traveled to the Greenbrier in West Virginia this was also created by the Van Sweringens.  You can almost imagine the Great Gatsby walking through the Greenbrier’s opulent halls. 

 If you were in Cleveland or knew anything about Cleveland or railroads you certainly knew about the Van Sweringens.  However as with most wealthy individuals, they were private and secretive about their activities.  Few knew them personally and even fewer knew of their activities. This was a time of great wealth in Cleveland and they were at the top of the ladder, at least for a time.    Today it’s hard to imagine how well known, feared or cheered they were.  A similar set of brothers exist today and they are the Koch brothers of New York.    Imagine the Koch brothers living in Cleveland and this was the influence of the Van Sweringen’s.  For a detail and thorough appreciation of their business and personal lives, please read Invisible Giants by Herbert Harwood.  His title says it all. 

It might also be difficult to visualize Cleveland as an area for the rich and famous, however in the 1880 US government census, showed there were more millionaires living in the Cleveland than any place else in the United States.  This was true all the way through the 1920’s.  To understand the wealth in Cleveland at the time anyone who remembers watching Gilligan’s Island and seeing Thurston Howell III the millionaire, can appreciated how Clevelanders lived and behaved during this period.  Jim Backus who played ‘the millionaire’ was originally from a wealthy Cleveland area and has told reporters, many of his lines from Gilligan’s Island were simply lines he heard from his father and his father’s friends.  Mr. Backus was born in 1913 and would have been a young boy in the 1920’s.  His role as Gilligan’s Island millionaire was developed during his time growing up in Cleveland. 

There was another well known Clevelander who is central to this story.  His name is Leonard Hanna and Leonard was heir to the great Hanna mining fortune and was a strong supporter of the arts.  In his support of the arts it is said he knew F. Scott and may have invited him to parties his home.  Mr. L. Hanna was said to have large, noisy parties with many influential individuals attending.  It’s not hard to imagine the writer writing these parties into his book.  He may have also been introduced to the Vans.    

There is connection between the Vans and Mr. Hanna which needs to be mentioned.  Mr. Hanna was known to live an alternative lifestyle which at the time was rare and hardly mentioned in public.  The Vans also lived in the same bedroom their whole life and by some accounts the same bed.  While they shared a love for Daisy they may too have had alternative lifestyles.  This certainly would create a connection between the Vans and Mr. Hanna as their wealth and lifestyle would have certainly put them in contact with each other.  Mr. Fitzgerald meeting them is almost a certainty. 

Even today, it’s not unusual for married men to have a mistress or even a married mistress.  It certainly is not worth  writing a book about it.  However two powerful extremely wealthy, rags to riches individuals in love with a woman named Daisy, this is a different story.  Hearing a real life story such as this is something most writers can only dream about.  While in the 1920’s and even today, it would be hard to believe or write about two brothers in love with the same married woman, a story could certainly be written about one rags to riches individual in love with a woman named Daisy. 

There is another story in the Great Gatsby which ties the origins of the book with the Cleveland area elite.  In one edition of the book, it is written about how ‘rich are different than the rest of us’ and an example is given of two wealthy cousins marrying each other.  This may have happened in New York and in other cities, however in at least one situation it happened here in Cleveland.  They may have been in love however Clevelander’s wedding occurred to help preserve the family fortunes.     In hearing about this wedding, I remember my aristocratic friend who told me this, saying ‘they had to get permission from the bishop first’.    

As discussed the Great Gatsby and the Vans were in love with a woman named Daisy.  In addition they each began in humble and meager circumstances.  They each changed their names.  However further research is needed to cement this story.  Any photographic evidence of Scott Fitzgerald’s trips to Cleveland and possibly attending parties at the Hanna’s would be great.  If there is a possible photograph of The Vans with F. Scott, this would almost cement the connection between the book and these Clevelanders.  Let’s hope one day photographic or at least written accounts of the 3 or 4 (including Daisy) of them meeting can be found. 

While F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote a wonderful ending to The Great Gatsby not even he could foresee the ending to the Vans Sweringens and their fortunes.  The roaring and profitable 1920s’ came to an abrupt end in 1929 with the stock market crash.  The Van’s fortune had been made by selling more and more stock in their railroad ventures.  Not quite a Ponzi scheme, but close.  The stock market crash punished their holdings considerably and it literally killed them.  Mantis James Van Sweringen passed away of ill health in December 1934 and his older brother Oris Paxton Van Sweringen met a similar fate to Jay Gatsby in November 1936.  They both passed away too young and as others have written, their work was unfinished. 

 

Exploring "The World"

Recently while at a conference on Amelia Island in Florida, a small piece of information helped me enjoy a real and rare world experience which others might enjoy learning about.

There was an insurance conference on the island and as the taxi driver took me to the hotel, he explained there was a high end automobile auction in town.  He said this was the ‘real’ deal with high end bidders in attendance.  We saw some amazing cars as we headed to the hotel.  The one I remember most, was a newer Ferrari and it was  being towed by a golf cart.  My thought was ‘they can have their high end cars’.  As we passed the airport we saw over a dozen private jets and the taxi driver said most had left. 

After checking into hotel and unpacking I went down to the lobby area to get a drink and relax after the long day of travel.  It was your usual suspects and I just sat quietly.  As a people watcher I saw an older man with a younger rather attractive woman.  She was standing and sort of dancing around and he was looking down and seemed more into his thoughts and drinks. 

Then she said out load and to no one in particular, ‘I live on “The World”’. 

As no one else seemed to hear or understand her remark, I looked up and replied, “I know what that is and I have been on it”.

She looked over and asked “where?”

My response was “Grenada, it was there for the cricket matches”

At this point the older gentleman looked up from his thoughts looked and me and then signaled for me to join them.  Needless to say the rest of the evening was an interesting and educational opportunity.

He said they had moved to The World a few years ago as things in this country seemed to be going in the direction he didn’t agree with.  When asked, he confirmed they were there for the automobile auction as he has a large collection of automobiles.   When asked if he purchased any vehicles, he said they had not and he was mostly there to see which cars seemed to be going up in value and which seemed to be declining.  In other words he was ‘managing his investments’.  He later said the value of his vehicle holdings was over $8 million.  He wouldn’t tell me what type of cars he owned or where they were located however I knew he was a serious collector and most likely part of the one percenters. 

We then turned our attention to “The World”.  I told him I understood  why they lived on the ship and his savings probably paid for his car collection.  He only smiled. 

If you’re from Cleveland and you’re at all familiar with Peter B. Lewis, former Chairman and CEO of Progressive Insurance, you might have known he lived ship called the “Lone Ranger”.  Most might not be familiar with the reason for him living on the tug, however most will agree that it was in order to save income taxes.  Many other billionaires have their own boats, including Tiger Wood and Greg Norman.  Its not unusual for billionaires to live on their own sea worthy ships. 

Recently someone told me, they had sold Peter Lewis’ boat however it only went for ten cents on the dollar.  My response was his tax savings during his time on the boat was far greater than the cost of the ship.

Other top one percenters who can’t afford or don’t want their own boat can buy a suite or cabin on unbelievably luxurious cruise ship called “The World”.  My mother in law first told us about this ship and when we were in Grenada and saw it there we had to get a closer look.  When an older woman saw my wife, my young son and I admiring the ship, she asked if we wanted to go on board.  It was an amazing insight to this lifestyle.  This couple at the bar seemed to fit right in.

This is why it’s interesting when the politicians say they are going to raise taxes on ‘the rich’.  Every time this is done, more people move out of the country which is actually lowering the taxes paid.  While it might make good politics and sound bites, it makes bad economic business. 

The rest of the evening was passed talking about politics, “The World” and even the auto auction.  The one car he had wanted but said it sold for too much was the 1938 Delahaye Torpedo Roadster, it sold for over $6.6 million.  He thought someone overpaid for the car.  He also was hoping to acquire a 1965 Shelby Mustang but it also sold for too much at almost $985,000.  As both of these vehicles sold for more than he expected, I asked if it was time to sell and his response was “not yet”.   It was easy to understand why there was so many jets on the runway.   This was not your average automobile auction.

This interesting evening was possible due to my knowing about “The World”.  Hopefully this interesting piece of knowledge can help one of the readers in the near future. 

 

 

Tremont's Civil War Camp Cleveland

HISTORY: Tremont’s Camp Cleveland Housed Plenty of Characters

In July of 1862, Cleveland’s largest Civil War camp opened to instruct citizens on becoming soldiers.  It was a beautifully landscaped 35 1/2-acre site located in what is today known as Tremont. The land was owned by the Wade family and was known as University Heights, as there was a closed university in the area — Cleveland University — which was located at the current site of Gospel Press. Unfortunately there are no remains of the old university.

The Civil War camp’s location was between Hershel (now West 5th) and University (now West 7th) Streets and Railway and Marquardt Avenues.  Many called it the most beautiful camp in Ohio as it was well landscaped by the citizens of the Forest City. There were almost 200 buildings and a high of 4,151 volunteer soldiers occupied the barracks in December of 1862.  A total of 15,230 men would eventually be stationed there and this was approximately 5% of total 310,646 enlistments in Ohio.  There was a hospital on the grounds and, later during the war, the barracks would be used to house Confederate prisoners of war.

Lt William Dustin, a lieutenant in the 19th Ohio Volunteer Artillery, wrote following the war, “The camp was a table land above the city and admirably suited to the use of a camp of instruction.  It was as level as a floor and carpeted with grass. The capacious pine barracks held about 25 of the battery’s men. A row of six pine barracks fitted up with bunks, accommodated the men, and a single one at the rear was used for head quarters.”

The barracks were roughly 20X24 feet and high enough for two rows of berths.  There were over 150 barracks in total. There was a fine fresh water spring in a deep and shady ravine at the lower end of the camp and it furnished the men with an abundance of excellent water.

This may have been a military camp yet the atmosphere, especially during the beginning, was more that of social hotspot and gathering place.

Below are stories from letters and diaries of friends and relatives of individuals who were stationed there.  Many came from members of the 19th Ohio Volunteer Artillery unit and they moved into camp in August of 1862.  To put it mildly, these young men were having fun and blew off plenty of steam while they were stationed there.  This is a little known chapter of Cleveland’s history and one Clevelanders should better understand.

Theodore Tracie was also in the 19th OVA and in 1874 he wrote a book about the unit and below is the way he described the camp:

Barracks-life at Camp Cleveland was like a long-continued gala day and picnic. No day passed that did not bring lady relatives and friends of the members.  The camp was the favorite resort of the people of Cleveland, and bore a dreadfully unmilitary appearance.

Social pleasures were varied and pleasing; vocal and instrumental music could be heard day and night.  Billy Childs’ banjo solos kept the quarters thronged by day with lady visitors, and by night with admiring comrades. On more than one occasion bands from town came to play and there was lively singing, dancing, and conversation.

In addition, there were street vendors selling souvenirs and even a photographer who set up shop to take photographs of the soldiers in their new uniforms.  Baseball games were played on the parade grounds.   At one time or another it seems everyone in Cleveland came out to the camp.

A signing bonus of $50.00 was paid to each of the men who enlisted and as this was the first paycheck given to many, and many felt well to do.  Unfortunately it was reported many of the men wasted their funds on drink and tobacco.  An additional $50.00 bonus was to be paid at the end of the war.  Unsure what happened to those men who didn’t return home.

The boys grew restless under the inactivity, of camp life, and longed for marching orders.  “Camp life was all good enough in its way,” they murmured. “But we came out to fight the Rebels, and not waste our time feasting and flirting.”

Michael Houck of the 19^th OVLA - Christopher Whipple’s great great grandfather

 

Breaking Out of Camp

As the camp was located near the entertainment area of downtown, it was a favorite nighttime activity to try to leave the camp.  Since only 25 of the 144 men were permitted in town each night, many of the remaining 119 men found creative ways to get out.  On one night, 75 of the 144 men were in town to see a play.

Initially, there were no passes given; however, because too many men were seen in town each night, shortly thereafter a password was given to the guards and no one was permitted back into camp without it.  This didn’t work well as the guards were friends of everyone else and soon further restrictions were needed.

A written pass was given only by permission and only with good reason.  There was the “important business to be settled” before they left home excuse as well as “illness at home.” There was also “to take a bath” excuse and men walked to the stream outside of camp with towel and bucket. However, many didn’t return until the next morning.

Men also made mad dashes across the grounds hoping to return to their barrack before being caught. This made for great amusement by the other men as they watched their counter parts running across the yard. Even if they were caught, a bribe of liquor or money usually allowed one to pass to their cabin.

Eventually extra guard duty was issued for those who were caught.  If men were too intoxicated or caught too often they were often put in the Guard House.  Due to the number of absences, the guard house was seldom unoccupied.  Many might think being put in the guard house would be a punishment but these men took it with good cheer.  Feeling they didn’t have to perform guard duty or drills and being given beer and other luxuries through a window, some felt it was a nice break from the routine.

One evening the guard house had a little more activity than most.  Two men were brought back from town and, being extremely intoxicated, were immediately put in the guard house.  Shortly thereafter there were “strong noises emanating from the guard house.”  Then there was the sound of crashing lumber and “triumphant yells”; the two prisons had literally kicked down one of the walls to the guard house.  When everyone ran to see the commotion, they saw the two guilty parties congratulating themselves. The two were secured with ropes to keep them in place and the guard house was hastily repaired.  The next morning their real punishment was given.

The officers chained 30 pound iron balls to their ankles and ordered them to sweep the camp.  While most of us would think this as punishment, these two did not.  They had a good ole time and had a great deal of fun and could be heard laughing as they swept.  Needless to say, there were some real characters at the camp.

There was usually more than one unit in the camp and, as expected, rivalries developed between units. They raided each other barracks and “took pistols and emptied flasks.”  Fortunately none of these ended in battles or brutalities and most units became lifelong friends after meeting at the camp.  My father was still visiting the farm of one of the unit members well into the 1960s.

It should be noted that one of the men’s favorite food in town was caviar.  Cleveland caviar was known as some of the finest available because, at the time, Lake Erie was full of sturgeon. Unfortunately, later in the 1880s and 1890s these 8 to 10 feet-long aquatic creatures were said to have interfered with the steel and other shipments and were fished out of the lake.  Currently there are only a small number of sturgeon left on the west end of the lake.

Camp Comes to Order

Slowly the camp came to order as the soldiers soon learned they were no longer their own masters.  Roll-call was called twice a day and required the attendance of all men. A guard duty had been instituted and, at first, guard duty was a novelty. With chest protruded, guards carried heavy Austrian rifles. But later on it was not uncommon for the night relief to find more than a few guards asleep on their post.

Drilling was also one of the daily duties.  Cannon and rifle squads were organized, and rather quickly the men became proficient in the drills and the use of their equipment.   The marching or foot drill was practiced each day, as well as zouave skirmish drills.  Zouave drills had more space between the men and other less visible tactics.  Overall the men were afforded a variety of military exercises.

This was a typical military camp as there were no mattresses on the bunks and not everyone had government issued blankets.  Fortunately the aid society supplied many of the men with blankets.  The food was rather bland; coffee, meat, dark bread, potatoes or some other dish.  There was no milk, butter, sugar or other simple pleasures available. 
While some men complained, most later realized this was better than what they would be receiving later in the war.

Departure From Camp

As the time of departure approached, the number of visitors increased greatly, until even the quietest men could boast of his warm personal friends.

This time was also used to make final visits, finishing up business matters too long delayed, and general preparations for departure.  Few thought they would serve longer than a year, and each one felt he held special immunities from death and disease, and had no doubt of their return home.

The crowds of visitors became larger every hour, and every man was a hero, with plenty of admirers. Then the last roll call in camp was called, absentees were accounted for, knapsacks were strapped on the shoulders, and the march was put in motion.  The military organizations in the city turned out as escort to honor their departure.

They marched down Superior Street and saw the streets and sidewalks filled with citizens.   Outstretched hands greeted them at every step, and every man was energized.

They felt the whole people of the Forest City were in the streets doing honor to her sons, and showering them with prayers and wishes for their safe return.  There was true spirit in the patriotic outpouring of those days!  However not everyone was happy and it was said about citizens and soldiers alike, “tears were shed like rain.”

Not all the stories were sad and below is one from Theodore Tracie.  It is reproduced in full as the story can’t be better written today:

Few seemed free from this emotional epidemic, was compelled to laugh as I saw an enthusiastic maiden lady of forty summers, glorious in spectacles and side-curls, clasp the hands of one of our modest boys, and after bidding him “good-bye!’ and “I pray that you will return home!’ suddenly kiss the youth with the most enthusiastic earnestness.  I leaned forward and innocently remarked to the favored youth, “sweetheart, of your, my boy?  Never mind; you can trust her while you’re away!” and was shocked when he replied: “No ! blame you; I never saw the girl; before in my life!”

The men were put on trains to Cincinnati and one unit member wrote the trip lasted only 12 hours.  12 hours was probably a short time relative to the number of days it took to travel there by horse and buggy. Trains during the Civil War had to stop every 30 minutes for water.  Their first stop was in Berea and their second was in Grafton.  At the first few stops friends wished the soldiers well.

Scenes such as this occurred many times over the next few years as there were at least 20 units organized or reorganized at Camp Cleveland and no one ever knew who would return and who would not.

US General Hospital – Cleveland

A 320 bed pavilion-style hospital, (pictured above) designated as the United States General Hospital at Cleveland, occupied 3.76 acres on the southeast corner of W 5th Street and Jefferson Avenue.  The hospital opened in December 1862; a total of 3,028 soldiers received care for gunshot wounds, illnesses, and diseases before it closed in July 1865.  Some of the 91 deceased patients lie buried in the federally owned plots at Woodland Cemetery.

Camp Closes

More than 11,000 soldiers were discharged at Camp Cleveland at war’s end.  The camp officially closed in August of 1865 and, in September, the hospital and camp buildings were dismantled and the lumber and government equipment were sold at a public auction.

In the last few years there were some buildings built in the Tremont area and it was reported Civil War buttons were found in ground.  Other than these small remnants, only photographs and written antidotes remain of this large, beautiful and important Civil War camp.

Hopefully the readers will find interest in these fun-loving, rambunctious individuals.  It should be remembered that these same individuals became part of Cleveland’s Greatest Generation.  Some of these individuals would later become part of Millionaires Row and were at least part of the city with the highest number of millionaires in the country.  Hopefully we can regain some of their energy and positive reinforcing comradery and return this region to respect and greatness.

Units at Camp Cleveland
Date Open:        July 1862
Location:         West 5th, Railroad St, West 7th, Marquardt St.

Units Organized:
1862
August     103rd OVI, 105th OVI, 19th Battery
September      107th  OVI
October     10th Cavalry, 20th Battery
December      6th Co. SS

1863
January     124th OVI, 7th Co. SS
February     5th Co. SS
July        86th OVI – Unit Reorganized
August     129th OVI
October    125th OVI
November    12th Cavalry

1864
April        60th OVI – Unit Reorganized
May        150th OVI, 164th OVI, 169th OVI
February     5th Co. SS
October    177th OVI, 2nd Light Battery

Originally Published by Cool Cleveland Memorial Day 2013 

All material the responsibility of Christopher C. Whipple