collected at Cleveland, and with these staples went occasionally a few
articles of eastern made goods for the use of the frontiermen's wives. As
the country became more settled the commercial importance of Cleveland
increased, until it divided with Detroit and Buffalo the honors and
profits of the commerce of the lakes.

Cleveland was settled in 1796. PFiveyears later the first commercial
movement was made by the erection of a distillery for the purpose of
providing an adequate supply of the basis of early western
commerce--whisky. The trade operations were of a promiscuous and desultory
character until about the year 1810, when a log warehouse was built by
Major Carter, on the bank of the lake, between Meadow and Spring streets,
and this was speedily followed by another, built by Elias and Harvey
Murray, which became the centre of business and gossip for the village
and the country round about. Of course a full supply of the great
staple--whisky--was kept.

In 1813 Cleveland became a lively and prosperous place, it having been
chosen as a depot of supplies and rendezvous for troops engaged in the
war. A good business was done in selling to the army, in exchanging with
the quartermasters, and in transporting troops and supplies. This was a
flourishing time for Cleveland, and its inhabitants in many cases made
small fortunes, realizing several hundred dollars in hard cash.

The close of the war brought the usual reaction, and the commerce of the
embryo city lagged, but gradually improved under the stimulus of
increasing emigration to the West. In 1816 it had reached such a point
that a bank was deemed necessary to the proper transaction of trade, and
the Commercial Bank of Lake Erie was opened, with Leonard Case as
president. It had the misfortune of being born too soon, and its life