MS-175
BERTLING PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTION
INTRODUCTION
The Bertling Photograph Collection was accessioned into the Flesh Public Library Archives and Special Collections as a gift from John Frigge, the executor of the estate of Donald Bertling. The collection was found in the basement of the Bertling home at 901 Maple Street, Piqua, Ohio. The collection was brought to the library in two shoe boxes and consisted of old newspapers, eleven photographs and eight glass plate negatives.
The newspapers were badly deteriorated. Four of the newspapers were Piqua Daily Call “Flood Editions”. Of these four only one, a “Second Flood Edition” printed on butcher paper, was salvageable [It was cataloged into the Small Collections as SC-4612.]. The remainder of the newspapers and clippings referred to the death of heavyweight boxing champion Luther McCarty in a boxing match in Calgary, Alberta, Canada on 24 May 1913. Two of the newspapers, The Calgary Daily Herald and The Calgary News Telegram, both for 26 May 1913, were encapsulated for use as exhibit materials and are housed with other large prints in the map case. The remainder of the newspapers and clippings were copied and placed in the McCarty vertical file (VF #383).
This collection consists of the eighteen total photographs that made up the remainder of the donation. Six of the glass plate negatives are of people and places. The people are probably related to each other. The remaining twelve photographs are of the 1913 flood. The photographs and glass plate negatives have not been well preserved but the images are still useable.
The collection is housed in one Hollinger box containing 18 files. There is no known restriction of the use of these materials.
SCOPE AND CONTENT
The Bertling Photograph Collection is divided into two series:
SERIES I: People and Places – contains files one through six of people, probably related and of H. H. Meinders Grocery Store (600 S. Main St.)
SERIES II: 1913 Great Miami River Flood – contains files seven through eighteen. Seven of these photos are new to our collection. The others have been seen in the collection before but contain family information or items of interest to the family.
BOX INVENTORY
BOX 1
SERIES I: PEOPLE AND PLACES
File
1 Glass plate negative – Aunt Hazel Bryan Fry – photo taken prior to her marriage to Ralph Fry. Hazel Bryan is seen with a harness horse probably in back of the Bryan home at 727 S. Main St. At the time of the photo (c. 1910) Hazel was employed at Atlas Underwear Co.
2 Glass plate negative – Small child [girl] – not identified – standing next to a wheelbarrow. Probably in the back yard of the Bryan home at 727 S. Main St. – c. 1910.
3 Glass plate negative – man and woman sitting on the back porch of a wood frame house. The couple appears to be in their twenties and are probably husband and wife. – c. 1910
4 Glass plate negative – two women on the porch of a wood frame workers cottage style house. One lady is older; the other is younger. c. 1900
5 Glass plate negative – workers constructing a concrete porch on a wood frame two story house. Workers and location are not identified. – c. 1910
6 Glass plate negative – H. H. Meinder’s Groceries & Feed Store – 600 S. Main St. – store is seen from the South Street side. A horse and delivery wagon is shown. Also seen is possibly a very early telephone booth next to a telephone pole just in front of the horses. c. 1910
SERIES II: THE GREAT MIAMI RIVER FLOOD OF 1913
7 Photograph of people standing on the East Main Street Bridge (Shawnee Bridge). Photo looks east toward Shawnee. In the background is the L.C. & W. L. Cron Furniture Co. The photograph was probably taken during the day on 24 March 1913 as the river was rising and before the west half of the bridge collapsed.
8 The destroyed East Main Street Bridge showing the east and west sections with the west center section missing. Photo probably taken on 27 March 1913 as the flood waters were beginning to recede. The photo was taken from the Pennsylvania Railroad bridge looking south.
9 Individuals standing on and inspecting the west end support of the destroyed East Main Street Bridge. The photo was taken from the remains of the east section of the bridge and probably taken on 28 March. In the background is the Spencer-Miller Grain elevator to the right. The building on the left is labeled “Moose Hall” on the photo.
10 Postcard photograph of flood debris and a flood damaged house on East Water Street.
11 East Main Street looking west from near Staunton Street during the flood. L. C. & W. L. Cron Furniture Company is in the background.
12 Glass plate negative – People standing near the end of Bridge Street on the west bank of the river looking east across to Shawnee. The rock crusher can be seen in the background to the right. The photo was probably taken on 27 or 28 March after the Bridge Street Bridge (Oatmeal Bridge) had been swept away by the flood.
13 Rossville during the flood. Photo was probably taken from the north end of the Rossville Bridge (North Main Street Bridge).
14 Destroyed railroad or interurban tracks near Piqua. An exact location has not been determined.
15 East Greene Street looking east during the flood. The photograph was probably taken from the vicinity of Spring Street.
16 East Piqua – photograph showing backyards and fences during the flood possibly in the area around the Athletic Field [later Roosevelt and Wertz Stadium].
17 Postcard – “East Piqua 26 March 1913” - Photograph looking at the area of East Water Street and across the river at the railroad embankment. The photo has “Our house” written on it and an arrow pointing to a demolished structure at the right. This is probably a reference to the Susan Wolfert house at 344 East Water Street.
18 East Piqua looking south toward East Water Street and the railroad embankment across the river. The photo has “Grandma Wolfert’s house” written on it and an arrow pointing to a partially destroyed house submerged in flood water to the roof line. The house belonged to Mrs. Susan Wolfert, widow of Louis Wolfert. Mrs. Wolfert lost her life in the flood. She was 71 years old.