THE HISTORIC

MORRIS A. BRADLEY RESIDENCE

ONE OF CLEVELAND'S LARGEST REAL ESTATE OWNERS IN THE 1880's.

MORRIS A. BRADLEY—Born at Cleveland, August 15, 1859, he was educated in the public and private schools, later in Hiram College, and for a time was an employee of the wholesale hardware house of Lockwood, Taylor and Company. In 1880 he became the business associate of his father, and when the latter died five years later, he assumed management of the estate. For a number of years he has been one of the largest owners of real estate in Cleveland, and has erected a number of large buildings in the business district. He continued his father's business as a boat builder, and at one time owned a fleet of twenty six boats on the Great Lakes. In recent years Mr. Bradley has been president of the Cleveland and Buffalo Transportation Company, president of the United States Coal Company, and owner of the Bradley Electrical Company.

Mr. Bradley was a member of the University School Corporation, Cleveland Chamber of Commerce, the Country Club, the Roadside Club, City Club, Civic League and the Union Club. His church affiliation is with the First Unitarian Church of Cleveland. One of his favorite recreations has been horsemanship, and he is a member of the Gentlemen's Driving Club.

In 1885 Morris A. Bradley established the Cleveland and Buffalo Transit Company (C&B). The company operated a popular steamship line from Cleveland, running passenger and freight service to Buffalo, NY aboard the liners State of Ohio and State of New York. With business booming, C&B added to its fleet, christening the City of Buffalo and eventually replacing the aging State of Ohio with the City of Erie which provided night service between Cleveland and Toledo.

C&B saw an opportunity in moving passengers and in the same year as the Titanic’s ill-fated maiden voyage, the Seeandbee joined the fleet and began making regular trips between Cleveland and Buffalo. In her day the Seeandbee held the title of largest and mostly costly liner on the Great Lakes. She was 485 feet from stem to stern and could accommodate 1,500 passengers with 510 staterooms and parlors over four decks. She had an elegant ballroom in which passengers could partake of music and dancing while making the crossing.