Daly, Martin B.

The following data is extracted from The Book of Clevelanders, A Biographical Dictionary of Living Men of the City of Cleveland, Burrows Book Company, 1914.

Daly, Martin B.; born, May 11, 1860, and his early life was spent on a farm with his parents near Mayville, N. Y.; his grand-parents on both sides were born in Ireland; he received his education in public schools at Mayville, and in 1878, left home and went to the Bradford oil fields in Pennsylvania, and for three years worked in various capacities on leases, drilling wells, pipe lines and pump stations in the Bradford and Richburg field; in 1881, he was engaged as assistant superintendent of the Warren County (Pennsylvania) Gas Fuel and Heating Company, controlled at that time by C. A. and D. Cornen; gas was piped to North Clarendon, Pa.; shortly after he engaged in this work, the Cherry Grove oil field was discovered; Mr. Daly was engaged as an oil scout during the drilling of the famous well "646" and other wildcat wells that had an important bearing on the oil market at that time; later he assisted in the construction of the gas plants at Oil City, Titusville and Meadville, making Oil City his headquarters, from which point he traveled for two years; in 1886, he was elected general superintendent of the Buffalo Natural Gas Fuel Company, of which the late Daniel O'Day was president; this was the first attempt to pipe natural gas long distances, and writers in scientific journals expressed serious doubt as to the ability of the company to furnish any gas in Buffalo, after piping it 91 miles; the success of this enterprise led to the piping of natural gas to various cities situated long distances from the field, and it is now being successfully transported in large quantities over three hundred miles; prior to the construction of the Buffalo plant, natural gas was sold at flat rates; the Buffalo company was the first to introduce a natural gas meter; in 1889, the city of Toledo constructed a municipal plant to compete with the Northwestern Ohio Natural Gas Company, and Mr. Daly was selected to take charge of the Northwestern Company's business; he applied the same methods that were followed in Buffalo, and introduced the meter system, as against the flat rate system, formerly in vogue; the feeling against the private company was very bitter, and its manager did not occupy an enviable position; all obstacles, however, were overcome; the hatred towards the company by the community was turned to popularity, and the Northwestern Company is still doing a thriving business, while the failure of the municipally-owned plant in Toledo is generally known to the financial world; in 1902, Mr. Daly secured from the city of Cleveland for the East Ohio Gas Company, a franchise to supply that city with natural gas; the late Tom L. Johnson was at that time Mayor, and had consistently opposed the granting of any franchise to private corporations; today, about 150,000 families in Cleveland are supplied with natural gas for fuel; in 1909, the East Ohio Gas Company merged with the People's Gas Company and The Cleveland Gas Light and Coke Company, and now distributes both natural and artificial gas. Mr. Daly is president and general manager of the Consolidated East Ohio Gas Company; also vice president of the National Gas, Electric Light and Power Company; president of the Natural Gas Association of America; president of the Carbon Coal and Clay Company, State of Washington; director in the Ohio Savings Bank and Trust Company of Toledo, Ohio, and of The First Trust & Savings Bank, of Cleveland, and identified with several other large institutions; during his residence in Toledo, he was Exalted Ruler of the Toledo Lodge of Elks, and for years thereafter, its treasurer. He was also a director in the Ohio Centennial Company, by election of the business men of Toledo, and was appointed a Police Commissioner by Governor Nash, at the recommendation of the best citizens of Toledo without regard to party. Mr. Daly was married Feb. 5, 1890, to Kathleen McMahon, the only daughter of one of the most prominent families in western New York, at Ellicottvile, N. Y., and has five children, three boys and two girls, Kathleen Marie, Walter E., Martin B., Daniel and Margaret Elizabeth; he is a member of the Union, Euclid, Athletic and Automobile Clubs of Cleveland, and the Toledo Club, of Toledo; also a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Elks, Ohio Society of New York, American Gas Institute, and the Chamber of Commerce, Cleveland.

Source: The Book of Clevelanders, A Biographical Dictionary of Living Men of the City of Cleveland, Burrows Book Company, 1914

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