Dad
Says
Written
June 23, 2005
Richwood, the Ohio village where I grew up, was a dense forest when first settled in 1832. It quickly became a trading and manufacturing center for the farms being carved out of the surrounding plains. By 1872 the growing town had its own weekly newspaper, The Richwood Gazette.
George Worden bought a half-interest in the Gazette in 1882 and the other half in 1886. "Mr. Worden was one of the outstanding weekly newspaper editors of Ohio during his career. He came from a newspaper family in Indiana. He was an avid Republican, and The Gazette changed from an Independent to a Republican status with the purchase and remains so today. He was noted for his critical editorials of people and causes that were detrimental to Richwood. He died in 1913." (From Family Heritage: Union County, Ohio, 1986.)
The paper has always been interested in history. One of its features, variously known over the years by such titles as "Dad Says" and "In Retrospect," reprints items from past editions, such as 100 and 75 and 50 and 25 years ago. The more recent items remind me of events from my own life. But I also find the older stories fascinating, a glimpse of an earlier version of the town.
For example, on October 30, 1873, the year-old newspaper reported on local construction: "All the improvements in progress in Richwood are being pushed with a view of having them completed before winter fully sets in. It will require unusual activity on the part of some of the mechanics to get the large number of buildings enclosed before it gets too cold for outside work. Already we have had snow, and the fires are being kindled."
Or on January 31, 1901: "Sheets of the census bulletin for Ohio shows that Richwood's population in 1900 was 1,640, as against 1,415 in 1890."
Or on July 16, 1908, the paper bemoaned the interruption of the town's light-rail mass transit service. "Ever since the CMS&N interurban tracks were cut on S. Franklin St., business has been greatly damaged in Richwood. It is impossible to get to town from the south without walking a half mile or more or driving to town. The people south of Richwood have become accustomed to stepping on the interurban and coming to town for a few cents while their horses stood in their stalls resting after a big spring and summer's work. ...The contractors claim the cars will be up and running about August 1, which will be good news for all concerned. We can't imagine how other towns get along without an interurban altogether."
Here are some of the items from a quarter-century period, 1880 through 1905.
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In Part 2: |
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Agriculture
May
27, 1880
Farmers
are already commencing to engage help for the coming harvest.
Work is more plentiful than workmen, and the idler who "can't
get work" now must dodge employment at every street corner.
September
21, 1882
Sunflowers
are worth one cent a piece in New York City. Just think of the
many fortunes that will go down with the frosty season just because
we are unable to get our sunflower crop to market.
January
4, 1883
A
few days ago, William Fish and William Carter attempted to butcher a
hog belonging to the first named gentleman and proceeded to bang away
at said hog with a rifle. The first shot struck Mr. Hog in the
nose, causing his escape, jumping a fence and swimming up Rush
Creek. Fish and Carter, in hot pursuit, shot until they
exhausted their supply of ammunition and were compelled to call on
Daniel Mifflin, an old-time hunter of some notoriety, who finally
brought Mr. H. to bay with the third shot. Fish and Carter
think of going west in search of larger game.
August
16, 1883
John
Strahl, north of town, informs us his wheat is threshed and said it
turned out 27 bushels per acre. Mr. S. also complimented the
Snare Wheat Separator very highly and says if he had not cleaned his
seed wheat with it last fall, his crops would have been mostly cheat.
November
6, 1884
C.D.
Sidle has sold his farm north of town to G.W. Handley. The
farm contains 132 acres and the price received was $10,560. Mr.
Sidle has a notion of Southern Kansas.
October
22, 1891
Joe
Shipley, of York Township, raised the biggest crop of rye. He
threshed about 320 bushels off of twenty acres and sold it at eighty
cents per bushel. They caught the market on the fly, as it were.
October
2, 1902
Rev.
A.D. Hoover, west of town, left a twig cut from one of his pear
trees at this office, which measured eleven inches long and contained
eleven nice Bartlett pears. He says this has been a great year
for pears and that every tree is full of fruit.
September
29, 1904
Last
Tuesday afternoon, neighbors and friends of Orville Case, three
miles west of town, turned out and cut twelve acres of his corn and
nicely placed it in shocks — in just two hours and thirty
minutes. Thirty-one men showed up to help the ailing farmer.
February
18, 1905
The
farmer is more out of the reach of trouble than any other man in the
world. He can burn his own wood, eat his own meat, eggs and
johnnycakes, and sleep under a roof that is not mortgaged to any corporation.
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When America became involved in World War I, the nation needed to increase agricultural production. However, there were fewer hands to bring in the crops because many young men had been drafted into the military. The overworked farmers who remained were in the fields from dawn to dusk during the growing season. They didn't have time to go into town to transact business during banker's hours in the daytime. Therefore, according to the Gazette of May 3, 1917, "the banks in Richwood have arranged to keep open from seven until nine o'clock from May 1 to November 1." |
May
5, 1904
E.S.
Curry, agent for the Oldsmobile — Light Run-about, $650;
Touring Run-about, $750; Delivery Wagon, $850; Touring Car,
$950. Will sell my Light Runabout in good condition at a
bargain as I wish to get a larger machine.
June
16, 1904
As
the result of the accident which happened to Mrs. Jane Lake on South
Franklin Street on June 7, L. Hubbard was fined $25 and costs by
Mayor M.W. Hill Tuesday night. The defendant was charged with
violating Ordinance No. 225 in that he propelled his automobile
through the streets of Richwood at a greater rate of speed than eight
miles per hour.
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Why was the speed limit so low? Traffic patterns were rather chaotic in those days. A motorist had to dodge trolleys and horse-drawn wagons, not to mention pedestrians and bicyclists crossing the street in any direction. Take a look at this footage, which was filmed in 1905 in a slightly larger town. |
January
7, 1905
The
24th annual Farmer's Institute adjourned after being in session for
two days. Owing to the careless handling of automobiles, which
is endangering life and property, a resolution was adopted requiring
Union County's representative to use his utmost influence to procure
the enactment of a law regulating the speed and handling of all
horseless carriages.
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November
27, 1912:
Quite
a serious automobile accident occurred Friday evening on the road
between Prospect and Marion, in which Mont C. Baughn and Carl Huffman
of Marysville and three Richwood young men, Earl Davis, Clyde Dean
and Delmer Cahill, were more or less injured. September 29, 1921: Three youths who came to Richwood from Marion Friday for the football game between Richwood and St. Mary's High Schools were taken before the mayor on a charge of recklessly driving their machines. They are said to have been showing absolute disregard for traffic rules and evidently thought they were so much superior to village folk that they were immune from punishment for their offense. They paid a fine and costs of $7.50 each. |
May
27, 1880
Cooper
Brothers have added a new feature to their bakery and restaurant, by
placing on the road a new delivery wagon to deliver free of charge to
all parts of town.
June
2, 1881
Go
to Landon's for 5¢ hats, 5¢ hose, and the best 5¢
calico in the market.
The railroad depot was also on North Main Street. My guess is that a "sample room" was a place for a traveling salesman to display samples of his wares.
March
8, 1883
The
Beam House, North Main Street, Richwood, Ohio, A. Paris & Son,
proprietors: This house is furnished to provide ample
accommodations for the traveling public. Great care is taken to
render suitable attention to all who patronize the house. Good
sample rooms on first floor.
October
9, 1884
A
time lock, costing $300, has been placed on the money vault of the
safe in the Richwood Deposit Bank. It is a wonderful and
beautiful piece of machinery, from the Consolidated Lock Co. of
Cincinnati, and is of the finest make. With this improvement,
the safe of this bank is said to be the most complete bank safe in
the county and one of the best in central Ohio.
October
11, 1884
H.C.
Hamilton has now 150 cords of seasoned wood inside the corporation
limits, out of which he will fill all orders for winter supplies at
$2.50 per cord — four foot wood.
November
27, 1884
We,
the undersigned, agree to close our business houses from 10 o'clock
a.m. to 4 o'clock p.m. on Thursday, November 27 (Thanksgiving), 1884:
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John
London |
F.M.
Dicks |
Smith
& Worden Note: The last two named only agree to close until 2 o'clock p.m. |
July
28, 1887
Friday
afternoon, some forty of our citizens went to Prospect to see their
gas well shoot. They saw it and heard the dull thud when the
explosion went off, but they didn’t see or hear the gas shoot
up. The gas wasn’t there. It was a bad
disappointment to our boys, but a worse one for the Prospect people.
August
18, 1887
If
you happen to have any loose dollars, it will pay you to bring them
to the Boston One Price Clothing House for investment this week.
Our store will boom with bargains not found elsewhere. The
Boston One Price Clothing House is located in the Parsons Building.
September
8, 1887
Comer’s
have just received 1,000 yards of new ribbons; ladies cashmere vests
47 cents at Hornbicks; full line of stiff hats, soft hats and crushed
hats at Boston One Price Clothing House and at Dobies, if you buy a
dollar’s worth of goods, you get a present worth from five to
ninety cents.
December
15, 1887
There
are nine Hebrews living in our town of whom three are among our most
esteemed citizens and businessmen. There are no Hebrew
synagogues in Union County.
December
13, 1888
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To boom business, we will make |
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MEN'S UNDERWEAR |
worth |
reduced to |
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Cotton |
.25 |
.15 |
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Better quality |
.40 |
.25 |
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Good all-wool scarlet |
.75 |
.50 |
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Finer quality all-wool scarlet |
$1.00 |
.75 |
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MEN'S & BOYS' WEAR |
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Good scotch caps |
.40 |
.25 |
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Boys' good suits |
$2.50 |
$2.00 |
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COATS IN BROWN, BLUE AND BLACK |
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Fine all-wool Beaver overcoats |
$12.00 |
$10.00 |
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The Boston One Price Clothing Store |
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Parsons Building, Richwood |
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November
13, 1890
A
new window is going in the south wall of the Parsons block to let
light into the store occupied by Mr. William Glick. Many
sellers of ready-made clothing do not desire much light in their
store rooms, but Mr. Glick handles goods of such quality that he is
willing to let customers have the privilege to examine critically the
goods they buy and runs no risk of misrepresentation. We know
of no town that has a more honest class of business than has this village.
January
4, 1900
Gamble
Shields, who has been the popular and efficient agent at the Ohio
Central Lines depot, has resigned his position after over six years
of faithful service, or ever since the road was built in 1893.
Mr. Shields was relieved from duty Tuesday by Mr. C. C. Simmons, the
agent at Raymond being advanced to the place. Gamble worked
hard for the company and put in about 18 hours every day for the mere
pittance of $50 per month. His small salary is one of the
reasons of his resigning his positions.
Mr.
Shields has formed a partnership with Geo. M. Wilber, the well known
grain merchant of this city, under the name of The Shields Wilber
Co. The new company will be ready for business at their new
elevator at Main Street crossing, on or about January 10. The
new elevator will have all modern improvements and its erection cost
a vast sum of money.
The
Gazette referred to the principal north-south street as “Main
Street” prior to mid-1900, but it had always officially been
Franklin Street, after Benjamin Franklin. It was so named
following an 1832 survey.
The first plat showed three streets crossing three. The other north-south streets on either side of Franklin were named Fulton and Clinton, presumably to honor the late inventor Robert Fulton and the late New York Governor DeWitt Clinton.
The main east-west street was called Ottaway, later corrected to Ottawa, an Indian tribe that Andrew Jackson’s administration was relocating from Ohio to Kansas.
Ottaway was flanked by Blagrove and Bomford streets. Those were named for the people who sold the land to the developer: landowner Parthenia Blagrove and her attorney George Bomford.
January
15, 1903
Sam
Berkowitz sold his clothing store last Thursday to Jacob Rosenberger
of Cleveland, who will take charge of the business the first of
February. The location on the corner of Franklin and Ottawa
Streets is a good one and Mr. Berkowitz has done well there. He
expects to retire from active business and look after the improvement
of his farms and other property.
February
4, 1904
Bert
Spring has sold his interest in the North Franklin Street grocery to
his father, T. Spring, and formed a partnership with N.A. Adams, the
baker. The two latter gentlemen have purchased and taken
possession of a bakery in Gallipolis. Our loss is their gain.
March
31, 1904
W.A.
Biddle has purchased an automobile to use in his business and is now
prepared to go anywhere on short notice and make photographs of
stock, residences, family groups or gatherings of any kind.
Phone him at 163 when you have anything you wish photographed.
March
3, 1905
Parties
desiring to have their buggies repainted will do well to call A.A.
McGee, who has the services of an expert in that line engaged.
Bring your buggies early so the paint can season before exposing it
to the weather.
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The Gazette promoted the businesses of its local advertisers, of course. Thirty-seven years later, the March 5, 1942, issue reminded readers why they should shop in the town where they lived.
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May
5, 1881
Do
not forget that Mr. Green will be here Tuesday evening and Wednesday
of next week, with a party of boys for whom good homes are
wanted. Here's an opportunity for some benevolent people to do good.
May
12, 1881
The
company of children in charge of G.T. Green, of the Children's Home,
Cincinnati, arrived on Tuesday evening as advertised. They are
bright-looking children and many of them readily found good
homes. At the time of going to press, thirteen of them had been
taken into homes.
December
28, 1882
The
several Christmas entertainments given by the Sabbath Schools in
this place as announced last week were all largely attended.
The M.E. folks had a snow house which contained the presents; the
M.P.'s, a boat loaded with presents; the Presbyterians, an
old-fashioned chimney from which Santa Claus emerged in ideal style;
the Disciples, a treat for the children; and the Baptists, a
tree. All were complete in themselves so that invidious
comparison cannot be drawn.
February
21, 1884
The
ladies of Richwood and vicinity will meet in the rooms over I.F.
Gates' Dry Goods Store at one o'clock today (Thursday), to spend the
afternoon in making garments to send to the flood sufferers.
All are earnestly requested to lend a helping hand. The goods
have been provided, and willing hands to sew are all that is needed.
March
27, 1884
The
M.E. Church parsonage committee has received subscriptions
sufficient to enable them to build a very commodious and handsome
dwelling on the church lot, and they are already looking up designs
and making arrangements to commence the building soon. The
committee succeeded better than at first hoped, receiving many
liberal subscriptions.
June
26, 1884
The
resident pastors have arranged that on and after next Sunday
evening, till further notice of change, instead of the usual evening
services at several churches, a union service will be held in Hill
Orchard at 6:30 o'clock for which one of the church bells will be
rung half an hour in advance. The service will consist of
sermons in rotation by the pastors and purely congregational singing
from the Gospel Hymns Combined. It is hoped this will be
much more pleasant than in-door services these warm summer evenings.
January
12,
1888
If
our churches want revivals attended, please make the rooms
comfortable with good fires. Richwood is undergoing the throes
of three big revivals. Sinners will get a fearful bombardment
before spring.
February
18, 1905
Wouldn't
it be a good plan for someone in the church to announce the names of
all arrivals, so that those who are seated will not have to go to the
trouble of turning around every time the door opens? It is
rather embarrassing to a minister to have about two-thirds of his
audience looking toward the door while he is addressing them.
April
22, 1880
Our
sidewalks are still in a sad state of dilapidation. Quite a
number of them are simply "toe smushers" and "skin
peelers" and are the cause of a very free flow of classical
language at times.
May
20, 1880
The
building of a gutter on the west side of Main Street from Ottawa to
Blagrove Streets was sold on Saturday last to the lowest bidder —
John Bechtle, getting the job at $1.13 per running foot. This
is a much needed improvement and will add much to the appearance of
the street, as it will be done in regular city style.
November
24, 1881
The
Irwin Corner is being embellished according to the tastes of its
different occupants. One has painted his front a blood red and
another a somber black. It was a handsome building before.
February
2, 1882
More
hitching racks should be put up on Main and the principal cross
streets. There is not hitching room to accommodate near all the
teams which are in town on Saturdays and many other days.
February
23, 1882
We
recommend that a bonfire be built on Main Street every night during
the dark of the moon to serve as a light to the pathway over the
rough pavement and muddy crossings of our village if a sufficient
number of street lamps cannot be put up and kept in good order.
The street sprinkler was a wagon that watered the unpaved streets to keep down the dust.
April
24, 1884
Jacob
Long will manage the street sprinkler this summer if a sufficient
amount of support is guaranteed. He was around soliciting
subscriptions the forepart of this week and says that the prospects
are not very favorable. We cannot do without a street sprinkler
during the hot summer months, and our businessmen had better wake up
and subscribe liberally.
May
21, 1903
The
people of Richwood were compelled to "bite the dust" so to
speak on Tuesday and Wednesday, owing to a failure in the water
supply for the street sprinkler. The dry weather during the
past two weeks has almost ruined the lawns, and many of our people
who have heretofore objected to putting in water works are now
talking favorably of the improvement. It is impossible to ever
have pretty lawns or perfect fire protection or sewerage without
water works.
May
12, 1904
Richwood
can boast of a "horseless" street sprinkler. It
started on its daily rounds early last Saturday morning. Water
this year is furnished by the City Mills. The motive power, by
which it is transported about in the big Studebaker sprinkler, is two
fine mules owned by Marshal Sloop.
May
26, 1904
Some
of the sidewalks in Richwood are continually obstructed with
agricultural implements, fence wire, and other merchandise belonging
to different merchants. This is a direct violation of the
ordinance of the Village, and in case of an accident would hold the
Village liable. In case the buildings occupied are not large
enough to hold the goods, better rent a larger one.
June
9, 1904
At
the meeting of the businessmen of Richwood last Friday evening,
James Monroe was selected as night watchman, to succeed D.W. Taylor.
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I seem to recall that the businessmen still employed a night watchman 50 years later. He was a private security guard who kept an eye on the shops during the overnight hours when they were closed, checking the doors to make sure they were locked, to prevent burglary or other mischief. Nowadays, this duty is entrusted to the police. |
June
30, 1904
Only
a few of our property owners paid any attention to the orders of the
village council to trim the trees about their premises. As a
consequence, in many parts of town the streets and sidewalks are in
an unhealthy condition because of too much shade.
February
26, 1880
Without
a doubt, a new three-story brick hotel will be built in Richwood
during the present year.
The ordinance against wooden construction was most likely a fire safety measure.
April
20, 1882
Hastings
and Williams have commenced erection of their carriage repository on
Main Street. It is no longer "criminal" to build a
wooden building, since the repeal of Ordinance No. 14.
June
15, 1882
Claibourne
now has a new depot, a warehouse, three stores, a blacksmith shop,
and the Fairview M.P. Church. There is a postmaster, G.M.
Warner, who showed us the site for the new school house which is to
be built in the midst of a beautiful grove of trees in the north suburbs.
June
22, 1882
The
improvement of the Snediker Road, southwest of town, is supplying a
long-felt want in the building of a substantial bridge across Fulton
Creek, near the residence of M. Snediker. For some time past,
communication between the two sides has been almost cut off by the
absence of a bridge and the terrible condition of the ford.
October
19, 1882
Another
old landmark of Richwood has disappeared. The old building on
West Blagrove Street formerly owned by John A. Cook has been torn
down to make room for the new livery stables to be built by Marion
Flickinger. It was a log building, weather boarded, and
although it stood over forty years, it is said there was not a single
decayed log in it.
May
29, 1902
John
Horn is completing his handsome pressed brick residence on North
Franklin Street by erecting a large porch. The porch has high
walls of variegated sandstone. The large square pillars are
also of stone and the floor will be of cement. This is the
handsomest residence in Richwood.
March
3, 1904
The
new Methodist Episcopal Church of Richwood will be dedicated next
Sunday by Bishop J.W. Hamilton of San Francisco. It has been in
the course of construction since October 6, 1902. The building
has been erected at a cost of $20,000 and is a credit to the
congregation and community at large. It is fitted throughout
with all modern conveniences, including steam heat, electric lights
and a handsome pipe organ. Edward B. Scheve, concert organist
and pianist of Chicago, will give the first concert presented in the
new M.E. Church Friday evening, March 4.
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Yours truly, Thomas B. Thomas, amateur organist and pianist of Pennsylvania, gave the 100th anniversary concert on that organ on March 2, 2003.
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May
6, 1880
The
first annual commencement exercise of our Union Schools was held in
the M.P. Church on last Tuesday evening. Hon. J.J. Burns, State
School Commissioner, was present and delivered an address.
May
11, 1882
The
third annual commencement of the Richwood High School will be held
at the M.P. Church next Friday evening. There is one member of
the graduating class. Senior oration — "Be fit for
more than the thing you are now doing." — by James Hoover.
September
21, 1882
Although
this is the third week of school, many of the boys have been seen
lounging about. This is not as it should be.
Presumably, "foreign" pupils were those whose homes were not in Richwood itself but on farms outside the village. They could attend school only in the winter, as their labor was needed in the fields the rest of the year.
Only unmarried women were allowed to teach school.
February
28, 1884
The
Richwood Public Schools close on Friday for a week's vacation.
The spring term will commence on Monday, March 10, lasting two months
in the higher and three months in the lower grades. Many of the
foreign pupils will withdraw at the end of the winter term, as spring
work will soon begin.
October
16, 1884
Mrs.
Amos Tanner (nee Fronia Chambers), recently married, took first
premium at the County Fair for her last class in reading. She
has made a reputation as a teacher, and the profession lost a
valuable member when she took upon herself the duties of a household
and abandoned teaching.
October
23, 1884
The
winter school will begin soon. Every district except one has a
teacher and is going to start as soon as all are ready. Wages
are varying this year; some get as low as $30 per month.
September
4, 1902
Judd
Peet left Saturday for Oberlin, Ohio, where he will take a
commercial course in the college.
Sixty-one years later, my class had 77 members (of whom 76 took part in the graduation ceremony). The town's population had grown somewhat, but more importantly, a much higher percentage of teenagers completed high school.
March
24, 1904
The
twenty-fifth annual commencement of the Richwood High School will be
held at the opera house Thursday evening, May 26. This year the
class consists of nine members.
July
10, 1884
The
electric headlight on engine No. 54, which passed through here
several times the latter part of last week, gathered quite a crowd
and was described as "wonderful" by many of our citizens.
Vern
Zuspan, writing in 1969, recalled that the lights were customarily
"on" only from 6 to 11 p.m. Then they shut down the
plant for the night.
December
11, 1902
The
street lights were not turned on Saturday night for almost an hour
after the time called for by the contract between the village and the
owner of the electric light plant. Farmers coming into town
were in great danger of colliding with vehicles on the principal
streets, as neither the commercial nor street lights were on.
Such negligence will soon drive the trade of the farmers to other
towns which have enterprise enough about them to light their streets
when dark comes.
December
25, 1902
A
new light generator was recently added to the electric light plant
of Edward A. Schambs, Richwood, Ohio. It was manufactured on
special order by the Fort Wayne Electric Works of Fort Wayne,
Indiana, and cost $1,800. It is one of the finest generators
ever built by that company. The improvement in our light
service is very noticeable since a new machine was installed.
Those of our citizens who are interested in electric machinery should
call at the plant while it is in operation.
February
4, 1905
The
Richwood Light, Heat and Power Company recently incorporated for the
purpose of operating the Richwood light plant and constructing and
operating a hot water system in Richwood. On April 1, it will
be controlled and operated by the following Richwood citizens:
O.P. Lenox, C. McAllister, L.G. Peet, Bent Cahill, J.F. Wood and L.P. Albright.
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January
7, 1909 The council has been in a tie on the questions of making a contract. Council would like to have 2 a.m. service instead of 1 a.m., but the company claims it would necessitate another man. The current proposition offers to light the streets until 1 a.m. for $60 a lamp each year, using existing lamps. Council states the old lamps on the street are worn out. They were used in lighting the World's Fairgrounds in Chicago in 1893 and were second hand when brought to Richwood 10 years ago. After refusal of a petition for an election to issue bonds to purchase a municipal plant, another petition is presently circulating. |
July
22, 1880
A
band of musicians gave our town a visit last Friday. They had
a Scotch bagpipe (we guess) and two other instruments, which
suggested to the mind of the sinner the type of music he can expect
in the lower regions. Their point evidently is to be hired to
leave town.
August
5, 1880
Coming
to Richwood Wednesday, Aug. 18, Welsh & Sands' Great Railroad
Show, united with the Great European Aggregation, will pitch its
mammoth tents in Richwood for one day only. In St. Louis, it is
said their enormous tents were filled to capacity with rare wild
beasts, birds, reptiles and marine wonders and a great number of
thrilling and novel equestrian and animal acts. All will be
exhibited under one hundred and fifty thousand yards of tents made
brighter by the new and just perfected electric light. One
ticket 50¢, children under 9, 25¢.
May
17, 1883
The
band favored our citizens with an open air concert on Saturday
evening. The boys progress with the times in music and we hope
they may give us many street serenades during the summer.
If Hodges had a "museum," it was probably inspired by P.T. Barnum's American Museum of oddities in New York.
December
11, 1884
Chas.
Hodges displayed a "Chinese chicken" in front of his
museum last week and stated that it would lay 10 eggs a day. It
had horns and very large, expressive eyes.
October
15, 1885
S.F.
Cratty has secured the management of the Richwood Roller Rink which
will be open Saturday evening, Oct. 17. Music by band.
Admission: gents 10¢, ladies admission free, skates 15¢.
October
14, 1886
At
a ball in Prospect Tuesday evening of this week, Richwood furnished
just half the numbers of couples present. Our young people find
many attractions in Prospect. This is because there is no
entertainment in Richwood and Prospect has more enterprise in this
direction. A word to the wise should be sufficient.
June
21, 1888
Ward's
magnetic flowing well has made West Bomford Street a popular
thoroughfare. One Sunday, it is estimated fully a thousand
people visited the well to see it and drink of the magnetic
water. Plans are to erect a commodious bath house at the place.
May
17, 1900
An
effort is being made to raise sufficient money to build a fine bath
house at Varuna Park. This is something badly needed in
Richwood. Let every citizen help push the enterprise along.
May
9, 1901
Varuna
Park, which was purchased by I. Miller from the company originally
owning the same, has, during the past few weeks, been undergoing
extensive improvements. The park, which is a natural one, will
be fitted up with seats, swings, merry-go-round, etc., making it a
fine place for picnics, drives or promenades.
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Varuna Park |
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July
28, 1904
On
Saturday afternoon and evening, July 30, the biggest dance ever held
in Union County will take place at Varuna Park in Richwood. A
good orchestra has been secured and a large platform erected for the
occasion. Refreshments and Varuna soft drinks will be
sold. Admission is free and all welcomed. Sufficient
police will be on the grounds at all times to maintain good order.
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Gazette
March
19, 1880
No
man should deprive his wife and family of a good local paper.
They do not get out from home to learn the news as does the husband
and father, and the paper serves to relieve the otherwise lonely
hours of absence. It's the worst possible economy to deprive
the family of a pleasure so cheaply obtained.
July
24, 1884
This
issue completes the twelfth volume of The Gazette and next
week, if nothing happens, we will issue the first number of Volume
13. The newspaper is getting up in years and has a firm hold on
the hearts of the people.
November
11, 1886
The
perfect town is that in which you see the farmers patronizing the
home merchant, advertise in the local newspaper and the laborists
spend their money with their own tradesmen. This spirit of reciprocity
between business and mechanics, tradesmen and laborers, farmers and
manufacturers results in making the town a fine one to do business in.
February
7, 1901
On
Tuesday, George W. Worden, publisher of The Gazette,
purchased the two-story brick building on S. Franklin Street,
diagonally opposite the Opera House. As soon as the building is
overhauled and the improvements made, the office will be moved, our
present quarters being too small for the proper handling of our business.
November
6, 1902
The
employees of this office enjoyed a banquet in the basement of the Gazette
building on Halloween. C.B. Zuspan's big phonograph furnished
music for the occasion and all had a good time.
December
17, 1903
A
phonograph is about as nice a thing as you can buy your children for
a Christmas gift. It will furnish amusement for the whole
family and make your home pleasant. This is a good thing to do,
as the home should be the happiest place on earth to the young
people. —Rachet Store
April
7, 1905
A
man stopped me on the street the other day and said we did not
publish all the things that happened. We should say we
don't! In order to please the people, we must print only the nice
things said of them and leave the rest to gossip.
Yes,
it's a fact, we don't print all the news. If we did, wouldn't
it make spicy reading? But it would be for one week only.
If we published all that happened, the next week you would read our
obituary and there would be a new face in heaven.
"All
the News" is all right when it is about the other fellow.
February
19, 1880
On
Friday last, a team of horses belonging to George Temple, which had
been left standing in front of Canan, became frightened and ran away,
passing the Grove St. crossing at a lively pace, but were stopped
before doing much damage.
April
22, 1880
On
Wednesday, H.M. Wright sold the finest team of horses that has been
sent out of Richwood for many days to John Isreal, the burglar
alarm-clock man, for $300.
June
15, 1882
A
team attached to a wagon loaded with merchandise for Hornbeck &
Hornbeck, of York, ran down Main Street Tuesday, scattering goods
promiscuously, but were fortunately stopped by workmen before doing
serious damage and were taken in charge by E.G. Randell, who had
ridden after them.
January
27, 1887
Nothing
sounds more pitiful than the neigh of a horse in the still hours of
the night as he stands pawing the ground in the cold and snow, while
his master toasts his shins by a warm stove in a saloon or gossiping
in some grocery. If such inhumane creatures could be tied on
the streets with their faithful friend for one night only, it may
prompt them to have their horses shelter from the frigid blasts of a
cold winter night.
May
19, 1887
On
last Friday, George Orr and his wife were crossing the railroad
track near the depot. A young horse which they were driving
took fright at an engine and started to run. After a few
lunges, it succeeded in upsetting the buggy and throwing the
occupants out, scattering eggs and butter in all directions.
Mary Orr had her arm broken near the wrist and was otherwise bruised
and shaken up. Mr. Orr was also badly injured.
November
24, 1887
Two
men came to Richwood last Saturday in a horse and buggy from three
miles the other side of Essex and hitched their horse at the rack by
Moffitt’s blacksmith shop. There that poor horse stood
from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. when officer Cunningham very properly took it
to Flickinger’s stable. The two men, supposing it was
stolen, walked the nine miles home, but one returned the next day and
got it after paying $1 for its keeping. Any man who will let
his horse stand 10 hours on the street on a cold night without feed
or blanket should be put to work at the Dayton work house.
April
28, 1904
"Major,"
the imported Belgium horse, may be found at F.O. Johnson's stables
during the 1904 season. He is regarded as one of the best draft
studs in the area.
If you're driving home and "the horse knows the way to carry the sleigh," you can take a nap.
May
18, 1905
Dr.
Charles Thompson was returning late night from a trip to Marysville
where he had purchased a new buggy and had attached it to the rear of
his old buggy. Becoming exceedingly drowsy he was soon
"snoring to beat a brass band."
Overtaken
by neighbors in a passing buggy, he was aroused from his slumber to
find his new buggy gone. Driving back about three miles, he
found his buggy standing in the middle of the road, and thusly
arrived home in time for breakfast. He did not relate his
experience; however, some of the "boys" about York knew it
all and are having lots of fun with the foxy medicine man.
Ice was cut from the surfaces of ponds and lakes, covered with sawdust for insulation, and stored in special buildings until it was needed the following summer for refrigeration purposes.
July
6, 1882
C.F.
Gill is prepared to furnish ice in any quantity daily. Persons
wanting small quantities during the day can procure the same at his
residence on Ottawa Street.
February
8, 1883
The
ice crop will be an abundant one the present season. The
harvest has been gathered and it is of an excellent quality.
December
16, 1886
The
ice harvesters were by last week. Some of them worked from
daylight until 12 o’clock at night. Newhouse and Statts
put up five hundred tons. Philip Hawn and Samuel Drake are each
building an ice house and packing at the same time.
Nitro-glycerine is used to make dynamite. Lima is 50 miles northwest of Richwood.
Ten years later, the Gazette reported on February 19, 1914, that "F.O. Penney, the iceman, commenced cutting ice Tuesday morning at his pond north of Richwood, and has a force of thirty men assisting him in the harvest. The ice is between seven and eight inches thick and of good quality. Mr. Penney enlarged his pond during the past summer and will be able to accomodate all our citizens during the coming summer. Our citizens know what it means to be without ice as the 'ice famine' witnessed last summer made all a little uneasy about the ice crop this year."
February
11, 1904
The
nitro-glycerine plant in Lima, Ohio, blew up Tuesday evening and the
shock was felt here in Richwood. It rattled the doors and
windows to such an extent that many thought burglars were in their
houses. A company of young people who were skating on the ice
pond of F.O. Penney, north of town, saw the light in the heavens and
felt the shock.
April
29, 1880
Straw
hats and barefoot boys have made their appearance on our streets.
June
3, 1880
One
accident has already happened on a trapeze erected by the Bonhomie
Club, put up in the rear of The Gazette office, by Eddie Faris
falling and breaking his arm. Small boys should not be allowed
to enter the enclosure.
August
24, 1882
Running
hoops is quite the rage with the small boys of Richwood at
present. Every boy that is able to toddle has a hoop of some
description, and about 400 of them may be seen on our streets at any time.
November
1, 1883
Last
night was All Hallow E'en or "cabbage night," and the boys
made things lively. The ravages were terrible. All the
boys want is an excuse and sometimes they get on the rampage without
proper excuse — except a superabundance of youthful enthusiasm.
October
30, 1884
Pull
your cabbage and turnips, bury your apples, for the boys will visit
you on Friday night — Halloween.
October
27, 1887
The
“penny walk” is the newest expedient of killing time.
The walker stands at a street corner and flips a penny. If it
falls “heads” up, he starts toward the right and if it
falls “tails” up, the direction is left. At the next
corner, he flips again.
The Grand Army of the Republic, the organization for Civil War veterans in the North, put flowers on the graves of their comrades on Decoration Day (now known as Memorial Day).
May
1, 1884
The
G.A.R. Post has taken the matter in hand earnestly for the proper
observation of Decoration Day and we look for a grand success.
Already the necessary committee has been appointed, including 21
ladies to secure flowers and wreaths. It is hoped that the
entire community will aid the soldiers in their work.
July
31, 1884
Mrs.
John Frickey, Magnetic Springs, carries the mail to and from
Pharisburg, after the daily mail comes from Delaware. This
makes two lady mail carriers in the vicinity.
December
23, 1886
Fourteen
married ladies from this place in one big sled enjoyed a real
old-fashioned sleigh ride and visited Mrs. W.H. Marriott in Jackson
Township. It is needless to say that the sled was somewhat
crowded and that a hilarious time was indulged in, such as would make
our young ladies blush. Still, “the giddy old girls”
are to be excused — they do not often have a chance to have a “time.”
December
15, 1887
Four
of Richwood’s most esteemed young ladies gave an oyster supper
to four of Prospect’s prominent young businessmen.
June
19, 1902
Dr.
Marie Simons will be at Dr. F.W. Simon's residence on North Franklin
St. tomorrow, fully prepared to treat her old patients.
February
25, 1905
"Grandma
White" of Jackson Township, who has reached the remarkable old
age of 87, is said to be the oldest resident in the township, if not
the whole county. She walked a distance of seven miles to make
a visit to the home of W.D. Blue, who resides west of Essex.
This remarkable old lady walked alone and unaided except by a
cane. We would like to know where there is a like old person
who can beat her!
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