Business Stands

Marietta Intelligencer, December 22, 1852

Probably most of the merchants on Front, Greene, and Ohio streets are of opinion that "the point," is always to be the principal goods-selling part of the town. They know that now and then a new grocery is started "above the run," but have no idea that any Dry Goods houses will ever be established off from the three or four squares now mainly occupied by stores.

It may be so: but we think that in ten years from this time there will not be as many Retail Dry Goods stores on the point as there now are. We believe that the best locations for fine and fashionable sale stores will be in the Second Ward.

The manufacturing business will much of it be at "the point." The business necessarily connected with the river and the railroad will be in the lower ward. The warehouses will be there, and the heavy grocery and hardware stores - wholesale and retail. But fancy and domestic dry goods business will not be done where the manufacturing and wholesale grocery business is, where drays are constantly moving, and where there is so much "noise and confusion" as we hope there will be at the point in the course of two or three years.

Not all the world, not even all of this Marietta world, lives "down town." A large majority of the population of the place is even now in the second ward; and the custom from the Muskingum and from Duck Creek must all come through there.

The general idea is that, as time past, all business must center at the point; but let a good store-room (and a really good sales-room is a rare thing in Marietta) be built on a good site in the Second Ward, and a good assortment of fancy and domestic goods to be opened there, & - "we shall see what we shall see."

 

New Record Hung Up at Post Office

The Marietta Daily Times, Tuesday, December 23, 1924

Fifty Thousand Letters and Cards Cancelled on Monday.

Receive Nearly 2,000 Parcels.

Fourteen Truck Loads of Packages Delivered in City.

Fifty thousand letters and cards were sent through the cancelling machine at the post office on Monday, which was in all respects the largest single day the Marietta office has ever had. This new record for the number of letters and cards stamped makes the previous high record of 38,100 hung up during the Christmas rush of 1923, seem like the usual Monday rush.

Thirty-nine employees at the Marietta office and eight rural carriers working out of this office were pushed to the limit on Monday.

Parcel post packages to the number 18,025 were delivered. In addition, 150 C.O.D. packages were delivered and the money collected. It took 14 large truckloads to get out the parcels on Monday afternoon and the boys and men handling this mail were kept on the jump.

Postmen starting on their regular routes from the office had all the appearance of so many Santa Clauses except they were minus grey whiskers and red and white uniforms. Their pouches were loaded to the guards and they were backed up and forced to make several trips.

The large work room is the scene of intense activity. The parcel post packages were piled half way to the ceiling during the morning, letters and cards were packed here and there in masses and the clerks were working swiftly to again see light.

During the morning the letters and cards were coming through the slots so fast that it was necessary to keep two men at the counter in order to sort them. The stamp cancelling machine was kept running at capacity for a time, but because it takes longer to sort and place them to cancel, the machine was never going at its best.

Post office officials stated that it is impossible to tell yet just what the receipts for Monday were, but it is evident that they were larger than they had ever been before.

Tuesday started out like another record breaker. The indications are that this will be another big day and may surpass Monday.

While everything was being handled in an orderly and systematic manner, a good way to cause a riot on Tuesday morning would have been to stick your head in a door leading to the large work room and yell a "Merry Christmas."

Property Transferred

The Marietta Daily Times, February 3, 1912

Marietta Township gets part of old Muskingum

Formal transfer of an irregular strip of territory, formerly in Muskingum Township, to Marietta Township, was made in the office of County Auditor Burton this morning, and hereafter the property will be taxed as a part of Marietta Township.

The boundary line was changed when it was found some time ago that Muskingum Township had never been legally constituted, and steps were taken to remedy this condition. The property affected is on the edge of Marietta city and consists of 43 parcels of land. The people living there will now vote at Mile Run and Fultonburg instead of in Muskingum as they have done heretofore.

 

The Stockade - Campus Martius

 The Marietta Leader, August 30, 1890

To the Marietta Leader:

The size and location of the "Stockade" built by the Ohio Company at Marietta and called by them "Campus Martius" is thus defined by Dudley S. Nye, Esq., in presenting the Woman's Centennial Association with a section of one of the picketts which were placed around the fort for its greater protection during the Indian War.

Mr. Nye writes, "The 'Butt' or piece of wood now in possession of your Society presented by me for preservation through you, is the butt or lower end of one of the picketts in the outer wall, or protection around the 'Stockade' or 'Campus Martius', (so called by the Ohio Company), situated between Second and Front, and Washington and St. Clair streets in Marietta, Ohio.

The 'Stockade' or Fort was about 200 feet square. Outside of Corner Block Houses (and settlers houses between), there was around all a row of 'picketts,' made of trunks of trees set in the ground, close together, upright, and about 12 to 14 feet high and from 12 to 15 feet from the buildings.

When Washington Street was being widened and graded, or the wagon way widened by digging down the hill, 1843-44, I saw distinctly in the face of the cut the line of the picketts, the butts of which had been left in the ground (when cut down at the close of the Indian War) all so decayed that they would not hold together, except this butt which I took from the earth nearly opposite the Ohio Company's Land Office (on the opposite side of the street, owned and occupied by my father, Arius Nye, as a Law Office) and near the middle of the Southeast front of the Stockade. The butt has been in my possession ever since."

Mr. Nye lived from childhood to manhood in the General Rufus Putnam house, corner of Second and Washington streets, owned by his father. He is perfectly familiar with all the ancient landmarks of Campus Martius, now nearly all obliterated, and is probably the only person in Marietta who can define them from personal observation.

A.

Road Building in Marietta and Washington County, Ohio

The Marietta Register, November 30, 1923

Building Roads From Beginning to Present Time

The evolution of the road and transportation question in Washington County is one covering many years and there are many angles to the story. From the unbroken, uncharted dirt road of the Pioneers in 1788 on down through the coming of the waterway age, the steam cars, the electric lines and then the hard surface highway, is told in the many stories that are told in this Good Roads edition of The Register and it is needless to tell them again in a recapitulation.

From all sections of the county we have been favored with sketches of the vicissitudes incident to road building from the time that the citizens worked out a road tax in a haphazard way with the result that the roads were impassable much of the year, to the opening of the new Marietta-Cleveland highway.

All along the route, covering more than a century and a quarter of time, the work has gone on and with every year there has come an approach nearer the goal - now one all-the-year-round road leading out of the city and connecting with the outside world. And work is well on its way to the road to the west which will lead to the state capital

It's a long, long story and it will require the reading of the entire paper to get even an inkling of just what it has taken in time and money to accomplish the work thus far acquired.

Oldest Paving in United States at Marietta

Marietta is a pioneer in the street paving business and well toward the first line of the cities in the nation that took to improving their public ways by giving them a real hard surface. And while it was among the first, it also soon dropped back into inactivity and other towns passed her as she pointed the way to the improvement of the county roads.

It is not generally known, a fact however, that the oldest piece of brick paving in the United States still laying as first put down is the Front Street paving from Greene to Putnam streets and the square on Greene to Second and the one on Putnam to Second.

This work was completed in 1891. J. P. Hulbert was the City Civil Engineer. Council, however, employed E. Frank Gates and A. F. Cole as his assistants, and it was these boys, each one of them now having arisen to high estates in the business world, that Marietta owes the honor of possessing a piece of street paving that has withstood the ravages of time and tide - many floods having covered it - and today points to the work with pride as the first step in the labors of pulling the city and the county out of the mud.

From step to step, street to street, the work was carried on till the city has today as good system of paved streets as is enjoyed by any in the nation.

And this was the forerunner of the paving that reached out into the country and from it the ceaseless work of getting the county roads in to an all year round condition the labors have continued.

The story of the county paving began with the year 1908 and the story is told in a most able way by County Surveyor C. M. Weeks in this issue of the paper.

County Paving as it Came With the Years

By Charles M. Weeks

When the pioneers made the first settlement in Ohio they selected the confluence of the Muskingum and Ohio rivers, because these two large streams afforded ready means of transportation. As the settlers began to push out into the wilderness they made paths near the banks of the streams. These to begin with were mere trails blazed through the forest but were soon widened sufficiently to allow the passage of ox-cart and sled.

The first road of record in Washington County was surveyed in 1793 and followed the bank of the Ohio River through what is now the Village of Belpre. Others followed in rapid succession and by the year 1810 almost all parts of the county were accessible, at least by horseback. These early roads followed the banks or in may places the beds of streams and the dividing ridges between watersheds where little or no grading was required.

From the years 1830 to 1845 many so-called "State Roads" were established, any road passing through more than one county being so designated. During this period the public funds were insufficient to meet the demand and private companies were organized to build roads and bridges, the stockholders to be reimbursed from tolls collected from the traveling public. The Marietta and Newport Turnpike Company and the Marietta-National Road Plan Road Company were notable examples. These roads were eventually taken over by the county commissioners and the toll gates removed.

During the later years of the nineteenth century many miles of road, especially along the rivers, were graveled and much so-called "Stoned Road" was built. These roads were temporary, inexpensive affairs and there was no adequate system of maintenance but they helped to get the people out of the mud and some evidence of them still remain. Viewed from the present day, perhaps their chief value was educational.

As there developed in the people a desire for a better type of road and in a real sense paved the way for the present hard surface highway.

In 1904 the Ohio legislature created the State Highway Department and appropriated for salaries and running expenses $7,440 and for state aid in building roads $10,000 - which was to be apportioned among the counties making request for it before the following January.

It was not until the season of 1908 that Washington County received any part of the State Highway fund for road construction.

During that year the brick road from the north corporation line of Marietta, through the Rathbone Addition to the Mill Creek Road, was built. This was the first step in paving the main roads leading from the county seat to the rural communities. The same year the Newport Pike was paved to the Duck Creek bridge, and Virginia Street was extended to the railroad crossing at Mile Run. These two projects were financed by the County Commissioners, as was also the paving of 1.25 miles on the Watertown Road the following year.

The second state aid road which was also built in 1909 extended out Greene Street from Phillips Street to the upper Duck Creek bridge. This section is 1.14 miles in length and is also of brick; the contract price was $15,490.

The residents of Waterford Village and vicinity were the first outlying community to petition for an improvement, and in 1910 work was begun on one mile of brick and macadam pavement leading from the Muskingum River toward Watertown and the west end of the county. In 1911 the contract was let for 1.21 miles of brick on the Newport road beginning at the Duck Creek bridge. Up until this time the brick pavement was the only type given serious consideration. But in preparing plans for this section estimates were made for both brick and concrete. It was found that 1.57 miles of concrete would cost $500 less than 1.21 miles of brick, even though the brick was to be laid almost directly on the old roadbed. In the meeting of the commissioners when the type of pavement was to be selected, both the county and state engineers advised concrete but the brick association had representatives present who won the decision for their product.

Such was the power of the Brick Association in those days that soon after his stand in favor of concrete pavements, this representative of the Highway Department lost his position. However, the concrete road was soon to come to its own in Washington County, where both the Ohio and Muskingum rivers abound with excellent concrete materials. In 1912 one mile of this type of pavement was built south of New Matamoras. The contract price including grading - pavement and bituminous wearing surface was $12,125.

From this time concrete pavement has been the dominant type on state aid roads in Washington County, the only exception being the brick section through the Village of Beverly and the macadam sections above Beverly and at Bartlett.

In the year 1911 the State Highway Department in cooperation with the officials of the various counties designated a system of Inter-County Highways and from this on all state funds were expended on these roads. These highways are the most important routes from County Seat to County Seat and the plan was developed with the idea of finally getting a system of improved roads covering the whole state.

Even with this restriction on the location of improvements, the County Commissioners continued to pass out the state road improvements as sort of political plums or memorials to their terms of office. During the years from 1912 to 1918, sections of pavement, each one mile or a little more in length, were built at Newport, Grandview, Lowell, Beverly, Bartlett, and Belpre, while the Newport Pike was extended through Reno, the Lowell Road through Unionville to near the foot of March Run hill, and Pike Street to Westview.

Up to the close of 1918, miles of road had been improved by state aid, out of __ miles of the Inter-County System in this county and while the showing seemed small the educational stage was passed, the automobile had become well night universal and the people were ready to pay for good roads, even at prices three times the cost of ten years ago.

In the meantime, other section of the state with more funds available and level country to build over had built continuous roads and the demand in Washington County became insistent for a way out. The State Highway Department refused longer to permit its funds to be used on isolated sections, but insisted not only that each county build on one road until its completion, but that the adjoining counties should also build on the same main line. This policy adapted about 1918, together with the fact that Federal funds were available only on certain roads, tied Washington County up to the building of the Marietta-Caldwell-Cambridge Road to its county line.

Every effort was put forth to complete it in record time and those who have recognized the difficulties in the way are satisfied with the results attained.

Those in charge of this department of the county's activities have not been content to rest on the record thus made, but even before the completion of the Cambridge road, work was well underway on the Marietta-Athens road via of Barlow and Bartlett, and the grading and drainage structures on__ miles of this road is already under contract. While plans are being prepared for the remaining portions to the county line.

A Pioneer in Ranks of Local Road Boosters

By N. N. Thorniley

Being asked as a pioneer good road enthusiast to write a short article on the early road building in Washington County, I would say that the Valley Farmers' Club played an important part in the beginning of brick road building. Commissioners Ballentine and Cutter attended a club meeting at the home of Mr. and Mrs. T. O. Scott, April 21, 1906, and they had a proposition to offer regarding the building of a miles of macadam road.

Being president of the club at this time, and familiar with conditions in the location, I was very much opposed to a macadam road on account of high water and with the loyal support of the club pointed out clearly that such a road could not be a success on account of the cross currents caused by floods, as this was the lowest, boggiest piece of road in Washington County.

So at the next meeting of the county commissioners, arrangements were made for a levy sufficient to build a brick road from the westerly end of Duck Creek bridge to the corporation line, 1540 feet of this road to be 16 ft. wide and 1166 ft. along car line to corporation to be 24 ft. wide.

This road was build of Marietta brick on sand foundation and sand filler, at a cost of $16,781.10 or 90 cts. sq. yd. for paving and 30 cts. a foot for sand stone curb. It is the best piece of brick road in Washington County today and in seventeen years has not had one dollar repair.

This road was built of Marietta material, Washington County labor, under Washington County superintendency, with Washington County capital entirely, as it was built without state aid.

The next piece of road built was Virginia Street or Mile Run road, which was built of Marietta brick at a cost of $1.04 per sq. yd. and 32 cents for curbing.

This road was followed by the first mile of the Marietta-Watertown road, built in 1908, with Marietta brick with brick curb, and never proved satisfactory. These roads were followed by state aid roads, the Muskingum Drive, Beverly road, Watertown, and Newport-Matamoras roads, all partially built by state aid, and as these roads will be discussed by others, I will not dwell upon this feature.

In 1910 Capt. Cutter came to me and asked me to talk before the Good Roads Association on bonding the county for $1,000,000 for road building. I declined for two reasons - first, I am not a speech-maker, and second, I did not know which side of the subject I was on. But at the Good Roads meeting, Hon. C. C. Middleswart made an impressive speech on this subject showing that $1,000,000 would build 150 miles of hard surfaced road at this time and also showed by blackboard illustrations the different roads intersecting the county both north and south, east and west, that would be so improved. Before Mr. Middleswart was through with his talk, I was positively sure which side of the subject I was on and I still think it would have been a wonderful thing for Washington County if we had grasped the opportunity and built these roads at this time when material and labor were both cheap. But the good roads movement was then in its infancy and there was a great deal of opposition to this bond issue throughout the count, so the opportunity of building the maximum amount of roads for the minimum amount of money was lost.

Lower End of County Getting Out of the Mud

By H. P. Curtis

The main highway of Belpre loop which connects Marietta and Parkersburg with Athens is now being graded and gravelled by the combined efforts of the county and the State Highway department. This is an important and long-needed piece of work which will eliminated the stretch of mud from one of the main outlets of Ohio to the eastern states. It is the only mail road to carry traffic out of central and southern Ohio across the Ohio River between Wheeling and Portsmouth.

The Northwestern pike from Parkersburg to Clarksburg, W. Va., will soon be completed and then another route from the Atlantic coast to the Mississippi River and points west will be open for the use of autos, trucks, and bus lines that will be an important artery both for commercial work and touring purposes.

The improvement of this road will remove the mud stain from the lower end of Washington County for people wishing to come through this section of the state and will also mean that residents in this part of Washington County will be able to reach markets in Marietta and Parkersburg at all times of year with whatever products they may have to offer.

It is also a step nearer the completion of the proposed Cincinnati-East Liverpool road along the Ohio River..

This road now being gravelled joins the Athens County paving job from Coolville east to the county line. The culvert and bridge work on the Athens County job are now complete with the largest part of the grading done so that another winter should see the most of the brick in place and an additional four miles of good road open to travel

This Belpre Township road has meant a great deal to the development of the southwestern part of Washington County by providing a means of travel for the residents of the township back from the river as well as for the people living near it.

During the Indian war of 1791-92, the redskins doubtless followed the general location of this road through lower Rockland, keeping watch on the settlers gathered in "Farmers' Castle," located on the riverbank below. This same soil which served as a hunting ground for the white man and a hiding place for his foe now produces garden truck and vegetables in abundance and will become still more valuable property with the completion of the road improvement now underway. Later as the land was cleared and the danger from redskins removed, the oxcarts creaked along the road hauling material to erect houses - several of which were considered mansions in the early days - and some of which are still standing in good repair.

By this road travelled the pioneer men on their way to the salt springs south of Chillicothe to bring back this precious necessity in the early years of the nineteenth century and to visit the grist mill on the banks of the Little Hocking River which was completed at the close of the Indian war. This mill has long since disappeared and little grain of any kind is milled in this section, but the improvement of the highway will bring the delivery of food stuffs to the very door of those who live along the route with the same convenience and ease that places the groceries in the kitchen of the city housewife.

The footpath, the ox-car trail and the mud wagon road have all served their generation on this thoroughfare and the eternal wheels of progress demand some better form of roadbed upon which to carry the commerce of this part of Washington County.

Good roads spell economy and speed in transportation - whether by motor or horse power - and time of handling a given product is a large factor in determining the profit or loss of the transaction.

The gravel which is now being applied will not make a job as permanent as hard surface, but it is being put on at a moderate cost by using native material already on hand and will go a long ways toward making it passable winter and summer.

There is a little piece of work below Little Hocking that has surely stood the wear and tear of time. An impassable mud hole was repaired by using a foundation of large sandstone with a top covering of gravel, fifty years ago last spring. This piece is about fifty yards long and has carried the traffic high and dry without repair until torn up by the grading before the gravel was applied this summer.

The western half of Washington County has long floundered in the mud, while the eastern half has been more fortunate along the road line for some years past. The life and prosperity of any community is largely determined by the quality of the rods that pass through and connect that community with its outside neighbors. Good roads are worth all they coast - when economically constructed - and will more than pay for themselves, not only by increasing the value of the land along these highways, but also in the greater comfort of travel, the higher respect of a community for itself, and the ability to move larger loads both to and from market in less time. Poor roads are dear at any cost.

The start is made in the western part of Washington County and the improvement of more roads should be pushed as rapidly as possible.

Dudley Gap Was Closed Turkey Day

The finished hard-surfaced road between Marietta and Cambridge will be open for light automobile traffic December 13th, a week from next Thursday, according to the present plans of the contractors and those in charge of the work.

The last gap in the concrete between here and Caldwell was filled at 3:30 Thanksgiving afternoon after a stretch of thirty-six consecutive hours of work by the sturdy crew of men on the job. The light rain that fell practically all day Thursday did not hamper the work. They went right ahead and accomplished their objective - closing the gap on Thanksgiving Day. The joint was made just at South Olive.

Representatives of the civic clubs of both Marietta and Caldwell were present when the last foot was poured, but the honor of laying the final concrete went to the workers who had staid on the job through daylight and dark, rain or shine, to get the gap closed.

To Open in Two Weeks

While it is not customary to open a new concrete road for traffic for three weeks after the last concrete is poured, the contractors are planning to "hunch" a little bit and let pleasure cars through on this new bit two weeks after the finish instead of three. Heavy trucks will be barred until the full three weeks period has elapsed, but those in charge of the work are sure that no harm will be done to open the road earlier to lighter traffic.

The closing of this gap completes the hard-surface road to Cambridge with the exception of a short piece at Tunnel Hill beyond Caldwell in Noble County, which will be paved in the spring. The grading has been done and there will be a good surface to drive over during the winter months, however.

Workmen Deserve Credit

The achievement of linking Cambridge and Marietta within the past two days was made possible through the extraordinary efforts put forth by the State Construction Co., who worked ceaselessly to complete the job. Credit is also due the Marietta civic organizations, which at the last minute furnished the contracting company with two carloads of cement, when the supply ran low, in order that last of the concrete might be poured Thanksgiving Day.

It is probable that a program celebrating the event of completing the inter-county highway will be arranged as near as possible to the date set for the official opening.

Washington County Has Entered Road Building Epoch, Engineer Carr Says

By George E. Carr

Washington County just entered the road building epoch. This great movement started in a major way in 1918 with the award of the contract for the construction of three miles of hard surface highway known as the Second Creek road. This movement has been gaining momentum as the intervening years have passed and no one would care to predict just when the peak will be reached or what it will mean to the citizenship of the county when this epoch will have become history.

The coming of the automobile created the demand for a highway connection with the outside world. It was not a matter of the greatest importance, by just what route, this connection be made, or what type of pavement be used in its construction. The Marietta-Cambridge road, due to its geographical location, was during the late war, designated as a part of the Primary Federal System of Highways and was therefore eligible to receive Federal Aid money in its construction. It was also a main market as well as an Inter-County Highway. Since this was the only route in the county upon which the State Highway Department could appropriate funds from all three sources, namely: Federal, Main Market, and Inter-County Highway, it seemed logical that the county should spend her efforts along the route upon which she could receive the most support from the state.

Road Cost $920,000.00

The Marietta-Cambridge road in Washington County, approximately 21 miles in length, was built at a cost of approximately $920,000.00. This sum was divided as follows: $500,000.00 for pavement, $280,000.00 for grading, and $140,000.00 for bridges and drainage structures. Of this sum the federal government contributed $190,000.00, the state $270,000.00, and the county $460,000.00.

We realize that this is an enormous amount of money. But time and experience have proven the false economy in building a road for today which we expect to be using five years hence. Only those who are familiar with the enormous tonnage carried by our main arteries of travel can conceive the magnitude of travel on this main thoroughfare leading from Marietta and Washington County.

The highest type of construction has been used on this road because it was realized that this would be the one route which would carry the heavy tonnage to and from Marietta. The work in Washington County has been inspected by federal and state inspectors and is claimed to be the best piece of construction on the entire route from Marietta to Cambridge. Those in charge of the work took the attitude that only the best workmanship possible was good enough for Washington County and the results are self evident.

Enter Upon Second Project

This work completed, we have immediately engaged in a second project almost as great in magnitude, the Marietta-Bartlett-Athens road. Probably no highway leading into Marietta is of greater local importance than the Marietta-Athens road, since it taps the great agricultural and fruit growing section of the county, which has no other means of transportation except that provided by this public highway.

Since September 1st, 1923, 13 miles of this road have been placed under construction, and there is no reason to doubt that the remaining eight miles to the Washington-Athens county line will be under contract by April 1st, 1924. Placing under contract in the short space of a few months, 21 miles of continuous construction is an achievement of which the county and state may well feel proud. This route has been established as a secondary federal aid road, and may receive federal funds to the extent of $15,000 per mile. The Federal government is interested in just such projects as these, and there is every reason to believe that the county will receive liberal appropriations from federal funds. It is expected that the unimproved part of this route in Athens County will be under contract early in the coming year.

Monument to be Erected on Highway

Reno G. Hoag and his son, S. Durward Hoag, of Hotel Lafayette will erect a marker at point on Marietta-Cambridge Highway near Elba where Gap was closed, "Getting Us Out of the Mud."

Sentiment throbs often times among strange people and under peculiar circumstances. Even hotel men are not "immune" from the malady.

There has been chronicled in these columns how Reno G. Hoag had the honor and glory of shoveling in and smoothing down the last few shovels-full of concrete at the place where the gap was closed so far as Washington County is concerned upon the Marietta-Cambridge Highway.

Yesterday the two Hoags, father and son, made arrangements with Mrs. Amy Alban, who owns the farm property adjacent the spot where the event took place, and leased for a term of years, the privilege to erect there on the hillside a monument or marker, designating time and place.

The exact spot is in section 27, Aurelius township, about 1/2 mile this side of Elba, toward Marietta. The space is rather an open one upon the hillside, the road at that point running close to Duck Creek.

Here, upon the bank there will be erected some suitable design by the Hoags, with wording to the effect that it was here the great event in road building took place, with date, etc.

As yet the parties interested have not decided what style of marker or monument will be erected, but it goes without saying it will be in keeping with the idea. This will be perpetuated for a least ten years, and it is hoped to have some illumination at night so those "who run may read" at all times. Of course it will be natural to expect that the two hotel men will ring in the "Hotel Lafayette" thus mixing business with this sentiment, but even at that we consider the matter a very laudable one, along the lines of progressiveness which the father and son exhibit at all times for Marietta and the county.

Accuse Two of Whiskey Manufacture

 The Marietta Daily Times, November 21, 1927

Two affidavits charging manufacture of liquor were filed before Judge David H. Thomas in common pleas court on Monday. They are signed by the sheriff and the men accused are William Devore of Marietta and Clarence Barnes of Beverly. Devore was arrested by the police on Saturday evening. Barnes is in the custody of the sheriff and will appear in court on Tuesday.

Devore was arraigned before Judge Thomas on Monday. He pleaded not guilty and waived examination. He was held to the grand jury and his bond was fixed at $500. He was trying to find bondsmen on Monday.

Barnes, who is employed by the traction company, was detained at Lowell on Monday but agreement had been made for him to appear in court by 9:30 o'clock on Tuesday morning.

These arrests follow a raid made some months ago by the sheriff's men in which they found a whiskey-making plant hidden in a barn on a farm owned by Barnes near Stanleyville. Ed Butcher already has been arrested as the operator of the plant and is held to the January grand jury. It is charged that Devore and Barnes were partners in the enterprise.

The still had been arranged under a "tin house" that had been built in the barn and over which a lot of oats straw had been piled. A cleverly arranged trap door led into the distillery from the barn basement.

John Malster

 Marietta Register, November 16, 1889

John Malster of Waterford died at the residence of Moses Malster in Waterford Township, Wednesday, and was buried at the Palmer cemetery yesterday, November 15.

He was the son of Christopher Malster who came to Palmer Township in 1795, tow years in advance of his wife who made the journey from Pennsylvania with a two year old child on horseback. 

John was born in Palmer, September 2, 1800, and was therefore past 89 years of age. His life has been spent in this county and through all his active years was one of hardship. As early as 1822 he made a trip south on a flat boat and had he been at the recent reunion would have outranked James Stowe and Christopher Greene in years and ante-dated them as flatboatmen.

He was a farmer and stock-raiser, though a man of a business turn of mind. He sold goods in Palmer for Col. Stone 55 years ago and afterwards clerked for Chapin and Fearing in Beverly.

In his diary he noted that he "had raised and bought wheat and made twenty-five barrels of flour which he sold to Col. Stone at $2.50 a barrel and trusted him six months without interest. I have bought and sold wheat for 28 cents a bushel and oats for 12-1/2 cents and hauled them to Harmar."

He never married. He was a genial and kind-hearted man. A supporter of his county paper and quite a reader. Since the announcement of the Tri-Weekly, his letter was received at this office asking for this edition. He was scrupulously honest and thoughtful in business matters and allowed no debts to stand against him. In his death a pioneer and old-time citizen is gone.

Last Car on Muskingum Line Oct. 31

 The Marietta Daily Times, October 25, 1929

Last car over the Muskingum division of the Monongahela West Penn lines will leave the court house at Marietta on Thursday, October 31, at 10:45 o'clock. It will make the regular run to Beverly, arriving there at 11:30 o'clock, then will deadhead back into Marietta and service so far as the public is concerned will be done.

The Ohio public utilities commission granted permission more than six weeks ago to discontinue service on the line which has been a losing venture for years. Expansion of the automobile industry and building of good roads has spelled ruin for this division.

The Beverly line was completed and the first car was run into the northern terminal more than 20 years ago. Sam Brittigan of Marietta was motorman on that first car. If he so desires he will be permitted to bring the last car out of Beverly next Thursday night.

The company has not decided as to what it will do with the line that it is abandoning. It will either put its own force of wreckers to the task of removing it or will sell it outright to a wrecking company that will take it up.

The Second Street spur from Second and Montgomery streets to the fairgrounds will be left in place for periodical operation. In regular service, however, no cars will operate beyond Montgomery Street after next Thursday night.

Old Families Still Factors Here

 The Marietta Daily Times, November 9, 1934

Three descendants of soldiers of the War of the Revolution, who later became early pioneers of this section, were candidates for election to Washington County offices at the election on Tuesday. This interesting and perhaps unprecedented fact is called to our attention by Mrs. E. W. Hill, Sr. Evidence that the militant and pioneering spirit has persisted down through the generations since the settlement of this area is furnished by the fact that two of the three members of these old families were successful at the polls.

In historic Mound Cemetery may be found this inscription: "General Rufus Putnam, a Revolutionary officer and leader of the colony which made the first settlement in the Northwest, April 7, 1788. Born April 9, 1738. Died May 4, 1824. The memory of the just is blessed." Arthur D. Mackey, who led the Republican ticket in the number of votes received and was elected sheriff by an overwhelming plurality, is a descendant of General Putnam, who has been called the "founder and father of Ohio."

On another stone is this inscription: "Colonel William Stacy, Revolutionary soldier. Born in Massachusetts, 1730. Came to Marietta, 1788. Proprietor in Ohio Company. Foreman of first grand jury in Ohio. Died in Marietta, Ohio, in 1802." Colonel Stacy was a prisoner of Indians for four years and was saved from being burned at the stake by giving an Indian chief the Masonic sign. Lloyd S. Stacy of Adams Township, who was chosen to represent Washington County in the lower house of the General Assembly, is a descendant of this brave soldier and pioneer.

Another marker in the cemetery bears this inscription: "In memory of Colonel Robert Taylor, who departed this life September 30, 1801, in the sixty-fifth year of his age, being the first interment in this burying ground." This Revolutionary War soldier and early pioneer here was one of the ancestors of Ezra Racer Miller, who was candidate for county auditor on the Republican ticket.

Hallowe'en Wild Night in Marietta and Lawlessness Results in Many Arrests

 The Marietta Daily Times, November 1, 1929

Marietta police declare that Thursday night was the wildest they have experienced in many years. Dozens of calls were answered in nearly every section of the city. Numerous arrests were made and a busy session of court was held by the mayor on Friday morning.

Destruction of property was reported in many parts of the city. The boys and young men celebrated Hallowe'en and they failed by a wide margin to confine their energy to harmless things.

One of the favorite diversions seemed to be the breaking of electric lights. Porch lights were knocked out at many points and even the street lamps suffered. The usual trick in the case of a street light was to untie the rope and let the light crash to the street. Lem Hess, city electrical superintendent, estimates the damage in his department at $75.

One of the worst outbreaks occurred on Phillips Street, where five boys bombarded the Carl Wunderlich automobile with pumpkins. The car, a new one, was damaged considerably. From that stunt the boys turned their attention to the home of W. M. Jones, where they smeared up the porch and plastered the front lawn with chicken feathers.

Jones chased the boys down the street, firing a 38-calibre revolver at them. The police brought the boys and Jones to headquarters. Earl Steed and Raymond Stegner were placed in jail while their three companions, Lewis Klein, Denver McCain, and William Becker, were ordered in on Friday. Jones also was ordered to come before the mayor. On Friday morning the case was certified to probate court.

Another outbreak occurred on lower Putnam Street where Hugh Smith and Roy Barnes engaged in a fight. They were under the influence of liquor, according to the police, and the battle was a vicious one. Both were arrested. Barnes' wife later secured his release by posting a bond of $100. The pair pleaded guilty on Friday to fighting charges and each was fined $15 and costs. Barnes paid both fines. Smith, it developed Friday morning, had sustained a broken shoulder in the fight.

Lat Thursday evening Mrs. Nellie Baker called for the police. She reported that Hugh Perry had attacked and beaten her in front of the post office property. Perry was arrested. He was fined $5 and costs on Friday and paid.

Elmer Lang, arrested in the city park, demonstrated to the world that he has one faithful friend - his dog. When Lang went behind the bars his dog raised such a commotion that he too was allowed to enter the jail and he slept on one of the iron cots along with Lang. The latter was fined $5 and costs on Friday.

 

A Live Man Dug Out of Marietta Mound

 The Marietta Register, April 23, 1886

Such was the startling statement made in all the dwellings and on the streets of the little town of Marietta sixty-five years ago. Some believed it, many doubted it, but all were anxious to know the fact. The unbelieving were referred to as truthful a man as lived on Fifth Street; he said "it was true that he had aided in the work."

To make my story short, Father G., who was the grave-yard sexton, had a flock of sheep which were allowed to roam among the tombs, watched by his three sons. Weary of the monotony of looking after the flock by night, the boys with shovel and hoe determined they would to their minds unsolve the mystery of the great mound.

When darkness had spread over the earth, they began their work on the top of the elevation and almost noiselessly put down a hole six feet deep. The elder was below, arranging for further work, when in a moment the sides began to give way and before he could be rescued the dirt fastened him. 

Quick haste was made by one of the frightened boys with the news to his father. Armed with bottle of spirits and a good raw-hide, the old fellow climbed the fence and up the sides of the mound to its summit. With great industry, but more noise, the earth was pitched away and the youngster was relieved from his prison confinement only to feel the rod as soon as he recovered, for thus violating the sacred place and making a town talk at the expense of the family. In the Mound Annual can all this be found, and much more.

Some people say that 1,000 years ago this country was more densely populated than now. I have not time now to give my views on this subject, but I must tell you about one of their burying places. On the top of the hill back of the old Platt place, northeast from the Court House about one mile, from the beginning there has been a heap of earth rising above the surface of the ground about seven feet, thirty-five feet long and at the broadest place about fifteen feet wide. Some have supposed it natural, others have supposed it the work of the Mound Builders.

With the support of the owner of the land, Mr. Adam Brown, on the 20th day of this month (that is Tuesday of this week), Capt. Sayre and myself, with excellent assistants, began the work of discovery. After going down with a hole six feet square for four and one-half feet, we came to a flat rock six feet long and three feet wide and five inches thick, evidently brought from a distance and placed with a purpose where it was. Underneath this we knew was the treasure, perhaps something that would tell us when and by whom all these works were made.

The long stone was with difficulty and great care removed. Underneath it - Oh what a find. We were not sold. You will not be sold if you pay your quarter and see all the interesting things we unearthed, exhibited as they will be on Thursday and Friday evenings of this week at the Presbyterian Fair in the Clarke house on 4th Street.

W.

*     *     *     *     *

The Marietta Register, April 30, 1886:

That Mound Story

Mr. Editor: In the Register of April 23d someone over the signature of "W." tells a great cock and bull story about a live man being dug out of Marietta Mound. He commenced by saying, "such was the startling statement made in all the dwellings and on the streets of the little town of Marietta sixty-five years ago. Some believed it, many doubted it, but all were anxious to know the fact. The unbelieving were referred to as truthful a man as lived on Fifth Street. He said, "it was true that he had aided in the work." To make my story short, Father G., who was the graveyard sexton, had a flock of sheep which were allowed to roam among the tombs, watched over by his three sons . . .

Now, in regard to the above statement, I am prepared to say from personal knowledge, that not one word of the essential points in the same are true. The whole story was a fabrication from beginning to end, put forth as one of the wonderful events that took place in the early days of our pleasant little town. 

It so happens that I was well acquainted with "Father G." as referred to above. I am his eldest son and happened to be 15 years old at the time this event should have occurred. My father was sexton at the time and for some years after, but never dug a half dozen graves in the graveyard during his life time. Myself and grandfather, Jimmie Hill, dug nearly all the graves from 1820 to 1825. I was intimately acquainted with all concerned about the Mound Cemetery from my early boyhood days until I was a man grown, and know that there never was a hole of any kind or at any time dug in the summit of the mound in question. 

It is true that "Father G." had a large family, that I am the eldest son, that at the time of this event I had one brother who was a boy some 12 years old, the third boy spoken of was dead at the time, the fourth boy happened to be a girl. So that there could not have been more than two boys able to operate at the time. We had sheep at the time that were allowed to run at large, as did others. There was but little or no fence around the cemetery at the time, to prevent our sheep or others from feeding there, and the idea of watching our sheep at night is far fetched and untrue.

My father was a poor mechanic who raised a large family by his industry; he was an honest, industrious and truthful man. His boys wore linsey and went barefoot in the summer, but they were honorable and upright. A raw-hide was an article never used or kept in the family to my knowledge. There was no town talk about the event at the expense of the family.

What he calls "Mound Annual" I confess to be a document that I have never seen, but should like to do so. However, no odds for the Mound Annual, I know that the whole story is false as to the event, not a syllable of it is true. 

I do this in self-defense, as I happened to be a live boy at the time of the great event, and thank God that I am alive yet and in good condition, and surrounded by a few old residents that lived in that day to whom I can appeal for my truth and veracity.

William Glines

Covered Their Ears

The Marietta Daily Times, April 10, 1905

Women On An Inter Urban Car

John Romire, who makes his home at Marietta and Parkersburg, created a scene Saturday afternoon on the Inter Urban car which left here at 2:30 o'clock.

The conductor had trouble in getting his fare after the car had reached Williamstown. When the fares were collected at Central, Romire was asleep and when awakened he refused to pay, and it is alleged called the collector of fares all kinds of indecent names. 

Among the passengers were about 25 women and they held their hands over their ears to keep out the sound of the oaths uttered. The conductor took Romire by the neck and ejected him from the car.

He continued his utterances and Policeman Noland placed him under arrest. His hearing was set before a Justice of the Peace at Parkersburg this morning.

Old Warner Homestead Is Sold for $15,000

 Register-Leader, December 14, 1918

J. D. Dinsmoor, Oil Man, Buys Stately Residence Here for His Daughter

A contract for the sale of the old Warner homestead was executed Friday afternoon, whereby J. C. Dinsmoor, wealthy oil producer of Williamstown, purchased the property for his daughter, Mrs. D. B. Berlin, of North Dakota, who before her marriage was Cora Dinsmoor, and who with her family will occupy the residence, which is one of the finest in the city. Mr. and Mrs. Berlin, who have come here from North Dakota to locate, will occupy the property about the first of March, at which time it will be vacated by the Okey family, Mrs. David Okey being one of the Warner heirs from whom the property was purchased. Mr. Dinsmoor paid $15,000 for the property.

The Warner home was built and moved into by General Warner [Adoniram Judson Warner] in 1873. The property has some historical interest from the fact that during his residence there of about fifteen years, Gen. Warner was prominent in politics in the state and country. It was while living in the homestead that he served three terms in Congress and at the same time was engaged in the discussion of political and economic questions.

Many Distinguished Guests

During the occupancy of the property by General and Mrs. Warner a number of prominent men of the state and country made the house their headquarters from time to time on their visits to Marietta, sometimes as long as a week at a time. Among these distinguished guests at the Warner home was Judge Alphonso Taft of Cincinnati, father of the former President, William H. Taft, who visited with General Warner in company with his son, William P. Judge Taft was here campaigning at the time and remained for a week at the Warner home.

Another prominent visitor at the Warner home was Cyrus W. Field of New York, the promoter of the Atlantic cable, who was interested with General Warner in some coal lands and railroad lines. Judge Stanley Matthews of Cincinnati was also a frequent visitor at the Warner home. Senator Allen Thurman of Columbus was another celebrated guest. Several speakers at the Centennial in Marietta made the Warner home their headquarters during the celebration, among these being Randolph Tucker.

Gen. Warner, the original owner of the property was in the Civil War and an officer in the 10th Pennsylvania Reserves. He was severely wounded in the Battle of Antietam, also afterwards was injured in Gettysburg battle by a fall off his horse.

This deal will recall to the minds of many of the older residents the activity of General Warner. He built the Cleveland and Marietta Railroad and was responsible for the line and the success of the enterprise was due largely to his energy and activity.

The Warner homestead is a brick building and is one of the best constructed homes in Marietta. The site on which it is located contains about four acres. It is located in about the center of the population of the city.

Extensive changes were made to the Warner home on Butler StreetM by its new owners, including having the brick walls covered with stucco. When Marietta College acquired it in 1929, renowned architect J. Fredrick Larson redesigned and enlarged the structure to serve as a women's dormitory. It was named for Dorothy Webster Mills (1810-1894), who had come to Marietta from Massachusetts in 1835 as a teacher in the Marietta Female Seminary.

Mrs. Sophia Wolford Is Taken To Athens

The Marietta Daily Times, October 3, 1904

Mrs. Sophia Wolford, who since last Thursday evening has been violently insane having at that time attempted to roast her child by putting it in an oven, was given a hearing on a lunacy charge late Saturday afternoon.

After carefully examining the case, the Probate Judge pronounced the woman insane. Her case is a peculiar one. At times she raves, while at other periods she seems to be of sound mind.

Sheriff Morrow took her to the Athens State Hospital today.

In Colored Circles

 The Daily Register, April 8, 1899

A Batch of Good News and Gossip

Miss Allie Jones of Chester Hill is visiting her sister, Miss Susie Jones.

Miss Annie Durban has accepted a position as second cook at the Hotel Boyer.

The Pioneer K. of P. lodge No. 43 heard their annual sermon last Sunday evening at their Castle Hall on Putnam Street. It was largely attended and is pronounced one of the best occasions in which the colored people have participated for a long time. Rev. R. W. Carr delivered a most excellent discourse. Visitors were present from Parkersburg. A collection from the Knights was made for the pastor. The Ladies' Court of Calanthe attended in a body.

Mr. David Justice, employed at Parkersburg, was here last Sunday to visit his fmaily and attend the annual sermon.

John Singer and Sam Fletcher, members of the Parkersburg Lodge, K. of P., attended meeting there last Monday and arranged to take their cards and join Pioneer lodge of this city.

William McIntosh and William Johnston went to Parkersburg last Monday to attend a cake walk. Johnston will be remembered as one of the Mariettians who put a Parkersburg boy to sleep in a "Battle Royal" at the Auditorium. When Johnston entered the room at Parkersburg, a gang of men made for him. He quickly disappeared and was next seen in Belpre, making for Marietta. Johnston "had plenty of money but no excuse" for being in Parkersburg.

Miss Sarah Howell of Gallipolis, who has been spending the winter at Springfield, is now the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Keys, West Side.

Miss Prudence Armstrong left Tuesday for Parkersburg, from whence she left with Miss Bessie Jackson for Richmond, Indiana, to visit Rev. and Mrs. G. W. Jackson.

Mr. Harry Curtis is confined to the house by a rupture.

Miss Mary Williams, formerly of this city, now of Cleveland, is visiting Mrs. Rose Jackson, Church Street.

Mr. Grant Wooten of Columbus, who has been visiting his parents at Rainbow, will return to Columbus Monday.

Mr. T. R. Burton, employed at the Boiler Works, was laid off this week on account of a sprained back from heavy lifting.

Mr. Robert Mason, recently married, will move into the Sam Fletcher house, Eighth Street, Monday.

Ami Armstrong had his neck bandaged this week as a result of a choking received from Willie Montgomery who mistook him for a burglar and thought he was trying to get into the Montgomery house. Ami is an uncle of Willie and the mistake is regretted.

Ship Building

The Marietta Intelligencer, September 10, 1846

The vessels now building in this place are rapidly advancing towards completion. The hulls of the two Schooners, building by the Marietta Ship Company, are nearly finished and the planking of the Barque building by the Messrs. Waters has commenced. The success of this business in Marietta is attracting notice abroad, and in our exchanges we often meet with flattering remarks upon the excellence of the vessels built here, and commendatory notices of the spirit of enterprise which has induced our citizens to engage in the work. We are glad also to know that the attention of men from a distance who are particularly interested in the business is directed to this as a place where they can obtain first rate vessels.

We were shown yesterday a letter from a gentleman in St. Louis to a friend in this place (who however is in no way connected with Ship Building) requesting him to ascertain the cost of a vessel, which he described, "fully rigged and with all necessary fixtures, boats &c. - in short, ready to proceed to sea," and stating that he thought of visiting Marietta to make a contract.

The following extract we make from the Pittsburg Iron City:

Ship Building at Marietta. There are now on the stocks at Marietta three sea vessels in process of construction. Two of them are schooners, the other a barque which, when finished, will be for sale. The quality of the material used and the excellency of the workmanship cannot be surpassed. Who does not commend the spirit of enterprise which causes ships to be built at such a distance from the sea in the heart of an inland country?

And this from the Philadelphia North American:

Marietta, Ohio, is becoming celebrated for ship building. Some months since, the papers published a notice of the launching of a Barque at Marietta, which, after having loaded at Cincinnati with American produce, went to sea. There are now on the stocks at Marietta three sea vessels in process of construction. Two of them are schooners being built by the Marietta Ship Company by contract for some gentlemen in Salem, Massachusetts. The other is a barque, which, when finished, will be for sale. The quality of the material used and the excellence of the workmanship cannot be surpassed.

From Cutler

The Marietta Register, March 13, 1879

Mr. Editor:

Seeing sketches from about every village throughout the county, I think it expedient to drop you an item from this quarter, which may interest a part of your several readers. Though our town does not consist of immense proportions, it affords two well-regulated stores, a watch and jewelry shop, hotel, village school, and the homes of several well-respected families.

Since we are remote upon the "Old Line," we have the visits of Rariden semi-weekly, with his variety train, which adds materially to our commercial interest, as well as to the facility of the traveler. Pat is a good fellow, and by his willingness to accommodate and genial disposing character has won the respect and confidence of the public which is richly merited. We only regret that he cannot run a daily train.

We are favored with medical assistance by Dr. Trickle, who hailed recently from Meigs County, and intends making his permanent home with us. He comes well-recommended and is fast building up a practice, which, we trust, will be lasting and remunerative.

Samuel Algeo, a late resident of Washington County, who left here in company with J. H. Newell to find a home in Kansas, is among us on a visit for a short time. He brings a flattering report of his new home, which he intends to adorn on his return with a wife, since he has just married a Miss Jennie Ladd, of Athens County.

We regret the loss of one of our best citizens, Conrad Miller, aged 72 years, died February 12th, having been a resident of Washington County 42 years. He was one of the pioneers who took the west side of this county from the stump. The honest dollar by honest labor ever being his motto, he succeeded in gaining considerable property which he leaves to his heirs.

M.D.L.