New Church in Harmar

 The Marietta Intelligencer, August 29, 1839

We understand that those members of the First Congregational Church in this place who reside west of the Muskingum, propose to withdraw from this body, and form themselves into a separate church. This arrangement is entered into, not because of any difficulty - for we believe the most amicable feeling exists in the church - but from an earnest desire to sustain the regular preaching of the gospel in their own town and by a minister of their own denomination. Probably in the course of the next year, they will erect a convenient house of worship, and such an one we doubt not as will be an ornament to their thriving town.

Local Improvements

Marietta Intelligencer, August 29, 1839

Marietta and Newport Turnpike and Bridge Company

We have no desire to puff our goodly Town and County, or to boast of the enterprize and public spirit of her citizens. But we intend to speak fully and frequently of our natural advantages and shall also endeavor to show the distant public that something is doing here in the way of improving these advantages.

One important improvement - and this perhaps is nearer its completion than any other now in progress - is that of the "Marietta and Newport Turnpike and Bridge Company." This Company was incorporated in the winter of 1837 & '38 with a Capital of Sixty Thousand dollars, one half of which is taken by individuals, and one half by the State.

The road commences at the Corporation line of Marietta, crosses Duck Creek and the Little Muskingum a short distance above their junction with the Ohio, and terminates on the Ohio river at Newport. It is sixteen miles in length and the probable cost of the road, when completed according to the plan, is forty-five thousand dollars. It is proposed to McAdamize the road the whole distance in the course of the ensuing season.

The Bridge across Duck Creek has a length of one hundred and forty-eight feet between the piers, with extension bridges of forty feet at each end, making the entire length of the bridge two hundred and twenty-eight feet. The Bridge over the Little Muskingum has a span of one hundred and seventy-eight feet, with extension bridges the same as at Duck Creek, making the entire length two hundred and fifty-eight feet. The piers upon which these bridges are erected are thirty-three feet in height and built of the most substantial masonry. The superstructure is entirely of white pine, and on the plan of Col. Long's patent. They are well painted and the ends are finished in good taste.

At Newport this road connects with the Middle Island Turnpike, which is thirteen miles in length and connects with the great North Western Turnpike leading from Parkersburg to Winchester. At Winchester this road connects with Rail Roads leading to Baltimore and Washington.

In point of magnitude, this work does not compare with some others now in progress, and of which we shall speak in some future number. We believe, however, that it will affect the prosperity of our county more favorably than many, even of its friends, have anticipated.

The road will be opened as far as the Little Muskingum about the 18th of September.

*     *     *

Muskingum Valley Turnpike

The Directors of this Company have put a portion of the road under contract and are advancing the work with all possible speed. On Saturday last, sections B, C, D, E & F, were let to the following contractors.

Sections B & C, embracing the south side of March Run Hill, a distance of 144 rods, and the north side of the same, a distance of 168 rods, were taken by James Dutton and G. W. Trout.

The Culvert at Dyer's and Section D, embracing the narrows at widow Dyer's, were taken by James Dutton.

The bridge at Mason's run and at I. Devol's were taken by William Mason.

Section E, embracing the Steam Mill narrows, and Section F, embracing Mason's narrows, together with the bridges at Wincil's, at Decker's, and at Cole run, were taken by G. W. Trout.

The Directors have secured the services of Samuel R. Curtis Esq. as Principal Engineer, and under his superintendence there can be no doubt the work will e promptly and faithfully executed.

 

Marietta Will Attempt to Secure Button-Plant

The Marietta Daily Times, August 17, 1911

Board of Trade Undertakes to Raise a Bonus of $5,000

Plant would employ more than 100 men.

Half of money asked would not be due until wage expenditure has mounted to $75,000.

At a meeting Wednesday evening the Marietta Board of Trade got behind a movement to raise a bonus of $5,000 to secure a pearl button cutting plant for this city. A committee to secure the money was appointed. There is only two weeks in which to secure the industry, as a proposition that has been made by the manufacturers must be definitely accepted or rejected by September 1st.

About two weeks ago the McKee & Bliven Button company of Muscatine, Iowa, offered to locate in Marietta a plant that will employ in the neighborhood of 100 men, if the city will give it a bonus of $5,000. One half of this sum is to be paid to the company when it has completed its plant; the second $2,500 is not due until the concern has paid out in wages the sum of $75,000. The matter was taken up by the executive committee of the Board of Trade and thoroughly investigated. This committee has recommended that favorable action be taken.

Buttons from Mussel Shells

The concern is engaged in the manufacture of buttons from clam shells, of which there are said to be vast deposits in the Ohio and Muskingum rivers. Marietta is the natural center of the shell gathering and great quantities of the shells have been shipped from this point to cities where the factories are located.

The shell gathering has become quite an important industry in this section of the valley. Cutting plants can be established here and the expense of shipping the shells obliterated. The committee believes that there is no good reason why Marietta should not be the center of the button industry, with a finishing plant, as well as cutting departments, located here.

Proposition Looks Good

The matter was brought before the Board by President Ward after he had enumerated some of the things that the body has been doing of late and has told of some of the plans for the future. He believes that the McKee & Bliven proposition is a good one and he and the members of the executive committee believe that the city cannot afford to let it pass without acceptance.

Mr. Ward said that experts declare there is a supply of shells about here that will last for at least 25 years. In the past three years $75,000 worth of them have been shipped away from the vicinity. The cutting plants run the year around and employ men at from $10 to $16 per week. Local labor will be used, the only imported men being the business staff and experts who teach the shell cutting to the new employees.

Is Established Concern

The McKee & Bliven company has been in business for 27 years, is rated at $750,000 and has ten plants in operation. The plant it proposes to establish in Marietta would contain 100 machines and employ 110 or 115 men. "It seems to me," continued President Ward, "that the Board of Trade can put this over, but it is up to the Board of Trade. It is not a matter for the committee to tackle. The work must be done by the 1st of September, but if we can do it at all, we can do it in two weeks."

On motion of F. L. Alexander it was decided to accept the proposition and raise the $5,000 needed, after a number of the men present had expressed their opinions that the proposal was a good one and that the money could be raised without any great effort.

This committee was appointed to raise the bonus: H. G. Chamberlain, F. L. Alexander, T. M. Sheets, S. M. Thurlow, J. S. Goebel, L. Gruber, C. L. Bailey, T. B. Bosworth, John Kaiser, and L. N. Harness.

[The company of McKee & Bliven, button manufacturers, Edward M. Jones as manager, is listed at 123 Third Street in the Marietta city directories from 1912 through 1916. It is no longer listed in the 1919 directory, and 123 Third Street is shown as vacant, probably due to the lack of supplies and workers caused by WWI. McKee & Bliven reappear in the city directory at 123 Third Street in 1922, with C. E. Doty as manager. By 1924, the button company and Doty are gone.]

 

Worth Considering: Goose Run

 The Marietta Tri-Weekly Register, December 14, 1889

It is now to be accepted that the low ground in Marietta is largely to be filled the coming season. The work contemplates at least two arches over Goose Run, to be built by the railroad company, and their estimate is at a cost of $5,000. It is not likely that the city will be called on to make any outlay to take care of the run now. But the time will come when it must do so again.

Next season we expect the completion of the lock and the building of the race alongside of it. Then the city must provide for an outlet to the run. We cannot say whether it has a perpetual privilege under the mill or not, but probably not. In any event the run will be an expense and an annoyance to the city and individuals until it is arched from the Muskingum river to Sixth street, or until it is taken down Sixth to the Ohio river.

It will cost $10,000 to arch it from the north side of Hart street to the Ohio river. The dirt from Butler to Hart is worth the excavation, and it can run in an open bed to Hart with a bridge over Greene for all time.

The problem is therefore to raise $10,000 and carry the run to the Ohio.

How it can be done? The railroad company will give $5,000 to get rid of their arches. The material of the arches at Fourth, Second and Front are worth $2,500 to wreck besides paying for large sewer pipe to carry off surface water now accommodated. It is worth to the property owners over Front street arch and to the rear of lots above it now exposed in the rear basement and to the lots above it now cut up by the run certainly $2,500 more, and upon a proper presentation of the subject they would doubtless assist to that amount; and here then is the whole job done without any outlay worth considering to the city.

Shall we not see this idea carried out or its equivalent?

Marietta Female Seminary

 The Marietta Intelligencer, August 6, 1846

Mr. Editor: Permit me through your paper to express the great pleasure felt at the examination of the above mentioned institution during two days of last week.

At an early hour on Monday the exercises commenced in presence of the whole school, numbering nearly 100, and of a larger number of citizens and strangers than usual on similar occasions, and all seemed deeply interested and much pleased. For one, I can truly say that I have never witnessed any examination in any other Female Seminary more thorough and satisfactory, and more complimentary both to pupils and teachers, as this was from the beginning to the end.

After attending for four years in succession, the Annual Examination in this Seminary, we feel assured that "it is the settled policy of the teachers to do the work of education well" for all who shall become their pupils; and the determination of the pupils to do themselves justice, and their instructors honor. And we cannot but regard the Superintendent and Principal and teachers as having already redeemed their pledge implied in the following "Miscellaneous Remarks" in their last Annual Catalogue: "This Seminary, in its plan, comprises an entire, thorough and liberal course of School Education, beginning with the first elements, and embracing not only the Languages and appropriate Sciences, but the ornamental branches."

In addition to the very gratifying intellectual improvement of the pupils, as evinced in their examination in their class books, compositions and scrap books, we had the most pleasing evidence that their daily Biblical exercise, together with their study of Natural Theology, Moral Philosophy, Evidence of Christianity, Butler's Analogy, Philosophy of the Plan of Salvation, and Edward's History of Redemption, were tending greatly to sanctify their literary attainments and consecrate them to the Lord. During the year just now closed the pupils of this Seminary have devoted $30 to the cause of educating a heathen youth for the ministry. Calisthenics also, for securing a better physical education, have been introduced in this Institution during the same time, and under the superintendence of Miss Rice this exercise has succeeded well.

The work which this Seminary is performing for this city, and for the community at large, also entitles it to the high regard and decided patronage of the public. The many goods teachers that have gone out from it already are blessings indeed wherever they labor, and are at once an honor to the school that trained them, and a praise to Marietta that first established it, and thus far has aided so much in sustaining it.

Our earnest prayer is that the fostering hand of this growing literary and pious community will mete out to this very valuable institution its ample patronage, and that God himself will make it a lasting blessing to us and to the whole world.