Basin at the Mouth of Market Square Run

 Marietta Intelligencer, September 5, 1839

The authorities of the Town have commenced the excavation for this work in good earnest. Under their direction about four hundred loads of earth are daily removed. Twelve hundred loads have been placed at the foot of Post Street for a new landing at that place. This is done partly at the expense of Messrs. Marshall and Lewis who own property in that vicinity. Mr. Soyez has purchased one thousand loads for a new landing in front of his premises. Large quantities of earth have been placed on the old landings at the foot of Front and Market Streets.

After the excavation is completed, we believe it is proposed to place guard locks below the bridge, and above the bridge both dry and wet docks will be erected. The water from the run will be taken across the commons by a culvert, nearly on the line of Butler Street. A portion of the earth from the culvert will be taken to fill the low ground on the east side of Front Street, and this street will thus be made straight.

We understand the water for the mills will be taken from the basin about midway between the bridge and the river by a mill race about 30 feet wide. The length of the mill race will be about 350 feet, and will require an excavation of about 6529 cubic yards.

Warehouse and Lumber Destroyed

 Marietta Daily Times, April 12, 1924

Blaze Gives Firemen Their Most Stubborn Fight in Years.

Pump Water on Fire All Night.

Property is Fully Insured and Building Will Be Rebuilt.

Fire of unknown origin raged for several hours on Friday evening in the heart of the Marietta Chair Company yards, burning a destructive course through a large storage house that was filled with manufactured lumber. It was one of the most spectacular blazes that have occurred in the city in a number of years. The loss is estimated by the company at $50,000.

The building destroyed was 100 feet long by some 30 feet wide, with a shed running along one side. The structure was two stories in height, and it was filled almost completely with what are known as "squares." These consist of lumber sawed to shape to be used in the manufacture of chairs, and they had been stacked solidly in the storage house to season for use in the factory. The majority of the stock in the building was of oak, although there was one lot of black walnut.

Whole Fire Force Out

Marietta's entire fire fighting equipment was rushed to the scene and the regular men of the department were assisted by volunteer forces, among the latter a number of the Marietta Chair Company employees who have been trained to use the company's own fire prevention equipment. Water for fighting the flames was obtained from the large high-pressure mains that run past the chair factory on Seventh Street, and six strings of hose poured hundred of thousands of gallons into the stubborn blaze. Water in reduced quantities was kept plying on the burning mass until after daylight on Saturday morning.

Workmen in the main plant of the chair factory discovered the fire just before 5 o'clock on Friday afternoon. Superintendent Pirrung was in the factory at the time and as soon as the alarm was sounded had the city department called. In the meantime fire extinguishers and company hose were brought into play but were not capable of coping with the flames.

Employee's Autos Damaged

As nearly as could be told the fire started in the northeast corner of the storage house. Directly in front of that point, the shell had been arranged as a shelter wherein factory men placed their automobiles. Several machines were in the place at the time and three of these were badly damaged, one being almost entirely destroyed.

As the flames swept through the solidly-packed lumber that was stored in the building, they found ready fuel and in less than a quarter of an hour they were rolling into the air to a height of nearly 100 feet, while vast clouds of gray smoke were thrown up. There was not a breath of air stirring and this was most fortunate, as the burning structure was closely surrounded by other buildings and great ricks of lumber. A wind from almost any direction might have caused further disaster.

Crowds Watch Flames

Thousands of people thronged to that section of the city to watch the fire, and the hills that overlook the Goose Run valley gave excellent points of vantage from which to witness the spectacle. Most of the streets in that part of Marietta were clogged with automobiles all during the early evening. The crowds hung about the scene until late in the evening.

S. W. Thurlow, general manager of the company, was absent from the city on Friday, but Col. John Mills, head of the institution, was there, and he with his assistants, Messrs. Pirrung and Hecker, directed operations and looked after the placing of the men who were detailed to assist the department. Agents of the company saw to it that coffee and sandwiches were supplied for the firemen, and these were served by Ensign Phelps of the Salvation Army and by Chief Putnam of the police. These men staid on the job during the evening, then detailed their assistants to follow up the work as the night advanced.

Col. Mills Gets Fall

While two or three of the volunteer firemen were overcome by the smoke and fumes arising from the burning lumber, none of them had any serious trouble. Col. John Mills sustained a fall when he stepped on a loose board as he walked through the lumber yards and suffered painful bruises over his left eye and along the side of his face.

As soon as the location and nature of the fire had been determined, officials of the water works department issued orders to the pump station engineers to speed up their machinery, and this was done with the result that they not only pumped added pressure against the hydrants being used but maintained a full head in the city reservoir all during the evening, thus being ready for any emergency. There are three high pressure mains along Seventh Street directly in front of the scene of the fire, so that there was no chance of water shortage. A 90 pound pressure was maintained until the fire was under control, and this was augmented by the fire department pumper.

It is announced by the Marietta Chair Company that the damaged property was all insured, and as soon as losses are adjusted the work of clearing away the wreckage and replacing the ruined building will be undertaken. Operation of the factory will not be affected.

Woolworth Company Starting Work

Marietta Daily Times, April 2, 1924

Work is starting this week on remodeling of the Union Block, which is to house the F. W. Woolworth Company's five and ten cent store in Marietta, and it is expected that the place will be open for business within 60 days.

The store will occupy two-thirds of the Union Block, the parts that are owned by the Blume estate and by Carrie Greenway. A new front will be put in, an elevator will be installed, and it will be made a thoroughly modern building.

A building permit was granted to a representative of the company on Wednesday. It is estimated that the repairs to the building will cost $13,000.

Mariettans Watch Moon Cross Sun - Solar Eclipse

Marietta Daily Times, Saturday evening, January 24, 1925

Solar Eclipse Not Total Here But Is Great Spectacle.

Only Sliver Of Sun Is Visible.

 Drop Of About 2 Degrees In Temperature Is Registered.

The world's most widely advertised spectacle, the most impressive display the skies can show, the much-heralded solar eclipse "played" Marietta on Saturday morning almost simultaneously with many other cities of the United States between 7:53 and 10:13 o'clock.

When the eclipse was at its zenith here the morning took on the appearance of evening with the sun's best efforts a feeble yellowish glow. All Marietta paused in the rush of the Saturday morning business to observe the phenomenon. Smoked glasses, old bits of film, bits of colored glass and patent eye shades were employed to break the strong rays of the sun, even though it was working under a handicap. The glow cast by the sun when the eclipse was at its zenith was rather enchanting. It made the blue sky stand out in peculiar contrast. The temperature here is reported to have dropped two degrees during the eclipse.

People Stand in Groups

People gathered in little crowds in various parts of the city, wherever a choice bit of smoked glass was offered for the viewing of the spectacle, and watched the moon swiftly passing between the sun and the earth. It was estimated that when the eclipse was at its zenith here, about 30 percent of the sun was hidden. The nearest totality here was at about 8:59 o'clock.

Weather conditions in Marietta were ideal for viewing the eclipse as the morning dawned clear. The Young Lady Across the Way reported that another advantageous condition was the fact that the sun was partly shaded by the moon, making it much easier to look at. But even at that many people found that even with their smoked glasses the sight was not the best for weak eyes.

Temperature Tested

John Kaiser reports his observations of the eclipse as follows: "The day dawned clear, and the east was perfectly clear of clouds, despite the promises of unsettled weather from the weather bureau, things assumed a more hopeful aspect."

"After the usual preliminary illumination the sun rose as proud and majestic as ever. And on the dot the eclipse began to put in its appearance; the upper right hand part of the sun was the first covered.

"I had climbed up on the roof of my home in order to get an unobstructed view of the entire sky. As the eclipse became more pronounced I noticed that the amount of frost on the roofs gradually increased. I hung out a thermometer at eight-thirty, just thirty-five minutes after the eclipse had begun, and at eight-forty took a reading and found it to be nineteen degrees farenheit. Ten minutes later there had been a drop of two degrees, and this was as cold as it got during the eclipse.

"It is wonderful that the human mind can figure out with such rare accuracy such occurrences. I found Professor Coar's advice about the use of old films just the thing, especially in connection with the use of field glasses.

"Fortunately the prevailing winds were from the south, so Marietta observers were not bothered by the smoke of the city."