I don't normally do things like that. I stop and save things as I work - and then go on. But today I thought I had everything under control.
Not so.
But, O-well. I'll get it this time.
And would you believe that it's been forty years since the "Great Flood of 69" along the Vermilion River? I was but 24 years old - fresh from the Army / Vietnam experience and becoming "hippy-tized" in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. But I came home for the flood that year.
It seems like it was only yesterday...
MOVIN' ALONG: As you will see if you look at this weeks podcast I am in the process of setting up a remote "VV" office at our place at the Olympic Outing Club. When that's done I should be able to work there - and make mistakes there - as easily as I do at home.
I need also mention for the benefit of folks who are far from home (i.e. Vermilion) that Nick Mayer died this week.
Nick, as most folks who knew him already understand, was a good guy. He was, perhaps, the very last of our "home-grown" public officials - Vermilion's Chief of Police from 1989 to 1997. He was only 69 - and will be missed.
As the saying goes, "Only the good die young..."
And so it goes-ly,
FROM JEAN DERBY BAUER
REMEMBER THESE GIRLS (?): This pic was scanned from a photocopy sent me by Vermilion expatriate Jean Derby Bauer in Natchitoches La. With it were the following notes verbatim:
"This picture was taken in the basement of the old Congregational Church next to the New York Central track.
Top row from left: Joyce Dickerhuff and Gertrude Hampton.
Second row from top: Rukth Shirk, Alice Jo Derby, Martha Kress, and Patricia Sandak.
Third ros from top: Jean Derby, Janis Mauer, and Letha Hampton.
Fourth row from top:: Patricia Carey, and Sunday School teacher."
The teacher looks a great deal like Doris Feiszli. I don't, however, think she would have been teaching at the Congregational Church. She was connected with the E & R Church. But who knows.
It's an interesting photograph.
"...Mr. Coen was much more than someone’s boss / superior."
F.W. COEN: AN EXTRAORDINARY PERSON: In the January 4, 2004 edition of the Photojournal I wrote a story about the wreck of the Lake Shore Electric (LSE) Niles car #152 just past “Siding 36” [ed. note 09: The accident occurred near the subdivision now recognized as Bluebird Beach at the place where the electric tracks turned west to run parallel with the steam road rails.] West of Vermilion. Four people, including motorman Wilbur Moody, lost their lives and 41 people were injured as a result of the accident. It was, to that date, the worst mishap on the electric line. My interest in the electric certainly includes but goes well beyond, the mishaps. While the LSE only existed for 37 years (1901 - 1938) it was an extraordinary existence. And at the heart of this extraordinary existence was an extraordinary person.
Frederick W. was born in Rensselaer, Indiana on June 15, 1872. In 1891 he and his brother, Edward, came to Vermillion, Ohio to go into the banking business. For all intents and purposes the brothers were, what many longtime residents will recognize as, The Erie County Bank. In 1893 the bank was a primary investor in one of the earliest electric rail lines in the region; the Sandusky, Milan, and Huron. Due to the uncertainty of the investment in the industry’s infancy, Edward, dispatched his brother to Sandusky to watch over the business. He never returned.
Through a series of changes in the electric rail business during the years following his introduction to it, Frederick, who was not only a gifted mathematician but also an astute manager of people, assumed duties as vice president, general manager, and director of the Everett - Moore group’s Lakeshore Electric Railway in 1907. Twenty years later he took the office of LSE president when it came under the City Services authority. He maintained this office until operation ceased in 1938.
I should interject here that in my ramblings through LSE paraphernalia, I came across more than a few items which illustrate that Mr. Coen was much more than someone’s boss / superior. I’ve seen pay stubs, work evaluations, and work orders with his signature on them testifying to the fact that he was a very hands-on person. I’ve also seen numerous photographs of him (other rail officials and members of the press) taking inspection tours of the system.
The LSE serviced a substantial portion of Northern Ohio. It ran from Cleveland to Sandusky with a spur that ran south from Ceylon Junction (just east of Huron) to Berlin Heights, Norwalk, Monroeville, Bellevue, and on to Clyde and Fremont. Just outside Fremont if rejoined the main line coming from Sandusky and went on into Toledo.
Eight other electric rail systems combined with the LSE to provide northern Ohio and parts of Michigan with a regional transportation system that was second to none in the world.
The LSE and its contemporary electric transportation systems were, of course, casualties of America’s movement toward a personal mode of transportation - the automobile. Mr. Coen survived the demise of the era. Moreover; he established its predecessor - the Lakeshore Coach Company (a bus transportation system). But it certainly was an extraordinary ride for an extraordinary man come to Vermillion in search of kismet.
Ref: the Lakeshore Electric Railway Story; Harwood, Korach, Indiana University Press, 2000; Printed in the Vermilion Photojournal on July 29, 2004; Oral transcription made at the Olympic Outing Club on July 1, 2009; 3:03 PM
MIXED METAPHORS
English professors love to catch the errors students make in
their term papers, and they love nothing better than to catch
mixed metaphors. The "friends and survivors" of Calvin College
English department collected this list of mixed metaphors and
posted them on their web site:
"He swept the rug under the carpet."
"She's burning the midnight oil at both ends."
"It was so cold last night I had to throw another blanket on
the fire."
"It's time to step up to the plate and cut the mustard."
"She's robbing Peter to pay the piper."
"He's up a tree without a paddle."
"Beware my friend...you are skating on hot water."
"Keep your ear to the grindstone."
"Sometimes you've gotta stick your neck out on a limb."
"Some people sail through life on a bed of roses like a knife
slicing through butter.
"It was in this spot the business officially known as the Kishman Fish Company of Vermilion was born..."
KISHMAN = COMMERCIAL FISHING IN VERMILION: The the name Kishman is synonymous with commercial fishing in Vermilion and perhaps all along the northern shores of Lake Erie. During the late historians call the quote golden age” of the industry the Kishman family owned and operated fisheries in grand Harbour, Huron, and (of course) Vermilion. The story of how this came to be is purely an American story wherein success is a consequence, not only a good fortune, but also of intelligence and hard work.
This story really begins in 1854. In April of that year Adam Kishman, who had been born in Germany 23 years earlier, married a lady named Martha Claus. Adam purchased a 100 acre tract of farmland bordering the lake just 4 miles east of those busy little shipbuilding port named Vermillion (then spelled with 2 el’s).
In 1854 he acquired a scow with the manpowered drop hammer. With it he drove pilings into the lake bottom off the beach of his farm, fastened some fishnets to those pilings, and went into the business of fishing.
Early every morning, before their duties in the field had begun, two farm workers from the area would launch a dory from the beach, one operating the oars, the other steering and removing the fish from the nets. Upon returning to shore with their bounty the fish were packed in ice harvested from the lake during the winter, and then placed into storage. Some of the fish were taken in boxes to the Brownhelm Station to be shipped by train to other parts of the country. The remainder was either sold locally are purchased by peddlers who took them by horse and wagon over the very corduroy roads to markets as far away as Wooster.
During their marriage Adam and Martha parented 12 children. Of that number eight survived into adulthood. Three took up their fathers vocation(s). Henry, the elder child, began working the farm and the fishery as early as 1872. Brother, Edward, followed him in seventh 1874 and brother, Charles joined in two years later. As the years passed and the boys grew older outside help was no longer needed in both the business of farming fishery became strictly a family affair.
Innovations in the fishing operation induced the boys to forgo the inherent difficulties in the old shore-shuttle fishing style with a dory - to that of using sailboats to set nets out further in the lake. With the arrival of steam powered boats and the advent of gill nets in the latter part of the 19th century the boys abandoned the sure operation altogether and moved to a new location on the Vermillion River. The approximate site of this concern was just southwest of the present-day Vermilion River bridge. The area is currently occupied by the Alan, Thorley and DeLloyd Insurance Agency. Henry managed the fish house and retail end of the business, and Edward captained their steam tug "Telephone". Charles left for Lorain to operate another fishery called the A. Booth and Company.
At the turn-of-the-century Edward left of the Vermilion fishery and with the financial support of some Sandusky men began to manage a new fishery located in Huron. Brother Henry took a manager position with the Driscoll Fish Company. The Driscoll company was situated on the west bank of the river north of the river bridge in a place that eventually became Parsons Boat Marina / Storage. In 1905 Henry, who had found his work with Driscoll to be less than agreeable, purchased the Edson and Nichols river front property about a quarter-mile north of the Driscoll houses. It was in this spot the business officially known as the Kishman Fish Company of Vermilion was born, thrived, and grew into one of the most successful fisheries on Lake Erie.
In 1909 Edward's company in Huron joined the Vermilion operation. Henry B. was elected company president and Edward VP. Three years later they assumed control of another fishery in grand Harbour and brother Charles joined them as manager of that concern.
The Kishman brothers worked the family business together for the remainder of their lives. Edward died in 1944, and Charles passed away two years later. While Henry remained president of the company until his death in 1948 his son, Lester, who had joined the business in 1931 took over management in 1935, and eventually took his father’s place as the head of the company. When Lester retired on December 31, 1959, local resident Ray Full became company president.
Nearly 100 years have passed since Adam Kishman pushed his old dory off the beach of his farm to collect his first harvest from Lake Erie. The consequence of that rather mundane action was but the first step in the realization of a story of success that is purely, and unconditionally, American.
Ref: the Great Lakes Historical Society archives; Published in the Vermilion Photojouranl 8/05/2004; Oral transcription / adaptation made at the Olympic club on July 1, 2009 @2:48 PM.
"In 1898 the Vermillion News also carried news of national import."
SIDE #1
NEARLY FINISHED: This is side #1 of the Pelton Pamphelet I've been working on for several weeks. In this re-worked copy I've placed a new map with an insert map of Maple Grove Cemetery where Pelton and his family are interred.
Also added to this side is some text indicating the agency that will (hopefully) provide the funds for printing the brouchure.
SIDE #2
Side #2 has a rather recent photograph of the house where Pelton spent his boyhood, and a pic / sketch of the school where he received his basic education.
It also briefly recounts his life story and tells how he came to invent the thing some folks refere to as the "Pelton Wheel". These brouchures will be distributed to both the public and school children to help educated them about the man and his invention.
The schools will also receive additional educational aides and lesson plans to help teachers teach youngsters about Mr. Pelton and his work.
DON'T JUST SIT THERE WITH A MOUSE IN YOUR HAND! HELP THE (MY) ECONOMIC RECOVERY!: Take a cyber visit through my on-line store.
I am working on designing some new things anon. However: If you've not purchased something yet you're missing both the proverbial and literal boat. But, if nothing else, take a stroll through my shop. I keep the floor swept, the windows clean, and my dog don't bite.
And for those who might wonder - this is my shop - and I do make a few bucks selling the items therein...
VERMILION VIEWS GIFT SHOP
Podcasts - "forever under construction..."
PODCAST #135: This week Vermilion Views Podcast #135takes you on a tour of my remote "VV" studio @ the Olympic Outing Club. During the summer months many editions will be issued from this site.
Also, please note that all the video (MP4) podcasts (where used) are done in the "Quicktime MP4" format.
NOTE NOTE:Past podcasts are not available in the on-line archive. They just take up too much disk space. But if one really, really, really wants to acquire a copy of a past cast it can be had by contacting me and I will place it on a disc and send it to ye for a minimal fee.
HAVE YE QUESTIONS / COMMENTS ETC. (?):
Dropeth me a line - or two - or three. Help me keep the record(s) straight...
LOCAL ANNOUNCEMENTS: After giving it much thought this link has been "put-down". During the last year most of the folks who used to use this page as a bulletin board have acquired their own and, consequently, no longer need this forum from "Views". I have, however, kept links (in the links section) to Larry Hohler's "Hope Homes" in Kenya - and to Bette Lou Higgins' Eden Valley Enterprises sites. They are historically and socially relevant projects. I suggest that you visit these sites on a regular basis to see "what's shakin'".
Pay particular note to the "Hope Homes" page during the next few months. They've recently received a significant grant from the Dolan Foundation and are constructing a Manual Training Center for their children and for other young people in that community. This is an exciting project.
The Vermilion High School Class of 1959 may be interested in knowing that a reunion is planned for the weekend of September 18-20, 2009. Registration can be made through Roger Boughton 2205 SW 10th Ave. Austin, MN. 55912 or you can just emailRoger.
Where's Alice? I found this link interesting. You just never know what Vermilion expatriots are up to - or where their up to doing it. Alice Wakefield is one of those people. So check out his link. Methinks you'll be surprised: Talking Turkey.
The Beat Goes On: The page is generated by the dreaded Macintosh Computer and is written and designed by (me) Rich Tarrant. It will change weekly ~ usually on Saturday. Bookmark the URL (Universal Resource Locater) and come back at your own leisure. Send the page to your friends (and enemies if you wish). If you have something to share with those who visit this page, pass it on. And if you see something that
is in need of correction do the same. My sister, Nancy, is a great help in that respect. It only takes me a week to get things right. And follow the links. You might find something you like. If you experience a problem with them let me know. Also, if you want to see past editions of this eZine check the new archives links below.
If you're looking for my old links section (pictured) I've replaced it with a pull-down menu (visible in the small box next to the word "Go"). If you're looking for links to more Vermilion history check that menu.
How the old links menu looked
For Persons who would like to donate to the cause (to keep these "Views" on-line you can send whatever you would like to me at the following address. And THANKS to everybody who has already donated to the cause. I doth certainly appreciate it):
Rich Tarrant
1041 Oakwood Drive
Vermilion, Ohio
44089
Telephone: 440-967-0988 - Cell: 440-522-4459
or you can use PayPal:
"Proofread carefully to see if you any words out."
-Unknown
Vol.7, Issue 16, July 4, 2009
Archive Issue #329
© 2009 Rich Tarrant