_{"These shadows were captured during the very late 1940s or very early 1950s..."}

HISTORY & AESTHETICS: One of my very favorite paintings is entitled “Nighthawks”. It is the work of an artist named Edward Hopper. Painted in 1942 it was purchased by the Art Institute of Chicago for $3,000, and is still there today. It is said to be one of the most recognizable paintings in American art. For those unfamiliar with the painting it is, very simply stated, a portrait of 4 people inside in a city diner late at night. In many ways the quiet simplicity of the subject matter subtly ignites the imagination – and the viewer is persuaded to fill in the blanks.

The snapshot (and it is a snapshot taken with a cheap camera) accompanying this week’s monograph, in some respects, reminds me of Hopper’s painting; it’s very quiet and unassuming. And it could easily stand by itself sans any, or much, commentary. But setting aesthetics aside some may find the factual / historical components of the photo to be equally interesting.

These shadows were captured during the very late 1940s or very early 1950s on the north side of Liberty Avenue between Main and Grand streets. The fellow in the photo leaning against the window of the Lake Erie Power and Light Service Company is Vermilionite Clarence Phillips. When that company was absorbed by the Ohio Edison Company Clarence who, for many years worked as a lineman, made the transition and stayed with them until he retired. That is most certainly how and where he met his wife Elizabeth who worked in the Edison office. During the 1950s the Edison Company purchased the old George Blattner Hardware store (not pictured) tore it down, and built a new brick store that is currently (2013) occupied by Papa Joe’s Pizza and Pie store. Tony Mroski then moved his shoe store into the empty electric company storefront.

The adjacent building (east / right) was, as is obvious, an Isaly’s deli / ice cream store. They had a nice soda fountain where they were selling “Fresh Strawberry Sundaes” for a dime, and large ice cream cones for a nickel when this shot was snapped. During the 1950s Isaly’s left town and the business became known as the Dari-Bar operated by the Blakely Family. In the early 1960s the Dari-Bar was gone replaced by the Kountry Kitchen restaurant operated by a good fellow named Dick Johnson. Jim Lehner Sr. who worked for Bettcher Industries and owned the building brought Johnson, a meat-cutter, in from Delaware, Ohio to run the restaurant. The Old Prague restaurant replaced the Kountry Kitchen in the latter part of the 1960s. Currently (2013) the “Prague” not only occupies that same building, but also the one where Tony’s shoe store and the old electric company were once located.

The trees to the east, just beyond the Isaly store, were in the front yard of a home that was built by Adam Trinter during the 19th century. The home had a number of different tenants through the years – some notable, some not. For a number of years Vermilion’s Dr. Buell and his family lived and kept an office in the house. In March of 1921 Dr. Buell’s car apparently stalled on the tracks near Brownhelm, Ohio and was struck by a train. The 36-year-old doctor was instantly killed. The home was razed in the late 1950s - replaced by a parking lot.

Finally, just visible beyond the trees is part of the White Inn Restaurant. I have written about the Inn in the past (VPJ 07/08/05) so there’s not much left to say about it; except that it was also razed and is now part of the aforementioned parking lot. And so ends my commentary re: this very elegant and informative snapshot of a yesteryear in Vermilion, O. Though it will hardly achieve the notoriety of Hopper’s “Nighthawks” painting it is of no less value historically or aesthetically to me.

_{Ref: U.S. Census Date, 1920; Sandusky Start-Journal, 04/20/1921; Special Thanks to Tina Demou and her mother, her late father Steve, and the late Liz and Clarence Phillips;Published in the Vermilion Photojournal 12/12/2013; Written 12/08/13 @ 11:16 AM.}

Vol. IX - NO.38 – MAR 1, 1906.

THE DEBATE

Berlin Heights High School Loses To
Vermilion for the Second Time.

A large and enthusiastic crowd was at the Opera House Friday evening to listen to the debate between members of the Berlin Hts. and the Vermilion High Schools upon the all-important question, the Chinese Exclusion Act.

[VV Ed. Note: The Chinese Exclusion Act was a United States federal law signed by President Chester A. Arthur in 1882. It was one of the most significant restrictions on free immigration in US history, prohibiting all immigration of Chinese laborers. The act followed revisions made in 1880 to the US-China Burlingame Treaty of 1868, revisions that allowed the US to suspend Chinese immigration. The act was initially intended to last for 10 years, but was renewed in 1892 and made permanent in 1902. It was finally repealed by the Magnuson Act in 1943.]

The Vermilion pupils challenged the pupils of the Berlin school some time ago and gave them choice of question and side of the same upon which to debate. The following was their choice, also the names of the debaters on both sides:

QUESTION – Resolved, that after the expiration of the Chinese Exclusion Law, a more lenient law be substituted and stricter immigration laws e passed relative to the nations of Southern Europe. Affirmative: Carl H. Wirth, Edna Hamer, Floyd Yarrick, Hiram Knapp. Negative: Nellie Klaar, Herman Ball, Edna Trinter, Thomas Bottomley.

REBUTTAL – Herman Ball, Carl H. Wirth.

Each speaker is allowed 10 minutes in regular debate, 5 minutes in rebuttal.

About sixty from the Heights came over in a special car including Supt. And Mrs. Davis, Rev. G.M. Knapp, and rev. Milton J. Norton and all seemed confident of success. Rev. Norton was the chairman of the first half of the program and Mr. E.L. Coen of the second half.

The crowd had hardly gathered when the Berlin Heights pupils indulged in their class yell as follows:

B-H-H-S
B-H-H-S
High School – High School
Berlin Heights

Fortunately or unfortunately the pupils of the Vermilion school had been too busy looking up points on the Chinese question to indulge in a class yell, so could only cheer in the good old fashioned American manner.

After two from each side had spoken Miss Lawless and Merrill and Messrs Lawless and Seeman sang a medley of National songs, which pleased the audience. In the rebuttal both humor and point was displayed. Master Merman Ball caused much amusement and applause y his manner of procedure in answering the affirmative. He was by far the youngest member on either side being only thirteen years of age but is well read and happily gifted and fitted for debating.

We fail to see why the affirmative made the attempt at rebuttal as few points were scored so far as the writer could observe. While the judges who were W.R. Comings, Supt. Schools of Elyria, D.J. Boone, Prin. High School Lorain and Prin. Geo. Dietrich, of Sandusky, Miss Maud Fischer and Miss Matie Merrill each entertained the audience with Piano Solos and as a delay became apparent Miss Olive and Mr. Miles Lawless gave an instrumental duet. In giving the decision Supt. Comings complemented both schools upon their work as shown in the debate and after a short address gave the decision in favor of Vermilion 2 to 1. Then came a cheer and waving of pennants such as a Vermilion audience seldom witnesses. After congratulations the crowd departed the victors all wearing the “smile that won’t come off” and vanquished in the more said but wiser manner. Both the victor and vanquished have learned a lesson by the study of the question that they will never forget. The proceeds of the evening were divided between the schools.

[VV ED. Note: I don’t know (of course) who wrote this report, but objective they weren’t. I must confess that one of the debaters (Tom Bottomley) was my grandmother’s brother so that might have played in the prejudiced view. My uncle went on to become both a pharmacist and an attorney.]

Petition Filed in Bankruptcy.

An involuntary bankruptcy petition was file against the Erie Woodworking company, of Vermilion, O., by six creditors in the United States district court at Toledo Wednesday afternoon. The petition alleges the concern has debts aggregating $22,000. The creditors are Advance Lumber company, $1,127.26; Cleveland Tool & Supply company, &414.60; Burrows Brother company $66. 38, Love Boyd & Co.,$163.76; C. Mattison Machine works, $78.19, and the Arkansas Lumber Co., $51.668 [sic] all of Cleveland.

The petition alleges that the concern is insolvent and that an act of bankruptcy was committed January 10, when an assignment of lumber valued at $6,000 was made to the Erie County Banking company. United States Deputy Marshal Ben Wagner served the petition on A.W. Burrows, president.

The home of U.S. Behner of Lorain was entered by burglars Saturday afternoon. They ransacked the house and took a child’s chain and locket a small bank containing about $1.50 and a cherry pie.

Henry C. Kelley of Kelley’s Island, was killed in Cleveland Sunday by a Euclid Ave. car, while returning from Church.

Real Estate Transfers.

Missionary Society of the Evangelical Association of North America to Judson H. Lamb, lots 4 and 7, Linwood Park, Vermilion, $100.

Nellie Ritz to Jay Burdue, part of lot 120, Ceylon village, $1, etc.

C.C. Baumhart to Henry Abell, lot No. 17, in outlot 27, Vermilion village, $1, etc.

C.L. Ruggles to Florence Giles parts of lots 44 and 39 Crescent View Allotment, Berlin township, $150.

A.D. Baumhart to John E. and Della Hess parts of lots 265 and 266 block 31 Vermilion village, $1600.

David P. Henderson formerly speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives died at Mercy Hospital, Dubuque, Iowa Sunday, after an illness of nine months.

HURON

The new rooms of the High School building were dedicated Friday evening. A fine program was prepared for the occasion.

Mr. and Mrs. Angus Cole were called to Plymouth last week by the death of their nephew Edward Cole.

Capt. C.Z. Montague who has been in Buffalo for the past two months, returned home Tuesday accompanied by Capt. Randolph.

ASHMONT.

Master George Nuhn who has been very sick with pneumonia is some better. His friends and schoolmates all hope to see him able to attend school in a couple of weeks.

Ellsworth Lee, who has been quite sick, is no better at this writing.

Mr. and Mrs. M.D. Slocum and daughters Effie and Clare attended the dance at Florence Friday eve.

The friends and relatives Ernest Coultrip hear he has been qjite sick with pneumonia, wish him a speedy recovery.

Arthur Heys of Ogontz made his usual visit here.

BIRMINGHAM.
Delayed Letter.

Another kind of weather greets the Old Saint Valentine this morning. A big blizzard.

A large concourse of friends and relatives gathered at the residence of Mr. Hales yesterday to pay their last regards to their friend and comrade, Harry Hales. Few people knew of his absence from home and when the news came Sunday morning that he had died in Chicago the Saturday before, everyone was shocked and could scarcely believe it to be possible. He was nearly 23 years old, and as nice a young man as you seldom see. The friends and relatives, and especially his mother and father have the sympathy of the entire community.

The Grange of this place held a meeting last night.

It is expected that navigation will open earlier than usual this spring. Passenger goats are preparing so [sic] start March 5th and freighters April 1st.

COURT NOTES

Further testimony was taken before Judge Sloane in the probate court on Friday in the hearing of the preliminary questions in the proceedings instituted by the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad company for the appropriation of land at Huron for additional terminal facilities.

After hearing the evidence Judge Sloane found in favor of the railroad company and the case was tried to a jury on Tuesday.

Suit was entered against the Vermilion Milling Co. in the court of common pleas on Saturday by the Brunk Machine Co. Plaintiff company claims to have supplied labor and materials at the defendant company’s works in Vermilion to the value of $597.05, for which amount it asks judgement with interest from October last. A mechanic’s lien was field on Feb. 10 and the plaintiff company seeks to have this declared a lien on the premises of the defendant, which are situate in C.C. Baumhart’s allotment. The Erie County Banking Co. is made a party defendant and plaintiff asks that the bank be ordered to set up its interest in the property upon which the lien has been placed.

John Counter who was convicted of burglary and sentenced to the reformatory a Mansfield recently was take to that institution by Sheriff Hoffman Saturday afternoon.

[VV Ed. Note: Again, a piece about Mr. Counter. Keep your eyes open. There’s more.]

Conrad Heidloff a Vermilion fisherman was adjudged insane in probate court Monday and committed to the State Hospital at Toledo.

[ VV. Ed. Note: This is just some trivial stuff: I don’t know yet what Conrad’s relationship was to Charles Heidloff who managed Vermilion’s baseball teams with Alta Weiss – or if he was related at all. Professionally Charles was a bookkeeper for Kishman Fish in the early years of the 20th century. He must have been related to Conrad. In April 1892 Conrad’s youngest son, Willie, drowned in the Vermilion River after a small boat he was riding in capsized.]

INSANE

John Counter of this place who was recently sentenced to the reformatory at Mansfield for burglarizing Geo. Krapp’s saloon went suddenly insane at the county jail Friday. He refused to speak to any of the other prisoners, and tore his clothing into fragments. The authorities hurried him to Mansfield to get him off the county’s hands. It is thought he will recover.

[VV Ed. Note: This guy, as some are currently wont to say, was apparently really “a piece of work”. I’m now anxious to see what might have become of him. Thus far, he’s tried every trick in the book to avoid punishment for his stupidity. Just out of curiosity I made a search for him on Ancestry.com and found him back in jail in 1930. I also found that he worked as a fisherman when he worked. He ran with a rough crowd.]

LOCALS.

Born – To Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Allen a daughter Monday Feb. 26.

The Duplex Stamping Co.’s factory has shut down for a short time.

Henry Pelton, who is being treated for cander by Dr. Hendricks, is on the road to recovery.

Married – At Birmingham, Wednesday Feb 28th. Wm. Wasem to Miss Amelia Lattiman.

The High School will have a baseball team this year. If they can play ball as well as they debate they are all right.

Gas has been struck in large quantities on the Hitchcock place. Fred Lawless is piping it into Mr. Hitchcock’s house.

The Erie Woodworking Co.’s factory is being operated this week by the receiver to finish orders. Stone is being hauled to the brass works site this week.

A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Barnes of Norwalk Tuesday, Feb. 29,’06. Mrs. Barnes was formerly Miss Mame Ennis of this place.

Mrs. E.J. Bentley, living one mile west of Florence, died last Friday of consumption. She had been sick many months. Her husband died of the same disease a few years ago. She leaves two sons, Roy and Lester.

Mrs. Gene Pelton is reported quite ill.

Mrs. W.A. Tischer is suffering from the effects of a fall Wednesday.

Born – Sunday Feb. 25, ’06 to Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Harrison of Birmingham, a son.

For Sale – Cheap, a one story building 16x24. Inquire at Post Office.

Sixteen members of Ely Lodge F.A.M. attended a meeting of the Masonic Lodge at Lorain Wednesday evening. A fine time is reported.

LEGISLATIVE Senator Schmidt, of Cuyahoga, introduced his Sunday baseball bill. Authorizing councils to permit amateur baseball playing on Sunday when no admission is charged.

A bill introduced by Mr. Roberts of Cuyahoga – Prohibits the sale of liquor within 500 feet of schools or churches and in house of ill fame.

[VV Ed. Note: Does this mean that prostitution was acceptable, but the sale of alcohol to clients was not? I doubt it. But it certainly appears that way.]

By a vote of 91 to 16, the house passed the Jones bill Thursday, which provides for municipal local option by petition, instead of by election, places the initiative exclusively in the hands of the temperance people, and, it is claimed by the Anti-Saloon league will enable people to drive saloons from all residence districts of cities. Only the main or central business section of the city is exempted from local option under the bill. The house committee on temperance favorable reported the Spangler anti-treating bill. The measure makes it unlawful for any person to buy a drink for another in a saloon or in any place where liquor is sold. It also prohibits bartenders giving away any drinks. The penalty provided is a fine of from $1 to $5 for the first offenses. $5 to $50 for the second and $5 to $100 for the third offense.

BIRMINGHAM

Mr. Geo. Edgar has bought Mrs. Sadie Mills’ house and lots in town and expects to make his home here.

The building for the new meat market has been moved into position. Who says Birmingham is not moving?

Winnie Haise, who has been traveling with an orchestra, spent Sunday at Mr. Darby’s with her friend Miss Carter. Her mother and brother accompanied her. Dr. Boss and wife also visited Mrs. Darby.

One of our neighbors counted 28 robins Saturday morning and we have heard bluebirds.

Mr. E. Hales has begun to work in his sugar-bush.

[VV Ed. Note: A “sugar bush” is a plantation of sugar maples.]

Russ Lawrence’s youngest child died Sunday with pneumonia setting after whooping cough.

BROWNHELM

Mr. Geo. Hahn who has been seriously ill is slowly improving.

Frank Leimbach met with what might have been a serious accident while in Lorain Friday. When crossing the street he was struck by a streetcar. He was picked up in an unconscious condition having received a wound on his head. A physician was called and later in the day he was brought home.

C. L. Whittlesey is seriously ill.

_{"...'fun' in 1913 seems to have been (for the lack of a better, or more polite, term) slightly obtuse."}

RETURN WITH US NOW: The shadows accompanying this week’s monograph were captured on film right around the year 1951. It was very likely during a Memorial Day Parade. The photo was taken from the southeast corner of Grand and Liberty streets looking northwest. Behind the horsemen is the old Gulf gas station / Kaiser-Frazer auto dealership, currently (2013) the site of Vermilion’s new Friendship Park, and the house that once sat just to the west of it. The corner has changed so much during the last few years that many persons new to our pretty city would be unable to recognize the site today. Admittedly this snapshot may not mean a great deal to most folks. But to me it brought to mind one of the most thrilling days of my (then) young life. But first, about the picture:

I remember the Kaiser dealership quite well because even at seven years of age I was enamored by their streamlined design. Most automobiles of the era were – for the lack of a better word to describe them – “boxier” looking. I’m not sure just who owned the dealership back then. I am inclined to think that it was Vermilionite Glenn Martin because his first wife, Mae, owned one of the cars. (That claim, however, is not writ in stone.)

But about the subject(s) of the photo: The cowboy on the pinto is my big brother Billy; the fellow next to him is Tony Kudela; the little cowpoke behind my brother is Jimmy Nuhn; and the last rider is Jimmy’s father Bob. Long time Vermilion residents would easily remember all these guys.

Harry Troxel (VPJ 04/12/12) eventually became a Vermilion policeman. He was a darn good guy and cop. Unfortunately health problems interrupted his career as a peace officer and he was forced to quit. He died in 1987 at the tender age of 50 years.

Bob Nuhn worked at the steel mill, and with his wife Lucille ran the Liberty Theatre and, later, the Riverview Nursing Home (formerly the old George / Elton Fischer Mansion – also a relatively new park site along the river). The couple eventually retired and moved to Florida with their son Jim. They have long since passed away. But the last I heard Jim was still living there.

Over the years my brother Bill had two horses. They were both pintos – beautiful animals. I don’t know which one he’s riding in this photograph. One horse was named Tony and the other was Cloud. My sister, Nancy, also had several horses. They kept them at the Thayer farm on east Darrow Road. Occasionally – for parades or just to ride – they rode them into town. They were seldom trailered anywhere. Times were a tad different in the 50s. I doubt that many folks would want to ride a horse down State Route 60 in current traffic conditions.

Because of this snap I recalled a time when I was attending Sunday school at the First Congregational Church. Local attorney / postmaster Tom Williams was the Sunday school teacher. Every Sunday afternoon when the weather was good he’d take the class on a hike into the country. One afternoon we hiked out to Cooper’s Hollow several miles south of town along the river. At the time the crumbling old wagon bridge was still there, and we were sitting around talking and eating sandwiches we’d packed for the hike. Suddenly we heard the sound of hoofs pounding on the ground. And as we looked in the direction of the sound there appeared a group of riders. They raced through the tall grass, splashed across a shallow part of the river, and were gone in a flash. It was one of the most exciting moments of my young life. But more exciting (from my viewpoint) was the fact that both my brother and sister were among the six or seven riders. It was something I’d only seen before in motion pictures. The real thing took my breath away.

Today my big brother, Bill, is now in his mid 80s and doesn’t get around much anymore. Sister Nance still gets around – but not on a horse of course. And you already know the fate of the other riders pictured. But I might have misplaced my memories of that thrilling Sunday afternoon in a yesteryear if it was not for this photo.

_{Ref: Published in the Vermilion Photojournal 01/16/14; Written 01/12/14 @ 9:52 AM.}

PURITY AND JACK GREY: I just got this document yesterday, and thought it very cool. A fellow named Michael Goodman passed it along with this communiqué:

”Hi Rich,

I'm a "lurker" on your site and receive your weekly email. I love your site as well as your column in the VPJ. I'm not a member of your museum yet but hope to remedy that soon.

I saw a while back you ran a short piece on the "Shack Lunch," and thought I'd send you a jpeg of this lease, which my grandfather, Sam Goodman, wrote with Mr. Gray back in the 1920s. His company, Purity Bottling Co., made pop and sold "near beer" in Lorain starting in 1922, and later became the Goodman Beverage Company, which sold beer and wine (Strohs, Gallo, Labatts, etc.) My family operated the company until 2008 when we sold it to Heidelberg Distributing. They're still in business, having refit a building on Baumhart Rd at the old Ford plant.

It was a hard time for doing business in the 1920s and 30s, during Prohibition, though my family actually started out in the pop business and didn't start selling beer and wine until Prohibition was repealed in 1933. Before Coke and Pepsi ruled the roost, I think almost every town had a small store that made and sold soda pop and apparently my grandfather had some trucks as well and serviced nearby towns like Vermilion. Everyone has always asked me if he was a bootlegger --and I asked my father about that -- but was told my grandfather, a recent immigrant to the US, was always above-board -- I speculate because he didn't want to be deported!

At any rate, sorry for the large size of the file but it's an interesting document, and historic. (I also have a bill of sale from Mr. Grey two years later, which indicates that he bought the items that he had previously leased.)”

This is great stuff. It not only shows us how some business was conducted back then – but it also provides us with some history about Goodman Beverage and (of course) Jack Grey.

What a great artifact. Most folks probably would’ve tossed something like this.