Vermilion Ohio, A Good Place to Live
SHOPTALK: On my home desk this week is a pic of the nicest park in the whole darn city – Exchange Park. As time marcheth on the great view of the harbor was stolen, and the great ability of it being a place where one could while the day away watching the traffic pass by with friends (a.k.a. Rubberneck Park) on Liberty street has been nearly obliterated – but it remains a place of solace for weary souls and old men such as myself.
On the shop desk this week is a pic of the cluttered news desk at the shop. Joel Vormelker stopped by one day with a copy of Harold Ludlow’s recording of steam locomotives so I set it on the desk a shot this pic of the album cover.
It was extremely helpful to me because it led me to acquire a digital copy from Folkway Records that is part of the Smithsonian. Unlike Mr. Ludlow I never liked the old steam trains much. Growing up next to the tracks it wasn’t the noise that bothered me much – it was the dirt and grime they discharged into the air as they passed that I found irritating.
Nonetheless the sounds of the old steamers are mesmerizing. The old steam locomotives are the great dinosaurs of an American era long past.
Historically,
GENERATION ZERO: The problem of drug addiction in our community and, of course, American society can hardly be ignored. And it appears that most of the responses to this problem are positive and well intended. Programs aimed at helping addicted persons overcome their addiction are increasingly being made available and are to be commended. And there should be little doubt that law officers are trying to take those responsible for providing these drugs to the public off the streets. Yet however one looks at it the business principle commonly known as “The Law of Supply and Demand” makes eradication of this problem nearly impossible. In short, so long as there is a demand for a product someone, somewhere will somehow be more than happy to supply it.
Consequently, the real solution to this problem is reducing and eliminating demand. But as obvious and simple as this seems it is not. It requires those dependent on drugs to experience no small amount of physical and mental suffering. And that’s a hard sell: Especially for a society that is constantly expecting and looking for quick and painless solutions for long-term problems.
The hard truth is that there isn’t a pill available that will eliminate ones craving / need for narcotics. Although there is another drug called Methadone that can be used to lessen withdrawal symptoms it, unfortunately, can also be as addictive. Ergo, the cure can become part of the problem.
Again, there is no easy solution to drug dependence for anyone. The programs that offer kind assistance and understanding can be very helpful. But they’re only helpful if an individual has an earnest and honest desire to quit and is willing to apply him or herself no matter how hard it may be.
Whatever the case addicts should well understand they will quit using. But how it happens is their choice and their choice only: They can opt to quit or they can opt to die. That’s neither a pretty nor a nice way to put it, but it is the unvarnished truth.
Again, there are no quick or easy solutions to this problem. The programs designed to help addicts are useful. But they do not exist to afford addicts temporary respite. Addiction is a permanent affliction. It is not the flu. However, permanent programs exist to insure an individual sobriety so long as they participate in them. They’re not magic. But they work.
Just how any of this “shakes down” in the years to come is anyone’s guess. But my thought on the matter is that in the future it appears very likely that there will be a generation of Americans missing. It will be called Generation Zero – a generation of Americans who, rather than deal with the hard times inherent in giving up the use of narcotics - even after recognizing their addiction as being a treatable illness - opted out.
THREE CHEERS FOR VERMILION: They called it “The Great War”. World War One (WWI) was, as most know, a global conflict originating in Europe that lasted from 28 July 1914 to 11 November 1918. More than 70 million soldiers, including 60 million Europeans, were called on to participate in one of the largest wars in history. For two and one-half years President Woodrow Wilson struggled to keep the United States out of the war. But following Germany’s decision to wage an all-out attack on commercial vessels sailing to Britain as well as its proposal to help Mexico regain territories lost in the Mexican-American War (1846-48) Wilson had had enough. On April 6, 1917 Congress voted to declare war on Germany and the “war to end all wars” was begun.
Prior to last week I’d never thought much about how the people in our little village might have reacted to the news of this war. I knew that several of our boys – namely Archie Burch and George Feiszli – were later killed in the conflict. But, again, just how Vermilionites might have responded to the initial declaration never occurred to me until I came across the accompanying editorial. It appeared in a local daily on April 21, 1917. I also find the sharp reproach of Lorainites for their ignoring, and / or their apparent disagreement with, the Congressional declaration to be historically interesting. But that’s another matter. What I found very interesting was the reaction of the people of our town.
It was center front-page news. Not too long after war had been declared a gathering of 600 flag draped men, women and children gathered together and marched to the Vermilion Township Hall. Leading the procession was the local Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Band. And though the hall, aside from perhaps the school on State Street, was likely the biggest public building in the village, it was not really big enough to hold 600 people; At least not comfortably. Consequently, the crowd squeezed, climbed, stood, draped and leaned anywhere and everywhere they could. It really must have been both an impressive and entertaining spectacle.
Once gathered, all the local ministers offered prayers; The voices of all gathered enjoined in singing the “Star Spangled Banner” and “America, the Beautiful”; local dignitaries gave patriotic orations and many in attendance pledged their services; all in a graphic display of their “Love For Liberty”. It seems that everybody who was anybody seemed to have been in attendance – and probably even a few more. The News also reported that a few of the veterans of “61 – 65” (i.e. the Civil War) who attended “seemed young and ready to spring again to the call of their country.”
One of the things that one might note regarding the results of this rally is that in 1917 Vermilion had a population of only 2000 or less souls. Keeping in mind that less than half of these folks were male, and that far less than those who remained were adult males between the ages of 18 and 40 years then their recruitment of 70 persons to potentially serve in the military was a very significant number. Whether that many actually joined the service and fought in the war is unknown (to me). Nonetheless, the mind-set and the spirit illustrated by the Vermilionites of a yesteryear are very impressive. Three cheers for them!
YESTERYEAR'S NEWS: The following clips were orally transcribed from past issues of The Vermilion News. I think you will find them both interesting and fun...
At the annual meeting of the stockholders of the Erie County Banking Company held at the Bank Tuesday forenoon, the old Board of Directors consisting of L. Body, E.L. Coen, H.B. Kishman, C.J. Martin and E.B. Welch was unanimously reelected.
The proposal to accept at once the provisions of the new Bank Law, which had been recommended by the Directors was adopted without a dissenting vote, 928 our of the total of 100 shares being represented.
At the meeting of Directors held in the evening, Mr. Body, who had served as President of the Bank since Jn. 1, 1895, declined a reelection. It had been his desire to retire for the past three or our years but he yielded to the wishes of the other members and now leaves the office after filling it most creditably for the long period of fourteen years.
He retains his large interest in the Bank and continues on its Board of Directors.
The following officers were elected for the ensuing year.
H.B. Kishman, President, E.L. Coen, First Vice President and Cashier, E.B. Welch, Second Vice President, and M.E. Lawless, Asst. Cashier.
21 years ago the town fathers arranged to light the village with coal-oil lamps. Geo. E. Andrews made application for the position of lamplighter. He was given he work and for over a score of years with the exception of six months he has trudged the streets night and morning on the moonlight schedule in all kinds of weather and been a faithful servant of the town. His brother Charles a G.A.R.* man, has been associated with him and the Andrews brothers with their ladder and oilcans have been a familiar part of our village street life. They could not produce the brilliant electric light of the present system, but with the facilities given them they have brought out all that was possible to the do in the way of lighting the streets at night. Nothing beats faithfulness. No spasmodic effort and no brilliancy compare with it. The News as the towns historian, counts it a privilege as well as simple duty to record this shining example of faithful public service as the old system gives way to the new.
[NOTE: *CHARLES ANDREWS [b.19 Feb. 1839 – d. 22 Sep. 1911. He Enlisted in Company F, Ohio 128th Infantry Regiment on 21 Dec 1863 and Mustered out on 13 Jul 1865 at Camp Chase, OH. In his younger years he’d worked as a sailor on the Great Lakes.] He was the father of Mary D. Childs and grandfather to William Earl Childs. He was nine years older than his brother George. At the time of this notice he was 70 years old.
This little article also underlines a milestone in local history (i.e. the passage of “the old system” to the new).
Monday morning at 6 o’clock traces of a fox were found on the Washburn premises, south of town. R.B. Washburn and a brother immediately started in to find Mr. Fox, who may have had designs upon Mr. Washburn’s blooded chickens.
After a chase of perhaps 20 miles the fox was discovered and R.B. shot it. It is a fine specimen and Mr. Washburn sent to Lorain to have it mounted. The chase having lasted until about 12 o’clock.
The following letter was delivered to the Mayor by the Ministers of Vermilion after hey read it to him. It needs no explanation.
Vermilion, O. Feb. 1, 1909.
To the
Hon. H.R. Williams
Mayor of Vermilion, O.
Mr. Mayor,
We the ministers of Vermilion: G.E. Merrill, J.W. H. Brown, E.W. Bockstahler, A.G. Lohmann and W.P. Murray, do in personally appearing before you, as citizens, most earnestly protest against the violation of the law in Vermilion, especially that governing the sale of intoxicating liquors.
We demand of you, as the Chief Executive of the Village, the enforcement of the law.
We demand the CLOSING of EVERY saloon ALL DAY on SUNDAY.
We demand that the law forbidding liquor to be sold to or given to MINORS be enforced.
We demand that whenever a person is placed on the “Black-List” that no liquor be sold to him either DIRECTLY or INDIRECTLY or to a KNOWN DRUNKARD or to a man under the INFLUENCE of liquor.
We will consider a future violation of the law especially in the points above mentioned as a challenge [sic] from those who break the law to the law-abiding citizen to test the strength of the matter.
We do now serve notice that unless the law is enforced we will take up the challenge [sic] and ask for an election in the village on the saloon.
[NOTE: Obviously an interesting artifact. While one gets the gist of it – it was poorly written.
Vermilion must’ve been quite a place with the saloons open on Sunday serving drunks and juveniles. And one can’t help but wonder about the “Black-List” persons; who they might’ve been referring to. One gets the feeling that an angry spouse placed the names that list. It would’ve been a unique way to try to keep a wife or husband out of a saloon altogether.]
At the council meeting Monday evening two engineers wee ordered to go on and complete the work of planning and estimating the cost of a sewer system and disposal plant. The latter to be located South of the Nickel Plate bridge, as this seems to be the most feasible place for the plant.
The lighting of railroad crossing was under discussion to some length but no actin taken in regard to the matter.
The placing of the electric lights also formed a part of the topic of discussions but probably one or two exceptions no changes will be made in the lights at present.
John Golsika is report quite ill at his home in South Amherst.
Walter Brucker who enlisted in the navy has been assigned to the ship Lancaster and likes his position.
Miss Jenine Miller when in Elyria last Saturday slipped and dislocated her hip. She has made her home with her brother Mr. Joseph Miller for some years.
Miss May Straw has entered the Memorial hospital where she will fit herself to be a trained nurse.
Mr. William Franklin and Mrs. Redfern [sic] two of S. Amherst’s aged residents are critically ill.
The new manufacturing plant will soon be in working order, several of he large machines have arrived and are being installed. The work is in charge of Albert Uthe the manager of the new plant.
Mrs. S.S. Tule who underwent an operation at the Lorain hospital was brought home Sunday. She is improving rapidly.
Mrs. Charles Boughton is recovering rapidly from her recent operation at the Lorain hospital an it is thought she will be able to return home Thursday.
Township Trustee N.F. Foster was busy last week circulating a petition among the property owners of North Ridge asking the county commissioners to macadamize a road, which is the most used in the county. Reports are that the county commissioners are in favor of it and will recommend that the county pay its proportion of the costs.
Earl Leimbach is now in the business of breaking colts.
Harold Leimbach has a very sore finger at present.
This weather is quite a surprise to everyone.
Mrs. Frank Miller assisted Mrs. V. Leimbach in tieing [sic] off comforters two days last week.
F.H. Laning has been reappointed postmaster at Norwalk.
Geo. B. Bellmy, of Elyria dropped dead Saturday morning just in front of the P.O.
An Ada Pastor refused to go one with his sermon last Sunday until the Ladies removed their hats.
Reuben turner, 73, well known in Democratic circles, died Friday at his home near Avery.
It will not be difficult to keep awake tomorrow, Friday evening at the Town Hall while Peter Witt is speaking.
Clayton Van Scoy, 20, of New London met death udner the wheels of a freight as he attempted to swing himself off a moving boxcar. He had been working in Wellington.
Electric lights were turned on Monday evening.
[NOTE:A true Vermilion milestone.]
Mr. and Mrs. Irey of Berlin Hts. were guest of friends here Saturday.
[NOTE: Soon Professor Irey will become Superintendent of the Vermilion School System. He started out as a teacher in Vermilion and left to take the Superintendent’s job a Berlin Heights. His story is both interesting and very sad.]
The addition of an office and other rooms to the Driscoll Fish House is nearly completed and will be ready for use when the Season opens.
A son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Wright of Oberlin this week. Mrs. Wright was formerly Miss Nellie Parsons.
The little son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Rumsey while playing fell from a box and was hurt. He was taken to Dr. Pelton’s Office but is better now.
Mr. and Mrs. A.H. Leimbach are in receipt of a lot of nice oranges from Florida and in consequence they and their friends are enjoying a treat. The oranges are far sweeter and of finer flavor than those purchased in the stores.
The many friends of Mrs. Amos Pease will be glad to learn that she is again able to be about the house after an illness of several weeks, resulting from a severe fall caused by the breaking of a board in her woodshed.
Those who have already installed electric lights are: Reformed Church and Parsonage, E.W. Kishman residence, G.H. Blattner hardware, Erie County Bank, S.J. Nieding market, S.W. Simons store and residence, O.F. Hatch residence, G.E. Whitmore residence, Church of Christ, E.L. Coen and Masonic Lodge room. Have we missed any? If so let us hear from you.
[NOTE: Again – this is something of local historic interest. I wonder if the Vermilion News had electricity yet?]
BORN – To Mr. and Mrs. Frank Haber, a son, Thursday, Feb.4, 09.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Horace Fisher of Cleveland are both ill with whooping cough.
Tuesday morning looked as if Mr. Ground Hog would not b able to see his shadow, but abut three o’clock the sun came out bright so Mr. G.H. was able to see his shadow, thereby showing that the usual number of weeks for winter to stay with us would not be any less.
Hmmmmmm....
BROWSING: Sometime a person needs to think twice...
STU: Sometime back (05/12/2013) I was shocked when I opened the local paper (i.e. the Vermilion Photojournal) and found that an old buddy of mine had passed on. “Cripes”, I thought, “He was only 68.” His name is Stuart White.
When we was kids we attended Ginny Hain Osberg’s kindergarten class in the room above the old A&P Store on the corner of Liberty and Division street. I didn’t know it then, but Stu was Ginny’s nephew. Stu’s mother, Elizabeth, was an Osberg. I make some note of this herein because the Osberg family – who were, incidentally, of German descent – always seemed (at least to me) to be exceptionally gifted.
To digress momentarily: Stu’s uncles Karl and Leonard Osberg were gifted musicians (among other things). Both men were members of local bands that played and sang in local dancehalls (i.e. Ruggles, Elberta, and Crystal Gardens, etc.).
Stu’s Uncle Leonard was also Mayor of Vermilion back in the 1940s. I’ve written of him several times. The townsfolk called him the “Singing Mayor” because he always sang at local gatherings. He was also a skilled and widely recognized for his skills as an archer. During WW2 he met and married a French girl named Anne Marie. Their daughter, Nadine, was Nadine Furgason. She was born in France.
At one time the family ran a cosmetics manufacturing firm in Vermilion. It was located in the old Guy Davis drygoods store on the northwest corner of Liberty and Grand streets. In the ‘40s the cosmetics company was located in the upper floors of the building with a Pontiac dealership owned by Glenn Martin on the ground floor. When Leonard was Mayor of Vermilion his office was also in the building. It was later destroyed in a fire - But back to my friend Stu.
His given name was actually John Paul Stuart White. Why all the names I never knew – because everyone including his mom and dad called him Stu or Stuart. He was the first person to show me how to smoke driftwood. It was cooler than heck.
At one point in time I spent a good deal of time in the basement of Stu’s (the White) home on the southeast corner of Main and Ferry streets. When his mother would call down to him, “Stuart, would you come up here and help me out?”, he’d reply, “Which way did you come in?” If she asked him to draw her a glass of water, he’d take a piece of paper and a pencil and draw a glass of water.It was an interesting place – and Stu made it more interesting.
I can recall him shooting a 22 rifle into the door of the fruit cellar. And I recall a day when his parents were away when he had placed a pile of gunpowder on the floor, went outside and threw a lit match on it through the cellar window. Wow! What a mess it made. Everything in the cellar was coated with a black residue. I don’t know how his parents handled it because, nice guy that I was, I left before they returned home.
Then there was the time he attached a long piece of fishing line to a wallet that he’d place on the walk in front of his house. People would come along, see the wallet, look around to see if anyone was watching and bend down to pick it up. Stu would yank the line pulling the wallet out of reach, and the person (embarrassed) would look around and walk away.
Stu was an exceptionally smart kid. As such one would think that he’d see no reason to cheat on tests. But Stu, being Stu, viewed finding new ways to cheat on tests as an academic challenge. He was so clever I doubt that any of the teachers ever figured out that he cheated.
I lost touch with him after high school. He went to Miami University, graduated with an engineering degree and married his high school sweetie, Carol Lima. I think I saw him a few times after I returned from Vietnam – but eventually we drifted in other directions in our lives.
He later told me that while living for some time in Nokomis Park in Vermilion he and on of the Leahy boys (another story) made some hot air balloons that they let drift up and over the lake. The balloons, he later told me, caused a small uproar in the area when folks saw them and mistook them for UFOs. But that was something Stu would do because he could.
The last time I saw and spoke with him was at his brother Bruce’s house at Bluebird Beach on the west side of town. He was just visiting. He told me that he still had the lock we’d used on our locker in Junior High School. He recalled that I could open the combination lock without looking at it. (One of my few talents.)
Anyway, it was a short visit and that was the last time I saw him. He was healthy and happy because he was about to retire. I thought I’d be seeing more of him. But I never did. And then I opened the newspaper.
68. That’s far too young to die. But I must admit (with some consternation) that as I get older everyone – both older and younger – get younger. I guess it’s all relative. And somewhere in the universe I know that Stu is planting another wallet on a sidewalk attached to a fishing line – waiting for some innocent to come along and find. It’s just his way.
…rocks, and these again overlaid by limestone’s; and, that in the different strata we have different groups of fossils. In the sandstones and conglomerates, which are the direct debris of the land, we naturally find almost nothing but the remains of terrestrial plants. In the limestones we find mainly the remains of marine organisms, corals, shells, Crustacea, and fishes.
All the rocks of Ohio belong to this class of sedimentary strata, and include abundant examples of each subdivision of the two great groups, the mechanical and organic sediments.
To the list of sedimentary rocks belongs another kind of deposits, to wit, the chemicals, and are such as have been plainly precipitated from chemical solution, and include rock salt, gypsum, materials which form mineral veins, and those deposited by mineral springs, beds of ochre, and iron ore. Some of these owe their accumulation to the action of organic matter, but not having distinctly formed any animal or plant tissue they cannot be classed as organic sediments.
In all parts of the world rocky masses are met with which would not at first sight be referred to either of the classes above named. These are usually found in sheets of greater or lesser thickness, resting in regular sequence one upon another, as though they had once been sediments, but now upheaved and contorted, sometimes standing nearly vertical, and greatly changed both in their structure and texture. They have been called metamorphic or changed rocks. They compose most mountains and have been hardened and made crystalline by the forces that have acted upon them in their upheaval; they usually bear evidence of having been highly heated, and in some cases even fused in the process, so that some of them can hardly be distinguished from members of the class of igneous rocks.
They form all of the mountain chains of our country, and underlie most of New England and much of Canada. We have no representatives of them in Ohio, except such as have been brought by the Drift agencies.
These are the materials with which we have to do in the study of the generalities of geology. The sedimentary rocks underlying the earth's surface form what is known as the geological column, that is, they are arranged in a regular sequence, which holds good over all the earth's surface. It is true, however, that in no one place, so far as has been observed, is every member of this series present; for the reason that while any one formation was accumulating in a sea basin, which occupied only a limited portion of the earth's surface, dry land existed at the same time in great areas, and there no sediments could be deposited. All sedimentary rocks have been formed in oceanic basins.
The oldest rocks of which geologists have any knowledge are those composing the Canadian Highlands, and those exposed on the northern shores of Lake Huron. These are metamorphic rocks, and underlie a broad belt in Canada extending from Labrador to the Lake of the Woods, and thence to the…
THE BAR: I never spent much time here, but I do remember it. However, it was always a good deal darker than it appears in this particular photograph. McGarvey’s bar was always little to rich for my taste and pocketbook. I was not a sophisticated boozer – just a boozer.
One must admit that it was an attractive place. I did know the barmaid and her husband. But I seriously doubt that they ever knew me. As I said it was always a good deal darker when I was there.
The visiting church school supervisor asks little Johnny during Bible class who broke down the walls of Jericho. Little Johnny replies that he does not know, but it definitely was not him.
The supervisor, taken aback by this lack of basic Bible knowledge goes to the school principal and relates the whole incident.
The principal replies that he knows little Johnny as well as his whole family very well and can vouch for them, if little Johnny said that he did not do it, he as principal is satisfied that it is the truth.
Even more appalled the inspector goes to the regional Head of Education and relates the whole story.
After listening he replies: "I cannot see why you are making such a big issue out of this; just get three quotations and we'll choose a contractor to fix the silly wall."
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'".
Persons interested in the history of the Lake Shore Electric Railway (which was the subject of a recent past podcast series) - "the greatest electaric railway system on the planet" may want to go to Amazon.com and purchase a book called "Images of Rail - Lake Shore Electric Railway". It was put together by Thomas J. Patton with the help of my friends DENNIS LAMONT and ALBERT DOANE. It'd make a nice gift.
Another great book with Vermilion Roots is, "Grandma's Favorites: A Compilation of Recipes from MARGARET SANDERS BUELL by Amy O'Neal, ELIZABETH THOMPSON and MEG WALTER (May 2, 2012). This book very literally will provide one with the flavor of old Vermilion. And ye can also find it at Amazon.com. Take a look.
MARY WAKEFIELD BUXTON'S LATEST BOOK "The Private War of William Styron" is available in paper back for $15.00 with tax and can be purchased locally at Buxton and Buxton Law Office in Urbanna, ordered from any book store, Amazon.com or Brandylane Publishing Company. A signed, hard back edition may be purchased from Mrs. Buxton directly for $30.00 by writing her at Box 488, Urbanna, VA 23175 and including $6.00 for tax, postage and packaging.
THE BEAT GOES ON: This page is generated by a 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
P.O. Box 437
Vermilion, Ohio
44089
Telephone: 440-967-0988 - Cell: 440-522-8397
or you can use PayPal: (NOTE: IT WORKS NOW)
- James Joyce
Vol. 14. Issue 48 - February 4, 2017
Archive Issue #725
| advanced |
© 2016 Rich Tarrant