Vermilion Ohio, A Good Place to Live
SHOPTALK:I’ve got floods on my mind this week; here and elsewhere; present and past. On the shop desk this week is a relatively recent pic of the restaurant that was then called the “Red Clay on the River”. Fortunately it was designed to withstand onsets of water and ice like that shown in the pic. The skirt around the bottom of the place was used to filter out some of the debris that such floods bring. I distinctly recall one resident complaining to me about it – until it’s use was evident. Now the place is known as Quaker Steak and Lube. If the water ever reaches the main floor Vermilion will be experiencing a major flood like the one in the second pic.
On my home desk this week is an old pic of what some called The Great Flood of 1913. As is obvious there was good reason for the name. This flood rivals the one experienced by many on July 4th 1969.
Among the differences of those big floods was the fact that the 1913 flood was caused by ice jamming in the river and its mouth. In the 1969 flood the area was inundated by extreme rainfall in a short amount of time coupled with the collapse of a dam upstream. It was unusual because it was a summertime flood. While floods to occur during the summer few to none have been close to that of 1969. [Knock on wood.]
But early spring or mid-summer both the 1913 and 1969 floods were catastrophic.
REARRANGING THINGS: This week was a week of rearranging things – moving my office at the museum from downstairs in the old bookbinding room to a small upstairs room I was using as a digital darkroom. Fortunately my wife (Georgie) was here and helped me move the big things. Otherwise it would have taken me a week. I’m still not completely finished. But we got enough done to make it a workable environment. I’m thinking this will be permanent.
STILL SEARCHING:Among other things I’m still searching for my lost movs recordings. I’m certain I have them I just don’t know where. With our move to the Olympic Club a few years ago among other things (i.e. have too many cameras and too many flash drives) I’m sure I still have them. When I find them, I might even stay up after 8 p.m. to watch them.
Historically,
JUST FRANK: This little guy (little no more) has been a good friend of mine for many years. When we were young kids we used to go to Crystal Beach skating in the winter. (I was never worth a damn on skates.) When we were older kids (1964) we drove to
Alaska and back. (My, my what a journey. I still have some snapshots.)
In high school he was a terrific athlete. He won a scholarship to BGSU. He was a weight-lifter. And oddly enough he was / is an artist as well. I have numerous drawings of his. Some have appeared on this page.
I acquired this snap of him (he was probably about 7 years old) a week or so back. He’s standing in front of South Street School. [If you look closely you can see the reflection of the photographer in the door window behind him.] And if you know Frank Homitz this pic of him as a very little guy is unmistakably just Frank.
LIFE IN A FLOOD PLAIN: Several years ago nearing our proverbial “Golden Years” my wife (Georgie) and I thought it was time to downsize / simplify our lives. As a consequence we sold our home on Oakwood Drive on the west side of Vermilion, placed our cat Jebediah in a paper bag and together moved to our cottage home at the Olympic Outing Club along the beautiful Vermilion River. And life was good.
It’s been just about 2 months ago now (01/24/19) when my brother-in-law Terry Diener phoned my wife to tell us that it might be a good idea if we moved our car “up the hill” because the river was beginning to flood. Terry who is also “retired” [which as many folks have, or will, learn is a very relative term] also lives at the club. Following his advice we waded out of our home into the fast running ice cold and ankle-deep water we moved the car to dry land.
To be candid this situation, or something like it, was not entirely unexpected. When you live in a flood plain you expect to get flooded now and then. Anticipating the possibility I had left my truck parked at the local history museum uptown earlier that day. But in any case, we really didn’t think the water would rise much higher than it had when we moved the car. Moving it was just a matter of our being cautious. After doing just that we climbed the stairs to our cottage, dried our feet and went to bed.
The cottage had originally belonged to my father-in-law. It was his fair weather get-away home. I would venture to say that over the years it had experienced numerous floods and had fortunately survived. However, that’s hardly a “given”. While it did limp though the catastrophic July 4th Flood in 1969 many others in the river valley were not as fortunate. While a similar summertime deluge is unlikely to happen again during our lifetimes it definitely provided a bunch of folks in the flood plain with a wake-up call. As a result my father-in-law had the cottage raised ten or twelve feet, and firmly set on a concrete block basement / storage area. He also had the main part of the structure anchored on 4-sides.
As said, after moving our car to high ground we went to bed and slept, albeit somewhat fitfully. Every now and then we’d hear something bump outside the cottage. But it didn’t sound like anything too alarming. In the past we’d had a raccoon bumping around the porch outside our window in search of something that might have been left behind by the birds and squirrels that frequently enjoy breakfast and dinner there. No longer able to sleep I arose around 4 a.m., walked outside onto the front porch and…(inset photo on the left)
We were completely surrounded by about five feet of water filled with ice chunks. This is probably what it’s like to be a straw in a super-sized soft drink. But we were okay. We didn’t lose any utilities. And by about 7 a.m. the water was gone. All that was left was ten or twelve acres of ice chunks Sometime later a backhoe cleared the street and…(inset photo on right)
I won’t bother describing the flood damage, only to say that it was annoyingly significant but hardly calamitous. The flood in the large photograph accompanying this essay was obviously much worse. It was taken during the Great Flood of 1913 along the Vermilion River. The cottages at Linwood Park are just visible among the trees in the background of the photo. Like the 1969 flood it was utterly disastrous. Had the homes in the Vermilion Lagoons then existed the water would have been over their roofs. So in brief, floods such as these, of varying magnitude of course, take place with some regularity during the early months of the year during the “spring thaw”.
As is obvious, life in the Vermilion River Valley can occasionally be precarious; it can be destructive, and sometimes even annoying. But when the water recedes; when winter turns to spring, and the travails of a harsh winter begin to dissolve replacing ice chunks with colorful and fragrant wild flowers from some remote path far upriver all is forgotten. That’s life in a flood plain.
YESTERYEAR'S NEWS: The following clips are dictated transcriptions from past issues of The Vermilion News. I think you will find them both interesting and fun...
A force of carpenters and a car load of lumber arrived this week for the addition to the pavilion and dance hall at Crystal Beach. Work begins at once and the building will be completed by opening of the excursion season.
The Township trustees of Vermilion Tp., will let stone road construction to lowest bidder at Cuddeback Corners on Lake Shore Road on Thursday, March 30th, at 2 p.m.
By order of the Board of Trustees.
Judge Reed, Monday, granted Mary A. Baker a divorce from Philip Baker. He also gave her the house in which she lives together with the furniture and furnishings therein, and alimony in the sum of $300, to be paid by Baker installments of $15 a month.
In deciding the case Judge Reed scored Baker unmistakable language. The home is in Vermilion.
[NOTE: Mrs. Baker was the daughter of Vermilionites Conrad and Elizabeth Faber Bachman. She married Philip Baker (a fisherman) in March of 1897. The couple had a son on 23 January 1898 they named Frank Edward. (aka. F.E. Baker) who became Vermilion’s premier Ford Dealer. On 24 September 1914 she married a fella named Charles D. Williams. Phillip was found dead in an empty cabin in Monroe, Michigan in 1921. Mrs. Baker died in 1940, age 65.]
The $10,000 damage suit of Edward Brandt, of Bellevue, against the Lake Shore Electric Railway Company was technically tried for the fourth time in Common Pleas court, Thursday, and the whole proceeding did not last over 10 minutes, the court directing the jury to return a verdict for the defendant.
The suit was originally bought in August, 1907, Brandt claiming he had been injured by being thrown from one of the defendant company’s cars while on his way home from Sandusky one night during the preceding month, July. In the first two trials of the case the juries disagreed. The third trial resulted in a verdict for $500 being returned for Brandt, which verdict was affirmed by the Circuit Court, and the case was then carried by the railway company to the Supreme Court. Recently the Supreme Court reversed the verdict, and it was for the purpose of getting the case back before the Supreme Court that the case was technically tried again Thursday.
The $10,000 damage suit of Alonzo DeMaris vs. the L. S. E. has been given its third trial before a jury this week. The case went to jury Tuesday but up to a late hour Wednesday no conclusion had been reached. DeMaris was a motorman on a car which figured in a wreck near Vermilion nearly 2 years ago.
Carl M Laughlin of Huron is the plaintiff in a suit for damages in the sum of $20,000 instituted in the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas court against the W. & L. E. Ry. Co. Laughlin lost his right arm in the yard at Huron on Sept. 25, 1907.
Amherst milk dealers will give a reduction in milk from seven to six cents per qt. the first of April.
Frank Lassen has resigned his position at Elyria as turnkey and is making arrangements to manufacture pop and other beverages with a plant at Vermilion.
[NOTE: I find this notice significant. Could this have been the pop company that was once located along the alley behind and just east of the Catholic church?]
Miss Laura Van Wagnen who has been ill for several weeks has recovered sufficiently so as to be able to resume her duties as teacher in the Brownhelm school.
Chris Bauman of S. Amherst passed away Monday after a short illness from pneumonia. He is nearly 48 years of age, and leaves a wife and eight children. Arrangements for the funeral will be made later.
Mr. C. Bauman died Monday morning at his home in South Amherst. Funerals Thursday 1 o’clock.
The Schaeffer brothers have a brand-new auto.
Miss Vera Gunzenhauser who has been very ill for some past weeks is reported on the way to recovery.
Rev. Harrold made calls in this vicinity Tuesday.
Albert and Bertha Hart of Vermilion spent Sunday afternoon at M. J. Trinter’s.
Miss Pauline Leadrach has accepted a position as teacher of a rural school near Monroeville. She began her duties Tuesday and expects to teach the remainder of the year.
F. E. Driscoll, At all to Arthur J. Copeland, part lots, $100.
Geo. A. Bell to John N. Englebry, lot $300.
The Milan Village Council is making plans for a brick pavement in the business section of the town.
The Lorain County commissioners will erect a tubercular hospital at the county infirmary. There will be four buildings to cost $20,000.
The following was taken from the Oberlin paper and gives the action of the Oberlin council on dog question:
The dog ordinance was brought up at the Council meeting Wednesday night and was passed after several amendments were added to the original draft of the ordinance committee. Every dog owner must pay a fee of 50 cents for registering and receive a tag to be fastened to the dog’s collar. If the tags are lost 25 cents will be charged for re-registering. This money goes to the police fund.
If a dog is caught running at large without a tag we put in a dog pound and kept for 24 hours, during which time the owner can secure it by paying $1. If no one calls for the animal the Marshal transports it to the happy hunting ground.
The Marshal shall kill and dispose of any dog, whether registered or not, caught annoying pedestrians or horses.
James Cuddeback was taken to Lorain’s hospital Saturday and will undergo an operation this afternoon at 3:30. The outcome is anxiously awaited by a host of friends.
Mrs. H. Grisel and daughter visited Amherst relatives this week.
Mr. and Mrs. C. O. Basset were in town Sunday looking after their summer home.
Mrs. Albert Trinter and son, and Miss Jessie Delker visited their brother Charles Delker at Marine Hospital, Cleveland, Sunday.
Call 19 when you have an item.
Capts. Moody and Gegenheimer and Bailey were in Cleveland Monday.
Henry Ries and lady friend of Cleveland were Sunday guests of his half-sister, Mrs. Ed Erbskorn.
Mrs. M. C. Gegenheimer is suffering from an attack of the Grippe.
Editor Sampson of the Milan Ledger made the NEWS a pleasant call on Monday afternoon.
Bert McQueen took in the horse sale at Elyria Tuesday.
Mrs. Clark Jay who has been on the sick list most of the winter is improving slowly.
Mr. Stentz, Norwalk’s piano tuner was in town Tuesday tuning pianos.
BORN – to Mr. and Mrs. John Berry, a daughter, March 10th, 1911.
BORN – to Mr. and Mrs. John Miller of State Road, a son, Sunday, March 19th.
Mrs. A. C. Pretzer entered the German hospital at Cleveland Tuesday for treatment.
Mrs. Mary Baker expects to go to Mount Clemens, Michigan tomorrow where she will receive treatment for rheumatism.
[NOTE: This was local Ford Dealer, F.E. “Frank” Baker’s mother.]
The Old Maids Club at the Opera House, tomorrow evening.
C. W. Kishman is doing a good deal of fencing this spring.
We are sorry to hear of the serious illness of James Cuddeback at Lorain.
Henry Akers will move on the Coen place the 1st of April, having rented same for one year.
Charley says no more fishing on the lake for him since the last of the Silver Spray.
George Skipout, who worked for A. R. Last summer has returned to the Park, where he will work the coming season.
Capt. Fred Bailey and wife and Capt. Stone and wife of Vermilion spent a pleasant afternoon Tuesday the guest of A. R. Rumsey, at the Park.
Hmmmmmm....
…it necessary to enlarge; therefore, in April the paper was issued as a seven column folio. On June 23, Judge Merrill feeling convinced that the consolidation of the two papers had accomplished a much desired end—the harmony and good will of the two opposing factions of the party—sold out his interest to the active partner of the establishment, Mr. Bittner, who continued as the sole proprietor of the paper until November I4, 1887, when F. W. Stevens, who had been connected with the office since the consolidation, and who at one time was one of the proprietors of the Sandusky Local, formed a co partnership with Mr. Bittner by the purchase of an interest in the paper, which appeared on the above date, under the proprietorship of Bittner & Stevens, and has so since continued.
From the statistical information furnished by Rowell's Directory of Ohio newspapers, it is learned that the Advertiser is a weekly paper, issued each Saturday in size 30 by 44, and having a circulation of over five hundred. It appears as a fact, but not upon the above quoted authority, that the Milan Advertiser is issued only in this county, the type and press-work being performed at Tiffin. W. B. Starbird, an attorney of Milan, is the resident editor.
A paper of this same name was founded in the year 1869, and was issued through that part of the county as an advertising sheet, and without expense to its readers. In the year following it became a subscription paper at one dollar per annum, but subsequently the price was raised to a dollar and fifty cents. Several changes and enlargements were made in the size of the paper to keep step with its increasing circulation. Of this newspaper the present Advertiser is the outgrowth.
In the year 1879 the Reporter made its first appearance. At the present day it appears as a weekly (Thursday) publication, 30 by 44 in size, with a circulation of something over five hundred copies, and under the management of D. H. Clock as editor and publisher.
On the 30th of April, 1879, the first issue of the Daily Tribune made its appearance in Sandusky, under the editorial control of C. M. Brown & Co. Some six weeks later from the same office there came a weekly edition, and, added to that, after an interval of about two months, a tri-weekly was issued. But the enterprise proved unsuccessful from a business point of view. The daily was continued for about a year, and suspended in February, 1880. The weekly and tri-weekly editions were maintained until the year 1881, when they disappeared from the sight of the reading public. Brown sold the enterprise to Howe & Rutledge, and it was under the latter management that publication was suspended.
VERMILION RIVER PARK: I guess I can call this an artifact: It’s an old pic. To be straight to the point I know nothing about the place that was knows (at least by myself) as Vermilion River Park. I know where it was, and I remember it. But I don’t think I ever visited. All I really recall is the clubhouse / refreshment facility seen closer to the rail trestle in the pic. Perhaps I’d been there when very young because I really didn’t ride along the river – at least not south of the bridge when I was a kid. There are likely a few people still about who know more about this place. Hopefully, I’ll hear from someone in the next few weeks.
A woman went to a computer dating service and said she didn't care about looks, income or background. All she wanted was a man of upright character. Then a man came in and told them the only thing he was seeking in a woman was intelligence.
The service matched them together at once because they had one thing in common -- they were both pathological liars.
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'".
Rich; it is our 60th reunion and will be very informal. It looks like this at the present time; Tuesday, JULY 9, 2019.
-4pm Boat ride Vermilion River and Lagoons (Parsons)
-5:30pm Drinks and music on the Patio-Vermilion Boat Club
-6:30pm Dinner - order off the menu Vermilion Boat Club
Replys can be sent to;
Roger Boughton
2205 1th Ave. SW
Ausitn, MN. 55912
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)
Vol. 17. Issue 3- March 23, 2019
Archive Issue #836
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