USA > West Virginia > Myers' history of West Virginia (1915) Volume II > Part 12
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But, my friends, there are others-those who' are still living-who should have their share of the flowers. And may God forbid that we should wait till they are dead before we ever say to any one that we appreciate the efforts of "Jack" Shore and "Ike" Underwood for their untiring efforts to get us out of the mud, and to give us the modern convenience of travel that we enjoy to-day. They have done even more than they had ever hoped to do.
And in this they remind me of an experience when a boy. .At that time I was somewhat of a Nimrod, and I had to my credit the honor of having killed almost every species of game in the woods. But among the feathered tribe I had never killed an owl. But on this particular evening as I was coming home along a lonely path on the top of a ridge, to my great surprise, on a near-by tree there sat a large owl. This was my opportunity. Just a little nervous, but with plenty of confidence in my ability and the accuracy of my rifle. I drew up and fired: and to my great astonishment, when the gun cracked, there fell two owls!
And since the smoke of the conflict has rolled away, these gentlemen can now clearly see that instead of getting us one
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railroad they have gotten us two, for all of which we are truly, truly thankful.
I would like to tell you about the Tyler County News, the Tyler County Journal, the Sweeneys, the Shepherds, the Furbees, the Mayfields, and many others, but time forbids.
But, gentlemen, these are not all: over yonder on the river front, in the sister county of Wetzel, is as big-hearted and as unselfish a set of men as can be found this side of the pearly gates.
When the promoters went to them and gave them their proposition and their plans, they came forward with a soli front, and through their board of trade they said: "We will vote you $100,000 in bonds ; leave the matter with us; we will take care of the election."
Ah! how we watched the result in old Magnolia, and how we rejoiced when the returns came in showing a complete victory for the bonds.
We then turned to our own people back here in the mu 1. and said that New Martinsville, with the Ohio River, with the Short Line Railroad, with the Ohio River Railroad, and the electric railroad had expressed herself on the proposition and that she had sufficient confidence in it and its benefits to vote $100,000 in bonds, so we then implored our own people to help us out with a bond issue of $125,000. You can't im- agine, gentlemen, how much you helped us."
We have now met to celebrate the opening of this road. and on behalf of the good, honest, and progressive citizens of Ellsworth District and my own town I hereby extend to you a most cordial welcome; as we are now bound together by oaken ties and bands of steel, may we ever be also bound to- gether by the ties of love and the bonds of friendship. (Ap- plause.)
But much as we appreciate what was done to mold public sentiment and to vote the bonds as an expression of the faith we had in the enterprise, we fully realize that these things alone would not get us a railroad. For if an enthusastic citi- zenship, newspaper articles and bonds could have brought an occasion of this kind we most certainly would have heard the sound of the locomotive whistle in Middlebourne years
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ago. But it remained for another to complete the work for us. And in this work no one but himself knows the difficulties that he has had to overcome. As was stated recently by one of our leading citizens, "I suppose he has had all the trouble there is between lheaven and Hell, but despite it all he has overcome them and completed the road to Middlebuourne."
This man, the one whom we honor most to-day, is our good friend, Col. Joe Fuccy.
To show our appreciation to you for this accomplishment we desire to extend to you every privilege, every opportunity, and every blessing that our town affords. To fully enjoy these things it is necessary that you have the key which I hold here in my hands. This key. I am told, is one hundred years old. It is the key to the Town of Middlebourne. It has been held in safe-keeping through all these years by the mayor of the town. It is large. It was made for a large town. It has been carefully preserved through all these years by large men. It is so large that we have never had an occasion large enough to "se it. But with one accord we have directed our efficient mayor, Mr. T. J. Sellers, to give it to you on this occasion, and on his behalf, I take great pleasure in presenting to you this key to our town (the speaker here hands the key, a wooden one about two feet long, to Mr. Fuccy), assuring you that it will open our doors to you for all time, and urging that you use it freely to-day in helping to show these New Martinsville friends a good time.
We sincerely trust that happiness and prosperity may ever be with you, and that the richest of Heaven's blessings may be abundantly showered upon you.
Col. Joe Fuccy's Reply.
Gentlemen of New Martinsville and Middlebourne and of Wetzel County and Tyler County : I accept this key with the greatest of pleasure. I take it not only with my hands, but I reach out and take it with my heart.
I will keep it until I unlock the door of Clarksburg. the county seat of Harrison County. In the building of this road I have met with many difficulties and trying hours ; many
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nights I have not closed my eyes, but have turned from one side of my bed to the other in an effort to find a little rest from my worrying and thinking and figuring, but I found no rest on either side. After all, I put my trust in God, and from that time everything has gone well and we have the railroad.
I will not only unlock the door of Middlebourne with this key, but with it I will unlock the doors of all the towns be- tween Middlebourne and the city of Clarksburg, and after I have used it in unlocking the city of Clarksburg in the central part of this State, I will return it to you.
I appreciate the good feeling toward the railroad and I hope it will continue so in the future. I shall try to do nothing on my part that will be cause to change this good feeling.
Now, I thank all again for their kindness and good will toward the railroad. This is all I have to say at the present.
Following Mr. Fuccy, Mayor Jackson of New Martins- ville responded to the address of welcome in a hearty speech. Others followed Mr. Jackson, and soon Mayor Sellers an- nounced that the banquet was spread and awaiting the visit- ors at the Odd Fellows' Hall, to which place "all hands"' re- paired and did ample justice to the luxurious viands which Mrs. Swan, of the Avenue Hotel, had so enticingly and so abundantly prepared for the occasion. Many speeches. of a happy vein, followed the festivities, and later on the New Martinsville bunch, led by Joe Fuccy, proceeded to the High School building, but as the latch-string was hanging outside. Joe had no use for his big key. Professor Garrison, principal of the institution, met the visitors at the door and gave all a most gracious welcome. After being shown through the various departments of education by the very efficient and accommodating school officer, it was announced that the train would soon be due to start back on the return trip. So the New Martinsville boys "hiked out" for the Okl Toll House- the present terminus of the C. N. R. R .- and in due time reached their respective homes, carrying with them a lasting friendship for their Middlebourne neighbors.
Following the celebration at Tyler's county seat, the citi- zens of New Martinsville at once began preparations for another event of like character at Wetzel's seat of government,
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at which the citizens of Middlebourne were to be the honored guests. In order that the occasion might be more thoroughly celebrated, Mayor Jackson proclaimed Thursday, February 26th, as a holiday in New Martinsville, to be known as "Middlebourne Day", and all business houses were ordered closed from 10:00 a. m. till 2:00 p. m., that being the day set apart for the celebration.
We take the following from the Wetzel Democrat :
A special train bearing upwards of two hundred and fifty people was run from Middlebourne to this city, and long be- fore the arrival of the train bearing the guests of honor, over a thousand people, including about four hundred school chil- dren. had gathered at the railroad station to greet the visitors from the metropolis of Tyler County. The large crowd in- cluded the city and county officials, the Chamber of Com- merce, and nearly every business and professional man in the city and many from the country districts.
The school children marched to the depot in a body, carrying flags and banners, and were a pretty sight, as those from each room, under the direction of their teachers, marched to the depot and lined up along the track. The train was de- layed, however, and it was necessary, after over an hour's wait, for the children to be returned to the school building before its arrival, greatly to the disappointment of the enter- tainment committee.
The special arrived about 12:30, and visitors were escort- ed to the Court House, where an elaborate banquet. served by the Ladies' Aid Society of the Presbyterian Church, was given in the county court room and in the corridors on the first floor. So great was the crowd, which far exceeded expectations, that it was necessary for many to wait for second table. It is estimated that fully four hundred people participated in the banquet.
After the menu was served, Mayor J. H. Jackson delivered an address of welcome to the Tyler County visitors and of congratulation to Hon. Joseph Fuccy, the builder of the road, upon the successful accomplishment of the stupendous task he undertook nearly three years ago.
Mayor Jackson's speech was followed by a number of
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others, delivered by citizens of New Martinsville and Middle- bourne, in all of which there was predicted a new era of pros- perity to the two cities and adjacent country by reason of the building of the Clarksburg-Northern.
Owing to the great crowd it was necessary to repair to the circuit court room, and even then there was barely stand- ing room.
The visitors remained in the city until evening, exchang- ing sentiments of good will with the local people, and returned to Middlebourne, to all appearances a happy and well satisfied crowd.
The reception given on Thursday by the people of New Martinsville and vicinity to those of Middlebourne and vicin- ity was probably one of the most important events in the his- tory of the city, in that there are now open to the people of both counties great possibilities for future advancement and expansion. The new railroad traverses and will serve one of the richest sections of country in the State. All it has needed, up to this time, to bring it to the front was an outlet to the markets of the world, and the Clarksburg-Northern furnishes that outlet.
The people of New Martinsville and Middlebourne and of the large expanse of country the road will serve will be brought into closer business and social relations, and the operation of the road, over which will travel the trade between them, will add an impetus to their business relations, and will, without doubt, bring about a great and lasting prosperity.
They should congratulate themselves on the completion of the road ; and should at the same time not forget to extend their congratulations to the man whose enterprise and untir- ing energy brought the road to a successful completion, the Honorable Joseph Fuccy.
County Officials of Tyler County.
P. D. Morris, Judge, Second Judicial Circuit : O. B. Con- away, Prosecuting Attorney; J. G. Mayfield, Clerk Circuit Court : J. W. Duty, Clerk County Court ; Lloyd H. Morris, Sheriff ; A. L. Gregg, County Superintendent of Schools:
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Charles P. Clark, County Surveyor ; John 11. Tippens, County Assessor.
Newspapers.
Middlebourne has two wide-awake weekly newspapers : The Tyler County News and The Tyler County Journal.
Banks.
The Bank of Middlebourne and the First National Bank are prosperous institutions.
Stores and Shops.
There are few towns of the size of Middlebourne that have a greater number of stores and shops, and each estab- lishment seems to be receiving a fair amount of patronage.
Churches.
There are three churches in the town, each having a good sized congregation. Rev. A. . \. Dye is pastor of the Baptist Church, Rev. W. E. Craig of the M. E. Church, and Rev Slaughter of the U. B. Church.
Schools.
The citizens of Tyler County may well be proud of their High School building at Middlebourne. It may not be the very finest in the State, but it has but few superiors in archi- tectural beauty, and its beautiful location is not and could not be excelled anywhere. It has to be seen to be appreciated, a- no words or picture could do it justice.
Middlebourne's School Faculty.
TYLER COUNTY ILIGII SCHOOL-J. D. Garrison. principal, History : H. D. Groves, Agr. and Sci. ; L. C. Yeard- ley, Math .. Manual Training: Georgia Parry, Languages :
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Alma Nichols, Eng. and Dom. Sci. : Lelia Stillman, Music and Drawing.
GRADED SCHOOL-T. P. Hill, principal ; G. R. Moore, J. E. Fetty, C. B. Hamilton, Hazel Traugh, Leona Parks, Mae Headley, Glenna Perine, and Lelia C. Stillman, teachers.
Term 1913-14, 8 months. Enrollment, 216.
MOUNDSVILLE.
Moundsville, the county seat of Marshall County, was originally known as Elizabethtown-so called in honor of Elizabeth, wife of its founder, Joseph Tomlinson. A plat of ground consisting of forty-five acres was laid out in town lots in 1798, and the first lot was sold the following year for the sum of $8.00. James Nixon opened the first store in 1815. The next store was opened up by John List, who was ap- pointed the first post master, the name of the post office being known as Grave Creek. Elizabethtown was incorporated in February, 1830, having at that time a population of about 300. In 1831 Simon Purdy purchased the Grave Creek Flats and laid the same out in town lots, three houses being erected on the plat the same year. In 1832 Purdy erected a brick tavern, and the same year the village was incorporated in the name of Moundsville, which in 1865 absorbed Elizabethtown, the charter taking in all the boundaries formerly covered by the two.
The first town officers after the consolidation were as fol- lows: Robert McConnell, Mayor ; H. W. Hunter, Clerk and Treasurer.
A jail was erected in 1836. It was a brick and gray sand- stone structure, 20 x 40 feet, with walls three feet thick and cells lined with sheet iron. The first court was held in this building in June, 1836. At this time a court house was near- ing completion. It was 50 x 50 feet, two stories high and cost $4.320. These buildings served the purposes for which th were intended until the year 1876, when they gave way to more up-to-date structures.
The State penitentiary was established near the famous Mound in 1866. The site upon which the buildings are located
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contains ten acres of ground, fronting on Jefferson avenue, extending eastward between Eighth and Tenth streets to Washington avenue. (For a more complete description, see chapter on "Capitols and Other Public Buildings").
The population of Moundsville in 1890 was 2,688; in 1000, 5,362 : in 1910, 8,918: in 1914, about 10,000.
Moundsville has never been a boomer town. She has been building slowly, but on a firm foundation, and a lasting, prosperous future is before her. There are scarcely any limits to her building ground; she has four active coal mines of excellent steam coal ; a main gas line runs through the city ; her transportation facilities by rail and water are all that could be required ; she has an electric car line, four banks, a brick manufacturing plant, a large glass factory, enameling plant, garment factories and twenty other smaller factories.
No body of men more fully realize the future possibilities of Moundsville than its Board of Trade, every member of which is a real "live wire". The board consists of W. W. Henderson, president : James A. Sigafoose, first vice presi- dent : J. A. Bloyd, second vice president ; Alex Purdy, secre- tary, and J. F. Sivert, treasurer.
County Directory.
J. D. Parriott, prosecuting attorney : Victor E. Myers, clerk circuit court ; John E. Chase, clerk county court ; C. E. Hutchinson, sheriff: Frank Howard. jailer: Fred McNinch and Elmer Resseger, deputies ; W. L. Nolte, assessor ; H. W. McDowell, county superintendent free schools; R. C. Yoho, county surveyor : B. MeMechen, president, and J. Robinson and Friend W. Eller, commissioners of the county court.
City Officials.
E. K. Blair, mayor ; C. B. Bonar, clerk : Everett P. Moore, solicitor ; Wiley Games, chief of police: Charles Ritner and Erastus Miller, policemen ; Dr. J. A. Striebich, health officer ; Thomas Shimp, F. T. Moore, Edward Lohr, Charles Kull, Evan G. Roberts, T. S. Riggs, Herman Hess and Harry Wilson, councilmen.
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Churches.
Moundsville is an exceptionally moral town. The Christian people of nine churches have waged a relentless war on the liquor traffic and all places of disrepute, and it has been many years since a saloon or low dive of any character existed in the city. The following is a list of churches and officiating clergy :
Denomination
Pastor, Minister or Rector
First M. E.
Rev. E. J. Knox
Calvary M. E.
Rev. C. C. Lanham
Christian
Rev. I. B. Smith
First Presbyterian
Rev. J. F. Slagle
United Presbyterian
Rev. F. B. McClellan
Catholic
Rev. F. J. Flanagan
Trinity Episcopal
Rev. W. H. Meyers
Lutheran Rev. Dr. McDaniels
Baptist Rev. Marsteller
Banks.
There can be no better evidence of the degree of pros- perity of a city than is disclosed by the volume of business transacted by and through its banking institutions. Mounds- ville has five banks, with resources of over $2.285,000. These banks are :
Marshall County Bank-Dr. G. W. Bruce, president ; James A. Sigafoose, cashier, and Wylie M. Rogerson, assist- ant cashier.
First National Bank-B. M. Spurr, president, and J. D. Burley, cashier.
Mercantile Banking & Trust Co .- W. D. Alexander, pres- ident, and T. S. Riggs, secretary.
Mound City Bank-J. C. Bardall, president : S. T. Court- right, vice president: H. W. Hunter, cashier, and C. H. Hunter, assistant cashier.
City and County Bank-J. W. Garvin, president, and J. L. Fish, cashier.
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Newspapers.
Moundsville Echo. J. D. Shaw, publisher, and Mounds- ville Journal, R. J. Smith, publisher. Mr. Smith ("Bob", as he is known by his most intimate friends) was for a number of years editor and proprietor of the Wetzel Republican at New Martinsville. He and Mr. Shaw are both able newspaper men, as any one can attest who reads the Echo and the Journal.
Manufactories.
Following are some of the principal manufacturing estab- lishments at Moundsville :
Fostoria Glass Co .. United States Stamping Co .. Subur- ban Brick Co., Mound City Cut Glass Works, J. A. Schwab Grain Cradle Co .. J. C. Bardall Broom & Whip Co., Joseph Klee's Sons Pants Co., National Bed Co., Gatts & Gray Lumber and Planing Mills, Herman Hess Planing Mills. Wheeling Metal & Mfg. Co., Blankensop Mig. Co. The Fos- toria Glass Co. employ 1,000 and the Stamping and Enamel Co. 800 people.
The city is well supplied with stores, shops, hotels, res- taurants, places of amusement and everything that constitutes an up-to-date, "live wire" town, without any of the low dives that usually thrive in a manufacturing community.
Moundsville has about six miles of paved streets, a fine water plant. good sewerage and electric light system. An electric line also connects the city with Wheeling and northern and Ohio towns.
And last. but not least. are Moundsville's educational institutions. Her high and graded schools are second to none in the State. She has ten school buiklings, employing 17 teachers : has an enrollment of 1644 students, and a nine months' term each year.
School Faculty.
H. V. Merrick. Superintendent.
HIGH SCHOOL-II. W. Cramblet. principal: W. L. Watson, Math .: Walter A. Cope, Latin : Onward Rodefer.
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Science : Marie U. Paulley, History : Edna M. Grenan, Ger- man : Alice D. Root, Commercial, and Berdina M. Hale, English.
CENTRAL SCHOOL-Nanon Hendershot, Ethel Wood- burn, Nelle McFadden, Eula Yoho, Anna Ewing, Lena Founds, India Evans, Mary McCombs, Mabel Vance, Mar- garet Burge, William B. Wayt, and Mary E. Baldwin, teachers.
TWELFTH STREET SCHOOL-Clara Schroeder and Lucille Leach, teachers.
TENTH STREET SCHOOL -Elsie Jefferson and Sophia Hubbs, teachers.
FIRST STREET SCHOOL-Alice Sanford, Bertha Bonar, Carrie Lutes, Ella Freed, Clara Turk, Gertrude Burge, Ethel Travis, Ellen Meeks, Lela Moore, Mattie Roberts, Francis W. Clayton, Mrs. Fay Higgs, Charles Heath, Lillian Smith, Mrs. Nellie McDaniels, Alma Glassgow, Lloyd E. Moore, Henrietta Founds, teachers, and Susan J. Downey, principal.
ANNADALE SCHOOL-E. Bonar, teacher.
CADET TEACHER-Naomi W. Lewis.
THIRD STREET SCHOOL-Beardon Marsh, teacher. COLORED SCHOOL-Inez M. Johnson, teacher.
The celebrated Moundsville "Camp Ground", with its scores of white cottages amid towering trees, is a literal forest city. Here many people spend the summer months. It is also a popular resort for chautauqua sessions and religious gather- ings, which are attended by thousands of people every season.
Moundsville has many things to attract the visitor. Every foot of it has a history. The huge Mound is a wonder to behold and its history would fill a good sized volume in itself. The silent city of the dead, lying between the Camp Ground and the city of the living, contains the ashes of many historical characters. In one place a sand-stone slab marks the resting place of Captain Foreman and his men, who lost their lives in an Indian ambuscade at the Narrows, just above Moundsville. In another spot may be found the graves of the Tomlinsons and other pioneer settlers who faced the dangers of the wilderness and paved the way for civilization.
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MORGANTOWN.
In the year 1758 a settlement was effected near the mouth of Decker's Creek by Thomas Decker and others, but in the following spring a party of Mingoes and Delawares surprised and murdered them. Fourteen years later a small stockade fort was erected by the Morgans on the site of the present city of Morgantown.
In October, 1785, fifty acres of the farm of Zackquell Morgan were "vested in Samuel Hanway, John Evans, David Scott, Michael Kearnes and James Dougherty, gentlemen. trustees, to be by them, or any of them, laid off in lots of hali an acre each, with convenient streets, which shall be, and the same are hereby established, a town by name of Morgantown."
The population of Morgantown on January 1. 1914, was about 10.000 ; in 1910, it was 9,150, and in 1900. 1,895.
Until 1900 Morgantown was noted only for her educa- tional institutions: since that time, however, she has been rapidly approaching the front ranks as an industrial town, Of manufacturing establishments she has : the American Sheet & Tin Plate Company, employing 800 men ; Seneca Glass Co., Economy Tumbler Co., Union Stopper Co., W. R. Jones Window Glass Co., Athens Glass Co., Marilla Window Glass Co .. Mississippi Glass Co .. Pressed Prism Glass Co., and Midland Motorcycle Manufacturing Co.
Morgantown has six banking institutions: Bank of Mo- nongahela Valley, Bank of Morgantown, Second National Bank, Farmers and Merchants Bank. Citizens National Bank, and Federal Savings & Trust Company.
Newspapers.
The Morgantown Post-Chronicle and Morgantown New Dominion.
Hotels.
Hotel Madera, Hotel Peabody. White Hotel and Ridge- way Hotel are the principal inns of the town.
Morgantown's educational institutions are unsurpassed by any other city in West Virginia. The West Virginia University is to West Virginia as Harvard University is to Massachusetts.
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West Virginia University.
Enrollment for 1911-12-Colleges. CANDIDATES FOR DEGREES.
Grade
Sen.
Jun.
Soph.
Fresh,
Males
Females
Total
Arts and Sciences
16
45
36
56
126
177
102
279
Engineering
17
11
20
36
84
84
Agriculture
2
6
5
8
15
36
36
Law
1
14
14
21
50
50
Total
19
82
66
105
177
347
102
449
For special courses there were 30 candidates-26 males and 4 females.
The Schools.
Schools
Males Females Total
School of Music.
6
107
113
Preparatory Schools
48
14
62
School of Fine Arts.
1
14
15
Agricultural & Home Economics
19
3
22
Summer School
77
200
283
Methods for Sunday School Workers
3
16
19
Farmers' Course
40
40
Winter Course-Home Economics
35
35
Night Classes
12
13
25
Total.
206
408
614
Entire enrollment at Morgantown ..
579
514
1093
Additional enrollment in Agricultural and Ex-
tension Schools.
265
169
432
Grand total
844
681
1525
On September 22, 1910, the State Board of Regents elected Thomas Edward Hughes president of the University, to succeed Daniel Boardman Purinton, Ph.D., LL.D., who formally resigned in June of that year, after having served a term of ten years. Dr. Hodges was inaugurated November 3, 1911. The work of the University, following Dr. Hodges' installment into office, was divided as shown below :
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