Look Back: Early 20th Century happenings
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Two New Autos In The City
There are two cracker-jack new automobiles in town. One belongs to Walter Gerwig and the other is the property of Monroe Rathbone. Both are two seated machines and are fine lookers with good speed capacities. Mr. Gerwig's is a Franklin, while Mr. Rathbone's is a Boig (sic).
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Dam Nineteen To Be Started
It is expected that notices for the receiving of bids on the contract for constructing dam nineteen will be received at the local post office next week. This will be good news as it means that this next big improvement, doubly important to us because of its proximately to Parkersburg, is to be begun soon. Dam nineteen is the one at the head of Blennerhassett Island. Meanwhile work goes steadily forward on the other dams already under way. The engineer's office at Wheeling is advertising for 545,000 feet of hemlock timber for dam number twenty-six, the one at Gallipolis. Sealed proposals for furnishing this timber will be received at the engineer's office up till11 a. m., March 26.
The Parkersburg Daily State Journal
March 16,1909
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Seven Hens and One Lone Rooster
Captain C. M. Conley's hen roost on Sand Plains [North End area] was visited by a dastardly thief last night and the Captain is mourning the loss of eight plump chickens - one rooster and seven hens. The hen-house was locked but someone with a boarding house reach opened a small ventilating window in the rear, put in is arm and picked the fowls off their perches. Not a feather was left but the thief left tracks and, with Sherlock Holmesian care, Capt. Conley measured them. He has notified all local produce dealers to fall upon, bind and deliver over to justice anyone coming to them wearing No. 10 shoes and with several hens and one rooster for sale.
The Parkersburg Daily State Journal
March 26, 1909
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Old Cannon For City Park
"Still achieving, still pursuing." Dr. A.K. Ross, step-father of the City Park, like Longfellow's "Village Blacksmith," continues to reach out the long arm of civic zeal in directions of things that would make the park more of a joy. His last inspiration was the thought of an outfit of cannon. The nation is giving away these battle-scarred pieces, captured in the day when the fire of sectional hate burned briskly, and now picturesque memorials of the fact that these days are happily long past, and the doctor has received a most encouraging letter from Senator Elkin's private secretary, intimating that the Senator's most energetic aid would be lent to the project of transferring some of these old cannons to the City Park of the City of Parkersburg. It is Dr. Ross' idea to have the ordinance disposed artistically about the Park, accompanied by piles of cannon balls, if these can be secured also. [At this time, Long Tom was at the top of Fort Boreman. Apparently, the good doctor's plans of 1909 did not materialize. However, in 1921 Long Tom, being rescued from the scrap iron pile, was placed in City Park. In 2021, following a trade with the County, Long Tom was refurbished and is now a wonderful addition to Fort Boreman Park].
The Parkersburg Daily State Journal
March 30, 1909
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Bob Enoch is president of the Wood County Historical and Preservation Society. If you have comments or questions about Look Back items, please contact him at: roberteenoch@gmail.com, or by mail at WCHPS, PO Box 565, Parkersburg, WV 26102.