Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1868-12-30
Mesopotamia Correspondence

EDITOR CHRONICLE:-Having occasion to
spend n few days in this town, I have made
some observations and viii give your read
ers the benefit of them.
II should have been named large begin
nings and small endings, or something and
nothing. When the town was first laid out
by the first settlers, some 20 acres were clear
ed, and decided TO the town. 1t was evident
Iy the intention of the donor to have it i'm
proved, ornamented with shade-trees, and
made into a pleasure ground. But it was
cleared and then left to the tender mercies
OF street stock, and there il is now, looking
like some old worn out cotton field In the
South, and every thing else is conducted in
the same manner nice churches built and
then left without any fences toprotect them.
Some years since, the water from n fine
spring was conducted upon the square, and
a fountain partially made. Butafter setting
a tub into the ground and getting an old
leaky box TO water horses from, instead OF
planting trees around II n dmaking it orna-
mental, it was finished by putting a wooden
fence around part Of IT, and a poor road on
one side and none on the other.
Their next effort seemed to be directed to-
wards building a school house. A nice site
was procured between two of the churches,
and q tax laid. But the school house can be
better described by quoting from one Of her
own boys, who on coming home from the
army and seeing it asked: "WhO in thunder
has been building a horse barn between the
churches?" The next thing which aroused
them was the project to erect a soldiers
monument. Money was ~raised-the monu-
ment came from the hand of the s~culptors,
n splendid piece OF workmanship-nothing
better in the State. An iron fence was pro-
cured, and partially set, but true to their
faith, must not be finished; there it
stands, never leveled, but as crooked as their
ideas, the dirt in piles Just where it was dug
from the holes when setting the posts, one
half of the fence painted one coat, and one
half two; a more fitting instrument of the
rebellion than of those who persisted to sui
due it, because the soldiers fought TO the end,
and when the rebellion was almost finished
by our armies, there it was left and is now,
which Getracts much from the honor OF the
north. The last effort seems to be to re-
build the block destroyed by fire in 1867; a
building was commenced, oneroom finished,
all but painting. What might be another
fine room, had it only doors. has the door
way boarded up, with the prospect OF It re-
naming so Indefinitely.
The mania for commencing and moi finish
ing seems to apply TO all parts OF h commu-
nifty. \ kind of a sleep seems to have fall
len upon the inhabitants which would rival
that OF the far famed SLEEPY Hollow
One of the churches had a minister preach
ing for them-a very able man-when his
time was out they made one single effort to
hire him for an other year, and raised two
thirds OF the salary at society meeting, and
there it dropped, nothing less than q miracle
will ever awaken them enough to admit OF
another effort. And when I cameinto town
n bevy Of old maids, who had energy enough
to secure an existance, but not enough TO Sc
cure husbands, did not ask Il 1 was single,
but wonderedifI would be bigenOugh fool
to want 10 have any improvement made
around the fountain and monument, or try
to get in next door to Laird, to do business?
Bless their sleepy souls : 1 would be afraidto
live in such an community, for fear 1 should
become as one OF them.
lam Respect. Yours,
RIP VAN WEKLE.