Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1870-11-30
Newton FaIls.-.-ItS Past, Present and
Future Frogs, FOgies and Fine Old
Fellows.

ADWNVu AaAAnaAAs IAslA EItAGnl anu
Future. .-FrOgs, FOgies and Fine Old
Fellows.
EDITOR CHRoN1CLE-Sir Your col
umns frequently contain communica-
lions from other townships, perhaps not
so well entitled to attention as our own,
AS no n else seems inclined to repre-
sent our village in the countv paper I
will endeavor to do so.
A few years since Newton Falls was,
to all appearance, played out entirely
Its population lived frog-like on the
muddy banks OF the canal, and were de-
pendentfor business upon whatits turbid
waters hoated TO them. When the canal
closed lugubriOus croaking resounded on
all sides. The village had apparently re-
ceived its death blow. Property fell in
value, the leading business men LEFT, and
q general spirit OF decentralization pre-
vailed. During those days our place
looked dreary enough! Buildings with
out tenants, bleaching for want Of paint;
plank walks broken, rotten and present.
ing man-traps at every step; the canal
partly filed with putrid water, breathing
a d~issgreeable stencil over the whole
scene Of neglect and decay, and adding
a severe epidemic Of malarial fever to
the other misfortunes which had beset
Us. In addition to this the large class OF
human water rats who were entirely de-
pendent upon the canal for their lveli- |
hood, relying on chance Jobs and stray /
WUk from day 70 day, and without hab-
its OF regular industry or economy, were
thrown put Of employment and their
presence added to the general demorali-
zation.
Within a few years a revolution has
been slowly taking place. Those people
who depended entirely upon business
brought here by the canal have left, or
engaged in other occupations; buildings
a v changed proprietors until they are
now in the hands Of men who occupy or
can take care Of them; the canal is filled
up, and the old high bridges are taken
down; the plank walks have been part
" repaired; the buildings, many Of
them, painted. A bank has been estsb-
hshed, and our place is becoming a qui-
ct, pleasant neat country village, sur
rounded by a population Of well to do
farmers, and inhabited by a set OF slow
old fogies, who regard IL as one OF the
most pleasant places in the State.
Adam and Eve could not be content
even in Paradise, and certain Of our peo-
pie wish to add attraction even to our
lovely and oyster-ike village, lying i'm
paled as it were on the forks Of the Ma
hOning.
Some months since steps were taken
to secure the incorporation Of the village,
this being necessary in order to accom-
pish certain public improvements and
70 the maintenance of order, our village
people having no more control of our
streets than Of any crossroads in the
township. A meeting was held and q
committee Of five appointed, of whom
some at that time seemed anxious to
have the village incorporated. The COM
mittee have neglected this matter. Ihave
heard various attempts made 10 explain
this neglect. One is that there is not
money enough in the village 70 paw for
a survey; another, that the committee
are too indOlent TO attend to it and still
another, that each of these five gentle
men aspires to the mayoralty Of the pro-
spectIve city, and as but one can have it,
they all hang back lest some one of the
should get it Here, as elsewhere,
it's true that our interests as a communal
have suffered from the petty vanity
and jealousy Of a few little great men.
Prom that malignant envy, which turns
And siekens even II friend prevail,
merit y success pursues with hate
And dams the worth 1t cannot initiate" 4
1t is nothing unusual to hear people
speak Of this as being a central point, :
wish some capitalist would come in |
build the place up;'' and still more
to hear speculations with regard
the probabilities Of railroad running {
through. A certain fable relates that
while a WAGNER was driving along the T
Dad One Of the wheels became deeply
mbedded in mire, whereupon he sat A
Town by the roadside and called upon
he gods to help him out. Jupiter look Il
ID from behind q cloud and told him to v
Dut his own shoulder to the wheel, that i
he gods would not help those who q
would not try 10 help themselves. =
II would be pleasant to have capitalists 4
ONE here with unlimited greenbacks,
expend them for our benefit, or to "
ave a railroad company build = road p
iere TO Improve the business OF the
T energy enough to secure incorpora- =
ion, we deserve neither capitalist nor
abroad, and IL in q business sense our a
lace attract attention at all, it will be as v
fish might left stranded by the retiring n
Taters OF our own canal, merely by the q,
,hosphorescent CLEANS produced by the
rocess Of decay. SPECIAL. u