The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1874-12-24
THE CITY OF MAESILLON.

1896. by the late Hon. James Duncan,
native Of Concord, Me- Hampshire,
and Ferdand G. ,Hurxthal and Louis
Hurxthal, Esqr's., of Baltimore, and
takes its name from the Rt. Rev. Jean
Baptist Massillon, Bishop Of Clermont,
which name was suggested by NJ S. Dun
can, wife of the principal proprietor
Prior to 1896 the ground plat Of Mas
sillon was known as "Duncan's Mill.
SINNERS Factory, and from its proxim-
ity to the Tuscarawas river the place was
known as the Toll bridge" structure
that was erected by subscription because
OF the odious monopoly Of toll bridge
erected over the spot where the river is
now crossed by the Cherry street bridge.
The passing by the General Assembly
of the State, of the internalimproVement
law in 1884, attracted the attention OF
Mr.. Duncan to the probability Of the
Tuscarawas valley, being the route over
which the Ohio Canal would be located,
and when the preliminary reconnois-
ance was made by the late Messrs. Alfred
Kelley, M. T. Williams, w. H. Price,
Samuel Forer, and Judges Bates, ,Geddes
and Roberts, consulting engineers; the
first two gentlemen being Canal Com
missioners, and the second two resident
engineers, it became almost a fact ac-
complished. In the summer Of 1926 the
Canal was located to a point near the
present residence Of Hol. Kent Jarvis.
On the eighteenth day of January 1896
the canal from Akron to the point just
named, was let to contractors, and the
work progressed with great rapidity. As
stated above, Massillon was laid out, and
the first building erected after it became
a village was the one now known as, the
main building Of the Hotel Corner of
Oak and Erie streets. The next two, and
which were erected at the same time
were the present residence of Silas A.
Conrad Esq, and the building now oc-
cupied by Frederick Breckel as a gro
Gerry and lager beer saloon.
The sites at the corners of Main and
Mill, and Main and Erie streets now
occupied by M. Reighemer and the Nc
Lain brothers and respectively were
purchased and hotels erected by the own
ers, Judge Jacob Miller, and Capt May
hew Folger, which stood until destroyed
by fire. The one on the corner of Main
and Erie, went down in August 1851,
and the other in July 1853; their proprie-
tor, Capt. Folger; died on the Ist of Sep
tember, 1928, about seven months after
moving into his building, and Judge
Miller in February IS43.
The proprietors and early settlers are
represented by c. K. Skinner, who came
in 1872. The writer hereof who came
into the Tuscarawas valley with his par
ents in 1873; Mrs. r. II. Folger was
member Of the first family that moved
into the village, Col. Benjamin Raser,
T. P. Reed and Richard Breed, Esqr's.,
although residents OF the west side OF the
county since 1877, and were early citi-
zens Of Massillon, were not of the first.
he first post master and canal collec-
tor was Capt. Folger. He held both
those Offices at the time of his death, and
was succeeded in the Collectors office
by Mr.. Duncan, and in the post office
by his son, VIM. Folger, Esq, now of
Mantua, Portage Co. The opening Of
the canal gave Massillon a steady and
rapid growth, which continued until the
opening of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne
and Chicago Railway, in 1852, then
known as the Ohio and Pennsylvania,
when the immense trade that She had
monopolized divided, east and west.
Then came the extension of the now
Cleveland, Mount Vernon and Della
ware, which was extended to Millers-
burgh, and presented that sort of compe.
tition which drew away trade. Canton,
which had gone along moderately, be-
came a formidable competitor, and, Of
fering greater inducements to manufac-
turers and to labor, became the CONNER
cial, as it was-being the county seat
the political center The increase of
railway facilities,-the Massillon and
Cleveland, and the Lake Shore and Tus-
carawas Valley, which, it is proper to
say, has no superior in the State for ju-
dicious and economical management,
have, with the extensive manufacturing
establishments, given Massillon a new
impetus, and its progress is onward, and
has been, for the last decade.
In 1868, having the requisite number
Of inhabitants, it became a city of the
second class, since which its population
has increased fifty per centum. 1t is in
the center Of the richest mineral portion
of Ohio. Around it are millions of tons
Of coal and ore, limestone, and two
freestone quarries, which give the city ad-
vantages not enjoyed elsewhere in Ohio,
the Mahoning valley alone excepted.
Its extensive manufactures of agricul-
tural implements, furnaces, foundries,
machine shops, rolling mill, in short,
its well developed and well fostered in
dustries OF all kinds, its beautiful location
as a place for beautiful residences, COM
bine tU place it in the front rank Of
growing cities. Superadded to all its
natural advantages are it. well conduct
ed schools, Of which its citizens are Just
ly proud. 1t owes no debt excepting a
few thousand dollars of floating liabili-
ties, which will be discharged on the
receipt of its next quota Of taxes. Its
policy has been to make haste slowly,
the wisdom Of which is fully illustrated
in its permanent growth, and substantial