The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-02-25

| ullOn phabiAH Oh ~ Wy pOJH'
Office was established that winter, and a
post master appointed who held his office
only until September LIST, 1928, when he
died, and new appointment was made
These facts are incidents connected with
the wet weather and muddy roads. No
one knew when to expect the mails which
were regularly irregular. Not an inch OF
snow fell during the entire winter.
AS the pen of the past is ever ready to
chronicle remarkable events, the mud OF
1927 was not overlooked. A Pennsylva-
mia newspaper had poem which, as we
now recollect, was copied into the ono
Repository, which contained the following
unctious couplet;
"Who, since the time of Noah's flood -,
Has saw such an almighty sight OF mudF'
"Zack" must date his blowingup of the
Monongahela during some other winter
DEATH OF REV. JOSEPH LAIs.--ln Me-
moriam.-The readers of the DEMOCRAT
will remember that two weeks since the
Massillon correspondence contained
brief notice of the death Of Rev. Father
Lais of st. Mary's German Roman Cath
olic church in this city. The death OF
Father Lais has left such void among
the large number who worshipat the OLD
German church, that mere mention OF
the events insufficient. A great variety
of engagements have prevented an ear
| lier notice; and .or the following sketch
1--WE are indebted to one of our citizens
who had long known Father Lais, and
afforded him valuable aid in the dis
charge of his many duties as Priest OF a
large congregation, there being at least
three hundred families regular attendants
at st. Mary's;
Father lais was born in the little vii
lage of Grissheim in the Grand Duchy OF
Baden, on the Sth of September, 1929,
and studied for the ministry at Erolburg,
in Switzerland, with the Jesuits. In the
year 1852 he came to the United States,
stopping at Cleveland, where he compile
ted his studies, and was ordained on the
l4th of July, 1866 His first pastoral
charge was at St. Mary's, in this city,
from which he was removed to Bethle-
hem in this county, remaining there a
short time, he was removed to ST. Peters,
at Doylestown, Wayne county; from there
he was removed to Canal Fulton, then to
his old charge at st. Mary's, in this city,
where he remained eight years and until
his labors ended.
He was a man of rare executive ability
as tl,e comfortable buildings on the val
liable church property in the third ward
in this city abundantly attest, including
residence, school buildings, and other
buildings of value, all Of which were
erected during his pastorate, and had he
been spared, a new church ,editice, equal
in size to the one now building by the
German Catholic congregation in Canton,
would have borne lasting testimony to
his indomitable energy and perseverance.
He often expressed to the writer his
great anxiety to see the German Catho-
lies of this city supplied with house in
which to worship, which should be equal
to any in Ohio, and had he lived would
doubtless have had his hopes and wishes
St. Mary's was the first Catholic church
organized in this city, and dates as far
back as 1874, at which time Rev. Father
Wurtz was the Priest in charge. In 1852
the entire inside of the building was de-
stroyed by fire, the work OF incendiaries,
who were well known, and who escaped
punishment by fleeing to parts unknown
and remaining absent. Whenthe build
ing was repaired it was enlarged to near
" double its capacity, and is now quite
too small to accommodate the large con-
gregation worshipping there, and the
death of Rev. Father Lais has, we learn,
postponed the building ofanother church
edifce on the premises indefinitely. he
was man of rare social qualities, having
kind word for every one, and of him 1t
may well be said, he was
ITO his duty prompt at every call"
1t will be no easy task for Bishop Gill
mour to fill his place with a successor so
acceptable as he was, not only TO the
church but to the community generally.
Owing to the multiplicity of our en-
o eements, we have overlooked the fact
| that Miss 4. A. Parsons, a few day'ssince
had received call to fill a vacant place
in the city schools of Cleveland, and had
resigned the position so long and ably
filled by her in the Grammar school in
this city. The many friends Of Miss
Parsons in this city will hear with pleas
ure to hear of her having obtained an
| important position in the Cleveland
schools, at salary which dpprorimdtes
compensation for her services.
On Monday morning a change from Sc
yerely cold to moderate weather took
place, and in the hours when there was
| fair sleighing there was bare ground loads
of wheat stuck on the street and and far.
mers took their teams home, leaving
their sleds in the city.
The readers of the DEMOCRAT at Massil-
lon will bear in mind that this, Thursday,
evening is the time for hearing Mrs. Scott
Siddons, 1t is probably the last time
they will have the opportunity for years.
It should not be neglected.
Urichsville, New Philadelphia, Dover,
and other towns along the line of the
| Cleveland, ,Tuscarawas Valley and Wheel
ing Railway are to be represented in
force, having engaged a special train on
that road.
The members of St. Mary's Roman
Catholic church have not yet been sup
piled with a pastor since the death of
Rev. Joseph Lais. The illness and alb.
sence of Bishop Gilmour in Florida, has
doubtless tended to occasion the delay in
supplying the vacancy. k!tI p
The Firemens ball at the Opera House
on Monday night, was gay affair and
fully attended. Barrs String Band fur
nished the music which is all that need
be said on that subject to give assurance
of its excellence.
The recent discoveries of mineral coal
in the Tuscarawas Valley near this city
are such as to take by surprise the most
sanguine operators, and promises to fur
nish supply for all coming time. On
Fractional Section 81 belonging to John
G. Warwick, Esq, the Warwick shaft has
just been sunk to stratum of coal of four
feet six inches in thickness, and ofa quail
/ Al. 4. GfIN,lIo,,- -