The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-07-14

ana John sherman visited New Lexlng-
ton, and spoke to an immense audience
in Fowler's grove. Daniel voorhees,. of
Indiana, little later in the canvass,
spoke from the same stand. Yet later,
Senator Wade was induced to come to
Somerset. and in a speech of three hours.
addressed a large audience assembled in
the school house lot, near the east end of
town. The Gnbernatorial canYass Of
1867, was another exceptionally warm
one. Early in the camgaign. Governor
Dennison and Gen. Moses B. Walker
spoke in the public park at New Lexing
ton; and, soon afterward. Allen G. Thur
man, Fl. J. Jewett and W. E. Finck
spoke from the same stand. In Septem-
Der, Robert C Schenck and W. II. Glib
son spoke in the pnblic square at Som
erset. On the third of October, VIM. II.
Gibson and Col. a. S. Mcclure spoke IN
ar grove, near the railroad depot, at New
Lexington. The Presidential campaigns
of 1864 and 1868 were animated and in
teresting. but time and circumstances
will not permit us further to refer to
them.
l870-1876
With the dawn of this decade began
the development proper of the Mineral
region of Perry, though the foundation
of some Of the enterprises had been laid
some time previous. Indeed, as early as
1858, investments had been made in the
coal region about Straitsville, with the
view of running branch line, four or
| FIVE miles in length, intersecting with
the old Sciote and Hooking Valley
road, thus tapping the Straitsville coal
district. But the main railroad enter
prise collapsed, and of course the branch
road did, and the coal interests depend
ing upon them. also.
Early in 1870 vigorous measures were
taken to construct branch from the
Hooking Valley at Logan to New Straits
vile, and, in the course Of few months
the enterprise was accomplished, and
New Straitaville arose like magic, and
soon became a great mining town.
Also. in 1870, vigorous and effective
measures were set on foot to extend the
long delayed N s. & s. r. r. south
ward into the great coal region, and, ir
1872, the line was finished to Shawnee
and soon it arose, in an almost incredible
short time, into the dignity of largt
and thriving town and important mining
point The railroad had been complet
ed TO Somerset in 1871, and there was
great celebration at this place, in homo
Of the event.
The A. & L. E. R. R., projected i,
} 1870, has apparently been delayed
long while, but the grading has heel
nearly completed. from the city of Tole
do as far as Moxahala, Perry county
and over a million and half of dollar
have been expended on the line. Th
large tunnel a mile south Of New Lex
ington has been driven through, and
very considerable amonnt of work ha
been done upon the Oakfeld tunnel, on
mile south of Moxahala. The cars ar
running between Moxahala and Me-
Lexington, and the former place is de
{ veloping into very considerable minin
\ town.
GENERAL REMARKS.
Thousands of persons. living in nearl
| half the States of the Union, are direc
ly interested in the coal and mlners
, lands of Perry county, and, the amour
of money already actually expended
their development, wouId sound so mnc
like fabulous sum that forbear (
give or approximate figures, and tt
end is clearly not yet.
Coal and Iron Ore are being shippe,
4 and have been shipped, from PERI
y county mines, over four lines of railroa
to-wit: the c. & NJ V. r. r. the N S.
j.. s. r. R., the Straitsville branch of tt
v Hook az Valley, and the A. & L. E. ]
R., now the Ohio Central. Coal ar
ore mines are accessible TO all the
roads.
4 Our county has now q population
about $4,000, an increase Of more thu
4 six thousand in the last five years. v
;, have four towns, New Lexington, Sor
:. each with a population of from ffte
:, hundred to thousands, and Junction Git
Thornville, Moxahala, Mt. Perry, NJ
Cuneville. Ferrara, Maxville, McLune
" Oak6eid, Millertown, Saltillo, Rehobot
Glenford. Sego, Baird's Furnace, N
> Reading, Bristol, Dixton City, Hel
lock, Por;erville, Crooksville, Crosse
;" y, Vile Chapel Hill, all actual villages
" population and business. and some
- them large and fourishing ones.
:, The population of. Perry is mo
>" heterogeneous than that of any other
terror county IN the State. 1t is difficl
to tell whether the Anglo Saxon
y Teutonic blood predominates. The es
ly settlers were pretty evenly divid
between the Pennsylvania Germans a
the descendants of the Anglo Saxoi
. and this proportion has been pre-
we'll maintained, to the present tin
Soon after 1920 came also the. sons
:. - Erin's Green Isle, and settled, princip
ly in colonies, in jackson, Clay ton, III
rison, Pike and Monroe townships
They and their descendants now make
- a very considerable part of the popu
- ZION. We also have English, Germ;
,, Welch, French, Scotch, Scoth Irish, a
:, some of other natioLalities and rae
But what of race or blood? On the {
hand, we are alike children Of the dr
and when we look upon that, who {
b. presume to be proud or above his
lows; and, on the other hand, we are
= children of the everything God, a
!. when we consider this, who shol
cringe or feel humble in the presence
his brother man?
:. On this great centennial day, lii
:; retrospecting and forecasting will net