The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1904-04-26
OLD LANDMARKS NO. IS
BY John Danner,

The old time system Of doing busi
ness and conducting affairs in Canton
have greatly changed from what they
we're 10 years ago. At that time we
had no railroads and the arrival Of
the stage coaches, bringing our mails,
or the coming to town of the six-horse
teams of Berry Goodin and others with
| goods from the east, were looked for
ward to with as much interest as are
our present arrivals of passenger cars
on the railroads, and telegraphic dis
patches from all over the country
daily, as we receive them.
The countries of the civilized world
are in closer proXin " to each other
now than we're neiG oring states be-
fore the introduction OF railroads and
telegraphs. This fact is idelibly fixed
upon my mind from the first trip |
took to Philadelphia in 1S45. While
in Baltimore the first message on the
telegraph line from Washington to
Baltimore was sent, and on my way
home, April 10, the great fire in Pitts
| burg took place, which consumed
about half the city, and was up to that
time the most extensive fire we ever
| had in this country. On our way home
from Pittsburg the roads were quite
muddy, and we could not make the
usual time because of the condition of
the roads, but all the way along pas
sengers brought the news of the great
fire, for at that time there was no way
of carrying news faster than the stage
| coach could travel, or be sent by eX-
press messenger on horseback And
when some of us who had just been
east to buy our stock of spring goods,
told our neighbors and acquaintance
of the great fire and the operations of
the telegraph they were all greatly in
| terested and eager to hear; but there
were some who shook their heads and
doubted that communication could be
had In an instant py wire 40 miles
away, and said while they heard us,
that doubtless we would find out that
we had been fooled, that such thing
could not be done.
Our young people of today do not
realize that 20 years ago such could
have been our condition that no news
could be conveyed faster than by
stage coach or messenger on horse
back, and that we had no railroads
But such was our condition at the
time l refer to. l think the first rail-
road in northern Ohio was the one
built from Mansfield to Sandusky. In
1851 our first road was projected to
run through Canton, and caused much
rejoicing Up to the time said road
was built Canton had no manufac-
tories, and was at the mercy of the
Ohio canal for carrying our wheat and
other heavy products. of the farms.
But very soon after the opening of the
railroad through Canton the tables be.
gan to turn In our favor, and the
building of other railroads through our
city in later years, together with CIV
ing most excellent trolley lines in al
most all directions has brought Can
ton to the forefront for prosperous in
land towns in our state, so that we
now have a prosperous inland city
Of about 10000 population, and some
very extensive shops and manufactor-
les, whose output cannot be excelled
by any in the country in their line of
work. Among these may be mention
ed the Diebold Safe G. Lock works,
and Dueber Watch works, whose out
put is quite extensive and their pro-
ducts stand in the forefront of goods
in their line.
For anyone to look back to what
| xyna Z
is today, the transformation and i'm
provements appear to be wonderful,
but If we are loyal and true to our
charge, and elevate morality and good
deeds and do all we can to suppress
evil we may still nave greater growth
and prosperity. The path of sobrie.
ty and good deeds is sure to pros
per, while those of intemperance and
extravaganza are sure to lead to down,
fall sooner or later.
From the very first most of our cit.
izens were industrious and honest,
and the divisions that have existed
in many places no larger than Canton
have not invaded our city, and how,
ever varied our notions have been
politically OF religiously, we have had
respect for each other, and gwen full
liberty for every citizen to carry out
his own convictions along these lines,
but expect of all good citizens to be
honest and industrious, and this has
been one of the strong recommenda.
tions in favor Of Canton for many
years.
Pride goeth before a fall" is as
true as it was many centuries ago
when first uttered Let us take heed
to the inspired warning, and rejoice
in trying To make the world the bette er