The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-09-25

by John s. Hunt and Thomas viii
liams who manufactured all kinds OF
hats from the soft wool to the slick
white fur with the long nap, worn by
the small boy. These hats weighed
might unto ten pounds" at least the
small boy in toto shirt and pants
thought SO.
There were tin shops and tan yards.
The first tan yard about 1928 was built
by Mr.. Unthank. This was bought by
Daniel Huff, ST.. and moved to the
south end of Green street. Another one
was near the Friends church In north
east part of town. operated at differ
ent times by Cyrus Pickett, Elias
Baldwin and Billy Willcuts. Two chair
factories we're operated by Alexander
Curry and Robert Curtis, and num-
Der of these chairs are in Fountain
City and as good as the day they were
made. Cooper shops, tailoring shops,
harness and saddlery shops.
Another industry was the making Of
wooden clocks by one John Hough.
who lived near the railroad bridge,
south of town. A few houses at this
place was called New Liberty and at
one time tried to rival old Newport.
For a number of years the place was
very active in business enterprises.
Levi Coffin came to Newport in
1926 to live and started the first gen.
and he gradually enlarged 1t. Began
cutting pork and shipped to Cincin-
natl. The only means of shipping in
those days was by wagons, and four
and six horse teams were common
things in those days carrying pork.
grain and other products to market
and bringing back groceries. dry
goods and all kinds of merchandise
in demand at the village.
Another very important part Of the
village were two hotels-and they
were well patronized. The old stage
line from Richmond to Winchester, at
one time exchanged horses here. They
carried the mail also. For some time
they received mail twice week. Later
every other day, going north Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays and South
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. One
of the hotels mentioned was The Man
sion House, S. Nixon proprietor, the
other was The Price House, kept by
Jediah Price.
1t may shock the nerves OF some
good people to know that our town at
one time had two distilleries that man
ufactured the old time Mountain dew
out of corn. One of them was located
a little north of where the Methodist
church stands. The man who operated
this one used an open we'll from which
he dipped water with rope and buck
ct for use in his still and in doing so
stood upon a broad plank across the
top of the we'll. 1t came to pass on a
certain night that some one who must
have been the original "Prohi" IN
Eastern Indiana, sawed this plank on
the under side and the next morning
when the still" man walked out on
the plank to dip water he took sud
den plunge and went wet NO
neighbors were near and but for the
plank that went down with him he
would have drowned for he spent an
hour or two yelling for help before
any one heard him and pulled him out
of the ice cold water. History does
not tell whether he remained wet
or turned dry" but the probabilities
are that he finally became dry. AS
early as 1880 the people became dis.
gusted with the frequent brawls and
carousals caused by intoxicating drink,
There were saloons in the place. BY
appointment men met one evening
to discuss the situation. 1t was agreed
that an effort be made to organize
temperance society. Church members,
even, in those days were not always
abstainers and there was much OPPOSE
ton. 1t was a grave question whetner
such an organization could be sustain
ed. It was pioneer work. ADVERTISE
ments we're written and posted, sign
ed by Friends and 3 Methodlsts ana
a great public excitement was created.
They met in the school house. A com
mittee was appointed to draft const1-
tuition and by laws, but having been
previously written, the committee
soon returned. On motion for their
adoption the fight began in earnest.
The opposition was formidable even
from some prominent church members,
but they we're finally overcome, and
the society was organized under the
name of Newport Temperance Society.
There were twelve charter members.
At the second meeting there were
added 40 new members. The excite
ment spread to neighboring villages
and many were the jeers even by the
church against the society.
They held council at Williams
burg four miles west and issued a
challenge to Newport to debate the
question between members Of their
choosing and by the Newport soci-
ETY.. 1t was agreed to have the dis
cussion in the school house at New.
port. 1t began at o'clock In the af-
ternoon and continued in great ear
nestness until IL o'clock at night, with
a final and complete victory for the
Newport society. The interest did not
abate and there was a radical change
In public sentiment, and before the
close of the year there were between
800 and 400 signers Of the pledge to
the society. The saloons were put out