The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-09-25
Dr.. O. n. Huff Long Resident of odd Newport Relates
Levi Coffin and Other Citizens Helped Slaves Escape Southern
Bondage and Make Their Way Freedom
of "Uncle Toms Cabin Lived at Fountain Whoe Community
Helped Cooed People EcapeBrought Sacrifices For Beterment
Liberation of RaceHome Temperance
SocetyPrvae Subscriptions Financed Protecon Organ
voted Fight Against Human Slavery Free the Negro
Nv. DR.. o. N. HUFF.

~. DR.. Q. N. HUFF.
#. B. Macauley. the great English
essayist and historian, once said that
"A people which takes no pride in
the noble achievements of remote an
cestors, will never achieve anything
worthy to be remembered by their de-
scendants."
Edmund Burke expressed about the
same sentiment when he said, Those
who do not treasure up the memory OF
their ancestors do not deserve to be
remembered by posterity."
The citizens of old Newport were
men and women OF sterling character
and stood boldly and fearlessly for
what they believed to be right. What
they commended for has grown and will
continue to grow in the estimation
of the Christian world, and who can
say that they lived in vain?
We are all more or less a species Of
hero worshipers and ready always to
applaud the work and achievements
Of men and women who have stood
by a principle at whatever cost, and
particularly IL this true when their
work and sacrifices were for the bet
terment and liberation of an Cypress
ed humanity. Honest work for noble
principle Is never lost. even In the face
of apparent defeat. Truth crushed to
earth will rise again." and others will
be found ready to battle for the right
until the victory is won. Eternity
alone will reveal how eternal truth WI
dens its sweep and reaches out to the
farthest shores of time"
The town of Newport, now Foun-
tain City. was plated and laid out by
Redeem Chance and Solomon Thomas
Sept. s. 1918, 81 years ago. Forty acres
of land was the original town site.
This forty acres was part Of the land
entered by George Shugart. ST.. who
emigrated from N. G.. in 1906, during
the administration Of James Madison.
The first streets we're those north
and south, Water street, on the east,
Main, Walnut and Green street on
the west. Streets running east and
west were Cherry on the south. Main
Cross, Mill and Davis on the north.
Main and Main Cross streets were or
iginally three rods wide. but later by
common consent became 60 feet wide.
The lots we're numbered and 81 and
50 we're donated to Zadoc Williams for
the purpose of making brick as 1t was
thought no doubt there would be a
great demand for such material.
Hcugh. Green, Baldwin. Parry and
Cowgirl additions were laid out later.
In 1920 George Shugart ST., built the
first grist mill as they were called, on
the east end of Mill street. 1t was not
a speedy affair, but very industrious
and 1t was said when it got through
grinding one grain of corn 1t immedi-
ately jumped on to another one. Some
years after this mill was bought by Le-
vi Coffin and converted into an oil
mill which was operated as such for
a number Of years. -
In 1885 Ell Osborn, Isaac and Jesse
Reynolds built five story steam flour
and corn mill and connected with 1t a
wooden mill, which did cardfng, color
Ing. spinning and weaving. This build
ing stood on the east side of the river
northeast of the iron bridge and was
the largest and best equipped mill in
the county at that time. People came to
this mill from a radius of so miles.
In 1s48 William Moses and Hiram
Hough built an adjoining building and
engaged in the manufa cture OF stoves
and other castings, but the expense OF
hauling by wagon. the ore and coke
from Cincinnati. was too great and the
venture was given up after one years
experience. In 1923 Jonathan Hough
built the first saw mill in the town
ship It stood near the bridge over
Nolan's fork just south of town. In the
early thirties. David Willcuts built a
saw mill half mile northeast of town
afterwards owned by Aaron Reynolds
and Benjamin Pitts. Thomas Nicholson
built a gunshop adjoining the mill and
his guns were noted for fine work
manship and shooting qualities.
In 1S47 Job Reynolds built large
and well equipped flour mill south OF
town in which was installed the first
turbine water wheel ever used as
motive power. Mr.. Reynolds was the
inventor of this wheel but was tardy
in proving up. After he had been oper-
ating the new water power for some
months, a stranger came OF the mill
one day and said he had heard Of the
wheel and requested to see the won
derful invention and Mr.. Reynolds took
great pride in showing the man over
the mill. Several months afterward
MIR. Reynolds was notified by an at
torney that he was infringing on his
clients patent turbine wheel, and he
must pay at once a royalty for Its use
or suit would be brought against him,
and there was no other course but to
pay Tor the fl8nt 10 use nIs o"n III GU
ton. The patent laws of those days
were very different from those OF to-
day. ...-
During the first rs years there were
a number of struggling industries and
manufactures more or less successful.
Blacksmithing was great industry IN
those days. Several shops and each
one employing or 5 men. They made
all the horse shoes, nails, bolts, chains,
ironed all the wagons and carriages,
in fact everything in their line as
there was no ready made hardware
on the market at that time. There were
a number of wagon and carriage shops.
Two potter shops as they were cali
Ted, made earthenware. AS early as
8 COG thar. mara fsa,c b At sh0rs nyyznad