The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1921-06-30

wears ago, now living, as well as many
others from the neighboring town
ships. will recall with pardonable
pride and pleasure the great Corn
Festival held at Mallet Creek on Jan.
6, 1898, projected by the public-splrit-
er citizens of that community. The
purpose of the festival was to raise
sufficient money to pay the balance OF
the cost of laying 80 rods of sidewalk
at Mallet Creek, of fine Berea sand
stone; and the magnitude OF the un-
dertaking and the remarkable success
with which it was carried out, has be-
come memorable in the annals OF that
community and township.
A history of this notable event has
been prepared for the Sentinel by Mr..
Sanford P. Porter, for many years "a
resident of Mallet Creek, but at pres
ent of Medina, who was one OF the
foremost of those responsible for the
project. Mr.. Porter's article follows:
Prior to the year 1892 the people OF
Mallet Creek, Medina county, had for
years been walking, tripping, stum-
bling, or falling over an old, dilapi-
dated, broken and worn-out board
sidewalk extending from the post Of
flee to the B. & O. depot, distance
of 80 rods. Tho this board side walk
was continually being repaired, to save
the lives of our citizens, it was also
continually giving way in spots along
the route, and our people began to rea-
lize that the best and cheapest way
to repair the walk was to replace it
with a new one. Finally the walk
question got so hot in Mallet Creek
that meeting Of the citizens was
called to discuss ways and means to
build a new walk of some kind, over
the route named. The meeting was
largely attended sI,d The subject dis
tussed thoroughly. Various kinIs OF
walks were talked Of, but those cham
1ioning good stone sidewalk OF
Berea tagging as being the best and
cheapest in the long run, soon won
over to their side all doubters of such
a project. A committee was elected
and instructe TO procure means &c
build 3 it., S in, stone sidewalk o
the best sawed stone of Berea grir
while the rest of the citizens stood a
their backs. This committee was
H. ]. Barnabee, now of Medina; S. T
Porter OF Mallet Creek, Nathan Seele.
now of Pamona, Calf; S. J. Logar
now of Lakewood, O., and E. c. Mine
now of Brunswick, with S. P. Porte
chairman, and H. J. Barnabee ,secre
tary and treasurer.
A load on our shoulders? Wei
yes; it couldn't be seen, but 1t W;
surely felt. As we we're to be II
trusted servants of our towns peopl
we felt the responsibility keenly, tn
this was quite project for our tint
town. We jumped into the harne:
with the old saying, where there's
will there's way always in mind
Raising funds and getting necessa
work donated was our first step. T
latter was easy, as we got more wo
offered than we could use in two yea
But the former was not an easy gan
as will be shown later. After solic
ing funds from the property oMnt
along the route, and towns people
general, then those not so near by,
found we had only drop in the but
ct toward the needed amount. Th
the committee held council of W;
and decided to go over the grou
again, with the message: you'll h;
to shell out more" Well, they
right royalty, many saying, go
again if you have to-" Then we
gan holding benefit suppers and
tertainments of various kinds,
while these benefits and enterts
ments were we'll patronized, after
ing out expenses the profits were
small that we were not getting a
where very fast.
At this time we just happened
think it might be we'll to know "
the cost of the stone ,aid down
Mallet Creek wou. likely be, and
member of the comnl i,cc was sen
investigate His report almost $
gered the committee, bu. they raj
and put on war paint in real carr
Now, after exhausting what SCENE
BIS every available source from WI
we might expect to receive funds
again held a special committee m
ing, and at this meeting was |
the great Corn Festival.
We still lacked around $3.50. V
various plans were offered by diffe
members of the committee for get