Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1935-12-19
GORDON KUSTER IN DISPATCH
TELLS OF THE TWIN CITIES

/ CdpIfJu I1lSLOIIc lWln towns
March Forward--Muskingum River
Towns In Midst of Building Pro-
gram" In connection with the ar
ticle are the pictures of Harry
Phillips, WayIand Cochran, Ralph
Baker, Rufus Brown and Frank F..
Coulson, who are referred to as
some of the 'mainstays in the NAL
ta-McConnelsville March of Prog
ress." The illustrations include
view of McConnelsville Main street =
Elk Eye mill; foundation for new
postoffice building; NJ. & M. new
high school addition; entrance to
Rocky Glen main building; the Gea-
eral Robert Mcconnell homestead;
Hidden Spring, and a scene along
the Kennebec hill road where the
water lines are being extended.
Mr.. Kuster's article follows:
A certain pang of envy visits it
self upon the person who is for
ever lodging metropolitan traffic,
! breathing smoke-laden air and
fighting his way through throngs of
people, when he visits COM
( munity where peace and progress
I fill the hearts of the townfolk with
the joy of living. And that envy is
bound to well up when one is priv
| ileged to meet the people of Nc
Connelsville and Malta, Twin Towns
resting on the beautiful Mus
kingum river, in southeastern Ohio.
where the serenity of the magnifi-
cent hillsides and the calm flow of
the water offer glorious back
ground for the beginning of these
towns early in the nineteenth CEN
tury. Today that civic pride has
assumed immense proportions and
has marked up on it's log book ct
accomplishments vast program Of
improvement within the Twin
Towns, giving them gloss and
polish which, while never fading
the glorious past, adds luster to
that which is already inspiring. Nc
Connelsville and Malta are setting
a pace. Their progressive leaders
have pointed to an objective and
are steadily driving to it, apparent
ly overlooking nothing. Planning
for the future, they have not scorn-
ed the past and they are as pride
full Of their historic points of inter-
est as they are of the fact that
their towns and the people within
them may be model of progress
from which others may take ex-
ample.
Community spirit is most diff
cult quality to engender. The
Twin Towns have it. And the ex-
preston which it has taken is recog-
nizable as soon as one enters either
town. United on all fronts, the cit
izens have accomplished what seems
almost an impossibility. Let US
summarize them here: Driving into
the Twin Towns, smooth asphalt
surface has replaced the rough
street that once was there. Look
ing to the left from the square,
workmen are busily tearing up Ken
nebec avenue, preparatory to wild
ening and resurfacing it at a cost
of $1,000. To the right, the foua-
dation for new post office is being
built. 1t will cost 100000. Up
Kennebec avenue new water
works distribution system is being
laid to Kennebec Heights, costing
$500. To the right, going up the
hill, is the high school with its new
addition just dedicated at a cost Of
$110, 1000. New gas mains are be-
ing laid. There's a project under
way for resurfaclng Union street,
and Front street. Power lines are
being rebuilt and repaired. Trunk
sewers are being laid; new side
walks constructed in McConnels-
vile and Malta. Business buildings
and residences are being built, al
most as if spurred by boom. The
Clan TuharenlnSic canatnri-
um is completing a $4,000 addi-
ton and improvement program. A
mile of white way street lighting
has recently been completed. The
armory has been remodeled. Plans
are under way for the Improvement
of the court house interior and
heating system. More than 100
miles Of road are being reconstruct
ed in the county. Improvements
have been made to Big Bottom Me-
mortal park. And now comes
proposed $4,000 athletic field, rec
reation grounds and swimming pool.
Ralph Baker, past president Of
the Rotary club, and a man who has
taken an active part in the life OF
McConnelsville and Malta, has been
a resident of McConnelsville for IL
years. He explains the civic bet
terment program with a note OF
pardonable pride: Eve found out
that if we got together, we could
accomplish things. After the first
step had been taken, it was not diff
ficult to get the men to work on
our projects and today we find that
whenever man is given an assign
ment, he takes hold of his task
with willingness that means sue
cess from the beginning"
During my short visit there,
there was enough evidence to prove
this true beyond question. Every
man spoke with enthusiasm con-
cerning the towns accomplishments
achievement.
horses are such men as Wayland
Cochran, cigar manufacturer and
president of the energetic Rotary
club; Rufus Brown, the young pres
ident of the Brown-Manly PIow
and Frank f. Couisen,
of the Ohio Power COM
pany office there. These men are
because of their close
contact with civic affairs, but the
of their names does not
minimize the work performed by
others. Mrs. Carl Betz, president
of the Civic club; Pat White, COM
mander of Malconta Post, No. "A,
American Legion, and Mrs. +. Ray
Smith, president of the Parent
Teacher association, are all heads
Of organizations which have done
much toward the progress of the
two towns.