davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Imperial Valley press., 1938-04-24

million dollars.
1t required three million dollars
to pay up old debts and the district
opened with a capital of one half
million dollars.
Since 1911 the irrigation district
has progressed step by step with the
valley.
The early fire department in I'll
Centre was entirely volunteer. TIE
two wheel car was pulled by the
firemen and small two inch pipes in
different localities of the city fur
nished water to extinguish fires.
Gradually paved streets replaced
the dirt roads of the old days. Com
plete stores were built, new hotels
we're erected, cars replaced the
horses on the roads and tractors
replaced them on the farms.
A new fire department was born
when added equipment was brought
to Ell Centre.
CurbS, with parking limit signs,
replaced the hitching racks, new
post office building rose, the court
house was shifted to its present
location.
Rut to the old timer, there is
something lacking. There wasn't
the noise, the hurry, and many
other problems to contend with.
problems which make the task of
carrying water from bitches seem
almost insignificant.
"rThem were the daySl"
Imperial Valley press., 1938-04-24
Two-WheeIed Cart Made
Up Fire Department
eXperinentally,

were introduced eXperimentally,
with varying success. First one. then
another rose to brief leadership in
competition for land.
The small grains, barley AMI
wheat. occupied more than half of
the area in crops in 1903 But in
later years grain sorghum was the
leading crop and was followed by
CantaloupeS and alfalfa.
The successful development of
agriculture in Imperial Valley re-
quired the introduction of suitable
crops. Cultural methods, used else
where and introduced along with
crops, had to be moiified to fit the
valleys environment.
Ell Centros first railway station
was a box car, made larger by
platform.
Goods from all over the state,
goods that aided in the building of
the Imperial county seat, arrived
at the tiny platform and the first
Ell Centre products were loaded
from that platform.
As years passed, and Ell Centre
rapidly grew into the largest town
in the valley, the Southern Pacific
saw the need of a larger and more
convenient depot.
A new depot was built in 1910.
Telephones were not the usual
thing in the homes of Ell Centre
residents but all of the leading
business houses and hotels owned
telephones.
The first telephone wire had been
strung into the valley in 1901 by
w. F.. Holt, who realized that the
county must have some form of
communication with the outside
world.
The water system in 1908 in Ell
Centro was comparable to the sys-
TENS of older valley towns but
would be declared unfit for human
consumption today.
Settling basins and water tow
er, and comparatively inefficient
filters we're the only steps taken
to make the water ready for use.
A few years later a water works
and sewer system were installed.
The Holton Power company plant
located near Holtville furnished al
Imperial Valley press., 1938-04-24

TO Imperial How he made it is still
a mystery, but two days later he
turned up in Imperial, apparently
little worse for the trip.
There was only one thine that
travellers dreaded more than the
trip to San Diego in the days of
the beginning Of FL Centre. That
was the trip back.
The roads in Imperial were sandy.
full of chuck holes and very rough.
A trip Of more than 10 miles often
took a full day because of the poor
road conditions. Later when autos
appeared on the roads the condition
was made more noticeable.
The best road was the Imperial
Ell Centre highway along the ditch
bank Of the Date canal Water seep-
age from the canal kept the road
fairly hard and as a result there
was little trouble on that stretch.
The road TO Holtville, however,
was worse than just bad. Sandy
stretches made it almost impossible
for cars to travel and many a farm
er gave car owners the horse laugh
as he hitched Dobbin to the auto
TO extricate it from the sand trap.
Even the Rocky Road to Dublin
would have seemed a smooth high
way beside the road to Holtville.
Unauthoritative stories tell US
that Imperial Valley auto drivers
in the early days were rated the
best gear shifters in the world.
A trip to San Diego, according to
Leroy Holt, who made one of the
first trips, required the shifting OF
gears at least one thousand times.
Conditions on the farms of the
valley were anything but pleasant.
Drinking water had to be carried
from novel ditch bank filters.
Cultivating of land was effected
with horses and mules plus the
earliest Of agricultural tools. Lights
were furnished by kerosene lamps.
Heat was furnished by kerosene
stoves that seldom worked, and
which made the house almost i'm
possible to live in when they did
burn
During the three decades of the
development of Ell Centre and the
surrounding country many crops
Imperial Valley press., 1938-04-24

tro. that IS the city, boasted more
than 500 people. There were several
hundred more people in the immed-
late vicinity of Ell Centro.
There wasn't q great deal OF
travelling done in the carly days OF
the valley. but once in a great while
an expedition would brave a Trip
across the mountains TO San Diego.
A trip to San Diego called for
several days preparation.
Water and food for the trip was
provided for, horses were re-shod.
In fact, Lindbergh couldn't have
made a more thorough check on the
Spirit of st. Louis before his ocean
trip than did the Imperial Valleyite
On his horses.
Trips were generally made in a
light wagon drawn by two horses.
twenty-five miles per day was con-
sidercd excellent time, though the
distance travelled was slightly less
than that through the mountains.
Most of the trip was made on
foot. because the horses had enough
trouble pulling a supply wagon over
the rocky mountain trails.
There was an element OF danger
in making a trip TO San Diego.
Mountain lions prowled in the hills
and though they didn't attack
travellers, they certainly frightened
many newcomers with their screech-
ing cries at night.
Hunters on the trips provided
game for the camp fire meals be-
cause there was an abundance of
rabbits, squirrels, quail, doves and
deer in the mountains.
Though travellers did not get lost
often on the trips to San Diego,
there are on record, tales of travel
ers who got separated from the main
party and wandered into uncharted
desert.
One tenderfoot, on a trip to the
coast, had been the victim of many
practical jokes, so he determined
to show the group just what he
could accomplish with a gun.
He routed out five deer one day
while tramping and proceeded to
trail them toward the desert. AS
a result he got lost and was forced
to walk 80 miles, without water,
Imperial Valley press., 1938-04-24

THOUSANDS or PEOPLE who drive into places of busi
- but information
If these olke turned away unfriendIy and disco
would reflect citizen the city But the careful
given these visitors has helped FL Centre build reputao
friendly city for this feel that justly claim a
credit
possible return for this time and effort is goodW
only WHOLE but the good will and the friend
Of Eel Centre toward
Frankly proud glad Of the part play every
this city certainly Ell Centre should be congratulated
grcss during the past thirty years.
Imperial Valley press., 1938-04-24

Telephone bells rang louder than
they do now but didn't ring nearly
so often because there weren't so
many.
The only telegraph office was
owned by the Southern Pacific.
Drinking water came from a water
works composed CT a settling basin
and a 10000 gallon tower. Before
that water for drinking purposes
had to be taken out OF ditchcf
which ran where alleys are today.
Highways, though people didn't
dare call them that, were few and
far between.
J The Holton Power company fur"
nishC power to all cities of the val
ley. Special permission TO keep
power on late at night had to be OBJ
tanned when dances and celebra-
tions were scheduled.
y The California Development COM
Imperial Valley press., 1938-04-24

pany distributed water to farms
and to cities.
zanjeros rode The bitches in two
wheeled, single-horse, carts.
A two wheeieo cart with severa!
feet of badly twisted hose served
as the fire department. But there
wasn't much business because there
were surprisingly few fires.
There were two important hotels,
The FL Centre hotel and the Frank
lin hotel.
Two grocery stores served the
populacc. There were a few general
stores. a post office and livery
stable
Hitching posts lined the streets.
There were no parking limits.
Saturday was the big day in town,
for farmers, following rutted trails,
Imperial Valley press., 1938-04-24
BY BURDETTE KINNE

Take half mile of mud road Of adobe and
brick bulidngs-if it rained mix we'll ogether-and you
have Ell Centro in 1908.
1t was a one-week drive to San Diego
1t a four hour drive to DiXieland-lf there had
been a DiXieland.
box-car and rather rickety platform served as a
depot.
Farmers lived farms. Some of them still here
Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1938-07-07
ReinerSville

The only thing that was exploded
here the Fourth was the idea it had
to rain that day.--John Sealock, IT.,
suffered a severe attack of indi-
gestion last Monday morning, but
was reported improved that even
ing.--Mr and Mrs David Montz and
son-in-law and daughter, Mr.. and
Mrs Eldon Heck of Sycamore, re-
turned home July 4th after few
days visit with Mr. and Mrs. Harry
merfield becomes superintendent of
the Forest Grove high school, Wal
ter Woodford, the former superin-
tended being now connected with
the highway department Mr.. and
Mrs. Emmett Allen and Mr.. and
Mrs Lawrence Flynn of GAINESVILLE
returned to their homes Monday,
after few days visit with Mr.. and
Mrs w. T. Allen. Mrs. Emma Tan
nehill and sister-in-law, Mrs. Sarah
Ralph, who had been visiting the
former for few days, accompanied
Mr. and Mrs. Harley Long to their
home at Youngstown, Monday
Wednesday, the county grading men
and equipment were preparing to
complete the section of the Foster
road from Otho, or state road 78
to the covered bridge across Dyes
Fork of Meigs creek, in Manchester
township. The equipment will then
detour, owing to bridge condition
and begin operations on what is
known as Foster hill, another part
of same road which intersects the
improved section at the Foster and
Delmar Ray home.--Dr. and Mrs.
John R. Hill, accompanied by his
mother, Mrs. S. L. Hill, arrived
from Columbus, Sunday, and will
spend a week at the parental home.
The Caldwell Journal of last
week stated that John, SON of the
late Arthur Morris, and formerly of
this place, was acting as escort for
the aged Civil war veteran, John
Sealock at the Gettysburg reunion,
which was to close the 9Th George
Collins who works for Cloyd Harp
er heard the watch dog barking
furiously Saturday morning and
with Mr.. Harper went out to inves-
tigate the cause for such vocal DEM
onstrations The dog was freed from
his chain and led them to small
walnut tree upon which mother
coon and four baby coonlets were
enjoying security. Out of consider
alton for Mrs. eCoon's violent lobjec-
tions. to the. presence of the collie,
the dog was returned to his chain.
The mother coon then abandoned
Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1938-07-07
Poplar Ridge

Saturday guests at the Herschel
Taylor home were Mr.. and Mrs. e.
B. Lindimore of Rose Farm, and
Mrs. C. X. Anderson of Malta, and
daughter Ruby, of Cleveland. Over
Sunday and Fourth were Bryce Cliff
ton and family of Marietta, and Mr..
and Mrs. James Love of McCOnnels-
dale Wainwright of Porters-
Vile was Sunday and Monday
guest of Jimmie Massey .--Dermont
Albright attended the birthday par
ty Sunday given for his father, Fred
Albright, of Neelyville.--Mr. and
Mrs. Charles Miller martha Hoop
err, Maysville, KY, Charles Hooper
of Lancaster, Bobby Hooper and Bill
ly Patterson Of GAINESVILLE were
week end guests at the G.. R. Cope
land home.--Helen Paisley of Co
lumbus is spending the week with
her aunt, Mrs. P. B. Revenaugh.---
Frank Kincaid and son Otis attend
ed the races at Lancaster, Monday.
Patty Anderson is spending few
days with her grandparents, Mr.
and Mrs. VIM. Walker, Of Zanes-
Vile. Guy Anguish and son of Bu-
cyrus were Sunday visitors OF the
formers father, Perley Anguish
Mr.. and Mrs. Forest Henderson of
Columbus, and Frank Porter and
family spent Sunday in Chillicothe,
with their brother, Richard Jones,
who is an officer in CCC camp
Mr.. and Mrs. Guy Lamb of Ashta-
bula have been visiting their par
ents, Mr.. and Mrs. G. ". Weeden, OF
Joetown and Mr.. and Mrs. u. p.
Lamb Mr.. and Mrs, Weir Kerns
and son Richard OF Stockport were
Sunday guests at the Clarence Ellis
home.- Mrs. Everett Click and Paul
Reed have had as their guest for
the past week. their grandmother,
Of Columbus. ss
Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1938-07-07
PROPERTY SOLD

DR.. C. E. Northrup has purchased
the Lewis Riley property on South
Kennebec avenue, which Mr.. Riley
acquired in a trade with Mrs. Lizzie
Ham of Malta. The property was
formerly owned by B. o. Perkins.
Emory Smith and family are now
occupying the house, which DR.. Nor
thrup plans to remodel. The deal
was made through the Geo. B. Ken
new real estate agency
Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1938-07-07

E. O. Wiley and family of the
Marietta road had as guests Sunday
Mrs. Wiley's sister and husband,
Mr.. and Mrs. w. j. Gordon, near
GAINESVILLE. Mrs. Wiley who has
been suffering for several weeks
from adhesions and infection OF
the mouth and throat, remains quite
i'll and does not seem to improve
very fast. Mr.. and Mrs. O. c. Ham
mond of Mansfield visited at the
Wiley home Friday evening.
Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1938-07-07

Mr.. and Mrs Edmond Brande-
berry and son Frederic returned to
their home at Wooster, Tuesday,
after spending the Fourth with
home folks Miss Aline, Mr.. Bran
deberry's sister, returned home with
them for a visit.
Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1938-07-07

Mr.. and Mrs. Clell Benjamin and
daughter Marilyn spent the Fourth
with home folks Mrs. Benjamin
and daughter returned to GAINESVILLE
to the home of her brother, Paul
Scott
Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1938-07-07

Mr.. and Mrs. Paul Scott and
daughter Carmeda returned to their
home in GAINESVILLE, after spending
several days with Mr.. and Mrs. A.
G.. Scott, and Mr.. and Mrs. Ned
ClaWSon
Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1938-07-07

for which they are issued; that
they are issued in pursuance of this
ordinance and shall be signed by the
Mayor and Clerk of said village and
sealed with the corporate seal of
said village. The interest coupons
attached to said bonds shall bear
the signature of the Village Clerk.
providing the necessary funds to
pay the interest on the foregoing
issue Of bonds promptly when and
as the same fall due and also to
provide fund sufficient to dis
turity, there shall be and hereby is,
levied on all taxable property in
said village of McCohnelsville, in
addition to all other taxes a direct
tax annually during the period said
ficient to provide funds to pay in
terest upon said bonds as and when
the same falls due and also to pro-
vide fund for the discharge Of
SAID serial bonds at maturity which
ed by Section Eleven of Article
Twelve of the Constitution. Said tax
shall be levied outside the ten-miil
limitation. Said tax shall be and is
hereby ordered computed, certified,
levied and extended upon the tax
duplicate and collected by the same
officers, in the same manner and at
the same time that taxes for gen.
eral purposes for each of said years
are certified. extended and collect
ed. Said tax shall be placed before
and in preference to all other items
and for the full amount hereof. The
funds derived from said tax levies
hereby required shall be placed in q
separate and distinct fund, which to-
gether with all interest collected on
the same, shall be irrevocably
pledged for the payment Of the in
terest and principal of said bonds
when and as the same fall due
Section 4. The Clerk of said Viii
lage shall exchange said bonds at
not less than par and accrued inter.
est for q like or greater amount OF
outstanding bonds or notes, with in
Section S. The Village Clerk is
hereby directed to forward q certi-
fed copy Of this ordinance to the
County Auditor.
Section 6. Ordinance No. 290 en-
dinance No. Ssa enacted G MAY May Is Is
1898. be and the same hereby are
Section Z. An emergency is here
by declared to exist, two-thirds Of
the members of Council concurrinT
therein by reason Of the fact that
indebtedness must be Completed on
or before July /, 1888; this ordinances
shall take effect from and after the
earliest period allowed by law.
Passed by Council this 9th day of
June, 1898.
e.1@ee..,<aw ", y. MEDLEY.
Alice Moody. Clerk. ...
Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1938-07-07

DR.. Edgar Northrup and brother
Mr.. Wayne Northrup, plan to leave
Sunday for two weeks vacation,
going first to Buffalo, N. Y, where
Wayne will remain with his brother
Dr. Deane Northrup, resident sur
geon atsCity hospital, Buffalo. DR..
Edgar Northrup will join his wife
at her parents' home, Mr.. and Mrs.
Fred Coughlin of Ottawa, Canada,
and they will spend week or more
there and in that vicinity. Before
returning home DR.. Northrup and
wife win ALSO visit DR.. Deane Nor
thrup In Buffalo.
Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1938-07-07
ORDINANCE No. 295

An Ordinance to Provide for the Is
suance of Bonds of the Village
of McCOnnelsviIle, Ohio, for the
Purpose of Refunding the Out
standing Bonds and Notes of the
Village, and to repeal Ordinance
No. 29O enacted September s, 1887,
and to repeal Ordinance No. 293
enacted May 10, 1888.
WHEREAS, at an election held on
the 3rd day of August, 1897, the
proposition of issuing bonds of the
Village of McConnelsville in the
sum of Twenty-one Thousand tS2i,-.
000.O0) Dollars for the purpose of
refunding the outstanding bonds
and notes of said village, and of
levying taxes outside the ten-mill
limitation to pay the interest and
principal of such bonds was sub
mitted to the electors of said viii
lage, and the required majority of
electors voted in favor OF said bond
issue, and whereas the bonds and
notes hereinafter referred to are
about to fall due: and
WHEREAS, the holders of said
Twenty-one Thousand ($21,0OO.00)
Dollars, elected to exchange said
bonds and notes now due for an
equal amount of serial refunding
bonds.
BE IT ORDAINED AND HEREBY
DETERMINED BY THE COUNCIL
OF THE VILLAGE OF McCON-
NELSVILLE, OHIO:
Section l. That it is deemed nee
essary to issue bonds of the Village
of McConnelsville in the principal
sum of Twenty-one Thousand (S21,-
000.00) Dollars for the purpose of
refunding the outstanding bonds
and notes of said village. Said bonds
shall bear interest at the rate of 3 IL
per centum per annum payable
Semi-annually on the first day of
May and the first day of November
of each year until the principal
sum is paid. Said bonds shall be
dated May 1, 1888, and shall be is
sued in denominations to be deter
mined by the Clerk of said village
in accordance with the amended or
der of the Tax Commission of Ohio,
dated January 7, 1888. The principal
and interest Of all of said bonds
shall be payable at The First
National Bank in the Village Of Nc
Connelsville, Ohio. Said bonds
shall mature as follows:
Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1938-07-07
Il o G. A Il N e w s

Mr.. and Mrs. w. L. Lawrence,
Charles Sands and J. e. Miller at
tended a muzzle loading rifle shoot
recently at Canal Fulton.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-07-11
SCHOOL CLINICS
 FUNCTION HERE
Children Planning to Enter School Report for Vac-
 cinatiOn, ImmunizatiOn

Pre-school clinics for the vaccin- ation of children against small DON and immunization against tubercu- losis are being held today and three days a week for the rest of this month under direction of Dr. Ed- ward J. Godfrey, city health off, cer. The health department is rg. ing parents to bring their children who plan attending school this fall to the clinics so that the treatment may be made effective.
 Law provides that the children must be innoculated against small pox before they can be enrolled in the public schools.
 Clinics are held at 3 o'clock on the following schedule: Mondays, Christ Chapel and the Duggan school; Tuesdays, Rose Hill library; Wednesdays, North End Y. M. c. A.
 The following doctors are provid- ing the treatment under sponsor. ship of the health department: Drs Gustave Sanduli, Samuel Fabricant Vincent Shea, Joseph Burke, A Brown, Thomas Cottiero and Franl Hill,
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-07-11
ALDERMEN FACE
 BUSY SESSION
May Vote Tonight on Em- ployment of Auditing
 Firm for Survey

Hiring of the Griffenhagen & Associates experts to conduct a sur- vey designed to elaborate current economies effected by the board of finance and Mayor Frank Hayes and to outline next years budget is expected to constitute the most im- portant business before the board of aldermen, meeting at 8 o'clock to- night in an adjourned session.
 An item of $6,OO0 for payment of the firm will be set up in the con- troller's office after transfer from an appropriation listed as interest on the floating debt, 1t is anticipated. The latter appropriation has been designated by the board of finance as the item from which such pay ment may be made.
 Matter of payment of the pension of 5000 to John F. McGrath, re- tired judge of the city court is an- other matter which may develop controversy. The Republican alder men have held up the pension pay ment on the ground that Judge Me- Grath was an officer" and not an "employe", hence not covered by the retirement provisions which makes mandatory payment of pensions to employees with 25 years service to the city after attaining the age of 60 years.
 Consideration may be given an- other proposal by Alderman Joseph Reiner seeking to limit liquor li- censes by enforcing zoning change. A previous proposal along similar lines was defeated.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-07-11
LATE MRS. DOW'S WILL LPR0BATED
Widow Suffered Fatal Burns; Establishes
 K. of T. Funds

The will of Alice T. Chatfield Dow, who died June 18th last, was ad- mitted to probate today by Judge Dennis J. Slavin in the probate court
 Mrs. Dow died from burns re- ceived in a fire in her apartment at Al Prospect stret. She was promi- nent in Republican affairs and &C., tive during the influenza epidemic in Waterbury. She was the widow of Harry B. Dow, former president of the chamber of commerce and of the board of aldermen.
 After provisions for burial, $500 to the Alderson funeral home, sums of $100 and $250, respectively, are left to provide care for family plots in Riverside cemetery and Ever green cemetery at New Haven.
 The Mattatuck Historical society is bequeathed ruby Bohemian and American glass" in items set up as one to ten and the residue of the estate e is divided into three pa5ts' as
 To cousin, Mrs. Mabel Thomas Oakes, of 15 Homestead avenue, Hamden; to Clark Commandery, Knights Templar, to establish a fund to be known as "The Henry Barnes Dow Knights Templar Fund.-; and to New Haven Con- mandery, Knights of Templar, to establish a fund to be known as "The Edward A. Chatfield Knights Templar Fund"
 The Waterbury National bank is named executor.