Twice-Told Tales

This edition of Twice-Told Tales was published ten years ago this week on Wednesday, January 28, 2015.  

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Ten Years Ago – 2005

Barnesville Council approves future development of the Pine Lane/Morgantown Avenue area proposed by Woda Development LLC. The first portion of the project called “Valley Greene’ is a multi-family community which will consist of up to 24 housing units. The second part of the project named “Valley Glen” will consist of the construction of up to 20 single family homes with detached garages.

The Board of Education considers additional cuts as it trims the local school budget by $400,000.

The annual Chamber of Commerce Belmont County Business Showcase is set for March 19-20 in the elementary school gym.

Retired television and appliance repairman Harold M. “Brownie” Brown, 93, died Friday at Barnesville Hospital.

Twenty-five Year Ago – 1990

The new Family Dollar Store, located at 202 S. Chestnut at the former Smith Lumber location, will open for business today. The 30-year-old North Carolina-based company currently operates stores in 27 states.    

For the third time in the last six years, the former Jonathan Logan garment factory has been listed for sale. The current owner, Medalist Industries, has the building listed with Harvey Goodman Realty for $150,000. Readers will remember Medalist purchased the facility following the bankruptcy of Burns Apparel with the plans to open a factory here.

W.L. Lucas and Keith Ackerman will open the Barnesville Antique Mall in the former Ohio Power Building May 1. The business will feature over 60 dealer booths.

The Shamrock basketball squad betters its record to 10-2 with wins over rivals Buckeye Trail and Bridgeport. 

During the Law Appreciation Dinner hosted last Friday night by the Barnesville Elks Lodge, Chief of Police Chris Ditto was presented a check for $1, 295 for a new computer for the department by the lodge.

The chamber of commerce is planning a home, health, auto, garden, recreation, and craft show entitled “Expo 90” in April.

1979 BHS grad Michael Hannon and his band “Salty Dog” releases their first album on Geffen Records titled “Every Dog Has Its Day.”

Fifty Years Ago – 1965

The Morristown to St. Clairsville section of IR-70 will open to traffic on February 4. 

Dr. W.L. Briggs, who served on the local school board from 1958 to 1961, was officially sworn in Monday evening as a replacement for Paul Ferguson who resigned this month to accept a promotion in Columbus with Ohio Bell.

Local community leaders who attended an Appalachian-based development meeting in Columbus report Governor James Rhodes’ charge was “gear up for future development.”

The 1964 Barnesville Police Report reveals officers made 171 arrests during the year.

Seventy-five Years Ago – 1940

The area is experiencing the coldest weather in the past five years this week. Roads are blocked with snow, temperatures are hovering near zero, and lows even in the city are recorded at 16 below zero.

School officials announced Wednesday that the junior high gymnasium would be open for women of the city Thursdays at 8:30 pm. All women interested in indoor sports are invited. Sports suggested are volley ball, ping pong, indoor horseshoe, basketball and desk tennis.

Extensive remodeling repairing and re-arranging is taking place in several business places throughout the city. Among these is the T & R Rogers Hardware Store. New display counters and cupboards are being placed in the first-floor salesroom.  A new stairway, recently erected, will make an easy access to a second floor salesroom which is being made ready for business.  

In one of the most exciting basketball games of the seasons Barnesville’s varsity cagers nosed out Bethesda Tuesday night on the local floor by a score of 35 to 34.

Formal announcement is made this week by Mrs. George B. Kennedy of Wheeling that a new hardware store will occupy the corner room of the new Kirk building at the corner of E. Main and Arch. Both the first floor and basement will be utilized as salesrooms.

A.L. Yingst has been named manager of the local G.C. Murphy Store. He comes here from the Burgettstown, Pa. store. The former manager, John Davis, has been transferred to the company’s main office in McKeesport.

J.O. Murphy, local dairyman and master farmer, was recently praised for his high dairy and farming abilities in the current issue of The Jersey Bulletin.

One Hundred Years Ago – 1915

From the Whetstone

At a Monday meeting of the county commissioners and representatives of the state highway department at St. Clairsville, it was decided to pave the road leading rom this place to the National Pike, east of Hendrysburg.  The pavement will be 16-feet wide

At the same time, the Woodsfield paper notes that a paved Barnesville-Marietta “market road” is proposed. The highway will follow the river to Fly, thence north to Woodsfield and Barnesville by way of Malaga and Somerton.

The revival services at the Bethel Church near Baileys Mills, now in its third week with Rev. L.S. Rose preaching, have resulted in 54 new members to the congregation.

An ice storm Sunday night turned to snow followed by a blizzard on Monday with the temperature dropping to near zero.

Mr. Arthur Rogers visited his niece Mrs. Charles Casey in Cambridge last Thursday.

Tight skirts and low-necked dresses worn by high school girls are demoralizing and not good for public morals, declares the head of the National Mothers’ Association.

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Twice Told Tales is compiled by Bruce Yarnall, former general manager of the Barnesville Enterprise