Twice-Told Tales

This edition of Twice-Told Tales was published ten years ago this week on Wednesday, March 25, 2015.  

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Ten Years Ago – 2005

Village Council is entertaining the idea of adopting a property maintenance ordinance.

Board of Education president Marie McCrate tenders a surprise resignation at last week’s board meeting.

In other BOE news, the board failed to approve Superintendent Randy Lucas’s recommendation to for employment of Middle School Principal Sam Shuman with a one year contract. The vote was 3-2.

The c.1927 former Quaker City High School and Elementary School was demolished by Gary Graham Construction Company this past week. The lot, owned by the town, also contains a playground.

The deaths of two natives reported this week are Daniel Lee Cook, 57, son of Gene Johnson Cook and the late Walter Cook, and Gregory Gene Merrell, 58, of Hilton Head, SC., former vice president of sales for Worthington Industries of Columbus.

Jean Davies profiles the life of Bob and Kathryn Matthews of Canton for National Agriculture Week. Their family owns and operates five feed and grain stores in Ohio. Bob is a Barnesville native as were his wife Kathryn’s parents. She grew up in Martins Ferry.

Twenty-five Year Ago – 1990

State Senator Bob Ney announces the Ohio Senate has approve legislation he co-sponsored to protect the jobs of the state’s coal miners. The bill urges the U.S. Congress to amend the Clean Air Act to “set responsible clean air criteria.”

History repeats itself as Andy Rataiczak, 25, opens his new business Sunoco Super Station at the corner of S. Chestnut and E. South streets, 50 years after his grandfather, also Andy, originally constructed and opened the business at the same location in 1940.

The birth of Erica Rae Welch is announced by her parents Tim and Pam Welch of Barnesville.

Beallsville’s Bruce Sefert capped a brilliant high school wrestling career Saturday night in Cincinnati winning the Division III 160-pound state championship.

Fifty Years Ago – 1965

Governor Rhodes confirms the New Appalachia Highway will go through this area of Belmont and Monroe counties.

A crowd of 175-200 attended a meeting at Union Local High School Tuesday evening to learn more about the need for a vocational high school in the county.

New members of the BHS National Honor Society are the following juniors: Mary Jo Carpenter, Roseanne Brownfield, Marilyn Reed, Cynthia McKenzie, Robert Arick, Larry Neptune and David Hilliard.

Seventy-five Years Ago – 1940

The entire nation was focused on Belmont County this past week as an explosion at the Willow Grove #10 Mine of the Hanna Coal Company near Neffs claimed the lives of 72 out of 176 miners who were working on the evening shift.

Radio and movie stars, “The Kidoodlers” featuring two local boys, Paul Cordner and Bill Kearns, will appear in person at the State Theater March 29 for the benefit of the General Hospital. Over $7,000 has been raised to date for the project.

The state conservation department has given final easement on the proposed work at Epworth Park Lake.   

The Keystone Shoe Store is opening a new self-service department, a departure in shoe merchandising and the Barnesville store is the first to have the department installed. According to the plan, shoes are placed on counters with prices all marked. The customer picks out the shoe he or she wants.

The formal opening of the Barnesville Hardware Company in the new Kirk Building at Main and Arch streets will take place March 23-30. The store is affiliated with Kennedy Hardware of Wheeling.

One Hundred Years Ago – 1915

From the Whetstone

Gene Wilkes, proprietor of The Globe Clothing Store, returned from Cincinnati Saturday where he had been engaged for several days in buying new spring goods for “The Well Dressed Circle”.

Mr. John Hibbard left Saturday for Columbus where he has secured a position in the shipping department of Schroth & Potter, wholesaler of window blinds and curtain poles. He is the son of Mrs. Kate Hibbard of South Broadway and has the metal in him to make good.

Advertisement: See our Minnesota and Michigan Seed and Eating Potatoes! Priced right, received by the (railroad) carload at Healey’s, opposite the B & O Depot.

The council has enacted an ordinance calling for the pavement of Gardner Street from South Street to Leatherwood Road.

Bowen, Caldwell & Poulton, painters, paper hangers and decorators, located at 112 S. Chestnut, carries a full line of W. W. Lawrence Company Paints from Pittsburgh. 

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