No news is good news

 Brookville Inquirer, 1833

FLOOD ON THE OHIO

The Ohio River for a few days in the first of this week rose unusually rapid, and on Wednesday had attained a height several feet above any freshet at this season of the year for a number of years past.

 Much of the corn on the low bottoms has been destroyed. In this neighborhood, although there is yet every indication of a plentiful corn crop, the damage sustained must prove ruinous to the present prospects of many industrious and needy citizens. We have heard of several who have lost their entire crop. The water has been falling since Thursday.

-- Lawrenceburg Palladium

CHOLERA IN CINCINNATI

This disease is said to have made its appearance again in Cincinnati. Our information is so authentic that we have no room for doubts on the subject.

We have also received accounts, by a gentleman direct from Lawrenceburgh that the disease is not prevalent in the vicinity of that place. Our informant states that it has assumed a serious type -- that 11 out of 18 cases had proved fatal. Death has generally ensued an attack in the brief space of a few hours.

We have not made this statement with a view to terrify our citizens -- nor do we consider it a just cause for alarm. We would remark fear is said to be a great inciting cause of an attack, and e do not question the fact -- therefore, let those exposed to it watch the system and at the first symptom apply the antidote.

In all cases, an attack is preceded by a slight diarrhea, or diarrhea may be said to be cholera asphyxia, in its incipient stage. The patient should, in each case immediately take from 20 to 25 grains of Calomel with 1 grain of opium and keep dry and warm during its operation and no longer need to be apprehended. Exposure to night hair is pernicious. 

We would suggest to families the propriety of procuring for each member a dose of Calomel as above, lest an attack be made when medical aid cannot be procured in season.

 

1867, even more newsy around the area

 Brookville American, April 1867

The Normal School

The State Normal School has been located in Terre Haute. The city taxes herself $50,000. The Legislature at its last session appropriated $50,000 towards the buildings. It is calculated that $50,000 more will be required to furnish the building and fence the grounds. (Indiana State University)

The Fire in Bath Township

Eliphalet Allen save about two hundred dollars worth of his furniture at the recent fire which entirely destroyed his residence in Bath Township. The house took fire from sparks falling on the roof. Mr. Allen was at work some distance from his home at the time and arrived too late to save it. His loss is heavy there being no insurance. He has the sympathy of the community, having accumulated his property by his own hard work. He has fitted up two rooms in an adjoining building where he and his family reside at present.

Valley Railroad Beyond Connersville

The Cambridge Mirror says that a large number of hands are being placed on the line between that city and Connersville, which will enable the Road to be done to that place by June or July, and by September to Hagerstown.

Notice

To those who have donated to the W.W.V.R.R. that an excursion train will leave Laurel on the first day of May, 1867, at 7 o'clock in the morning and return in the evening to Cincinnati and back. All parties who have paid their money are respectfully invited to a ride. 

By order of Messrs. Lord and Peters.

JOHN COLTER, Collecting Agent.

Another Snow

The rain on Sunday night changed to snow, and the ground was again covered with the white mantle. But on Monday the sun came out and it all melted away. Someone informs us that this is the 51st snow this winter.

S. & J. Loper, of Fairfield

At their sales-room in Brookville, immediately in the rear of Rockafeller's store, keep on hand, at all times, Carriages, Buggies etc., for sale. These gentlemen are well known in our county and throughout this portion of the state, and will give satisfaction to all who may purchase. Mr. Alven Tucker is their agent at Brookville. See their advertisement in another column.

(December, 1867)

Messrs. S & G Loper have sold their carriage shop in Fairfield to Messrs. Samuel Rose and Allison Loper, who will carry on the carriage business hereafter. 

The Laurel Dam

Walter S. Baker Esq. informs us that the Laurel Dam will soon be completed, and it will then be a permanent structure. Water will be let into the Canal most probably next week.

Tailor

There is a good opening for a tailor at Fairfield, as Mr. G.W. Adams, the former tailor there, has removed to Greensburg.

 

1867, newsy year in Brookville

 Brookville American, April 1867

Main Burgess Street.

The graveling of this street progresses slowly but steadily. The mud has been wagoned off during its entire length -- so much better fortified are Brookvillians against a visit of the cholera. A small gutter also extends along both sides -- small enough for a commencement. Maybe our Main Street may yet present a respectable appearance for a growing town. It all depends on the "city dads."

Cars Off the Track

The last one of the four empty freight cars that recently ran off the track near Riker's above town, was place in proper position last Sunday. A drove of hogs suddenly appeared on the track at the curve, causing the catastrophe.  Some three or four days before this accident, a cow placed herself in the way of the construction train, throwing off four or five flat cars. Our railroad wouldn't be a railroad, were it not for such accidents, especially wen our people won't keep up their stock.

Hogs Killed

It is a frequent occurrence for hogs to be killed along the line of the railroad both above and below Brookville. Half hogs, and hogs mashed into a jelly, are scattered promiscuously. When will our people learn to keep their hogs within enclosures?

The Valley Railroad

The Connersville Times understands that about the 15th inst. regular trains will commence running to Connersville on the Valley Railroad. The depot is to be erected immediately, the timber already being prepared. The company is doing excellent work in town. The bridges across the canal have been lowered and are being widened to the width of the streets. The company deserved great credit for the energy displayed in pushing ahead the work during a very inclement season.

Pavements

A few of the dwellers along the line of our main Street are putting pavements in front of their houses. This action is to be strongly commended, as the commencement of a series of improvements which it is to be hoped will be continued until every piece of property fronting on that street cn boast of a brick or stone pavement.

Arrests

Our worthy Town Marshal is determined to put a stop to drunkenness and disorderly conduct on the streets. Several violators of the law in this regard have lately been arrested and confined to jail.

Ah, 1879 -- Fairfield, lots going on

 Connersville Examiner, Jan.1, 1879

Fairfield Fragments

--The Universalists give a concert Friday night, Feb. 1.

-- Several parties here are doing a large business buying and shipping walnut logs.

--The Teachers Institiute, called for Jan 11, was postponed. It was a fizzle.

-- Dances were given last week at several places in the immediate vicinity.

-- John VanMeter recently took unto himself wife No. 3. Well done, & John.

-- The schools in this township will close for the winter term about March 20.

-- Miss Lou Ferguson, a stylish young lady of Indianapolis, recently visited here.

-- Frank Seeley is spending the winter with his uncle, near New Castle.

-- T'is rumored that one of Fairfield's toniest young men and an Ireland belle will wed ere the coming of springtime. 

-- That "little charmer" of Glenwood will be sorry to learn that John Conner has been confined to the house for several days with a bad cold.

-- Clinton D. Rose, one of Fairfield's best young men, will leave at an early day for Texas, whither he goes in quest of the fickle goddess, Dame Fortune.

-- Hannibal Hughes of Ripley County, a former Fairfield boy, was recently home on a visit to his parents, who reside near this place.

-- D.F. Ernst, the carriage painter so long connected with the Samuel Rose Carriage manufactory, recently removed to Liberty, where he has opened a paint shop. Fairfield regrets to part with such a good citizen and accomplished workman, but her loss is Liberty's gain.

--While on the way home from Brookville some days since, Charles Filer had a fearful runaway -- his horses becoming frightened at some object along the road, spilled him out of the wagon but luckily, he as well as the team, escaped injury, although the wagon was somewhat badly used up.

-- The Quakertown correspondent for the Liberty Herald says that a drug store saloon is in full blast in Fairfield. How did you get your information, "Zuinglous?"

-- Our merchants are thinking seriously of adopting the cash system. By conducting their business in this way, they will avoid making bad debts and save much care and anxiety. In the long run, it will be much better for the farmer, mechanic and all who have heretofore been customers of the merchant. By the "pay as you go" system, an immense amount of trouble would be prevented. Everybody will be benefitted by the "ready money" plan -- much extravagance would be prevented, more economy practiced, and a safer and better business would be done in Fairfield in the future than for years past.

== Random

-- 

Saloon controls

 Democrat, April 11, 1911

Franklin County Saloons

Under the Proctor Law, regulating the saloon business, counties are allowed to fix the number to which a community is entitled, from 500 population to 1,000.

The Board of County Commissioners of Franklin County held that the action of the Legislature was satisfactory and allowed the limit of one saloon to each 500 of population to stand. The population basis is fixed as five persons for each vote cast at the last preceding general election in the municipality.

Under this construction, when a township contains but one incorporated town, the two are considered as one.

Brookville is entitled to 11, Butler to 2, Highland to 2, Laurel to 2, Ray to 3, Salt Creek to 1, and Whitewater to 2, a total of 22 as against 43 now in business. FORTY-THREE? 

Under the law, the saloons now in business may be re-licensed but whenever any quit for any cause, no new one may be licensed to take its place, until the number has been automatically reduced to the legal limit.

The town boards of Brookville and Laurel fixed the town license fee at $300 per year, the maximum rate, while Cedar Grove and Oldenburg selected the lowest rate for towns, $150.

NOTE:  Fairfield Township was technically always dry.

Proctor law was a state law regulating liquor licenses, replacing a law that let the various counties enforce prohibition with a series of scattered local ordinances. Proctor was enacted in March 1911 and signed into law by Gov. Thomas Marshall. Local options for communities were not impacted by this. Local option referendums closed many saloons in Indiana in 1915, including Laurel, and all of them closed in 1919 when Prohibition was ratified.

None of these laws were better than the people who were paid to enforce them. You could still get a drink if you knew the correct knock.

A saloonkeeper could lose his liquor license for opening his saloon for business on any Sunday, holiday or election day, or for allowing any of the following in or about his saloon:

• slot machines, or any other form of gambling;
• the presence of "lewd women";
• bartending by any woman, even the saloonkeeper's wife;
• the display of "nude or lascivious pictures";
• rooms above or behind the saloon maintained "for immoral purposes"; or
• the operation of any other business directly in the saloon, including real estate or employment offices, pool rooms or barber shops.

Oil, it's for roads

 Brookville Democrat April 13, 1011

ROADS WITH OIL

Methods Which Will Give Fair Results

PREPARATION OF SUBGRADE

Same care should be taken with this as with a Macadam Road -- the greater part of work can be done with a traction machine in preparing the road for treatment.

The oiled earth road is still in its experimental stage, and it will have to be given considerably more study before it can be expected to give uniformly good results under all the varied conditions of soil and the available oils.

Different methods of construction have been followed in different states, but there seems to be only one practical method of construction which is giving fairly uniform results. This method is as follows:

A shoulder furrow is plowed on each side of the center of the roadway, making the width to be treated from sixteen to eighteen feet, and the loose earth graded outside of tis width unless the crown of the road is too steep, in which case it should be plowed and this material thrown out to the sides.

Plowing only the shoulders renders it easy to shape the subgrade with a crown of about one inch to the foot.

The grade of oil to be used is much more important than the kind of soil. Light oils and those having a paraffin base are a little better than so much water. The oil should be one having an asphalt base of at least 85 per cent. 

It should be free from paraffin and all lighter oil. The oil should be applied to the road at a temperature of not less than 250 degrees F. and an oil containing 85 per cent of asphalt will have to be heated before it cn be taken from the car.

After applying the first course of oil sufficient earth should be grade on to absorb the oil. On a 2-1/2 gallon treatment to the square yard, four inches of loose earth should be graded in and then be thoroughly soaked with water and the tamping process begun.

The greater part of the work can be done with a traction engine and a road machine. The earth can be drawn back either by a road machine or road leveler. 

There is very little danger of using too much water. The wetter the materials, the more thoroughly the oil and earth can be mixed.

NOTE: Macadam roads were the Taj Mahal of roads in an era when people had to ask the township if they could get "free" gravel.

Macadam is an angular aggregate of stone used for paving without any binding medium to hold the stones together. The macadamized road consisted of multiple layers of crushed stone: the largest stones at the bottom, then another layer of fist-sized stones, with a top layer of small stones. Asphalt was just tar that held it all together. That came later. 

Fun: A requirement

 Brookville Democrat

Social Calendar for May 1927

WOMEN'S MISSIONARY SOCIETY

The Women's Foreign Missionary Society of Fairfield met on Friday afternoon with Mrs. Horace Ward, east of town, the president in charge.

After singing "I Love to Tell the Story," prayers were offered by Mrs. Snider and Mrs. Barbour. The hostess read the devotional lesson from "The Rose Jar." After the business, Mrs. Geo. Jinks read a paper on the last chapter of "Moslem Women," with Mrs. Herbert Ward and Mrs. Herbert Jinks each taking a part.

Mrs. Herbert Ward read a leaflet "Lydia" and Mrs. H. Jinks read a letter from a missionary. 

Several are planning to attend the group meeting at Liberty, and Mrs. Alma Himelick will go as delegates. Mrs. Mary Pinkerton read the benediction.

The hostess served fruit salad, little cakes and coffee.

14 members were present. Mrs. Herbert Sherwood and Mrs. Dimmitt Butcher and daughter Marjorie were guests. 

The meeting was much enjoyed by all.

NOTE: As of April 1, 2025, I am still living and I actually KNEW many of these women. Of course, in 1927, they weren't quite as old as they were when I knew them. -- John