Wayne County the Way it Was - Part 9
- Michelle Wood: SWCD
- May 1, 2010
- 823
DID YOU NOTICE?
For some time Saturday morning the town clock was about a quarter of an hour behind time. When it was 7 'clock standard, the hands of the big court house clock had 17 minutes of 7. Shortly after this hour the hands were pushed around to their proper places and the old clock began ticking off the seconds as regularly as ever.
FARMERS LINE INTO WOOSTER
The Wayne County Telephone Co. has started work in Wooster. Tuesday a force of men were at work at the B & O depot trimming and shaving the poles. The work of actual construction will start in a very few days. The poles which have been shaved are very neat appearing.
NINETY SEATS IN COURT ROOM
Wm. Annat & Co. will furnish the linoleum for various rooms in the new court room. The contract was awarded at noon Tuesday, the bidding being unusually close. F. E. Boigegrain for the Annat Co. bid $1.12 per yard, while the bid of Fred E. Schwartzkopf for the J. Frederick Co. was $1.12 ½ per yard. Lawrence Gibson, of Pittsburg, secured the contract for the library stacks for $505. Schmuck & Bevington will install the chairs, jury and witness chairs, bailiff's chair, clerk's chair and bar chairs.
The new court room will provide seating room for 96 persons besides the lawyers, judge, jury and witnesses. This number of opera chairs will be installed by the American Seating Co., their bid being $270. While this seating capacity is smaller than it was previously, it is believed to be sufficiently large. The Toledo Chandelier Co. will install the gas and electric fixtures, the actual work of putting them up to be done by the Wayne Electric Co. The Toledo Company's bid was $550. All of the loose tables and desks in the room will be installed by the Union Barber Chair Co., for $287.
The commissioners, the Bar committee, and the bidders were in session until 11 o'clock Monday night figuring out who should be awarded the contracts. Second bids were put in on the linoleum.
THINKS COMET WILL END ALL
Fred Bowers, of East Union township, was brought to Wooster from Massillon Monday afternoon by Sheriff Caskey, and adjudged insane. Bowers thinks the world will come to an end May 18th when Halley's comet passes us, and he talked about it to everyone whose attention he could claim. Bowers was detained by Sheriff Caskey over night after Judge Orr had declared him insane, and Tuesday morning was taken to Massillon hospital. The Massillon Independent says concerning Bowers:
Fear the Halley's comet will destroy the earth May 17, is partly responsible for the supposed mental derangement of Fred Bowers, an Orrville farmer, who was detained today at the city hall police station, while relatives sought papers in the probate court of Wayne county, which will make possible his commitment to the Massillon state hospital.
"We have but fifteen days to live," declares Bowers. "Let all mankind believe in God and be saved. Faith is unnecessary because we know there is a God."
Bowers says that Ohio voters have cast their last ballots. "They will not vote at the primaries May 17," he declares, "because when, according to frail man's calendar what we see the morning of May 17 as day breaks, there will be no word. Darkness and void will replace us."
Bowers was taken in hand by the police after he had contracted bills at a barber shop and hotel and attempted to buy a suit of clothes and a set of harness. He had no money. The Orrville authorities were notified.
Bowers says that he is working to have William Jennings Bryant made king of the earth just before it is destroyed. He said that until that time the United States supreme court will protect him.
Domestic trouble is said to have been the original cause of his mental trouble.
Sheriff Wm. M. Caskey of Wooster arrived this noon and took Bowers to Wooster, for arraignment before the probate court. An effort will be made to commit him to the hospital this evening.