West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 90

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 90 by Charlie Miller

____October 11, 1892 – A Resolution accepting the bid of D. W. McGrath for the furnishing of all material necessary and the erection of the town hall. Furthermore, a contract will be entered into by the corporation with the said D. W. McGrath with James Burnham and John C. Burns and his trustees for said improvements according to plans and specifications. Also accepting his proposal at the following rates, the said being the lowest for said improvements. The amount to be paid by the village in cash, $9,968.00, and is to furnish free, the brick from the old building and said contractor is allowed until the 15th day of July 1893 to complete said contract and the Mayor of the village is hereby authorized and directed to sign and execute a contract on behalf of the corporation. Done this 17th day of October 1892. 

____The Street Light Committee was instructed to have the street lights painted green. Mayor Booth was to be the supervisor of the building of the new town hall. 

____December 14, 1892 – Workmen are engaged in putting long-distance telephone lines into West Jefferson. 

____January 25, 1893 – George Blair of West Jefferson, died. (The Blair family were very early settlers in Jefferson Township. In 1853 George W. Blair donated the land and was instrumental in establishing the M. E. Methodist Church and cemetery on the Blair Pike. The Cemetery is still there, but the church was torn down and later was erected on land donated by E. R. Haynes which became the Gillivan Methodist Church on the corner of Blair Road and U. S. 42.) 

____March 28, 1893 – The village received a bill of $1,065.00 for concrete footing and stonework and excavation and was paid. 

____April 5, 1893 – President Cleveland has appointed Derwin Dunn of Madison County to be Minister to Japan. 

____April 1893 – The village was billed in the amount of $1.50 from Marshall George Baber for burying two dead dogs and one dead hog. 

____May 24, 1893 – The Jefferson Gun Club builds a clubhouse on the Peen lot. 

____October 10, 1893 – Contractor D. W. McGath received $1,500.00, the final payment on the new town hall, making a total payment amounting to $9,900.00. $68.00 was held back for unfinished carpenter work. 

____April 11, 1894 – The plastering of the new town hall has been completed. On May 8th, Councilman McCarty informed Council that the corporation was being sued by D.W. Gath for the balance claimed to be due him from the town hall contract. The amount due was $68.00.