West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 81 by Charlie Miller
____April 10, 1882 – James Peene is remolding the old Bliss warehouse for an elevator. (James Peene was born in 1834 in England and came to Jefferson in 1858. He mainly was a grain dealer. He had a 75-acre farm and erected a house on it which is now the current location of the Hampton Court Nursing home. The Bliss warehouse that he was remolding was erected by O. H. Bliss around 1846 and sat next to the railroad on the east side of N. West St. just before it enters the present railroad viaduct. James Peene died May 8, 1894, and is buried at the Pleasant Hill Cemetery.
____By 1882 the town was getting serious about developing. May 26, 1882- A PROPOSAL--
From E. B. Preston & Co. of Chicago, Ill.-
We hereby propose to furnish the Village of Jefferson, Madison Co., delivered in good order at the depot of Chicago, Ill, within 60 days of acceptance of this proposition, one first class, four-wheel, hook, and ladder truck, with four improved chemical fire extinguishers. Said truck is to have the following equipment to wit; one 45 feet extension ladder, one 36 feet extension ladder; one 24-foot single ladder; one 14-foot roof ladder; four pipe poles; two ladder supports; four brass hand lanterns, 12 rubber buckets, one signal lamp with number and nameplate, one 12 inch ?, two fire axes, two pick axes, two steel crowbars, one 75 inch pull rope, 100 feet pull down ropes, pole hook and chains, 7-” A” wheels with brass hubs, oil tempered platform. Spring in front, 6 springs in the rear, 4 chemical fire extinguishers to be carried on steps on each side of the frame. Three wood boxes on the back to carry charges for the extinguishers. Each ladder is to be supplied on rubber rollers and to be held in place by a patented clutch.
Truck frame and running gear to be painted in glisten vermilion, striped with gold leaf. Letters and supplies are to be painted light blue. Any name to be desired is to be painted in gold leaf on each side of the frame. All for the sum of $650.00, payable in 60 days at receipt of said hook and ladder truck.
We hereby agree that the material and workmanship shall be of the best character and will at our own expense replace said parts if any, within five years from the date, as may fail, if such failures are attributed to defective or inferior workmanship, and we hereby agree to fully guarantee the said hook and ladder truck and the chemical fire extinguishers to perform efficient fire duty, accident or injuries excepted, and we also hereby agree to allow the mayor and council of West Jefferson 10 days after the receipt of same for the purpose of inspection and approval. But if no notification or rejection is received within that time the said hook and ladder truck will be considered accepted. May 26, 1882.
Accepted June 12, 1882, by order of council.
____June 7, 1882 – Martin Kuehner is adding an addition of 43 feet to his building on Main Street. (This building sat on the northwest corner of Main and West Sts. It was built ca. 1855, in August of 2015 a large part of the building collapsed. I remember it well, Martin’s son Charlie, born in 1863 ran it after his father died, I remember Charlie quite well. We lived upstairs in 1959 when first married. Dr. Hurt’s office was downstairs and Dr. Gibboney's dentist was upstairs.)