West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 93 by Charlie Miller

____May 22, 1895 – Town Street has been opened west of West Street through the lots of Elizabeth Slaven and Jacob McNeal to the street now opened in the rear of lot #1 of Mortimore and Newman’s Addition. (This opened Town Street between West Street and Twin Street) 

____May 29, 1895 – The Township Trustee has bought from A. A. Gregg, the lot behind the Baptist Church for $500.00 for the purpose of building a Township Hall. (N. Center St.) A small strip of land was also bought from William Borland. (This later was Galbraith Hall and was later razed.) 

____1895- There are now 501 Civil Veterans living in Madison County. 

____June 13, 1895 – An amendment to an ordinance entitled, an ordinance to provide for the observance of the Sabbath passed in council September 18, 1875. Section I: Be it ordained by the Council of the Village of Jefferson, County of Madison, that Section I of an ordinance entitled An ordained to provide for the observance of the Sabbath, is hereby changed to read: That it shall be unlawful for persons keeping and running saloons to do any business of whatsoever nature on the Sabbath Day commonly called Sunday. That any person or persons engaged in mercantile business shall be permitted to open their stores until 9 A.M. That meat shops are hereby privileged to open until 9 A.M. That persons doing business in a restaurant or eating house or tavern, to the accommodation of the public, are hereby entitled to remain open on Sunday. Drug stores are permitted to sell on the prescription of a physician. Further, the provision of this section now specifies a violation of the same by persons doing business not entitled to barter or sell on the Sabbath Day under the provisions of this section except in cases of absolute necessity as for charity. If any person or persons permitted by this section to do business on the Sabbath shall fail to do service to that Day and conduct their places in a disorderly manner, not compatible with the proper respect to that Day, shall be punishable by the law as in Section II of this ordinance. 

____1895- The total number of street lights in West Jefferson is 51.

____July 3, 1895 – James Murray is putting up a new brick block 20’ X 32’ next to his adjoining building. 

___July 10, 1895 – The estimated cost of the new Township Hall is $4,450.00 

____August 21, 1895 – Kendall and Taylor of Columbus were awarded the contract to build the new Township Hall for $4,364.00, it will be completed by the first of December. 

____August 27, 1895 - A representative of the Detroit Heating & Lighting Co. proposes to furnish one each of the following: 1- 100 light gas machine and 1-100 light mixer attached with the necessary piping, etc. exclusive of fixtures, for the sum of $600.00. A motion was passed for gas fixtures to be bought for a price not to exceed $71.00.