West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 97 by Charlie Miller

SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR

____August 3, 1898 – B. F. Roberts, the father of Homer Roberts of West Jefferson, received the following letter from his son who was in the 3rd O. V. I.;

Fernadina, Fla.

July 27, 1898

We are now 2 ½ miles from the ocean and can see the lighthouse plain from the campgrounds. It beats thunder to think that we have enlisted and come away down here to clear the ground for some rich congressman in this perfect wilderness.

When we came down here yesterday our provision train was wrecked and we have had nothing to eat since, only what we bought, and prices are high down here. I am not broke yet and do not want to be here. The Col. says that we will stay here until fall, and then probably go to help take Havana; he thinks that will end the war.

That report in the Jefferson Home News about there being typhoid in the 3rd is a fake, we are all OK.

Pvt. Homer Roberts, Co. E 3^rd Reg. O. V. I.

____September 27, 1898 – The Opera House was leased to A. G. Kuehner for one year. (Anthony Kuehner was the son of Martin Kuehner, born in Baden, Germany in 1830. He came to the United States in 1855 and built the large brick building on West Main St in which he operated his boot and shoe store and clothing. The building collapsed in 2015.)

____September 1898 - An Ordinance to prevent accidents from the careless use of bicycles: Any person who shall ride a bicycle on any pavement or sidewalk of said village shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and be fined not to exceed $10.00. Any person who rides a bicycle within the village limits exceeding 8 MPH, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and be fined not more than $10.00. Anyone who shall ride a bicycle after 6 p.m. in the winter or half past 7 p.m. in the summer, within the corporation limits without a light shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and fined not more than $10.00.

April 25, 1899 – E. C. Lambert resigned as lamp lighter and Fred Grassel was appointed in his place.