West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 100 (https://hbmlibrary.org/content/west-jefferson-days-gone-series-100)

West Jefferson in Days Gone By - series 100 by Charlie Miller

 

____The Columbus, London, and Springfield Electric Road is now completed to the west corporation line of Columbus, while the grading force is now near Alton and expects to reach big Darby in two weeks. The rails are expected to reach Big Darby by March 1st ‘01. Steam shovels will be employed at Big Darby in making cuts and fills and several months will be required to build the piles and bridge at that point. If all goes well, cars will be running from Columbus to Springfield as early as the 1st of June, 1901.

 

____(Due to some of the discrepancies in the dates of expectation times and actual completion times, we can tell that the work schedule was far behind what it was supposed to have been.)

 

____September 14, 1901 – West Jefferson Woman’s Death Caused By the Assault of Her Husband---

 

Mrs. Julia Murray of West Jefferson died here after being kicked by her husband, Mr. James Murray, Sr., who was later arrested in London, England, in January of 1903. (Please note that this is no relation to the Murray family now residing in West Jefferson.)

 

____October 28, 1901 – Property owners on Main Street were notified to remove hitching posts and hitching racks within 6 days.

 

____1901-1902 – Curbs were installed on Main Street. Fire cisterns were constructed to the following specifications: 10 feet deep and 9 feet around the inside of the wall. It is made of brick, 8 inches thick, and has a capstone 3 feet square and 8 inches thick. A round hole in the center of the capstone is to be 16 inches in diameter and a cast iron lid to weigh not less than 150 lbs. and to have a ring in the center.

 

____1902 – The village Post Office was located in the Village Hall.

 

____September 1902 – W. M. Kimbro was appointed Lamp Lighter.

 

____An ordinance by the Village of Jefferson allowing the Columbus, London & Springfield Railway Co. (C. L. & S.) to construct, operate and maintain a line of street railway within the village. Said railway tracks shall be of the standard gauge, 4 feet 8 ½ inches wide. When the temperature reaches below 35F the cars should be heated. Said company shall have the right to charge fares as follows and no more: Single fares within the corporation limit of said village, 5c. and for 7 tickets 25c. for fares from the corporation limit of said village to other points on it’s line, 2c. per mile, but no single fare less than 5c. The grant is made and shall continue upon the condition that work on said line shall be begun without reasonable delay and finished by the first day of July A. D. 1903. Such period for said work may be extended by the council by resolution.

 

____June 1, 1903 – The speed limit for the Interurban will be 8 MPH in the corporation limits.

 


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