Spring 2011, Issue no. 1
[editor's note: for some reason the text on this page will not post clearly, so here is the text to this page.]
May 14, 1886 A grand May party is announced for the opera house on Tuesday evening, May 18th, giving by the young people of Ovid. There will be good music in attendance. The salary of the village recorder has been fixed at $80 per year. Street commissioner $1.75 per day, Common laborer $1.50 and teams with man $3. Wednesday evening last as the Salvation Army were marching to their barracks and when at the corner of Main and William streets some unknown individual threw a missile, which struck the captain upon the head. Such conduct is cowardly and if the person were found out would be prosecuted. The men in charge of the meetings here are gentlemen and law abiding citizens and as such will be protected. May 21, 1886 The G.A.R. Post of Ovid have secured the services of Gen. L.E. Trowbridge of Detroit for an address memorial day. The strawberries which Miss Antha D. sent to Ovid friends last week were grown and picked on the battlefield on Missionary Ridge near Chattanooga. The Scofield Buggy Co. recently received an order and are turning out eight hundred buggies for a Chicago cigar firm who proposed to furnish with a certain number of thousand cigars a buggy gratis. The company expect an additional order for about 1,200. What fine fun it must have been for the individual who did it, to maliciously pick one of the porcelain letters off from the sign on the plate glass at Swarthout's store and break it up. More letters, more fun, we suppose. June 11, 1886 The following prices are paid this Friday morning in Ovid. White wheat, 72 to 74cts. Red wheat, 72 to 74 cts. Corn old shelled, 50 cents. Corn new in the ear, 20 cents. Oats 28 to 29 cents. Clover seed $6.00 to $6.25. Buckwheat 50 cents. Barely $1.00 to $1.25. Beans 45 to 90 cts. Onions 60 cts. Potatoes 25 to 30cts. Butter 10 cts. Eggs 9 cts. Chickens live 6cts, dressed 8 cts. Wool 17 to 26. A few days since we strolled into the Retan house to see what Hay had been doing with so much paint, paper, alabstine etc. but soon discovered that there was scarcely a room in that popular hosterly that had not been repapered and repainted besides having the ceilings decorated. There is hardly a room in the building which would not suit the most fastidious and mine host and hostess are doing everything to please their customers. Now that the repairs are completed the house has the appearance of a new structure and is quite an improvement over the late appearance. The back yard of the George Sowers House/Mary Meyers Museum at 131 E. Williams Street in Ovid will have a new look this summer after Robby Dobski completes a walkway and patio between the house and gazebo as his Boy Scouts of America Eagle Scout Project. Robby has lived in Ovid since 2000 and has been a Cub Scout and member of the Ovid BSA Troop 585. The Ovid-Elsie High School senior has been raising funds for the expected $1,000 project and plans to begin actually working on the project in mid- to late May with a completion date by the beginning of July. The paver block patio and walkway will make the gazebo and property more useable for the historical society members and visitors, which is open on summer weekends, by appointment and during community special events. The patio will be 8' by 10' and the walkway 3 1/2' wide and about 40' long to link the house to the patio. An additional walkway spur of about 10' and 7' by 8' patio may be included in the project to enhance the gardens on the grounds if the funds are available. Donations are being accepted and would be very much appreciated. Tax deductible contributions can be made out to the Ovid Historical Society. For more information about the project contact 989-834-0202. Contributions can be sent to 202 E. Clinton St., Ovid MI 48866. A sign in the gazebo will list participants who help make the project possible. by Bob Dobski [Editors note: this project has been completed] |