Photographic History of New Straitsville Ohio 1907 – Page 1
Posted by JRW on October 22, 2010
Nestling among the hills of Southern Perry County lies the famous mining and
manufacturing town of New Straitsville. Situated in a picturesque position upon the
sloping sides of massive hills girdling the narrow valley in which the business section
of the little city lies, it !1resents an appearance which is striking and pleasing to the
eye trained to observe the natural beauties of the landscape.
Springing to life in the early days of the development of the Great Hocking coal
fields, it has witnessed the rise and fall of many competitors-and, contrary to the
chronicled experience of other mining towns, it has moved onward and upward through
vicissitudes, and years of meagerness contrasted with years of plenty to the steady
satisfactory condition which our little city now enjoys. Many Coal Mines, an Iron .
Furnace, and Brick Manufactory contribute to the maintenance of the inhabitants who,
in the main, are contented and prosperous
Straitsville is an exceptional mining town in many respects: The government is
in the hands of competent officials, chosen for their ability and standing in the
community. Her streets are broad and clean; her highways macadamized and kept in
excellent condition; paved sidewalks grace every street in the town. Straitsville presents
advantages in these regards in favorable contrast to the other villages of Perry
County.
Secluded somewhat in her own natural environments, it has remained with her
officials and citizens to have exerted every effort to make the town an attractive place
of residence. The well kept appearance of her streets and buildings indicate a civic
pride rarely seen.
A noteworthy feature of general conditions is the sanitary excellence of our little city, which is insured for all time to come by a sewerage system flushed
streams of water coming from an underground reservoir and flowing through streets.
Straitsville is situated in the southern most township of Perry County,
from Logan, and sixty-two miles southeast of Columbus. Two railways supply
for the transportation of freight and coal from the mines. The Straitsville Branch of
the B. & O. R. R. having its terminus at Mine No.3, and the Hocking Valley Ry. , which
furnishes means for travel as well as transportation for an immense amount of
The bepot employees of the Hocking Valley Railway, whose likenesses herein, are Mr. George W. Leyson, Ticket and Freight Agent, who has seen 18 years of
faithful service with the company in his native town; Frank B. Collins, billing clerk;
E A. Davidson, telegraph operator; T. J. Frazier, freight handler.
The principal industrial establishments of Straitsville are the Bessie Ferro Silicon
Company and The Straitsville Impervious Brick Company, described elsewhere . in t~~
volume.
The leading mining concerns are the Columbus and Hocking Coal and Iron Co.,
herein described, Buckeye Coal and Ry. Co.’s Last Rtm Mine and Mine No.5, and The
Essex Coal Co.
Several smaller concerns, employing in the aggregate a considerable number of
men, are mining coal constantly–R. Johnson & Sons, Silkett’s Mine, Pastor, Kemper &
Sayers, Cox Coal Co., A. Gibbs Mine, Geo. Gibbs Mine, Thomas & Thompson, White &
Sons, and Jones Brothers.
Annabelle (Ann) Tivner Wade said
I have truely enjoyed viewing all the pictures of New Straitsville. I am from Corning and my husband Bill Wade was from New Straitsville.