The Little Cities Archive

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.