More on Fostoria

More on Fostoria 1903

From R/t July 17, 2002

Articles by Gene Kinn

Some Business in Fostoria 1903

The Mergenthaler Room on Tiffin Street, which has been used as a garage, is being fitted up for a moving picture show to be run by William and Harry Mergenhaler and Rolla Fundom.

The room is a large one and is better equipped with exits that most rooms used for this purpose. The automobile, business will be moved to the adjoining room. The Elite Theater at 123 E. Tiffin St., opened on January 11 with free admission for ladies. There were already two other picture shows in the city. One the Fostoria Family theater, was in the Times Building at the corner of Main and Perry streets.

The Luna, 255 S. Main, featured the "only up-to-date 5 cent picture show" in the city.

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One of the highest priced and finest automobiles in Fostoria arrived this morning for M.E. Mowery, Mr. Mowery and J.J. Adams went to Indianapolis Ind., several days ago, Mr. Adams having decided to take the agency for The Premier, made in that city and went there to purchase a car for demonstration purposes.

Mr. Mowery was so impressed with the thirty-horsepower, four-cylinder, five-passenger car which Mr. Adams was going to buy that he contracted for it forthwith.

The price of the machine is $3,850 and it will be left at Mr. Adams' garage for show purposes until he is able to secure another, the factory being far behind with their orders

Some idea of the merit of the car can be had by the statement that one of them made a perfect score in the Gliden tour. The company also makes a six-cylinder car which will also be handled by Mr. Adams.

Mr. Adams has contracted with J. H. Jones for the erection of a one-story building on his West Tiffin Street property to be used as a garage. Dimensions of the building will be 188 by 44 feet. The building will cost about $5.000

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Lehmann & Gillard, at 107 W. Tiffin St., was selling Edison's New Outfit phonographs at prices ranging from $12.50 to $55.00

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Drs. Olds and Olds (W.B. and C. B.), physicians and surgeons, were located in the Emerine building at 118 E Center St.

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The Fostoria Tea Store, owned by Beesch, Schmidt and Cook was in operation at Main and North streets.

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J. A. Shutt operated The Fair on South Main Street, opposite the Hays House.

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George might ran the Dray Line at 108 E. North St.

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D. Asire $ Son Funeral Directors and Embalmers also framed pictures and sold disinfectants.

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Other local business included: Fostoria Candy Works, 114 N. Main; Abowd Confectionery and Tobacco, 100 S. Main St.; Eureka Planing Mill & Lumber Co. 401 E. North Street; Battle Creek Treatment and Turkish Bath Rooms operated by D.L. Sealy, at 120 1/2 S. Main St. treated rheumatism, stomach, liver and bowel trouble.

Fostoria, Many Salesmen's Headquarters

From Gene Kinn's

Article R/t April 5, 2001

Fostoria is a well advertised town, due to a great extent to the traveling men who make this town their headquarters.

As an example. H.S. Derr, the rug man, visits from 10 to 15 towns and makes a house-to-house canvass in each one. In the year, about to close (1903) He has taken orders for 2,496 rugs. All orders are addressed to "Fostoria Rug Man" and a great many of his customers are under the impression that there is a big rug factory here, when in reality it is in Elgin, Ill.

Fostoria is the home of many traveling men because of the railway facilities and is one of the best known towns of its size in Ohio.

September 1903

Football Team to Receive New Outfits

The item that appeared in Saturday's paper, relative to the new outfits the footbll team are to have, gives the prime mover in the matter, W. A, Zigler, more credit that he thinks he deserves and more than was really intended. It might be taken that he was going down into his pockets for the entire sum necessary, about $140, but this is not the case.

He conceived the idea of getting it by subscription, went to the boys and found just what was needed, then took upon himself the work for securing the money from the business men and others who take pride in having the representatives of Fostoria, upon the gridiron, present a good or better appearance than any of their opponents and there are plenty who feel that way.

There are many people who would never have thought of getting out and securing the money, who feel as much interest and give as much money as well Mr. Zigler. The order will be sent off today and the uniforms will be here the present week so there will be no further handicap to practice through lack of equipment.

Glass Workers to Form Band

During the past several years Fostoria has been without a regular organization much of the time, although it was possible to get a band together and furnish music for engagements of any kind. It appears that instead of no band, we will probably have three during the coming winter.

The Fostoria band, which is on as good or rather better footing than it has been for some time, the college band, and now the glass workers are talking of organizing a third band of 36 pieces. It is understood that there is lots of talent, some of which has been considerable cultivation and more, that has lain almost dormant among the ranks of the workmen. they propose, if present plans are carried out, to have a band of which the glass workers of the city may well feel proud. They are already nogotiating for the purchase of a complete outfit of instruments of the highest quality and with a competent instructor.

A first class band is one of the best advertisements a city can have although the size of the band proposed is unusual in a city of this size. It is sincerely hoped that nothing will occur to cause a change in the plans of the music loving workers.

Wife's Articles Sold

Neibeck, the man arrested Sunday for drunkenness, and accused of using money for the purchase of booze, which he obtained by pawning a bicycle and selling lard and chickens belonging to his wife, had a hearing this morning and was sentenced to 10 days in jail, on bread and water. This should give him an opportunity to get sober and meditate over his sins.

Wild West Show in Fostoria

Pawnee Bill's Wild West Show appeared in Fostoria today (Sept. 15, 1903) It featured Indian warriors in brilliant native coustumes, including their wigwams, squaws, papooses and native ponies.

Although there is a federal statute against the sale of liquor to Indians, many of those connected with the Pawnee Bill show showed the effedts of frequent potations before their train left Fostoria

Leonard Skonecki (June 28 1998)

You know how today we're fond of saying that everything causes cancer or some other disease? Back then, it wasn't much different.

February 18, 1903 (R/t)

The Daily Review-Dispatch advised its readers on Feb. 18, 1903, "Drink water and you get typhoid. Drink milk and you get tuberculosis. Drink whiskey and you get jimjams. Eat white flour and get appendicitis. Eat soup and get Bright's disease. Eat beef and encourage apoplexy. Eat oysters and acquire toxemia. Eat meats of any kind and get indigestion or some other kind of germ disease. Eat vegetables and weaken the system. Eat desserts and get paresis. Smoke cigarettes and die young. Drink coffee and tea and obtain nervous prostration. Drink beer and have dyspepsia. Drink wine and get the gout. Listen to the advice of your neighbors and be an idiot. Disregard their advice and be a fool."

I wonder what he had to drink or eat