With the replacing of water lines on Center Street in Cardington, it prompted me to research the date the first water system was installed.

It was 1936, just after a sewer system had been installed by the WPA. This project supplied the village with storm sewers on Second Street and on part of Main Street. These were composed of vetrified tile and concrete pipe, designed so they could be used as sanitary drains when the village would construct a disposal system. Cost was $900. The water works plant constructed in 1936, cost $82,312.81 and of that amount, labor was 32,489 man hours at 60 cents an hour. The expense to the village residents was lessened by a grant of $23,000 from WPA

During its construction, the village was the scene of open ditches and pipelines. In one of those open ditches a horse fell and was killed and this proved to be a loss to the village, too, because the owner sued the village and won $125 for the loss of the horse. There were 45 water hydrants for fire fighting placed around the town and those at the school and business district were equipped with steamer nozzles to boost pressure in case of serious fire. The water well, sources of the village’s water, were located north of town and from these wells, the water was pumped through lines to the water tower which was constructed on the lot just west of the first alley on East Second Street (where the FCB now sits). At the same time a drinking fountain was placed on the south east corner of the town square.

All of these conveniences were not enjoyed by my family as we lived in the country and our water supply came from the pump, both outside and inside. My children have often asked how we made it without a bathroom! We didn’t know anything different. I recall that little “outhouse” “privy,” or wood toilet that sat at the end of the path in our back yard.

I really liked the neighbor’s outhouse best because it was built by the WPA and had a concrete floor and the commode sat up high like a throne There were no spider webs – nor cracks in the walls and no Sears catalogs.

I recall one bitter cold winter night – it was dark with snow on the ground and I was about 14 and had washed my hair. In my haste to dry my hair brush, I tossed it in the oven of our wood burning cook stove- in a few minutes the flames were leaping out of the oven and my youngest sister flew out the back door, shrieking “Fire, Fire,Fire.” My father has just entered the outhouse when he heard her screaming and why she was screaming we will never know because we were two miles in the country, it was bitter cold and no neighbors could never hear her but my dad did and he was envisioning his house in flames when he finally managed to get to the house- by then, my mother had thrown water in the oven, putting out the fire but my sister was still trying to let everyone know there was a “fire, fire!” I really do appreciate the conveniences of today.

100 years ago, November 1915: Morrow County court house news: Judge Mansfield was in Mt Gilead and disposed of the following Cardington case: Henry J Retter secured a verdict in his favor in the sum of $34.48 in a case against the Citizens Bank of Cardington. The plaintiff claimed that in 1910 he deposited $23.21 which was held back from him by the bank.

90 years ago, November, 1925: Terry Long, son of Mr and Mrs. Clarence Long south of Cardington, sustained wounds about the head when he suddenly appeared around the corner of the garage at his parent’s home as his father discharged a shot gun at a red squirrel. The boy was recovering nicely.

60 years ago November 1955: The Veterans Memorial at the Morrow County courthouse was being dedicated under the joint sponsorship of the Morrow County Veterans and the American Legion Posts. Leading the parade was to be the Cardington Drum and Bugle Corps.

Merle Fisher and Henry Breckner were re-elected to the Cardington Board of Education.

30 years ago- November 1985: Cardington village council accepted the retirement request of Williams Christian from the village police department with the option of returning to active duty at a later date and with retirement effective December 31, 1985. He was retiring because he had been elected to a seat on village council.

Evelyn Long is a correspondent with the Morrow County Sentinel and can be reached at [email protected].

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Reflections

By Evelyn Long

for the Morrow County Sentinel