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Ironton Sililoquy
A Boogie Man
Herald Dispatch, January 18, 1966
Written by: Charles Collett
Submitted by: Robert Kingrey
A Boogie Man
- Citizens, who drove east of Coal Grove where night work is
progressing on the new US Expressway, tell of a midnight flagman
wearing a bright orange suit while directing traffic. He has red
flashing lights on his helmet and when the headlights of automobiles
shine on his suit, he looks like an astronaut just landed from outer
space.
His job is important as big trucks moving
rock and earth, working all night, crosses the highway making it a
dangerous place for flagmen as well as passing cars. He carries a flag
and lantern and spends all his time waving at approaching cars.
The scene there reminds me of a story told by
my dad about my grandmother when he was a boy. The family lived at
Lyra in Scioto County, now on the D.T. & I. Railroad known as Andre
Station. Their home was on the turnpike that came over the hill from
Wheelersburg. It was just before the Civil War and there was to be a
campaign speech at the town house for Lincoln.
A fife and drum corps with a torchlight
parade came from Portsmouth. My grandmother heard the fife and drum
and saw the parade of torchlight’s coming down the road. The children
had gone to bed. She got all of them up out of bed and told them to
pray because the world was coming to an end. She heard Gabriel blowing
his horn and saw the devil coming down the hill with torches and fire.
Historical
- Ironton’s first cemetery was organized on this date 115 years ago.
The notice in the newspaper read:
"Members of the Ironton Cemetery Association are requested to meet at
the school house on Saturday evening, next early candle-lighting, to
elect the first officers. The cemetery is to be located at the foot of
the hill on the property of W.D. Kelly near his deer park
northeast of town." That cemetery will be the location of the big
nursing home and motel of which the Fountain Corporation will start
work n a few weeks.
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