Ironton Sililoquy

Herald Dispatch –November 12,1965

Submitted by: Robert Kingrey

The big news about the electric blackout in New York and other Eastern cities recalls a news story I wrote during the prohibition years of the 20’s. The Alpha Portland Cement Co. plant had a blackout, which baffled expert linemen of the Ohio Power Co. and the plant had to shut down for a couple of days. When the trouble was found, a big blacksnake had crawled into the voltage transformer box near the ground and its dead body blew fuses as fast as they were installed.

Two very prominent men, Frank C. Brownsted, superintendent at the cement plant, and Allen L. Thuma, superintendent of the Ohio Power Co., were very compatible friends and met each evening at the power company down town office on Second near Park Avenue and enjoyed cigars with other popular friends. Both men took a lot of ribbing from their friends when the snake story made headline news.

In our memory salute to Veterans’ Day yesterday, we regret no mention of a couple of the cities finest that escaped that salute. Every living war veteran in the city remembers Sergeant Dennis Sullivan who sleeps at Scared Heart Cemetery. The jovial Irishman, with so much wit, had the second largest military funeral in this city.

Lester A. Trumbo, a Spanish War Veteran who held office in the American Legion at the time of his death, had served as either a pallbearer or a member of the military firing squad at over 200 funerals, which we are sure, is a record for any veteran in the nation.

Pierce Edwards, who by the way, was named for the Rev. E. V. Pierce, pastor at the First Baptist Church in 1895, has added more "Ironton" to his "relic room" mentioned in this column a week ago. A West Virginia reader, who wants to remain anonymous, sends three china plates, decorated with pictures, compliments of A. H. Washburn Furniture Company, to add to the collection. The plates were given at the opening of the furniture store on Third Street near Chestnut in 1910. They were delivered in person to Emerson Walton at Lobby news to be turned over to Mr. Edwards who says he is convinced that this entire column is widely read all over the Tri-State.

Mr. Washburn will be remembered as Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce weekly luncheons held at the Howard Carman restaurant on Park Avenue during the years the Hotel Marting was under construction. He gave up retail business to engage in the automobile business in the location of the Gillen Ford before Leaving Ironton to live in Florida.