Elmore - Charles W. (Mayor) - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Source: Sunday Star, Sept 9, 1901 p 1

-- Mayor Elmore laid the first brick on the first paved street ever built in the town more celebrated for its poets and authors and its spirit of conversatism than for street improvments.  He did this much for Crawfordsville on Wednesday morning at 8:30.  By some strange over sight there was no clanger of bell and blast of factory whistle. There was no military pageant, no flaunting of flag, beat of drum, roar of cannon nor blare of band. THere were not over 50 men present and no women except a girl in a faded mother hubbard and a slat sun bonnet. She took off her bonnet and busied herself running a broken toothed comb through her tangled hair while the hearty looking mayor hurried over a short speech of about a hundred words inw hich he said it made the cockles of his heart throb, or words to that effect, to see the initial work at last being done on a line tht he had always advocated and which he had promised the people he would see accomplished if he were chosen for Mayor of the growing old town.

"Fore three long years I have struggled aalong with the end in view that I might see the work of paving the streets begin. We have floundered through the mud so many years that I was often cast down but never discouraged and I thank the city council for the brave support it has given me," said Mayor Elmore with great feeling and then leaned over his portly form and almost lost his balance placing the first brick on the smoothed off bed of sand.  There was some hand clapping and then a little army of men, each bearing six of th enine pound paving bricks on a board, began to assemble the Poston blocks on the cub, and immediately so fast that the eye of man could scarce keep count of them three skilled brick layers placed the paving blocks in place.  It was marvelous how rapidly the three men laid the brick.  Eager spectators who had worried themselves in thin flesh with fear that there would never be any paved streets in the city acknowledged that all their forebodings were misplaced. Their faces brightened.  The work has been in a measure delayed during the week of the non-arrival of crushed rock from Dooley's Station and by the slow delivery of paving brick.  Several kilns of brick are now cooling and there will be no more delays except on account of bad weather till the mile and a half of brick streets is laid and the work of crowning the council thereby consumated whether it be for their personal weal or woe at the next election deponent knoweth not not being a mind reader. But you can't take the paving away - kbz

Source: Same p 3

It was easy to locate the milk in the cocoanut last week when Ed Reynolds commenced to criticize the brick from the Poston Factory being used in the street paving. People do not take very favorably to projects by Reynolds, and in this case they had some faith till he was found urging the council to look into the merits of Brazil Block. Then the reason was made plain why he thought a good part of the Post Brick should be rejected.

Now for the reason:  Poston & Co, the brick factory people, having a very fine supply of water from deep drive wells and an abundance of power, were found to be consulting with manufacturers of ice machines with the end in view of putting in an ice plant in this city.  Reynolds it will be remembered was the schemer who managed the sale of the ice plant when it went out of the hands of Bonnell, Nash & Co. after a hard luck experience.  Thus a blind man can see where the interest of Reynolds comes in.  And his record in the council is not of the kind that will help him in the present undertaking.

A juneting committee of the council were sought to be gotten to go there on Friday, most unlucky day of the week, to go to Brazil with a purpose to inspect the paving brick plant there.  It was kept dark but came out accidentally.  It was not that the Poston Block wa snot good enough but because there were people who were animated by desire to hurt an infant inudstry in this city for a selfish reason and looking to the council to urge contractor Kirkpatrick to use the Brazil Brick and cut out the Poston Block.

People of this city who have watched the growth of the Poston Company and fully aware of the benefit the factory is to the city do not view the cheme with too much good nature. The Poston company are entitled to the contract and there should be no effort to work them injury.  It passes by consent that their brick is the best ever made in the state and as the contrator is to use "brick as good as Poston Block" it is in the power of the city to deal fairly by home interests. The Poston Company can sell every brick they haveon hands and millions more at once abroad, but they are entitled to the trade here at home.  If they don't get it, it will be for reasons that will not be very creditable to the men who might take it away from them.  If they are tardy in delivering they should be given a chance to get out the brick.  If not, the people will consider the situation extremely peculiar.

Councilmen Morse & Green went to Brazil on Friday and inspected the paving plant there, also examined the merits of the brick turned out.  They say that while some of the bricks are smoother than the first paving bricks turned out by Poston the Poston block is far and away the better and tougher brick.  The Poston Comapny will be given ample time to get out the bricks needed on our streets this fall.  They will not delay the street building - typed by kbz

Source: 1900 Census E. Main Street, Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, Indiana #710

Elmore, Charles Dec 1830 marr 32 years IN SC SC Mayor

Eliza A wife April 1843 0 ch 0 living England England England naturalized in 1889

Lovia SIster Oct 1828 age 71 IN SC SC

Charles W. Elmore died May 31, 1905

Dr. Wm. T. Gott attended deceased from April 10 - May 31, 1905 died 7 o'clock Gastric

Buried Oak Hill June 3, 1905

Barnhill Funeral Home

Informant : Barbara L. Davidson

Born: Dec 23, 1830 Crawfordsville, Indiana

Retired

Father; John Elmore

b. Laurens County, SC

Mother; Abigail Box ? b. same

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Source: Civil War Pension papers

Elmore, Charles W.

Widow: Eliza E. Elmore

Service: Capt. B 20th Ind Inf

Invalid Jan 11, 1886  

Widow July 8, 1905

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Source: 1880 Census C'ville

Charles W. 50 b Ind SC A

Grain Dealer  

Eliza 37

Lovia 54

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Source: 1870 C'ville #635

Elmore, Charles 39 Dry Goods Merchant $3000/2500 Ind

F.E. wife 27 keeps house England

Livia 43 Ind

Galloway, RH 32 Lawyer $500/300 Ind live next to Wm. Galloway 22 Blacksmith & Robert 50 & Eliza 24 Ind - odd