The stories that follow are from period newspapers and are a sample of those included in our monthly newsletter. They are displayed here in chronological order. You can read them in the order displayed or click the links in the table below to jump to selected months. Check this page for updates each month and join our organization to receive our monthly newsletter with additional stories (now available by email or regular mail).

January 1908
1. Early January 1908 – J. J. Doyle resigned as superintendent of the C. & E. Joe Emery assumed the position.

2. On January 3, 1908 – Maurice Mertaugh leased the Chester Caves resort for ten years.

3. In mid-January 1908 – The Geauga Republican lauded the quality service and excellent roadbed of the C. & E.

4. Late January 1908 – Theater goers made arrangements to attend performances at the new Hippodrome Theater in Cleveland.

* * *
The Geauga Leader, Wednesday, January 1, 1908, Page 1

     J. J. Doyle, who has been superintendent of the C. & E. electric railway for several years, having risen from one of the lowest positions in the employ of the company by meritorious service, has resigned to take a similar position with an electric line out of Washington, D. C. Joe Emery, another good man, takes his place.

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The Geauga County Record, Friday, January 3, 1908, Page 1

Town Law Has Flaw

And Middlefield Drayman Was Safe When He Drove Team on Sidewalk
     Middlefield, O., Dec. 25 - Three weeks ago George Edney, the drayman, was arrested by Marshal Halstead, charged with violating a village ordinance regulating the obstructing of, and the driving of a team on, a public sidewalk. Mr. Edney was brought before Justice Brigden and, upon admission of having blocked the sidewalk in front of the C. & E. freight room for a few moments, was fined $5 and costs.
     The request of Mr. Edney that he be given time to correspond with the officials of the railroad company, who he declared would back him up in contesting the matter, was granted by Justice Brigden.
     On Saturday, Dec. 21, Attorney Roberts, representing the C. & E., and who, by the way, is instructor of corporation law at Western Reserve Law School, appeared before Justice Brigden, who convened court at 10:30 the same morning. Attorney Roberts, after filing a demurrer, at once proceeded to convince the court that the ordinance under which the defendant had been sentenced was invalid, hence the defendant had been guilty of no violation but had been wrongfully arrested and his case dismissed of without right. . .
     Mr. Edney was discharged by Justice Brigden.

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The Geauga County Record, Friday, January 10, 1908, Page 1

Chester Caves In New Hands

Popular Summer Resort Is Leased For Ten Years to Maurice Mertaugh and Other Companies
     . . . The new company contemplates building a spur from the E. O. T. car line to the foot of the hill so the long hard climb will be made much easier.
     There is also hope of a better car service and the management expects to be able to carry people without the usual crowding that the patrons have had to endure.
     Let us hope that with the rest of the improvements the managers will keep the place as clean and free from reproach as Manager Eddy has always kept it during the eight years of his occupancy.
     Among the companies interested in the project are the E. O. T. Co. and the Musician’s Union.
     Workmen were measuring off a site Wednesday for a depot, to be 60 feet long. It will be erected at the foot of the hill near the bridge. . .

* * *
The Geauga Republican, Wednesday, January 15, 1908, Page 5

Home Department
     Carl Coleman, a former Chardon boy, now in the employ of the Eastern Ohio Traction Co. at Chagrin Falls, was in Chardon, Saturday and Sunday.

* * *
Better Service Than Ever on the C. & E.
     Since the Cleveland & Eastern line has been slagged and new ties installed between Chardon and the city, travellers note a great improvement in ease and comfort when riding to and from the points named.
     It isn’t necessary to slack up on the curves now, as formerly, and cars make better schedule time. New ties are also to be laid from the Junction to Middlefield this year, and that end of the road slagged.
     Motive power seems to be stronger on the C. & E. at present than at any time since the road was built. The improvements made to the roadbed have greatly lessened the liability of accident to passengers.
     It is doubtful if any electric railroad in the country has a more perfect roadbed than the C. & E. has from Gates Mills to Cleveland.
     The schedule time between Gates Mills and Chardon is about an hour, but at the present time cars behind time frequently cover the distance in 38 or 40 minutes.
     Criticism of the C. & E. management, the train crews or the service is rarely ever heard nowadays. Snow has not interfered with traffic so far this winter. The outlook for a busy year on the C. & E. was never brighter.

* * *
The Geauga Leader, Wednesday, January 29, 1908, Page 1

     A special car of Burton people will go to Cleveland next Tuesday to take in the Hippodrome, Cleveland’s fine new theatre. Those wanting to go should see C. E. Williams at once. Go, by all means.

* * *
The Geauga Leader, Wednesday, January 29, 1908, Page 8

Middlefield
     The Times says that there are so many indications that the Cleveland & Sharon electric railway company is far more alive than dead. Let us hope this is true. C. M. Pierce of this place, was recently elected vice president of the company, according to The Times.

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February 1908
1. Early February 1908 – Chardon struggles with the Worst Blizzard of the Season.

2. Improvements made to the line have brightened the outlook for a busy year on the C. & E.

3. The county's milk shippers continue to have difficulty getting their product to markets as winter storms disrupt service on the electric roads.

4. February 1908 – The C. & E. Saturday night theater car is to be discontinued east of Gates Mills.

* * *
The Geauga Republican, Wednesday, February 5, 1908, Page 1

South Newbury
     The early car going east from Chagrin Falls to Garrettsville was discontinued Feb. 2. It seems that managers of this railroad are doing all they can to kill it as soon as possible.

* * *
The Geauga Leader, Wednesday, February 5, 1908, Page 5

Burton and Vicinity
     On account of the large number of grip victims in Burton the Hippodrome visit set for this Tuesday evening has been postponed. A date will be fixed later for the trip. The low rate of $1.25 for car fare and theatre seat has been secured.

* * *
The Geauga County Record, Friday, February 7, 1908, Page 1

Fierce Storm Sweeps Town
     Chardon in Struggle with Worst Blizzard of the Season - Plays Havoc with Traffic and Telephones
     After a warning Friday, Jack Frost, that popular manager of winter productions, blew into Geauga County, Saturday with his big show entitled “The Blizzard,” and opened up for a two days’ run.
     Accompanied by a 50 mile gale the wind whirled the flakes in the heaviest storm of the season, until roads were made almost impassable in places, and traffic was hampered on the Cleveland & Eastern. Many times during the afternoon it was impossible to see but a short distance ahead.
     Sunday the storm was still at its height and the day proved to be the coldest of the year. Thermometers in town registered zero.
     All night Saturday the snow plough was kept busy on the C. & E., and became disabled at an early hour Sunday morning. Car crews had plenty of exercise shoveling. The snow was so deep that cars did not attempt to make the circuit of the park until late this week.
     Because of the storm Sunday, there was hardly any passenger traffic. However the cars on this end of the line were only about an hour late, a credit to the railway, in its ability to cope with the storm.
     But few Chardon people ventured out of doors Sunday, and church attendance was at low ebb.
     While the storm was not accompanied by as heavy a snow fall as that of April, 1901, it is believed that taking into consideration the terrific gale which kept up continuously for two days, and the cold, and deep snow, the combination made it one of the worst storms that has visited Chardon in many years.
     Rural carriers were unable to make their entire trips Monday because of the badly drifted roads. The entire storm played havoc with telephone lines, doing many dollars worth of damage. A large force of men was shoveling snow on the B. & O. all day Monday.

* * *
The Geauga County Record, Friday, February 7, 1908, Page 4

Local Happenings of the Past Week
     Thirty Middlefield people enjoyed a trip in special car to Cleveland Tuesday evening to attend the Hippodrome.

* * *

C. & E. Gives Good Service.
     Motive power seems to be stronger on the C. & E. at present than at any time since the road was built. The improvements made to the roadbed have greatly lessened the liability of accident to passengers.
     It is doubtful if any electric railroad in the country has a more perfect roadbed than the C. & E. has from Gates Mills to Cleveland.
     The schedule time between Gates Mills and Chardon is about an hour, but at the present time cars behind time frequently cover the distance in 38 or 40 minutes.
     Criticism of the C. & E. management, the train crews or the service is rarely ever heard nowadays. Snow has not interfered with traffic so far this winter. The outlook for a busy year on the C. & E. was never brighter.

* * *
The Geauga Republican, Wednesday, February 12, 1908, Page 1

Bainbridge
     Those who send milk to Cleveland had great times getting it there during the recent blizzard. The milk car got stalled in a snow bank near Jos. Morton’s, and was there two or three days, obliging the farmers to haul their milk to Chagrin Falls.

* * *
The Geauga Leader, Wednesday, February 12, 1908, Page 1

Doings of a Week
     The Warren-Jefferson electric line project is again being revived. Francis Morgan holds the right-of-way.

* * *
The Geauga Leader, Wednesday, February 12, 1908, Page 4

South Newbury
     The railroad has been practically a “dead letter” all this week, scarcely any cars being able to run since Feb. 1.

* * *
     Feb. 10 - The electric car from Chagrin Falls to Garrettsville has been in cold storage most of the time the past week, which was very inconvenient for travelers and milk shippers; and as the minister of South Newbury church lives in Hiram and no prospect of a car on Sunday it was thought best by the “faithful few” to have no church service, and that is the reason when the minister and his missionary friend arrived by horse power and some others on foot they found the church door shut.

* * *
The Geauga Leader, Wednesday, February 12, 1908, Page 5

Burton and Vicinity
     The afternoon mail to Middlefield now leaves Burton on the 3:10 car instead of on the 5:10 car. This is an improvement in our poor mail service.

* * *
The Geauga County Record, Friday, February 14, 1908, Page 1

Theater Car Is No More
     Chardon’s connection with the theater was severed Saturday night. The folks out that way hereafter will have to confine themselves to reading criticisms of the play or take some other means of transportation, says the Plain Dealer.
     The Cleveland & Eastern railroad is responsible for the blow to the dramatic tastes of Chardon. The road has been running theater cars. Saturday it was announced that they would be taken off.

* * *

Car Takes Fire
     A part of the under section of the Cleveland & Eastern car leaving Chardon at 5:50 o’clock, caught fire near Novelty, Friday night. Motorman Cusick and Conductor Heydorn succeeded in putting the fire out with snow. The car was delayed 10 minutes.

* * *
The Geauga County Record, Friday, February 14, 1908, Page 4

Local News Items
     Chardon Lodge I. O. O. F. expects to go in a special car to Garrettsville, Saturday night, to put on the initiatory degree.

* * *
The Geauga County Record, Friday, February 14, 1908, Page 5

South Russell
     Owing to the bad weather the cars have not been able to run. The milk shippers have had to drive to Chardon.

* * *
The Geauga County Leader, Friday, February 14, 1908, Page 8

Troy
     The cars have finally started after a hold up of five days.

* * *
The Geauga Leader, Wednesday, February 19, 1908, Page 5

Burton and Vicinity
     A special car by way of Cleveland brought sixty Chagrin Falls Masons over to Burton last Friday evening to do some degree work for the Burton lodge. Quite a number of Cleveland and Chardon brothers were also present. The work and a banquet took up the time and the boys all report a splendid time.

* * *
The Geauga County Record, Friday, February 21, 1908, Page 1

Cuyahoga River Floods Track
     Swollen by the heavy rains of Friday night the Cuyahoga River went on a rampage early Saturday morning, overflowed its banks, and covered the tracks of the Cleveland & Eastern Railroad between Burton and Middlefield with several feet of water.
     Traffic between these towns was tied up until Sunday afternoon at 4:30, when the first car since the flood entered Middlefield.

* * *

Wants Another Through Car
     Petitions have been sent to several Chardon men by Lytton S. Beman, of Collinwood, asking that the Cleveland & Eastern car leaving the square at Cleveland at 4 o’clock p.m., be a through Chardon car, instead of going only to Gates Mills, as now.
     The petitions have been liberally signed and returned to Beman, who owns considerable property in Newbury.

* * *
The Geauga County Record, Friday, February 21, 1908, Page 8

Novelty
     Lumber for a new milk house, which will be located at the railroad track, is on hand and the building will be completed as soon as the weather will permit.

* * *
The Geauga Republican, Wednesday, February 26, 1908, Page 1

Chester
     A trolley party of 66 Chester people attended the Hippodrome theatre Saturday evening, Feb. 15.

* * *
The Geauga County Record, Friday, February 28, 1908, Page 1

Railroad Gets Block System
     By Use of Electric Lights, C. & E. Will Greatly Reduce Danger of Wrecks
     A block system that will greatly lessen the danger of wrecks is being installed between Gates Mills and Cleveland on the Cleveland & Eastern.
     By the new system it will be impossible for a car to run by a switch.
     At each switch is an electric light which can be operated by the dispatcher in the office at Gates Mills. If a car is to meet another at the toll gate for instance, the light will be switched on, and the motorman knows that another car is due there.
     A great advantage of the new system is that should the dispatcher wish to talk with any conductor or motorman, he can switch on the light at the point which the car is soon to pass and the conductor knows immediately that he is to call up the dispatcher’s office.
     This system is to be established first on the entire west end of the road. Lights have been placed at the bridge and overlook siding and are being placed at Mayfield and the Toll Gate. If it gives satisfaction the system will be put in operation on the Burton-Middlefield and Chardon branches.

* * *

Horse’s Fright at Car Results in Runaway
     Taking fright at a C. & E. car, a horse hitched to a cutter and driven by Jay Sage, ran away late Monday afternoon. Striking a stone near Booth’s livery barn, the cutter overturned, and Sage was thrown out. The animal tore itself loose from the harness and ran wildly down South Street. Sage was unhurt. The horse was captured later.

* * *
The Geauga County Record, Friday, February 28, 1908, Page 4

Local News Items
     Conductor John Egan, who hurt his foot several weeks ago when he jumped from a car at Euclid, is able to be out again.

* * *
     An electric rail bonding machine has been busy on the west end of the Cleveland & Eastern road, and may be busy soon on this end of the line.

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March 1908
1. Throughout the month of March, Geauga residents continue to use the electric roads to attend social events.

2. "The worst floods of recent years" block the C. & E. line east of Burton.

3. More improvements are planned for the busy C. & E., many car loads of ties and ballast have been ordered.

* * *
The Geauga Republican, Wednesday, March 4, 1908, Page 5

Home Department
     About 40 members of Chardon Odd Fellows Lodge went to Chagrin Falls, Saturday afternoon in a special car, and put on initiatory work for the lodge there in the evening. They returned home at 1 a.m., Sunday.

* * *
The Geauga Leader, Wednesday, March 4, 1908, Page 1

History of a Week
     A party of 66 Chester people attended the Cleveland Hippodrome recently.

* * *
The Geauga Leader, Wednesday, March 4, 1908, Page 8

Middlefield
     Henry Smith, our efficient school janitor, has been awarded the contract by the Postoffice Department for carrying the mails between Burton post office and the electric cars. For the present he has hired a substitute who will carry the mail for him until the close of school here, when he will move his family to Burton.

* * *
The Geauga County Record, Friday, March 6, 1908, Page 8

Eventful Life Ends Under Car
     The Exponent pays the following tribute to a Geauga pioneer, who was fatally injured by a street car in Chagrin Falls, on Feb. 20:
     Cyrus Millard was born in Kirtland, Ohio, near where the Mormon Temple now stands, on Feb. 15, 1816. . .

* * *
The Geauga Leader, Wednesday, March 11, 1908, Page 8

Middlefield
     High water on the Cuyahoga flats west of town cut us off from service on the electric car line over Sunday. The river was already pretty well up when the heavy rain of Friday evening came and made one of the worst floods of recent years.

* * *
The Geauga County Record, Friday, March 13, 1908, Page 1

No Theater Car Until May
     There will probably be no theater car on the C. & E. until a new schedule is put into effect, which will not be until May 15. The opening of the new resort at Chesterland Caves will necessitate a late car, from the city, and also one from the Caves to Chardon.

* * *
The Geauga County Record, Friday, March 13, 1908, Page 8

The January Term of Court Is Ended
     Common Pleas Court was in session at Chardon, Saturday, with Judge Metcalfe presiding. . .
     Martha Pease vs. Robert D. Beatty, as receiver of the Eastern Ohio Traction Co. This case was marked settled at defendant’s cost. H. O. Bostwick for plaintiff, N. H. Bostwick for defendant.

* * *
The Geauga Leader, Wednesday, March 18, 1908, Page 5

Burton and Vicinity
     Maurice Mertaugh and wife of Burton, will soon move to Chesterland Caves, of which resort he is to be manager for the coming ten years. Many improvements in the buildings and amusements of the place are contemplated. The C. & E. will build s spur track from its line over to the resort, a distance of about 2,000 feet, to accommodate the crowds that will be attracted during the summer. Several new amusement features will be added and the present picnic and camping facilities will be enlarged and improved. Manager Mertaugh informs us that there will be no intoxicating liquors handled or allowed on the grounds. This will be the only pleasure resort in Geauga County this season and will no doubt do a large business. Fifty students of Case School of Cleveland, of the civil engineering department, have engaged quarters for several weeks for practical field work, and other engagements are being made for annual reunions and picnics. Mr. and Mrs. Mertaugh will no doubt prove to be popular managers and their many Burton friends extend best wishes for their success.

* * *
The Geauga County Record, Friday, March 20, 1908, Page 1

Many Improvements Planned
     Fifty cars of ties and 250 cars of slag have been ordered by the Cleveland & Eastern for improvements on the road this spring. They are expected April 1.

* * *

Lodge Went to Garrettsville
     Fifty members of the Chardon I. O. O. F. lodge went to Garrettsville in a special car Monday afternoon, to put on the initiatory degree. The lodge transferred at Middlefield to the Garrettsville line, and returned home at 1:30 o’clock.

* * *
The Geauga Republican, Wednesday, March 25, 1908, Page 1

Chester
     Another barn and new milk house will be built soon at the Walker-Gordon farm. Preparations are being made to milk 150 cows the coming season. The milk will be carried to the station on a trolley wire.

* * *
About 3,500 gallons of maple syrup has been shipped from this town via the C. & E. in the past two weeks.

* * *
The Geauga Republican, Wednesday, March 25, 1908, Page 5

Doings of a Week
     Many Geauga county farms have changed owners during the past few months, bringing many new residents into the county, mostly from the city. This movement of the wealthy city people into the country is a good thing for the farming districts, as they spend much money in making improvements, and also they put into practice many new and enlarged farming methods which, though they do not always result in profit to the city bred farmers, are an interesting object lesson to the surrounding farmers.

* * *
The Geauga Leader, Wednesday, March 25, 1908, Page 5

Burton and Vicinity.
     W. C. Walter, the Burton farm implement and coal and fertilizer dealer, will build a large two-story warehouse at his place at the C. & E. station, as soon as the weather will permit the carpenters to get to work. Mr. Walter does a large business in these lines.

* * *
     The E. O. T. Co. is making preparations to improve the Burton-Middlefield division this season, and immense quantities of slag and numbers of ties, and other materials have been purchased for this work. The line from Chardon to Cleveland was improved last year and put in splendid condition, and with the improvement of this end of the system it will be one of the best lines into Cleveland.

* * *
The Geauga County Record, Friday, March 27, 1908, Page 1

Trip From City In Rice Storm

Archie Green and Bride at Mercy of Car Crews All the Way to Chardon
     Archie Green, son of Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Green, of Chardon, was married to Miss Sue Hobbs, at the home of the bride’s parents, 3325 Walton Avenue, Cleveland, at 6 0’clock Wednesday evening.
     The happy couple took the 9 o’clock car for their future home in Chardon, and the trip was made in a veritable avalanche of rice.
     Mr. Green has been in the employ of the C. & E. Railroad for several years as freight conductor and is popular. “The boys” learned of the marriage, and at various and numerous points on the road they were met by crowds of friends.
     At Novelty the rice supply was replenished, the couple being forced to wait while the car crew went to the store to make their purchase.
     At the Y below the trestle in Chardon, the wedding party was met by Chardon friends, who boarded the car and rode to the square.
     Mr. and Mrs. Green will reside in the Quiggle residence, Cemetery and South Streets. Miss Hobbs is a talented young woman, and has been employed as bookkeeper for the past eight years in the firm of H. Black. Every car that passed the house stopped and whistled.
     The wedding was a quiet one, just the immediate relatives of the bride and groom being present. Those present from Chardon were Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Green, Hal Green, Miss Hazel Green, G. A. Brower and Clara Fleet.
     There were many valuable wedding presents.

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April 1908
1. Mishap with downed overhead wire kills Burton resident's horse.

2. Chesterland Caves Resort opens for season under new management.

3. Geauga courts are busy with legal actions against the C & E.

* * *
The Geauga Leader, Wednesday, April 8, 1908, Page 1

Burton
     While driving across the C. & E. electric track on his private crossing just east of the fair grounds last Saturday Henry F. Johnson's nice road horse stepped on a live wire that was down and was killed instantly.

* * *
The Geauga Leader, Wednesday, April 15, 1908, Page 4

Chesterland Caves Advertisement:

Northern Ohio's Picturesque and Comfortable Summer Resort
This Ideal Picnic and Camping Resort is located 15 miles east of Cleveland in Geauga County and is reached by a regular half-hour service of E. O. T. electric cars. The place has a number of Cottages and up-to-date Amusement Features and is quiet and orderly. Dates for Lodge and Church Picnics are now being booked. Write the Manager for open dates.

Clambake and Dance for an Opening Event
Tuesday, April 21, 1908.
The Price $1.00

An expert will have charge of the Clambake, which will be ready at 6:00 p.m. Fine music for the Dance. Special cars will leave Middlefield at 5:25 and 6:25, returning after the dance. All are cordially invited.

M. J. Murtaugh, Manager.

* * *
The Geauga Leader, Wednesday, April 15, 1908, Page 8

Middlefield
     F. R. Rice of Huntsburg, was here Monday to take the car for Burton.

* * *
The Geauga Leader, Wednesday, April 22, 1908, Page 1

History of a Week
     Talk again of a street car line from Cleveland through Chardon to Meadville.

* * *
     Motorman C. M. Huey, who has been laid up by sickness for several weeks, is again at work. He has been assigned to the run formerly had by Motorman Murtaugh, on the C. & E.

* * *

At the County Seat

Common Pleas Court
     The Petit Jury came Monday, April 13, and the case of Wm. Zollar vs the Cleveland City Ry Co came on for trial. This is an action for damages for injuries received in a collision with a street car. Trial lasted four days, the jury reported Friday morning with a verdict for the defendant. Chas Sheldon and H. O. Bostwick attorneys for plaintiff, N. H. Bostwick and W. G. King and Boyle for defendant.

* * *
The Geauga Leader, Wednesday, April 29, 1908, Page 1

At the County Seat

Common Pleas Court
     The case of Catherine Tilden vs J. L. Thrasher came next. This was a civil case for money; she sued on a contract with the def't concerning the right of way of the E. O. T. Co. in Troy. Jury verdict for pltff for $148.13. W. G. King for pltff, H. O. Bostwick for def't.

* * *
     The E. O. T. had a gang of workmen engaged all last week laying over the railroad track around the park and placing new ties.

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Thanks to our Newsletter Editor Bill Jackson for collecting and organizing these news stories from various newspaper and library archives.