1884 New Vienna Business Notes -May 21

The editor of The Wilmington Journal visits New Vienna and Blanchester to survey the scene and probably drum up some advertising business and new subscriptions.  The 1880s were a boom time for New Vienna, with many of the downtown buildings erected during that decade.  New Vienna is referenced as "the capital of Green Township"

New Vienna has had two hometown newspapers – New Vienna Record (1878-1880) and New Vienna Reporter (1880-1950), the average person may not have advertised in or subscribed to the Wilmington paper.    Transcription follows.  The Blanchester part has not been transcribed or scanned, however the whole page of this article can be found at this link: http://www.newspapers.com/clip/606995/1884_new_vienna_notes_may21/?.

 1884 New Vienna Notes -May21 Clipping from the Wilmington Journal

A FEW NOTES
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Gathered up While in New Vienna and Blanchester
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Last Thursday the editor of the JOURNAL made a visit to New Vienna and Blanchester.  In the seven years which we have lived in the county we had never before been in New Vienna to remain any length of time.

Arriving at the capital of Green Township at about half-past 8 o'clock in the morning, one of the very first men we met was L.A. Henry [Lewis A. Henry 1849-1926, moved to Kansas sometime between 1884 and 1905], with whom we had been associated as a student in the Ohio Wesleyan University, at Delaware, Ohio.  After Mr. Henry left college he began teaching, and did not change his vocation until a year or two ago, when he went into the boot and shoe business.  About a year ago he visited Kansas and bought a farm, on which he has been offered a net profit of $2,000 over and above the cost price, but refused to sell.  He is doing a thriving business in New Vienna.

Going on up street we ran across A.S. Amberg [Abraham Amberg, born 1815 in Bavaria, died 1894 in New Vienna], who enjoys the happy destruction of being Mayor of the town.  He is also Justice of the Peace, and a better Chief Magistrate New Vienna has not had in a score of years.

Dropping into the bank we met E. Arthur [Edwin Arthur 1822-1894], the cashier and his son [John Larkin Arthur, 1844-1913].

Seeing a sign which read "A.W. Mohlenpage" [August Mohlenpage, sometimes spelled Moehlenpage 1854-1894], over the door of a house across the street, we struck out in that direction.  George Morey, formerly a clerk for W.H. Rannells, of Wilmington, was glad to welcome us.  Mr. Mohlenpage was busy waiting on customers.  He has a very large store and does an immense business.  [The 1880 census lists him as a "dry goods merchant."]  Only a few weeks ago he tried to buy out the remnant of Haynes & Glass' stock, but failed to make satisfactory arrangements for the room, and consequently did not locate here.  It was a great misfortune that Wilmington did not secure the addition of this live young man to her already large list of enterprising business firms.  Mr. Mohlenpage has opened a branch house in Greenfield, where he is doing a thriving business.  

The next man we wanted to see was Sam De La [1838-1886 was editor (owner?) of the New Vienna Record in 1880].  Sam used to be a newspaper man and knows how to sympathize with a printer.  We soon found him, and after hitching on, visited nearly every business in our neighboring town.  In order to prevent a murder, every time we entered the door of a business house our escort would politely and gently inform the proprietor that the animal he had in tow was not a drummer [traveling salesman]; then we felt safe in advancing without running the risk of meeting a stuffed club or a base ball bat.

After "doing" the town somebody said they were going to have a good dinner at the Miller House.  If there is anything to eat in the neighborhood a newspaper man is generally on the hunt of it, and especially is this so because such an institution is always hungry.  Sometimes there is wedding cake, and bride's cake, and ginger cake, and every other kind of cake, sent to his sanctum, and he has to learn to eat in large quantities and at all hours in the day.  The consequence is that the capacity for storing away an unusual supply of good things is increased to an illimitable extent.  Fortunately the Miller House was equal to the emergency, and we got a good, square meal at one of the best hotels in the county.

Two o'clock soon rolled around, and we wended our way toward the depot.  On the depot platform we met the members of the enterprising firm of Routh [John C Routh 1834-1894] & Levisey [William B Livezey 1843-1909].  They are the grain buyers of New Vienna, and deal in farming implements and machinery.  

Although our stay in New Vienna was brief, we met a great many persons whom we had never seen before, and many became subscribers to the JOURNAL, and others will follow.  That we may rest assured of, for this paper always finds its way into the homes of enterprising people, and that is the kind of folks they keep in our neighboring village.