The End of Black River Township – Part 2

Black River Township Circa 1938

By late June 1957, the residents of Black River Township were trying to decide whether to become part of the growing city of Lorain, or go it alone – as a new, incorporated village called Beaverdale.

It’s strange trying to imagine much of the west side of Lorain not being part of the city.

Nevertheless, below are two newspaper articles about the fiery discussions that took place regarding incorporation as a village vs. annexation to Lorain. The first one is from the Chronicle-Telegram of Wednesday, June 26, 1957.

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Black River Incorporation Running Into Opposition
Foes Unleash Verbal Assault On Proposal At Stormy Session

The first public opposition to the proposed incorporation of Black River Township exploded last night at the first pre-hearing public meeting staged by the township Civic League.

About 60 persons – 10 definitely incorporation opponents – attended the stormy session at the Black River Township Fire Station.

A half dozen men, apparently spokesmen, fired a torrent of stinging questions at Mrs. Alice Birich and Joseph Weller, civic league leaders.

Attempts by the panel to answer the blasts brought charges of sarcasm and unfairness to opposition.

Ronald Godes of Skyline Dr., a Lorain architect, queried, “Is somebody going to make a fast buck on this incorporation deal?”

A Meister Rd. resident, Robert Roll, declared that the Ford plant is the reason why so many people have changed their minds on Lorain annexation since the township voters turned annexation down in a 2-1 vote last November.

Godes charged that the Civic League committee is composed only of persons favorable to incorporation.

Both Mrs. Birich and Weller retorted that meetings all had been announced in the newspapers and that they were public. They scorned incorporation opponents for not attending any of the earlier meetings and expressing their points of view.

“Forced Into This Proposal”
“We’ve been forced into this proposal,” Mrs Birich repeated. “We prefer to remain an unincorporated township, but we’ll create our own village rather than go into Lorain – because the people have asked us to.”

Finances, she added, are from the committee members themselves and there is no treasury to finance publication of “flyers.”

The increased attendance of last night’s session was attributed to two factors: (1) the flyer publicity and (2) organization of some opposition last week at a small meeting of Pickett Rd. area residents.

The township trustees’ public hearing on the citizens’ petition requesting a special election to decide the incorporation question will be at 7:30 July 5 at the township fire station. The next Civic League public meeting will be at 8 p.m. July 8 at Clearview School.

Don Poplar, Pickett Rd., told last night’s audience he is against incorporation because he feels taxes would go up.

Tempers Flare Up
Tony Dore, Meister Rd., was one of the speakers who frequently lost their tempers. He expressed opposition to the village incorporation proposal.

Mrs. Ed Schaeffer, a member of the Civic League, asked the opponents, why, if they were as civic minded as they now appeared to be, were they not at earlier Civic League meetings?

Bill Simonovich, Meister Rd., expressed concern over where money would come from for sewers. He said he had heard nothing of the sewage disposal plant to be built on Beaver Creek by county commissioners to help service the Ford Plant and some Black River township residents.

In response to Godes’ inquiry as to whether the next Civic League flyer would include facts about Lorain’s financial condition and annexation supporters’ point of view, Mrs. Birich retorted, “Mr. Godes, if you want Lorain facts, you will kindly do it yourself. If you want to go digging up facts like I’ve been doing this past few weeks, you go right ahead, print’em up and peddle them yourself.”

Cheaper Water Is Argument
Another opponent who voiced incorporation objections was Robert Beck, Skyline Dr.

Beck said that if the rest of the township were annexed to Lorain, it could get cheap Lorain water rather than expensive water from Amherst.

Other persons in the audience spoke of ‘underhanded’ tactics by Lorainites, particularly city officials. There were reports that two city officials have been canvassing the Skyline Dr. area “telling the people to sign the annexation petitions for their own good.”

Mrs. Birich called such reported actions “a blow below the belt.”

The Civic League has employed Henry G. King as attorney. early legal procedures were handled by Milton Friedman who requested he be relieved of his duties.

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This article (below) in the Tuesday, July 9, 1957 Lorain Journal tells the story of a meeting of the anti-incorporation group a few weeks later.

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Anti-Beaverdale Drive Opens
Black River Group Bids For Support
Two-Pronged Program Starts

A two-pronged attack against incorporation of Black River Township was opened last night at the second meeting of the recently-formed Black River Progressive Association at Oak Hills Country Club.

(1) Officers opened a membership campaign to gain support and financial backing for the association’s activities.

(2) The steering committee started a program based on facts and figures which members of the group have been gathering since the first meeting on July 6.

Approximately 70 percent were present when the meeting was called to order by Robert Beck, association president.

Beck explained that the Black River citizens who formed the association believe that the incorporation plan, advocated by the Black River Township Civic League, is “economically unsound.”

Beck then called on Vice President Robert Roll to read the draft of a pamphlet which the steering committee had prepared for presentation at the meeting.

The pamphlet is to consist of a series of questions about incorporation, with figures and explanations gathered from records and other official sources to show the answers.

The pamphlet was approved by voice vote, and it will be printed and distributed throughout the township.

Enrollment of 46 members was handled by Mrs. E. Kucirek, who was appointed treasurer in addition to her secretarial duties. Membership dues were set at $1.00 a year per family.

After the formal meeting, Beck invited all to remain for an open forum at which questions were answered by the steering committee and other members. On the committee, in addition to Beck and Roll, are Miss Josephine Miller, Richard Head and Mrs. William Burns.

A comparison in costs prepared by Steve Carney on taxes, water, gas, electricity, garbage collection and telephone services was presented to the panel, and was read by Beck. Carney, using his own bills for reference, showed he would save $46.41 a year if the township area were a part of the city of Lorain.

Others serving on the panel were David A. Godes and Andrew Keep, Lorain attorney.

Among those in the audience who participated actively in the discussions were Thomas Pycraft, George Werner, Frank Nardini and Mrs. William Prescott.

Next: Fire Station Without a Cause