We have examined the fire works pieces ordered by Joe Genett for the evening of the Forth and unhesitatingly pronounce them first class in all respects.  There will be rockets with parachutes, Roman candles with 15 to 20 balls, circular and revolving pieces of all descriptions, dynamite balls to be shot from a mortar, and an endless variety of smaller pieces that we neither know the name of nor can describe.  In addition there are three large pieces ordered from New York where they were specially manufactured for the occasion.  They are very large and will no doubt be much more attractive than anything ever before seen in Waverly.  The display will take place on the level in front of the Emmitt House next to canal.  It will be a grand one.

Jim Henry drew this scene from a post card and shows the old Canal Park as seen from Market Street.  The bridge,  an iron type, was on what is know as High St. There was quite a slope on this hill from the bridge down to Water St. (now Emmitt Ave.).  It had a pedestrian walkway on the south side of it.  On the north side of the bridge  was the Lew Stahler Hardware Co. Next building south was the collector's office. In the toll house was a big pulley wheel used to lift items out of the boats.   Later Stahler used the toll house to store their extra buggies and farm equipment.  Later Don's Furniture was in the building (not to be confused to Don's Furniture on North Street where it was later located.)  This building was torn down in the early 1970s. The site is now the drive through for the US Bank. Next lot  south was later to be built on as Kroger's.  When Kroger's moved out the building it was remodeled to become Waverly State Bank and has since gone through several bank names and is now  US Bank.

    Just after the excitement of the Lancaster boys, Monday, about half-past 2 o'clock, the aqueduct across Crooked creek gave way.  The structure was an old affair but it had been patched to be good for several years yet.  But all at once there was a creaking and wrecking of timber, a splash and gurgling roll of waters and the old thing was gone up.  The waters now take their course down Crooked creek and the "totherend" of the canal is played out--at least until there is a new structure built.

27 June 1884 The Republican