The boosters of Follansbee asked the citizens to “boost your own town first …and let our motto be, Upward, Onward, and Forward! Follansbee, thou art near and dear to me!”

During 1913, the city awarded Mike McMahon & Sons of Wellsburg the contract for brick paving and cement curbing of some city streets including portions of south Main, Neville, Ohio, Penn and Raymond streets.  Later in 1915 McMahon was again in the news when he opened a new meat market in the Buccalo building at 646 Main near Broad Street.

A large force of men were working on Allegheny and Neville streets, blasting out rocks and leveling some lots to be put on the market for buildings.  Joe Zago was the general contractor whose men built the concrete retaining wall on the east side of Virginia Avenue.   The wall, that can still be seen today, extended from Ohio to Broad Street. The Mill Towns Review noted, “It’s a big job, but not too big for Joe.”

Joe Zego was also responsible for the retaining wall that was built along Allegheny.  An ordinance was also passed to issue bonds for the making of sanitary sewers in streets on the east side of town.

• Mill Towns Review, “A $25,000 Contract Awarded McMahan & Sons..,” June 6, 1913, front page.
• Mill Towns Review, See Personals section – Joe Zago, August 8, 1913, front page.

Road, and sidewall construction at intersection of Jefferson and Neville in Follansbee circa 1915.   Photo courtesy of W. Va. State Archives.