The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-12-29
From The Festivo Wreath.
THINGS -AROUTTOWN.

fE+EaE 4 - -EgNFF fEr- -
Have You taken a.stroll over town lately,
and noted the Improvements made of later IL
not, come with us, and I'VE will soon convince
you, that at least some of our enterprisipg
citizens have been at work, and not only ben
Gifted themselves, but the public, you and !,
receiving an equal dividend with the rest To
begin, here is our Town Hall; just what we
have needed so long. Besides greatly: adding
to the appearance of Main st. it furnishes two
fine, commodious, business rooms; but its chief
attraction is, its. spacious Hall. If you wish
fully to appreciate its advantages, step in some
Friday evening, during Lyceum hours, and
see how much better you enjoy the exercises,
than heretofore when crowded into some small,
poorly ventilated room. My Presbyterian
friends, cannot we join heartily in its praise,
since affording us so comfortable a place for
worship during the last few months? Our
good Methodist Friends are also now enjoying
the regular ministrations of the Gospel within
its walls. Directly opposite, Mr.. Miller has
erected a fine brick building, which, when
completed, will not be inferior to any other,
on the street. But we must not tarry too long
to admire. As we pass up street, don't scold
at the row of old, low buildings at your right
hand, for rumor says, the coming year, they
are doomed to clear the premises, to give
place for a much more splendid structure
Here we are at Freer's. Stopa moment, and
you will agree with us, that this improvement
is certainly an ornament to the town. By the
way, these Freers know a thing or two; instead
of demolishing the house which formerly stood
here, they moved it to another part of town,
and out of it, constructed two very pretty
dwelling houses. Well done I! Next comes
Millers, Hotel, recently re-modeled. As we
pass on to Church st. peep over the hill, and
asee what you can see." If "distance lends en-
olo,+oo 49, tl.n L onSf fhof - rro
contracted bridge appear upon nearer view. I
would suggest, that a banner be placed over it
bearing the inscription, "Hold your h~orses"
warning any coming from either direction, that
are at all scrupulous as to their preparation for
a sudden transit to another world. Leaving
travellers with this warning, and the bridge to
its merited destruction, we will resume our
walk to Church Street. The first improve
ment hat meets our gaze is the Presbyterian
Church. Well, we'll, let US look at it a moment
or too, and see if the dreadful predictions
made of it during the summer, prove trues-
The old, rough walls have been vastly improved,
and the tall, beautiful spire prepares US for
something nice inside. Complete order has
been brought out of this summers confusion.
No signs of the "patched job" that some an
ticipated, nor the "disproportion' that har.
assed the minds of others-but every thing
neat and appropriate. Walls beautifully fres-
coed, floors neatly carpeted, seats grained, and
most of them nicely cushioned-the old gal
lery removed, and the singers brought nearer
on a level with the congregation and to
complete its beauty and comfort, the church
is warmed by means of furnaces. Only those
fault-fnders who can detect flaws in every
thing and are never satisfied, can find aught to
complain of. The Methodist Church too is I'M
dergoing a great change. A neat eupola has
tsken the place of the former storehox, which
indicated, to strangers, if any thing, that ''dry
goods are sold here" The basement has
been reftted, and the principal room is now
undergoing a further remodeling, that will rem
der it much more comfortable and attractive.
Nor are these all the improvements which
have been made. Several new dwelling houses
are in process of erection-some have been
repaired, and changes for the better have been
made in many others. Indeed, there seems
to be a general 'sreddy nrdking'' for the Rail
Road which is expected along here before a
great while. We are glad to see a disposition
manifested by our citizens to make something
of Ashland, Notwithstanding its crooked streets
and natural disadvantages in respect to local
ity. A. N. D.