The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1877-05-10
THE HILLCITY

EN-"
THE HILL CITY
| HillsbOrO and its Location-Its People and Thei
Principles. characteristics, Business and Manu-
/ faCtures-Its Business Men and Business HUuse
! Churches, Hotels, Etc.
! Correspondence of the Dispatch.
HILLsBORO, o., April o. 1871.
My last bore date at the same place that this one
does, though did not tell You whether HillsbOrC
was city, town, hamlet, inClOsure. clearing, NOM
tain or frog pond, hence viii proceed 70 give Ou
/ a meagre idea Of the place and its Surroundings.
HilisbOrO is the county seat Of Highland county,
and about $500 persons manage to hang out here.
It's distance from Cincinnati is about sixty miles By
rail or overland and in the neighbOrhOOd of sixty
| five miles from Columbus A lateral branch Of the
/ Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad, which forms
junction with the main line at BanChester, twenty
miles west of here, terminates at this place hence
the denzens are not altOgeter left out in the cold
for lack Of railroad facilities.
Geographically speaking the town occupies rath-
er lofty position, and approach 1t from any side
you may you viii be compelled to cross stream
aud ascend hill ere you put your foot within the
Incorporated limits. Once in the place you will OBJ
serve that valleys to the right of you and valleys
TO the left of You, and if you inquire yOu viii learn
that that two lively streams, one Of which You
crossed on entering the place, almost completely
surround it. Clear creek, miniature river, me-
anders around the north and northwest sides of the
town. and Rocky FOrk-Faiher romantic name
n stream that has no connection whatever with the
former and can boast of larger bosom, finds its lev
el through in1eCtive channels on the west, southern
and southwestern outskirts. Should ever this local
1ty become the theatre Of war HillsbOrO would
prove fortress Of natural defense, and fortunate
would be the army that traversed its streets.
To say that HisbOrO is very pleasant, quiet
and tranquil place to live in, provided one sought
good society and affable neighbOrs, would be sim
ply saying the truth. II has a decidedly Country
appearance, yet its citizens are progressive enough
to see that It lacks for nothing to make 10 modern
well model town. 7 refer of
municipal requirements. Nearly two years since
gas company was incorporated here, and the
streets, as well as the business houses and private
residences are nghteC with gas 1t has hne town
hall, building of modern architecture, in which
the pOstOfCe is located, well fire department.
which s ever the qt UiUe for action. Most of the
business houses, however, are but two story, old
fashioned structures. Occasionally a three-stOry
edihCe looms up and towers over its less prcten-
tiOus nCighbOTs, but they are infrequent and
far between that they lose their effect and the eve
Of the stranger is caught up by the smaller ones
l am told that the place is very healthy, and
have every reason to believe the statement is true
There seems to be no possible chance for stagnant
water to hang around any length of time, and all
DOXiOus matter must find its way to the bottoms in
the distance, yet am also Informed that about a
dozen NJ D. make good living here lean readi-
~ see how as many lawyers "hghtit out" under cir
cUmstanCes like these but as for the doctors Ghere
seems to be screw loose somewhere and cannot
reconcile the statements. However, tt IS q fact,
that the elite of some of the large cities spend the
Is usually to be found at the popular watering re-
sOrts.
To the credit of Hfllsboro Sunday is observed
with that reverentisl demCanOr characteristic Of
educated and well-bred communities. There are
none of those rOWdyish demonstrations too often
TO he seen in towns of its size on that day You
will see none Of those gaping, Eiggling, mOCking,
lll-bred crowds that usually gather around street
corners or post themselves on the top of dry goods
boxes, making insulting remarks concerning pass
ers-by on Sunday afternoon. That element does
vnr or n1z rr1d
an extent as to make it unpopular for the partici-
patOrs.
There are two educational institutions for fe-
males located herG-HighlaDd Institute and the
HilsbOrO Female College. The former is of and
supported by the Presbyterian persuasion, and the
latter by the Methodist, and many an. estimable
lady in the land can proudly point TO either one Of
the above institutions as her alma 7Hdtsr 20
There are more than fifty business houses that
do lively and thriving business here, of which ten
are dry goods stores, and others in proportion
Three banks and two banking offices attend to the
financial wants of the community, and eleven ga-
looms kick against the Murphys. Five white re-
ligiOus denominations exist and have fine church
edfCes. The COlOred man IS not far behind for he
boast Of three churches right here in the town.
In fact HillsbOrO may he set down as ObCrlin No,
, in this respect MasOns, Odd Fellows, United
WCrkmen and Patrons of Husbandry haze organ
i1atlOus and flourish, and to offset the eleven dram
shops the Temperance League is an element not
to he laughed at. The people are patriotic, might
almOst say in the extreme, for two companies of
NdTlOual GudFus IN superb ana glItterlng outfits,
parade every time an opportunity presents itself.
One is a cavalry ard the other an infantry company
| am thinking if these we're war times and Morgan
should come through these parts. he would have
an opportunity tO-tO well to find somebody.
Three hotel signs invite the traveller to come in
aud be refreshed, if he has the requisite collateral
to offset said refreshment and three pairs of No.
II boots stand ready to set q man uD in the hide
and leather business # he doesn't have the collateral
all the hotels are good, and if you ever
come here, Just throw up nickle to make up your
mind at which one you will stop. If you don't ike
10 hang out az public place, you viii lind many
private boarding houses and several hash fOuu-
dries, at which you can imagine yourself at home
There are many fine private residences here, /
none of which, however, could be considered
paatsl. They are simply cozy, tasty and comfort
able. There is many town in the State that
doesn't boast half the population that HisbOrO
does, that could put it to shame in regard to fine
both public and private.
The urt House is a county affair, and while It |
is in keeping with most of the business blocks It
and its surroundings are specimens of public prop
eTty that every taxpayer in Highland county |
ought to be proud Of. The c. H. is a tWO-stOrv, |
dingy-COlOred brick building, with two rows OF /
windows of six in a row down one side and as
many up the other. 1t looks as though it had
spent its best days in the thiClIgst of Pittsburg
smoke and SCOT and then had been removed here |
to die Of old age. Directly and but few feet dis
tant in the stands an Old-fashiOned twO-stOrv
building It looks like an old farm house. pair |
of ChimuCys are stuck on the gable ends. II sits
back few steps from the walk, and if the passer-
by did not notice iron bars at the windows the
right hand side of the hall door, he would take It
to be the home of the 'Odest inhabitant." These
two buildings are the resOrting places of all the
Highland county can find within her
boundary. few WhitC-washed out houses COnstf-
tute the group, and surrounding ali s an iron fence
or the remnant of what was IN its day an Orna- ]
mental as well as a substantial construction. The
grounds within the enclosure not occupied by these
tme-hOnOTed landmarks of Justice and equity |
would amply furnish room for about two dozen /
boys to play marbles, provided the few dropping,
dying, diapidated locust trees that occupy space
therein did not interfere.
Two newspapers fill the literary vacuum. The |
Gazette is a Democratic organ and is manned by |
one of the CeveTest practical printers in the State
His name is j. r. Marshall, and formerly hailed !
from New York State. The News is the mouth |
piece of Highland county RepubliCanism It is |
published by J. L. BOardman, and keeps pace with /
its rival in the dissemination of knowledge Both
offices are above the average ones located in towns
Of this size, and some good work is turned out Of
them This fact alone speaks for the intelligence,
progressiveness and morality of the community. |
Wherever you find good printing Office, where a /
good paper is published, there you will find good,
live, Wide-awake community.
The educational advantages of HillsbOrO are sec
Ond to none in the State Good school houses and /
accomplished teachers are the rule. The young
idea that receives its training here will 60 forth
shining light in the literary world.
By the way, 1 nearly forgot to say something /
about the ladies. Right here is where you will find
beauty unsurpassed. The young ladies Of the /
town would carry Oft the prize at any exposition |
where beauty, culture and accomplishments were I
taken into consideration. If you can beat them |
anywhere you may call me-JOb II gersOII.
No more from "HisbOrO on the Hill" but more /