The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1882-08-26
WILBUR ITEMS.

Thinking that possibly not all OF the
many readers of the INDEPENDENT have
had the pleasure of visiting this pleas
ant little village, and that sort of
descriptive letter might not be alto
gether uninteresting, your correspond
ent has taken upon himself The pleas
ant task of writing such letter.
To the stranger who for the FIRST
time steps from the car at the station,
Wilbur appears to be very insigniti-
cant village, but after an hour of ex-
ploration he discovers that ITO small
part of our little hurgh is hidden costly
away in the shadows of beautiful
grove of black and white-oak trees,
forming that portion which is face
tiously known to the inhabitants of the
other end of the village, as Sodom,
and they in trrn receive the sobri-gaet
Gomorrah. The latter is the bu.lness
portion, and consists OF general mer-
chandise store, conducted by Me sgs.
Grubt,e u Chapman, than whom b re
are no more honorable, square d a.a,g
merchants in Douglas county, wagon
aud blacksmith shop, owned by Mr..
John Lawton; good hotel, kept by
that we'll known and genial host, E. r.
Hill; three warehouses, earuen,er
and undertaking establishments, drug
store and few residences. 1t rs worthy
Of mention that in the foregoing emu
lneimtiOn the word saloon does ..ot al-
pear, and it is also worthy of mention
that there ia net place nearer THAI
Oakland or Roseburg where drop of
liquor of any kind can bs purchased.
The other portion of the village con-
sists of the academy, large two-story
building. well furnished, and resi-
dences. During the past year Mr.. B.
J. Grubbe has butt an elegant resi-
dence in the grove, which he Is still i'm
| proving, and which would he no dis
credit To more pretentious village.
| Mr. Lawson has Also ouili and tnisiIe,,
neat cottage and Is now building a
nice story ami half house, botil uf
/. which are Intended to be 1t to fami-
l I1e5S COabt-lA uiJtC AOi
tages. Within the pest three months
several large families have settled here,
among which may be named Mr.. Da-
Wis, James Sutherlin and Mr.. james
Darrow. Others are simply awaiting
the completion of suitable residences.
The chief attractions which Wilbur
| boasts, are a freedom from immoral
surroundings, sober. upright and la
dustrious class of citizens, and a first
class academy. OF the latter it may be
safely said that no school of the kind
in Douglas county has had All equal,
rapid growth iii the saiue length OF
time. A little over two years ago the
/, Benson brothers took charge of it.
opening their Fall term with onl, fif
teen pupils. During the past year
they enrolled 130, and the prospect is
good for enrolling more than $50 dur
ing the coming year, boarding facilities
being abundant and cheap. The faculty
of the scnool have purchased new
piano and have engaged the services of
Miss Helena Holman, of Portland, as
teacher of instrumental music, de-
partment which has recently been re-
ceiving special attention. But l find
that I am occupying too much space
and will close this article with an incl
| dent which occurred last week
A gentleman who, with his family,
had Just arrived from Kansas, drove
up to the village store and remarked
to Mr.. Grubbe that he was looking for
a place to settle and make bin home,
that few miles back he had heard of
small town where no greg shops
were permitted, and there he wished
to abide He is new here, busy at
york with his team in the harvest
field. In conclusion we will say that
! if the citizens of other places could
muster the same moral power, Iowa's
prohibition law would be superhuous
OBSERVER.
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