The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1891-07-16
THAT TRACTION ORDINANCE.
A Card From a Warm Contributor
Who POurs 1t Into the City
Fathers.

ordnance which forbids traction engines
being propelled by steam within the
sacred precincts of its corporate limits
1t any time, so as to permit them to pass
into, out Of or through town, provided
they do 80 after midnight and before
Eve o'clock in the morning.
In the first place the traction owners |
and farmers, who are identical and stand |
with each other in this matter, wish to |
take this opportunity to tender their |
gratitude and most humble thanks to
the people of Hillsboro and members Of
the Honorable Council thereof, that
they are thus graciously permitted to
enter the town at all, even though it be
the dead hour of night when it is sup
posed that all honest people, including
the night police, are enjoying the bless
ings bestowed by the God of sleep. And
yet with just appreciation of these priv
ileges granted us, and of the right of
Councils to pass such laws as may pro-
tect and benefit its constituents, we
modestly object to the "traction" ordi-
nance, as now amended, and earnestly
ask that it be Immediately repealed, and
that the farmer who has paid his money
for his engine, whenever his business or
convenience requires him, shall have
the same right to come into town with
his engine at any time that the quack
has with his worthless lotions, the
swindler with his brass rings and
watches, the gambler with his shells,
the dude with his Safety" or any other
class of persons who come to your town
to its disadvantage, and to remain there
as long as he behaves himself.
We are no lawyer and do not pretend
to pass on the legality or constitution.
ality of the ordinance; but looking at it
in the light of horse sense and pure,
simple justice, we say that it is unfair,
unjust and simply preposterous. In
this age of progress the traction engine,
by it's adaptability to do certain and diff
ferent kinds OF work, is as necessary to
the farmer, saving his grain and carry.
ing on his farming business as the self
binder and his team. Think of it! A
farmer, to save his grain or that of his
neighbor, has forced upon him the alter.
| native to either lie idle, stop his own
legitimate and lawful business from six
o'clock in the morning until six o'clock
in the evening, and not only that, but
then he must get up at midnight, fire
up his engine and get it through town
before Eve o'clock, or 60 eighteen OF
twenty miles around, to get from mile
on one side of town to mile on the
other side. We say that the very idea
is preposterous! Such an ordinance
may be legal, but it is certainly not just
Such an ordinance looks more like il
had been Matched in the brain of some
luckless fool and brought into existence
by malicious devil, than to have beer
originated and passed by set of intelli
gent gentlemen, such as we know tht
members of Council to be.
We suppose that the main objection i
that they frighten horses, and are there
fore dangerous. Is traction engine tn
only thing that frightens horse2 W.
answer, no. Very few horses will pas
a baby car riage, wheelbarrow, a bicycl
or wagon loaded with chairs withou
getting badly frightened.
Yet all these (and rightly, too) ar
permitted to roam the streets at will
We say away with such injustice!
A hideous tramp, reeking in filth an
vermin, only covered with rags, pregnan
with the germs of loathsome, contagiou
diseases can enter your town at will
with none to molest or make afraid
pass yourself and other members of you
families in close proximity on the pave
ment; but let farmer, honest, respect
able, intelligent and good citizen, b
on his engine in the prosecution of hi
honest and legitimate business, the me
ment he crossed the corporation line
within the forbidden time, he would b
arrested by an officer, like commol
criminal (who too often run at large,
and be marched off and promptly fined
Down with such injustice 1t is wei
known fact that many of the foremos
citizens and business men of Hillsbor
are opposed to the ordinance and vii
remember those who make a hobby Q
it when the proper time comes. But
anybody in Hillsboro is foolish enougl
to think the farmers will stand such al
insult as the TRACTION" ordinanc
quietly and tamely they may find tina
they have made mistake.
| We are opposed to boycotting, but i
the good people Of Hillsboro think the.
can get along without the farmer tn
farmer may be forced to come to tn
conclusion that he can get along withou
Hillsboro, and if you insist that we can
not come to town with our machinery
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