Editor’s note — As The Times-Gazette celebrates its 200th anniversary, we’ll take a look back each Saturday at some of the important, interesting or even odd events as they were reported during the same week throughout the years, along with interesting advertising features from back in the day.
This week in 1881, the Hillsboro Gazette issued a letter of correction signed, “Neighbours.” It said that a man who shot and wounded another man in his melon patch was wrongly described in an article as “quite a desperado” who always carried guns. In fact, the letter said, “He is a peaceable, quiet boy, this being the only trouble he has ever been in. We sympathize with all the parties, and only desire justice done.”
Queen City Shoe Bazaar on North High Street in Hillsboro advertised its grand opening, offering “one price, and that the lowest, plainly marked on every article.”
George E. Currie & Co. advertised “superphosphate bone meal! And flour of bone.”
In local briefs, Mr. J.C. Quinn “lashed through the city like a meteor yesterday.” Mr. J.M. Boyd “who has been confined to his home for some time by serious illness, was able to be out riding last Saturday.” Three hundred and sixteen dogs were registered in Hillsboro and Liberty Township.
The Gazette’s “lively” New Market correspondent took a break from studying the law to teach at the Pleasant Hill school in Liberty Township.
The paper said one of its advertisers, Quinn Bros. druggists, donated advertising space so the paper could publish “the great mass of news matter which crowd our columns.”
This week in 1936, the Hillsboro Press-Gazette reported a woman was severely burned on her right hand and arm when a gasoline blowtorch her son was using in his radio repair shop exploded and showered her with flames.
Two cars were looted uptown. The thieves made off with a raincoat, camera, leather jacket and briefcase.
The Hillsboro Fall Festival was underway, and a miniature coal mine was one of the attractions.
An 11-year-old was injured in a hunting accident when his .22 rifle “was discharged, the bullet passing through the lad’s left foot.” The boy was on the mend.
Caldwell’s offered deals on gray enamel saucepans, Morris 5-and-10-cent stores advertised rag rugs for 29 cents, and Litt Bros. advertised ladies silk dresses for $2.94. H.S. Stockwell advertised a solid copper casket for $485.
In sports, the Hillsboro Indians football team beat the Washington Blue Lions 7-6.
This week in 1957, the Press-Gazette reported a truck packed with dynamite overturned on Stone Quarry Road near Willettsville. The truck was headed for the quarry nearby carrying a 1,500-pound payload of explosives. Officials said there was no great danger of the dynamite detonating.
Work had reportedly begun on a new bridge on McCoppin Mill Road.
The Highland County Board of Health heard complaints on “exorbitant prices” for septic tank cleaning in the area.
Wool producers in Highland County received a total of $21,880 in incentive payments for 130,737 pounds of shorn wool.
A large amount of clothing was stolen from the Hillsboro Dry Cleaners on a Sunday night.
The Highlands Community Hospital treated two people for injuries – one sustained in a football accident, the other in an apparently violent encounter with a washing machine.
An article under the headline “Burnt Beans!” said the Lynchburg Volunteer Fire Department responded to a mill in the village when a fire broke out among soybeans in a dryer. The beans were lost and the dryer was damaged.
This week in 1990, the Press-Gazette reported that the Highland County Jail sustained minor damage after fire broke out in the catwalk area of the detention zone. Then-sheriff Tom Horst said all prisoners were evacuated from the detention area and transported to temporary facilities in Ross, Brown, Fayette and Clinton counties.
The Hillsboro School Levy Committee was plotting a strategy for convincing district residents to vote in favor of a seven-mill, five-year levy for the Hillsboro City School District come Election Day.
Eugene Branstool, the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, was shown in a photo officially opening the Highland County Democratic Headquarters on East Main Street in Hillsboro.
Coke was 89 cents at Great Scot Thrifty Supermarkets, ketchup was $1.29, Campbell’s vegetable soup was 53 cents and Vlasic kosher baby dills were $2.39.
A cement truck overturned on SR 138. No injuries were reported.
In education news, 308 students reported for the first day of classes at Fairfield High School. Anna Maxwell and Nicole McLaughlin were the students of the week at Belfast Elementary.
Reach David Wright at 937-402-2570.
