Editor’s note — We’re continuing our tradition of taking 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 1879, the Hillsborough Gazette reported a special election was announced for Saturday, Dec. 6 to elect a state senator to represent the Sixth State Senatorial District, which comprised Highland and Ross counties. The election was to fill the vacancy caused by the death of A.L. Brown.
Spargur Brothers and Co., located inside the Masonic temple on High Street opposite the Wright Motel, announced the arrival of 100 more new cloaks and dolmans, described as “perfect marvels of beauty.” They also had the largest stocks of hardware, iron, stoves and tinware in town.
An advertisement for druggist and pharmacist John Quinn said all of the goods in his store were pure, fresh and reliable. He also sported a large selection of pure wines and liquors “for medicinal purposes.”
This week in 1917, the Hillsboro Dispatch reported that county clerk Wisecup had 150 blank forms from the director of the bureau of mines for licenses to buy and sell explosives. Hunters were exempt from getting a license for using powder in their cartridges, but all others were urged to visit a bureau of mines agent in Greenfield, Leesburg, Lynchburg or Mowrystown.
The First World War was in its third year and a Col. Glenn told those at Bell’s Opera House of Germany’s efficient rail system. He was quoted as saying that at the outbreak of war, Germany had seven and a half locomotives to every 10 automobiles, while in this country, America had one locomotive for every 90 automobiles.
The Philadelphia Mercantile Exchange, formerly Spargur and Company at 121 E. Main St., was going out of business after 50 years. Their advertisement told folks not to miss the going-out-of-business sale, advising “knock off work, break engagements, if indisposed send a son, daughter or neighbor.”
At the Forum Theatre, showing Monday was the Pathe war news followed by a “Keystone Cops Komedy.” On Tuesday, show-goers could enjoy little Jackie Sounders in “Betty Be Good,” and coming soon Dorothy Dalton, Babie Marie Osborn, Olive Thomas and Fatty Arbuckle would be appearing in a soon-to-be-titled comedy.
This week in 1943, the Hillsboro Press-Gazette was filled with articles and advertisements that took on a war theme as the global conflict was at its peak. Lt. William Price of Greenfield had returned home on leave after flying 52 combat missions in a B-25 Mitchell bomber.
Greyhound Bus Lines, which had a depot in the Parker Hotel in Hillsboro, encouraged patrons in its advertisement to take 45 minutes and donate a pint of blood for servicemen fighting overseas. Phone 45 and roll up your sleeves.
Showing at the Colony Theatre was “Guadalcanal Diary” billed as “the screen’s greatest victory picture.” The movie, which starred Preston Foster, Lloyd Nolan and William Bendix, was based on the best-selling novel by Richard Tregaskis.
At the Boltz-Haggerty Shoe Store, the Christmas gift of the year was new slippers — and they were ration free. The Hillsboro merchant encouraged patriotic shoppers to buy war bonds or stamps with every gift purchased.
Shoppers could use their ration stamp book and buy a pound of Alberly coffee, roasted fresh daily, for only 25 cents a pound.
The rationing timetable was given in the week’s edition. For sugar, stamp 29 in book four was good for five pounds through Jan. 15, 1944. In the “A” book of ration coupons, No. 9 was good for three gallons of gas through Jan. 21, 1944.
Columbus and Southern Ohio Electric Company warned customers to not waste electricity. Their ad said “waste in war is sabotage. Don’t waste electricity just because it is not rationed.”
Morris’ Five and Ten Cent Stores invited Christmas shoppers to “take a tip from a guy who knows, and give a practical gift” in 1943. In their ad, they invited customers to shop for a “wartime Christmas buy that is practical and will last the duration.”
This week in 1962, The Press-Gazette reported the old Highlands Community Hospital had been sold and would be converted into a rest home.
Picket lines were up at the Moore Drop Forge plant on Moore Street in Hillsboro. The plant was said to be operating at about 50 percent capacity, while members of United Auto Worker Local 192 picketed along SR 124.
The Hillsboro Indian basketball team — who, in the words of The Press-Gazette sports editor, “couldn’t hit the proverbial side of a barn with the doors closed” — lost their season opener to the Paint Valley Bearcats 57-41 at Paint Valley.
The Hillsboro Bank and Savings Co. told customers to get ready for a big Christmas ahead and start planning for 1963 with a Christmas Club account.
It only took 1,200 S & H green stamps to fill a savings book, and customers could get them at Albers.
Not to be outdone, Kroger on Muntz Street in Hillsboro advertised that with its Ruth Lyons 50-50 Club special coupon, shoppers could get 50 extra Top Value stamps with the purchase of one dollar or more of Tenderay beef. The coupon was good until Dec. 1, 1962.
At Jack Matson Chevrolet-Pontiac-Oldsmobile, the new Impala sports coupe was “jet-smooth for 1963.” New car buyers could also get a free record album and test-drive new cars by Chevrolet, including the Chevy II, Corvair and Corvette.
This week in 2000, The Times-Gazette reported that the Hillsboro High School band was in the process of raising $7,000 to purchase a pair of concert tubas for their instrumental program. They were to replace some banged up and dented concert horns that were nearly two decades old.
Lynchburg-Clay’s school board took a tour of the new elementary school that was under construction. The new facility was nearly completed and was hoped to be open to students by late January-mid February 2001.
The McClain Lady Tigers were playing short-handed against a tough Xenia team, with coach Dennis Overstake saying “they had everything we didn’t have” in handing the Tigers a 72-39 loss.
The deer gun hunting season “opened with a bang” in the county, with the six Highland County tagging stations reporting a bounty of 154 whitetails.
The Christmas shopping season was in full swing, with Kmart, Pamida and Odd Lots reporting greatly increased sales and happy shoppers.
A 90 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms forced the postponement of the annual Hillsboro Christmas parade. Chairperson Carol Robinson and Mayor Sandy Harsha agreed to delay it one week until Saturday, Dec. 9.
Reach Tim Colliver at 937-402-2571
