Since the weather was so nice last Saturday, we took an outing to Halbur, by way of Hillsdale, so that we might see for ourselves this little town about which we had heard so much. Already from a distance, we could see that Halbur was situated on the south side of a steeply sloped hill, like a swallow’s nest on the wall or rafters of a house. On the top of the hill, like a sentinel, the store of McLagen & Merchant looks down on the whole area. We are certain that the owners have never had any complaint about lack of wind. Upon arriving in town, we visited the business district, including the saloons, naturally not forgetting our [friend] Anton. That the saloon business here does not furnish such splendid profits as many people maintain, is due to the fact that one inn-keeper closed down on Saturday, while another building that used to be a beer hall has been awaiting an inn-keeper for months with its doors and windows boarded and nailed shut. In general, up to now, the people are still too sensible to drink only to please the inn-keepers, although there are some who do so. We believe that one inn-keeper or the other will throw in the towel if he does not want to end up poverty stricken.

     As the Halbur residents assured us, the businesses are quite lively, and the place has acquired a good reputation as a market, as we have mentioned before, and to which the farmers, for the most part, will testify. The grain and livestock trades are facilitated by the firm of McLagen & Merchant, and the firm of Alspach. For lumber, coal, etc., the farmers of the area are supplied by the old, well-known firm of D. Joyce. The housewives buy their groceries and dry goods from McLagen & Merchant, or from Anton Hoelker, while [Mr.] Gstohl, the shoemaker, takes it upon himself to cover the barefoot with shoes and boots. [Mr.] Franzwa shoes horses and repairs wagons, a business that is especially necessary in Halbur due to the steep location of the town. Horse harnesses and everything related to saddlery, is provided by Alois Spiegel. Dr. Bair makes an effort to restore anyone suffering from sickness, while Charles Walterscheit, the pharmacist, supplies the medicine. With the latter, there are also groceries available. For the most part, the new village made a good impression on us, and it will be especially charming in the spring and summer when the home-owners have their houses nicely painted.

     NOTES: It is said that Halbur was named after Anton Halbur, whose farm was crossed by the railroad there, and the town was platted in 1881 or 1882. The place was called Halbur as early as 1880.