A Little piece of Paradise… College Hill, Ohio - SELFCRAFT

In 1873 Mr. Robert Simpson, who was the very successful State agent of the Mutual Benefit LifeInsurance Company and John R. Davey, who was equally successful as the publisher of the wealthy bookhouse of ‘Wilson & Hinkle’ now the ‘American Book Company,’ took up the matter in earnest, organizeda company, and, after several preliminary surveys, chose the route now occupied by the road.Subscriptions to the amount of $22,000 were obtained for the citizens, and a narrow gauge road built fromthe C. H. & D. Railroad, above Cumminsville, to College Hill, and later to Mt. Healthy. The road washailed with enthusiasm by the citizens, and for years, being in the meantime widened to a standard gauge,it carried many passengers, considerable freight, and a burdensome mortgage. It was sold and bought inby Messrs. Simpson and Davey. Mr. Davey becoming ‘tired’ sold his interest to his partner in exchangefor certain properties of which Mr. Simpson had grown weary. The road continued to run with varyingsuccess until the passenger traffic was destroyed by the advent of the electric road, and passenger trainshave been abandoned. Its owners, the sons of Robert Simpson, deceased, are making commendableefforts to extend the road through the rich agricultural Miami valley by way of Venice, which is withoutrailroad facilities, to Connersville, Ind. All would be pleased to see them succeed, if for nothing else thanthat the owners may once more make profitable the road that did so much for College Hill.ELECTRIC ROADSAn electric line between the city and College Hill was agitated soon after the advent of this means oflocomotion. Mr. C. T. McCrea was most active in the first effort. But the Consolidated was not thenquite ready to take hold of it, not having decided that it would be profitable. Later, in 1893, they made aproposition, through Mr. Lowe Emerson, to build the road on conditions that the right of way should beobtained from the terminus of the Clifton line, near Ludlow Avenue, to the Hill, and a subscription fundof $25,000 be raised. A number of the citizens determined to make the effort, and formed themselves intoa working committee for the purpose. The committee consisted of Messrs. Lowe Emerson, Peter G.Thomson, Adam Gray, E. N. Wild, S. W. Ramp and N. L. Pierson. Messrs. Thomson and Wildvolunteered to do the soliciting. After several months of steady work on the part of all of the committee,the rights of way and a subscription list of nearly $30,000 were obtained. This sum, however, was not allpaid in, largely owing to the fact that various delays and hitches occurred, so that the road was not builtuntil 1895. It began running on Thanksgiving Day of that year. The road makes a circuit in the village, sothat as many as possible may be accommodated.Since that time the Hamilton electric line has entered the village from the north, and a union depothas been established at the northwest corner of Hamilton Avenue and North Bend Road, so that the‘College Hill and Main Street’ line does a large business. Many passengers from Cincinnati to Hamilton,Middletown, and Dayton take the electric line in preference to the steam road. 18WATER-WORKSHow to make water run up hill from the Cincinnati mains is the latest project undertaken by theCouncil. Suffice it to say it has been accomplished by means of a pumping station at the south end of thevillage, and a reservoir set on top of an Eiffel Tower, 132 feet from the ground, located on the west sideof Belmont Avenue, between Laurel and Maple Avenues. The height to the top of the reservoir is 176feet. At 132 feet a balcony surrounds the reservoir, reached by a winding stairway. From this aerial perch,which is the highest point that can be reached in Hamilton County, except by a balloon or an airship, thewhole township spreads out like a map, and it would only require a good telescope to view the wholecounty.THE PUBLIC SCHOOLThe College Hill Public School ranks among the progressive schools of the county. Its course ofstudy is practically the same as that of the Cincinnati schools. The corps of teachers consists of A. J.Willey, principal, Misses Carrie E. Moores, Marie Blanchard, Mary Bryant, and Mabelle Brown,assistants. Miss Brown, in addition to her duties as teacher of the first-year grade, has charge of the music.18 Cincinnati Weekly Times Star, 6-12-1893, Fare-single cash fare 5 cents. Commutation tickets in package of 20, each ticket good for1 adult fare, to be sold for $1.00; children under 10 years of age to be carried each for 3 cents or 2 for either 5 cents cash or one commutationticket. College Hill Electric Railway Co., Lowe Emerson, pres., N. L. Pierson142