Pittsburgh--WHY with an "H" ?

[Douglas G. Wilson]

>Why would spelling change from borough (clearly British) to boro? Is this a
>spelling shortcut, or is there another root to 'boro'?

I think it's just a short ('reformed') spelling, like (on a
streetsign)  'No Thru Traffic' ... or the old Chicago Tribune's spelling of
"thoro" for "thorough" ... etc.

Cf. "Marlboro" [cigarettes] ... must = "Marlborough" I think.

-- Doug Wilson