The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1853-01-27

| Many al our readers then resident 81
this great West, can call to mind many
auehsbe recolections OF the shines that
tried mems pockets;'' when Banks were
thicker than villages in Michigan, and
every body's wallet was stuffed with the
"dlmes,o good today, To- morrow non est
We have heard many story told of the
air castles knocked into cooked hat by the
smash up ofsome ofthe confidence insti,u
tions, and laughed ill our sides were sore
4. the recta,ions OF those days by the old
'uns who figured on that memorable coca
sion. From VIM. w. Browns Three Years
Iln Europe" we extract the following
"yarn" that will be readily recognzed:
"lu the autumn Of 1885, having been
cheated oat Of the previous summers earn
ings by the Captain Of the steamer on
which | bad been employed, running away
with the money, | was, like the rest Of
men, lelt without any means of support
during the winter, and therefore had 10
seek employment in The neighboring towns.
| went 10 The town OF Monroe, in the State
VI Michigan, and while going through The
principal streets looking for work, passed
thc door Of the only barbar in town, whose
stop appeared TO be filled with persons
| waiting to be shaved. A there was bui
me man at work, and a. had, while en-
pipl ed on the sie8 fn1r. occasionally shaved
gentleman VINO could not perform that
office himself, il occurred TO me that might
gat employ ment there IS "a io1rneyman
barber. therefore, made immediate ap-
! pacalion iag work, but tbe barber told me
] a.i ha did not need hand. Blf was
ins 4 b. pBt atf 50 easily aud fir making
-etefI tiers 70 work ebeap. irnkl 'ald
nlm Il he souId nad employ M, | waoif
| 4et room near hlm aud set up an np.
position establishment This threat. how
ever, made no impression on The barber,
ahd ~ was leaving. enc ol The men who
we're waiting to be shaved, said, ''lf You
ant room in which to commence busi
! " ~. iave ofte "n the opposite side OF the
street. Ths man followed ne out; we
Sent over aud looked al the rosnl. He
,rfon4' urged me 10 set Up, and It the
ne tme promised q give me his H.
iltrnee | took The room, purchased an
Id tahIe, two chairs, got pole with red
ripe p#alea around il, and the next DAY
opened with sign over the door: fash
i3nabIe Iairdfesser from New York. En-
lpcrorUE lhc West" need not ada thal
| nv enterprise was yery annoyug to ihr
''shpp over the wav," especially my sign
which harPened TO be the most expensive
| lDart of the concern. OF conrse had tc
ieii sll who came in, that my neighbor on
he opposite side of the street did not keep
clean towels, thai his razors were dull. and
| above all, that he had never been 10 New
York 10 see the fashions. Neither had J.,
In few weeks had the entire business OF
the town 10 the great discontinue Of the
other barber AT this time money INST.
ters ia the Western States were ia a sad
condition. Any person who could raise a
small amount Of money was permitted 10
establish bank, and allowed to issue
notes for four times the sum raised. This
being the crsc, many persons borrowed
money merely long enough to exhibit TO the
| bank inspectors. and the borrowed money
Twas returned, and the bank left without
dollar in its vaults, if, indeed. il had n vault
aftDit VIC PINiIlSCs- ltstli "n~s ti'i
banks were started all over the Western
States, and the country flooded with worth
less paper. Silver coin being very scarce.
aud the banks no, being allowed to issue
notes Tor smaller amount than a dollar,
several persons put ou, notes from six to
seventy-five cents in ealne: these were
called '.shinpiasters.n The shjnplaster
was in the shape OF promissory note,
made PAYABLE Oh demaed. ! have seen
persons with large rolls Of these bills. the
" hole not Amounting Ia mere than five dot
hfs. Sometime after had commenced
business on nv .sown hook | was one
evening very much crowded with custom,
ers, aud while they were talking over the
Ieveuts Of the day, one Of them said 10 me
"Emperor yoH seem to be doing Il thriving
| ausiHess. You should do as other husin .
men. issue our .shinpsstersa This. at
| mrSe. IS Il WAS intended, created laugh; /;
5tt witb me il VS. npiangbng mater; for
| rom tiiat moment began to hinlt serious
oi ber4mng banker. accordingly
j, eat few dnAs after. to printer. and he
n,shlng to get "a i,b ST printing, urged M
topi Out ny notes. and showed me s,me
>pccimens Of ergraviugs that he had just
eeived from Detroit. Nj, head being a
r. ,dv filed with The idea of i bank. need
sd but AttIe persuasion 10 set the thing lin-
piF af1oat.
Before ! left the printer, the notes were
anrlIl in type, uud studied hnw could
seep the public from cnunterieiiing them
'he next day my ''shinp'as,ers'' were
| bauded 10 me. The whole amount being
ab3nf twenty dolaas, aud after being duls
signed we're ready for circulation. AT
tirsi my notes did not take very well; they
we're too new, and were viewed with sus-
picious eve. But through the assistance
Of my customers, and good deal Of cyer
| lion on my own part, my bills were soon
| 10 circulation; nd nearly all the moueN
received In return ter my notes, was spent
| il tittmg and decorating my shop. Few
Ibsukers gel through This world without
their difficulties, and was not TO be an ex-
ccption A short time after my money
lhad been out, q party ofyoang men, either
wishing 10 pull down my vanity, or try
The soandness Of my bauk, determined To-
give il run After collecting together