The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-02-03
Letter from Manchester.

Letter from Manchester.
MANCHESTER, THURSDAY NIGHT.
Mr.. Editor, r,-When lived in the country
knew an old farmer who had nine sons, to each
of whom he gave the name of Roman general.
There were Julius Cesar, Coriolanus, Ii
berius Gracious, and half dozen more with
names equally imposing. The old gentleman
was immensely proud of these names, and
could not bear TO hear them miscalled or
shortened. Not so with the boys they NOR
tally hated them, and blushed TO hear them
called. They selected the drolleSt nicknames
for themselves that could be found, and by bri-
berry or entreaty, finally induced their associ-
ates TO adopt them. In time, their real names
We're by most people entirely forgotten. The
streets of Manchester forcibly remind me of
the old farmer and his boys. Somebody &" TO
fame unknown" " once upon time did give to
these elongated mudholes some very fanciful
names. How much money he got for his
trouble, and where he found these mighty
names l cannot tell. One thing do know, Is,
that they are the most high sounding names |
ever did hear. would like TO give you few
examples, but unfortunately l lost my list,
and you must excuse me.
Strangely enough, the names of these
I streets, as far as l know, are rarely used. In
fact, the people generally don't know any
thing about them.
If you ask one where he lives, he never gives
the name of the street. but, unless his resi-
derice happens to be on Main (Which by the
way, is Huln, he will describe his location.
Folks live in " Morgans Row, Marks old
field and "around SiZer's corner but no
body dreams of living on q street which actu-
ally has name. The streets, like the old
mans sons, seem dimly conscious that they
have 10 right to the grand names so kindly
given them, and meekly allow themselves to
be nick named or forgotten.
The way / found out these names was odd
Little brother, who races the streets, much to
the grief of mother, brought home recently a
roll of papers, which he picked up near the
TT,N1, inc ! f,tr,r NlDn
of the town roughly sketched with pencil,
containing the names of the streets. | was
astonished: such Il thing never occurred TO me
before Behold, Main street was Hull, and
strangest of all, my humble dwelling is on -
! oh me, | was about TO let the whole secret out
l ought TO write this again, but paper is
sCarce-mothcr only bought me six sheets on
last Monday.
What these streets so called are intended
| for, is q mystery TO me. | used TO think that
they We're useless tracts of country, which no
one thought were worth taking up rs set
! tiers in a new country say. Certainly, unless
they We're drained and leYelled, it would be
very disagreeabe and dangerous to build on
| them. | boldly assert that there is not road
this side of Danville II used to 60 10 school
there us impossible for wagons or walkers
as are the streets excepting HulD Of this
! delightful town.
This is not all. A party of independent freed
| men have taken it into their heads to 90 about
and dig up all the little hard places and grassy
! spots that We're once the atoning features or
our wal1ways In some places they cut
/ down the streets several feet below the side
walks, which are left two or three feet wide.
! Now, is that comfortable 10 poor girl, who,
! after eight o'clock At night, without lamp or
! lantern, has to pick her way homeWard from
/ the factory. ! said this was the work of colOred
people, simply because l supposed white folks
| wOuldu' do such a thing. Why it is done,
| do not know. One of the girls, who is very
religious, thinks it is done to try the patience
/ l. -. :. IL,
rapid increase of swearing. 1t is certainly
! very ruinous TO shoes and health, which, no
doubt, is Il great comfort 10 cobblers and doe
| tors.
| Hull street claims TO be paved. The work is
done in the following original manner: The
pavement is about three feet wide, and several
inches above the surface on either side are left
mum mbeTlCSS holes, which, deprived of outlet
| by the curbstOne, 'gathcr as much water as
| they are capable OF holding. Ii only two per-
sons went in Il bunch, and all went the same
direction, this pavement would be useful. As
it is when two meet two, two must get off,
which means, in bad weather, plunging shoe
deep into mud and water. Complaint has
been made against the negroes for not giving
the street to the whites. Who can blame
them under the circums tances for, as l
heard an indignant Boss gravely say, last
week, " Main street, off the pavement,
| amt fit for 4 niger There IS another
thing about Main street which exercises me.
| In many places the pavement is torn mp; the
bricks lying loose, 10 encourage neck breaking,
| or else carried off 10 mend private chimneys
! or cure the toothaChe. Hayn't | seen some
rich falls on this same street? saw a Boss
| fall, one night, right fiat. But nobody laughed,
| Mr. Editor, because we liked him so much, l
! felt sorry for the little girl who spraincd her
ankle by falling, near Ienli2 store, just before
ChriStmas. ] had dreadful jar by making q
misstep near the drug store, which burst my
shoe and made me lose my glove. This occurred
when l went 10 the revival. The Dan
| Vile depot may be great advantage in some
/ respects, but factory girl finds ii very hard
| to wade through the sea of confusion which
! she flnds-ther early in the morning.
/ As far as know, there is no probability that
| our streets will ever be improved ! am told
/ that Manchester is over hundred years old
| If so much time has been spent in making the
streets what they now are, how longwill il
/ take TO grade and pave them, | can't begin 10
! tell. 1t seems 10 me, if we had Mayor, Di.
! rectors, superintendent, Trustees, or some
! thing of the kind, they might be very useful
/ As far as / know, 1t has never occurred u
| these people TO have any such officers. We
| have Magistrates, Policemen, and Constable
and they are all ever heard Of. l wish WI
| did have some town officers.
| must stop Ii is nearly midnight, and fac
/ tory people have 10 rise before day. You SCI
what little time l have. l get home after
eight at night, and have to leave before seven
/ in the morning. Isn't this night work outra
! geous Very shortly l will let you hear from
I me in full on this subject. /
! thank you for sending me the Dispatch-i
! is great comfort 10 mother, and l wish Il
preserve my letters. | prefer TO send little
/ brother over after it, az ii will prevent suspi
con. STRUGGLE.
l.. $. / have read this TO mother, and she
I objects to my sending it: says IL is too rough
! DO as you please about publishing 1t. mean
( no harm for love Manchester. Here only
could get bread and shelter during the war
[Our correspondent, like ladies generally, il
a good talker. We wish, however, TO slip in {
word al the end of her discourse, TO let heI
know that the plan of Manchester she speaks
of belongs 10 the Dispatch office. Ii wa
dropped by one of our attaches while LOOKING
! for the residences of our subscribers in tina
town. Please send il over by your little bro
ther.