Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-11-17
JONATHAN IN GOTHAM.
Npw YopK Nov. IL is

| JONATHAN ~ GOTHAM.
NEW YORK, Nov. II, 1870.
| DEAR Journal There are but few steps
from virtue TO vice, and but few hundred miles
from the virtuous country city of Augusta 10
the bewilderingly corrupt and outrageously
vicious city OF New York, where sin repeats
itself every election day.
OF the various ways of reaching the place,
the route by steamship from Portland is by no
means the most unpleasant. We took the
broad gauge cars, narrowed dowa, so far as
Portland, having several hours 10 spend in
that beautiful city, where the new post office
stands as marble monument of patience and
human endurance, and where we found busi-
ness of all kinds reviving from the anguish
ing condition into which it had fallen during
the summer. AT five O'Clock on Thursday We
took passage on board the ''Franconia," one
of the steamers of the Maine steamship Com
pany's line plying twice week between Port
land and New York. The "Franconia" is 675
tons burthen and is capable OF carrying 5000
barrels OF freight. She is Differed as follows: :
Capt Albert Bragg; LIST mate, Charles Will
liams I'd mate, Cyrus Hambleton. The bust
ness matters of the company are managed in
most admirable manner by the Treasurer at
Portland, Mr.. Henry Fox. An immense
amount of freight is carried by this line, con-
sisting mostly of pork, fish, oil cloths from
the Ha'lowell factories, headings, &C., from
Portland TO New York, and general cargo OF
merchandise for Maine retail traders on the
return trip. Although the starting time on
Thursday last was five clock, we were detan-
ed until seven by the loading Of freight, and
when the scuppers were put down there was
still large amount awaiting shipment i'll the
| storehouse. The stiff breeze that was blowing
off shore when we sailed came to the dignity
of gale before midnight, and was SO set
down in the Captains log book Those who
had the ability to stand on deck during any
part of the gale were vouchsated a scene OF
sublime grandeur. The moon was at its full,
the blue heavens were studded with stars, and
the vision of the beholder unobscured for
miles, took in the whole wild scene of heaving,
white capped waves, dashed to fury and roar
| ing in wrath beneath the calm and placid
moonbeams. But what was all this magnif-
cence to those who were below humping
| about in their state-rooms in the fearful ago
nies of seasickness We are sorry to say that
fellow passenger from down-east, who ought
to have his sea legs on by this time, behaved
very unhandsomely. His blossom heaved'
with the gentest throb of the ocean. The
gale subsidized early Friday morning, and we
had good run all that day and night, arriv-
ing in New York at six o'clock, making
the entire voyage in 50 hours. The pas
sengers will long have pleasant memories of
Capt. Bragg and the generous hospitality ex-
tended to some of our number at his well sup
piled board. He has a personal oversight of
all matters on shipboard, and although young
man has the confidence of the line and the
respect and esteem of those under him.
SO here we are in New York. stranger put
down on one of the wharves feels very much
as an unfedged goslin looks when turned loose
in strange barnyard. You hear in the dis
lance the roar of the metropolis increasing in
volume as the business takes shape for the
day. 1t isn't much use to call anywhere ex-
cept at a 'lager bier saloon $50 they told u.s.
before nine o'clock in the forenoon. Far into
the night are pushed the gaieties and various
amusements that fill the mind of the vast
throng, causing them to appropriate the hours
of morning, when kennebec people are up
and at it, tor rest and refreshment. The prin-
cipal business in all the large stores is done
between o'clock in the forenoon and o'clock
in the afternoon, the dry goods stores being
generally closed on Saturday afternoons.
You obtain a correct idea of the population
1 the first hour after landing and are enabled to
solve the problem of immense democratic vic
tories. The first man you meet on the wharf
is an lrishman; you pass along and find Il
gang of lrishmen ut work putting down the
t famous Nicholson wooden pavement, which
is all the rage here; you jostle through a
, by their conversation; the sidewalk is lined
with peanut and candy stands, kept by Irish
women. You reach hotel, running the gaunt-
= let of an mportuning army of newsboys, and
calling tor the landlord, find that he is not an
lrishman, and you want to give HIM halfdollar
for that, and generally you have to give him
- u, several before getting through with him, Tor
these landlords ask no quarter You will
doubtless find before proceeding far that it is
h.l H. a
with a stick of moasses candy in one hand
and hunk" of gingerbread in the other, and
conclude that it will be far better to sit down
on some neighboring doorstep and let the
procession" pass along. We were greatly
annoyed by the enthusiastic clothing dealers
who were almost insulting to friend who ac-
1 companied us, in their endeavors to make him
believe that he needed new suit of clothes
To attempt description of New York city
in single newspaper letter. would be much
like the task undertaken by schoolboy in
Augusta, few years ago, who purchased a
ream of tooscap paper and set himself at
work writing the history of the United States.
. Everything he could remember about it was
1 that Columbus came over and Washington
, hacked his fathers tree with a hatchet. New
York is immense. With population of over
a million, made up of all nationalties under
, the sun, constantly being added to by the flow
OF the tide OF immigration, ii is difficult to pre-
diet what may be in store for it in the future.
The business capacities of the place are being
r enlarged every year, new stories added to
storehouses, the indispensable advantage taken
of every inch of available room. Rents are
consequently SO high that poor man has no
business to live in New York if he happens to
have family. Everything is done on a grand
scale-in religion, in politics, and in COM
merce.
While not undertaking to specify particular
centres of trade in this wilderness of activity,