Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1873-10-28
Spuit Of syfffersoll..
oharlesIoun, JsTsrsos County. s; ve,s illI,,. V..
: TUESDAY % MORNING OCTOBER IS. 1s.s..
LETTER FROM NEW YORK.

zHuNTER's PoINT, Ny Got g, 1873.
Dear Spirft:@-I am at Hunters Point
fnd II possible to discover any upoint.
hereabouts. although, Ihsye searched with
indefatigable diligence. a glimpse at some
point>lace decorationsloni "a lad y,s dress would
have an encouraging effect; but, alas the
ladies of this village, town, city. OF whatever
1T should be termed; are perfectly satisfied 10
own pair of gems" Ccalsd rubbers in New
York, for the purpose of keeping their qex>
pansive "understandings" from coming 10 cot,
tact with the mud. I think the name of this
place Is inappropriate, unless the joke is IN
hunting for the point. Hence, Hunters
Point. ltsFHoa SS5 rs
Montague, the ferry. boat oh which crossed
the East river, had some ludiorous characters
aboard: One young fellow, who having left
large wheel>barrow among the numerous
vehicles whichiflled the inner deck, advanced
and solicited me to have my CATERS blacked.
Iexpressed a willingness to undergo the pro.
cess, provided, he could finish before the
MONTAGUE would touch the opposite dock
He looked iato my face with puzzled ex-
preston and scratched his .unkempt head !:
"Say, Young Teller, does more business than
one ou see that ERE wheel>barrow well,
l 'casioually carries ban'- boxes on that ma
chine, when aint got notin' else to do in the
blackin line, SO you wait till git my 'sensils..
bout two miles from the ferry, Til FIX you
off" [ told this embryo millionairs, that,
owing to'pressure of time, I could make no
delay. AfDutchmanthen hailed him Some
passengers said that the Dutchman needed a
face washing instead of boot. blacking. But
the Teuton overhearing this observation, re.
piled "Mind nit yer own pisnis, meiu face
is mein own face" No one disputed this
rhetogical argument, for it must be admitted
that such question as face>washing is entire
~ optional. Two or three German soldiers,
who wore different colored pauts, were hand-
ling their breech-loaders in SO careless man.
ner. that the ladies in the cabins were kept in
perpetual state of trepidatioa Theylnot
tue ladies, dear creatures-but the soldiers.
were going to attend dress>parade at Hunters 5
Point. ~ t . 747
The most ingenious news-boy that [ have
ever seen was on board this steamboat. He
busted himself in splitting on the floor of the
eentleman's cabin, aud. must do him Justice
by stating that tobacco juice few round there
in prodigal showers. A few persons INQUIRED
the cat1se of these strange proceedings Ne
explained :""I wet this cabin SO Til hev' a
place to spread my newspapers, to fold 'en
Ye see lief. one spot dry fur that pnrpus no
other boy kin fold his papers on this floor
now all the men. they wants folded papers,
SO hev' the 'vantage''
Having landed. the frat indication that T
was at Hunters Point presented itself ip the
"shape OF strong-very strong, oily SMELL
Everything appears greasy hero. The house.
wife takes advantage of tho olcsginoua quality
OF her husbands wearing apparel. for she cuts
OH piece of his old coat, with which she
isnites the fire in tho morning 1 suppose
the innocent husband presents sorry appear
ance next morning, with his coat>tdI c,tr>
tdited am not positive whether these prac.
tlces are in accordance with domestic econ.
omy, or not; however il they arc not econom.
ica.. they arc pretty comical
Hunter's Point supplies New York with
bonfires, for every mouth or so, an oil factory
goes of into confagration. The old women
take advantage of these fres to knit after
dark. You see, after all, every thing is for
the best, as tue druggist said when he sold
laudnum for lavender. During the fires the
odor from the oil factory is disagreeeble to the
olfnctory organs.
While passing Newtown creek, small
stream, which flows through the greasicst
portion of the town, observed a number of
foreign merchantmen waiting for their car
goes of oil. There is turn bridge over the
creek, which, by the way, turns SO often. that
an astronomer, having his eyes in the heavens
and his feet on earth, would very likely turn
into the water, on passing this bridge. New.
town creek is, worth mentioning. Two BOYS,
who having read number of ten cent novels,
were fred with an extraordinary desire to EN-.
nlate Buffalo Bill, by taking Indian scalps.-
Hunters Point possesses no attraction for am>
atenr Indian slayers, which fact the boys over
looked. for they borrowed a fat, bottomed boat.
naH ad : ~ ho
solved to astonish their mammas and com>
panions by taking, at least, six red soalps.-
They didn't succeed, however; having struck
their heads against the beams Of the turn-
bridge, they left several locks of red curly
hair adhering to that bridge as mementos of
their daring exploits They're using all The
patent hair restoratives that are advertised as
the "bes. in the world p but their hopes of
regaining their lost hair are very "meaere."
unless they apply to the keeper Of the bridge.
The next link in the chain of towns on
ons,Isand, is Greenpoipt. All that [ saw
green here were Irish flags. fruit apd ladies'
wells: The people are not green One Hf.
bernian charged me fifteen cents for cigar;
that wouldn't draw any more than an obstinate
mule; nor as much, for a mne. will draw
backwards. but that cigar wouldn't draw either
way: I believe in economy; so having sawed
slit in the cigar, gave it to woman 10 use
as a clothes pin. 20 a''sY tF'5Es'
There is policeman at Green Point ;yes,
veritable policeman. He was belaboring "a
goat over the head with his locust. Let me
tell you the history of that goat: It has
eaton more cabbage at the grocer's stall, mu.
tiiated more redineotes and ;tclothes. lines,
jumped more fences, and poked greater
number of boys with its horns, than any oth>
=xI,
State of New York. Nor is it, "a beautiful
goat, like the one mentioned in Victor Hu.
COS Notre Dame. The policeman, who was
drilling it, seems to have been acquainted
with the motto on our Virginia coat of arms.
for at every hlnw of his lnnnst a.e ..,...1a L..