Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-05-17
4 ssOCIA TED PRESS LETTER
PHILADELPHIA, May 18th, 1876.

THEN AND NOW.
They who visit tho Centennial TX
hibitiou will sec for themselves what
our city now is. What u was ono
hundred years ago cannot DO fully
comprchended by the livelicst imagina-
ton. Ono hundred years ago, the cen
trail avenue Of our city was called
High street, since changed TO Market
street. The erection Of eight or ten
squares Of market houses directly in the
centre Of tho open street was tho cause
for the change, the appropriateness Of
which none questioned. Now that all
those market houses have been re-
moved another change Of name would
be very proper; either OF these three
names would DO more appropriate than
Market street, "Pennsylvania Avenue"
'Lincoln Avenue" or "Central Avenue" :"
The streets Of tho city Of Philadcl-
phia running parallel with Market
street and north Of it were named
Mulberry, Sassafras and Vine streets.
Those south Of il were Chestnut, Wal
nut, Spruce, Pine and Cedar, and these
eight squares, or blocks, comprised the
northern and southern limits Of our
city one hundred years ago; now fifty
streets are laid out and built upon
north Of Market street, and almost an
equal number south of 1t, tho most Of
which are lined with substantial brick
edifices from the Delaware 10 the
Schuylkill.
Mulberry street was long ago chang
ed to Arch street, and doubt If Sassa-
fras street, although so labelled upon
the street corners, was ever called any
thing else than Race strcct. This
name was given 10 il because Of the
horse races constantly taking place on
the street. For many years the racing
was on a straight line, from below
Fourth street out to Broad, and as
early as 1926 the Grand Jury in their
presentment held "that since the city
has become so very populous the usual
custom Of horse racing at fairs in Sas-
safras street is very dangerous TO lite /;
also, il is an evil that they who erect
the booths, &c, in that street, at the
fairs do sell oil sorts of liquors &c.'
The racing appears to have been
kept up until the commencement Of
the revolutionary war. "All gcnteel
horses in those days were PAGERS a
trotting horse was deemed a base
breed" says L. Matlack to the author
Of Watson's Annals.
Cock fighting was exceedingly pop
ular with all classes rich and poor,
grave and gay, all joined in the sport,
and such a person as DIR. VIM. Ship
pen, one OF the most eminent Of Phila-
delphia's first families, was in the habit
OF .aking bis best fighting cock under
his arm, would walk out to his friend
DIR. Gardener, and these two cstimable
gentlemen-rcsPected in public and
private life and honorcd IN church CIR
cles--would enjoy an hour or two IN
witnessing the contest between Their
game chickens.
Bull dogs, for the purpose OF bull
batting, were bred by the most fash
ionable OF our gentry during the period
proceeding the first war This amnse-
ment was brought to a sudden close
by Squire Wharton, who went TO wit
ness the sport seemingly as a friendly
observer. When oil was prepared and
bull and dogs were about TO be lei
loose for the enjoyment OF the young
bioods and butchers-the batting was
mostly maintained by the latter-th'
spunky Squire stepped suddenly into
tho ring and said he would ut the risk
oil his LIE seize and commit the hrs'
man who should begin then advanc
ing to the bull he unlooscd him from
the stake, Mt the same time declaring
he would never dcsist from bringing
TO condign punishment future abetter'
OF such exercises. That stopped th'
game forever alter. /,
The early Quaker boys OF our good
y quaker oity were ABOUT as ms
chievous as other boys elsewhere. VI
one occasion some Oh the boys at The
Quaker school, IN Fourth street, wen
into the second story oil the building
and boring a hole through the boarc
moor they lowered q pln-hook attached
to q cord and when the teacher, hob
or. I rouu' Vooh n,s a..c,noon uoLe, .n'
nooh was iaS'cncu ln'o nus pusny w,g
anu wnen ne awakeheu anu seanca lor
wa,u ms wig swung from ON nus nea'
anu "hs rAiscu IaPiuiy powarus 'n'
celnng oy ooy urawlng 'ne coru .
course 'eaener rIouu al'cr ne reco'er
eu rom ms astoh,snmcnv went "
s.a'rs ior 'na' poy, put US 'ne ooy na'
taken ,he precaauoh 70 throw the core
rom 'nc secohu STORY WINDOW 70 .n'
yara wnere from 'nc WINDOW direc,ly
10 'he rear Oh tne teacher where M
couid see all that was going on, th'
iad also nad the good sense 70 entel
tne schooi room ana take ms hccus
TONED seat Just as FRIEND PROUD mount
Cd thc upper story,
IL was with dlniouity those stai'
young Quaker boys ana g'ris coui'
MAINTAIN the'r usuai sooriety as thei
teacher entered the school room an'
looked q, ms p'g req wig suspended
oy q coru above MS reach.
THE CENTENNIAL.
The work of royal hands will b.
quito largely exhibited at our great OK
bibition. A number Of samples of EN-
| 4 a. a 4. A 4 al Z II.