River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-06-19
Fifty Years Ago.


A half century ago, a large part of the
people of the United States lived in hous-
es implanted and upholstered, and utter
Nv devoid of adomment. A well-ted fire
in the yawning chasm of huge chimney
gave partial warmth t. single room,
and it was common remark that the IN
mates were roasting one side, while treez-
ing the other; in contrast, "a majority of
the people of the older States now live
in houses that are clapboarded, painted,
blinded and comfortably warmed. Then,
| the household furniture consisted OF u
few plain chairs, plain table, bed
stead made by the village carpenter
| Carpets there were none. To-day few
are the houses, in city or country, that
do not contain carpet Of some sort,
while the average laborer by week 5
work may earn enough to enable him to
repose at night upon spring bed.
Fifty years ago, the kitchen "dressers '
were set forth with shining row OF
pewter plates. The farmer ate with a
buck handled knife and an iron or pewter
spoon, but the advancing civilization has
sent the plates and spoons TO the melting
pot, while the knifes and forks have
given place to nickle or plated cutlery.
In those days the utensils for cooking
were dinner-pot, tea-kettle, skillet
Dutch oven and frying pan; to-day there
| is no end to kitchen furniture.
The people of 1880 sat in the evening
in the glowing light of pitch-knot fire,
or read their weekly newspapers by the
| Pickering light Of q ''tallow dip;' now,
in city and village their apartments arc
bright with flame Of the gas jet or the
soft radicncc of kerosene. Then if the
| fire went out upon the hearth, IT was re-
bindled by coal from neighboring
hearth, or by flint, steel and finder
Those who INDUCED in pipes and cigars
could light them only by some hearth
stone; to-day we light fire and pipes by
the dormant fireworks in the match safe,
| at "a cost of one hundreth of cent.
In those days we guessed the hour of
noon, or ascertained il by the creeping OF
the sunlight up TO the moon mark y
drawn upon the floor; only the well-to
do could afford clock To-day who
does not carry watch. and for clocks
you may purchase them 10y wholesale.
! by the cart-load. at yty-two cents apiece
Fifty years ago, how many dwellings
| were adorned with pictures! How many
are there now that do not display print
engraving, chrome, Or lithographl How
many pianos or parlor organs we're there
then? Reed organs were not invented till
| 1910, and now they are in every village
| Some who may read this article will
remember that in 1880 ihe Bible, the alma
nae, and few Textbooks used in school
were almost the only volumes of the
household The directory was a volume
four inches square and an inch and halt
in thickness. In some of the country
villages a few public spirited men had
gathered liz aries containing from
three to five hundred volumes; in
contrast. the public libraries of
the present containing more than
ten thousand volumes, have an aggrc-
gatc.of 1o.6jO.000 volumes. not including
the Sunday school and private libraries of
the country. 1t is estimated that alto
gether the number of volumes accessible
to the public is not less than 20,00O,000,
OF Webster's and Worcesters dictionaries,
it having been SAID that enough have been
published to supply one 10 every ono hun
bred inhabitants OF tine United States.