The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1879-10-25
NUMBER I.

Il blush, before French inlecency had
corrupted our hearts, or foreign
vnlga,ity, had sapped the foundation
of our morals. The Richmond Hill
stood on the site of Aaron Burr"s
bouse, and from it he went forth on
the morning he shot Hamilton, 1T
Weeellawken. Thirty years have
passed since the Richmond Hill dis
appeared from tile list of theatres,
and even the people living on its site
bave never heard of its name.
Famous among the theatres of
forty years ago was the old Chatham
Theatre, where Charley Tlorne, then
in his prime, gathered around him u
company Of actors which it would he
difficult to match Mt the present time.
| The dramatic dclni god Of those days
was Kirby, y man with more genius
in his little finger than is to be found
in the whole body Of nine e-tentls Of
your present day actors. Mrs. Tlorne,
one of the most talented and agreea-
ble actresses on the American stage,
was then in the zenith of her beauty,
alas! .alas for my early dreams, the
fairy form has vanished. She is now
al. srH
sixty, whose averdupois could only
be determined by pair of hay
scales.
Niblo's Garden, on the corner Of
Broadway and Prince street was the
most fashionable uptown rcsont for
those who desired rational amnse-
ment, combined with a. breath Of
country air. The garden disappeared
many Years ago, and on its site Is the
Metropolitan Hotel, which Tweed
thought would he the headquarters
of the Ring, and--the metropolitan
theatre where the Black Crook was
first produced, by VIM. Wl,eatley,
Harry Palmer and Mr.. jarrett. A
E,vorite resort for the Bowery bOys,
was old Vauxhall Garden, which
stood ut the head of the Bowery,
almost opposite the site now occupied
by the Cooper Institute. Here the
fire laddies and their girls were wont
to pass the summer nights. lnxnria-
ting on pork and beans, and enjoying
the delights of the naizy dance. A
clothing store and II s!able now cover
the Howe, beds and aaFbors Of that
famous resort, and it will not be
many years before the last man will
have passed away who remembers
the spot where it stood.
Politics aud pedestrians ut present
occupy the public mind, the two
most prominent objects being john
Kelly and Blower Brown. Blower
Brown, however, is dead cock in
the pit what will be John keIiy's
fate, we are unable to tell, till the
race is ended on the 4th d:y of No
vember, bnt Johns wind is good, an'l
his feet are sound, yet how lie will
come ont in the political race, IS still
matter of lively speculation.
There are lots of lame ducks among
the book makers this week, and tho
report is that at least one-l,aif of the
gamblers in the city are ruined. At
the start of tie race for the O'Leary
belt, Blower Brown was the favO,it's
the most extravagant stories were
told of his prowess, and some nnfortu-
nate fools were induced to make bets
that he would cover as high as 14O
miles in the fret "a hours No one
seemed to think oftlle possibility of his
failure, and yet n more lamentable
collapse was never seen on the course.
As far as the man himself is con-
cerned, it is matter Of very small
consequence, but lie has dragged
down thousands in his ruin, which is
said to he directly traceable to his in.
temperate habits while trimming. A
more frightened lot than his hackers
were never seen in New York, and q
more fearful financial panic has never
been known among gambling men. 1t
has been regular Black Friday
among the betting sharps, and there
are hundreds Of them who will not
have money enough to carry them
back to their homes. At this l do
much rejoice, for with their gambling
pools they have corrupted and demor-
allied almost every amusement that
has become popular in America. l
hope the lesson may not be thrown
away upon our people. In two weeks
we have paid, in New York, about
$3.50, 900 for these walking exhibitions.
No good thing has come out Of them,
but, on the contrary, they have been
fruitful parents Of gambling and dissi-
patton. The men who have been
prominent III them would scarcely be
admitted behind the counter of !. re-
spectacle merchant unless he had one
OF Pinkerton's detectives to stand by,
and watch the till yet thousands
have neglected their business day
afte. day, and now they find them
selves literally robbed-ll,e victims of
misplaced confidence.
It is many yeais since New York
has seen AS prosperous 4 season as
that which we are no" eujoying. The
streets III he lower part Of the city
and all along the wl,arves are densely
crowded with wagons and carts from
early morning till late at night. Inn
meuse amounts of all kinds of pro-
duce are being received here, and as
soon rs received are shipped away.
Gold is still flowing III upon MS, $780,
600 in Il single shipment last week.
Our merchants are all smiling, aud
everyb body con9rafnIafes everybody
else OH The return Of good times.
Stocks Of ali kinds have been very
lively, and the sudden jump III wheat
brought giicf to those who sold short