Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-04-01
THE FIRST OF APRIL.
Bad weather-Basinsas Rather Dull-No
Excitement.

HAD W04t0Gr-k30810O0 N6ln&f OuIl-NO
Excitement.
The first of April opened rather drearily.
The storm of snow and rain which COM
menced on Tuesday still continues, and all
day long it has been showing, though the
snow melts almost as fast as it falls. The
pavements are sloppy, the streets muddy,
and the country roads in many places
shockingly bad. AS a consequence the
number Of persons who came to town in
private conveyances is much smaller than
would have been under a more favorable
condition of the weather.
The arrivals by rail, also We're smaller
than was expected. The morning trains
on the Quarryville railroad were crowded,
but that was owing in some degree to the
fact that comparatively few came in carri-
ages if they could make it at all convenient
to reach the cars at any any of the sta
ton along the road. The trains on the
Pennsylvania railroad were by no means
crowded, and asvery large proportion Of
the passengers were substantial business
men who were obliged to come to town to
attend to business. The youthful element
of society is almost unreprsented on the
to-day. Tho great crowds that formerly
fiocked to town on the 1st Of April are no
longer seen. Tho streets are neither
crowded with vehicles nor with pedes
trians, and although the hotels and saloons
are being patronized they are not crowded
as the have been on first of April in former
years.
The banks are doing large business,
but there is not the rush aud crush about
them that used to mark the annual set
tling day. The business, instead of being
crowded into a single day is being much
more scattered than formerly. 1t is now
spread over several days before and several
days after the 1st Of April, and it is more
likely that more banking business will be
done to morrow and on Monday than was
done to-day. Besides, the country banks
are now doing great deal Of the bust
ness that was formerly transacted in this
city.
The prOthOnotary's Office was mucl
crowded and that officer and his clerk.
have been very busy all day in receiving
and renewing judgment bonds, making
searches, releases, and performing Othel
business pertaining to the office. Ths
county recorder and his clerks were also
busy all day in receiving deeds, mortgages
&C., and entering satisfactiOns. Tht
county commissioners have been busily
engaged in redeeming the 4l per cent
bonds, or exchanging them for the new
per cents. lately issued. In the other
county offices not much is doing.
The merchants and shop keepers appear
to be doing only an average amount o!
trade, and there is little on the streets to
betoken that this is the first Of April
the great settling day-that in former
years bought almost tho entire rural popu
lation to town.
This far, no fights have been reported,
not single pick pocket has been arrested
and there has been no disorderly conC'uc
worth mentioning.
Even the small boy has fOrsaken til
streets, and very few of them have in
dulged in the old time sports Of maxim:
"April fools" of their country cousins, o
city greenhorns, by laying before tempt
ing packages of sawdust, or old pocket
books stuffed full of rags or paper. Th'
day is decidedly dull.