New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-04-03
OLD-FASHIONED MASSACH CSETTS.
~ yuuoer IN IN. spr,uonsId RepuNiea,..


This Is an expensive age. Our richest men began
with mere nothing but their brains aud hascs and
with LITTLE education. Chester W; Cnaplo' one az
twenty-one gears old let himself ont 10 wo' twelve
to fourteen hours day for $12 . month farming
and team,ng from the armory to tho boais on tho
Connscticut River; but be laid bis y )ney nF Now
you would insult young stripping OF eighteen years
to offer him such wages DE was the TAX COLLECTOR
in 1922 for the town of Springfield. HIS fees were
$50 for collecting 49, 000-the whole axes Tor thas
town. He pays more taxes now than the whole
town did then II cost more time and travel to col
lect them then than now. The people were so scat
tering and they afraid OF tax collector. he
said some would run and hide up stairs or down
cellar ssh h 1nss them ap % thes hdn az
ter their family said they want therep Alter
finding the delinquent he wouid get part Of the
himself de has paid in this way hundreds Of dol.
lars finding easier to earn the money than to col
lect It, Money was scarce and worth something
then rrcollcct in 1925 or 49, ~ our town meet
Ing the proposition was 70 raise for the coming YEA
S14 900 for the town of Springfield, Oliver b. Morris
rose AND obj 'cted by saying: WIT sre we com
fashion should demand such o tax" But they over
ruled the old man, and be lived to see PRIDE fashion
and ambition rise much higher. great change
The fashion Of those days Iecosct. When my
mother was going to get new dress. or gown as u
was called thon. the womao that was engaged 70
vas 80 tall aud large she must get six yards for u.
Five yards was Q common pattern, and bO cents tor
cutting and making and dpnsr ha ,0S1 sost
and the making 80 cents, and the dress was WORD 70
meeting. The fashion and pay OF tho preachers has
changed. The first Methodist preacher IN cur town
cot 500 for one years salary. and If he had pres
Of pair Of socks he must report r. ne se coma
preacher had q wife. and got 500. Inc thlid
time got less than s75 . year Also Priest C!ough
and Lorenzo Dow less than either: O9r GA Meth
odst preachers worked for living AND Tor Cod in'
atcad of for reputation aud salAys
Twas thinking about the fashions IN domestic 81.
fairs say music Synys oI y: TSs0 ss WITH
the family where he got ms WHEAT cd Uncle
saul Squires's, uncle to US both. Their house music
was for treble tho fla. spinning p.yeS arS Ss
spinning wheol. played by another gri Ior pass;
the old lady whacking away at the old loom; All
Tho fashion of those DAYS was to have good:
healthy family of from eight to ten Gnildrep an ni
q 70 w sSos h.ahy family now ali up 10 the
morning early 10 work. We see from one TO three ~
Tie pmping children, with sIcky mother, not able
to take care Of two :a.y a our nJ'"eIi n wo S
dren now must be IN fashion,-lei III oed unt'i 9i
Ia the morning, no appetite little V'taiity. lncy
play on some KIND Of Instrument and 60 to school 70
bc crowded with moro kinds of lessons than our old
school teachers ever knew. But TINS IS mo iaSion
and pretended Improvement OF the age. fer.aps
this generation does not look at these tdinIS as DO
but think that health, economy and morality arc
not improved by getting bgh wages or lashi'n"pio
education. This generation VIII spent what ,s
fathers have earned. Generally 1t IL watching tao
pulse of the man who has property. longing for the
time to come when 1t viii Gene IN posses ior OF
hat II has not earned 1t isa known TACT tHa' tEo
rislug generation arc spendthrifta So,
Another great change Is in the mode Of travelling.
Fifty years ago we had to go through ,lc country
BY stages at the fast speed Of seven miles IN hour
This was much faster than the common iarme;. tray.
eIled II was considered great treat I" take ,Ea
stage at old Jeremy WARMERS tavern,-'ta.t az 4
O'clock in tho morning and get to Boston at 0 in the
evening" Il tho going was good. When the fare was
reduced to So two Of US worked two weeks To ges
money enough 70 pay our rare to Boston. eighty
eight miles The young men 10 these days earn
hours iustead of seventeen Our conductors get for
driving their team through 70 Boston % or ~, and
the old stage-drivers got $12 . month. This WAS
Cbester W. Chapins standard vFtee IN those days.
Connecticut River steamboats, started by
fftv-ve yearn ago cut down the fare 70 Hartford %
81 vhiSk sbed rs ali TO 20 70 Hartford and back
~ one day for So and stay four hours in Hartford
This was another great treat for ~ costing "
dayY work. Now young men can earn enough IN
half day, aud 60 and back IN tho other hall.