The evening world., 1888-04-11
BEsT-KNOwN CITY BARRIERS.
}. 3. Wexford "Reminiscences OF Old Days
Downtown.

De .. Wenkford's lie niintsccnces OF via Dnys
Downtown.
j. s. Wexford, a veteran barber Of New
street, can tell some interesting stories about
the early history of his trade in this city, as
he has now been engaged for the past thirty
six years in that business in the neighbor-
hood of Wall street.
When he first came to this city in 1850 the
only establishment that could be called a
barber shop within a radius of a quarter of a
mile from the present site of the Stock Ex-
change WINS II place kept by an Italian named
Bologni in the old Merchants Exchange,
which is now the Custom House.
He only had two chairs, and his principal
business was in keeping baths. In 1852 he
sold ont 10 Mr.. Ihatford, an Englishman,
who established a regular barber shop,
and who for twenty five years afterwards was
one of the best known characters in the
street.
Mr. Wexford was one of his first assistants,
and the place became SO popular under the
new management that he says that he can re-
member seeing a line of people stretching
away down William street rs far as Hanover
| square, all with their tickets in hand waiting
their turn for o shave, II haircut or a bath,
rs the case might be.
Before that time men used to shave them
selves, but with Thatford new STYLES were
introduced, and it was found necessary by
those who wanted to keep abreast of the
times in respect to the cut of their hair and
boards to employ q barber regularly.
There used to be more money in those
days in the barber trade, when Il shave cost
only six cents, than there is now when the
price is l5," says MIR. Wexford. When
money became plentier with the downtown
folks the price was raised to 10 cents"
Up to the time when Uncle Sam bought the
Merchants Exchange. in 1862, and turned it
into n custom house. Thatford's was the great
and only downtown shop. After that nearly
all of Thatford's assistants set up.in business
for themselves, and since then competition
has been lively.
" remember q curious incident of the adj
vance in price by the barbers," says MIR.
Wexford. while the old six-cent rate
prevailed Daniel Drew was one Of our Gus
toners and 1 always shaved him. He was
one of the closest old men that I ever saw.
He always wanted II close shave and never
was known 70 give q tip, When the price of
q shave was raised to 10 cents 1t was good-by
Daniel. We never saw him III the shop after
that, and l never heard where he went for a
| shop. The extra four cents broke his back. +"
the late William H. Vanderbilt. He says
that when he first knew Mr.. Vanderbilt. his
father, the old Commodore, kept him hard at
| work down on the farm at Staten Island, for
his elder brother, Cornelius, was the old
mans f~avorite. william always used to
Island to get shaved and have his hair cut,
and when he moved into town he had Mr..
Weakford come to his nous to perform these
operations. He would have no one else, and
always gave liberal tips,
Mr.. Wexford thinks the tonsorial profes.
are concerned. and he often looks back with
yearning eyes to the good old times when
dollars were more plentiful with the Wall
street men than nickels are to-day.