Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-07-21
"Flu.h Times" Fifty Years Ago.

Fifty years ago Michigan experienced
that sort of prosperity which, being based
upon a rise In prices rather than upon an
increase Of values, ended, as such pros.
perity always ends, In panic and disaster
There was an extraordinary demand for
wild lands and for places with water
privileges" on which to build up large
cities. The government had opened three
land Offices IN different parts Of the state.
''enter" land at S1.26 an acre. Every
proprietor Of o "city," which ei.
listed on beautifully engraved map,
started bank Money, in the form Of
bank notes, became abundant, prices rose,
speculation was stimulated, and men, and
even women, caught the fever" incident
to flush times.
Then came the crash. Specie payments
were suspended, and money became
tight" Prices fell. The banks were
supposed to have In their vaults gold and
silver sufficient to meet 80 per cent. OF
their circulation. The specie kegs were In
some cases found to have an upper Layer
Of coin, which concealed nothing more
valuable than nails and broken glass.
One Of these banks was known as THE
Bank of Sandstone" being located in
part OF Michigan where quarries Of fine
grit stone had been opened. Its promises
to pay were widely circulated. When the
panic came, man who held many Of the
banks circulating notes made all haste 10
reach Sandstone to get them cashed. The
bank had assets, out Of which ii paid the
billholder--a milestone for ever SO note,
grindstone for every IS. and for every
81 bill whetstone.- Companion.
Opposition TO Turkish Baths.
l.. - ~ l,.An t.t L.,
baths now as formerly, ] believer
"On the contrary, there are more bath.
ers today than ever before. In 1872
suppose less than "a, 900 baths were given
In the city in a year, Now suppose the
number Is close on to 1,000, 900 in the
same period of time We have in this
country the finest baths in the world, and
it is safe to say, perhaps, that there is
more money invested in Turkish bath es-
Establishments In America than in tho
whole of Europe put together. When
first introduced here the business was op-
posed on every side. The medical frster-
nifty, with but few exceptions, denounced
the practice. Persons who knew tho
benefits to be deprived therefrom had to
sneak in and out OF bath, so afraid were
they Of being seen to enter or come out
Of such a place. l remember when
cdiut iHlO tillS DuhuluS Wnhj cry "d-
raised. The property holders In this street
waited on me and offered me handsome
bonus for my lease. But they did not
understand the matter. They were GER
tain that meant TO keep a disreputable
place, and when tho builders began to teal
out the front Of the house and the stained
glass windows were put in place, tina,
settled 1t. They were sure that l intended
running grog shop IN front Of my baths
Old Sammy Willetts, the Quaker million
aire, who at that time lived Just above
here, came to see me one day and said h'
wanted to buy me out. The neighbour
could not bear the idea Of having such
place as Turkish bath in their midst
Why, from the way some Of them wen
on you would have thought 1t was
harem going up instead OF q bath. Littl
by little, however, the business came T.
be understood, since which time it has in
creased in popularity and volume "-Nsv
York Mail and Express.