San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-06-08
THE GOOD OLD STYLE.
INSIGHT INTO THE CUSTOMS OF
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
Tho First New York Directory-Clippings
from the Newspapers of That Time.
Events in New York Life That Will Make
the Gothamite Smile.

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Events I'm New York Life That Will Make
the Gothamite Smile.
A little more than a hundred years ago,
on Dec. 0, 1855, the announcement Of the
first New York city directory appeared in
The New York Gazetteer and The County
Journal and in the succeeding February the
first number was issued. 1t contained the
names of all the citizens, their occupations
and places OF abode; the members in con-
gress, the ''grand departments" of the United
States for adjusting public accounts, mem
bers of the senate and assembly, with their
places of abode while on duty in the city;
ministers of the gospel, physicians, counsel
ors at law, arrivals and departures OF stages
and the principal tradesmen.
To these details was added an almanac
with tables of the different coins, suitable for
any state, and "digested in such order as to
make an exchange between any Of the United
States plain and easy" And withal it is
very small volume. This useful production,
it was explained, would stand each sub
scriber in" about six shillings.
THE LATEST NEWS
An interesting light is thrown upon the
daily life of this town of hundred years ago
by the following extracts from the few news
papers which were published at the time and
contained very little save such news of
purely local character:
A correspondent compliments the ladies for
reducing the size of their head gear, so that
they can enter a coach, sedan chair or the
door of a modern apartment with cap.
Some time ago their heads were bigger than
those of the inhabitants of Patagonia, whilst
their bodies resembled those of Liliput, but
now their features are set off by becoming
head dress.
The tavern keepers harvest will soon COM
mence in this city; as the comedians are going
to visit the southwark, the young and the idle
will naturally resort to the taverns and tip
pling houses.
z This is the day appointed for the execution,
at the New Gaol, of James Carr, a white man,
and Thomas Lee, a negro, who were convicted
of burglary.
Last week a notorious gambler and cheat
was sentenced to hard labor The above
gentleman is at present chained with Ne
gro to a wheelbarrow, and usefully employed
at the public works of this city.
Whereas my wife Nancy has behaved in a
possible for me to live with her, all persons
are forewarned from trusting her-George
Dalzell
The new line of stages to Philadelphia will
start from Mr. Smiths at Paules Hook ferry
opposite New York, drive through Newark,
elizabeth Town, Woodbridge, Brunswick,
and so to Princeton, where they meet thu
stage from Philadelphia. They run very
day Saturdays and Sundays excepted Fare
to Phila Four Dollars.
Receipt for making a Modern Fashionable
Lady. Two pounds Of cork, five yards of
whalebone, one pound of hair, six pounds of
wool or cotton, two drains of white lead and
half a dram of rouge. These with a proper
quantity of bones for the skeleton, and
little flesh and blood for the muscles, ETC.,
with a skin of mouse for eyebrows, one
pound of powder and half a pound of
pomatum, will complete the business
To be Sold a Negro Man about 50 years
old, sober smart and understands all kinds of
town and country work. Also the time of
Negro boy IA years of age. Enquire at the
Intelligence Office % Water st opposite the
Coffee House
1t has been suggested by a superior genius,
that the city could be improved by adopting
the duke of Bridgewater's system of canals
one of the advantages set forth was, that the
citizens might ride from the ship yards to
the old battery, and that a revenue would
arise by the establishment of ferry, that
the proprietOrs of the Coffee House should
convert part of that building into an elegant
tavern, for the entertainment of such ladies
and gentlemen Us would not choose to travel
in a storm
We are Informed Of an unfortunate en-
counter that took place on Friday afternoon
lust april Ply, about 6 o'clock. behind the
hospital, between Mr. Samuel Cursor, mer-
chant of this city, and Mr.. Burling, a gen
tleman from Baltimore They were accom-
panied by two of their friends las secOnds), |
Mr.. FGrquhar and Major Fairlie; the distance
agreed upon was only four PAGES; Mr.. c. re-
qucstcd his antagonist to fire frst-this he
did; and Mr.. c. fell on the spot, having re
ceived a wound near the groin, which is
pronounced mortal Circumstances which
led to this desperate decision, probably are
reported enormously, and exaggerated by
the friends Of either party, and in the rela-
ton arenot material-the event is sufficiently
distressing.
ADJUSTMENTS AND THE FASHIONS.
Several of the citizens to the disgrace of
good order and common decency, erect signs
and show boards in such an eXtravagant
manner, that they not only encroach upon
the privileges of their neighbors, but dis
grace and deform the police of the city.
A person lately from London, now stop
ping at No. q Little Dock street South
street between Whitehall and Old Slip has
a composition for sale that will destroy the
very troublesome vermin commonly called