Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-07-11

We had practically no stoves then. Dr..
Franklin mad invented q stove, or rather
an iron box Ia which fire was made, but
heating and cooking were done by fire.
pieces. The houses of the rich had sew
eral OF these, but the yeoman had only
one, and that was in the kitchen. A warm
eeping room was unknown, aud the old
copper bed pan, filled with GOALS, WAS
moved about in the bed to dry and warm
it. But they slept in feather beds and Ia
wooden blankets. Baking was done 10
Dutch oven set before the fire, the pol
ishe1 sides rejecting the heat Roasting
was roasting, for the meat was put on
spit and basted from the pan below, into
which the juices fell. Those were day
of the "boiled dinner" huiled corn,
"samp," and the delicious po.pies, OF
which We have only couuterfeits nova
days.
person who rides in comfortable
car from Chicago to New York in less than
day Is apt to forget that century ago
there were few public highways over
which a wagon even could be driven. Our
first railroad WIS completed IN 1926 and
passengers were first carried in 1880.
There was one trunk road from Boston TO
Maine which followed the coast to the
mouth of the Kenebec; another into New
Hampshire aud nu to Canada; another 10
Providence, h. L., and another to New
York through Springfield, Hartford, and
New Haven. From New York there was
a wagon road each side of the Hudson 10
Albany and one southwark across New
jersey to the Delaware river and thence
to Philadelphia. All other roads of any
length were mere bridal paths. II took
Washington nearly two weeks to go from
Mount Vernon to New York to be inaug-
ureted. A little earlier Elkanah Watson
left Providence, Il l., on the first of Sep
TENDER for Charleston, S c., on hurried
business trip. On the Is of November
he reached his destination, having occu
pied seventy days in making the journey
o. l,243 miles.
There were few hotels in those days
and such as existed were called iuns, or
more frequently taverDs. Travellers
making long journeys usually took a
ohaise, If the way was road, and posted
notices asking for a com panlOn. They
stopped when night or meal-Jlme over
took them. An incident related by Mr..
Watson, an account of whose journey was
published n an evening journal, striking
ly illustrates the hospitality of the people.
He stopped one day at farm house
which he took one day TO be tavern and
ordered dinner IN a spirit OF the utmost
freedom. Ga asking for his bin Ahe
said: "Sir, keep no tavern, but l am
very rauch obliged to you for your VISIT
and e1acted from his visitor promise to
stop with him again should he again pass
that way But 10 many low populous
districts settlements were 50 few and far
between that the traveller was obliged to
bivouac with his horse for his only com
panion and the clouds for his only can
opy.
Slavery existed in all the states then
except in Massachusetts. As late as the
census of 1890, the first one taken, all
the states except the one noted had ser
vile inhabitauts; even Vermont had sew
enteen and New Hampshire 1853. How
strange il is to read now of the buying
and selling Of slaves in New England a
century ago and to find in Boston papers
advertisements of runaway negroes. The
following Is a verbatim copy of sale of a
slave given in Connecticut IN l7s4
40 all men TO home these presents come
greeting: Know yeae that Josiah
Campo of Milford IL the County OF New
hpyen in the S ate of Connecticut for the
consideration of Sixty Pounds Lawful
money Do Sell make ever and oonforme
unto Abraham Clark of Milford in sd
county and state aforesd as my one
Proper Estate on negro Boy named Ean
dow Coggs thirteen yearse and During I'd
negroes NATURAL Life and il said negroo
is set free within SIX yearse from this
Date by the Law, of this state then |
Josiah Campe Do bind my Self my heirs
Executors or administrators to Pay back
to said Clark 80 much of sd sum "a shall
be Judged that sd negroo base not earnt
and | Josiah Campe Do bind my Self my
| heirs executor or administrator formerly
| by these Presents to warrant and Defend
| sd Clark from all Clame from aney Per
/ son or Persons what-oeve for sd neEroo
whereuuto have Set my hand and sell
this 3Oth Day of January Ai 1884.
JOSIAH CAMP