The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1895-05-23
OLD SALE- NIGHT &c : ! 4 y
T,o --ys:c e - co-ch Shell Horn
Sill Lives n the Memory q the
Older Inhabitants.

Correspondence 81 Char'o8c O5serrei.
WIxsroX. y. C.-W'itLin the mem
orv Of even rniddle-aged persons there
existed IN salem a custom which was
urlnue and at the same time interest
ing. It was the use Of the conch shell
trumpet by the night Waterman
Parties who visited the Worlds Fair
at Chicago will remember that one Of
the most popular places Of interest as
we'll as a very expensive point, was Old
Vienna. In the midst OF the old
houses, reproduced, were music pavll-
ions lunch tables and an immense
tbrong Of people II the reader chanc-
cd 10 be in this portion Of the grounds
at night fall he Will remember that
oai1y dressed and stalwart man appear
ed on the scene carrying a lantern and
a long pole axe. This man, being Il
nart OF Old Vienna Of the middle ages
REPRODUCED. was the night Waterman.
His duties were to guard against fire
and danger, to announce the hours OF
the night and perform other similar
duties. The Chicago Old Vienna
night Waterman occaslOned much IN
terest and his picture appeared in many
of the illustrated papers.
In one OF the large Moravian congre-
cations in Germany this same custom
existed. As this community was a
very religious one. the regular rounds
of the night Waterman were made the
occasion Of conveying a moral and re-
ligious impression on the minds OF the
inhabitants as they retired for the
night, arose early in the morning, or
Law awake during the hours of darkness.
This was done by having the watch
man loudly and clearly sing a cOuplet,
either suggestive of some religious or
the evening the Waterman sang out in
a clear. sOnorous voice, q couplet which,
fully translated, means The hour
for rest has arrived only he can truly
rest who has a conscience free from OF
fence" Thus. each hour had its an
nouncement and each hour its senti-
ment At o'clock in the morning,
the watchman announced The hour
of 6 is here. Awake, and to you / now
transfer the watchful care OF the town. .
Thus Herrnhut, in 1880 adopted the
earlier days.
In 1866, Salem, n c., was founded
and among other customs brought from
Europe. was that of the night watch
man. The days of protection by In
surance did not then exist, and to have
home burned was to suffer an almos,
irreparalle loss. Hence the most rigid
fire regulations were nstituted-amon2
others the night Waterman of the Old
Vienna and of early Herrnhut. Instead
of the song to announce the passing
hours Il conch shell was used. This
trumpet was Earge-sized conch shell
with hole to which the mouth Of the
night watchman was placed By g
quick sharp blast, he was enabled to
ferent IN tone from the French horn
The sound was deep ana musical, and
the older citizens here we'll remember
listening on many a night for this as
surfing note of ''Al's Well" az it re
sounded in one part of the town or in
another portion. Eac! hour of the
night had It's peculiar note Thus. foI
10 O'Clock, there was one long note
At II, two loud. long notes, and at
midnight, three long tones After mid
night, the blasts upon the conch shell
trumpet were short At |. one note
at = o'clock, two short notes, and 80 on
The night watchman's duties were
principally to guard against fire, b,
giving the alarm IN case Of cOnfagra
ton. but as there were only one or two
small fires during the first century OF
Salem's existence, IN this respect he
was not often called upon to act. He
also had certain police functions and
in true medieval style carried in the
belt which held his great furlined coat
!; large dirk and pistol. In addition tc
this he had a heavy stick, and while