The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-04
THE NEWSPAPERS OF 1917.
CHASG rs 1T ABOUT Nv mar
Il CENTURY.


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF tile News
pnpcr--rhc Current News or the Nay.
April !. 1Sl7. did not fall on n Sunday; had
IL done so no daily newspaper would have been
issued. Fifty years aCo .here was no Issue OF
n daily Newspaper on n Sunday. Oblivious to
the fast that IL was Sunday work that pro-
duccd u Monday IN orning paper, n religious so
clcty had been formed tof which n distinguished
merchant, Norman White. was President. and
his relative, william +. Dodge. was chief
spokesman for tho purpose of preventing the
issue and sale on Sunday of several weekly
newspapers which together formed the Sunday
press. That society was supported by all the
clergy, and its agents we're rs active In arrest
ing newsboys on Sunday morning on the streets
and the shopkeepers who sold Sunday news
papers as the Gerry society Is In its work TO.
day. The courts. however, did not sustain
the claims of the Sunday society. and In due
time all New York daily morning newspapers
except the Courier and enquirer and the Jour
nal Of Contmorcc.issucd Sunday numbers April
1 half a cen curry ago. fell on n week day when
THE srN. the Herald. the Tribune, In the morn
ing. and the Commercial ddrertiser and the
Post, In the evening, represented the city pre- So.
Comparisons of newspa per issues on that April
4 with newspaper issues of this April 4 90 far
toward illustrating the evolution OF society.
business. and population between the COM
mencement aud termination Of the intervening
fifty years. The shouting newsboys of lSi7
and the daylight carriers who then left papers
at house doors have been superseded by the
army OF quiet news agents, who. by admirable
system. distribute the Sunday newspaper with
out annoying the citizen who chcrishcs the
sac Sunday rs kept by the New Eng
landers NJ the seventeenth century.
The newspapers OF April !. 1877. taking.
for instance as representative the ErcniHg
Post. then edited by the scholarly poet Bryant.
were principally occupied with the beginnings
Of the war with Mexico that grew out OF the
annexation CT Texas n year and n half before.
Gen. Winfield Scott was reported at Malta
moras. about to embark for Vera Cruz. whittier
American ships had sailed. and there were
outlined his plans for capturing the forts OF
that port. landing lis army, and marching 10
Mexico city. Congress was debating q bill to
add Wisconsin to the twenty-nine States then
represented at Washington. and another bill
to provide territorial governments for Min.
nesota and Oregon.
The Federal Senate had Just confirmed CO
volunteer Maior-General franklin Pierce of
New hampshire. who may be said TO have then
begun his march toward the White House.
Old Bullion Benton, the Missouri senator. was
fare with colleagues. The House of Represent
atives was busy over the interminable aues-
ton of revenue. and in DISCUSSING the recently
established Sub-Treasury system. as well rs an
ant!-slavery proviso in an appropriation bill.
amen MiTa"' the evT new Code d Of PrScedETe and nd
passing laws in aid OF the new Constitution of
the previous scar. The CITY Fathers were IN
cratic Common Council. but both. parties
agreed in junketing. In company with the ST.
Just arrived IN the harbor. the first division Of
the National Guard was arranging a funeral
who had been Killed by Mexican bullets For.
eiGn news brought by slow-satlinS pac kct ships
showed that revolutionary feeling was grow
ing In Ireland. France. Germany. and Italy
predatory to the stirring events OF 1S4S. Tho
famine in Ireland was appealing TO the purses
OF church congregations and wealthy citizens.
and the frigaie acknowledgements by De-
Catnr from the british dnrinG the war Of ISL.
ic voyage to Queenstown.
But advertising columns OF April. 1917. arc
really more interesting to this generation Than
TO tho present; In 1897 the Greater New YORK
the entire State in ls47. For instance. there
were from the city authorities procedures in
Ing vacant lots which tho owners we're neglect.
ing. From these advertisements It IS learned
West Twelfth street, near sixth avenue. and
along G~recnwich avenue. In tie same neighfor-
hood. along Twenty.third street between Fifth
and sixth avenues: along the east side avenues.
near Fifth street. and a.ong Sixth avenue above
Forty second street. Real estate advertise
nents indicate that the entire city above Forty.
second. street was really as vet suburban and
that realty uptown was held a: prices which
seem absurdly small To-day.
William street is in process OF wild eninG from
Beaver street IN to Chatham square. PROMO
Forty.second street and BioominGdaie road.
Among eighteen au ctioreers advertising sales
appears the name of Adrian H.. Muller. as II
does still. Among the masters In ChnnCery.
whose places no SadaJs referees I'LL. pro.
noting sales OF realty modesyly appears tho
ter century later to be Governor. The Fed.
ernl, Bankrupt law is in full operation. md
assignee. William Coventry Henry Waddcii.
who. at the time. has n terra"ed country seat
GH ,nn sToT " p S1 M%rFP i4nm n' WhtcAh H. i, nS Of a.
that the only surviving member Is III" aged
Emanuel b. Hart. who later became Congress-
Commissioner. The city law courts OF ls47
are In full operation. and the Hdvo ,ates IN rst
OConor, Francis b. Cutting. George wopi. Og.
den Hoffman. Daniel Lord. r., Lewis =. Wood
Blunt. and James 7. brady. In one OF tho
courts sits a young Judge. lust 80 years of age,
and just selected. named Charles p. DAILY. who.
Of judicial fame. appear hale and hearty among
the celcbrants Mt the forthcoming dedication
There are advertls ID six lines of packet ships
for EuToGe-inclrdine the Black Bal line. dis
and the Garrick line. saloon cabin cnri,hcd
with portraits of actors: IlagwriGlts. and the
ssrieai sgems,' N Wni ndvo r9Hst bT sSo,yoys pas" <
T%!icston., Fox & Livingston. Moses Taylor.
Charles IL. Marshall. or Grinncll. Mtnturn 4
Co. Packet ships are also announced for Sew
Orleans: Charlestnn. the West Indies. and
South America. The future Mnvor. Tiemann.
announces modestly that he has paints to
sell. Cyrus W. Field advcrtises paper Of all
kinds and twino for sale at his It.lc store IN
Burling slip. Tho great advertising wine mcr-
chants are Alexander Selruettc. whose spc-
cialty Is brandy of u grade now no longer exist
ing: GIL Davis. who is an authority on Ma.
deira wine. now as scarce ms Martha Washing
ton silver c;in. and John Duucan. connois.
sour in bordeaux wines. who proudly an
nOunccs his agency for the newly imported
Worcestershire sauce. Outgoing ships and YES
sells are nd vertiscd with accom- ~panyiuG wood
cuts of n vessel undor full sail: wood cuts OF
s eamboats md locomotives with trains Mt
tached also Introduce other advertisements
or modes of travel. Street surface railways
are timidly planned IN COMMUNICATIONS TO
the editor. to he pooh-poohed by the nine omni-
hus lines. Itu 5sell Sage ~ State senator from
Troy. and busy with railways from that littls
city, OF which he has been Mayor, toward the
Canadian line. Irsbrow announces II crack
riding school back OF Lafayette place.
Brewers MammOth Stables on broadway.
opposite Bond street. are offered for sale. John
l.. Mason. nftcrward y great Judge. announced
as a commissioner of the newly established COM
mon school system. that n large school house is