Evening journal., 1902-05-02
MAkE.SHlFTS OF
OUR ANCESTORS

Wilmington has the reputation Of
having as good, if not better, drinking
water than any other city in the coun-
try. 1t also is famous the country over
for its excellent fire department The
mains and plugs and various equip
ments of today, however, present
strong contrast to the times when the
city's water works we're in their in
fancy.
William Ferris. who is one of the
oldest as well as best known residents
of the city, talks Interestingly of those
days He says that the first water
works consisted of the Rodney street
basin. from which the water was
brought down into the city through
logs. bitches were dug in Market and
other streets to the depth of ten feet
and patched with clay. Then in
times of a confagration, suction en-
lgines. which then We're in use, were put
to these bitches and the flames were
played upon to the best possible ad-
vantage The bitches were usually
covered with a sort OF lid, but when
there wac a fire. this was removed an
the hose dropped down into the
trenches.
Previous to the digging of these
lditches. the bucket brigade fiOurished
Then every householder was compelled
Ito have a certain number of leather
buckets in his home, and, upon the
alarm of fire. was expected to contrib
ute his assistance in extinguishing the
blaze
In these DAYS of electricity and gas,
Ito say nothing Of the decorative lamps
(which adorn many houses. it is diff
lcult to imagine early Wilmingtonians
sending to Nantucket for whale oil for
lighting purposes. in olden times, lard
oil was burned then "camphine," q
fluid which was very volatile and cor
lrespondingly dangerous. Then came
coal oil But. previous TO the advent
, Of the latter burning fluid, tallow dir
candles were in general use, and a firm
which Manufactured them at Third and
Orange streets, waxed prosperous.
b The candles were tied in punches
S and they came four, six, eight
ten or twelve to a pound, according tC
their size. In the manufacturing pro
cess an immense wheel was used. This
j. was filled with the twine strings, and
: when revOlved. dipped" them in g
4 tank of tallow until they attained tn
desired size
Many people, however, made theii
r. own candles.
In the old days coal was not the con
lvenient commodity to purchase that
T. now is. All one has to do now is {
telephone to his dealer for the desire
amount of coal and to name the size
trf rf LinrUnnrIg II wa
bought in bulk. or huge chunks, sue
r. aa that which adOrns the corner a
IL Ninth and Shipley streets. and tn
man of the house either had the pleas
ure of reducing il to fragments. c
d.. hiring some other man TO do it f'
" him. However the fuel was not S
~ Expensive as now.
ei There doubtless are many peop
10 of the latter part of the last generi
IT, tion or the early part of this who r.
Oh member how oysters We're peddled
lit tho city streets, as shad and other fis
OF now are in season. Among the mo
'al prominent of the vendors was OF
Ir l"Davy" Cornish. he Of the wooden lie
IN. who used TO stump along shouting
sh- his sing-song voice.
Ir. You've got money and I've g
m. none"
m Come buy my oysters and let me
home"
Then many oyster fleets came to
,as dock near Warmers wharf and il W
:. a popular fad 10 go there and feast
~ THE bivalves. one getting as many
-no one could eat for Zip and Bit
I'M IN six and one-half cents.
IN Ellen Orr.
it