The Columbus journal., 1903-06-17

OVOSPU bvs VSCU0bOOOU ~ war UUuO
and To-Day.
On April II. 1861, the Keystone state.
at that time one of the fastest YES
sells flying the stars and stripes.
sailed into the port Of Philadelphia
Commander Maxwell WOodhall had
chartered the boat and she was to en-
ter the government service immediate
ly. But Commander Woodhall. try as
he would, could not find q pilot who
had q knowledge of Southern waters.
After hunting among the wharves he
went, as . last resort, to the Clyde
cOmpany's ONCE. President Clyde
himself recommended Richardson,
who volunteered to take the position,
and that afternoon he turned the nose
cf the Keystone State southwark for
Hampton roads. where he was trans
ferred to the sloopOf-war Pawnee.
While of the Florida coast he ap-
piled for and received a discharge. rs
he still had no commission. and took
passage for home. Arriving in Phila-
delphia he found awaiting him q COM
mission from the secretary of the
navy appointing him a naval master
and assigning him to duty on the Mas
sachusetts. He served till 1866, when
he received an honorable discharge
When High Prices Prevailed.
when I hear a friend of mine COM
plain Of prices on the bill of fare of
any rich-toned hotel restaurant. I tell
him he ought to have lived In the
South during the closing days of the
war and taken his meals at any first
class restaurant. and then he would
see that. in comparison with. the prices
of today. things to eat are almost
given away" said Mr.. T. J. Wilson of
Virginia, at the New Willard to Star
man recently. Why. during the days
of "a you had to carry basketful Of
money to buy enough meats and vege-
tables for a family dinner And 1t
was the same way if you took your
best girl to supper after the theater.
IN looking over some old documents
the other day ! came across a price
list of articles served by the old ORR
entail restaurant at Richmond. The
prices that prevailed then seem worse
than robbery now to those not &C.
quainted with the then existing con-
ditiOns. For instance. a plate of soup
cost just $3.50. Think of that, And
1t wasn't green turtle soup. For an
order of turkey or chicken You were
taxed $3.50. while for roast beef you
paid So an order. II you had an appe-
tite for rockfish you could get a plate
of it for s.. Fried oysters also com
the same price. Pure coffee
was SO per cup. pure tea 81 and fresh
milk 81. Bread and butter was worth
on the list were cabbage and potatoes,
an order of either costing ST. Ham |
and eggs was popular dish at $3.50. !
A dozen on the half shell brought IS.
But it was the drinkables that brought |
fancy prices. A cold bottle of cham
pagne or Madeira cost $50, sherry was !
worth S35. port $25 and claret $50.
Malt liquors were high in proportion.
Port and ale could not be had under
BIZ per bottle; half bottles were sold |
IOr $6. Whisky and brandy were sold
BY the drink. French brandy was $3,
while rye whisky and apple brandy
vas dispensed over the bar or at the
able for 81 a drink. Havana cigars,
,ood ones. were worth 81 apiece. And
n those days we heard nothing of a
,eef trust or a whisky trust. When
'ou consider the service given by the
eadins hotels of the country and the
mount OF money invested by the COM
,anies that own them I think the
,rices of to-day are reasonable. and
hat it is not good form to register a
ick every time the waiter hands you a
heck for a we'll cooked neal
Star.