The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1904-06-16
So Certain, Safe and Reliable that No
Other Medicine Can Take lts Place
"ORIGINAL LIBBY"
A Maine Man whose New York Restaurants
were Noted Generations Ago.
From the New York Herald.


From the New York Herald
Surrounded by members of his fam
lily and few of his most intimate
friends Captain Demorin Libby, known
to New York residents of half a cen
fury ago as The Original Libby" cele
brated his ninetieth birthday June 18th.
The aged Captain does not look his
fourScore years and ten, and he says he
is but "a lad o'fifty.' His step is firm,
his eyes are bright and the grasp of his
hand is as StrongaS it was seventy years
ago when he piled marlingsplke and
reeved rope on a Nantucket Schoon-
CT. Only last winter he cut fancy fig
ures on the ice While on a pair of skates
he has owned for forty years, and just
last week he finished laying hardwood
floor in the home of his son in East
this just to show that a man ninety
years Old was something better than "a
drag about the house
Capt Demorin Libby was born in
Hampden, Me-. and in his early youth
removed to Wellheet. Mass. He ship
ped from that port aboard a coast fish
ing schooner when he was only nine
years old, and in time became fore
mast hand, bosunS mate, and so on
along the line until he was made cap
tain and then became part owner of
fleet of coast fishing schooners.
He was successful, and with the pro-
ceedS OF several seasons in his pockets
he came to New York and established
himself in the restaurant business, first
at No. 8 Broad street, where he re-
manned three years. moving at the end
of that time to No. 10 Wall street.
where for eighteen years he and his
brother, Robert II. Libby, conducted a
business along similar lines. His last
place, which he kept for thirty three
years, was at No. 50 Murray street.
He was THE Original Libby" the
pioneer dispenser of Boston imported
Holsters, a master in the art of picking
oysters and an adept in serving the
bivalves on the half shell. He is even
said to have been the man who origin
ated the present method of opening
oysters.
you young fellows of this day don't
appreciate these old times" said Cap
tain Libby yesterday. Nowadays
when it gets time for the MONDAY meal
you rush into one OF those slapdash,
get rich quick lunch places and cram a
lot of hot, indigestibe stuff down your
threats and rush back again. Now, in
my day my customers would come in
with, 'Howdy, Cap'n Libby, nice day
to-day. Now what would you recon-
mend for me to eat today I'd sit
back in my chair thoughtfully and I'd
say:-'Well, it appears to me largely
matter of choice. 1t you feel inclined
toward a few of those succulent looking
oysters over there | should say take
hn,, IA nj lint
hand, I'd say, you don't feel as if the
about half of one of those lobsters'
And after celebrating over it he'd sit
down and eat i'll peace and comfort.
It's most amazing to me how the
present generation lives at all.
"A man who ran place like mine
had chance to get we'll acquainted.
Now there was Edwin Forrest. You've
all heard of him, and Horace Greeley,
he was my good friend. Never much
to say, you know, but he was one of the
powerful men of his day. And then
there was Mr.. Hackett, another actor.
Perhaps said Mr.. Libby, with renli-
niscent chuckle, perhaps he was bet
ter acquainted with my old Maltese cat
Tom than he was with me. He was
mighty fond of Tom.
"There was Jenny Lind and that old
fellow who used to drive the stage to
University place. l forget his name,
but he could eat oysters, tell you.
ooh, l could 60 on telling you about
those old timers. My old friend, An
thony J. Blocker, the lawyer, used to
come in quite frequently, and he and
his son were quite friendly. The old
Commodore, Cornelius Vanderbilt, used
to come around occasionally. He was
one of the best and used to call me by
he was, too. We don't see SO many Of
his kind to-day. l wish we did," said
the Captain in conclusion.