The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-03-11

 BRIDGEPORT CINE HUNDRED
 YEARS AGO ;

The Bridgeport Farmer of March Il,
 1S45, contains an account of the cere-
 monies attendant upon the inaugura-
 tion, James K. Polk president. and George M. Dallas. vice-president. Even at that early day the usual unpleasant
 weather conditions of the date were
 commented upon. On March 4. 1s45. it rained all day and the inaugural parade was made through slush and rain. a
 It was along about this time that
 Philo F. Barnum was nominated by
 the Democrats of this county for sheriff. The whigs put up Charles Isaacs and made their campaign on the issue of rum selling. alleging that Barnum, who conducted a hotel in this
 city and sold intoxicating liquors,
 while a good man otherwise. was not a fit person for county sheriff. Not to be foreStalled by any such political move Barnum promptly abandoned the liquor business and advertised his hotel as temperance house. In his adver- t1sement Sheriff Barnum says: 'In compliance with my convictions of duty and upon the solicitations of many of my own friends and the strong friends. of temperance through .out the county and particularly in obedience to the request of the ladies of Bridgeport I have determined that the hotel which have kept for several years past shall hereafter. while in my hands. be no other than a strict tenn perance house." In the issue of the next week the Farmer says under the head Selling Rum:''
 The Whig managers f1attered them selves they should be able to make lot. of capital against our candidate for sheriff from the fact that he was a hotel keeper. and sold rum. But they counted their chickens before they were matched. Having been defeated in their calculations by the prompt re- Hnquishment of the business by MT. Barnum they have pitched a new tune and now cry against introducing tenn perance into politics.
 Stand up to the mark. gentlemen. No backing out. You commenced the war and chose your own weapons. If you get thrashed out. as we trust you will Jet us hear no complaint. You have admitted that MT. Barnum was a first rate man. and could find no other fault with him except his selling rum. This he has entirely abandoned. So your objection has been removed. Now. walk up like men and give him your support. He is in every respect a far sbetter man than your crazy headed Charley Isaac-who is no more fit for the responsible office of sheriff than a rib-nosed baboon would be for clerk in an apothecary, store. Shame on you- If you have no better man than him tor the office, you had better take one from our side or import one method of bringing the office into con tempt. Charles Isaac for sheriffl Whewi Tell it not in Gath This is decidedly worse than the nomination of Pettingil for Senator. of which his party, we have no doubt are really ashamed"
 The Whigs won in. the election which took place two weeks later and both Charley Isaac and Pettineill won. Aft CT election the advertisement of Bar nuns temperance hotel did not appear in the Farmer. Later however. Bar mum was elected sheriff and served with honor for years. His hotel was on Main street near the corner of State. Many residents of the city who do not consider themselves old by any means remember him we'll Two of his grandsonS. David F. and Charles B. Read are still with us prominent in the business and social life of the city. |