Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-01-21

The editor of the New York Gazette
and Weekly Post Boy of Nov. q, I4S.
said that he feared to publish news of
local interest for fear his readers should
tell him that they already knew it,
I'm this dearth of news" he says, II
we poor news writer's happen to add
anything of our own we are generally
soon whipped up or blamed for making
free with other peoples affairs. IN
deed, some of US have lately informed the
public of strange news and then added:
Good news, if true, but no grounds to
believe it " Then he launches into a
complaint against the increasing high
cost of living. which shows that the
difficulties of the present day were not
unknown to the residents of New York
more than a century and a half ago:
"All the common necessities of life in
this city," says The New York Gazette
editor, continue to grow so dear, as
must soon impoverish our poor citizens
pockets unless they have better means
to supply them than we have. Ffrewood
is 80 to IS shillings a cord; butter. II
pence to IA pence per pound, and -four so
dear that 1t is a shame to mention
lishment of newspapers in America be-
fore advertising in them became popu-
lar. John Campbell, the postmaster of
Boston, who, In 17o4, started The Boston
News Letter, the first real newspaper in
this country. had great difficulty in per-
suading his neighbors to advertise their
wares William Bradford and Peter
Zenger in this city were no more fortu-
nate in the early years of their news
paper publications, and even Benjamin
Franklin. for many years after he began
publishing The Pennsylvania Gazette,
found his advertising columns very
meagre.
One learns from these early advertis
ing columns about Negro slavery in New
York, Philadelphia and Boston. In 1893
The New York Gazette advertises:
likely negro girl for town or country,
try, has had the smallpox. She is about
Is years old Also to be sold, sundry
drugs and medicine by John Briggs over
against the Meal Market
One morning in III this item appeared
in the same paper:
Negro Wench, run away, supposed
to Flatbush, Long Island, where she was
lately purchased of Cornelius Van Der
Veer. Jr., is about % years old and is
English. Is of stubborn disposition
especially when she drinks spurious
liquors, which she is sometimes too fond
of. She is pretty stout wench, but
not tall, smooth faced and pretty black.
Whoever harbours her will be prosecuted
but such as give Information to William
Tongue, her owner in Hanover Square,
shall receive five pounds reward with
thanks.
This item, which reveals the custom of
selling the time of indentured servants. is
taken from Franklin's Pennsylvania Ga
zette in 1865:
Servants, Now remaining on board the
ship Neptune near Willing and Morris
wharf, and to be sold very cheap for
cash or short credit. by John Hart.
boys amongst which are the following
trades. viz hatters, hostlers, weavers,
carpenters, wool combers, dyers, BARRIERS
cutters. butchers, rope makers. plaster
ers. farmers and laborers.
Here is an advertisement from a Phila-
delphia. paper of 1916:
Mary Catrel from the city of Dublin. at
Mr.. Burk's. perriwig maker in Front
Street, between Chestnut and Walnut
Streets, makes and sells all sorts of gen
tlemen's velvet caps, leather etc, also
ladies' and children's caps, mantilets,
pilareens, hoods, bonnets, long and short
cloaks mantles and scarfs with black
bags and roses for gentlemen's hair or
wigs; all which she makes after the neat
est and newest fashions and very cheap
Samuel Fraunces, the popular tavern
keeper Of New York, whose alehouse is
still standing at Broad and Pearl streets,
where Washington babe farewell to his
officers, was a frequent advertiser Be-
fore the Revolution his house was known
as the Queens Head Tavern. Some idea
of the service he was prepared to give
may be CLEANED from his advertisement
In 1773:
The subscriber. DESTROYS to accommo-
date the respectable inhabitants of this
city to the utmost of his power, has fit
ted up large, commodious room in the
lower part of his house for the reception
and entertainment of such persons who
may choose to regale themselves with
fine ale of this country produce, equal to
any imported; also draft or bottled por-
ter from London of the first quality,
neat wines of different spirits, punch
and other liquors. At any time in the
day or evening, beefsteak, mutton or
pork chops, veal steaks, or outlets, fry'd
oysters &c, served in the neatest man.
ner.
Robert G. Livingston, Jr., advertises
in 1773 that he has at his store in Dock
street a great variety of mems plain
ribbed and Powered silk hose, corded
chntzes for ladies' gowns. handsome
gauze aprons and sundry other goods
Peter and George Lorillard, the famous
tobacconists. announced in 1875 that at
their store, 30 Chatham street near the
jail, they had for sale "Kitefoot and
common smoking tobacco, Rappee, Stras-
burgh and Segars. pigtail and plug to-
bacco and Curacao snuffs." They say
that they have erected mills for manu-
featuring Scotch and Rappee snuff in
large quantities warranted equal in quail
ity to any on the continent.
Paul Revere, whose fame rests upon his
midnight ride, advertises in a Boston
paper of 1765, that he and Josiah FlagG
have published a collection of the best
psalm tunes in two, three and four parts
to which are added some hymns and an
thems, the greater part never before
printed in America.
The first picture of an umbrella In the
Colonial press appears at the head o
queer little advertisement in The Bos
ton Gazette of May 20. III.
Umbrellas made and sold by Isaac
Greenwood Turner. at his shop in Fore
street next door to DR.. Clark's. NORTH
End, Boston. Where ladies may be sup
piled with all sizes, so small as to suit