Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-04-28
HISTORY IN ADVERTISEMENTS
Give Better Idea of Manners and Gus
toms of People Than News Stories.

yer into local history who has had oc-
casion to pore over the files in the
public library, or in the New York
Historical society, will admit that the
advertisements are the most interest
ing part of the paper. More real in
formation regarding the manners and
/ customs of the people, their modes Of
travel, the things they ate and wore,
the books they read and their amuse-
ments is to be found in the advertis-
ing columns than in those parts Of
the paper devoted to what was termed
news in those days.
The editor of the New York Gazette
and Weekly Post Of November 81,
174S, said that he feared to publish
news of local interest for fear his
readers should tell him that they al
ready knew it.
In this dearth Of news" he said, IF
we poor news writer's happen to add
anything of our own we are generally
soon whipped up or blamed for max
ing free with other peoples affairs.
ed 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 pres
ent day were not unknown to the res
idents of New York more than a GEN.
tury and a half ago:
"All the common necessities Of life
in this city," says the New York Ga
zette 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. Firewood is $7.75 to $3.50 a
cord; butter, 25c to csc per pound,
and flour so dear that it is a shame to
mention"
1t was several years after the estab-
lishment Of newspapers in America
before advertising in them became
popular. John Campbell, the post
master of Boston, who in 1904 start
real newspaper in this country, had
great difficulty in persuading his
neighbors to advertise their wares.
William Bradford and Peter Zenger,
in this city, were no more fortunate in
the early years of their newspaper
publications, and even Benjamin
Franklin years after he began pub
fishing the Pennsylvania Gazette,
found his advertising columns very
meagre.
One learns from these early adver-
tising columns about negro slavery in
New York, Philadelphia and Boston.
In 1888 the New York Gazette adver-
tises:
"A likely negro girl for town or
country; has had the smallpox. She
is about Is years old. Also to be sold
sundry drugs and medicines by John
Briggs over against the Meat Market"
On morning in 1777 this item ap-
peared in the same paper:
"A negro wench, ran away. suppos-
ed to Flatbush. Long Island, where
she was lately purchased Of Cornelius
Van Der Veer, Jr.; is about 23 years
old and is called Betty. Can speak
both Dutch and English; is Of stub
born disposition, especially when she
drinks spurious liquors, which she Is
sometimes too fond of. She Is pref
ty stout wench, but not tall, smooth
faced and pretty black. Whoever har-
bors her will be prosecuted, but such
as give information to William Ton
que, her owner, in Hanover So, shall
receive e5 reward with tharks."
This item, which reveals the custom
of selling the time of indentured SER
wants. is taken from Franklin's Penn
sylvania Gazette Of 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, a few Irish servants, men, wo-
men and boys, among which are the
following trades, viz: Hatters, hostlers,
weavers, carpenters, wool combers,
dyers, BARRIERS, cutters, butchers, rope
makers, plasters, farmers and labor
ers.
Here is an advertisement from a
Philadelphia paper Of 1746:
Mary Catrel from the city Of Dub
| lin, at Mr.. Burk's perriwig maker in
Front street, between Chestnut and
| Walnut streets, makes and sells all
sorts of gentlemen's velvet caps
leather, &c. also ladies' and children's
caps, mantilets, pillareena, hoods, bon
nets, long and short cloaks, mantles
and scarfs, with black bugs and roses
for gentlemen's hair or wigs; all which
she makes after the neatest and new
est fashions and very cheap"
Samuel Fraunces, the popular tav-
ern keeper of New York, whose ale
house is still standing at Broad and
Pearl streets, where Washington bade
farewell to his officers, was a frequent
advertiser. Before 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 advertisements in 1878:
1.-The subscriber desirOus to accom-
modate the respectable inhabitants Of
this city to the utmost of his power,
has fitted up a large, commodious
room in the lower part Of the 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 import
ed; also, draft or bottled porter 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 etc, served in the neatest
manner"
Robert G.. Livingston, Jr., advertis-
es in 1873 that he has a: his store in
Dock street great variety of mems
plain ribbed and fowered silk hose,
corded chintzes for ladies' gowns,