The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-12-18
OLD PENSACOLA
(BY j. N. ANDREWs9

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| Not SO many days ago as I stood
on tho wharf and looked out over the
bay, I was reminded Of the tugboats
that piled the waters Of Pensacola bay
| in the past The Ingalls,, Thatcher,
Seminole Belle Darlington, Ruth. Cap
| tain Sam, w. j. Keyser Marie Louise.
June. Echo, Mary Witch and f. T..
Simpson, all vessels of the past, with
their various captains, Russian, Finn,
o'LearY Rogers, Eldredge, Fauria,
Leonard, and others; they all filed in
single procession before my minds
eye as I stood on the wharf and looked
out over tho glistening waters of the
bay.
In those days there We're steamers
making weekly trips between Milton
and New Orleans. The Arnite and the
Lizzie" with her gruff but good-na-
tured old Captain, fletcher, where the
boats engaged In the freight and pas
senger traffgc between these cities
Then there were quite a number Of
pilot boats with a large association
Of pilots, a fine sturdy lot of men,
whose business brought a great deal of
money to Pensacola
Then there We're the markets that
supplied these pilots and their vessels
with all kinds of vegetables, fresh
meats, etc. Very few will remember
Gam Bell, big jolly man, or Ldkariff,
Connors, McDayid or Coulson, but,
nevertheless. they We're a real bunch
of men, and in their time played an
important part in the life Of Pensacola
We did not have any such thing as
a cold storage or refrigerator IN those
days and butter in the summer time
was like oil, and lard was as liquid as
water. AS for fresh meat. during the
summer months it had to be tied to
keep it from hopping away.
Then there was the syrup About
the middle of January it would begin
to ferment and often would blow the
corks out Of the bottles or jugs. It
was n common occurrence to hear their
sharp report when around where a
quantity of this particular product was
stored. Oftimes large quantities of the
syrup would be shipped to New Or
leans, where 1t would be re-boiled,
which gave 1t rather dark color and
left it with a coppery taste.
I was standing on the sidewalk few
days ago when a lady drove up to the
ClA'pf SLSpAAGu liGL dlLO1liODt1G, 1pGAG0a
the door, stepped cut, and without as
sistance entered a nearby store. In
few minutes she returned and got into
the auto and drove Off know such is
the custom these days, but I stood there
and thought Of how different It would
have been in such a case a few years
ago, In the old days some man would
have politely gone and hitched the
horse, for automobiles were practically
undreamed Of then, and when she re-
turned would have assisted her into the
buggy and unhitched the horse, even
If he had been a stranger. The once
boasted-of spirit of southern chivalry
and gallantry is sadly lacking in these
so-called modern days.
Three Of the old time sheriffs We're
J. S. Roberts, Joe wilkins and w. II.
Hutchinson. They We're each good men
in their time and they always had
plenty to do during the days shortly
after the civil war J. 3. Roberts
served one term as city marshal, and
he was good one, too.
There was another old custom in
those days that seems to have died out
altogether now When people finished
trading at store, grown-ups or chill
dren. they would say "Lagniappe,"
which meant that they wanted to re-
ceive something, cakes, apples or candy
free gratis, az a token Of appreciation
of their patronage. Som etimes a mother
with several children had to be salts
fed, but finally this custom became
nuisance and was abolished
Then there was The shiyaree. When
a widow or widower Remarked a /
crowd would gather with old tin cans, |
pans, horns, bells and anything else
that would make noise. This would I
be kept uu sometimes for three nights I
in succession, or until the crowd was /
treated. Once. during a shivaree, the T
couple slipped out through the back I
door, went over TO the next street, got /
into hack and drove away. leaving
the midnight jewellers to enjoy the joke +
when they found it out. I have little /
poem written, / suppose, on the spur
OF the moment, or some other kind OF +
a spur, about 50 years ago:
The moon came out to cheer the night, T
With many q silvery beam.
She cast a glorious flood OF light,
Ger wood and field and stream.
A few gallant young men wandered
forth.
AT this stil moonlight hour,
With bells and cans to make melody
Before a Iady's door.
She heard them coming, stood at the
door;
Thought, what can the matter be?
Answer: Those that on the sly to we'd
dings go,
We have come to shivaree.
And loud they beat the old tin cans,
As loud the noise it rang,
Out on the Silly air,
It was thus these young men sang.
Why did You go 70 that wedding,
And never let us know?
Then one young man so gallant.
With his can gave the gate a blow.