Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-03-22
UNIQUE HISTORY
It Was Written, Set Up In Type and
Published by a Man Eighty Years
oId---old Newspapers and
Their "Ads"
BY GEORGE NOX MCCAIN

4 of all the sketches and histories Of the
city, is, beyond doubt, one printed and
published by Daniel Bowen in 1880.
1t isn't a history properly speaking, but
rather n guide book with historical refer
ences containing 200 pages.
A rare copy came to my hand from lady
whose ancestors names figure in the quaint
volume.
Thc oddity of the publication is associated
with the personality of the author, Daniel
Bowen
Its historical value is contained in the
purely local Coloring and description of
men, men, shops, museums and institutions of the
Bowen was native of Philadelphia. He
served both as soldier and sailor in the war
of the Revolution
From 1900 until about 1888 he was away
from the city continuously He came back
as comparative stranger and writes his
impressions as though he we're French or
English tourist visiting the city for the first
time.
lie was then n very old man. and fancy
was one of the earliest types of the tramp
printer.
He obtained permission from the pro
prictor Of "Ioungs Printing office. No. ;
Black Horse alley off South Second street
between Market and Chestnut to Use his
type, ornaments, and presses gratis for the
publication of his history, which he set up
with his own hand.
The author, printer and publisher was at
lht lllhS 'ishlS StulS VI
THE fiftieth anniversary of the organi
L 2aton of the PHILADELPHIA paid fire de-
partmcnt last week calls up this interesting
fact taken from Bowen's history.
Under n heading "Regulatons of the State
House Bell he gives the following arrange
mcnt for notifying the citizens 'of the IL
rection of fires
when the fire is in the vicinity of the
State House Independence Hall, the bell
is struck rapidly without any distinct inter-
mission.
When north of the State House. one blow
is given with distinct pause between each
repetition.
east three. When west four.
when the fire is northeast, ono blow is
given followed by a distinct pause then
three blows in quick succession.
when northwest, one. four. When
southeast. two, three. When southwest,
two, four.
It requires three pages double column
measure to contain the index to the work.
T VENTURE the assertion that in scores of
i old Philadelphia and Pennsylvania
homes there are hundreds of priceless relics
hidden away in attiCs and bureau drawers
of whose worth the owners are blissfully is-
nOrant.
There must be hundreds of copies Of val
liable books. newspapers and manuscripts
not to mention old china and rare pictures.
cngravings and furniture.
The idea was impressed upon me when
David Is. Howe, the banker. showed me
perfect copy of the New England Weekly
Journal of April s. 1928
1t was published in Boston BY IS. Knee
land and II. Green at the printing house in
Queens street where advertisements are taken
in.
II was single shcct about ten by four
teen inches and its latest news from abroad
was dated London, November 4 1927.
This rare old copy, which was about the
third newspaper published in Massachusetts.
was found in Il bureau drawer in Chester
county, together with some other old papers
that had been lying neglected for thirty years
before it was rescued and presented to Mr..
Howe.
VERY few copies of American newspapers
of older date are still to be found.
The contents of this one are quite as in
tcrcsting as the sheet itself.
One of the advertisements reads: "Choicr
new coffee al eight shillngs per pound"
Al ordinary prP-war exchange this would
be about equivalent to 81 a pound today.
4 book advertisement offers Tho History
Of tn" Rise. Increase and Progress of the
Christian People Called QuakPrs. Intcrmix"d
With Several Remarkable Occurrences. by
William SPwcll.
Another reads:
"A very likely Negro girl about thirteen or
fourteen years of age. speaks good English
has been in the country some years, TO be
sold. inquire Of the printer hereof"
That same advertisement might have ap-
pparcd any time prior to 1860 in any news
paper south of Mason and DiXon's line
MOT all the sharp corners in commercial
~ transactions are turned bv firms and
corporations in the ordinary course of bust
ness.
learned of a new on" which was part of
III" experience" Of a. Lincoln Ackor. the
citv> : purchasing agent
The purchasing agent not only buys every
thing in tn" way of supplies needed by the
city and its institutions. from provisions by
the ton to toilet soap, but the city also has
II lot Of stuff to sell which is a part of the
dury of the purchasing agent to dispose Of
Some time since. Mr.. Ackcr had some old
material to dispose of. There wasn't very
n,lch demand for it, and he received only
few bids for the stuff.
He was considering the highest bid when
he received Il communication from a broker
in one of the New England cities who offered
him fraction of a dollar more than the
highest bid.
There was Il peculiar OdOr about the mat
ter that led him TO investigate il in Il uuet
way when he discovered that the broker was
| the representative in tn" northeast Of the
! local concern that had offered the highest
| price for the material.
II occurred to him that if any body was
willing by SurrcptitiouS means to offer more
| than his own bid the material was of
more value than appeared on thc face Of IT,
And it was, for he obtained higher
| figure for it later on.
| CNENATOR LARRY EYRE. of rhcStor is
| ~ chairman of the Senate committee on
appropriations.