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Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 20, 1875
John Chinaman in New York
John Chinaman in New York - The New York Tribune describes the haunts of the Chinese in that city as follows:
In the Sixth Ward is a small district where most of the Chinese in New York live. A visitor to their opium smoking dens may go to Baxter Street, just below Franklin, where was formerly Donovan’s lane, the resort of the most desperate villains in the city, but which is now a Y-shaped court shut in on all sides by high tenement houses.
On the ground floor of one of these buildings is the establishment of "Old John", a Chinaman 74 years old, who has been in the United States 47 years, and was the first of his race to become naturalized. His quarters comprise three rooms. By the door is seated his assistant, who gives out the drug. Upon one side of the room is a low platform or dais; sometimes there are two, one above the other, like births upon which men are to be seen reclining in the different stages of opium intoxication. [How interesting - guess that’s where the word ’berths’ comes from].
The pipes consist of a bamboo stem and a porcelain bowl about 2 inches in diameter, in the centre [sic] of which is a small receptacle for the opium. A small piece of the drug is taken up on an iron rod and heated until it is dried to a proper consistency. Then it is inserted into the pipe, and the smoker slowly draws the smoke through, soon filling the whole room with a peculiar smell.
The proprietor furnishes his customers with pipes and a place to lie down. The drug is weighed out upon a rude pair of reed scales. The weight used is a silver coin. Each smoker is provided with a small horn box, which will contain about 15 cents’ worth of opium, enough to last an average smoker all night. The preparation is undoubtedly adulterated, since it costs the druggist $23.50 a pound.
A few doors below, on the same side, is another place where smoking is carried on, which does not differ materailly from Old John’s. There is, however, a temple connected with it. On the wall is hung a gayly [sic] painted picture of some Chinese god, at whose shoulder, on one side, man’s good angel is represented, and on the other, his evil angel.
The faces are very grotesque, and resemble those painted upon tea chests. Hanging upon the picture are numerous tinsel and paper flowers, with faces painted upon the petals, and a little below the picture is a shrine upon which stand two candles, to be lighted only upon festival occasions.
In the middle is a dish containing sand, in which are the burned fragments of several joss sticks. The pious Celestial lights one of these, and placing it in the sand on the altar prays to his deity. From the ceiling hangs two Chinese lanterns, and there is also a glass vessel containing some kind of vegetable oil in which floats a burning wick.
A cup of the same oil is placed in the shrine for the especial use of the god. Upon the wall are hung bulletin boards where the news which agitates the Chinese world is pasted. A curious scroll, resembling the red cover on a pack of fire crackers, attracts attention and proves to be a directory of business of the principal Chinese merchants in San Francisco.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 20, 1875
August Flower
August Flower - The most miserable beings in the world are those suffering from dyspepsia and liver complaint. More than 75% of the people in the United States are afflicted with these two diseases and their effects, such as Sour Stomach, Sick Headache, Habitual Costiveness, Palpitation of the Heart, Heart-burn, Water-brash, gnawing and burning pains at the pit of the Stomach, Yellow Skin, Coated Tongue, and disagreeable taste in the mouth, coming up of food after eating, low spirits, etc.
Go to the Drug Store of Childs & Payne, Greenfield, and W.B. Andrews, Orange, and get a 75 cent bottle, or a sample bottle for 10 cents. Try it. Two doses will relieve you.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 20, 1875
Turners Falls
Turners Falls - Drs. E.C. Coy and E.R. Campbell, late of Saxon River, Vt. have gone into partnership, and will at once open a drug store in Schuler’s Block in the store lately occupied by A.W. Stevens.
[Read more about Dr.Campbell in the "History of the town of Rockingham, Vermont, including the villages of Bellows Falls, Saxtons River, Rockingham, Cambridgeport and Bartonsville, 1753-1907, with family genealogies" on Internet Archive]
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 20, 1875
Greenfield items
Greenfield - Francis B. Wells, son of Elisha Wells of Deerfield, who has for some years been a clerk in Howland & Lowell’s drug store, is taking a course of study in the College of Pharmacy, New York.
[See the Internet Archive’s "Greenfield Directory" for 1885 to see his listing].
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 13, 1875
South Deerfield
South Deerfield - O.S. Arms' stock of boots and shoes was removed from his store in Pierce's block, and was considerably damaged. Mr. Boche's stock of drugs was injured in removal to the amount of $500. [This name was blurry; I had him down as M. Roch before; it might even be Roche].
Boyd & Houghton also removed their goods which were damaged not less than $250. Charles S. Babcock, who was boarding at the Bloody Brook House with his family, lost about $600 worth of furniture, clothing, etc. G.W. Scudder, jeweler, lost tools and jewelry to the value of $250. S.F. Fisher's loss from damage to harness goods in [?] is $300 not insured.
Pierce's block was injured to the extent of $300 or $400, which was insured. Dr. D.M. Elliot's residence, though in great danger for some time, was finally saved, and with little damage to the contents which were partly removed.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 6, 1875
Great fire at South Deerfield
Great fire at South Deerfield - over $40,000 worth of property destroyed. One of the most destructive conflagrations that has ever visited Franklin County raged at South Deerfield Sat. night, sweeping out of existence the two village hotels, the finest private dwelling house in the place, a manufacturing establishment, a livery stable with several buildings, sheds and other property.
About 15 minutes before 12 o’clock, fire was discovered in the trimming room, in the second story of the ell part of John Ockington’s carriage shop, which was located on Depot Street, a little west of the Main street of the village. Before the alarm became general the flames with almost lightning rapidity spread to the main building, a large 2 story wooden structure, used for the various branches of the carriage business, and a repository for finished work.
Mr. Ockington’s books were rescued, and a portion of his stock, but a carryall, buggy, express wagon, sleigh, and a no. of carriages in different stages of construction, tools and lumber and stock of various kind were destroyed. ..The wind, which was blowing strongly from the north and north west, carried the flying cinders in the direction of Main Street.
Ten and a half ft. from the shop was the livery stable owned by W. Houston and occupied by Frank Warren. Hardly 15 minutes from the breaking out of the fire the stable had caught, and in a very short time was reduced to ashes...The next building reached by the devouring fire fiend was the Hayden Hotel, a large 2 story wooden building in the south west corner of Main Street and Depot Street, 75 ft. distant from the stable. It was owned by L. Hayden and occupied by his son Charles Hayden.
...Nearly all the furniture was removed from the building, but still considerable valuable property was destroyed. Miss Benn Hayden occupied a fancy goods store in the block, and her stock was nearly all saved.
100 ft. to the south on Main Street was Loren Hayden’s fine dwelling house, built but a short time ago, the most extensive residence in South Deerfield, and well furnished. Only a part of the furniture was saved, and the building and most of its contents were soon in ashes. In the rear, 27 ft. distance, was a large new barn which with its contents of hay and grain were destroyed....
While the conflagration was waging its war of destruction upon this corner of the street, another had broken out with equal fury on the opposite corner. The Bloody Brook House, belonging to C.P. Aldrich, was in a few moments a mass of flames. This long building, extending over 100 ft. on Main Street, with a new ell on Depot Street, its barns and numerous outbuildings melted before the flames like frost beneath the rays of the sun.
Efforts were made to clear out the contents but they were mostly unavailing, and the furniture, a piano, billiard table, provisions, bedding, etc. were lapped up by the greedy element. In the large grocery store of L.T. Harris, in the ell part of the building, but little was taken out. Scudder, a jeweler, saved most of his stock, but shot himself through the hand while handling one of his revolvers. J.T. Burnett occupied a room as a barber shop, but met no serious loss.
S.F. Fisher, who had a harness shop in the building, packed his goods and tools in trunks, and saved nearly all. P. Corkins, the shoemaker, another occupant, was alike fortunate. Several boarders in the hotel lost their clothing, but fortunately no one perished or was seriously injured.
Providentially there was a change in the wind, and the fire made no further progress in a northerly direction; though a horse belonging to Edward Jones of Greenfield, which is adjacent, was scorched and vigilant watching was required to prevent it from igniting. O.S. Arms’ house, on the east side of Main Street opposite Hayden’s, was several times on fire. All of the furniture was taken out, and by cutting through the roof and applying water as best they could when flames were discovered, he and his neighbors managed to save the building.
On the corner of Main Street opposite the Hayden hotel, is a large wooden building belonging to C.A. Pierce. This too was scorched. and the roof was frequently on fire, but it was saved without serious damage. Its occupants, M. Roch, druggist, Boyd & Houghton, dry goods, Mrs. B. Parsons Mansfield, milliner, O.S. Arms, post office and shoe store removed a portion or all of their goods, and had them more or less damaged. William B. Houston, who occupied a tenement on the 2nd floor, had his furniture taken out.
Deacon L.H. Fellow’s house, some 20 ft. from the post office, was also on fire and its contents taken out, but the fire was kept at bay by the use of small hand pumps, such as are used in gardens and in washing carriages. C. Mosher’s livery stable was saved in the same way. Numerous other houses and buildings were at different times on fire, but the assembled people were able to put them out.
South Deerfield is without a fire engine, reservoir, or any organized means for extinguishing fire. The people who assembled in obedience to the alarm could do little but assist in moving furniture and goods, and the fire in the destruction of the buildings mentioned had it all its own way. Within two hours from the breaking out of the flames in Ockington’s shop they had done their work, and nothing was left but tottering chimneys and smouldering embers.
About a quarter past 12 a dispatch was sent to Springfield for help and an hour or two after, two steamers and a hose cart arrived, making the run from Springfield in 40 minutes; but it was too late to be of service, and if the engines had come earlier there would have been little water that could have been made use of. The train soon returned.
The Deerfield Guards, under Captain B.F. Bridges, who had returned from msuter the afternoon previous, were early called to guard the property scattered about the streets. Some disturbance was created by boys who had confiscated liquors, but it was quelled without serious trouble. The fire was seen for miles, and burning brands were carried as far as Sunderland.
Mr. L. Hayden was so prostrated from the excitement incident to the fire that there were rumors yesterday that he was not likely to survive; but these rumors were probably exaggerated. John Ockington, one of the principle sufferers, is away at the seaside.
[Article goes on to discuss policies and amount of insurance, but this is all nicely listed in the NYTimes article].
Though there is some doubt about the origin of the fire, the prevailing belief is inclined to incendiarism. There had been no fire about the carriage shop after 3 o’clock the previous afternoon. The place in the building where it broke out was quite a distance from the forging shop. The calamity is a serious blow to the community.
[See the article "Losses by fire" in the Sept. 6, 1875 issue of the New York Times Online Archive].
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 6, 1875
News about home: Greenfield items
(Greenfield) The hot weather of the past few days gives an appetite for cooling drinks. The best of soda is found at Childs & Payne's. Also at Howland & Lowell's.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 6, 1875
The Belchertown tragedy
Of course the death of Nettie Barrett, aged 17, by her own hand at Belchertown, and the narrow escape of her companion, Frances S. Bridgman, 14 years old, from a like fate, have created the profoundest sensation in that quiet community’, and the funeral of the former at the Methodist Church Sun. was largely attended. Indeed the whole affair is such a strangely sad one that there is a wide interest to learn all possible particulars concerning it.
The girls were bright and attractive, belonging to the higher village circles. Miss Barrett was sent to Belchertown last April by her mother, who lives at south Amherst, to continue her education, and was to have been examined for the High School Sat., and baptized Sun. in the Church which witnessed her burial; and Miss Bridgman, who had been her almost constant companion of late, was the adopted daughter of Calvin Bridgman.
Miss Barrett had the reputation of being a rather wild person, and the girls were in the habit of being out late nights. Miss Barrett was the leader, and her conduct had become so notorious that her guardian, Franklin Dickinson, had a serious talk with her Thurs. on her behavior. When she returned that eve., she remarked to Mrs. Daniel Packard, with whom she was stopping, that they "wouldn’t be troubled with her being out any more nights".
At 8 o’clock, she and Miss Bridgman - who had been secreted in the room - were observed by neighbors to leave the house. They procured the fatal morphine at the drug store of Mr. Barnes, the elder, a few days before, they had unsuccessfully undertaken to get the poison of the son, who refused to give it without a prescription. Mr. Barnes claims that he supposed it was for Calvin Bridgman. At what time and how the girls got into Packard’s house again is not known.
About half past 7 o’clock Fri. morning, Mrs. Owen, with whom Frances Bridgman was boarding during her parent’s absence, came over in the greatest alarm about her, saying that the night before the girl had left, after bidding them a tearful farewell. Mrs. Packard went immediately to the room and there the victims lay, one in a deadly stupor and the other writhing in terrible agony.
The bed was covered with candy, and Miss Bridgman explained that they had overeaten of this. Efforts were made to revive Miss Barrett, who refused to take anything but cold water, and then determinedly said "Go away, I want to sleep". When Mrs. Packard had left the room for help, Miss Bridgman hailed a little girl and threw down this note, written in a confused, uncertain hand, and unsigned:
"Mr. Barnes - will you be so kind as to send me as much chloroform as here is money enough, five cents’ worth?"
She threw down also two letters directed to George T. Slauter, Belchertown, and Wilbur F. Nichols, at Wilbraham Academy, bidding them farewell and asking them to act as bearers. Then followed an exciting scene in the little bedroom Poor Nettie Barrett was dying. Miss Bridgman confessed that they had taken the morphine, that the candy was only a ruse, that there had been scandalous stories in the town about them, that she did not wish ever to see her parents again, and hoped and expected to die.
She quietly watched her dying companion and waited for the expected chloroform. With the death of Miss Barrett however, came the desire to live, and she requested salt and water to enable her to vomit more.
The wonderful nerve and mingled frankness and cunning of these little misses as displayed during the whole affair, are brought out by the scenes immediately preceding the tragedy. Only 5 hours before they entered the little bed room, they gayly played croquet with some young people, holding in their hands the candy which they were to sprinkle on the bed.
Miss Bridgman wrote what she thought was her last letter to her father, in simple, affectionate, yet determined words. She would meet her parents in a world where there were no scandalous tongues, and where they could live in peace.
[Now don’t ask me how I got there, but I believe that Frances S. Bridgman is actually Emma Francis Bridgman, daughter of Franklin A. Bridgman, born in 1860].
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 6, 1875
News of the week
Edmund Bigelow, one of the most prominent men of Springfield, died of apoplexy on Fri. eve. He was for many years a druggist, but of late a manufacturer of soda fountains. He was an active member of the South Church.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 30, 1875
Hampshire County items
Belchertown was excited Fri. over a very sad affair, two girls, each about 16 years old, attempting to kill themselves with morphine Thurs. night, one of them dying Fri. morning. They were Miss Frances S. Bridgman, an adopted daughter of Calvin Bridgman http://bhshistorypro...lepages.com/commerce and Miss Nettie Barrett, only daughter of Mrs. Silas Barrett of South Amherst, who was stopping in town.
The girls, who had been together most of the time, got their morphine of Mr. Barnes, the druggist Thurs. eve., and took the dose the same night. Fortunately Miss Bridgman was taken with vomiting, and so recovered, but Miss Barrett died at half past ten o’clock the next day. The cause for the deed is not known as yet. Mr. and Mrs. Bridgman had been to the sea side, but were expected to return Fri. night.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, July 12, 1875
News about home: Greenfield items
Besides the drug stores and beer saloons, only one license has been granted in this town, that to F.S. Hagar. But there is not a bar in the village, if we may judge from the daily evidence in our streets, that is not dealing out its vile poisons. Who doubts now that "license" does not mean "free rum"?
Frank Bottomley, ex-clerk in S.E. Fay & Co's provision and drug store, goes to Boston to take the same position in a wholesale drugstore, making the 8th drug clerk that Athol has furnished for the Hub in as many years.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, June 14, 1875
Shelburne Falls
The little pamphlet for sale by Edwin Baker, druggist, "On accidents, emergencies and poisons" ought to be in every family. It is a practical, common sense work.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, June 7, 1875
News about home: Greenfield items
Fri. aft. a tramp sauntered around Noyes and Stratton's shop, and being "dry", as such fellows are sure to be, recognized an old, broken pitcher that contained something wet, and notwithstanding the damaged and nasty appearance of the vessel, caught it up and took a pool at the liquid, which was nothing milder than oil of vitriol [Sulfuric acid! See Wikipedia]. The fellow commenced to hawk and spit, and the workmen dispatched him to Howland & Lowell's for something to soothe his burning gizzard, but the chap never made his appearance at the drug shop, and what became of him, no one is able to find out; but fellows of his stripe have iron clad stomachs, and no serious damage to his internal arrangement was likely to result.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, June 7, 1875
News of the week
Dr. A. Morand, a South Boston druggist, has been for some time suffering from the use of hair oil by a no. of young women, prepared a decoction of gum arabic and sugar, which he delicately tinted and placed on his counters, and since one girl has used it, and had to cut off her hair close to her scalp, he has not been troubled since. [I don't know, does anyone else think this is a prosecutable crime? Misogyny at the very least].
Gazette & Courier - Monday, May 31, 1875
Terrible explosion in Boston
A most terrific and sadly fatal explosion occurred in Boston Wed. eve., by which a no. of persons lost their lives, and many more were seriously injured. The scene of the disaster was the 4 story brick block on the southwest corner of Washington and Lagrange Streets...and occupied principally by J.D. Dow's drug store [he also manufactured soda water]. The disaster occurred at 6:40 o'clock, just when the streets were crowded with people hastening home to supper. The first intuition of the explosion was a deep, rumbling sound similar to the report of an earthquake, and almost simultaneously the walls of the building burst outward in every direction, and falling in one confused mass presented a scene of wreck seldom before witnessed; more complete than that of any of the buildings blown down by gunpowder during the great fire.
/ ...Numbers of human beings were known to be buried in the burning ruins created the wildest scene, thousands rushing to the point from every direction. Just how many were in the building at the time of the explosion is not known, but there must have been 20 or more. The second door was occupied by S.S. Frazier, merchant tailor, who with a workman were taken out slightly injured. The next room back was occupied by Mrs. Lizzie Frazier and little daughter. The latter died soon after being taken out. Mrs. Frazier received severe injuries, but not necessarily fatal. The next room was occupied by a gentleman as a lodging room, who was out at the time of the explosion; another room was occupied by James M. Frawley, agent for the Bible publishing company. His dead body was recovered among the ruins.
/ The third floor was occupied by Dr. Richardson, corn doctor, who is not accounted for. Another room was occupied by Madame Lillie, clairvoyant, and her husband, both of whom were saved, but a brother of the husband is not yet accounted for. The fourth floor was occupied by a widow lady, who had a no. of shop girls as lodgers, none of whom were accounted for at last accounts, save the widow, Annie Crompton, who was taken out dead. In addition to the above, the following injured have been taken from the ruins: Mr. Lord of East Chester Park, in a dying condition; Mr. Daniel S. Frazier, Mrs. Lillie Hersey, Mrs. Loring Gardner and little son, and Mrs. W.A. Coffin, not seriously injured; John J. Mahoney, probably fatally injured; Morris Ackerman, in a dying condition; John Farley, skull fractured and otherwise injured; John A. Stetson, slightly injured; Jacob Valois, badly cut; Martha Lauder, who occupied an apple stand on the corner and was blown into the street, arm and leg broken; Thomas Canney, badly cut; Samuel Farwell, manager of Dow's store, head badly cut and otherwise injured; Miss Lizzie Getney, rescued with great difficulty, but found to have received but slight injuries...[estimates of damages, $100,000]. The cause of the explosion is not definitely known. Three in all were killed and 22 injured.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, May 24, 1875
Stop that cough! Use Dr
Stop that cough! Use Dr. Morris' Syrup of Tar, Wild Cherry and Horehound will cure a cough in one half the time necessary to cure it with any other medicine...Trial size 10 cents. For sale by Howland & Lowell, sole agents for Greenfield and vicinity.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, May 24, 1875
Illustration of a side profile of a woman with clear face and long black hair] For moth-patches
[Illustration of a side profile of a woman with clear face and long black hair] For moth-patches, freckles and tan, ask your druggist for Perry's Moth and Freckle Lotion. It is reliable. For pimples on the face, blackheads or fleshworms, use Perry's improved Comedone and Pimple remedy, the great skin medicine, or consult Dr. B.C. Perry, 49 Bond Street, New York.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, May 3, 1875
News about home: Greenfield items
The meeting here on Friday of the Selectmen of the County for consultation and uniform action on the matter of license, was attended by about 25, representing the larger towns of the County. R.N. Oakman of Montague was chosen chairman, and freely expressed his views on the subject under consideration. The first proposition entertained was a motion that it be the sense of the meeting not to grant any licenses at all. This was favored by the Selectmen of some of the smaller towns, but after some discussion was voted down.
/ It was then voted to license hotels under the first class as a general thing; that is, innholders in whom the Selectmen have confidence. It was voted to license apothecaries doing a regular business, to sell all kinds of liquors not to be drank on the premises, under the fourth. A vote was passed not to grant license under the first class, that is to sell liquors to be drank [sic] on the premises to any but innholders, and not under the second class to sell malt beer, cider and light wines not containing over 15 per cent of alcohol, as this, it was thought, would open the way for sale of all kinds of liquor, but it was voted to grant licenses to sell beer and cider to such bona fide victualers as the Selectmen should think best.
/ The fifth class, licensing wholesale dealers, it was decided to leave to the discretion of the Selectmen. A resolution was adopted that the Selectmen should give the law a fair trial, granting licenses for a good and sufficient price, and that they should see that the provisions of the law were rightly enforced. No uniform scale of prices was adopted, but that point was left for each board to determine for its own town.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, May 3, 1875
News about home: Greenfield items
18 applications for licenses under the new law were filed at the Selectmen's offices on Sat. Only one license was issued, and that to Messrs. Howland & Lowell, druggists. The other druggists are to receive them, and the three hotels in the village. Licenses to sell beer and cider will be issued to S. Reuth, Adam Partenheimer and Gotleib Sauter. These are probably all that will receive the sanction to sell by the Selectmen. Petitions, signed by over 200 persons in the village, were sent to the Board on Sat., praying that licenses would be restricted to the hotels and apothecaries.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, April 26, 1875
Economical new food
25 cents will buy a package of Sea Moss Farine, made from pure Irish moss , which will make 50 kinds of dishes, such as cakes, pies, puddings, etc., or 16 quarts of custards, jellies, creams, Charlotte Russes, blanc mange, etc. Sold by all druggists and grocers.
- Wed, Feb 24, 2010
