USA > Rhode Island > Reminiscences of Rhode Island and ye Providence Plantations > Part 2
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Rhode Island has coal mines, but the coal from them is not even in the market. In regard to the Rhode Island coal, a wag, some years ago, said that "in the last day a Rhode Island coal
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mine would be the safest place on which to stand." Perhaps some day some worthy use may be discovered for the much abused Rhode Island coal. I have seen a fine fire of it ; it needs a good draught, and to be broken up into fine pieces, say nut size it makes a very hot fire.
When they first began to transport coal by barges a man in- vented a patented barge. It had large hatchways; the coal did not go way down to the bottom of the hold. About half way down into the hold, the sides of the high bin that held the coal were slanting, and converged towards the hatches. The buckets were let down into these hatches. By gravitation they were filled. This patent coal barge did not seem to have been a success, for I never saw a second one there, and this one only once. There was too much loss of room.
Rhode Island has always taken a deal of interest in military affairs. The old Washington Light Infantry and the Marine Artillery in their day were noted military organizations. In re- ligion, from the time of Roger Williams to the present, Rhode Island has been free. Rhode Island was the pioneer in soul-lib- erty, and Roger Williams was the pioneer of this liberty. But while the people of Rhode Island were jealous of their religious liberty, they were enthusiastic in their State liberty. The right of franchise was based upon a real estate qualification. None could vote unless they owned real estate. This led to much con- tention, and finally to the Dorr War. The people of Rhode Island were divided into two parties-the Algrines and the Dorrites. The Dorrites were not all low people, for many of the first eiti- zens of the State had come into that party and bravely fought for a more enlightened franchise. One of the tyrant tricks of the world is to set up some misguiding obstacle, keeping the knowledge of it from the public; that is, keeping them in the dark as to its true nature, then openly pointing the finger at it, asking the people if they want such a thing. This was done in the Dorr War. Roughs from New York city were imported ostensibly to strengthen the Dorr party ; they were pointed at, and the question asked, " Do you want to be domineered over by such men ?" Of course not. The innocent and good were humbled. At heart they were for the wise acts of the Door party, but they could not stand the imported roughs, so the grand principles that governed the Dorr party were delayed. But it was sure to come, and those
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who opposed it were the real losers. The people of Rhode Island are brave as well as free, so the State liberty in due time was sure to stand on the same high platform as the religious liberty estab- lished by Roger Williams.
Up to the time of the war Slate Rock was intact. The rock and its surroundings had not materially changed since the days of Roger Williams. But during the war a great change was made. A cut was made in the bank, and tons of refuse were de- posited at the top of the bank. The result was that in a year or two the rock was alnost buried, and the locality considerably changed. It was a vandal trick ; cunning prompted it. Slate Rock was an eyesore to certain parties. Later the rock was blasted. An old poem says " from out of evil thou derivest good." The rock was by these knaves blown into pieces. Thereby they thought to destroy it forever. But the higher power did not pro- pose to have it that way. Pieces of State Rock have been sent over the world-the rock of liberty. I have sent some of it; pieces of it have been deposited in other States. So those cun- ning knaves who thought to destroy Slate Rock accomplished something of which they did not dream. The rock will be hon- ored long years after they and their dastardly work are forgotten.
When Henry B. Anthony was at the head of the Providence Journal we frequently in the Journal saw much that referred to Roger Williams and soul-liberty. But since his day no ref- erence is made to these things. It is late in coming, but there is a movement on foot to honor the river and the land about Slate Rock. What a grand thing it would be to have a drive along the eastern and western shores of this historic river-a drive over the bridge and along the shores ! As Slate Rock is now below the road, have a bridge over it, so as to preserve the rock and to ever keep it in sight. If any other State of the Union had such an holy ground it would have been honored. It is not too late. Better late than never. The holy ground is here; let us honor it as it should be. Take the pieces of the rock and manufacture them into keepsakes. They will be appreciated by people within the State; indeed outside of the United States as well as within the Providence Plantations.
The Toekmorton House, which in later years was the Reform School, was built when the railroad from Boston came in at Indian Point. It was thought to be a fine situation for a hotel, but, like
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the old Vieu de l'Eau House, on Boydon Heights, it was not a success. In those days the Boston road terminated at Indian Point, and the Stonington road on the west side of Providence River. The old roadbed is still in existence. The station was where Hill's Wharf is. A ferry boat, like the ferry boats in New York, connected the two ends. The old passenger station is still in existence, and is owned and used by the Union Oil Company as a storehouse. Where the old Tockmorton House stood is now a park. Another small park was made at the foot of Benefit street, on the ground known as Corky Hill, which, even up to 1870 or more, was occupied by Irish squatters. This point of the town was the Irish center, yet their largest church, the Cathedral, was over on the west side. So they had long walks to and from their church. In those days beyond East street was "over back." Here the boys used to go to play and fly kites. It was great kite grounds. Arnold street was the favorite street on which to slide ; the grade was just right. But the street cars running on Brook street, which crosses Arnold, put a stop to the sliding.
In the summer of 1849 there was a grand funeral. General John R. Vinton had been killed in Mexico. After the close of the war his body was sent on to Providence for burial. It was a grand funeral. Like most of the boys, I marched all the way to Swan Point, near the band ; for the rest of the day I had a terrible pain and soreness in my right side, in the region of the liver. It was the second grand funeral that I had seen. The first was in New York city, in 1845, when they had a grand Jack- . son funeral. It was the most unique and solemn funeral I ever saw. With the funeral procession were a number of two-wheeled drays, such as were then common in New York. These drays were decorated with evergreens, and on each dray was a large bell. As the drays passed over the pavement these bells would toll. It was grand-I have never heard of anything like it before or since. The old cobblestones with which the streets used to be paved would make a fine road for such a purpose. They would impart the motion that would toll the bell.
George W. Guild, the Mexican war veteran, is a man whom we should not neglect. When Mr. Guild returned (1849) from the Mexican war he opened a small store on Sheldon street, not far from Benefit. In his store he had a little glass case of small curios that he had brought from Mexico. Later he became in-
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terested in real estate. He bought a few acres at the place now called Auburn. Here he erected a small building, put up his sign, and named the place "Guildville." He had the land laid out in small house lots ; price five dollars a lot. While Auburn is a good name, it is very common. "Guildville " would have been a good name and not common.
In the forties the great gambler of Providence was Charles Lawrence. In the seventies he was still alive and carrying on his business. He was a plain, gentlemanly man. Seeing him on the street you would little dream of his profession. Somewhere about 1840 Amos Jenckes received a cheek from John Carter Brown for $600. It was given to him late Saturday afternoon ; Sunday or early Monday morning he was going away. He knew Charley Lawrence, as he called him. Mr. Lawrence cashed the check. When it was presented to the bank with the endorse- ment of Charles Lawrence, Mr. Brown thought that Amos had been gambling and had lost his money. For a long time he believed this, and was angry with his cousin Amos.
At the old station, between trains, the hackmen used to get together and " Pat Juba." During the war the one who was most prominent in this became interested in the enlistment busi- ness. There was an enlistment place ou Weybossett street, oppo- site the Post Office. This man took up his stand near the door, and when young men came along who wanted to enlist he would direct them to another place around the corner of the Post Office. The men in the first office, not getting any recruits, came down on the street to see what was the matter. They discovered this man at his work and ordered him away. His reply was about as impudent as anything I ever heard. "I've been here for some time past, and I will be here for some time to come."
Mr. Samuel C. Green, the author of "Old Grimes," I became acquainted with; he was a genial old gentleman, serious in looks; one would little dream that there was any humor in him. He had an immense library ; his house was full, even to the front hall ; rude shelves were put up there, and they were all full. When he died his library, like all other libraries, went to the anction room, and sold for a small sum. As a rule, it does not pay to accumulate a large library. Horace Grecley was sensible in this. All a man wanted, he said, was a Bible, a com- pendium, encyclopedia, glossary, and a good atlas. The rest he could get in the libraries.
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Down town, in the old Third Ward, lived Mr. Underwood, house painter. The old gentleman got along financially very well. He was made a director in the old Merchants' Insurance, or home insurance company, whose office was in the Whatcheer Building. The old gentleman dressed himself up fine. I did not know he could dress so fine. For a number of months he went daily to the office and with the others sat there with his feet upon the window sill. After some months of this the first thing we knew he was back to his old paint shop, with his over- alls as of old. He looked natural. He had had enough of the insurance office. The remainder of his days he spent in the old paint shop.
In the early days, up to the forties, at least, the rough part of the town was Olney's Lane. Here were gathered people from all parts of the world-black and white. It had a bad reputa- tion.
There was a queer old negro character who for many years had rooms in the old Franklin House-Charles Green. He was a caterer and general waiter. But as he advanced in years his business departed. He had a large assortment of crockery- some very fine ; later he moved into an upper room in the back building of the Whatcheer.
In this day-1850 and later-Benjamin Appleton's boat shop was a center for very nice class of young men. In the day time they would come to hire boats ; in the evening to loiter about the wharf, tell stories, &c. Charley Abbot was a great boatman ; Dick Jackson was a scholarly young man, familiar with literature -a good swimmer and first class skater. There was Henry Spooner and Heury Appleton et al. Among the common wharf class were Dick Cripple, Ira Penal, Mose Smith, et al. Ira Penal went to sea, and when he came back it was said he could not sleep. So his mother would go out in the yard and dash pans full of water up against his window. This was a yarn they told on Ira. Of course, his friends did not believe it.
One of the strangest things that ever occurred was the singing of martial songs two years at least before the war. I do not re- member all, but I remember a part of one of those songs :
" We're marching along, we're marching along, The conflict is raging, it will be fearful and long ;
Then gird on your armor, and be marching along,
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We've enlisted for life, we'll camp on the field, Jehovah's our captain, we never shall yield.
The Sword and the Spirit will be trusty and strong ; Then gird on your armor, and go marching along."
This was even before the campaign that led to the election of Lincoln.
The old grammar schools were grand institutions. Mr. Amos Perry taught in the Sixth Ward, and a Mr. A. W. Godding in the old Third Ward. There was rivalry between the two schools as to which should have the better attendance. In the Sixth Ward they were exceedingly sharp. If a boy was to be absent for only a day, he would take his books and leave school. There- fore he was not absent. It was not long before the Third Ward boys heard of it, but the teacher never seemed to understand it ; if he did, he kept it to himself, and did not refer to it. I was the first and only boy who tried the Sixth Ward plan in the old Arnold street school. It was in 1853. I was going to New York to see the World's Fair. According to the Sixth Ward plan, I took my books and left school. I was gone two weeks. When I returned Mr. Godding would not let me re-enter. I was kept out of school a week, and had to go to the Superintendent, then Mr. Green, for readmission. I told him the whole story. He said nothing, simply giving me a permit to re-enter school. When 'I missed in spelling the teacher would say, " That's New York spelling ;"' when I missed in grammar, he would say, "That's New York grammar." In those days the children were taught to write compositions, and one child read the other's composition before the school. John Spooner, a boy of ample confidence and loud voice, read mine. My title was, "My Visit to New York." And I did not stop with the New York visit, but told of the going, the returning, and of the teacher's treatment. It was all innocently done, but it had its effect. When John Spooner got along to the spelling and grammar he voiced it well. The teacher became red in the face ; the school knew not what to think of it. The teacher said to John, " Stop, and take your seat." That ended the spelling and grammar.
The front yard of the school was a barren gravel enclosure. Mr. Godding suggested to the scholars to form there a flower garden. On Saturday he came and worked and superintended ; the girls brought flowers and seeds, the boys came with spades
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and shovels and such tools as they could find about their houses. The result was a pretty front yard.
Mayor Rodman, as is well known, late in life studied for the Episcopal ministry, and was made a minister. He had a grand voice-the grandest I ever heard; it was like the deep, rich tones of the organ. Mr. Rodman was to preach out at l'aw- tucket. He went into Aaron Town's barber shop to get shaved. He had a boil coming on his nose. After being shaved he went to the glass and surveyed himself, taking a good look at the nose. Putting his finger up to that organ he said, in his grand voice and style : " Mr. Town, do you think that this boil on my nose will interfere with my parochial duties to-morrow ?" Old Tru- man Beckwith was there. He at once said : "Not half as much as your don't knows."
Some time late in the forties the gas works were established in Providence. Mr. Barnard O'Neal was the superintendent- " Barney O'Neal," he was familiarly called. Barney was a char- aeter-a gentleman, dressed as for a party, or grand ball, every day. In the summer, wearing white duek pants and vest, with dark coat and light beaver hat, Barney would drive around in his buggy to see how the men were doing their work, and would try, by kind words, to direct them. . Sometimes they would not understand, so down he would jump into the trench, and do it himself; his clothes he did not think of. After putting things to rights he would get into his carriage, drive home, and very soon was out again, with a clean suit. Barney O'Neal was a kind man. To my knowledge he made at least three men, and prominent they were, and are to-day, such as are alive. He took Mr. James H. Armington into the gas works, and gave him prac- tical instruction in manufacturing gas. When he retired, in a few years, Mr. Armington took his place ; later went to Brooklyn, where he was superintendent of larger gas works. He did the same to Mr. Samuel G. Stiness, and Mr. Stiness went out to Paw- tucket and became head of the gas works there. Later he did the same for Mr. Andrew Hutchinson, who became his successor in the Providence Gas Works. And Mr. James Hutchinson, the brother of Andrew, he put into the office at the works. Bar- ney O'Neal, as he was familiarly called, was a kind and able man.
The early carpenter shop was quite unlike the carpenter shop
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of to-day. . Then, prior to 1860, all the work had to be done by hand. Gradually machinery was introduced. One of the great firms was at the north end, Moulton & Ingraham. While I knew both men, I was very intimate with Mr. Ingraham. He often came into Mr. Morse's architect office to bid for work. He was a fine mechanic, and understood construction. What I know of construction I got from him. The large firm on Benefit street, opposite the old John Carter Brown house, was Sweet & Carpenter. Mr. Sweet was a tall, slender man, while Mr. Carpen- ter was very short and thickset. For years this firm had the cream of the work in Providence. Then there was Messrs. Pea- body & Wilbur. Some of the old masons were Dunfree, Barney & Millard. When Mr. Albert G. Angell was building his house on North Benefit street he was very familiar with the workmen. He wanted to know all about every part of the house. If he was this way about his work, it is not surprising that he suc- ceeded. He was thorough.
In the fifties there was a peculiar murder-old Mr. Pulling, father of the man who for many years was on the detective force of Providence. Old Mr. Pulling was a watchman-they did not have policemen in those days. Mr. Pulling was on duty on the west side, somewhere near Union and Broad. He was hit on the head with some heavy stick. Who the villain was or what prompted the act was never known. Mr. Pulling was a worthy man and faithful watchman,
During the war the street car lines were established. Prior to that there were omnibuses that ran from the corner of Hope street to Olneyville.
Cotton and molasses then came to Providence by vessels. The cotton was stored in large storehouses. Dishonest persons would go down to the wharf where the cotton was being unloaded and steal what they could. When a load of molasses came in, after the hogsheads were out on the wharf the bungs were opened so as to allow the molasses to flow out without damage to the barrel. After school the boys would go down to the wharf, get a short stick, and " lab lasses." This was very inviting to the boys. In those days Providence had a large foreign trade, and many were the foreign ships in the harbor. They brought mostly coal and scrap iron for the rolling mill, where railroad iron, iron wire and nails were made. The rolling mill chimney was a landmark.
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It was said to be 125 feet high. Many years ago the old rolling mill shut down; the business was transferred to Swansea on the Taunton River.
Next to the rolling mill, east, was the Jenkins & Dyer distil- leries, where rum was made from cheap sour molasses from the West Indies.
All the shoemakers-cobblers-whom I have met have been re- markable men, and very intelligent. Mr. White and Mr. Stay- ner both repaired boots and shoes for Mr. Brickly, who kept a shoe store on the corner of South Main and Transit streets. Mr. White was a large and austere man-very dignified ; a zealous Christian-a man with no humor. Mr. Stayner was the opposite of Mr. White in about everything. He was small; a man full of wit and humor ; intelligent; and more of a scholar than Mr. White. Very soon he left Mr. Brickly and on Wickerden street opened a cobbler shop for himself. His shop was a center for the free spirits. When the Rochester knockings came Mr. Stayner was the first man in Providence to take up the work of the Fox family.
In 1850 the Propeller Line was opened, with the small pro- peller Osceola. The company bought and built other boats. Besides carrying freight, they carried passengers. In order to be in New York early in the morning these boats had to leave Providence at noon. Now the huge steamers of the Provi- dence line wait until eight P. M., or later, and get into New York by five or six o'clock. Benjamin Buffam was the agent for the old Propeller Line. He was a very fat man, but this did not interfere with his activity. He was an able man. The line prospered.
Down at Indian Point, on the East Providence side, was a large railroad building. Here was stored the first cars that ran on the Boston and Providence road. They were like the English style. Somewhere about 1854 to 1870 this building got afire, and the building and these old cars were destroyed. The old locomotives were small; and the trains were small. In the fifties, on the Stonington road, there was a morning and a night train, and the steamboat line. The road so prospered that they decided to attach a passenger car to the freight train that left Providence for Stonington at half-past one P. M. This was called the huckleberry train, I suppose because of the long stops,
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when the passengers would have time to get off and pick huckle- berries.
In the 1856 (Fremont's) campaign there was excellent speak- ing. Most of it was on the floor of the old station, after the trains had gone out for the night.
We all, in those days, remember Moses Toby as he rode about the city in his low buggy and Quaker coat. He was the agent of the old Jenkins estate. Mrs. Jenkins, it is said, picked him up on a road, down in Maine, brought him to Providence, gave him a good Quaker schooling, then made him manager of her estate. But he was a poor manager. Instead of the estate pros- pering, it gradually became reduced. He might have been a good man, but not a good business man. Seth Adams was quite another style of man-plain, businesslike, and withal a kind man. He was the first to build an elevator in Providence. Corn then all came by schooners. In the winter, when the pigeons could not get much to eat, Mr. Adams would feed them with his corn. In 1857 came the financial crash, when so many went down with the house of Sprague. Mr. William Sprague had been the Governor, and later was United States Senator. Some twenty years prior to this they had a crisis. Old Mr. Waterman went into the Exchange Bank aud tried to get a note discounted. When going up the stairs there was no one there ; and when he came down an old man had come into the entrance to tie up his shoe. Mr. Waterman was wrathy ; he gave the man a kick. "Damn you, get out of here! You've been here all the forenoon !" The old man was astonished and got out as soon as possible.
Every winter there were two courses of lectures-the Mechan- ics and the Lyceum ; they were good institutions for the times, and I think they might still do good. The lecturers were of great variety ; some dignified like Charles Sumner, Wendell Phillips, and Frederick Douglas ; then there were the light and humorous kind, such as John B. Gough and others.
The cove in those days was a circle of water, but in a few years it became filled with the earth brought down by the river. At low tide it was half mud. In the winter, at low tide, the wild ducks came in flocks and fed upon what they could there find. They knew that they were there protected. It was a novel sight, and you could go within a few yards of them.
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The old brig New England for many years was familiar to the citizens of Providence. She made regular voyages to Matan- zas, Cuba, taking freight and passengers. It is said of some of the down East vessels that when they went to Cuba all the way they dropped laths, leaving them in the water, so they could find their way back. This is a sea yarn,
The sewing machine in the early fifties came to the front. Mr. Gibbs, a Virginia carpenter, was the inventor of the Wilcox & Gibbs sewing machine. Mr. Wilcox furnished the capital, and Mr. Gibbs the invention. He came to Providence and got Brown & Sharp to build the machine. Owing to the fine work of Brown & Sharp was evidently due the success of this machine. It holds its own to this day-the only successful single-thread ma- chine in the market. The inventor is dead. When Mr. Joseph Brown thought of starting out into a larger field, he invited his head watchmaker, Mr. Wheeler Blanding, to join him. But Mr. Blanding was conservative, and declined. So Mr. Brown proposed to Mr. Sharp, his bookeeper, and this was a wise selec- tion. Mr. Sharp was a good business man, while Mr. Brown was master of the mechanical part. They made a good company. About this time blotting paper came into use. We shall never forget the opposition to these things, the sewing machine in par- ticular. It was going to be the ruin of poor women. These men were all wrong. The sewing machine has been a blessing. With blotting paper it was not serious, but many arguments, and there was not much opposition to it. "Give us the old SAND BOX !" was the cry. "It is good enough for us." But the sand box has gone, and the blotting paper has the day. Things not more foolish have been taken into politics.
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