USA > Rhode Island > Reminiscences of Rhode Island and ye Providence Plantations > Part 3
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About 1854 the jewelry business was very active in Provi- dence. Young men left school to go into the jewelry shop to learn the trade. Charles Rhodes, or " Bub Rhodes," as he was called, was one. In those days alnost every boy had a nick- name. One was " Tappy Mason; " "Fatty Kelley "-why Kelley was called " Fatty " was out of harmony with his build, for he was about as slim a boy as there was in Providence. One boy was called " Monkey." He resembled one. So most of the boys had a nickname.
The streets of Providence are the poorest laid out of any city in the land. When a new section is to be taken in, instead of
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making it conform to the adjacent land, it is laid out independ- ently. Beyond Hope street, in the fifties, was common. At the head of Transit street a man built a house facing the middle of Transit street-and he was allowed to do it. In no other city would he have been allowed to do this. When they decided to extend Arnold street and the streets beyond, they were all jumped. All over the city of Providence it is the same. Poor judgment, making irregular squares and corners. It is now too late to remedy this. It never should have been allowed.
Fred. Roscoe was the bookkeeper of the rolling mill. He was English by birth, though having an American father. Being born abroad, little was known of his birth and family. He was a man of dry wit. He took pleasure at night in going up to the station, and relieving the ticket man. One night a burly, in- portant fellow came in. " What time does your railroad get in ?" " Five minutes after the depot leaves," said Roscoe. The man left in disgust.
In those days all the tropical fruits we had came to Provi- dence in small schooners from the West Indies. Bananas sold at retail for ten cents apiece. The same bananas to-day sell for ten cents a dozen ; and smaller ones for five cents.
The old-time people had their drinks, as well as the people of to-day. Lager beer was not known. The first lager beer place opened in Providence was in 1856, on South Main street, west side, just below Balche's apothecary shop, now Clafflin's. The second place was over on Pine street, on the corner of Dorrance. Both of those shanties are still standing, or were last year (1904). The other drinks were New England rum, gin and brandy What they call brandy to-day is no more like the brandy of old than gin is like it-it is like whiskey. I have seen the brandy from California. It is all the same; called brandy, but tastes like whiskey. Cherry rum was a great drink in those days. It was made by letting rum stand for a month or two on wild cher- ries. It made a very pleasant drink, and was good for summer complaints. About 1856 the Maine liquor law came in force, and all sorts of contrivances were on foot to circumvent it. To-day we think the Tillman, South Carolina, plan original, but in 1856, or thereabouts, we had the same thing. The city had its dispensaries, and sold liquor. Another dodge was to have gin put up and labeled "Schneidam Schnapps." The Maine liquor
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law, wherever tried, results in hypocrisy. Men who like liquor will have it, and they are wiser, that is, more subtle, than the children of light. So there is no better way than a moderate license, with the shops as open as any other shops.
The last ox team was that of Silas Talbot's. Up to the time of the war, about, he drove his oxen through the streets of Provi- dence. Mischievous men and boys would play all manner of tricks with his oxen. When he would go into old Sam Guild's to get a drink, they would start his oxen up the street. When Talbot came out his oxen were either out of sight or a number of blocks up the street. Mr. Talbot was a gentleman. He minded his own business and never interfered with others-and was never seen under the influence of liquor. The most of his work was the carting of dirt and ashes, though sometimes he carted small goods. The delivery system, so common now, was not then known. If you wanted anything at the store, you took your basket and went for it. Paper bags were not then known. To encourage trade, the grocers and provision men gradually introduced the system of delivering goods. In the fifties the " Union Store" was introduced. Those who dealt at these stores were silent partners, and got their goods for a slight per cent off. This system does not seem to be very flourishing to-day.
Before the war, in 1860, there was a most exciting State cam- paign for Governor. Seth Paddleford was the regular Repub- lican candidate ; Sprague was the Union candidate, i. e., a union between the Democrats and Independents. Van Zant was en- ployed on the Sprague side, and he was a man of influence. No finer stump speaker ever lived than Van Zant. During national elections he was always in demand in the larger States, like New York. He was humorous without being low ; powerful voice ; good presence, ready to take advantage of existing circum- stances. Van Zant was a grand man. He should have been sent to Congress. Had he been, and were he from some large State, he would have been Speaker. He was Speaker of the Rhode Island House of Representatives. He was a fine presid- ing officer. Paddleford was beaten. Colonel Wright was a power in those days. He was Sprague's right-hand man. Later, however, Mr. Paddleford became Governor. After his defeat he went to Europe, visiting France. The Frenchmen gave a new sound to his name. He was no longer Mr. Paddleford, but
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Mr. Pad-del-ford. It pleased Mr. Paddleford. After he re- turned, and it was generally known that the Frenchmen had given such a beautiful sound to his name, it was an insult to call him by the old sound.
The Arcade, built in 1828, was a great and wonderful structure for its day ; and to-day it holds its own, there being nothing like it elsewhere in the county. It is unique. If a Wanamaker or a Shepard should take the whole building and make it into a department store, what a bazaar it would make! There was much opposition to the department store. It killed out many a small store ; but it never seems to have occurred to men to intro- duce it into politics, as they have the trusts. Yet the application of it is the same general principle. Man first opened a store by himself; then he took a partner ; then extended his business to other places, formed a company; and this is all what the trust is. The name is not appropriate. It should be known by what it is-a large stock company, unrestricted in territory.
The name Weybossett is always spelled with one t; yet I think it better to have two t's, to be in harmony with Massachusetts, Narragansett, &c.
There were two prominent men in Providence in the fifties and earlier and later-Otis Mason and Amos Perry. Otis Mason began business, when he was young, as a cobbler; then got to keeping a shoe store. He was thrifty, had few wants, saved money, got enough to live on, then retired and devoted his life to study. He was a man of scientific attainments, and was by the State appointed to examine into and report upon the geologi- cal formation of the State. He lived to a good old age-near 80, I believe. Mr. Perry began life as a country boy. Being a man of fine mental development, the country life was not to his liking-he had aspirations for something high. He went to school ; taught school ; went to college ; graduated ; became one of the teachers of Providence. Then, later, through Senator Anthony, he obtained the position of consul at Tunis. On his return he wrote a fine book on Tunis, old Carthage, &c. IIc then retired, and accepted the position of Secretary of the Rhode Island Historical Society, which position he held up to the time of his death. Thomas Ives was prominent in those days before the war. He took great interest in yachting. He had a famous boat, the Ceres, built by Mr. Appleton ; later he had this en-
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larged and made into a fine yacht-fine for those days-a sloop about forty feet long. That was the average size of the yachts of that day. Mr. Ives was a member of the New York Yacht Club. When we see the size and character of the yacht of to-day it is amusing to think of what in the fifties was called a yacht. About the beginning of the war Mr. Ives had a new yacht built- a schooner. This he offered to the Government. He received an official rank in the Navy, and, with his schooner, was on duty along the lower Potomac. He was familiarly called Tom Ives. He was a fine man, retiring, with a look and complexion much like Napoleon. He did not specially resemble Napoleon, but the complexion was the most prominent feature of resemblance.
The fruits of Rhode Island, particularly its apples, of late years have deteriorated. The Rhode Island Greening was a favorite apple. In Western States they raise a finer Greening than in Rhode Island. Then there is the Yellow Sweeten, the finest apple that ever grew. It is a fine eating apple from early fall until spring. It is also a fine winter apple, and good for all sorts of cooking. I wish that more attention was paid to the Yellow Sweeten.
As we know, the Hazards have been prominent in Rhode Island. There were a number of families. Roland G. Hazard of Peacedale was the most prominent. He established his woolen works at Peacedale and built up a fine business. He was also a man of fine scientific attainments, the author of a fine work on physics. Then there was the genial Ned, as everybody called him, a gentleman of the old school, a prominent lawyer. I think I have the last letter of importance that he wrote. One day when I was visiting Wakefield, and riding by, I saw him sitting on his ve- randa. I went home and wrote "The Old Man on the Ve- randa." It was published in the Narragansett Times. It so pleased Mr. Ned Hazard that he wrote me a nice, long letter, and seemed very happy over the thought that he had thus been noticed. Roland Hazard, the son of Rowland G., was very promi- nent, especially in the South County. He succeeded his father as the head of the Hazard works at Peacedale. For about thirteen years he was the President of the South County Fair Association. His yearly presidential address was a model ; few, if any, to equal it in the country. Without attempting to teach the farmers any- thing about farming, he was an instructor, a leader of high order.
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He died comparatively young, I think under sixty. South County will ever remember him with pleasure. He was a good and able man.
Contemporaneous with the Hazards and Potters was Nathan F. Dixon. One year, when I was down to South Kingston, I visited the court house. There was a case before the court, in- volving a boundary line, and Beaver Dam was the central point of interest. Elisha Potter and Mr. Dixon were for the plaintiff. It was easy to see that the plaintiff side had no case. But the lawyer must say something, so Mr. Dixon arose and addressed the jury. He rung all the changes possible on " Beaver Dam," until the old court house rang with " Beaver Dam!" " Beaver Dam!" So it has occurred to me to call such an argument (an argument with nothing in it but noise) the " Beaver Dam argument."
Providence was well represented in the artists, and I knew them all. There was James M. Lewen, who lived in the old Third Ward, now the Second Ward. Lewen was a most delicate handler of color. He removed to Boston, dying quite early. Providence never produced a better artist. Tom Robinson was one of the galaxy. Tom was poor, but he attracted the attention of some rich people, and they sent him to Europe. He paid his way by copying pictures in the French galleries. His forte was cattle. There was Mark Waterman, the only peer of Lewen. He, too, went to Boston, and is still living, I believe. He is remarkably fine in color. John Arnold, as all know, has devoted his life to por- traits ; yet I once saw a small landscape by him that was fine, particularly the color. Fred. Batchelor was one, too. His forte was animals, particularly small dogs. Leavitt, who has recently died, was the most successful of all. He was a good draughts- man ; knew how to handle color ; was a most industrious man and artist. He began by painting still life, mostly ducks. Then he introduced ornamental ware-bowls, jars, &c .; later he painted mostly flowers-roses, currants, &c., occasionally painting a few odd things, such as fish, portraits and small landscapes. Mr. Bannester came in a little later. He was a colored gentleman from the West Indies. He painted fine landscapes, and some historical figure subjects. His sale was mostly in Boston. He was originally in Boston; later came to Providence. Then there was another unique, universal genius-Charles A. Shaw. Lands- cape was his best point, and he painted fine trees and foliage,
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but he was bent on painting fruit. As a fruit painter he was not a success. Had he confined himself to landscape he might have done well, but he would not. He would neglect the land- scape for fruit. As a painter of fruit he was a failure. There were two other portrait painters, but I only knew of them as the world knew them, so know little about their work. Let others tell about them.
In the early days Providence had its shipyards. They called the vessels that they built ships. There were more sloops than anything else. The first shipyard was up Canal street, nearly abreast of St. John's Church. In the fifties the shipbuilding in- terest was revived. The yard was near Indian Point, about where the Norfolk steamers now land. Mostly schooners were built here. There was the Daniel W. Vaughn, the Wild Pigeon and the Wanderer. The Wanderer was particularly fast.
Where the steamers now come in, at Foxpoint, was a marine railway, run by Mr. Clandell. He was a great man for horses, and, from time to time, owned a number of very fine ones
The fire engine department was one of the queerest things known to man. Up to about 1856 there was a volunteer system ; then a regular pay system was introduced. The world never saw a more angry set of men than those volunteers when they were disbanded. They called it fun to get up of a winter night, mercury below zero, to run two or three miles to a fire ; when the fire was out, and they got back to the engine house, they were served with crackers, cheese and hot coffee. Here the social part came, and was the charm of the fireman's life. Without his crackers, cheese and hot coffee the fire department would have furnished little pleasure for him. The Pioneer was an in- dependent company. Every season some of the engines used to visit other cities, and the firemen from the other cities would visit Providence. At the fire there was much contention as to which machine could play the best stream. There were conten- tions between the companies often growing out of the stream. The Pioneer and the No. 4, which had its station on Transit street, were never friendly, and it took but little to bring about a row between them. The old Whatcheer was the old fogy com- pany of the city. As it was near to me, I ran with it, sometimes carrying the torch for them. When the volunteer system was broken up the firemen met at the engine houses, held indignation
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meetings, and they were very indignant. The steam fire en- gine came later. The great fire of Providence was the old Jen- kins house, which stood where the Hoppin house now stands. Mrs. Jenkins, with her two daughters and son, lived in this house. It was a wooden structure, after the style of the John Carter Brown house on Benefit street. It was a very cold De- cember night, mercury below zero. The citizens gathered. Mrs. Jenkins and one the daughters were burned to death. Later, Mr. Thomas Hoppin, the artist, married Anna, the other daughter. Moses, the son, lived mostly abroad. He died early.
Mr. Thomas Hoppin was an unique character ; America never produced his like. He was tall, thin, and always dressed in ex- quisite taste, wore a beaver hat, and carried a light cane. English style, he wore the monocle. He generally had a fine greyhound following. While an aristocrat, he was kind and polite to all. He married the richest woman in Providence. When such a couple comes together, it shows superior qualities in both. The rich, cultivated woman wants a cultivated man ; money does not figure; she prefers the poor man with culture to the rich man that is wanting of it. Mr. Hoppin was familiarly called Lord Tom Hoppin. He died some years ago, and his widow married an- other man.
On the posts of the old Herreschof house on Power street, re- cently purchased by Mr. Marsden Perry, are statues, or better, busts. They use to say that when these busts heard the clock strike the hour of 12, midnight, they would turn around. Many foolish people went up there nights to see these figures turn around.
In the days of the old volunteer system the firemen use to sing at the fires. It made their long hours and hard work seem short and light.
"I catched hold of the handle, And give it such a pull, That I could not stop pumping Till I filled the biler full.
Chorus-Captain on the quarter-deck, Scratching on his head, Fire away, my bully boys, The yellow boat's ahead !
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Chorus-Whoop, jamber reen, Whoop, jamber reen. Vinegar shoes and paper stockings, Get up old horse."
Then there was Du da-
" I bound to run all night, I bound to run all day, I'll bet my money on the bob tail nag, Who'll bet their money on the bay ?
Chorus-Camptown races, three miles long, Du da, du da, Camptown races, three miles long, Du da, du da, Du da day. Boston Light Guards can't be beat, Du da, du da, As they come marching down the street, Du da, du da, Du da day. Down with her boys, down with her, No. Four is beating us- Down with her."
Most all of the old fire engines had mottoes, such as "Veni, vidi, vici," from Caesar : " I came, I saw, I conquered." In the old volunteer days there were a few machines known as the hy- draulion type. They were very high, and had an upper and lower tier of working bars. They were powerful machines; did not throw a stream any further, but there was a greater supply of water.
And so the weary hours wore away, with no thought of the heat or cold. When the firemen wanted to run there was always some convenient old building on the outskirts that would, in some mysterious manner, get on fire. Then there was a run to see which machine would reach the fire first, and get in the first stream. In those days they had no water service, but in conve- nient places the city established reservoirs. These were sometimes inadequate, when the fire was a large one. Then they would have to double up, one machine taking the water from the other -- the water taken from some distant reservoir ; when near the river the river water was used. The favorite pictures hung up in the engine- houses were various types of Mose, a New York Bowery gentle-
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man. "Saxey, youse hold the butt, while I lam that fellow out of his boots." .
In the early fifties the Bowen line of packet sloops was a favorite way to go from Providence to New York. These sloops were fast sailers; were fitted up with bunks for passengers. The Americay was the latest and fastest. She was painted black ; the others, the William H. Bowen, the Thomas Hull, the Juno, and the rest of the line, were painted in fancy stripes, each stripe about six inches wide-red, white, blue and green. One Sunday afternoon I was down at Foxpoint Wharf. A good wholesale breeze from the south was blowing. Along came the Thomas Hull, Thomas Hull, captain. She went by under full sail, carry- ing a large bone in her mouth. He swung his hat, and cried : "Only twenty-four hours from New York !" It was good sailing and few vessels could beat it to-day ; seldom the wind would be so favorable.
About this time there was a fearful storm off the coast. Cap- tain Desbrew was captain of a Providence schooner. He sailed from the Delaware Breakwater with a load of flour. The other captains, seeing the storm, remained at anchor, but Captain Des- brew went on out to sea. Nothing was ever seen of him, his crew or his vessel after that. Some barrelheads were picked up that were supposed to have come from his vessel.
Reuben Guild, the librarian of Brown, was a fine man, kind and gentle to all-a man who was exceedingly accommodating. When I first went with Mr. A. C. Morse, the architect, he had a very good library, but when hesaw that I was making good use of it, it gradually disappeared, he taking the books to his house. In this dilemma I spoke of the matter to Mr. Guild. "Come up to the library and get what books you want." I availed myself of his kind offer.
Professor Gammell, of Brown, was the President of the Rhode Island Historical Society. Professor Gammell was a severe look- ing man, but when you met him at the Society he was most genial and polite. Mr. Beckwith, who was hard of hearing, objected to members coming in late. The noise from their shoes pre- vented him from hearing. He complained, and requested that they be required to take their seats near the door, and not dis- turb the meeting. Professor Gammell, in his quiet, cultured way said : "As a Rhode Islander, I should hardly want to assert
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such authority." Then, turning to Mr. Beckwith, he said, in most kindly of tones: "Mr. Beckwith, if you cannot hear we shall be happy to have you move up to the front." And yet this man was looked upon as a cold aristocrat. Would that there were more such aristocrats. Professor Gammell knew how to be a gen- tleman.
The old Mansion house, on Benefit street, nearly opposite the old State House, was a building with a history. When the As- sembly was in session some of the members and prominent judges and lawyers of Providence put up there. In those days it had a fine porch in front, which added much to its dignity. To-day it is shorn of this porch, and looks quite tame. A grand porch, with stately columns, adds much to the dignity of a building.
In the fifties a large and new file factory was established. Mr. Nickerson was a mechanic, and worked at Brown & Sharp's. He left their employ and opened a small place for the manu- facture of files. A company was then formed, and he was made the superintendent. The works prospered.
The old Court House on Benefit street later became the State House. The original building was of a good and stately design. When they converted it into the State House it was much en- larged, and its design spoiled. Instead of giving it to a first-class architect, as was Mr. A. C. Morse, they went to one of those successful house carpenters, who thought he knew all about archi- teeture as well as housebuilding. He simply made a botch of the design.
People who have not been away from Providence have no idea of the peculiar Northern black man. These black people of Providence from colonial times have associated with white people. They are as unlike the black man of the South as an American is unlike a Turk. They have the ways of the white man. There is with them no " down dar," no dropping of the " r." Some years ago I heard a young man singing :
" I have a house in Baltimore, Horse cars go right by the door, Brussels carpet on the floor."
" Look here," I said, "you were never down South. They don't sing this song that way, down there. They sing it this way :
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' I have a house in Baltimo', Horse cars go right by de do', Brussels carpet on de flo'.'
" That is nigger." And, strange to say, the poor white trash of the South, and even the most of the better class of whites, talk just like the plantation negro. In 1856, Bully Brooks, in the United State Senate, struck down Charles Sumner. All over the North indignation meetings were held. We, the scholars of the Providence High School, too, held our indignation meeting. Mr. Crosby, the teacher, presided. The house was full. The first speaker called was William King. He went to the plat- form. "Mr. President, this is a most momentous occasion-" He became confused. "Mr. President, this is a most momentous occasion-" Stops. Again : "Mr. President, this is a most momentous occasion-" Stops. Repeats: "Mr. President, this a most momentous occasion." The teacher then said : " Wil- liam, you may sit down." The next speaker was Stephen Essex. He could not have been more than sixteen then, yet he went to the platform and delivered as fine an address as the most gifted man could have done. In those days there was great promise in Stephen Essex, but liquor got the best of him, and as he grew in years, instead of improving, he deteriorated. He always had the fine voice and address of the orator, but he laeked in something to say. He had not applied himself ; had he read, as he should have done, he would have been a most successful lawyer. He opened a law office, but, neglecting it for drink, secured no practice of value. One day I was in his office. A. repulsive, low woman came in. They retired to a small cubby- hole, about four feet square. When she went out I heard her ask him, " How much?" His reply was, "One dollar." I said to myself, " If you had been true to yourself you would now be demanding fees of a thousand dollars instead of one dollar."
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