USA > Rhode Island > Reminiscences of Rhode Island and ye Providence Plantations > Part 5
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One of the youthful industries of the passing generation, in the fifties, was the making of sweetfern and bayberry cigars. Sweetfern was preferred, but it was not, at times, so easy to secure, so bayberry was taken as a substitute. On Saturdays the boys would go over Red Bridge into Seekonk, and get their sweetfern or bayberry, bring it home, and during the week dry it. For headquarters of the factory they would secure a large dry goods
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box ; from the house they would get flour and water, and make their paste. They would borrow their mother's mortar ; an old copy book furnished the paper for wrappers, and a stick about the size of a lead pencil the former. With these tools they would go to work, and there was a great deal of system about their work. One boy would strip the leaves off of the plant and pound them in the mortar; others would make the wrappers. Some- times they would get their sisters to help them in the work. After a few hundred wrappers were made they began the filling. Some old plate, pan or paper was used to catch the filling that did not get into the wrapper. As the wrappers were filled, one of the boys would close them. The cigars were now made. The next step was to sell them. A few were sold for ready cash, pen- nies-perhaps five or six for a cent ; but the most of them were sold for old junk, mostly old nails. These were sold for money. In those days old iron commanded a much higher price than now ; I think about five cents a pound. As there was no outside com- petition, the industry needed no protection. It was a good school. It taught the boys business ways, how to collect the crude mate- rial and to manufacture it into marketable wares. It also taught them how to act as salesmen, how to procure supplies, how to dis- pose of the wares, and how to handle the money, and gave them practical lessons in arithmetic.
In the fifties the boys used to have bows and arrows. Mr. Cornwell, who had a small wheelwright shop on Benefit street, next south of the Bethel, made the bows for the boys. They at the were made of ash, and were about four feet long and about one and half inches wide in the center; and about one-half inch at Len to the ends. The boys made their own arrows out of soft, straight pine. On Saturdays there were various shooting matches. They all could hit a barn door within a hundred feet.
In those days the word cigar was often spelled " segar." But "segar" is now never used. Yet " segar " is the more common sound heard. "Ci" is harsh, while " se " is soft. We spell the word with an i but we call it e. Yet our language is full of such inconsistencies. It would seem well to adopt the plan so often pleaded for, to spell our words as we pronounce them.
Friday afternoon Mr. Godding, the teacher in the old Third Ward Grammar School, would suspend the regular exercises, and read short stories and extracts from good anthors. One of the
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short pieces was a story by Edward Everett, on honesty. The illustration was, when you see a safe say to yourself that safe was not made for me; as far as I am concerned all the valuables in that safe might be exposed on the table. Our Friday after- noon exercises would always be ended by singing. The last song to be sung was always, " Lord Dismiss Us with Thy Blessing." Those were holy hours.
I must not forget Mr. Clark, the singing teacher. Mr. Clark was a refined gentleman ; under his tuition the boys learned to sing ; the girls learned the notes, but the boys could not do that, but they could readily catch a tune. Because the boys could not learn the notes the Superintendent and the Committee de- cided to employ another man. I do not remember his name. He knew music, but there was no music in his soul. There was nothing delicate or refined in his nature. He tired rather than entertained. So the boys learned nothing from him. He worked very hard, but all to no purpose. Mr. Clark was a musician by nature, and a man with a deal of common sense. It was a mistake to discharge Mr. Clark and hire this other man.
While Rhode Island is the smallest State in the Union, the little Benjamin of States, none have had a more powerful in- fluence for good upon the destinies of the world.
The people of Providence should honor Daniel Leech, who for so many years was the Superintendent of the Public Schools. He is the man who perfected the model plan for the schoolhouse, a plau now universally followed. The Thayer street schoolhouse was the first built after this plan-rooms in the center, stair- ways at ends, enclosed in towerlike additions. These stairways were practically fireproof; and by using iron they could be made entirely so. All honor to Daniel Leech for his interest in the schoolhouse, and for the superior, yet simple, model, that he gave to the world.
In 1636 Roger Williams established the Providence Planta- tions. He was the foremost man of his day. If there was ever an inspired man, it was Roger Williams. The world was narrow ; he would extend the borders of thought. It required sacrifice of personal comfort, but he was equal to the occasion. The idea of soul-liberty spread until it reached the extreme borders of the land. Few realize this ; indeed few know of Roger Williams and his work-the work for which he so zealously labored. Very
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few have had the honor of such influence. It was in harmony with the teachings of the old Hebrew prophets-peace on earth, good will towards man-towards all men. We have no likeness of Mr. Williams. The pictures and statues of him are all ideal. John Milton furnished the ideal likeness. The statue of Roger Williams should have been placed upon the new capitol at Prov- idence. Some day we hope the present ideal, which represents nothing in particular, may be removed, and that of Roger Wil- liams be put in its place.
ISAAC PITMAN NOYES.
WASHINGTON, D. C., May, 1905.
6 On6. 26, 1905.
DO. F. House Cash, D.C.
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(SUPPLEMENT.)
Reminiscences of Rhode Island and Ye Providence Plantations.
The old Third Ward had its lively primaries, as well as the other wards. Prominent in that ward was Mr. Millett. He always acted as clerk. In the later years these meetings were held in Pioneer Hall, a building built by the Pioneer Engine Company on South Main street. Before the Pioneer company built this hall they had a small place on James street, south of South Main, near the river. Ira Windsor was a prominent mem- ber of this company.
In the fifties there were large omnibus sleighs, that sometimes ran as omnibuses ; at other times they took sleighing parties to country roadhouses, where there was a supper and dancing.
In the early days the town pumps were established for fire purposes. A common expression at that time, when they wanted a joke, or did not know what department to charge a certain ex-
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pense, the saying was, "Charge it to the town pumps," the same as the captain who, when he wanted a turkey, always charged it to a "top block."
Old Major Warren was the principal architect of his day, be- fore Teft and Morse came to town. In his late works he intro- duced a very heavy cornice, as seen on the old Dr. Fering house on Westminster street, then High street, near the corner of Franklin. These cornices were supported by heavy brackets. They were a novelty, and many humorous remarks were made in regard to them. In the fifties the Major conceived of a new idea for a bridge. He got a contract to build one in Canada. The design was to commence on both shores at the same time, and to advance towards the middle, where the two parts were to be brought together. Just before the sections were joined the whole structure tumbled into the river. The Major left the scene without ceremony-took French leave. Nothing more was heard of a bridge being constructed upon that principle. Some future Major may try it, but I think that the practical engineer will keep to the old plan.
Edward Holland was, at his death, a very promising archi- teet. He was a student of Major Warren, but never indulged in any of the Major's peculiar notions. One of his works was the Federal street schoolhouse; another, the Harrison street church. His best business building was a brick building on Weybossett street, just below the Arcade.
In the fifties the Providence Tool Company manufactured a new breechloading musket or riffe, and had a large contract from Turkey. These rifles were used by Turkey in her war with Russia.
Charles H. Perkins was a blacksmith. He invented machin- cry for making horseshoes-an innovation for those days. But he succeeded, and became a multi-millionaire. Mr. Perkins was a Republican, and could, undoubtedly, have been Governor of the State. The position was offered to him, but he declined it. He said his education was not equal to the office. He was a good business man, and as such would have been a success. But he knew his weakness as to education, and therefore would not allow his name to be used.
In the: fifties, as before stated, the Irish kept hogs, their children collecting the swill (garbage). One day at school Mr.
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Godding asked some questions about one of the Irish boys. Wil- liam Luther, a humorous boy, spoke, and said that the boy's father was a swill merchant. Patrick Byran's father repaired umbrellas. Mr. Godding asked the boys if one of them would bring him a good switch. Patrick brought one of the old-fash- ioned mbrella sticks, which in those days were made of rattan. Patrick was the first boy to get whipped with the stick he brought !
In those early days, before the war, there were many docks. The first one, as you went down South Water street, was at the Fall River wharf. Then all the way down to Ora Taft's warehouse were docks, where vessels laid. I remember seeing quite large brigs in these docks. When in dock they had to run their bowsprits in, because it interfered with the street or the house on the opposite side. The steamer Sylph was built over on the west side, near Childs & Davis' boatshop. Her propelling power was peculiar. Instead of wheels like other steamboats, she had a sort of grasshopper arrangement. It worked, propelled the boat, but was not a success, and it was not long before the regular sidewheels were substituted. Later, in addition to her sidewheels, a propeller was introduced. She never made much speed, perhaps not more than six miles an hour, but she was a powerful tugboat, and towed brick scows from Warren to Providence and back.
The towboat of those days was the Elmore, a small sidewheel boat, brought from New York. She was only about forty feet long, and her deek was only a few inches, say six or eight, above the water. She was, for her size, a powerful boat, and was very useful in towing vessels about the harbor, principally coal schooners. The tugboat of to-day had not made its appearance. The first came from Philadelphia.
In the fifties and before there were no rope machines, such as we have today. All the rope was made by hand, under long sheds. "Over Back " there was an old ropewalk, as those places were termed. To a Rhode Islander belongs the honor of in- venting the first rope machine. His name was Thomas Boone. He was a native of Wickford, R. I., but the greater part of his life he lived in Brooklyn, and it was there he invented, built and worked his machine. When I went into his shop, somewhere about 1851 or '52, it was in a small room, not over sixteen feet
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square. It was full of machines. He was making rope abont the size of your finger, say about five-eighths or three-quarters of an inch in diameter. The yarn was introduced at the bottom; at the top it came out rope. Each machine occupied abont a square yard. Thomas Boone was the elder brother of Christopher, who went out to Cuba with " Cousin Jenekes." I have referred to him in the prior paper. He began life as a house carpenter, and ended by being an engineer, the first chief engineer, of the island. As to entoffs, Mr. Corliss first applied it to stationary engines. Then he tried marine engines and locomotives; but while the cutoff' was a success in the stationary engine, in the marine and locomotive types it was a failure.
Shortly before the war, Otis Mason bought an old house in the Third Ward, corner of Transit and Benefit, opposite old St. Stephen's. This he fitted up. It was a good house, but for want. of care, had run down. Here he lived until he died.
About 1854 Dr. Swain's church was built. Mr. Teft was the architect. It had two towers. Well-to-do people attended this church ; many came in two-horse carriages, so it got to be known as the " Two-horse Church." Dr. Swain was a tall, raw-boned man. In the coldest weather he wore no overcoat, only a thin sack coat. He was an intellectual man, having the appearance of the scholar that he was. Had he been more practical and dressed with more care he would probably have lived to a good old age. He died comparatively young, his death being due to consumption. He was a good man, a ripe scholar, and an earnest preacher. May his soul progress in peace!
The old American Brass Band was one of the celebrated bands of the country ; there was nothing superior to it. Joe Green was the leader. There was considerable controversy as to who was the better player on the bugle, he or Mr. Kendall of Boston. Joe had a brass instrument while the Boston man had a silver one. Joe's " wood up " could not be beat. Bliven played the trombone. He was the father of Charley and Pitts.
The theatres in those days were conducted quite differently from now. There was a stock company, that remained at the place. Stars, such as Forrest, Booth and Davenport, would come, say for a week. Major Thorne and his wife, Lady Thorne, were the stock company of Providence. The "Naiad Queen" was a popular play. It was spectacular. Then there was the
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"Sea of Ice." (Now, bear in mind this was as early as 1853.) This play set forth a theory that the civilization of Mexico and Peru came from India via Behring Straits. To-day this idea is held by anthropologists. Last winter (1904) a noted anthro- pologist in Washington, D. C., before the Anthropological So- ciety, gave a lecture, illustrated with views, wherein he traced the civilization of India northeast, through China and Siberia, to Behiring Straits, down the Pacific shore to Mexico and Peru. And all this was foreshadowed in 1853 in the drama of the "Sea of Ice!" Where the author of this play got his idea, we know not ; but when we come to think of it we cannot help but say " Wonderful!" We shall never forget Forrest and his Matta- mora. " You have sent for me, and I have come!" The Indians were sore pressed. As Charles Sprague says, in his plea for the red man :
"Alas for them ! their day is o'er, Their fires are out from hill and shore. No more for them the wild deer bounds, The plow is in their hunting grounds; The pale man's axe rings through their woods, The pale man's sail skims o'er their floods,
Their pleasant springs are dry. Their children-look ! by power oppressed, Beyond the mountains of the West, Their children go-to die!"
And yet, did Mr. Sprague live to-day, he would write a more hopeful poem on the red man. He wrote what appeared then to be true to him, and, in a great measure, was so, but the Indians of to-day, many of them, are living comfortably, and adopting the white man's better ways.
In the fifties there was a young girl by the name of Hannah Bailey, the daughter of Samuel Bailey, who for years was super- intendent of the old steam mill. Hannah was a pupil of the old Third Ward Grammar School. She was a good reader. Be- cause of such they thought she had talent for an actress. She went to Buffalo to study. About 1856 she came to Providence with Forrest, and played the part of the wife of the Indian chief. People who were never before in a theatre went to see her. I do not think Forrest favored her. He was selfish, and wanted all the honor. Towards an older woman he would not have
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been so indifferent. So far as Hannah was concerned, the part was a failure. What became of her after this I do not know ; 1 have never seen or heard of her since. Whether she became a great actress or not, I do not know.
There was a peculiar ceremony that Brown University used to have. It was the burial of the books after the end of the yearly term, which was some time in June. All the rowboats, and even some of the ferryboats, would be hired. They would meet at Ferry Dock, east side, and row down the river to some point on the west side below Fox Point. Here they had a funeral ceremony, and dropped into the waters of the bay the loaded sacks containing the books that they had studied. For lights they had torches. There was singing, and they had a joyful time. After the war we never had any more of this. It was peculiar. The old Brown boys will remember these scenes with pleasure.
In the early days, more than now, farmers used to bring their wood to the Providence market. One winter's day a farmer came to town with his wood. He was not fortunate enough to dispose of it, so he asked some one about the college if he could leave it there. " Yes," was the reply, so he went off somewhere with his oxen for the night. The next morning, when he came for his sled of wood, it could not be found. He happened to glance towards the roof of the old University Hall, and there saw his load of wood looking as natural as though it were on the ground. During the night some of the students had unloaded the wood, taking the sled to pieces, and carried the whole to the top of University Hall, and replaced sled and wood. How the sled and wood got back to the ground I do not know, but they got down.
The favorite ponds on which to skate were Ives' and Jones'. Ives' was on Seekonk Plains, a very bleak place; Jones' was further to the south, in a hollow surrounded by woods. The last pond was not very large, perhaps two hundred feet long and fifty to sixty wide. It was well protected from the fierce winds that made Ives' pond not very inviting when the wind was blow- ing fifteen or twenty miles an hour.
Old Fort Hill still stands, but it is fast being undermined. I understand that some interest has of late been taken in it. It would seem that such an historic earthwork should be preserved.
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The boat Comet was owned by the Angells, and was sailed by Tom, the brother of Jerry. She was about thirty feet on the water line, was sloop-rigged, counter stern, and by all odds the handsomest boat I ever saw. The new-fashioned models may beat her, but they are ugly. It would seem that they might get up a model that would combine the beauty of the old Comet and the speed of the new model. The Comet was built somewhere in Connecticut, in the neighborhood of Stonington. By paying more attention to the lines of the fish and the towing of the log, butt end foremost, I think we might get up a model that would combine the two parts-beauty and speed.
In those days we remember the old State's Prison, located on the other side of the Cove, opposite the railroad station. On Fourth of July nights the fireworks were over by the prison, and the people would congregate on the station side to see them. And they were fine. Comparatively little interest is taken in fireworks, now. Beyond a few firecrackers, colored lights and rockets, little is done in this line. I make no comment-simply state the fact. Perhaps it is thought too wasteful-that the money can be better expended in other things.
As to Roger Williams, I have said that his statue should sur- mount the State Capitol. It can be done with little expense. We have no likeness of him, so one statue would be as good as another. But we could take the figure that now surmounts the dome, and clothe it in the conventional pilgrim garb and hat, and call it Roger Williams. Thus with little expense we could convert the present representation into a very fair ideal Roger Williams.
Before the war charcoal was sold from carts on the streets. It was used to kindle fires, in small cast iron furnaces. In excur- sions down the bay, when parties went off for a few days' trip, they took charcoal and a furnace. The oil and vapor stoves now take the place of the furnace.
After the war Mr. Seth Shaw, who kept the old shore place at Bullock's Point, went to Florida to prospect for a winter hotel. When he arrived there all whom he spoke to said Florida was a very healthy place-no fevers or chills. He wanted to go to a place some fourteen miles from his headquarters. For this pur- pose he hired a rowboat and a man to row him. They had not been in the boat more than ten minutes when the man was taken
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with a chill. "I thought you did not have chills here. All whom I have met said this locality was remarkably free from chills." The man had to admit that he had chills. "Where did yon come from ? " asked Mr. Shaw. " From the State of Maine." " Why did you leave there?" " Because there I had the rheu- matis." "So you came down here and got rid of your rheuma- tism, and got the chills?" " Yes," said the man. "All I have to say is, I think you made a mighty good swap."
On the road near Wickford are some tracks that much resemble human feet. How they came there has not, as I know of, yet been accounted for. The strides are ten to twelve feet. They are called the Devil's footprints.
The old Red Bridge was of wood. It was painted red, hence its name. Before the Stonington railroad was build there lived in Sonth Kingston a man who was a great mathematician. He got interested in the road. " It cannot be built," said he. "It would cost twenty-five thousand dollars!" There is hardly a road in the country but what costs as much as this per mile. Over level lands roads are built for a less sum, but where there is much grading, bridge building, cutting, &c., the cost is about the same per mile.
About 1856 there came to Providence a full-blooded negro by the name of George Washington Peckstought. He played the accordion. Many of the old citizens will remember him. In the evenings he would be engaged to play at private houses or saloons.
Now I propose to tell something that will hardly be believed, yet there is no doubt about it. It is no more or less that in 1858 the Shah of Persia, incognito, under the name of William Smith, visited Providence, and while there boarded with Mrs. J. U. Noyes, then 344 Benefit street. Ostensibly he was a book agent, i. e., he carried a book that he pretended to get sub- seribers for; but he did not seem to care whether he got sub- seribers or not. While having his headquarters in Providence he visited other places. He had a military carriage, wore an old suit of black, with beaver hat, was gentlemanly and original, and spoke English with a foreign accent. We did not then mis- trust who he was. He hailed from New Orleans. In 1859, when in New Orleans, I looked for him, but he could not be found. Then later I came across a portrait of the Shah. The resemblance
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was complete. Then the age at which he died (65), would fit his years when he was in Providence, making him about 28 or 30 years of age at that time. This, of course, will provoke a smile, but I verily believe that this Mr. William Smith was the Shah of Persian, travelling incognito.
In 1846 scollops were peddled about the streets of Providence in the shell, the same as clams; selling them as now was not then known. So far as I remember, the whole scollop was then eaten ; now only the eye. Mussels were also peddled about the streets in the same manner. Herring was smoked and strung on sticks.
Mr Samuel Foster came from the country to Providence. He prospered in business and became very well off. He bought the most peculiar house in Providence, located on the corner of McGee and George-now 59 George street. The style is of a Greecian temple type. He bought the house from Mr. Whipple, who built it, with a commodious cellar in which he stored cotton. Rather peculiar to have the cellar of a private residence a storehouse for cotton! Mr. Foster lived to be 98 years of age, and up to with- in a week or two of his death was able to be about on the streets alone. For a long time he persisted in walking up and the steep hill; later his people prevailed upon him to use the street cars. While a young man, and up to middle life, Mr. Foster was sickly. So frail was he that he was not expected to live to reach fifty, or even forty, years. But by paying due regard to the laws of health he lived to be 98.
In the fall of 1852 my brother, John William Noyes, went to New Orleans, and there secured a position in a large forwarding and commission house, then Price, Frost & Co .; later, Price, Converse & Smith ; still later, E. K. Converse & Co. The com- pany was J. W. Noyes. He succeeded very well until the war, and but for that event would still have prospered. Living with Southern people, in spirit he became a Southerner. As soon as Lincoln was elected, as we know, the South prepared for war. In February, 1861, my brother was with a battalion of infantry before Fort Pickens, which they tried to take, but did not suc- ceed. Then they went up to Hampton, Va., where, in March, 1861, they had an engagement, and lost their commander. For the first year he served in the infantry ; after that, to the end, in a Louisiana light battery. While in the light battery service he was with commands that served in the Southwest.
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