OCR Text |
Show l (D)(D) Years Ag TTopdlay There's nothing new about impressing the ladies with a set of wheels by Robin Moench News in the Park a century ago this week centered on the drought in local entertainment and an overabundance over-abundance of mud. After a relative dearth of public amusement "our people have rested up considerably," proclaimed the Record, and were now sufficiently invigorated to take on the pleasures to be offered at the Messrs. W iseman and Dodge's new Concert Hall. Opening shows would include "minstrel performances, all free," to be followed in later weeks by entertainments featuring musicians and actors. Appreciation of the arts would be aided by Mr. Dodge who would "dispense the liquids from behind the bar." Also on tap was the long-awaited St. Patrick's Day parade, which would go forth, assured the Record, in some manner despite recent snow squalls. "If it is muddy on the 17th the Uniform Rank K. of P. (Knights of Pythias) will ride on horseback," the Record told prospective spectators. specta-tors. "If not they will parade on foot." Whatever their form of locomotion, locomo-tion, it is likely at least a few of those Knights of Pythias tucked in a post-parade repast at the Bon Ton restaurant, where Mr. Levy had prepared a ball supper for 200 merrymakers. To create more space for such a large spread the host had hired the new roller skating rink from its proprietors. In fact, one Jas. Lawrence has recently returned from a trek to Salt Lake to procure flooring to finish the rink. The appearance of a roller skating rink in town may not seem an occurrence worthy of editorial comment, but the Record couldn't resist posting a warning. "The attractions of the coachman are yielding to those of the skating-rink 'professor' in the eyes of the foolish maidens," lectured the Record on the progress of this national trend. "One of the latest cases is that of the rich Ohio damsel who eloped with a skating teacher. Afterward the fellow was bought off for $15,000 and disappeared. "Skatorial professors," concluded the Record, "will doubtless take advantage of this new craze." The state of the roads, meanwhile, had gummed up transport in the Park and even had the Tribune making plaintive editorial statements, state-ments, exclaimed the Record, "first about the muddy conditions of the streets in some places in Salt Lake, and then it complained of the dust." However, the Record gloated, "a rainstorm this week in Zion made more mud and the Tribune has finally learned that it does not make much by complaining and has wisely concluded to complain no more." Having given its final word on the Tribune's peevishness, the Record reported pessimistically on the ankle-deep goo closer to home: "Kimball's stage has suspended operations until the roads get better, which probably may not be until the last of April or better." To ease the situation, it noted, "The city is cleaning the flumes of ice and snow on both' sides of the street so as to give the running water a clear course and prevent an abundance of mud on Main Street." With the spring thaw making a simple stroll up Main Street an occasion for splattering and sinking to the boot tops, it is probably fortunate an ad submitted by Hardin Si Lemons found space in the Record that week. Headed with a simple yet eloquent "Baths! Baths!! Baths!!!" it announced that the proprietors were "prepared to give baths at all times at their elegant shaving parlors, opposite the Postoffice." And as abundant as the ubiquitous mud that week were drunks on the street, noted the Record. In one . incident, a woman was found lying "insensible on thedugway between town and the mill." A pair of Samaritans, "supposing something serious had happened," carried her half a mile until, discovering her condition, they transferred their charge to some law officers. "In the scuffle incident to the transportation of drunken people," the Record continued, "a portion of the said drunken female was lost. "That portion consists of a skirt and a bundle of poetry, which has been left at this office for identification." The Record was apparently proud of it's news content, but made this comment on the sad state of ad sales in its pages: "The Salt Lake Evening Chronicle has complimented us on several occasions for the newsy and neat appearance of the Record, for which we return many thanks. If some of the business houses of the Park would appreciate our efforts a little more and give us some advertising to do for them we would feel more encouraged in our efforts to give them a good paper. But some of them 'can't afford it' and we cannot afford to work for their interests for nothing." The Record then turned its attention to defending the nation's new chief executive, President Cleveland. "Who knows but what his administration may be the best this Government has had for years," it asked detractors. "W ho knows but what he may be able to land us all upon a firm, solid basis beyond the surging tide of bankruptcy. "Cleveland has hardly had time to turn around in the White Huse, has scarcely learned the route to the dining room or his bed room. Grumblers and faultfinders do not give the man a chance to change his clothes or kiss the cooks." About the only exception the Record took to Cleveland's administration admin-istration was its opposition to silver coinage, which would affect Park City silver mining ventures . adversely. But "because he differs with the Western people. on that score we have no right to condemn him on everything else." Finally, on a bizarre note, the Record reported the theft from Fennemore's undertaking establishment establish-ment of a child's rosewood coffin. Fennemore offered a $25 reward and "a further reward of $10 on conviction for each and every one of the gang implicated in the case." Perhaps the presence in the atmosphere of strange vibrations associated with celestial phenomenon phenom-enon had made Fennemore overly suspicious. "Prepare your glasses by smoking," reminded the record, "So as to look at the eclipse of the sun next Monday." |