Murray Hill Pill People and the Gilded Fight
A sharp field sketch of Murray Hill as a social battleground where fortune and status are held by “pills” moneyed in the stock market age. Describes aristocratic rail bosses, broken families, lavish strains of Fifth Avenue life, and a satirical poem praising the pill industry as engine of wealth and social climb.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Murray Hill
Joaquin Miller
Seera
Manhattan
Fifth Avenue
Murray Ain
Montagnes
Hit
Mrs. Day
Day & Martin
Ee & Martin
Lincoln interview on death penalty and war stance
Indiana's Joseph E. McDonald recalls an interview with Abraham Lincoln about capital punishment and military desertion. The excerpt also notes Demorest's Monthly piece on how a French child is brought up, contrasting French frivolity with family-centered upbringing and marriage as emancipation.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Demorest
Paris
Women and decorative work in Demorest's Monthly
The article reflects on women earning a living through decorative work and the rise of related institutions. It notes the mix of need and supply, the roles of wealth and social standing, and the subtle differences in skill and opportunity among women pursuing this craft.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Demorest
Pacific Slope Nabobs and the Pacific Coast Rich
An extended survey of California wealth led by Central Pacific figures such as Stanford Crocker and Hopkins widow Mrs. Hopkins. It profiles heiresses Miss Jennie Flood and Miss Hattie Crocker, says James V. Coleman rose from Nevada mining to wealth, and chronicles the fortunes and declines of Jones, Mackey, Fair, and others amid mining booms and rail investments.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Pacific Coast
Central Pacific Railroad
Stanford
Riis
Leland, Jr
Cornelias Stewart
Mark Hopkins
Central Pacific
California
Leland Stanford
Charles Crocker
United States
Jennie
Hattie Crocker
Railroad
Fried
Lord Beaumont
Crocker
James V. Coleman
Park
Nevada
William T. O’brien
O'Brien
O’brien
Jim
Billy
Jimmie
Tim Dor
Upilly
Billy Dief
Jadves
Tha
Nele i
Pacific
Senator Jones
Jones
Paramint
Cal
Sumner
New Orleans
St. James
New York
Bank of Nevada
Boainza
Markey
Fair
Mackey
Robert Sherwood
Sherwood
Union Consolidated
Farr
Public School Studies Interview Sparks Tense Moment
A 14 year old girl in New York faces a reporter while carrying a heavy load of books. She protests the interview and clutches the books to her arms, insisting she will not participate in the questioning. The scene highlights her distress and anxious attempts to avoid bureaucratic scrutiny.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Potto
Applied Mechanics
Cowney
Abe
Chicago
New York Journal
Washington Society Aristrocrats Keep Up Federal Festivities
A Boston Advertiser correspondent notes Washington social life is dominated by army, navy, and retired officials who live in elite boarding houses and attend receptions. They rely on treasury funds, cherish ties to Congress, and disdain “Congressional people,” maintaining dancing parties and annual expenses regardless of public policy.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Washington Society
Cor
Boston Advertiser
Washington
Army
Navy
Barnacles
Treasury
Congress
New England
Troubles of an Elector in Harford County
An old colored man recalls visiting an election in Harford County Maryland after a local option bill passed. A smooth talking man offered him a “local auction” vote and then a harsher rebuke, prompting the man to vow to seek temperance and consider other parties.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Harford Co
Dennis
Chile
Lopal
Harvest Moon Poem Fragments of Life and Hope
Fragmented verse reflects on life's barren years and delayed harvests. It contrasts faked dawns with wrecked promises and then speaks of fulfilled hopes, quiet joy, and the symbolic abundance of harvest moons and ripened grain. The imagery blends nature with spiritual reward and gratitude.
How Senator Jones Lost and Sought Revenge at the District Club
Stockton Mail recounts an earlier Washington tale where Nevada Senator Jones lost seventy thousand dollars in a poker game at the District Club to a Virginia City mining fortune hunter. The visitor returned with a phony mining fortune, won three hundred thousand dollars, and afterward Jones cut ties with the club, seeking indirect repayment from the broader system.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Stockton Mail
George L. Waters
Senator Jones
Nevada
Waters
Washington
Senate
Ross Shepherd
Jones
Virginia City
Milonaire
Ringsters
United States
Nat Goodwin on paths to stage success and struggle
Nat Goodwin argues beginners should join a stock company for forty years to earn a living salary and earn a testimonial, or join a variety show with a popular song and a writer to craft a plot around it. He notes great actors credit hard nights and toil, often after success is achieved, and dismisses the midnight oil ideal in practice.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Spirit of the Times
Nat Goodwin
McCullough
North American Review
W. Carleton
Charles Gaylor
McDonald
McCloskey
Boney
Prize Draw Rehearsal and Midnight Oil Wrestle
A fragment hints at a lottery draw and reflections on its price with references to enduring effort. The text mentions the Review copying the scene and an exchange between fate and labor as midnight oil burns.
The Grand Divisions of a Sewspaper Cincinnati Enquirer
A description of newspaper departments including local news business prices and leader opinions. It notes sections such as local telegraphs correspondence and miscellany and explains how births deaths and marriages shifted to personal notices for payment.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cincinnati Enquirer
Deander
Coual News
Cincinnati
Chicago
New York
London
West Side Attitude Grows as Church Scandal Hovers
Chicago residents discuss a smoldering church scandal spilling into the newspapers. Two onlookers lament the intrusion and exchange sharp opinions, describing the affair with a gendered, gossiping tone as they await further details.
Montreal Man Sends Apples to Royal Figures
A Montreal man shipped several barrels of Canadian apples to Queen Victoria and notable figures including Gladstone, Lord Dufferin, and Gen. Wolseley. All but the Queen replied with acceptance, her secretary noting that favors cannot be accepted though the perishable apples could not be returned. details of the fate remain unclear.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Montreal
Queen Victoria
Gladstone
Lord Dufferin
Gen. Wolseley
The Lime Kiln Club and Commentary on American Letters
A Boston Transcript critique laments declining American literary quality, noting restlessness in society, political turmoil, and the rise of travelogues and magazine culture. It cites Howells and Henry James Jr as budding talents, contrasts with English authors, and questions the era's moral and artistic conditions.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Boston Transcript
New England
Whitman
Spering
Bryant
Hawthorne
Emerson
Lonigfellow
Howells
Henry James, Jr
The
Century
Atlantic Are & W
England
Tennyson
Browning
George Eliot
United
Cdme
Thackeray
Shark Fishing Tale From The Deep And A Trophy Jaw
An anecdotal guide extols shark fishing with heavy steels hooks and a fixed line, detailing gear, bait, and a dramatic battle near flood tide. The narrative promises several large catches including sharks and cubs, describes securing a four to six inch diameter jaw bone as a trophy, and preserves a vivid, cautionary tone of coastal angling adventures.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Isis
Apology Issued for Missed Issue by Sentinel Readers
The Orange City Sentinel apologizes to subscribers for a week without its regular issue. The note criticizes self serving behavior and weak leadership, condemning secrecy and excuses while calling for accountability.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Orange City
Iowa
Carrell
Garibaldi and Anita Ribera Tale of Love and Regret
Garibaldi, aboard a ship, falls for Anita Ribera a young woman in Montevideo. He abducts and later legally marries her under siege with his crew and cannon. Anita dies and Garibaldi reflects on the fault and vengeance for the tragedy.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Guerzoni
Garibaldi
Mizgardo
Ricardo
Montevideo
Anita Riberas
Merinos
Laguna
Anita
Eridane
Square Failure Behind Atlanta Clothes Trade Tale
A New York clothing agent sent to settle a retail house in Atlanta finds the business stagnant. The neighbor notes the man avoids drinking or gambling and rarely buys, suggesting the shop’s failure stems from a lack of salesmanship rather than personal conduct. The tale contrasts basic grocery buying with clothing store needs and argues for persuasive selling practices.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
New York
Atlanta
Texas Littings with a Boy’s Judicious Swim Plan
A local Austin anecdote tells how a boy, pressed to swim, coolly answers a parent about a stomach pain by claiming he can swim on his back. The tale underscores a youthful, practical approach to a tempting request.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Texas Littings
Austin
The Bald Head Theme in Nimble Theatre Satire
The piece critiques theatrical pretension and fame as elusive and born of illusion. It likens baldness to unpurchasable status, noting some gain it by circumstance while others inherit it. It humorously describes masked appearances and the spurious aura around performers and props.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Tie Theatre
Nim
Izzy
Tihe
American Material for Fiction: New York Times
A Times piece discusses American novelists avoiding melodramatic strong situations. It argues that quality arises from the writer, not merely the theme, citing Balzac and Howells. The author praises regional voices and notes the rise of indigenous literature with works like Grandissimes.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
New York Times
Balzac
Boston School
James
Howells
Caman
United States
Eon
Orphan Pitkins Boy Sacrifices for Family Farm Fight
In Tompkins County a poorhouse orphan named Sat is taken in by Farmer Pitkin and his wife to help on the farm. The boy defends the household from two tramp assailants with his dog, is mortally wounded, and dies in the farmer’s arms. A small grave marks the ending. the tale reflects risky rural life and guardian care.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Detroit Free Press
Tompkins County
Pitkins
Pitkin
Mary
John
Mr. Pitkins
Sut
Lut
Bor
Little Sat
Late Sat
Little Sut
A Machine for Playing the Piano Invented in New York
A New York man has built a piano playing machine with a case over the keyboard and a crank driven by pedals. The inventor says it can imitate any pianist and would bring Liszt-like fire with an electric motor in future development.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Detroit Free Press
New York
Philadelphia Record
Gally
Liszt
Space in the Universe The Vast Distances of Fixed Stars
The article explains the immense distances to the nearest fixed stars, noting they lie around twenty quintillion miles away and that average distances to star groups exceed four hundred trillion miles. It contrasts these scales with light travel times and the emptiness surrounding our solar system.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Philadelphia American
Roek
Lesson on ignorance and argument from a Black speech
The speaker chastises two men Bradder Johnson and Climax for disputing what they do not know and urges restraint. He argues that abuse replaces facts, that bigotry and gullibility harm discussion, and that one must humble ignorance rather than shout in lieu of evidence.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Detroit
Beaubien Street
Nuffin
Bradder Johnson
Deir
Gardnerville
Heroic struggles of Dr. J. H. Hansford conqueror of bias
An obituary style tribute praising Dr. J. H. Hansford as a heroic figure who conquers personal prejudices and youthful faults. The piece lauds his battle between base impulses and higher nature, claiming he brings the whole body and mind into harmony through conscience and discipline.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
J. H. Hansford
Stage Bald Head Delusion Tries The Stage Wigs
Bill Nye comments on stage bald heads as a delusion and false prosthetics. He notes Dunston Kirke as a notable example worn by Couldock and Effie Ellsler using own hair. He criticizes the poor fit, color mismatch, and unsanitary wear resembling a sheep-dip issue on touring shows.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Bill Nye
Dunston Kirke
Couldock
Effie Ellsler
Laramie
Earth Hit by a Comet Revealed in Demorest's Monthly
The piece summarizes Ignatius Donnelly's theory that Earth passed through a comet's tail causing widespread clay deposits and giant ice masses. It contrasts his ideas with modern geology and astronomy, noting debates about past catastrophes and the rarity of comet impacts.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Demorest
Ignatius Donnely
Donnelly
Humboldt
Halley
Lexell
Jupiter
Mr. Donnelly
Van Rensselaer Manor House Preserved Ambience Of Colonial Era
Descriptions portray the Van Rensselaer manor on level ground near the Hudson as deserted yet architecturally elegant. Erected in 1765, the site preserves Holland influenced décor, grand halls, imported wallpaper, and old-time woodwork. A 19th century banquet hosted by the patroon honored an English commissioner. Gov. John Jay attended amid noble company.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
van Rensselaer Mhanor
Hudson
Delavan
New York
Holland
van Rensselaer
England
America
Breter
Earl Grey
Gov
John Jay
Old Time Journalism Tales From The Detroit Free Press
The Cincinnati Gazette recalls its foreman presenting a married young lady with a paper the evening before her marriage. It notes a 1920s job seeker told the Gazette it had no room for local news. The piece also recalls a Boston Journal editor’s quip about Daniel Webster coverage.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Detroit Free Press
Cincinnati Gazette
Sp. m
Gazette
The
Boston Journal
Daniel Webster
Boston
English to Become Global Tongue Says World Voyage Priest
A Russian Greek church priest who circumnavigated the globe believes English will soon be spoken by the majority, possibly becoming the universal language. He notes past shifts from Latin to French and Spanish in certain eras, but argues English now fits best for all purposes.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Demorest
Rome
Reglobe
True Noses and False and Noses Which Beclare to the End
The annals of surgery recount nose restoration after cutting or loss with cases from 1080 and Regnault 1714. Growth and reattachment are noted but risky, with warnings about noses not sticking in heat or after rejection. Further cases in Clinical Annals and Medical Gazette 1860 cite Dr Hofacker and sixteen similar instances.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Tycho Brahe
Auce
Laramie
Fioraventi
Regnault
Gazette Salutaire
Annala
Medical Gazette
Hofacker
Sen
Colossal Rhine Statue Aims to Commemorate Victory
Germany plans a massive Germania figure at Niederwal on the Rhine to celebrate victory over France. The project stages parts in Munich with a total weight of forty five tons, the throne alone eight teen feet high and weighing fifteen tons. The work, rich in allegory of war and peace, is argued as a sign of military triumph in contrast to Liberty Enlightening the World in New York Harbor.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Demorest
France
Germany
Niederwal
Rhine
Germania
Munich
Moselle
Kaiser William
Prince Bismarck
Laberty
New York Harbor
Free Republic of the West
Actor imitates Brooklyn preacher in Sorcerer performance
John Hobson, introduced as John Howson, arrives at Bijou theater to portray John Wellington Wells in Gilbert's Sorcerer. He details makeup steps using beeswax nose extensions and grease paint to resemble Rev. Dr. Talmage, noting improvisation and stage craft amid overture and chatty chorus girls.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Brooklyn
McCaull
John Howson
Bijou
Dr. Talmage
the Sorcerer
John Wellington Wells
Gilbert
Mr. Hobson
Talmage
Mr. Talmage
Mr. Howson
John Ellington Wells
Make-up Metamorphosis Reveals Stage Craft of 19th Century Actor
The passage details an actor transforming into roles using grease paints, wigs, and facial prosthetics. Techniques include tinting skin, shaping eyes, and enlarging mouths to resemble figures like Talmage, with German actors praised for versatility and elaborate episode acting. The process takes about twenty five minutes and elicits audience recognition.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Mr. Jefferson
Walter Mont
Bunthorne
Talmage
Nere
John Wellington Wells
Mr. Rowson
Visiting the White House and Washington Society Notes
Mary Jane visits the White House and Washington society through the Courier Journal. She critiques the building, meets Senator Williams, and chats with President Arthur about personal matters and public life. She notes Washington’s mix of elites, the housing market, and the social gap between governance and daily life.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Mary Jane
Arthur
Washington Society
Courier Journal
White House
Dickey
Washington
Williams
C.d
Apers
Caton
Senator Williams
Union
Sam
Engle
Teylin
Parker dispute over exam pass marks sparks school debate
In a New York Tribune excerpt Colonel Parker argues against fixed pass rates in schools. He insists a child’s differing mental pace should not earn a universal 50 percent threshold, citing a case where a student studies hard yet cannot reach full percent and cannot name a river.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
New York Tribune
Parker
Also Mentioned on This Page
the Intelligencer
Cece Snacias
Annciie Ames
Beauty
Lincoln
Joseph E. McDonald
Indiana
Grantee
Potomac
Pacific Slope Nabobs
Public School Studies
Evangelical Magazine
Watfieodwin
West Side
the Lime-Kiln Club
Pickles Smith
Brother Gardner
Kentry
Rochester Bank
Effeck
Florida Keys
Lime-Hkiln Club
Nye
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!