162 Chronicles of the Cape Fear River

by Mr. Northrop and John T. Hewitt. Second Street was then
much lower than now. But nowhere within the city limits have
there been such changes as on the line of Front Street, between
Orange and Ann. Third Street at this point was then ‘ low as
the coal yard of W. G. Fowler, at its eastern limit, now is. From
this point rose a steep hill, upon the summit of which stood the
Baptist Church. The dwelling into which the church was trans-
formed marks the elevation. In those days, of course, Front
Street could only be traveled in wheeled conveyances with diffi-
culty, and to reach Front Street from the river by the line of
Ann or Nun Streets was impracticable. .

Before entering upon the main subject, however, it may be
well to discuss in a general way the prevalent customs or habits
of the people of a half century or more ago, and their modes of
business, and to note any other matters concerning the times that
may be interesting or instructive. There were very few resi-
dences east of Fifth Street (at that time in the eastern bound-
ary). The present residence of the bishop of East Carolina was
then owned and occupied by Mr. James 8. Green, and was the
only house on the entire block on which it was situated. A few
houses were on the eastern side of Fifth Street, but none farther
out, so that in this part of town all east of Sixth Street may be
said to have been in the woods. On Market Street there was
little, if any, extension of habitation. In fact, between Seventh
and Eighth, near Market, was the public hanging ground, and
chinquapin hill, where that fruit could be gathered in seades
then comprehending in general the ground anywhere on or about
Market and Eighth Streets. Around the northern and especially
the southern boundary, settlement was sparser still. Dry Pond
bounteously full of water in the wet season and euiltless of ;
semblance of moisture in the dry, then sat placidly on the snow-
white sand amid the scrubby oaks and prickly pears and wire
grass without a habitation about it.

In 1840 the population of Wilmington was 4,268, and the
limits were circumscribed as we have heretofore stated them.

At the time of which we are now writing not even gas lighting
had been dreamed of. Kerosene was then, and even for twenty

years after, totally unknown. Camphine, a refined preparation
of spirits turpentine, was a recent and most decided improve-
ment on the lamp oil or tallow-dipped candles. This article
camphine, came into almost universal use, having very high He:
minative power, though exceedingly inflammable, and so ex-

 
   
  
  
  
    
   
    

Early Years 163

tremely dangerous. Its cheapness was a great recommendation,
and its only rival, if it was a rival, for illuminating purposes,
was sperm candles, which were beyond the reach of those in mod-
erate circumstances. Somewhat later on adamantine candles,
because of good lighting power with little accompanying hazard,
in a great measure displaced camphine. The candle then be-
came the most universal house and office illuminator, and the
candlesticks and snuffers were indispensable household articles.
The streets were lighted with big lamps filled with whale oil and
placed at the intersection of the streets. The lighting, as may
be readily conceived, served to do little more than make the
darkness visible.

Matches were not known a hundred years ago. In fact, the
first properly called friction matches were invented in England
in 1827, and greatly improved in 1838, but still they were
neither quick nor sure, easily lighted nor safe; not safe because
of being tipped with phosphorus, a substance fatally poisonous
to many of those engaged in the manufacture, and even to some
who used the matches. In 1855 were invented the safety
matches, which have since been evolved into those in use at
present. Before the days of matches, flint and steel had to be
resorted to for the making of fire, and because of the cost of

matches these primitive and uncertain means were the only
resources of the poor for many years after matches were intro-
duced. For the reason just given it was of the utmost impor-
tance to keep up fire day in and day out, and in many families
it was true that for years upon years fire in the house was never
suffered to go out. A common thing it was in summertime to
place a paper bearing the merest glimmer of light afloat in a cup
of oil at bedtime and so keep up the fire until morning.

Fuel comes naturally to be considered now. It was generally
simply the forest growth, or the refuse of sawmill operations.
Coal was not unknown, of course, in 1840, or its value as fuel
underrated, but until the days of railroad communication the
cost of the carriage of coal, even to get it to navigable water,
made it generally unavailable as fuel.

Allusion has been made to the street lighting. Hardly had
“Old Matt” set his feeble lamps alight, when the sound of night
watchmen, very few and wide apart, were to be heard crying the
hours of night. “Ten o’clock and all’s well!” was a ery that will
be recalled by some who may read these lines. But this served
too well to announce the whereabouts of the watch to nightly