Downtown May 1894 — early road work

Unseasonably warm weather in May 1894 brought an early start to spring road maintenance in downtown Glens Falls.

“The road roller is doing good work on South Street, between Glen and Elm,” The Morning Star of Glens Falls reported on May 2. “The street has been torn up, and the ties of the old streetcar switch removed. It has received a top dressing of crushed stone.”

In other May 1894 downtown Glens Falls news collected from historic newspapers of the region:

• It was the 19th century forerunner of DoorDash.

“Hot breakfast rolls delivered to your home every morning if ordered the previous night,” South Street baker James Winton routinely advertised in The Morning Star. “Orders taken during the day on the cart.”

• “The letter carriers donned their new summer uniforms yesterday,” The Morning Star reported on May 4, 1894.
• Merchants had creative window displays.

“Two prairie dogs, the property of George P. Hapman, attracted attention in one of the show windows of Adam & Cos. hardware store yesterday,” The Morning Star reported on May 4.

• “Jere McCarthy, for many years in the employ of Finch, Pruyn & Co., and John O’Leary, who recently conducted a shop on Ridge Street, have formed a co-partnership and will do a general blacksmithing business at 42 Glen Street,” The Morning Star reported on May 5, 1894.
• “The Glens Falls Buckboard Company has just received an order for one of their buckboard wagons from A. Boulbouthe, Rotterdam, Holland,” The Morning Star reported on May 9.
• W.M. Burpee and George Lalone leased space had 123 Glen St. to operate a barbershop. The space previously had been a restaurant for several years, The Morning Star reported on May 14.
• “Joseph Davis has undoubtedly broken the record for fast housebuilding in this vicinity. Last week he broke ground for a new house near the fairgrounds and Wednesday afternoon moved into the nearly completed structure,” The Morning Star reported on May 15.
• “S.J. Smith has purchased Charles Casavant’s barber shop on Glen Street. Mr. Smith has been in this shop for a long time, and he deserves success in his new venture. He will probably be assisted by Harry Richardson,” The Morning Star reported on May 16.
• “Two nomads, a man and a woman, dispensed soul-stirring music on our streets yesterday,” The Morning Star reported on May. 24. “The man ground a hand organ with becoming grace and diligence, while the woman tooted vigorously on a cornet.”
• “Mel Smith, the tailor, has added a new word to his vocabulary. He has also added some new goods to his stock. He calls them Blarney suits,” The Morning Star reported on May 26.

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