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PUBLIC LIBRARY
The NEW BERN
PUBLISHED WEEKLY
IN THE HEART OP
EASTERN NORTH
Lik
VOLUME 15
NEW BERN, N. C. 28560, FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 1972
NUMBER 1
New Bern, in the uay
Nineties, may not have been as
gay as old timers fondly recall,
but juice to make one jubilant
was no problem. With 15 saloons
operating, a stalwart citizen
could quench his thirst quite
conveniently and add one or two
for the road.
Even those gents who found
themselves confronted with a
tongue as dry as dust in the wee
small hours had no need to
worry about a curfew. As a
matter of fact, J. W. Harrell,
who was the proprietor of Our
House at 26 Middle street,
stressed in his advertising that
his establishment was open
night to provide a.suHiciency of
wines, liquors, beers, ales, etc.
Just what that “etc.” con
sisted of we’re not quite sure,
and Mr. Harreii is no longer
around to enlighten us. Anyhow,
we gather that a imbiber who
coiddn’t find a type of interior
decoration to suit his fancy was
just about impossible to please,
and hardly worth the trouble.
Thomas Bowden had his
inviting oasis of 52 Middle
street, and he too advertised
wines, liquors, ales and beer in
every logical media, including
New Bern’s City Directory. As
Bowden put it, he carried a “full
line of bottled goods.”
E. W. Bryan had a nice
location at the corner of Crave
and South Front streets, and
assured the public that the
“finest goods are kept in stock
and every effort made to please
the trade.” There is no reason to
doubt, at this late date, that he
did in truth bring pleasure to his
customers.
John D. Dinkins was likewise
a dealer for all popular
alcoholic concoctions, but he
emphasized in his advertising
that “pure North Carolina
whiskey is a specialty.” In-
cidentdly, his place of business
was at 54 and 56 Middle street.
An enterprising man, he
didn’t restrict him^f to selling
joy juices. He also served notice
that he paid the highest prices
for beeswax, and hides (green
or dry). In that connection, he
announced far and wide that he
was “always on the lookout for
coon, fox and deer hides, and all
other kinds of skin.
j. S. Garrett’s Saloon, at 38
Middle street, always kept “the
very best goods in stock” and
gave “prompt and pdite at
tention to all.” Obviously, lower
Middle street was something of
a drinker’s paradise and what
puzzles us is why mcnre of the
town’s dapper dandies didn’t
stagger off me market dock and
drown in the midst of their
invigorated meanderlngs.
J. F. Taylor had his welcome
mat out at 18 and 22 Middle
street, while a gentleman we
know only as “Jimmie” kept
the citizenry in a mellow glow at
75 kffiddle. Taylor claimed the
largest whdMale and retail
bouse in the dty, and in addition
to potent spiriis carried a full
line of groceries, boat chand
lery, oil and rubber goods.
For the sake of accurate
history, it should be noted that
Middle street didn’t have an
exclusive daim on all of the
more frequented spots. For
(Continued on page 8)
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ONCE UPON A TIME—You’re well along in years
if you recall the Steamer Neuse, owned and
operated by the Norfolk Southern RaOroad. It
proudly sailed inland waters of the southeastern
coast with passengers and freight, when the sight of
large vessels was not uncommon on New Bern’s
two easy flowing rivers. McNally tugs, pulling huge
barges heavily loaded with lumber destined for
Baltimore and Philadelphia left local docks
regidarly. There were red sails in the sunset too, as
Carteret’s fishermen came from Down East to
dispose of their catch at New Bern’s Market Dock.
However, all the traffic on our streams wasn’t of a
business nature. Pleasure had its place too, with
moonlight sails, Sunday school excursions, and just
j^ain meandering in a skiff or canoe.
—Photo from Albert D. Brooks Collection.
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