(More of 5th Avenue for today’s date, 7th).
Entered Central Park which borders 5th Avenue from 59th St. to 96th St. & here I’ll record that 5 Ave. divides the city East & West. Avenues run North, or nearly so, & South, & the cross streets are the numbered sts., [9:17] & these are E & W divided by 5th Avenue throughout. Our first call in Central Park (I forgot to say when recording the length of Central Park 59 to 96th Sts. & from 5th to 8th Ave.) was the zoo, saw all the animals, & some grand specimens, especially of lions, male & female, & tigers. Charlie was ever present in mind, bless him, & how he would have enjoyed seeing all. I’ve got for his especial benefit some snaps & took some again today (7th). Many visitors were present & children innumerable. Such a fine day too. Then we walked to the Natural History Museum across the park, lovely foliage, lakes &c. Statuary: Burns, Scott, Shakespeare, Columbus, & others we could see, but not near enough to record. Then squirrels, grey, in countless numbers, every where as tame as rabbits, & come & take nuts out of your fingers. Only hold out an empty hand, & they come & smell your fingers. Never saw the like of them, nor should I have believed it possible, had I not seen it. Then we passed Mazzini’s[1] statue. I took a snap at Daniel Webster’s monument & it includes a carriage & pair passing. Oh, what fashion was about, driving and riding, just exactly “Rotten Row.”[2]
We went into museum, was interested, but did not tire ourselves, as most folk do in museums. Next we took 8th Ave. car to South Ferry. We entered park on 5th Ave. & walked across to its bound[a]ry, 8th Ave., on which the museum stands.
[9:18]
We rode miles & got out at Bowling Green Building, one of N. York’s finest. As I’ve already referred to it, White Star offices are in it & I wanted to arrange for our berths, before it got too late to get choice. I had had a problem to solve before going & I’ll explain. My ticket was, as you know, first class throughout & the portion left (N. York to London) was 82 dollars in value or £17.8.1[3]. First class passage in “Majestic”, winter months, is 75 dollars. Now, in which class was Albion to ship? I had made up my mind to take 2nd which is 45 dollars or £9.7.6, but I could not relish the notion of the father going first & the son 2nd in same steamer. Then for first, Albion coming off a long voyage had not clothes suitable for first saloon where style is much upheld, & then, as already explained, to my grievance, my principle baggage was already in Liverpool. You knew this before I did as for Willie‘s letter, “W. Star” Coy. having written to W. H’pool asking what was to be done with the 4 unclaimed packages by “Teutonic” of Sept’r 28th, & they contain some of the very wearables suitable for first & which I had worn during the previous passages. I concluded the wisest thing to do was to negotiate my 82 dollar ticket with the White Star Coy. & arrange for a cabin in [9:19] 2nd saloon where we would both be together, & it will be an experience to me also by seeing what 2nd is & how it compares with first. As Alderman Duckworth MP, in his interesting book, “A Trip Round the World”, says that were he to repeat it he would assuredly go 2nd saloon for many reasons. I agree with him. Well, the passage agent very soon settled the rest. He assured me that what I had solved was the most satisfactory conclusion, that he would give me one of the very best berths, next block to first saloon, shewed me it, an outside berth, starboard side on saloon deck No. 15, & he would reserve it, unless extraordinary demand warranted it, & it is a 4 berth cabin. The inner berths are 42 ½ dollars & the outside 47 ½ dollars, so I choose [sic] the outside & by paying 13 dollars added to the 82 dollar ticket, or 95 dollars in all, secures us a 2nd saloon passage in one of the best berths, then since the American war broke out, every thing that can bear a tax has a levy upon it, & passenger tickets are not exempted, & on mine, first class, was to be 5 dollars, but owing to some combination, the several companys [sic] have agreed to pay the tax on 2nd saloon [9:20] tickets or may be in consequences of tickets purchased before the war actually began, they asked me the date on which I purchased the ticket, & of course told them at the outset 14th January, & they told me in this case I should be exempt & the company would have to pay it, & accordingly my ticket (for 2) bears a 5 dollar “Internal Revenue Documentary” stamp, war tax (by the way, I’ve got a sample few of these war tax stamps from 1/8 of a cent up a way for curiosity). As it happens, this time of the year is not a throng one for Atlantic passenger traffic, especially eastward, so it is probable we may get the cabin to ourselves. The agent marked the entry (I saw it done) that this cabin was to be reserved for Mr. W. & son if possible. I feel now as if I had done the right thing. I could have done easier terms probably with other of their steamers, but I wish to arrive Liverpool on the Wednesday for yours & Willie‘s sake, that you may be at liberty to come & meet us. The “Cymric” is due in Liverpool on the Friday or Saturday morning & she does not call at Queenstown. At any rate she did not last voyage, so her advertisement read. Then the “Cunard” boats are Friday & Saturday arrivals, so you’ll see I had some calculations to make & suitable for us all, & I know you will enjoy meeting us.
[9:21]
So far as linnen [sic] & under wear goes, I have ample for my needs. Luckily I took a good supply out of my big portmanteau for use during my stay in America, & I have had laundry work done as I required it. Then I have a dinner jacket, cummerbund, half silk vest & a couple of white vests which will answer my needs, & all these have been useful during my stay amongst friends. This has taught me the experience that one half, at most, of what I started with would have been more than enough & any friends undertaking a similar journey can have my useful experience to guide them with perfect certainty.
After getting all arranged & ticket secured & baggage labels for our packages, we set our faces towards the “World” tower again, got our dinner en route, & from the tower took 3 snap shots which I trust will shew a picture & memorable they’ll be. Albion was desirous to, & had promised, go to Hoboken to visit Mr. & Mrs. Brash, 1105 Washington St., ferry across the Hudson River. It was now 4:45 p.m. so we parted, I to hotel to do my writing, & by 9 o’clock Albion returned to hotel, & we spent the remainder of the night together, afterwards retiring to our several rooms & enjoyed the rest fairly well earned.
Saturday morning, November 5th, was dull. We breakfasted, had a “shine”, every body gets their boots polished either on the street or in resorts for the purpose. It’s an institution, that sort of thing, in America, & you see dozens within a short distance sitting on proper suitable arm padded chairs & feet on stands, & one or two youths or men rubbing & polishing for all they are worth, 5 cents or 2 ½ d. is the charge & I’ve paid 10 cents, 5d, frequently to hotel shiners. [9:22] Sunday’s the same & it’s common practice throughout both Canada & States. We went to the photographer’s & bought 2 spools. Next we took car to Broadway & called at Heye’s to see if Capt. Morgan was there. He had not been. The inspector was due in the Campania & it appears he had gone early to 40 pier to await her arrival. Next went to Wall Street to the bankers there, Baring, Magoun & Co., & got some money. Visited stock exchange in No. 15 building, next door to said bankers, & of all the Bedlams conceivable, this be[a]t all. Oh, the excitement! What a whirl of bustle, noise & surgings was going on, & as the exchange closes at noon, & we were looking from the gallery, like lots more, just as the hour approached the “row” got hotter & as the bell rang, it was very exciting to onlookers to witness the scene at the finish. What a life to lead. Can’t be kept up for long, surely. We had before this, about 11:30, been in the Cotton Exchange, but the excitement & hubbub, tho’ great, was by no means so striking. Here, like the “Grain Pit”, the excitement centers around a ring fence with three steps circular, which forms a platform & the shouting & gesticulating is amusing to witness. After this we took ferry to Brooklyn & went to Andorinha to prepare Albion‘s luggage for “express” (van), & just as we had got on deck, Mr. Pye told me the “Campania” had just gone up the harbour. I felt sorry at not seeing her steam by. He then told me Captain Morgan had left ship at 7 for Cunard pier (or wharf) as she was due early morning. We got all made ready, everything worth removing, into the [9:23] chest & “grub” box, duly labelled them with “White Star” tallies & after awhile spent with Sutton, Smart, & Mr. Pye, who arranged to give the express man them on Monday, we said good day & went to the National Express Coy’s offices at Fulton St. (8 & 10) near Fulton Ferry, & arranged for them to remove the 2 boxes on Monday, & deliver to 45 pier, White Star Line, paying cost in advance for which I got receipt. We then took ferry close to these offices & which is immediately beneath Brooklyn Bridge, & got across to N. York, where we took 3rd Ave. elevated ry. to 42nd St., (Grand Union Hotel is corner of 42nd & 4th Ave.), had wash & tea, & after a short rest, walked along 5th Ave., the “Princess Gate” of N. York. All the fashion were returning from the park. St. Patrick’s Cathedral is on 5th Ave., & we had a view inside. After viewing further, we set off to find Mr. Forsyth, not knowing he was a grocer, Saturday night not a suitable time to visit one in a store, however, on we went, took car up 42nd St., West 526, & was chagrined on being told by Mrs. McCarty that he had 3 months ago removed from her[e]. Couldn’t tell where he now lived, but knew he was in Anderson’s store, corner of 52nd & 8th Ave! So off we went a fresh hunt & we got to Anderson’s, but he had just gone to supper, 7 p.m., however, one of the youths would have us go to his apartment, 437 on 52nd Street.
[9:24]
Off we went & found him on the 4th floor. He was at supper. Mrs. Forsyth opened the door, looking some what concerned, no doubt as so late an enquiry if Mr. Forsyth lived here & did he belong to Eyemouth[4]? “Come in”, was soon heard, & Mr. Forsyth named me, so we found our destination at last. I wasn’t to be done as I had gone so far & it out of the way, at the hour of 7:30, I determined to find them. I did not know he was married & a fine baby boy they have. Mr. F. knew me as he had served his time with Dodd’s BK & remembered me frequently calling to see Archie. He said he did not need to hurry back, so took a little leisure & we walked back to the store, & at 8 o’clock parted, agreeing to see each other again before I left N. York. He was eager to have us see him the next day, Sunday, but I excused ourselves. I wished to have a restful day. We returned to hotel & rested, soon retiring to bed.
Streets were very busy, & on 8th & 9th Ave. were like a fair street, vendors on either side the causeways.
[1] Giuseppe Mazzini (June 22, 1805 – March 10, 1872) was an Italian patriot, philosopher and politician. Mazzini’s efforts helped bring about the modern Italian state in place of the several separate States, many dominated by foreign powers, that existed until the nineteenth century. He also helped define the modern European movement for popular Democracy in a Republican State
[2] Rotten Row is a broad track running along the south side of Hyde Park in London, leading from Hyde Park Corner to the west. In its heyday in the 18th century, Rotten Row was a fashionable place for upper class Londoners to be seen. Particularly on weekend evenings, people would dress in their finest clothes in order to ride along the row and be seen.
[3] If the Atlantic passage was $82, and we assume that the Atlantic leg was 10% of the total cost, then the entire trip may have cost up to $800, or $23,000 in 2017 dollars. (Conversion from Bureau of Labor Statistics)
[4] A small town in Berwickshire, in the Scottish borders area of Scotland, near Berwick-Upon-Tweed