Miscellaneous - Bainbridge Businesses in 1872

Jottings About Town, Bainbridge, Chenango Co., NY

Bainbridge Republican, July 20, 1872

 

The business of Bainbridge is somewhat varied and somewhat peculiar.  Most of the business establishments are carried on by new comers, and short periods of trade mark the history of many past enterprises.

 

There are some twenty stores of various descriptions--two harness shops, three law offices, bank, barber shop, cigar factory, three billiard and beer saloons, four tailor shops, three shoe shops, two cabinet shops, a meat market, and several milliner establishments and two hotels, all crowded very close together as a business center.  To these may be added two dental offices and four M.D. offices.  East Main street is supplied with millinery and dress making, and a cabinet shop, where the Grave's wait for living men to die.

 

South Main street is varied by a blacksmith and cooper shop, one hotel, a beer and billiard saloon, and store.  East and South Main streets are mostly occupied with pleasant residences; and three of the village churches, pleasantly front upon the village green.

 

North main street presents a fine brick block corner, and already its two first finished stores are occupied.  No. 1 as a drug store, and No. 2 with dry goods and groceries.  Nos. 3, and 4 are waiting finish and occupants.  The second floor is occupied by millinery and dental establishments and residences.

 

Upon the upper floor is a fine public hall dedicated to sense and nonsense, to recreation and dissipation, and such as dissipation enslaves, may find a Good Templar remedy in a fine adjoining hall.  No. 5 going east is a fancy store, where vanity fair holds out tempting forms and colors for the mast head of the weaker vessels.  No. 6 is ready for any traffic that is honorable and profitable, while from the shambles beneath, flesh and bones are sold together at the same price, and from which the hungry may be fed without asking any questions on account of conscience.  But a step from where the hungry are fed, to No. 7, where the naked are clothed, is another like anomaly as upon East Main street;  the Graves are ready for the living to die, and see that they are reasonably buried.*  No. 8 is a store of dry goods, "wet goods", and groceries.  No. 10 is a manufacturer of fine harness sets found so needful where horse power is in demand.  Nos. 11 and 12, are peace making establishments, and each finds it profitable in picking such geese as get their feathers ruffled.

 

Entering upon the west side of North Main street, business begins with a blacksmith shop and two carriage shops.  No. 3 going south is the old billiard saloon, 'played out,' or waiting to be played in.  No. 4 is the old hardware store of other days, in good running order and does a Sterling business.  No. 5 is a drug store, all but the drugs, which have recently left for better quarters.  No. 6 is a dry goods establishment somewhat mixed up of late, but seemingly in good running order.  The upper floor of Nos. 5 and 6 gives assurance that the naked may be clothed, and the sick healed by paying such prices as usage requires.  No. 7 is the old corner of other days, and one of the stations in the town where tickets are sold to passengers for the "Black Valley Rail Road."

 

No. 1 West Main street, north side, contains a beer and billiard saloon, post-office, jewelry store, fancy store, and a "Model Printing Office."  No. 2 is a variety store and just around the corner monuments of dead men are waiting for the living to find permanent location and an epitaph.

 

Across the street the money changers are found, not in the temple as of old time, but outside of it, and where no scourge of small cares disturb them, but where delinquents sometimes get protested.  One door below, the new hardware store is getting a large stock of new goods, and the obliging firm will sell coal and feed by the pound, but not a pound of bacon.  One door below, the dry goods and groceries are looking for customers.  A door farther on, and any man can  get booted by the man who ought to go to Padanaram, where several of the town should go, unless Isaac and Jacob took all the spare ribs to be had.**  The  next building contains cheap groceries and cheaper sugars on the first floor.  The second floor contains a shoe shop, printing office, and picture gallery, a busy building of art, industry and trade.

 

Next comes the first door of the old "mammoth block" as reconstructed.  Here one man's labor all ends in smoke, and the other labors for nothing better than smoke.  No. 2 furnishes food for man and beast, with a spice of reformed politics.  Other rooms in the "mammoth" wait for occupants.  No. 3 is occupied as a harness shop, which does a large business with paying customers.  Below is an old beer and billiard saloon, and above is a shoe shop, and a law office, whose proprietor is a special favorite of the "Saturday Review."

 

The business record of the village will be nearly complete with the notice of a blacksmith shop and chair factory, on Kirby street, a grist mill on the brook at west end of village, and a grist mill, planing and moulding machine on the river and the extensive steam works on Johnson street.  This last named establishment is the most important and indispensable to the business needs and prosperity of the community, comprising a foundry, saw mail, machine shop, planning machine, turning lathe, shingle machine, a lath mill, grind stones, emery wheels, buzz saws, gig saws and a plow factory, etc. etc., all driven by a powerful steam engine.  It gives employ to some 15 hands, and two teams.  It should be a large paying business in the hands of its enterprising proprietors. 

 

Compiler notes
*This refers to Gaylord S. Graves who served the community as undertaker for over 50 years.
**Padanaram is a Biblical reference.  It was the locale from which Isaac and Jacob obtained their wives.  Implies that the proprietor of the boot shop was a bachelor who should be looking for a wife.