From the Dec. 20 edition of the Register-News
By:
125 years ago
Some organized effort should be made for the relief of our needy poor this coming winter. It is stated that many families are even now feeling the pinching hand of poverty, some, too, who had never before been brought to that condition.
Before some even looms up the poor house, and all who know the honest manly and womanly pride of the industrious can readily understand how pressing their necessities must be before they will allow themselves to be classed as common paupers.
At present there appears to be no way of aiding this class, and there should therefore be an organization here of a benevolent character which, through its agents, might hunt out deserving persons and prove to them that they are not forgotten in their affliction. The churches should take action in reference to the matter; possibly some of them have already done so.
Here is something new for our young folks. "Wristlet parties" are an invention which has recently been introduced in society at Buffalo. The ladies furnish the wristlets, and each pair is numbered. One of each pair with the number is put into a box and is sold to the gentlemen by a committee, and corresponding wristlets with the numbers are worn by the ladies. The fun begins when each gentleman buys a wristlet, and finds the owner of the mate to it, to whom he is to pay attention during the evening.
100 years ago
"Won Back" this well known comedy was rendered by amateurs of the Catholic Dramatic Association at the school hall in Elizabeth Street last evening. A large number of tickets were sold in advance, assuring a good house. The characters in this play are types of the society in Washington, D.C., 30 years ago. A fashionable "hop" in a Washington Hotel introduces most of them to the audience.
Last Monday about 40 gentlemen went to Wilmington, Del., from this city, Mount Holly and Philadelphia, to witness the trial trip of the new steamboat "Springfield" which will ply between Bordentown and Philadelphia.
The Bordentonians were J. Holmes Longstreet, Wililam A. Shreve, Philip F. H. Brakeley, R. H. Aaronson, Horace Reedes and son Walter, and Messrs. Anderson and Barry, of the worsted mills.
Her capacity is 800 passengers, speed 15 miles per hour and the lighting is entirely by electricity, including a first class search light. She is a modern steamer in every respect.
As usual at this season of the year the always well-stocked store of the Samuel E. Burr Hardware Co. is piled to the top notch with holiday goods. People here have no occasion to go further for their Santa Claus supply, and residents of Florence, White Hill, Columbus, Crosswicks and other neighboring towns will look no further if they will accept a very generous invitation to drop in and inspect the prices for themselves.
70 years ago
A world traveler is spending several days in Bordentown, revisited scenes viewed on several occasions in years gone by. Mr. Lincoln, a native of Philadelphia, has been around the globe twice.
Motor Vehicle Commissioner Harold G. Hoffman will be asked by the Bordentown Business Association to appoint a deputy in this city to issue auto licenses. The association received petitions bearing the signatures of hundreds of voters and taxpayers asking such action.
Contributions by six prominent citizens, received by Mayor Friedrich this week, totaling $150, have been turned over to W.R. Murphy, treasurer of the Citizen’s Committee which is in charge of relief work locally. Tomorrow the school children will endeavor to raise as much money as possible by selling tags.
Bordentown has a real need this year for charitable work. Let’s make this a real Merry Christmas for all our people and give them the cheer that comes from knowing they will not be destitute this winter.
Compiled by Vanessa Sarada Holt from the Bordentown Register, 1876-1931.