Footnotes to Long Island History
Old Ads and News Items
December 8, 1965
by
Thomas R. Bayles
The first newspaper on Long Island was the Long Island Herald which was issued at Sag Harbor in 1791 under the ownership of Alden Spooner.
In 1878, S.S. Hammond of Patchogue advertised nut coal for sale at $6 a ton.
The Riverhead Daily News in October 1882 carried an ad of T.I. Thomason of his mail and passenger route between Riverhead and Westhampton, with a fair each way of 50 cents. He says, “I have built a new stage, put two good horses before it, and what used to be an unpleasant necessity, is now a delightful excursion.”
In 1884 an ad of J.H. Randall of Middle Island who operated the general store in the late years owned by Edward Pfeiffer listed his stock of good as follows: Groceries, dry goods, notions, underwear, hats, caps, boots, shoes, rubbers, paints, oils, table, oil, cloth, window shades, crockery, lamps, glassware, hardware, cutlery, tin ware, willow ware, china, seeds, farming implements, fertilizer, flour, feed, grain, coal, lime and cement, with fancy New Orleans, molasses at 60 cents a gallon.”
Dr. J. F. Stephens, Dentist, carried an ad in the Advance in 1884 for extracting teeth, 25cents, with gas 50 cents, fillings 50 cents, artificial teeth $6.
In 1884, King & Edwards of Yaphank advertise their Upper Mills flour for $5 a barrel, with grain, feed, meal, pancake timber, etc., on hand, and that custom work would receive their careful attention.
The same year the Port Jefferson Milling Co. advertise their manufacture of “Family flour under the improved stone and roller system, also fine white and yellow meal, and feed and grain of all kinds.”
John S. Havens of Patchogue advertises in 1878: Carpets at 40 cents a yard and upwards, floor oil cloths, a full line of flannels, all wool at 20 cents a yard, ladies’ dress good and boots and shoes, also “shirts and drawers, just received, cheap.”
M. G. Wiggens of Patchogue advertises in the same year, groceries and dry goods, boots & shoes, clothing, “cork wood & nettings,” “also mast hoops and jib hanks, eel pots & clam baskets,” muslin at 7 cents a yard, canton flannel at 9 cents, and gingham at 9 cents a yard. Also all kinds of grain bought for cash or barter, and pine & oak wood bought.
Also in 1878 Charles Seyfferth advertises “hair, switches, puffs, frizzettes, curls, etc., for sale or made to order from best quality of French hair and always on hand at the barber shop on Ocean Ave.”
The Patchogue Congregational Church advertises in 1878 the Winter “Peoples Lecture Course,” with single tickets at 10 cents, and season tickets for 50 cents, for sale at the store of G.M. Ackerly.
In 1881 the Bridgeport Steamboat Co. advertised the steamer “Laura” operating from Bridgeport to New York, round trip fare 50 cents. The steamer “Brookhaven” from Port Jefferson connected at Bridgeport with the New York boat with the combination fare from Port Jefferson to New York of $1.
In 1877 William Massaker advertises in The Advance that he has opened a grocery and dry goods store on the corner of West Main St. and Holbrook Road, (Waverly Avenue), in the building formerly known as the Old Congregational Church. “in connection with this he advertised to keep a first class ice cream saloon.”
Bailey & Smith advertise in the same year a lumber yard on Pine Street north of Fishel’s store, with all kinds of timber, lath, lime, cement, plaster, moldings, builders, black walnut blinds, sash, etc.