City Directories – more than a phone book
Apr 20th, 2009 by sharbrough
Detroit 1867
A few notes about Detroit 1867:
Ads in the front. Some have very cool photos in them.
Index to Advertizers
Names too late for insertion in their proper places
City Government – names of city officials. This is pretty cool. A person looking at the directory in “browse” on footnote would see “general info.” Man, it has the locations of the “steamers” for the fire department. It describes the five fire districts in the city. It has a list of the locations of the fire alarm boxes.
These instructions are great:
To sound an alarm for fire, first open the circuit, which is done by turning the small handle off from the button near the centre of the instrument board; this will cause the hammer to sound upon the gong, showing that the instrument is in curcuit and the line in working order.
Then with the key at the bottom of the instrument board sound ten (10), which is an alarm for fire, then pause, and then sound the number of the box.
These must be given three times in the order stated as follows: Sound the alarm 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (pause). If the number of the box is 24, sound 1 1 (pause), 1,1,1,1.
The pauses should be but about two seconds, or the time in which a person would ordinarily count three.
A list of asylums. Cemeteries. Banks. Churches. And my favorite – Ball Clubs. Schools and teachers. Railways.
Lots more ads.
The directory starts on page 97.
There are some great opportunities for people to find information about businesses here.
