Dycusburg Known for Drunkeness in 1881

(Editor's Note: Special thanks to Kay Sakaris for sharing this news item. Her ancestors are from Livingston Co. Her great-great grandfather was Capt. Richard M. Johnson [1822-1894] and was a steamboat captain. He lived at Tiline, across the river from Dycusburg and operated his boats from his farm, Johnson's Landing. This article from the Dec. 21, 1881 issue of The Crittenden Press mentions he, "Capt. Dick Johnson" visited Dycusburg.)

MR. ED: Again we claim our place in your widely read columns.

About the only excitement in town is that caused by such circumstances as, a fellow from the country with a basket of eggs or a Railroad magnate. Occasionally there is some excitement over the articles in the PRESS, when you are so unfortunate as to be bored with one.

Would you think it? Fred. is offended at us, and we are fearful that if we apologize, we will only make it worse. We don't understand that art, so we will not attempt it. We will only say that we did very wrong in accusing him of being handsome. We will not do so again.

Judge Hill has returned from a trip down in the Ford's Ferry country, to his old home. He informs us that his old home and his former play ground has been so rudely treated by this fast world that he hardly recognized the old place.

The steamer, B.S. Rhea, passed down Sunday.

We give a partial list of the following visitors at this place: Dr. P.M. D__, Dr. Maxwell, Bart James, Owen Boaz, G.L. Boaz, C. Koon, Norvel Pierce, Marion Oliver, John Oliver, Felix Cox, Capt. Dick Johnson, John Evans, Felix Dorm (Doom?), Brit Pollard, Joe Fore (?), Mr. Markham.

We are expecting another visit from the editor of the B.F. Dem., soon again, sometime shortly.

From what we can learn from the farmers, there is a great deal of wheat sowed; and it is looking splendid. A great deal of care, generally, was taken with the wheat and they already see the good effect that follows care and thorough work.

Corn is selling at 75 cents, and very little to be had at that.

We have a saw and grist mill near town. The proprieter is a business man, and we think he will make a bigger thing out of it some day, which is much needed here.

Christmas is almost here, and we have not heard a word said about a "Christmas Tree."

If Dycusburg is famous for anything for anything besides the number of young and old men that come in here from the country to get drunk and make fools of themselves, generally -- trying to capture steamboats, which of course, they could never do, unless that some steamboat were managed with geese (remember we do not say ganders) for then they could not take it.

A mink came into Mr. Galatley's store sometime since, and was killed by his two little dogs.

Since our last communication, in which we mentioned the serious illness of E. Steel, he has died. He was about sixty-five years old, and leaves a large family to mourn his loss.

Mr. George Yancy can tell you what it is to be bored by a Nashville drummer.

Mr. J.H. Clifton says that it is no trouble to have a popular hotel with such a fine looking man for "boss" as Shirley Pickering. And we need such ditto bachelors for boarders, as Dr. J.M. Graves and J.F. Houser.

V. Argus