Let's do some time wandering back into the year 1907 in Jackson, Tennessee. Let's imagine that I am speaking to you as a legal secretary working for Attorney Biggs. The law office is located in the Pythian Building in downtown Jackson. I am a single woman living in a boarding house located on Highland. There are four other single women living in the house owned by Mrs. Brown. One girl (Sarah) is a student at the Methodist Conference Female Institute located at Chester and Royal; her family is wealthy and they wanted her to live in a private home instead of school housing. Ruth is a nurse working at the Crook Sanitarium at 110 West Baltimore, and Janice Lee is doing an apprenticeship as a jeweler with Mr. Jobe. Janice Lee and I go to work at the same time and ride the streetcar downtown each day. We arrive. at work at 8:00 a.m. and leave around 6:00 p.m. on most days; then on Saturday we work a half a day.

Living at Mrs. Browns' has its advantages. Her house not only has electric lights, a telephone, and steam heat, but it also has indoor plumbing! It was so exciting last year when Mrs. Brown hired Mr. Curtis, the plumber, to add a second bathroom upstairs for us girls. We all got to go with Mrs. Brown to pick out the fixtures from the display at Mr. Curtis's store. It's located just down the street fom my office on South Liberty. The city crews have extended the sewer and water lines down Highland. The demand for indoor plumbing makes Mr. Curtis a happy and wealthy man. Mrs. Brown told me it's costing her $250 to add the second bath. I was concerned about the cost, but Mr. Biggs told me not to worry since he takes care of her late husband's estate. He said she can well afford any improvements she does to the house. (Who said men don't gossip?)

Mr. Biggs is a good attorney. He watches out for his client's well being. He seems convinced that there is going to be a financial crash this year. Mr. Biggs believes in President Theodore Roosevelt, but he does not think he is being told the truth about the financal condition of the country.

I have learned more about politics on the job than I ever did in college. Each morning, part of my job includes going to Mr. Hassan's newsstand and getting a (Jackson) Daily Whig; Jackson Daily Sun, Weekly Dispatch and any out of town newspapers that come in by train each day. Every once in a while, I go down to the Jackson Daily Sun located on Baltimore to take the advertisement Mr. Bigg puts in about once a month. Another part of my job is to go down to Pinkston & Scruggs and pick up Cuban Cigars for Mr, Biggs. Mr. Biggs may be conservative, but he wil lspend a quarter to get three of these cigars.

Togay I went to the Madisqn County Jail with Mr. Bigigs to visit with his female client. Her trial is 'next week. She is accused of shooting her husband when he started beating her with a stick. I was told that the man was a mean-spirited Railroad man who could not hold his liquor. Sad, really sad. JudgeBond will hear the case, and it looks like the Judge will let the lady go back to her family in Kentucky. Judge told Mr. Bjggs in front of me that the man needed killing.

Today is Friday, and the office is closing early and will be closed tomorrow (Saturday). The reason we are off is a sad one. Mr. Biggs had a death in his family. I know this because I had to take the envelope with the money for the casket to Umphlett & Griffin Funeral Parlor. Umphlett & Griffin's is located at 211 East Main. They sell furniture, caskets, and do funerals.

Since I do have extra time, I think I will go by Rosenbloom's on Lafayette. Oh well, now it's time to go back home. Just before the streetcar comes, I go into the Stationary Shop to pick up a package for Mrs. Brown. Another good day. Hope you enjoyed wandering downtown with me in 1907.

Written by D.N. English. Visit her Website
Posted in the City News Jackson TN