It’s time, once again, to travel back in time to the days when The Baldwin Times was in its infancy.

   This week in 1895, Abner J. Smith served as the publication’s editor and M.S. Hornsbrough was associate editor.

   The 19th century newspaper’s front page was flanked on the left side by public information. This included a directory of the Baldwin County Courts, which listed the Circuit Court as meeting the fourth Monday in March and October, the County Court meeting the third Monday of each month and the Commissioners’ Court meeting the second Monday in February, May, July and August and the first Monday of April and November.

   Along with that was a list of the Baldwin County officers, which included County Judge Chas Hall, Sheriff H.W. Slaughter, Circuit Clerk Geo. H. Hoyte, Registrar Joseph Hodgson, Assessor S.S. White, Tax Collector H.W. Slaughter, Treasurer C.E. Wilkins and County Commissioners Thomas J. Holman, A. Suarez, Thos. G. McGowan and John E. McDavid.

   The directory also included church listings for Daphne, the then-publication home of The Times. The listing stated that the Rev. R.C. Williams was pastor of Methodist Church South, which met every third Sunday for worship and each Sunday for Sunday School.

   The Baptist Church was included, as well, with the Rev. J. Hall listed as pastor of the church, which met every second Sunday at 4 p.m. for services.

   Also flanking the front page of The Times was advertising, by way of “professional cards.” The listings included Baldwin County attorney’s Tompkins and Smith, who boasted speedy service.

   “Prompt attention to all legal business,” the ad stated.

   Several dentists, all claiming painless dentistry, were also listed in this category, including R.O. Gordon and Dr. A.W. Bryant Jr.

   An article on the four-page publication’s front page reported the state of the nation’s agriculture, with information gleaned mostly from the 1890 census.

   “The first buckwheat state is New York with 580,029 acres and 4,675,735 bushels of product,” the article stated.

   Other nuggets found in the report included a decline in New England farming and that Rhode Island only had 51 male residents. Also, the collective value of all livestock in the nation was said to be $2,208,767,573, and the “value of all farm implements and machinery in the United States was $494,247,467,” the article stated.

   Another front-page headline also reported the finding of $1,000-$2,000 worth gold in Cleburne County.

   “Large quantities of gold from time to time in the last 50 years have been gotten in this section of the state,” the article stated, “and gold is found in every portion of the Abacoochie District. This latest find, however, is pronounced to be the richest and most wonderful yet discovered.”

   An additional front-page article reports a girl being burned while getting too close to a fire after being medicated with turpentine.

   “She has been suffering intense agony for the past week but am glad to state that she is fast improving,” the article stated.

   The remainder of the publication sports advertising for such business as Staple and Facy Groceries in Mobile, M. Muller & Co. Furniture in Mobile and J. H. Snow Piano and Music Co. in Mobile, as well as Price & Lowe Hardware in Mobile, which even had a phone, with the phone number 109.

   An advertisement by E. H Burton provided a glimpse of how much items cost in 1895, with men’s shoes on sale for $1-!.50, ladies’ shoes selling for 50 cents-$1 and children’s shoes available for 75 cents-$1.

      The national news continues to focus on the debate over whether to issue silver as free coinage or to maintain a fully gold standard.

   Additional news of the day included the announcement of the design of an official bronze, quarter-sized medal of the Cotton States, being sent to Washington.

   It seems the treatment of the military has always been an issue as an article reported a debate over the timeliness of pensions paid to Civil War veterans three decades after fighting ceased.

   The Times also kept track of national expansion, reporting the creation of a road being developed in Louisville, Ky. and Nashville, Tenn., with the intent of further connecting the South.

   “It is a fine road, well enjoyed in all departments,” the article stated.

   On the international front, an article reports discord between Russia and Japan.

   Local issues published this week in 1895 included the repair of sewer pipes from the jail, the Stockton Club’s refusal to play baseball on Sunday, the County Commission’s agreement of opening a new road in Daphne, the suicide of a northern man who came to Baldwin County for his health and the fifth annual session of the Mobile Baptist Association in Bay Minette, with W.A. Alexander moderating the three-day event.

   Check back next week for another glimpse at The Baldwin Times of yesteryear.