In One Ear: Around town

Published 6:00 am Thursday, January 1, 2026

Nuggets from the The Daily Morning Astorian, Jan. 2, 1885:

• An elegant line of lace handkerchiefs, and hoopskirts, and Ball’s coiled spring corsets, which continue to be all the rage, at the Empire Store.

Note: This “healthful” corset consisted of a “shirred elastic section over the interior coiled wire spring system,” and was worn while participating in “athletic activities” to maintain the “acceptable silhouette.” Ouch.

• Beginning yesterday the day will be officially reckoned at Greenwich Observatory near London as commencing at midnight, the hours being counted on up to 24 hours or midnight again. 

Note: In 1675, England’s King Charles II decreed the establishment of the Greenwich Observatory to better determine the longitudinal location of ships at sea. It was a long haul to get to the real solution: Greenwich Mean Time.

• New Year’s in Astoria: A leaden mist hung above the city yesterday and a cold rain that froze as it touched the ground made everything outdoors slippery. The wind blew from the northeast, and the day was a cheerless one.

Groups of merry New Year’s callers were out, going from house to house and exchanging the compliments of the season. Some of the New Year parties organized and procured sleighs in which they sat in style and rode gaily by their less enterprising comrades. 

… Toward evening the wind worked round to the south … the icy glaze began to melt, and by night it was possible to get from one corner to another without crawling on one’s hands and knees. (Image: Courrier & Ives)