USA > Ohio > Historical collections of Ohio, containing a collection of the most interesting facts, traditions, biographical sketches, anecdotes, etc., relating to its general and local history : with descriptions of its counties, principal towns, and villages > Part 32
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CINCINNATI IN 1810.
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tality being 1 in 40. The inhabitants are from every state in the Union and from various countries in Europe. Besides natives of Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey have furnished the greatest number; but many are from New York, Virginia, Maryland and New England. Nearly one fifth of the adult population are Ger- mans. But England, Ireland, Scotland, France and Wales, have furnished considerable numbers.
The Ohio river at Cincinnati, is 1800 feet, or about one third of a mile wide, and its mean annual range from low to high water, is about 50 feet ; the extreme range may be about 10 feet more. The greatest depressions are generally in August, September and Octo- ber ; and the greatest rise in December, March, May and June. The upward navigation is generally suspended by floating ice for eight or ten weeks in the winter. Its current at its mean height, is about 3 miles an hour ; when higher and rising, it is more; and when very low, it does not exceed 2 miles. The quantity of rain and snow which falls annually at Cincinnati, is near 3 feet 9 inches. The wettest month is May, and the driest January. The average number of clear and fair days in a year, is 146; of variable, 114; of cloudy, 105. There have been, since 1840, from thirty to thirty eight steamboats annually built with an average aggregate tonnage of 6500 tons.
Among the public buildings of Cincinnati, is the court house on Main street ; it is a spacious building. The edifice of the Franklin and Lafayette bank of Cincinnati, on Third street, has a splendid portico of Grecian Doric columns, 4 feet 6 inches in diameter, ex- tending through the entire front, was built after the model of the Parthenon, and is truly classical and beautiful. The first and sec- ond Presbyterian churches are beautiful edifices, and the Unitarian church is singularly neat. There are several churches built within the last three years, which possess great beauty, either internally or externally. But the most impressive building is the Catholic Ca- thedral, which at far less cost, surpasses in beauty and picturesque effect, the metropolitan edifice at Baltimore. There are many fine blocks of stores, on Front, Walnut, Pearl, Main and Fourth streets, and the eye is arrested by many beautiful private habitations. The most showy quarters are Main street, Broadway, Pearl and Fourth street, west of its intersection with Main.
There are 76 churches in Cincinnati, viz. : 7 Presbyterian, (4 old and 3 new school;) 2 Congregational ; 12 Episcopal Methodist ; 2 Methodist Protestant ; 2 Wesleyan Methodist ; 1 Methodist Epis- copal south ; 1 Bethel; 1 Associate Reformed ; 1 Reformed Pres- byterian ; 6 Baptist ; 5 Disciples ; 1 Universalist ; 1 Restorationist ; 1 Christian ; 8 German Lutheran and Reformed ; English Lutheran and Reformed 1 each; 1 United Brethren; 1 Welch Calvinistic ; 1 Welch Congregational ; 1 Unitarian ; 2 Friends ; 1 New Jerusa- lem; 8 Catholic, 6 of which are for Germans ; 2 Jews Synagogues; 5 Episcopal and 1 Second Advent.
There are 5 market houses and 3 theatres, of which 1 is German.
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Cincinnati contains many literary and charitable institutions. The Cincinnati college was founded in 1819. The building is in the center of the city, and 's the most beautiful edifice of the kind
ATKAGNEUM
St. Xavier's College.
in the state. It is of the Grecian Doric order, with pilaster fronts and facade of Dayton marble, and cost about $35,000. It has 7 professors or other instructors, about 160 pupils, one quarter of whom are in the collegiate department. Woodward college, named from its founder, who gave a valuable block of ground in the north
Lane Seminary.
part of the city, has a president and five professors, or other in- structors, and including its preparatory department, near 200 stu- dents. The Catholics have a college called St. Xavier's, which
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has about 100 students and near 5000 volumes in its libraries. Lane seminary, a theological institution, is at Walnut Hills, 2 miles from the centre of the city. It went into operation in 1833, has near 100 students, and over 10,000 volumes in its libraries. There is no charge for tuition. Rooms are provided and furnished at $5 per annum, and the students boarded at 90 and 62} cents per week. The Medical college was chartered and placed under trustees, in 1825. It has a arge and commodious building, a library of over 2000 volumes, 7 professors and abcut 150 students. The Cincinnati law school is connected with Cincinnati college, has 3 professors and about 30 students. The mechanics' institute, chartered in 1828, has a valuable philosophical and chemical apparatus, a library and a reading room. The common free schools of the city are of a high order, with fine buildings, teachers and apparatus. In the high schools, there are not less than 1500 pupils ; in the common and pri- vate 5000, and including the students in the collegiate institutions, there are 7000 persons in the various departments of education. In 1831, a college of teachers was established, having for its object the elevation of the profession, and the advancement of the interest of schools in the Mississippi valley, which holds an annual meeting in Cincinnati, in October. The young men's mercantile library association has a fine library and reading rooms. The library con- tains over 3800 volumes, and the institution promises to be an honor and a blessing to the commercial community. The apprentices' li- brary, founded in 1821, contains 2200 volumes.
The charitable institutions of the city are highly respectable. The Cincinnati orphan asylum is in a building, which cost $18,000. Attached is a library and well-organized school, with a provision even for infants ; and it is surrounded by ample grounds. It has trained up over 300 children for usefulness. The Catholics have one male and female orphan asylum. The commercial hospital and lunatic asylum of Ohio, was incorporated in 1821. The edifice, in the northwest part of the city, will accommodate 250 persons ; 1100 have been admitted within a year. A part of the building is used for a poor house ; and there are separate apartments for the insane.
The city is supplied by water raised from the Ohio river, by a steam engine, of 40 horse power, and forced into two reservoirs, on a hill, 700 feet distant ; from whence it is carried in pipes to the in- tersection of Broadway and Third streets, and thence distributed through the principal streets in pipes. These works are now 'owned by the city.
Cincinnati is an extensive manufacturing place. Its natural desti- tution of water power is extensively compensated at present by steam engines, and by the surplus water of the Miami canal, which affords 3000 cubic feet per minute. But the Cincinnati and White Water canal, which extends 25 miles and connects with the White Water canal of Indiana, half a mile south of Harrison, on the state line, will furnish a great increase of water power, equal to 90 runs of nillstones. The manufactures of the city, already large, may be
*
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expected to greatly increase. By a late enumeration, it appears that the manufactures of Cincinnati of all kinds, employs 10,647 persons, a capital of $14,541,842, and produces articles of over sev- enteen millions of dollars value.
The trade of Cincinnati embraces the country from the Ohio to the lakes, north and south ; and from the Scioto to the Wabash, east and west. - The Ohio river line, in Kentucky, for 50 miles down, and as far up as the Virginia line, make their purchases here. Its manufactures are sent into the upper and lower Mississippi country.
There are six incorporated banks, with aggregate capital of $5,800,000, beside two unincorporated banks. Cincinnati is the greatest pork market in the world. Not far from three millions of dollars worth of pork are annually exported.
Cincinnati enjoys great facilities for communication with the sur- rounding country. The total length of canals, railroads and turn- pikes which center here, completed and constructing, is 1125 miles. Those who have made it a matter of investigation predict, that Cin- cinnati will eventually be a city of a very great population. A writer* in Cist's "Cincinnati in 1841," in a long article on this sub- ject, commences with the startling announcement : "Not having be- fore my eyes the fear of men, ' who-in the language of Governeur Morris-with too much pride to study and too much wit to think, undervalue what they do not understand, and condemn what they do not comprehend,' I venture the prediction, that within one hun- dred years from this time, Cincinnati will be the greatest city in America ; and by the year of our Lord, 2000, the greatest city in the world." We have not space here to recapitulate the argu- ments on which this prediction is based. The prediction itself we place on record for future reference.t
The few following pages are devoted to incidents which have transpired within the city or county. They are derived mainly from published sources.
A Legend of Jacob Wetzel .- The road along the Ohio river, leading to Storrs and Delhi, some four hundred yards below the junction of Front and Fifth streets, crosses what, in early days, was the outlet of a water-course, and notwithstanding the changes made by the lapse of years, and the building improvements adjacent, the spot still possesses many features of its original surface, although now divested of its forest character. At the period of this adventure-Oct. 7th, 1790-besides the dense forest of maple and beech, its heavy undergrowth of spice-wood and grape-vine made it an admirable lurking place for the savage beasts, and more savage still, the red men of the woods.
Wetzel had been out on his accustomed pursuit-hunting-and was returning to town, at that time a few cabins and huts collected in the space fronting the river, and extending from Main street to Broadway. He had been very successful, and was returning to procure a horse to bear a load too heavy for his own shoulders, and, at the spot alluded to, had sat down on a decaying tree-trunk to rest himself, and wipe the sweat from his brow, which his forcing his way through the brush had started, cool as was the weather, when he heard the rustling of leaves and branches, which betokened that an animal or an enemy was ap- proaching. Silencing the growl of his dog, who sat at his feet, and appeared equally con-
* J. W. Scott, editor of the Toledo Blade.
t The preceding descriptive sketch of Cincinnati is abridged from that in M'Culloch's Gazetteer, by Charles Cist, editor of the Advertiser, with the statistics brought down to 1847.
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scious of danger, he sprang behind a tree and discovered the dark form of an Indian, half hidden by the body of a large oak, who had his rifle in his hands, ready for any emergency that might require the use of it-as he, too, appeared to be on his guard, having heard the low growling of the dog. At this instant, the dog also spied the Indian and barked aloud, which told the Indian of the proximity of his enemy. To raise his rifle was but the work of a moment, and the distinct cracks of two weapons were heard almost at the same time. The Indian's fell from his hands, as the ball of the hunter's had penetrated and broken the elbow of his left arm, while the hunter escaped unhurt. Before the Indian could possibly re- load his rifle in his wounded condition, Wetzel had rushed swiftly upon him with his knife, but not before the Indian had drawn his. The first thrust was parried off by the Indian with the greatest skill, and the shock was so great in the effort that the hunter's weapon was thrown some thirty feet from him. Nothing daunted, he threw himself upon the Indian with all his force and seized him around the body ; at the same time encircling the right arm, in which the Indian still grasped his knife. The Indian, however, was a very muscu- lar fellow, and the conflict now seemed doubtful indeed. The savage was striving with all his might to release his arm, in order to use his knife. In their struggle, their feet became interlocked, and they both fell to the ground, the Indian uppermost, which extricated the Indian's arm from the iron grasp of the hunter. He was making his greatest endeavors to use his knife, but could not, from the position in which they were lying, as Wetzel soon forced him over on his right side, and, consequently, he could have no use of his arm.
Just at this point of the deadly conflict, the Indian gave an appalling yell, and, with re- newed strength, placed his enemy underneath him again, and with a most exulting cry of victory, as he sat upon his body, raised his arm for that fatal plunge. Wetzel saw death before his eyes, and gave himself up for lost, when, just at this most critical juncture, his faithful dog, who had not been an uninterested observer of the scene, sprang forward and seized the Indian with such force by the throat, as caused the weapon to fall harmless from his hand. Wetzel, seeing such a sudden change in his fate, made one last and desperate effort for his life, and threw the Indian from him. Before the prostrate savage had time to recover himself, the hunter had seized his knife, and with redoubled energy rushed upon him, and with his foot firmly planted on the Indian's breast, plunged the weapon up to the hilt in his heart. The savage gave one convulsive shudder, and was no more.
As soon as Wetzel had possessed himself of his rifle, together with the Indian's weapons, he started immediately on his way. He had gone but a short distance when his ears were assailed by the startling whoop of a number of Indians. He ran eagerly for the river, and, fortunately, finding a canoe on the beach near the water, was soon out of reach, and made his way, without further danger, to the cove at the foot of Sycamore street.
The Indians came up to the place of the recent renconter, and discovered the body of a fallen comrade. They gave a most hideous yell when, upon examination, they recognized in the dead Indian the features of one of their bravest chiefs.
O. M. Spencer taken Captive .- In July, 1792, two men, together with Mrs. Colemar and Oliver M. Spencer, then a lad, were returning in a canoe from Cincinnati to Columbia, They were fired upon by two Indians, in ambush on the river bank ; one of the men was , killed, and the other, a Mr. Light, wounded. Mrs. Coleman jumped from the canoe into the river, and without making any exertions to swim, floated down nearly two miles It is supposed she was borne up by her dress, which, according to the fashion of that time, consisted of a stuffed quilt and other buoyant robes. Spencer was taken and carried captive to the Maumee, where he remained about eight months and was ransomed. A narrative of his captivity, written by himself, has been published by the Methodists.
Death of Col. Robt. Elliott .- In 1794, Col. Robert Elliott, contractor for supplying the United States army, while travelling with his servant from Fort Washington to Fort Ham- ilton, was waylaid and killed by the Indians, at the big hill, south of where Thos. Fleming lived, and near the line of Hamilton and Butler counties. When shot, he fell from his horse. The servant made his escape by putting his horse at full speed, followed by that of Elliott's, into Fort Hamilton. The savage who shot the colonel, in haste to take his scalp, drew his knife, and seized him by the wig which he wore. To his astonishment, the scalp came off at the first touch, when he exclaimed, " dam lie!" In a few minutes, the surprise of the party was over, and they made themselves merry at the expense of their comrade. The next day, a party from the fort, under the guidance of the servant, visited the spot, placed the body in a coffin and proceeded on their way to Fort Washington. About a mile south of Springdale, they were fired upon by Indians, and the servant, who was on the horse of his late master, was shot at the first fire. The party retreated, leaving the body of Elliott
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with the savages, who kad broken open the coffin, when the former rallied, re-took the body and carried it, with that of the servant, to Cincinnati, and buried them side by side in the Presbyterian cemetery, on Twelfth street. Several years after, a neat monument was erected, with the following inscription.
In memory of ROBERT ELLIOTT, SLAIN BY A PARTY OF INDIANS, Near this point, While in the service of his country. Placed by his son, Com. J. D. ELLIOTT, U. S. Navy. 1835.
DAMON AND FIDELITY.
A Witch Story .- About the year 1814, one of our most wealthy and respectable farmers on Mill creek, who had taken great pains and expended much money in procuring and propagating a fine breed of horses, was unfortunate in losing a number of them, by a dis- temper which appeared to be of a novel character. As the disease baffled all his skill, he soon became satisfied that it was the result of witchcraft. Under that impression, he con- sulted such persons as were reputed to have a knowledge of sorcery, or who pretended to be fortune-tellers. These persons instructed him how to proceed to discover and destroy the witch. One of the experiments he was directed to make, was to boil certain ingredients, herbs, et cetera, over a hot fire, with pins and needles in the cauldron, which, he was told, would produce great mental and bodily distress in the witch or wizzard. He tried that experiment, and while the pot was boiling furiously, placed himself in his door, which over- looked the principal part of his farm, including the field in which his horses were kept. It . so happened, that, while standing in the door, he saw his daughter-in-law, who lived in a cabin about 80 rods from his own house, hastening to the spring for a bucket of water. His imagination connected that hurried movement with his incantation so strongly, that he im- mediately ordered his son to move his family from the farm.
From some cause, he had formed an opinion that a Mrs. Garrison, an aged woman, in feeble health, fast sinking to the grave, living some eight or ten miles from his farm, was the principal agent in the destruction of his horses. He had frequently expressed that opinion in the neighborhood. Mrs. Garrison had heard of it, and, as might be expected, her feelings were injured and her spirits much depressed by the slanderous report. One of the charms he had been directed to try, was to shoot a silver bullet at a horse while the witch was evidently in him. This he was told would kill the witch and cure the animal. He accordingly prepared a silver ball, and shot it at a very fine brood mare which was affected by the distemper. The mare, of course, was killed ; and as it so happened, that, in a very short time after, poor Mrs. Garrison died, the experiment was declared to be success- ful, and the experimenter believes to this day that his silver bullet killed the poor old woman. However that may be, his slanderous report had a great effect on her health, and no doubt hastened her death.
Explosion of the Moselle .- The new and elegant steamboat, Moselle, Capt. Perkin, left the wharf in Cincinnati, April 26th, 1838, (full of passengers,) for Louisville and St. Louis ; and, with the view of taking a family on board at Fulton, about a mile and a half above the quay, proceeded up the river and made fast to a lumber raft for that purpose. Here the family was taken on board ; and, during the whole time of their detention, the captain had madly held on to all the steam that he could create, with the intention, not only of showing off to the best advantage the great speed of his boat, as it passed down the river the entire length of the city, but that he might overtake and pass another boat which had left the wharf for Louisville, but a short time previous. As the Moselle was a new brag boat, and had recently made several exceedingly quick trips to and from Cincinnati, it would not do to risk her popularity for speed, by giving to another boat (even though that boat had the advantage of time and distance) the most remote chance of being the first to arrive at. the destined port. This insane policy,-this poor ambition of proprietors and
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captains, has almost always inevitably tended to the same melancholy results. The Mo- selle had but just parted from the lumber raft to which she had been fast,-her wheels had scarcely made their first revolution,-when her boilers burst with an awful and astound- ing noise, equal to the most violent clap of thunder. The explosion was destructive and heart-rending in the extreme ; heads, limbs and bodies, were seen flying through the air in every direction, attended with the most horrible shrieks and groans from the wounded and dying. The boat, at the time of the accident, was about thirty feet from the shore, and was rendered a perfect wreck. It seemed to be entirely shattered as far back as the gen- tlemen's cabin ; and her hurricane deck, the whole length, was entirely swept away. The boat immediately began to sink, and float with a strong current down the river, at the same time receding farther from the shore,-while the passengers, who yet remained unhurt in the gentlemen's and ladies' cabins, became panic-struck, and most of them, with a fatuity which seems unaccountable, jumped into the river. Being above the ordinary business parts of the city, there was no boats at hand, except a few large and unmanageable wood-floats, which were carried to the relief of the sufferers, as soon as possible, by the few persons on the shore. Many were drowned, however, before they could be rescued, and many sunk, who were never seen afterwards. There was one little boy on the shore who was seen wringing his hands in agony, imploring those present to save his father, mother and three sisters,-all of whom were struggling in the water to gain the shore,-but whom the little fellow had the awful misfortune to see perish, one by one, almost within his reach ; an infant child, belonging to the family, wa's picked up alive, floating down the river on one of the frag-ments of the hurricane deck.
The boat sunk about fifteen minutes after the explosion, leaving nothing to be seen but her chimneys, and a small portion of her upper works.
The Moselle was crowded with passengers from stem to stern, principally Germans, bound to St. Louis. Nearly all on board (with the exception of those in the ladies' cabin) were killed or wounded. Most of the sufferers were among the hands of the boat and the steerage passengers. The captain was thrown by the explosion into the street, and was picked up dead and dreadfully mangled. Another man was forced through the roof of one of the neighboring houses ; the pilot was thrown about a hundred feet into the air, whence he fell and found his grave in the river, -- and many were the limbs and other fragments of hu- man bodies, which were found scattered about upon the river, and far along the shore. The number destroyed by the explosion, was estimated at over two hundred persons.
The Asiatic Cholera .- The cholera made its appearance in Cincinnati, in October, 1832. The reports of the board of health, as published in the city papers, commenced on the 10th of that month, and terminated on the 3d of November. The whole number of deaths, as then published, was 351, which was probably much less than the real number. The great- est number of deaths in any one day, was on Oct. 21st, when 42 persons died.
The following articles are derived from the newspapers of Cin- cinnati, and relate to events of the few past years.
The Great Freshet of February, 1832 .- The Ohio river commenced rising at this place about the 9th inst. On the 12th, it began to swell over the banks, and on the 14th, many merchants and others near the river, were compelled to remove their goods to the second story of their houses. It continued to rise rapidly till Saturday morning, Feb. 18th, when it came to a stand, having risen sixty three feet above low water mark. Differences of opinion exists as to its comparative height, with the rises of 1792 and 1815. It is sup- posed to have been about 5 feet higher than in 1792 or 1815. About noon, on the 18th, it commenced falling very slowly, and yet continues to fall. In the course of two or three days it probably will be confined within its banks.
The rise was of the nost distressing character. It carried desolation into all the lower part of the city. Hundreds of families were turned houseless upon the community. Du- ring the early part of the rise, many in the lower part of the city were awakened at night by the water pouring in upon them, and were obliged to fly ; others betook themselves to the upper stories, and were brought away in boats the next morning. Many families continue to reside in the upper part of their dwellings, making use of boats in going from and re- turning to their stores and houses.
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