USA > Ohio > Hamilton County > Cincinnati > The Cincinnati miscellany, or, Antiquities of the West, and pioneer history and general and local statistics, Volume I > Part 25
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58
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at once, and space to stow it away, can protect ] justly and liberally, rather than with individuals themselves. Itis one job and no more to con- in the market space of whom they know noth- ing, and we shall see the system of forestalling and huckstering wood now prevalent, so long a curse not to the poor merely, but to persons in moderate circumstances, broken up as all huck- stering ought to be, and the persons engaged in it driven to regular and more honest employ- ment. tract with the large dealer, fer 15 or 20 cords, to stipulate the price for sawing, splitting, and piling, and in these various processes detect or guard against extortion or imposition in any of these departments. But they who buy a load or a cord merely, and generally at the moment of need, must sometimes take it of a quality, and at a price, which they would not if they had a choice; will have crooked and knotted sticks imposed on them, some of which cannot readily be split, and must go to waste; and must pay at times 50 per cent. higher for sawing and split- ting en the spur of the moment, than their wealthy neighbor who chooses his time and mode of purchase, and bespeaks his wood of a man in whom he can confide.
All this and more, this Company I see clearly, will obviate by their operations. They deliver into your yard er cellar, wood of just the quali- ty you want, with the unprofitable pieces taken out, and the residue sawed and split to the length and size you desire, and at a price never higher and generally much cheaper than you can get in any other mode. For example: you order a cord of best hickory or sugar tree for immediate use; it is delivered into your cellar and piled up, at 4 dollars per cord. Now if you are fortunate enough to obtain at your first search, hickory wood at the canal or river, at 2 50 cents, perfectly straight, sound, and free from forks, if you find a perfectly honest wag- oner, who will deliver you full loads, and at 50 cents per cord ; if you get none of it lost on the way by carelessness of his driver; if you get a man te saw it twice at 50 cents per cord, who will not take advantage of your absence to saw some of it but once, and a man to split it at the same price; all which are the lowest possible rates at which these things are done; then wood may be bought as cheap, but no cheaper, than of the Company. But if you fail in a single one of these points, your wood costs you higher ;- greatly so, if you fail in many er all these .- Wood costs frequently much higher than 2 50, if first rate, and the charge to many parts of the city is 622, 75, and even 874 cents per cord for hauling; most of the sawing is paid for at 372 cents each time, and splitting unless of the easiest kind always costs more than sawing. It is easy to see then, that in a regular course of dealing, wood can be here supplied, 20 to 25 per cent. cheaper than at the public stands, and at a greater difference when the article is scarce, the Company selling always at regularand per- manent prices. The effect of this will be, as its operations are becoming felt in the community, that persons will leave their orders at a yard, where there is no motive to deal otherwise than
I commenced this article with the view of calling public attention and support to an in- stitutien which, enabling the poor to help them- seives, deserves sympathy and patronage. But the views presented in this number, rendering it palpable that every dollar laid out in stock is a saving of so much or more by persons able to contribute, in the purchase of their own supplies, that I am satisfied self interest alone will bring out all the funds necessary for the enlargement of its operations so as to meet the wants of the whole city.
CORRESPONDENCE.
CINCINNATI, Jan. 7th, 1845.
MR. CIST, SIR :-
I have read, with great interest, the "Recollections of a Veyage to Italy, in 1800,"" lately published in your Advertiser. partly from the spirit stirring character of the incidents, but still more from my long and thereugh intimacy with CHARLES RAMSDELL, the hero of the narra- tive, who was all the writer described him to be. We were school-boys together, on the island of Nantucket, and at that carly period, Charles was the same master spirit among his youthful associates, as he appears in that narrative, and would doubtless have approved himself more fully if he had survived a few years to take part in the naval warfare of the last war with Great Britain. There were but twe families of the name, to my knowledge, there, the heads of which were James and William Ramsdell. I do not believe their relationship was very close, if any existed at all. Charles was the son of Wil- liam, having a brother of that name also, and resembled his father rather in character and con duct than in features. Hle went to sea as a ca- bin bey first, in a ship commanded by Zenas Coffin, in 1791, sailed as mate in 1798 and 99, and it must have been in the voyage narrated by your correspondent, that he had his portrait ta- ken in Europe, and sent home to his mother on the Island.
The old woman who lived to the age of one hundred, and died only a year since. was of Quaker origin and prejudices. She was much gratified with the picture, Charles being a favor- ite, of course, with her, as he was more or less with every body else. He was represented stan-
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ding on the quarter deck with a spy-glass in his | Wards, as the City then was at one. What a hand : and so far Mrs Ramsdell was pleased with prodigious increase in that space of time. what she saw ; but her pacific feelings revolted The names of survivors are in italics : from the guns which made their appearance on the deck, as represented in the picture. "I wish," CINCINNATI, April 4th, 1814. said she, "those things had not been there."- At an election held at John Wingate's tavern, for Corporation Officers, the following persons were ticketed for, viz : I was present when she received it, and remem- berits whole appearance. Ramsdell was lost at sea, as the writer states, and could not have been PRESIDENT. more than 23 or 24 years of age, when he per- Samuel W. Davies, 122 Daniel Symmes, 19 ished in the vigor of his usefulness.
Yours, N.
Derivations.
I have been asked by a correspondent the de- rivation of Buck-wheat. As a Pennsylvanian, of which State that grain is an important item in the cereals, I felt bound to devote a few moments of leisure to the subject. But alas! the minutes became hours before I accomplished my under- taking, to which Webster and Johnson were called on,-to no purpose-for assistance.
The names of the family of grains, wheat, buckwheat, rye, oats, spelts, with the generic name corn, are all of Saxon origin. Buckwheat is a corruption rather than a translation of Buchwaisen, the first syllable signifying beech, the tree of that name, whose nuts the kernel of the grain so much resemble in shape. The grain therefore, might be properly called beech wheat.
While on the subject of derivations. I remem- ber an ingenious suggestion made by a friend more than thirty years ago, which I have never seen published. An individual using the vnl- garism Handirons, was corrected by another in being told to say Andirons. My friend who was present observed that the last was doubtless the accredited orthography as well as pronuncia- tion, but considered one as incorrect as the oth- er, believing both to be corruptions of End-irons, that is, irons to receive the ends of the firewood.
Election Returns of 1814.
The annexed papers exhibit the whole vote of the City-then town-of Cincinnati thirty years since. It seems one hundred and forty- one votes, constituted the electoral force of the place at that date. The City vote last election, nearly reached ten thousand. What an increase! more than seventy fold, in that space of time .- Wingate's tavern, at which the poll was held, was on Main below Fifth, where Denniston's tavern at a later date was kept. The whole City voted at one poll-the Mayor's Office on Third street-as late as the Presidential election of 1824, after which the City was divided into four Wards, which dissected Cincinnati north and south by Third, and east and west by Main street.
After the lapse of twenty years, we are just as much crowded at each poll of the nine
RECORDER.
Griffin Yeatman, 124 John Andrews, 14
A. Pharis, 1 Solomon Sysco, 1
Dan'l. Drake, 1
SELECT COUNCIL.
Jacob Burnet, 133 William Corry, 132
Samuel Stitt,
122 Davis Embree, 103
John S. Wallace, 80 William Irwin, 79
Jacob Wheeler,
77 N. Longworth, 68
Joseph Ruffner,
62 John Andrews, 60
Andrew Burt,
14 N. Reeder,
14
Jonathan Pancoast, 1 Griffin Yeatman, 1
Benjn. Mason,
2 ASSESSOR.
John Mahard, 135
COLLECTOR AND MARSHALL.
James Chambers, 132
Josiah Conklin,
1
ICHD. SPINING, Judges of GEO. SULLIVAN, S Election.
Attest :
W. S. HATCH,
Clerks,
THOS. HECKEWELDER,
Enclosed is the return of an election for Cor- poration Officers, held at Wingates tavern, on 4th April, inst. When the following persons were declared duly elected to the respective offices.
President of Select Council-SAM'L. W. DAVIES. Recorder-GRIFFIN YEATMAN.
Select Council-Jacob Burnet, Wm. Corry,
Sam'l. Stitt,
Davis Embree,
John S. Wallace,
William Irwin, Jacob Wheeler.
Assessor-John Mahard.
Collector and Marshall -- James Chambers.
.Attest THos. HECKEWELDER, } Clerks of W. S. HATCH. S Election.
4th April, 1814.
The Early Scouts of Cincinnati.
We, the subscribers, having engaged as Spies, Scouts, and Messengers, in the service of the United States, to be stationed at Forts Hamil- ton. St. Clair, and Jefferson, do covenant, bind, and oblige ourselves, to receive, obey, and as far
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as may be in our power, carry into effect, all the lawful commands which may from time to time be given to us by the Commandant of the post, where we may respectively be stationed. for and in consideration of which, we are by a- greement with L't. Col. Comm't. Wilkinson, to be subsisted with a Continental Ration per day to each of us -- and are to receive one dollar for every day of our service, from the time of mus- ter until discharged.
As witness our hands at Fort Washington, the 12th of May, 1792.
DAN'L. GRIFFIN, JNO FLETCHER, DAN. CAMPBELL, JOSIAH CLAWSON, RESIN BAILY, JOSEPH SHEPHARD.
Fish from the Lakes.
For years, at repeated intervals, efforts have been made to introduce the white fish, of our great lakes into market, here and at other pla- ces, as a substitute for the shad of the Susquehanna and the Connecticut. These efforts have proved a failure. Nothing can exceed the beauty and tempting appearance of these fish,on their first receipt and retail sale. But they have a flavor which cannot be well and distinctly de- scribed, although every one who has tasted them recognises it afresh on every trial. This iscon- tended by many, finally, to be in the nature of the fish, and I believe the experiment of sale, for this year, is as decided a failure as heretofore.
For myself I entertain no doubts, that the fla- vor referred to, and which must ever form an objection to the use of this article is not incident to the white fish themselves, but results from the character of the salt in which they are pick- led. This is the Onondago, the only descrip- tion of salt I have seen in the Lake country. and which having been used in the packing of pork has occasioned the loss of large quantities of that article, some few years since, and effected its own banishment from our markets, except for salting butter, for which use its beautiful ap- pcarance recommends it, although I have no doubt, it is the great cause why butter put up in the west does not keep as well as in the . east.
The injurious properties of the New York Sall, -and that from Liverpool is nearly as worthless- arise from the use of quick or fresh-slacked lime which is employed in the vats and even in the kettles, while boiling, to precipitate the iron, of which there is enough to discolor western salt although it neither affects its taste, or injures its preservative properties. In this use, the lime combines with the carbonic acid, which is one of the constituent parts of the brine, forming the
carbonate of lime, which imparts an injurious taste, and neutralises the antiseptic properties of salt: in both ways, rendering the fish unfit for market, and still more so for keeping.
It is to be desired that some of the putters up of fish on the Lake shores. would supply themselves with salt from New York city or the Kanawha Salines. I have no doubt that the extra cost of either of these, would be more than repaid by the higher price and permanent demand they would find for fish put up with such salt.
[ address this subject to my brethren of the quill in the Lake cities and towns, and recom- mend to their perusal, an elaborate report of Col. Benton's, drawn up for the use of the Senate,in 1838, on the nature, use, and properties of salt .- This document, if not within their reach oth- erwise, can doubtless be readily procured on application to their representatives in congress.
Relics of the Past. Capt. John Armstrong to Gen. Jas. Wilkinsson . FORT HAMILTON, Ist May, 1792. Dear General :-
I was honored with your letter of yes- lerday, by the Express, which gave me great re- lief, as my apprehension with respect to his safety, had given me painful sensations. M'- Donald, whom I sent to head quarters, on the 23d of April, carrying the despatches of Jeffer- son and St. Clair is either killed or taken. I am anxious for the safety of this, but conceive it my duty until you order otherwise, to send for- ward those letters from the out-posts, be the danger ever so great. I have as yet last no men although the enemy have been frequently see naround us.
The building I have already began, when finished, will contain all the flour now here. Shall I proceed to erect one of the other bas- tions? those buildings add much to the strength of the garrison, but getting up the timber will be attended with some danger. Capt. Cushing's men arrived yesterday, and with those sent for- ward on the 20th, will return this evening :- when they left St. Clair, those from Jefferson had not arrived, although expected the day before,-
If this communication is kept up by soldiers who being nnacquainted with the woods must keep the road, I am fearful we shall lose many of our men. I wish it might occur to you as proper to have two woodsmen at each Post for that purpose. The proceedings of the court mar- tial, wherof Cap !. Ford was President, were forwarded by M'Donald, and from a presump- tion that the President did not take a copy, I have directed the Judge Advocate, to forward one to Captain Ford, by this express. Please to inform me if Major Zeigler's resignation has been accepted.
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Major Wyllys, the writer of the following, was / forwarded his father, in Herefordshire, England, in the United States service, employed in the fell into the hands of two young men, whom it decided to visit this country, with the intention of making Cincinnati their residence. They arrived here accordingly, and have told Mr. P., that great as were their expectations, they have been amply fulfilled. They give Cincinnati the preference of any City they have seen in Amer- ica. West. He was out in Harmar's campaign, act- ing with Major Fountaine as seconds in com- mand to Cul. Hardin, in which capacity they shared the dangers to which his regiment was exposed in the surprize by the Indians, of the first day, and in the conflict of the next, fell victims to the rifles of the savages, Fountaine be- ing pierced with eighteen balls.
FORT MCINTOSH, 3rd May, 1786.
Sir :- I send you ten dollars by the bearer- also, some letters to the Minister at War-and one to Col. Harmar --- which I wish you to take care of. It is probable Col. Harmar is on his way-I have directed the letter to Philadelphia, and I had rather it should'remain than miss him on the road; use your judgment as to the pro- bability of its reaching him before he arrives.
I cannot take my leave of you, without as- suring you of the high sense I entertain of your strict attention to your duty since you have commanded at Fort Pitt.
I am, sir, with esteem,
Your most ob't. and humble serv't,
JNO. P. WYLLYS, Maj. Ist A. Reg. Lieut. JOHN ARMSTRONG.
"Cincinnati in 1841."
Many of my readers will remember that in 1841 and 1842, I forwarded a considerable num- ber of my publication, "Cincinnati in 1841," on account of purchasers here, to their friends in the British Isles. Hardly an opportunity occur- red, but that from twelve to thirty copies were sent off at a time. Other persons here forward- ed the book themselves to a great extent, and in examining my lists, I find that not less than five hundred copies have been sent to various parts of England, Scotland and Ireland.
From time to time since, I have been in the receipt of gratifying evidence, that the trans- mission of a publication like this, giving full and various information respecting the advanta- ges presented at Cincinnati to emigrants, has answered many valuable purposes. Asa specimen of western typography and engraving, it has elevated our character in these respects abroad, and I hazard nothing in saying, what I have a- bundant evidence before me to conclude as a fact, that Cincinnati is more fully and accurate- ly known in many parts of the British isles and the ports of embarkation for German emigrants, through the medium of this and other statistical information-such as the columns of the Chron- icle and other city papers, for instance impart, than any other place in the United States.
Clevenger's bust of Harrison.
This is the bust of a western President, by a western artist, and both by residence and otherwise, identified forever with Cin. cinnati. Clevenger died prematurely, just as his talents were winning him fame, employ- ment and support, and has left a destitute family, almost whose only possessions from which they can expect to realise money, is this work of his. Where should that bust be per- manently placed with as much appropriateness as in Cincinnati? The price is five hundred dollars, which it is proposed to raise in one dol- lar subscriptions, from our citizens; the bust is to be disposed of as the subscribers may direct. For this purpose a subscription paper has been opened at the office of Burt and Greene, on Third street, which I trust the public spirit of the community will fill up at once. As we have never done anything directly for our artists let us not neglect this opportunity .
Chronology of the Week.
Jan. 1st. Union between Great Britain and Ireland, 1800. Tennessee admitted into the United States, 1796.
2nd. Edmund Burke born, 1730. Lavater died, 1801.
3rd. Gen'I. Monk died, 1670. Wm. Pitt died 1806. Battle of Trenton, 1777.
4th. Roger Ascham died, 1568.
5th. Duke of York died, 1827.
6th. Festival of the EPIPHANY from the Greek Epiphaneia, an appearance or Apparition, is kept in commemoration of the manifestation of our Savior to the Gentiles, first observed, A. D., 813, -old Christmas day .
7th. Fenelon died, 1715.
8th. Battle of New Orleans 1815. St. Lu- cian's day, the first named Saint in the Romish Calendar, was a presbyter at Antioch and suf- fered martyrdom under Maximinian, 211.
Organ Building.
My friend Koehnke, I find, is extending his business and customers, as his operations are becoming known. He is now at work on four organs, one of which, is for a Parlor, the oth- A week or two since, I was informed by Mr. Procter, of the firm of Procter and Gamble, that ers for Churches. His Organs compare advan- tageously wherever taken, with those in use, be- the copy of the publication I refer to, which hel ing not only superior in richness and sweetness of
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t'one, but vastly cheaper in price. A reference to my advertising columns, will exhibit a cer- tificate of the Organist and Vestry of the Epis- copal Church, at Marietta, which lately supplied itself with one of his Organs.
The Constitution.
The following lyric, by O. W. Holmes, M. D. was published in the Boston Daily Advertiser, when it was proposed to break up the frigate Constitution, as unfit for service :
Ay, tear her tattered ensign down! Long has it waved on high, And many an eye has danced to see That banner in the sky ; Beneath it rang the battle shout, And burst the cannon's roar : The meteor of the ocean air Shall sweep the clouds no more!
Her deck, once red with heroes' blood, Where knelt the vanquished foe, Where winds were hurrying o'er the flood And waves were white below, No more shall feel the victor's tread, Or know the conquered knee; The harpies of the shore shall pluck The eagle of the sea!
O, better that her shattered hulk Should sink beneath the wave; Her thunders shook the mighty decp, And there should be her grave; Nail to the mast her holy flag, Set every thread-bare sail, And give her to the god of storms, The lightning and the gale!
Indian Sense of Propriety.
Some years ago, I think in 1800, I had the pleasure of meeting in Italy with Mr. Ellis, for- merly governor of Georgia, when under the British crown. He delighted in recollections of the colony ; I recollect, in speaking of the acute conceptions of the native Indians. his relation of the following circumstance.
After some difficulties that had occurred be- tween the white settlers and the aborigines, in which several skirmishes had taken place, he succeeded in restoring peace; and, as was cus- tomary in such cases, the Indian chiefs were invited to the government house, to receive presents of arms, &c. The principal chief, how- ever, did not appear on the day appointed. The delivery of the presents was postponed until all expectation of his arrival was abandoned .- They were then divided among those who did attend. A few days afterwards the chief arrived. The governor expressed to him his regret that he had not come in time to receive a part of the presents; and, as he was very desirous of propitiating his good will, he told him he would send by a packet, just ready to sail, for certain arms, &c., of superior workmanship, which he named, and that as soon as the packet should re- turn from England, he should be sent for to re-
ceive them. The Indian expressed his obliga- tion and returned to the forest.
On the arrival of the packet a messenger was sent to the chief, who was received by the gov- ernor in a room in which the various articles that had been named to him were all arranged. They were splendid arms, and savage finery ;- but although articles best calculated to captivate his heart, his eyes glanced around the room with apparent unconcern, and he made no observa- tions respecting them. The governor, apprehen- sive from his manner that he was not satisfied with the presents, desired the interpreter to ask him if the articles did not equal his expectation, He replied, yes. Why then, proceeded the in- torpreter, do you not thank him for them? The chief appeared to reflect for a moment, when fixing his eyes on the querist, he said: Six months ago, I was here. The governor then promised me these things-when he promised them, then he gave them. I then thanked him for them; were I to thank him now, would it not appear as if I had doubted the fulfilment of huis promise. R.
The Western Literary Journal.
The second number of the Western Literary Journal lies before me. The brief examination which editorial leisure, or rather the want of it, has permitted, induces me to think favorably of it. There is in it no want of a due propor- tion of able writers and interesting subjects. MRS. DUMONT'S essay on " Female Training," is a forcible, just, eloquent and indignant plea for the rights of her sex to every educational privilege possessed now by males, and must find an echo in the breast of every lover of justice. There is also a valuable article by W. D. GAL- LAGHIER, upon our Common Schools, rich in statistics and inductions .. There is a sufficient proportion of light and fancy reading, besides, to suit the cheap literature relish of the age. On the whole, every reader will find something to his taste when he sits down to this mental din- ner table.
MARRIAGES.
ON Dec. 24th, by the Rt. Rev. Charles P. Mcilvaine, D. . D., JAMES J. BUTLER of Cincinnati, to CORNELIA RUT- GERS, daughter of the late Rev. Lewis P. Bayard of New York.
On the 31st ult .. by the Rev. T. A. Mills, JOHN N. COSGROVE of South Bend, Indiana, to Miss SUSAN GARD- NER of this city.
On the 31st ult., by Rev. Mr. Strickland. Mr. CORNE . LIUS VANCAMP of Reading, O., to Miss MARY HAND, of this city.
On Jan. the Ist. inst, by the Rev. Abel C. Thomas, Mr. CALVIN R. STARBUCK, Proprietor and Publisher of the Cincinnati Daily Times, to Miss NANCY WEBSTER.
On the 2nd inst, by the Rev. Mr. Kroel, Mr. EDWARD FISHER to Miss CHARLOTTE BUROHART, all of this city.
DEATHS.
ON the 31st Dec., HENRY, son of J. A. James, aged 11 months.
In this city, Ist inst., Mr ANDREW COFFMAN:
On 2nd of Jan., of disease of the heart, REBECCA, on- ly daughter of Christian Donaldson, of Cincinnati, in the 201h year of her age.
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