USA > Ohio > Hamilton County > Cincinnati > The Cincinnati miscellany, or, Antiquities of the West, and pioneer history and general and local statistics, Volume I > Part 4
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My residence for many years, has been in Western Pennsylvania, a country infested by the reptile, and during that whole period, I nev- er heard of a death resulting from its bite, ex- ceptone-that of a Mrs. Klingensmith,in West- moreland County-in a settlement and popula- tion of three hundred thousand souls. In her casc, its effects were greatly aggravated, if not rendered fatal by an enfeebled constitution. The usual remedy is, to drink sweet milk which vom- its the patient, and relieves the deadly nausea following the bite. This or some other emetic is all I ever knew applicd, in the hundreds of cases that occurred during my ten or twelve years dwelling in those regions. I well remem- ber the merriment created there by my reading some recipes which I had found in the newspa- per, such as go the rounds of the press in later days. My auditors felt as we should do in read- ing a recipe for the cure of a musquito bite.
tions, but what they believed, and they were credulous enough to believe all they had been told on this and kindred subjects. It is only necessary to peruse the pages of Alexander Wil- son, or Godman, or Say, or Audubon, to per- ceive that the past generation knew hardly any- thing accurately of the habits and nature of the animal world. How I became enlightened on such points, may be infered from the following narrative :
I was keeping a store in one of the towns in Western Pennsylvania, and having made ac quaintance with a young fellow about my own age, a farmer, some five miles off, accompanied him home. One Saturday noon, on his own pressing invitation to spend the residue of the day in the country. It was a delightful day in July, and I enjoyed the walk and the scenery. With the hospitality which belongs to the Amer- ican farmer, and that personal kindness which would not take on such matters, No, for an an- swer, it was insisted I should stay through the night.
The dwelling was a log cabin of a single room and loft, with an outhouse used for cooking in. The room which, as Goldsmith says, "sufficed a double debt to pay,"served by day for a dining room and parlor, and as a bed chamber by night. On one side two bedsteads headed against each other, while a broad coverlet depending from the unplastered joists, answered for a screen and partition all the demands of deceney and con- venience. In one of the beds slept the young man and myself, in the other. his mother and sister, a young woman grown.
I was roused out of sleep towards morning, by the girl calling, Mother! mother! and listening further, heard het say in a low tone of voice, as if unwilling to disturb the stranger,
"There's a snake in the bed ."
The old woman observed, "You have been dreaming, Fanny, go to sleep again."
Presently I heard the girl speaking in the same tone as before, "Mother, I am snake bit." "Well," said the mother quietly, "get up,then, and light a candle." The girl did so, seized a stick, used to poke the fire, the mother having risen in the mean time, and killed the reptile in the act of crawling out to the floor to make his escape. The snake was thrown out of the door, and the parties went back to bed.
As for myself, I thought and felt faster than I ever did before in all my life. First, I won- dered how people could go back to a bed after having just killed a snake in it. It would not astonish my readers now, more than at that time it did inc. Then I tasked my memory how long persons lived after they were bit, and con-
The popular prejudice on the subject has no doubt grown out of the imperfect knowledge of the habits and character of animals, possessed by the natural historians of the last century .- Buffon, Goldsmith, and others of that day, jectured whether the girl would live till morn- wrote down not the result of their own observa- | ing. At any rate, I hoped she would not die
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before I could get away from the house. All at [ pitied my cowardice, but contented themselves once I reflected that there might be a snake in with saying, when I got used to the country I would not mind a snake bite any more than a flea lite. my bed also. From the crown of my head to the soles of my feet, my whole flesh quivered at the thought, As the poet says, "I was dis- tilled to jelly with my fears." I sprang out of bed with a single leap, as quick and as softly at the same time as possible, made to the door, and finding it a clear and moonlight night, de- cided to step off, and make tracks home. In the act of dressing in the dark, however, I made a noise, which woke my companion, who missed me, and springing up asked what I was doing. I replied,
"I am going home."
"Wait till breakfast, and I will go with you," said he. Finding me still dressing, he asked, "What is the matter? are you sick ?"
"No, but I am uneasy and want to go home."
"Have you dreamt anything wrong."
"No, but still I am very uneasy." At last I said "there was a snake in the other bed, and I was afraid."
"Afraid of what?" said he, laughing, "it could not bite you there, and there is none in our'n you may depend."
He then pressed me to stay till breakfast, say- ing he would sit up by the fire with me till morning, since I was afraid to go to bed again, assaring me, however, there was no danger, that it wasn't often that snakes got into bed with peo- ple, though it was natural for such a cold crea. ture to try and warm itself; that if Fanny had only laid still and made no fuss, the snake would not have bit her, and more of such views of the case, with which it may be supposed, I had lit- tle sympathy. I staid, however. We had an excellent breakfast on venison steak, and Fan- ny, who, if she was to live, I supposed in the language of that country, would have been bed- fast, for at least six weeks to come, waited on ta- ble as though nothing had occurred. Not a word was said on the event of the night, al- though it was hardly a moment out of my thoughts, all the time I was there.
Two days afterwards, she brought to the store a crock of butter, and a basket of eggs, to trade.
"Fanny," said I, "is this you? Why, I was afraid I should hear of your death before this time." She laughed and said,
"·Rattlesnakes never kills any body."
And so I found out, after I remained long enough in the country to overcome my prejudi- ces. She added that Jem, her brother, had lift- ed the puncheons of which the floor were made, after I went, and killed two rattlesnakes, there, They were both full grown. Next time I saw Jem, he amused himself, and the neighbors pre- sent, greatly, with the story. They obviously
By what I have since seen South, in the Mis- sissippi country, I have no doubt that the poison of the rattlesnake, and still more of the copper- head snake there, is more virulent. The cffluvia of these reptiles is absolutely sickening. The introduction into new settlements ot hogs, which feed on them, serves to keep down their in- crease, and but for their dens in crevices where they cannot be followed, they would soon be extirpated from this source.
The hog is not more a glutton than an epicure, as any one knows, who is familiar with his hab- its, and there is nothing more delicious than the rattlesnake, at least when broiled on coals, as I know from experience. I have made many a meal on bull frogs, as well as eaten occasion- ally rattlesnakes, and hold that man's taste cheap, who regales himself with an opossum or rabbit, when ho can enjoy such delicacies as these.
It is also a popular error, that the rattlesnake always warns with his rattle before he wounds. This led Dr. Franklin to consider him a gener- ous enemy, and desire his adoption as our nation- al emblem, rather than the Bald Eagle, which he considered a sneaking thief, plundering other birds of the prey they had taken. All this is a failacy.
I doubt, greatly, from what I have seen, and learned of those who know his habits, whether the rattle snake ever bites as long as he has a chance to escape. It is his alarm doubtless which prompts him to rattle. At any rate, he is oblig- ed to coil himself up before he can spring, which, with the sound of the rattle. usually serves to put the passer by on his guard.
Relics of the Past.
FT. WASHINGTON, May 24th, 1792.
Dear Sir,-I have received your several favors by Capt. Peters and Mr. Hartshorn, and note the contents. Ward carries on some of the de- ficient articles out from the Quarter Master's department, and the balance, as far as they can be provided, will be sent out by the next con- voy. The cooper cannot be spared from this Post.
I applaud the plan and progress of your build- ings, and wish you to extend and to complete them, because I shall spend much of my idle time with you after our chief arrives. You should contrive some plan for cooling of wine, and preserving fresh meat, and butter, milk, &c. Mrs. W. and my sons sct off for Philadelphia between the 5th and 10th of next month. The almighty Brigadier General has, I believe, con-
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ceived some jealousy of me; he may make the | there is unquestionably a population of 84,000 attempt, but shall not violate my rights with im- souls. punity.
The contractors must find men to drive his cattle, in my opinion, and that point is now be- fore the Executive for their decision.
The difficulties respecting thé abstracts are easily removed. Open columns for the Quarter Master's department, and for extra allowances to fatigue, &c., artifieers, wagoners, packhorse- men, (other than the contractors) come under the former. That you have not received the pro- ceedings of the General Court Martial, is an omission which distresses me; the fault is Mr. Wade's, and is accidental.
In addition to our mounted Infantry, I am au- thorized to organize and levy a corps of 100 mounted riflemen, for the purpose of escorts. I recommended this plan last February.
I am sorry Capt. Kersey's drummer should march without my orders. I will send you the rifle powder and blank cartridges, and approve your idea of the appropriation, but we have no rifles. You have an undoubted right to cut up any party of the enemy who may be found lurking in the vicinity of yeur post.
Hardin and Truman left us day before yes- terday, the former for Sandusky, the latter for the Maumee. I think it is equivocal, what may be the event, but do expect they will return.
I am, dear Sir,
1833
29,784
1843
63,432
JAS. WILKINSON, B. Gen.
1834
31,646
1844
70,409
JNO. ARMSTRONG, Esq.,
Capt. Commandant Ft. Hamilton .
Population of Cincinnati.
I am frequently asked my estimate of the population of Cincinnati. The late city election affords a pretty fair criterion of the number of onr inhabitants, and its results agree with what the increase in buildings weuld indicate. In October 1840, election, this city polled 6,340 votes, being as full a vote to the population as has ever been given here. On Tuesday last, that vote was augmented to 9738, an increase of 54 per cent. in four years. A proportionate in- crease of inhabitants would give us 70,636 souls, as the result.
This it must be recollected is strictly within our corporate limits. If we add our adjacen- cies, as is done in Philadelphia, Pittsburg, St.Lou- is, &c., we cannot number less than 94,000,and in doing this I do not embrace a foot of ground west of our city boundary. I choose, however, as I have always done, to include in our city estimate only the Southern precinct of Mill Creek, and Fulton Township, which are abso- lutely suburbs ot ours, and separated from us only by imaginary lines. In these bounds | 1850.
Let us now contemplate our progress for the last fourteen years :
1830
24,831
1831
26.071
1832
28,014
1833
27,645
1834
29,005
1839
42.529
1840
46,382
1841
50,650
1842
56,680
1843
62,817
1844
70,636
being,since 1840,an increase of1 1per cent.per an- num,a duplication of our population in 72 years. What this will lead to by the census of 1850,may be understood by the following comparative table, carrying on, in the first column, an annu- al increase from 1830 to 1840,of 64 per cent.,and following out in the second the increase from 1840 to 1850 at the rate for the last four years, say 11 per cent.
1830
24,831| 1,552
1840
46,382
5,101
1831
26,383
1841
51,483
1,649
5,663
1832
28,032
1842
57,146
Sincerely yours,
1,862
6,977
1,978
7,744
1835
33,624
1845
78,153
2,101
8,596
1836
35,725
1846
86,749
2,233
9,542
1837
37,958
1847
96,291
2,372
10,595
1838
40,330
1848
106,883
1839
42,831
1849
118,640
2,677
13,050
45,508
1850
131,690
This seems extravagant, but both the data and the calculations invite scrutiny, and defy dis- pute. I have been greatly ridiculed in 1840,af- ter completing the census, for saying that I ex- pected 100,000 would be found in 1850 within our city limits. I based this on a much lower rate of increase than has taken place within the last four years, and which must, at least, contin- ue for the six years to come. What was con- sidered absurd in 1840, it is now apparent upon the lowest probabilities, must be exceeded for
2,521
11,757
1,752
6,286
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Provision Market of Cincinnati.
There has hardly been a period since the set- tlement of Cincinnati, in which the means of living,-the marketing articles of the place for example-were not abundant; and except dur- ing the great soap-bubble year 1837, correspon- dently cheap. Mr. Jolin Shays the father of the pork-packing business here, put up pork in 1827, and I well recollect cart loads upon cart loads of spare-ribs, such as could not be produced any where at the east, or beyond the Atlantic, drawn to the water's edge and emptied in the Ohio to get rid of them. The influx of Germans and the rapid increase of inhabitants from 1830 on- wards, gradually opened a market for these deli- cacies, as they would be estecmed if they were scarcer and costlier, & obviated such scandalous waste; but cven yet a man may get a market basket filled with tender-loins and spare-ribs for a dime. Read this, ye castern epicures! I can- not expect you to believe it, although every bo- dy in Cincinnati knows its truth.
Apropos of spare-ribs. There is a pleasant sto- ry extant on the subject. One of our citizens from Philadelphia and long a resident here, on his arrival in Cincinnati became an inmate with Mrs. G-, who keeps boarders. After board- ing some months there, being in company with a friend, and the conversation falling on such subjects. "What a splendid table my landlady Mrs. G- keeps," said the new comer. "Ah!" observed his acquaintance, "She must have lately got to keeping it. I boarded there formerly and never had poorer fare at any place. What does she give you ? " " Why, to say nothing of other luxuries, we get spare-ribs for breakfast as much as four or five times a week, and the finest I ever tasted in my life." "Well," replied his friend drily, "If your land- lady knew you were so fond of them, I suppose she could give you them every morning of your life. You don't appear to know that they cost her nothing. The fact is she can get a basket filled at any pork house in the city, by sending for it and not pay one cent." This was enough for the Philadelphian. Fond as he was of spare- ribs, the idea of eating what cost nothing, was 100 much for his imagination. As long as he boarded there, he never again touched the article.
I have got off my subject, which was the cheapness of provisions here. 1823 I think was a period of plentiful crops and uncommonly low priccs. A farmer in the habit of dealing with Mr. Shays had brought in a waggon load of po- tatoes, for which he could find no purchaser in market. He then drove down to the store on Front street, and observing that the people did not seem to want potatoes, offered them succes- sively at 124, 10 and finally at 64 cents per bush-
el. Mr. Shays had told him at first that he did not want potatoes, and at last remarked, when he found the man pressing them on him, that he had five thousand bushels then in the cellar, and thought it likely they would all spoil on his hands. The farmer was in a peck of troubles. His last chance was gone. "Well," said he, "I don't like the idea of taking a load of potatoes home, and being its you, I shant charge you any thing, and must try to mako it out of you in somo other trade." "Why," replied Shays, being its you, if you will help down with them into the cel- lar, you may leave them."
This was accordingly done.
Bull Frogs.
"FORTY THOUSAND TAME FROGS !- The ascent to the peak of Teneriffe, made by Mr. Wise, our Minister to Brazil, and others from the U. S. frigate Constitution, on the 4th of July last, is described at great length and with much beau- ty and vivacity of style, in a letter in the Bos- ton Atlas, of Monday, by Lieut. J. B. Dale, one of the party. Among other notable things celebrated, the writer notices a huge cistern in the richly embellished garden of the American Consul, from whence at twilight, issued ; the music of 40,000 tame frogs, cultivated with care fer their musical talents."-Times.
I extract the above as an introduction to my experience on the subject of Frogs. Any per- son who has passed by ponds or marshes in the appropriate season, that would listen to the va- riety and extent of the music made by these am- phibia. must suppose that it was produced by one hundred times the number of the actual per- foriners in the concert ; and let any one employ boys in such regions to catch them for table use, as is common in certain parts, he will find their numbers come far short of his estimate. The 40,000 in the extract from the Atlas, if reduced to an actual count would probably not reach fif- ty. The following narrative will shed some light on the subject.
Mr. George Sutton, formerly of Pittsburg,and well known there in that city, some thirty years since, as a practical joker, was extensively in business in 1814, and during that year and the next I was in his employ as clerk, in which ca- pacity I witnessed many amusing scenes, in which he usually bore a conspicuous part. He had his periodical subjects of boring, and at the time to which I allude, his great hobby for that purpose was bull frogs.
Among our customers of that date, was a long, slabsided, gangling fellow from the Western Reserve, named Oviatt, who brought us in, three or four times a year,an assortment of beeswax, ginseng, popularly called sang, feathers, and other notions in the line of trade. He had
made his purchases, and was proposing a con- tract for potash, as a means of enlarging his dealings, and finished by regretting that he had nothing else to supply us with. On this hint, Sutton spake, for it was like bringing fire from the flint, a single stroke sufficed.
"Have you any bull frogs in your neighbor- hood? I would not mind taking a few thousand put up in barrels, if you could supply them ."
"Bull frogs! Mr. Sutton, what do you want with bull frogs."
"Why sir, I have a correspondent down at Baton Rouge, who has left a standing order with me for ten barrels, and I can't find any place where I can get it filled. I would make it worth any man's while to contract with me for the article."
"Well, now, Mr. Sutton, I vow to gracious there's millions in our neighborhood-but you are quizzing me, I snore."
" Upon my honor," replied Sutton, " I am per- fectly serious. I will take ten or five barrels, or even two, and give fifty dollars a barrel to any gentleman who would contract with me."
Oviatt's eyes sparkled at the prospect.
" Well, Mr. Sutton, if you say so, I will put you up ten barrels-perhaps your friend may want more-and I hope you will give me the preferenee, if so. But you are not boring me, Mr. Sutton, I hope."
" My dear sir," said Sutton, "rest assured that I have long been at a loss to get the order filled, and am perfectly serious." Mr. Wahrendorf- his book-keeper-was directed on the spot to draw the memorandum in contract form, and Oviatt folding it away carefully in his pocket book, and doubtless calculating deeply on mak- ing a brilliant speculation out of us, as he seized the reins and sprang to the seat of his Yankee wagon, said :
" Don't forget, if your friend should want twen- ty barrels, to let me know in time."
We heard nothing from Oviatt for months, and by the time he made his re-appearance in Pitts- burg, Sutton had some new subject on the car- pet, and had lost sight of the bull frogs. Not so with me. I anticipated something amusing, be- ing well aware, as was Sutton, in making the contract, that by the time the frogs would be caught, the millions would shrink into hundreds. I was silent, however, until Oviatt's purchases had been made, his produce credited, the account adjusted, and himself ready to start. I then re- marked :
"One thing is forgot. Do you recollect our contract, Mr. Sutton, for the Baton Rouge house, for bull frogs?"
" I do declare," said Sutton, " I had almost forgot. What about it, Mr. Oyiatt. Are they ready ?"
The contractor looked as if he could have crept through an auger hole. He began to whim- per like a school boy' expecting a whipping-I hope Mr. Sutton you will let me off on that con- tract. I declare to gracious, I had forty boys out for six weeks, sir, day and night, and I nev- er got more frogs than filled a barrel six inches high, and had to give it up at last. My dear sir, said Sutton, you have no idea of the disappoint- ment. We never get a letter from these French- men that they do not remind us of the bull frogs. They say the price is no object only get the frogs. Besides, I told them you could send them twen- ty barrels. My dear sir, if you can't make out on fifty dollars, I will give you a hundred dol- lars a barrel; so don't think of giving up. Put on more boys and give them better wages. Mr. Cist-calculate for our friend Oviatt what he can afford to give a dozen, supposing he pays twenty dollars a barrel. Its of no use, Mr. Sutton, re- plied Oviatt with a most rueful expression of face, and a deep sigh, I know it aint. It takes a power of hind legs to fill a barrel. In short the frogs must have disappeared, for they can't be found and unless you have a mind to ruin my family, bursting into tears. you will let me off. If you do said he, a thought suddenly striking him ; Mr. Sutton, I'll bring you as fine a cheese as ever came out of the reserve. My dear sir, said Sutton, overcome by the scene, I wish to take advantage of no man. Isee you have done your best, and my friends Menager & Co., must do without the frogs. I will explain the cir- cumstances to them, and I hope they will be satisfied. If not, I will bear the consequences myself. As to the Cheese, never mind it .-- We'll have a glass of beer, to reconcile all things. Here, Dick," said he, calling his man of all work, " go out to Mr. Neal's and get a gallon of beer, of Shiras' best."
Oviatt, smiling through his tears, at his lucky escape, drove off -- doubtless vowing, internally, to be more careful with his next contract.
A Revolutionary Anecdote.
The following history of William Bancroft, in revolutionary days, may be read by some, with satisfaction, and is worthy to be kept in remem- brance among the noble deeds of those times. It was related some years since by Mr. Ban- croft, a slight notice of which is in Gordan's History of the American Revolution.
"When on a tour to the West, I niet with the subject of this notice at New York. The grate- ful remembrance of the soldiers of the revolu- tion by our country, became the subject of con- versation. After there had been an interchange of opinion among us, Mr. Bancroft observed that ho had applied to Congress for a pension, but owing to the circumstance that his name was stricken off the roll, before he had served nine months, to serve Gen. Washington in a more hazardous relation, he could not obtain it; tho' he thought bis circumstances and his claims for
22
consideration were as great as any soldier's .- ) not to go on the height, until out of his sight. fle then related the following history of his life :
"I was born in Woburn. north of Boston. At the age of 14, I was sent to Boston and put be- hind the counter. I was warmly attached to the whig cause, and at the age of 16 was obliged to leave town. I then enlisted in the army as a soldier for three years. I studiously endeavored to understand my duty in my relation, and I thought I was a proficient, at least, as much so as the other soldiers. One day, immediately af- ter Washington's arrival at Brookline, I was detached by the officer of the day, among the guard. It so happened that I was placed as a sentinel before the General's quarters at 9 o'clock. About 10 o'clock, the General's carriage drove np, which I knew as a soldier, but not as a sen- tinel. I hailed the driver-
'Who comes there ?'
He answered, 'Gen. Washington.'
'Who is Gen. Washington ?'
He replied, 'the Commander of the American Army.'
'I don't know him; advance and give the countersign.'
The driver put his head within the carriage, and then came and gave me the countersign.
"The countersign is right,' I replied, 'Gen. Washington can now pass.'
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