USA > Ohio > Hamilton County > Cincinnati > The Cincinnati miscellany, or, Antiquities of the West, and pioneer history and general and local statistics, Volume I > Part 43
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Health of Cincinnati.
I have already referred to the fact of the salu - brity of Cincinnati as repeatedly illustrated, by ascertaining the proportion of survivors to a giv- en list of names in any document of the past .- The following is a card of invitation to a Ball given at the Columbian Inn, where Neff and Brothers, and Thomas H. Minor & Co. are now wholesaling hardware and groceries.
INDEPENDENCE BALL.
The honor of Mrs. S-
COMPANY IS SOLICITED AT A BALL, TO BE HELD AT THE COLUMBIAN INN, ON FRIDAY EVENING NEXT, AT SEVEN O'CLOCK, IN COMMEMORATION OF THE BIRTH DAY OF
AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE.
FRANCIS CARR, ) (J. C. SHORT,
P. A. SPRIGMAN, MANAG'RS T.C.BARKER,
N.LONGWORTH,)
W. IRWIN, jr.
June 30 ...... 1812.
Of these individuals, after the lapse of thirty three years, four out of six of the managers sign- ing this card still survive. As the average age of the survivors is over sixty, this fact speaks well for the temperate habits of these in- dividuals as well as the health of the city.
The Origin of the Indian Tribes.
In my youth, having an ambition to acquiro an Indian dialect, I took a few lessons of the Rev. Mr. Heckewelder in the Lenni Lennape or
Delaware Indian tongue, but was soon driven from my purpose by the abundance of com- pound words, extending some times, to fifteen or twenty syllables, which seemed a barrier to my eye, no labor could overcome. At that peri- od, I thought this lingual feature peculiar to the aborigines of our country, and attributed it to the fact that their language was undiluted with foreign admixtures. In later life, making some acquaintance with the German,a language which owes less perhaps, to other tongues than any European one, I found the same characteristic. For example, here is a single noun : Steuerver- weigerungsverfassungmaessigbescheinung, meaning a man who is constitutionally exempt from the payment of taxes, and for a member of a thea- trical association, i the name of Marionetten- schauspielhausegesellschaftsmitglied. Also, Constan- tinopolitanischerschnupf tabacksdosenverkaeufer, which stands for seller of a certain species of snuff boxes. Shall we infer from the above that the Indians and Germans have one common ori- gin? Ifso, the Dutch are the real natives. I claim, at any rate, to have shed some light on tho dark and doubtful question of Indian descent.
Another Pork Story.
MR. CIST :
By way of closing the pork season permit me to narrate a pork story, which I have not yet seen in your paper, although equally au- thentic with any which have appeared in its columns.
During the pork season a few years since JOHN HADLEY, of Wilmington, Ohio, well known is this market, contracted with a pork dealer in this city to supply him with 200,000 lbs. sides. One half of these, by special engagement, were to be delivered clear of the back bone, an extra price being paid accordingly ; nothing was said of the residuc, the purchaser of course expect- ing it would be cut as usual, part with the back bone and part without, as the bone might fall to the one or other side in dividing it. When the meat was delivered, that portion which com- manded the extra price was found all right ac- cording to contract, but the other lot was made up, not as usual, half with and half without the back bone, but altogether of the other moiety left by the fulfilling of the first part of the contract. Hadley, by this precious piece of finesse cleared two or three hundred dollars, the pur- chaser submitting to the shave rather than carry the case into court.
Cincinnati Fifty Years Ago.
The man is still living, and in the full pos - session of his faculties, bodily and mental, who stood by surveying the first cellar-digging in Cincinnati. This was the cellar of the first brick house put up here, and which was built
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by the late Elmore Williams, at the corner of | member of German birth is no adequate repre- Main and Fifth streets. As one half of the community in that day had never seen a cellar, being emigrants from the farming districts, and the other half were surveying a novelty in Cin- cinnati, it may readily be conceived, there was no scarcity of onlookers. My informant gives it as his judgment, that the west half of the WADE dwelling on Congress street is the oldest Want of Faith. building now standing in Cincinnati, certainly the only one remaining of what were built when he first saw the place. Most of the houses were log cabins, and hardly better, so he phrases it, "than sugar camps at that." The city when he landed, had not five hundred inhabitants. He has lived to behold its increase to 75,000 .- Where will the next fifty years find it? The difference between Cincinnati as it now is, and its appearance fifty years ago, will be as noth- ing compared with the contrast between its pres- ent appearance, and its condition fifty years hence.
The Ohio Legislature.
It is known to some persons but not to the community at large, that a list is made at Co- lumbus annually, of the members of the State Legislature, giving their names, post office ad- dresses at home, their birth places, age, years in the state, occupation, and their condition as married or single. By the table for 1844-5, it appears that of the 108 members of both branch- es which compose that body, 28 are natives of Ohio, 24 of Pennsylvania, 14 of New York, 8 of Virginia , 8 of Connecticut, 5 of Maryland, 5 of Kentucky, 2 of each, Maine, New Hampshire, and New Jersey ; 1 of District of Columbia. 104 native Americaus. 2 natives of Irelaud, 1 of Wales, and 1 of Germany, make up the residue. 62 are farmers, 22 are attornies at law, 6 are merchants, 5 are physicians, 2 are preachers, 2 are millers, and 2 are carpenters; of the residue there is one tanner, one gunsmith, one mill wright, one blacksmith, one printer, one laboror, one inn keeper, one saddler, and one iron foun- der. The ages vary from 29 to 76, of those not born in the State, most of them have been 25 to 35 years residents, quite a numher, four fifths of their lives. 100 are married men, 7 single, and I engaged to be married.
sentation of the large body of naturalized Ger - mans in Ohio. Still. the Legislature is as fairly a representation of the various elements of soci- ety in this State, as they are of the community in other respects. .
The defect of our times is the want of faith. We live in an age of reality . Every thing is to be accounted. for and answered by return of post. The golden currency of enthusiasm lias been called in. There is no reverence for any feature of truth behind the veil. Our temper resembles that of the Pundit who inquired of Henry Mar- tyn whether, by embracing the Christian reli- gion, he should behold the Deity in a visible shape. This eagerness to perceive every object without delay and impediment is a characteris - tic of minds which have not been accustomed to gaze at the luminary of truth, and might be rebuked by a Ilebrew legend which we have read. 'You teach,' said the Emperor Trajan to a famous Rabbi, 'that your God is every where. and boast that he resides among your nation. I should like to see him.' .God's presence is in- deed, every where,' the Rabbi replied, 'but he cannot be seen, for no mortal eye can look upon His splendor.' The emperor had the obstinacy of power, and persisted in his demand. 'Well,' answered the Rabbi, 'suppose that we begin by endeavoring to gaze at one of His embassadors.' Trajan assented, and the Rabbi,leading him into the open air, for it was the noon of the day, bade him raise his eyes to the sun, then shining down upon the world in its meridian glory. The em- peror made the attempt but relinquished it. I cannot,' he said, 'the light dazzles me.' 'If, then, said the triumphing Rabbi, 'thou art una- ble to endure the light of one of His creatures, how canst thou expect to bchold the unclouded glory of the Creator?' It is a beautiful and touching parable, and teaches humility, not only in religion, but literature and life.
Collecting a Bill.
A gentleman who had gone from New York to Boston to collect some money due him there, was about returning when he found that one bill of $100 had been overlooked. His land- lord, who knew the debtor, thought it a doubtful case ; but added, that if collectable at all, a ta!l Yankee, then dunning a lodger in another part of the room, would annoy it out of the man .- Calling him up, he introduced him to the credit- or, who showed him the account.
"Wall Squire, 'taint much use trying, I gues. I know that critter. You might as well try to squeeze ile out of Bunker Hill Monument, as to try to collect a debt out of him. But, any how, what'll you give supposin' I do try ?"
"Well, sir, the bill is $100. I'll give you- yes, I'll give you half, if you collect it ."
The proportion of New Englanders in the Le- gislature, though small, is larger than their pro- "Agreed," replied the collector: "there's no harm in trying, any how." portion of countrymen among the constituents. New Englanders representing in all cases but "Some weeks after, the creditor happened to be in Boston, and in walking up Trenton street, he encountered his very enterprising friend. one, the New England settled counties, and some five or six counties besides. The mem- "Look here !" said he, "I had considerable luck with that bill of your'n. You see, I stuck to him like a dog to a root, but the first week or two, it was'nt no use, not a bit. If he was home, he was short; if he was'nt home, I could get no bers of the Legislature, from other States of the Union, bear about the same proportion in that body, which the emigrants from those States bear respectively to the whole community. One | satisfaction. By and by, says I, after going six-
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teen times, I'll fix ye; so I sot down on the door | every home, hut or hamlet, within your control. step and sot all day and part of the evening, and I began airly next morning, and about ten o'clock lie gin in. He paid me MY HALF, and I gin him up the note!"
Old Times.
At a late Temperance Celebration in Boston, the Rev, Mr. Skinner gave the following state- ment of the cost of an ordination in Woburn, Mass. We remember some of these festivities, when a meeting house was raised to the top of the flute, violin, and instruments of many strings, and occasionally a sack but :
"To Mr. Jonathan Poole, Esq., for subsisting the Ministers, messengers and gentlemen, at the time of Mr. Jackson's ordination over the Con- gregational Church, 1729 :
£. s. d.
To 433 dinners, at 2s. 6d a dinner, 54 2 6
To suppers and breakfasts, 179, 8 18 0
To keeping 32 horses 4 days, 3 00
To 61 barrels cider, 4 11 0
To 2 gallons of brandy and 2 gallons of rum,
1 16 0
To 25 gallons of wine, 9 10 0
To loaf sugar, lime juice and pipes, 1 15 0
£83 12 6
The Quaker and the Lawyer.
"Friend Broadbrim," said a servant to a rich Quaker, who lived, no matter where, "we have no meat for dinner to-day."
"Why not,' asked the good Quaker.
'Because lawyer Foxcraft's dog stole it, and eat it.'
·Beware, Zephaniah, of bearing false witness against thy neighbor. Art thou sure it was friend Foxcraft's dog?'
'Yea, I saw it with my eyes, and it was Pinch- "m.'
'Upon what evil times have we fallen !' sighed the Quaker, as he wended his way to the law- yer's office. "Friend Foxcraft,' said he, 'I want to ask thy opinion.'
The lawyer laid down his pen.
'Suppose, friend Foxcraft, ihat my dog had gone into my neighbor's pantry and stolen there- from a leg of mutton, what ought I to do?'
.Pay for the mutton-nothing can be clearer.'
'Know, then, friend Foxcraft, that thy dog, Pinch'em, has stolen from my pantry a leg of mutton, of the value of four shillings and 'six- pence, which I paid for it in the market this morning.'
"Well, well, then it's my opinion that I must pay for it:' and having done so, the worthy friend turned to depart.
"Tarry a little,' cried the lawyer; " thou owest me nine shillings for advice.'
'Then I must pay thee. I have touched pitch- er, and been defiled.'
The Letter H in London.
The Humane petition of the letter H to the In- habants of London and its Environs .- The me . morial of your unfortunate petitioner humbly showeth that, although conspicuous in heraldry, and entitled to the first place inhonor, yet he has been by many of you most injuriously treated -spoiled in health, driven from home, and re- fused a place, not H-only in your houses, but in
You refuse your petitioner help, and cut him off also from hope, the last resource of the H-un- fortunate. Your petitioner is one moment scorched in an H-oven, at the next frozen to death in an H-ice house, and is tortured from one H-extremity to H-another. From the high- est hill you precipitate him to the H-earth ; you suspend him in the H-air and plunge him in the H-ocean. You relieve him from hunger H-only by food which doctors have forbidden him to approach, such as H.oysters, H-oranges, H-eels, H-apples, &c. &c. while you refuse that which they esteem proper, such as hares, hams, her- rings, &c. Your petitioner deeply feeling these H-outrages, and the H-ignominy and H-irony to which he is subject, prays you will take him from H-exile and restore him to himself, discard him from your H-eyes and restore him to H-our hearts, and your petitioner as in duty bound, will H-ever feel most grateful.
Letter from Dr. W. Goforth. FORT WASHINGTON, N. W. TER. } Sept. 3d, 1791.
"One of the Indian captives lately died at this place,-His Excellency Gov. St. Clair gave liberty to the rest to bury the corpse according to the custom of their nation; the mode is that the body be wrapped in a shroud, over which they put a blanket, a pair of moccasins on the feet, a seven days' ration by the eide of the head, with other necessaries. The march from Fort Washington was very solemn; on their arrival at the grave, the corpse was let down, and the relatives immediately retired, an aged matron then descended into the grave, and placed the blanket according to rule, and fixed the provisions in such a manner as she thought would be handy and convenient to her depart- ed friend ; casting her eyes about to see if all was right, she found the deceased was bare- foot, and inquired why they had omitted the moccasins? The white person who superin- tended the whole business, informed her that there were no good moccasins in the store, but by the way of amends they had put a sut- ficiency of leather into the knapsack to make two pairs, at the same time showing her the leather. With this she appeared satisfied, say- ing that her friend was well acquainted with making them."
"The county of Hamilton lies between the two Miami rivers. Just below the mouth of the Little Miami,is a garrison called Fort Miami ; at a small distance below this garrison is the town of Columbia. About six miles from Co- lumbia is the town of Cincinnati, which is the county seat of Hamilton, and here 18 erected Fort Washington, the head quarters of the Fed- eral army. This Fort is pleasantly situated on the banks of the Ohio river. Seven miles below this, is a settlement of eighteen or twenty fam- ilies called South Bend. About seven miles from this, also on the Ohio river, is the city of Miami, founded by the Hon. John Cleves Sym- mes. Twelve miles up the Great Miami is the settlement called Dunlap's Station; and twelve miles up the Little Miami, is a settlement cal- led Covalt's Station. The number of militia in these places, according to the best accounte I have received, are -- at Columbia, 200; Cincin- nati, 150; South Bend, 20; City of Miami, 80; Dunlap's, 15, and at Covalt's, 20.
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Bull Fighting in Buenos Ayres. CINCINNATI, March 14. 1845.
MR. CIST :
I read the description in your last. "Advertiser" of Montes and his bull fight with great interest, the more so having witnessed in South America, these spectacles so peculiar to Spaniards, both in the old and new worlds .- There are some things narrated in it, however. of which your readers cannot form an accurate idea from the narrative itself, such as the ban- dilleras for instance, and a few inaccuracies like the unfair stroke at the bull who is rep- resented as pierced in the forehead, which is well known to be the last place to strike a blow at a bull 10 advantage, and is invulnerable to a sword. It is not on the forehead but behind the horns, where his blow must have been struck .-- There it would kill instantly.
As it may be interesting to your readers, as well as inspire confidence in the narrative to read a sketch on this subject, drawn up by one of ourselves, I subjoin a few recollections of what I have seen at Buenos Ayres, not many years since.
These sports are not now tolerated in any of the South American republics, and their exhibi- ous was rare, even at the period to which I shall allude. I believe they have also gone into disuse in Spain itself. But at the proclamation of peace between the Brazilian empire under the reign of Don Pedro and the Argentine republic in 1829, amidst the excitement of that period li- eence was obtained by the people of Buenos Ayres, to celebrate the event by a bull fight out- side the city, where an enclosure in the appro- ved mode was prepared by digging a ditch a foot wide, in which posts were inserted about 7 feet high, leaning outwards, to which strips of 2 inch plank about 3 inches broad, at perhaps 18 inches apart were fastened as every thing else is done in that country, with strips of hides, where nails or spikes would be employed here. These rails answer a double purpose, serving at the same time to secure the posts to their place, and to afford a species of ladder for the escape ofthe Toreadors or bull fighters when pressed too closely. The enclosure or circus forms thus an inverted cone in appearance. From the tops of these posts, the seats and boxes constructed for the spectators continue back 30 or 40 feet, ris- ing to the extreme edge of the amphitheatre, some 25 feet, forming in this mode sufficient accommodations for 15,000 or 20,000 specta- torg. The arena itself is generally from 160 to 175 feet diameter. Its centre is made sufficient- ly hard and smooth for this particular sport .- Two reals, our 25 ct. piece is the charge for a seal, and the seats are usually filled to their ut- most capacity, such is the passion of the Span-
iards and their deseendants, for this their char- acteristic national amusement. The whole cir- cle of boxes, and seats are protected from the rays of the sun by appropriate awnings.
The bull being now introduced to the audi- ence through a small door on one side of the cir- cle, raises his head and snuffs the air to ascer- tain into what new world he has been, as it were by magic, introduced for the first time, serutinizing the spectators around: Suddenly his eye catches the picador, mounted on horse, who has stationed himself within 15 feet of his antagonist. He dashes at him with the speed of lightning, apparently determined to catch the horse on his horns. Notwithstanding the well known skill, and self-possession of the picador or pikeman, Antonio Perez in this case, such is the vigor and rapidity of the onset, that every one trembles a moment for his safety. With a slight, and at the same time graceful motion of his picana, or pike of some fifteen long, and a spike at the end, which gave it something the appearance of a boatman's setting pole, he press- es the barbed end against the upper edge of the neck before the withers of the animal, for the purpose of giving a slight deviation in the for- ward course of the bull, applying at the same instant, spurs to his horse, who springs perhaps ten feet ahead, by which the bull misses the horse three feet or more. Those who know any. thing of the habits of this animal will understand all this, in the fact that a bull when he directs his attack at any object, never alters his course, but closes his eyes and drives forward to his pur- pose, as directly as a bullet from the rifle. When the force of the rush was thus spent, the bull stopped, looking back to see how his adversary had escaped, and evidently enraged in finding his calculations of course and distance had been foiled. The next object that presented' itself to his view was the Toreador, of which there are four to relieve each other, if necessary, as it sometimes is. This is a man on foot dressed in small clothes or breeches, buttoned below the knees, flesh colored silk stockings, pink slip- pers, wearing short blue jacket, and fancy color- ed eap, with a piece three quarters of a yard square of scarlet cloth in his hand, the far cor- ner on the upper side attached to a cane, and the corner opposite held up by his left hand to the edge also of the cane holding it thus imme- diately in his front. When the bull is within some twenty feet of him, the animal makes his plunge. The toreador maintains his position without moving a limb until his opponent is, within four feet of him, when he steps nimbly aside without moving the flag or scarlet eloth, which receives and of course yields to the plunge. As soon as the bull passes the object and finds he has missed his antagonist, he turns
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around and discovers himself faced by another toreador. His purpose and execution take place in the same instant. He rushes to the onset, as though he would sweep his new opponent be- fore him without the possibility of escape. The toreador eludes the blow as before, and as the bull passes he plants a banderilla in his back or side. This isa piece of wood about 30 inches long,two transverse pieces of 18 inches in length crossing each other at right angles to which are attached fireworks, so constructed as to ignite when the barb enters the flesh of the brute, and going off in quick succession, with reports lou- der than those of a musket. Between agony and affright the animal is soon rendered frantic- A second and a third banderilla were speedily fastened downwards into his back, and by this time, there was no escape for some of the torea- dores from the fury of the bull, but by leaping the barricades. After the picador had sustained four distinct attacks from the animal, in which he acquitted himself with great address and coolness, his hat was called for by the audienco, and filled with money, as a substantial token of applause.
"Llamar el matador." "Call in the bull slay- er," was now the cry of the vast assemblage .- The matador promptly made his appearance be -. ing a man of middle stature, stoutly made, and in a dress resembling in some respects that of the toreadores, but of richer materials. He bore the rattan and flag in his left hand, and a two- edged sword in his right. The bull made a plunge at him to toss him in the air, which he met with a slight motion to the left about two feet, and made a thrust with the sword, which entered between the shoulder blade and the ribs, and passing it down in a lateral direction between two ribs, the bull rolled at his feet dead on the instant. His cap was called for, and passed around, and he received his reward amidst the shouts and applause of the delighted multitude.
As soon as this was done, three horsemen ap- pear with lassos which are fastened to the horns of the vanquished brute, and he is dragged out at a gate opposite to that by which he entered, and while the spectators await the appearance of another bull, they are afforded an interval for conversation and criticism on the various inci- dents of the previous scene, or to take refresh- ments provided in the adjacent booths.
The next bull that entered the arena was one of a different character. All his desire appeared to be for escape. He made a direct bolt across the arena in an effort to jump the gate opposite to that by which he entered. This was perhaps 6 feet high. At the first bound he lands on top of it, and after a few struggles, has succeeded in clearing it; makes a lane through the alarm- ed crowd, who have been just engaged in prom-
enading or riding in carriages or on horse, out- side the amphitheatre. Fortunately, no person was hurt, the bull keeping on in a straight course, his only object being escape. Four horsemen provided with lassos are in rapid pur- suit ; he is secured and brought back into the ring amid the shouts of the people. "Matarle el covarde," "kill the coward," and he prompt- ly meets the fate of his predecessor.
On the entrance of the third bull, a young man appeared in the arena in citizen's dress, ev- idently an amateur as well as a novice at the bu- siness. He was received by the spectators with shouts of "Bravo" "tengas corage," "have cour- age"." He behaved well, receiving and evading the first onset with great address. At the sec- ond, he appeared to hesitate as though he wish- ed to leave the ring for a banderilla, the public having called out to him, " banderilla , senor, ban- derilla," and as he turned for the purpose, the bull made a bolt at him, catching him between the horns under his seat, and tossed him into the air, at least eight feet high, passing along beneath him. He fell to the ground, doubled up, and striking apparently on the shoulders, while the bull had passed to the other side of the circle, the toreadores, ran to his assistance and promptly led him out of the arena. He re- appeared in about ten minutes equipped with a flag and a banderilla in his hand which he suc- ceeded in planting in the back of the bull .- This second and successful movement was re- ceived with vivas and shouts of "alcanzar su som- brero," "hand your hat," which was passed round among the spectators and promptly filled with paper money, for other nations, besides the United States, have that species of currency, and the Argentine republic among the rest, although it seems to bean universal impression here, that the currency of all South America is gold and silver only.
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