USA > Ohio > Hamilton County > Cincinnati > The Cincinnati miscellany, or, Antiquities of the West, and pioneer history and general and local statistics. Volume II > Part 50
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his people were immediately taken out and con- ducted prisoners over some hills to the camp where was Anderson and other head men. The prisoners being seated and C. M. interrogated through an interpreter, after a warm discussion emong the Indians, the chief, Anderson, informed the white people they were at liberty to depart with their boat and all it contained; and cau- tioned them to be on their watch further down, as there were other Indians waylaying the river, who would certainly murder and rob them if they fell into their hands. They found every thing in the boat as they had left it, and after di- viding liberally their stock of provisions with the Indians, they put off with light hearts and many thanks to their uncouth benefactors, and reached their place of destination in safety. The head of this family hearing that Anderson and his people were stationed at Piqua, in the war of 1812, came a long journey of over two hundred miles to sce and thank his benefactor. The interview took place in my then "Log Cabin," and in my presence. At our treaty with the Delawares, in 1817-18, at my instance a pension of one dollar a day was settled upon Anderson, which he con- tinucd to receive during his life. The second chief of the Delawares was Lapanehlie, a full blooded Indian, also a very large, fine looking man. At the treaty above mentioned, a pension of fifty cents a day was settled on him, during his life. These two chiefs died since their remo- val westward,-both beloved and popular meu of the Shawanese. There was Kituwekasa or Blackhoof, the principal chief, a great orator, small of stature-died at Wapaghkouetta, Allen county, Ohio, at the age of more than one hun- dred years, some time before the tribe emigrated westward. He was probably in more battles than any living man in his day. His first great affair was at the defeat of Braddock. He was born in Florida, and his nation being the most restless and warlike, was a continual thorn in the side of the Southern English Colonies, war- ring against them continnally. They hovered along the frontiers of the Carolinas and Virginia, until they entered Pennsylvania, giving names to several of the rivers and places within that prov- ince and Maryland. The other chiefs of this tribe, we the Shemenetoo or the Snake, Biaseka or the Wolf, Lolaway or Perry. Tecumtha was of this tribe, but not a chief, until he threw off the authority of his nation and became the chief of a banditti, for his followers at Tippecanoe were composed chiefly, if not altogether, of out- laws from all the surrounding tribes. His father was a renowned chief, and killed in a fort at the mouth of Kanawha, before the Revolutionary War, under the following circumstances :- the
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Indian chiefs were invited to a truce by the com- Tecumtha, a man void of talent or merit, a brawling, mischievous Indian demagogue. manding officer, when a soldier crossing the Kanawha river to shoot tnrkies, was waylaid by some Indians, killed and sealped. His contrades Ladies' Fair. going over and finding the body, returned enra- ged, rushed into the fort, and despite of the en- treaties and authority of their officers, fell on and murdered the ambassadors of peace, leaving not one of them alive. This, with other cases of atrocity, which has been related to me by the In- dians, was assigned as a cause for the deep rooted hatred which Tecumtha always manifested to- wards our race. His feelings were so intense on this head that he often said he never looked upon the face of a white man without being horror struck or feeling his flesh creep. Although he was unquestionably a true patriot and brave man, it is nevertheless a fact that in the first fight he was engaged in with the Kentuckians, on Mad river, he ran away, leaving his brother, wounded, to take care of himself; but was never known to flinch afterwards. He was undoubtedly among the great men of his race, and aimed at the inde- pendence of his people by a union of all the In- dians north and south, against the encroach- ments of the whites. Had he appeared fifty years sooner he might have set bounds to the Anglo- Saxon race in the west: but he came upon the stage of action too late-when the power and re- sources of the Indians were so much impaired and weakened as to render them unable to effect any thing against their powerful neighbours. This celebrated man was about five feet ten Lastly, I take occasion to say that some spe- cimens of that fine bread which attracted so much admiration last week at my office, will be offered for exhibition and taste, to those who have not yet enjoyed that luxury. I am deter- mined that the citizens of this place shall learn what flour ought to be and can be made to be. inches in height, square, well built form for strength and agility; about forty eight or fifty years old when he fell at the battle of the Thames, during the last war. Tecumtha signi- fies in English, a wild cat or panther crouching ready to spring upon its prey. The Shawanese successively inhahited in Ohio, the country on the Scioto at Chillicothe, and Old Town, the A Relic of Revolutionary Days. Mad river country at Zanesfield, Bellefontaine, The following letter, published now for the first time, was written by Gen. M'Dougal to Judge Goforth of New York, afterwards one of the first settlers of Columbia: Urbana and Springfield, the Great Miami at Staunton, Lower and Upper Piqua. From the latter place they were routed by the Kentucki- ans, when they took refuge on the Auglaize and FISH KILL, February 7th, 1780. Hog Creek, extending their settlements down as My Dear Sir :- This will inform you that I have been at quarters here, since the 6th of De- cember last, in order to get rid of an old com- plaint of the stone. The symptoms have so far yielded to medicine, as to render them more tolerable than they were. low as Defiance. Latterly they had chiefly con- gregated at and near Wapaghkonetta, twenty- nine miles north of Piqua, from whence they finally emigrated southwest of Missouri in 1826 and 1833. The Shawanese were divided into four tribes, viz. the Chillicothe, Mequoehake, I have seen the report of the committee of the convention of Massachusetts Bay of a constitu- tion to be offered the people for their approbation. Piqua and Kiscopokee. Tecumtha was of the last named tribe, and on aecoont of their rest- less, warring propensities, this tribe numbered From some sentences in it, I think they have very few fighting men when they left Ohio. not wholly lost sight of an establishment. I am The prophet, Elsquatawa, was a twin brother of inclined to believe this was occasioned by their
This is the season of fairs: And I am desired to say to my readers that the ladies belonging to the Central Presbyterian Church, will continue for a night or two more in the basement of the church edifice, on Fifth strect, between Plum and Western Row, the Fair for the sale of use- ful and faney artieles, which was opened last evening, the 23d inst. They rely on the lib- erality of their neighbours and friends in purcha- sing the avails of their industry, to furnish means for the payment of sundry debts, contracted in their department of the church enterprise. I trust to behold there the usual complement of bright eyes and happy faces appropriate to the season and the seene. " The Christmas Guest," I suppose will make its reappearance and two or three curiosities exhibited of great local interest. One of these is the original list of subscriptions to the ereetion of the oldest permanent house of worship here-the First Presbyterian Church, on Main street. Here may be seen the autographs of the early settlers whose liberality put up that building contributions, in which shame the public spirit of the present age. Some of them yet sur- vive in the midst of the community which they have aided to build up, and it is right that the inhabitants of Cineinnati should know who those are to whom they are thus indebted.
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dread of the clergy; for if the convention decla- red against such a measure, they would exert themselves to get a negative put on it. when it should be proposed to the people. But indepen- dent of this subject, I think the people will not approve of it, or any other form, which gives energy to the government or social security to the people. To give security to a people in the frame of a government, they must resign a por- tion of their natural liberty for the security of the rest. There is a large county in that state that will not suffer a court of justice to sit to do any business. These very people have become so licentious that they have taken flour by force of arms from a magistrate in this state, who was retaining it here according to law to supply the army, which has beeu frequently distressed for the want of that article. From this specimen you may form a judgment what kind of consti- tution will suit that people. There is a great deal of good sense among them; but I have my doubts of its having effect in the frame of gov- ernment.
I want some small articles from your town. I shall be much obliged to you to inform me how much higher dry goods are than they were before the war for hard money? What can the best leather breeches be bought for in like specie?
Your old subaltern is well.
I wish to hear from you by post on the subject of my request as soon as possible.
I am, dear sir, your humble ser't,
ALEX. M'DOUGAL.
Judge W. GOFORTH, New York.
Ice.
It is some alleviation of the hardship to which we are exposed for a few weeks of paying double price for fuel, that the same cause, the intense freezing during the last fifteen days, has furnish- ed our ice houses with abundant supplies of ice, some of it twelve inches thick. The article will be plenty and cheap next season without doubt. bringing a wholesome article of the comforts, if not luxuries of life, within the reach of all classes.
Our Ancestors.
Statistics are considered by many persons as dry subjects. But they serve to shed light and elicit truth on many topics, which they illustrate distinctly by means of facts and figures.
It is a common prejudice to suppose that extrav- gance and luxury are of modern date. Hence our grandfathers and grandmothers are usually contrasted with their descendants as paragons of economy and thrift. I propose to set this matter on a different basis, by showing thet fashion and luxury are the same in all ages, when the means of expenditure are alike.
An account of disbursements more than one hundred years ago, on behalf of a lady residing in New England, niece of Sir John Sherburne, formerly Governor of Nova Scotia, has been hanced to me in the original manuscript. It is a great curiosity throughout, although my extracts must be brief. For convenience sake, I have thrown the amounts into dollars and cents, al- though kept in pounds, shillings and pence. One satin dress, nineteen yards, with four
yards flounce, $533 00
One piece fine lawn,
- 113 50
One silk petticoat, - 150 00
One fan-mounted,
26 00
Bill of lace per particulars,
484 33
One pair silk shoes, 35 67
One full suit rich brocade, eighteen yards, 666 67
Two very rich brocaded night gowns, 600 00
One long cloth riding hood', - 166 67 -
One sett yellow moreen bed curtains, 443 50
One sett crimson do complete, 250 00
One pair sconces, - 312 67
Two sconce glasses,
- 186 67
One pair stays,
- 60 00
Three yards fine crimson, $12 50, - 37 50
$4066 18
It will hardly surprise my readers after peru- sing this specimen, to learn that the bill or run- ning account, of which the above is pari, was £9023, 17s. and 10d., which at $3 33-the New England six shillings to the dollar-is more than thirty thousand dollars!
The account to be sure, ran for several years -like all such bills-without settlement, or in- . deed payment in whole, or in part. Such a woman is indeed of more value than pearls or rubies.
I have growled at having to buy ten yards for a dress; but " eighteen" or " nineteen" yards leads all things. I suppose this was the era of hoops.
I trust when my New York exchanges copy this precious document, that the ladies there who have been teasing their husbands for " those fif- teen hundred dollar shawls," will send me a vote of thanks to encourage my further explorations into the past.
Powers, the Sculptor.
A literary friend handed us yesterday the fol- lowing extract of a letter he has just received from Powers, the American Sculptor, now at Florence. We gladly give it to our readers as a matter of interest:
" The death of Mr. Carey grieves me more than I can tell, or you would perhaps believe, and what adds to my grief and makes the cir- cumstances still more sad to me, is, that the bust of "Proserpine," upon which I had spent so much pains and time, arrived too late to be seen
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by him. I did my best to have it done sooner, but the difficulty of procuring workinen to ex- ecute to a certain extent, my works, has all along perplexed me. There are plenty of them, but l find hut few of them capable of performing pre- cisely what I wish thern to do. Besices I had previously commenced another for Mr. Carey. which I had laid asice, mainly because it had no basket attached to it.
" My Slave has prove I more successful in Eng- land than I had ever hoped for. I have already orders for three copies of it-and lately have re- ceived an order for an original work-a female statue-the subject left entirely to my own choice. One of these orders is from America, the others from England. I am now engaged on a bust of Princess Demidoff, a daughter of Jerome Bo- naparte. She has a very handsome face, and I am taking much pains with it. Her husband de- sires ine to make his bust also. I have quite as much work therefore as I can do.
The daguerreotypes all failed, although I made many trials. The marble is too white for the pro- cess, it burns up the surface before the shadows have time to take effect. I gave two or three of them to Mr. Lester, but the impressions were so false that they would not admit of being engra- ved. I intend soon to have a careful drawing made, both of that and my second Eve, and if I succeed better, I shall send copies to you. At all events I shall not forget you. I hope soon to have it in my power to make a suitable return for kindness received.
"With the best wishes for your welfare and happiness, I am sincerely and truly your friend, HIRAM POWERS.
Manufacture of Roots and Shoes.
Every day is adding to the variety, as well as extent, of our manufacturing operations. When I took the statistics in this line, for the census of 1840, for Cincinnati, although the value of the leather annually manufactured in the place, was $335,000, yet at that period the entire consump- tion of leather here was for customers by the boot and shoemakers, and the amount of raw material beyond that demand was exported east, whence it came back to a great extent worked up into the cheaper qualities of ready made boots and shoes.
Within the last three years a beginning and successful progress has been made in changing this course of things. L. CHAPIN & Co., who are now in active operation as wholesale boot and shoe manufacturers, at the corner of Elm and Second streets, made a commencement in this line in 1842, and there is no doubt, that in the course of ten years or less, not a pair of boots or shoes will be brought here of New England mannfacture; and a high probability exists, that within a few years more we shall be supplying the very markets in which we now purchase.
A brief statement of some of the operations of this firm will illustrate the subject. Their manu- factory is twenty-five feet on Elm, by one hun- dred feet on Second street, and is four stories
high, with convenient cellars and attics besides. Their operations are in fine and coarse shoes and boots, principally the last. The leather, with the exception of a small portion of hemlock tan- ned soal, is all made in this city. They work up calf skins and upper leather yearly, to the value of $15,000, and require an annual supply of thirty-five thousand pounds of soal leather, and twelve hundred dozen sheep skins for their operations. They use up, during the same pe- riod, three thousand pounds boot nails, three hundred bushels shoe pegs, and three hundred dollars worth of lasts. As their materials are all manufactured here, these facts exhibit the man- ner and extent to which this, as every other new branch of business embarked in here, aids existing manufacturing operations, or contrib- utes to the establishment of new ones.
Every description of boots and shoes, as has been ascertained at this factory, can be made as cheap here as at the Eastward, and the finer kinds much cheaper; and the country merchant can buy always to better advantage in the west, not merely in the saving of traveling expenses and freight or carriage, but in the certainty of getting his goods almost at his door at a day's notice, and of individuals within reach of re- sponsibility for the wares they manufacture.
Messrs. Chapin & Co. employ one hundred and seventy-five hands in the various branches of their business, principally journeymen; al- though a large share of the rough work is done by boys, and the stitching and binding by women. It was pleasant to me to learn that one beneficial result of this enterprise has been to find employ- ment for the poor and the destitute. I was re- fered to a case where a woman with three boys earned in this business three dollars a week, and each of the boys three more; and of another in which an elderly man, who was out of employ- ment when he came to Cincinnati, was now earning, with three or four children, twenty dol- lars per week. These are samples that em- ployment for our poor, is of more efficiency as well as less burthensome to the community than the periodical efforts made to relieve distress in the community, after it is rendered apparent.
The firm is doing a business of $100,000 for the year. There is little doubt that its opera- tions for 1846 will enlarge fifty per cent. They now supply probably not more than one twen- tieth of the boots and shoes sold in stores of that description in Cincinnati, their customers being dispersed over every part of the west.
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Fucl.
The people of Cincinnati have been lately taught, at some expense in acquiring the lesson, too, the importance of protecting themselves from imposition and extortion in the supply of wood and coal for winter use. The scarcity of coal, when winter bursts upon us so unexpect- edly, because so early, as the beginning of De- cember, has led to much suffering and privation, which it will be our own fault if we again en- dure. To crown our misfortune in this line, of five coal boats which were on their way from the Meigs county mines to this place, four were sunk on the way, and the fifth, after landing here, has since sunk, having been cut to pieces by ice. We are now consequently at the mercy of the weather until a favourable change sends us further supplies.
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S. W. Pomeroy, agent for the Meigs county mines, has made the public a liberal proposition for furnishing the coal wanted here by families, which I judge is for the interest of all to accept. He offers to supply coal on subscriptions at ten cents per bushel, one half the price payable at the time of subscribing, and the residue on the delivery of the coal during the spring and sum- mer months ensuing.
This is obviously so advantageous a bargain to coal purchasers, as to invite general accept- ance, and I learn that subscriptions have already been made for the article, not only for family and office uses, but from the smaller mannfac- turers also, wlio are persuaded that this is the cheapest mode of supplying themselves.
One of the most favourable aspects of this ar- rangements to me is, that it will create a supply in due season, for those will attend to getting their coal in time, when they have half paid for it, that could not be depended on thus to provide for their families, if that motive did not secure their punctuality. And whatever amount of coal is thus disposed of withdraws just so many buy- ers from the regular coal market, and to that ex- tent protects the rest of the community.
Christmas Beef.
The splendid beef offered for sale in our mar- ket is continually stimulating fresh efforts from those engaged in the business to rival and surpass previous efforts in this line, and no expence seems spared to secure the finest beef in the world for our citizens. I refered last week to the fine bullock and heifer exhibited by Messrs. Wunder & Butcher, which have been since sold at their stalls in Fifth Street Market, objects of admiration to the spectators, many whom were strangers to the city, aud have never seen auch beef at home.
On Monday last, Mr. SAMUEL BERRESFORD brought over from Bourbon county, Kentucky, eighteen head of beef cattle of a quality unsur- passed to the number, in supplies of Christmas beef, heretofore. A remarkably fat Buffalo heifer also contributed a part of the procession through our streets, and one hundred and eight extra fat sheep of the Bakewell breed, brought up the rear.
Fonr of the finest and heaviest of the cattle, with the buffalo and a dozen of the mutton, will be disposed of at Messrs. Berresford's long estab- lished stalls in Lower Market st., at to-day's mar- ket there. Finer or fatter meat has never graced our stalls. One of our city epicures was noti- ced contemplating the display on Tuesday, who after gazing at it awhile, turned away from the spectacle, feeling the water springing to luis mouth and eycs.
Mr. Berresford has bought a lot of twenty- three head of cattle from Gen. James Shelby, Fayette county, Ky., for $100 each, which he challenges to the world to surpass or even to equal.
Fire Engine.
I noticed by calling at Messrs. Paddock & Campbell's a few days since, an elegant new six and a half inch chamber suction fire engine, and inquiring its destination, learned that it had been built for the City of Frankfort, Kentucky; but left on their hands, the citizens having had a larger one built in leiu of it at their establish- ment. It struck me that it might suit for a place of two or three thousand inhabitants who might be tempted to protect themselves in this way from the ravages of fire, to which this sea- son of the year exposes the community, if they knew that an engine could be procured without delay. With this view I state that it can be got at a fair price, under guarantee of its power and efficiency. Such of my cxchanges as reside in towns needing an engine of such dimensions, as may be readily worked by twenty or twenty-five hands will do well to notice this for the benefit of their neighbours.
Sugar Crop of Louisiana.
It must always be a matter of deep interest to our community to know the state of supply of this article, which habit has rendered a necessary of life. I have made the following synopsis of the subject from late and authentic communica- tions to the press and to the Treasury Depart- ment, from responsible sources,
In 1828, there were three hundred and eight sugar plantations in Louisiana, valued at thirty- four millions of dollars. In 1830, the estates had
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increased to six hundred and ninety-four, and [ we did not fail to pay it a visit. On entering the capital employed was estimated at fifty mil- lions of dollars. The plantations arc now-1845 -twelve hundred and nine.
The last year's crop, was, as may be infered from this synopsis, a very heavy one, and it is supposed tlie coming one will not fall short of it.
Seventy-two sugar mills and engines were put up the current year in Louisiana, from N. York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Louisville, and Cincin- nati, principally from the last, the number manu- factured here for that market being precisely forty-eight-two-thirds of the whole.
There will be one hundred and thirty-two put up the ensuing season; supplied as follows :- New York 10, Louisville 10, New Orleans 15, Pittsburgh 25, Cincinnati 72; more than one half being from our own establishments.
Importance of Right Emphasis.
A stranger from the country, observing one of Carpenter's Roller Counting-House Rules, lifted it, and enquiring the object, was answered-" It is a rule for counting houses." Too well bred, as he construed politeness, to ask unnecessary ques- tions, he turned it over and over, and up and down repeatedly, and at last, in a paroxysm of baffled curiosity, enquired-" How in the name of nature, do you count houses with this?"
There is another good story on the subject of emphasis. "Boy," said a visitor at the house of a friend to his little son, " step over the way and see how old Mrs. Brown is?" The boy did the errand, and on his return reported that Mrs. Brown did not know how old she was, and that she said he might find out by his own learning.
Cotton and Wool Cards Machines.
There are few inventions more remarkable than AMOS WHITTEMORE's machine for making cotton and wool cards.
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