USA > Ohio > Hamilton County > Cincinnati > The Cincinnati miscellany, or, Antiquities of the West, and pioneer history and general and local statistics. Volume II > Part 56
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* My partiality for Mr. Calhoun has reference to his former position as an executive officer; for I should be loth to endorse his waywardness in politics, especial y his doctrine of State Rights and Nullification. His late speech as President of the Memphis Convention has gone far, however, to redeem his former errors. The broad and liberal ground taken there in regard to the duties of the General Government in assuming the care of the navization of the Mississippi and all its tributaries accessible to steam power, considering his high stand- ing in the South, and the almost certainty of his again coming to the Senate, is a great point gaincd to us of the west. It will be remembered that Gen. Jach son refused his assent to an appropriation for improving the Wabash river, and yet that stream is included in Mr. Calhoun's tributaries of the Mississippi, for it is navigated by steamboats.
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could not see thein at a short distance. As I ran up I saw an Indian who had caught iny gelding, trying to mount him, but to no purpose. I stepped forward, laid my hands on the back of his shoulders, and jerked him heels over head. The villain struck me twice with his butcher knife and cut me through the arm with great violence. I knocked him down with iny fist and stamped on him, and but for the persuasions of my party, would have killed him. My brother was about to interpose in an early period of the scuffle, when the other Indian leveled his rifle at him, exclaim- ing in very good English, " Let them fight it out." Our whole party were unarmed, not apprehend- ing any trouble; and it was almost a miracle that we all got off alive and safe from two Indians, who both had rifles."
Chronological Table.
Jan. 11th .- Dr. Dwight, died, 1817.
13th .- C. J. Fox, born, 1749.
14th .- Halley, died, 1742.
15th .- Queen Elizabeth crowned at West- minster, 1559. Charleston burnt, 1778. Dr. Aikin, died, 1747.
" 16th .- Gibbon, died, 1794. Battle of Co- runna, 1809.
17th .- Dr. B. Franklin, born, 1706.
" 18th .- Battle of Cowpens, 1781.
19th .- Copernicus, born, 1473.
" 20th .- American Independence acknowl- edged by Great Britain, 1783.
State Census of 1845.
Most of the States take a census midway be- tween those of the General Government. Du- ring the late year I have compiled such as have been published in their respective states. These are-
1840.
1845. 2,601,374
New York,
2,428,921
Ohio,
1,519,467
1,732,832
Indiana,
685,866
854,321
Georgia,
691,392
774,325
Alabama,
590,756
624,827
Illinois, .
476,183
705,011
Michigan,
212,367
304,285
6,604,952
7,596,925 6,604,952
Increase in five years, 992,023
It will be perceived that the per cent. ratio of increase during the last five years in these States is-New York 7, Ohio 14, Indiana 24, Georgia 22, Alabama 6, Illinois 48, Michigan 43.
There must be some inaccuracy in the state- ment of population in Alabama, the increase there being unquestionably larger than in Georgia.
Judging by the returns thus far, the entire population of the United States must be very nearly 19,500,000. This will agree with the cal- culation already made of 22,500,000 for 1850, which corresponds with the uniform ratio of in- crease at every census for fifty years past, which is so regular that the national progress can be as well determined by calculation as by enumera- tion. The largest share of increase at the next census will be in Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio and Texas.
The Memphis Reunion.
Between forty and fifty editors and ex-editors, after the adjournment of the Convention there, sat down to an apician entertainment, given by the corps editorial of that city to the craft. Most of these editors have been giving their recollec- tions of the scene, and I shall follow their ex- ample.
Of the whole corps, but three abstained from wine. Two of them-both from Ohio-sat to- gether, to sustain each other, I suppose. One of these editors, who sat opposite, having been honoured with a toast, was called upon for a speech, which he made in these terms :- We have ascertained, Mr. President, this day, through Dr. Overton, that the Memphis Convention was the most dignified, intellectual, and influential body of men that ever had assembled or ever would as- semble in all ages; and, Mr. President, we all know that the Mississippi is the deepest and the broadest, the longest and the fastest stream in the universe. Still her waters need improvement, and this, I suppose, was one great object for which our convention assembled. My brethren from Ohio opposite, however, are strict construc- tionists-They have constitutional scruples on this subject; they are for leaving these waters as they are, and sir-added the speaker-I am on the opposite side, as you see, and while I fill this tumbler-almost-with water-it is that of the Mississippi I believe :- I feel it my duty to go for the improvement of our western waters, and mingle the pure cogniac with its contents.
So said, so done; and the annexation of France and the United States being happily cemented, the speaker drank the contents, and sat down amidst a shout of applause. .
Scripture Quotations.
A late city paper quotes as a scripture text, " that he that runs may read," "and that the wayfaring man, though a fool, need not err therc- in." The second member of tlie quotation is undoubtedly taken from the Bible, although not literally correct in the quotation, but the first part, although cited as above in many periodicals, is neither a scripture phrase nor a scripture idea,
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and cannot be found from Genesis to Revelations. It would be an employment conducive to the ac- curacy of certain editors if they would brush np their acquaintance with the Bible, as a means of enabling them to quote it correctly. They might probably derive other benefits in the perusal.
There are various other texts, such as --- " God tempers the wind to the shorn lamb,"-" In the midst of life we are in death,"-What shadows we are, and what shadows we pursue," supposed even by persons otherwise intelligent to be deri- ved from the scriptures, which originate from far different sources. The first is in Tristram Shandy, by Sterne; the last was written by Ed- mund Burke. I cannot trace the origin of the second, but believe it to be an aphorism of one of the puritan writers of England.
Safety of New York.
TheNew York Plebeian scouts the idea of that city being exposed to hazard in case of war with Great Britain and a consequent landing of her troops on our shores. He holds this language :-
" We chance to know that any fears as to the city being bombarded are absurd, because there are regulations of law that prevent it. By the provisions of the statute in such case made and provided, in section seventeen of article third, of title second, of chapter XIV of volume first, of the Revised Statute, page 422, it is made the bounden duty of the health officer, Dr. Van Ho- venburgh, to enter on board of ' every vessel im- mediately on her arrival, and to make strict search and inquiry into the state and condition of the vessel;' and in case he finds it would be dan- gerous to permit such vessel to visit the city, he is to subject her to quarantine nine miles below New York. * * The Legislature also, with an eye to the public safety, in its far-seeing wisdom, has provided, lest the health officer might not be able to detect every vessel desirous to ap- proach the city, that they shall not move from quarantine towards the city, without first having the permission of the health officer."
Circuitous Preaching.
Dr. Elliott, of the Western Christian Advocate, having lately a congregation of but two persons in Indianapolis to address, relates the following singular occurrence:
" Our mind was involuntarily led back to 1822, to an occasion on which we preached a sermon to one poor Mohawk woman, aided by two interpreters. The woman had traveled four- teen miles on foot, and carried her child on Sun- day morning, to hear me preach. Between-the- logs knew Wyandott and Mohawk, but no Eng- lish! My interpreter knew only Wyandott and English. But by my preaching in English, and Jonathan, my interpreter, converting into Wy- andott, and then Between-the-logs giving this in Mohawk, we all three made out to preach to the poor Indian woman, as she sat at the root of of a large. oak, with her child fastened on a board in her arms."
To my Wife.
Pillow thy head upon this breast, My own, my cherished wife; And let us for one hour forget Our dreary path of life, And let me kiss thy tears away, And bid remembrance flee
Back to the halcyon days of youth, When all was hope and glee.
Fair was the early promise, love, Of our joy-freighted barque; Sun-lit and lustrous, too, the skies. Now all so dim and dark ; Over a stormy sea, dear wife, We drive with shattered sail,
But love sits smiling at the helm, And mocks the threat'ning gale.
Come, let me part those clustering curls, And gaze upon thy brow --- How many, many memories Sweep o'er my spirits now! How much of happluess ana grief- How much of hope and fear-
Breathe from such dear loveu lineaments, Most eloquently here!
Though, gentle one, few joys remain To cheer our lonely lot; And storms have left our paradise With but one sunny spot, Hallow'd forever be that place To hearts like thine and mine-
'Tis where our youthful hands upreared Affection's earliest shrine.
Then nestle closer to this breast, My fond and faithful dove! Where, if not here, should be the ark Of refnge for thy love? The poor man's blessing and his curse, Alike belong to me: For, shorn of worldly wealth, dear wife, Am I not rich in thee?
Cooking Stoves.
These were an unknown article thirty years ago, and cooking was performed in the chimney, which served to boil, roast, and bake our wives, daughters and mothers as well if not as thor- onghly as their various objects of cooking. Thanks to the ingenuity of the inventers of the cooking stove, all this is now dispensed with. The stove is brought out into the kitchen and serves, besides its principal function of cooking, to warm the room so effectually as to make a given quantity of wood afford twice as much warmth as when burnt in the chimney.
Bnt the first cooking stove was like the first steamboat, the application of a principle merely, leaving to later projectors the honour as well as benefit of bringing ont of the invention by further improvements, the perfection in economy and comfort of which it might be found susceptible.
The latest improvement, perhaps the greatest ever made in these stoves, is STRAUB's Flame en- circled oven Cooking Apparatus.
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This is a stove that claims to combine all that is valuable in the existing cooking stoves, with certain improvements peculiar to itself, which unite in a remarkable degree the equalization of heat throughout the whole baking department, with an economy of fuel which I have noticed in no other artiele of the kind.
The stove is constructed so as to pass a flue en- tirely round the oven; the heat being thus used twice, once under, and once over the oven, with an enlarged air chamber through which all the heat must pass. Consequently, every part of the oven must be heated alike. It is this mode of applying the flame and heat which produces the saving of fuel also.
I regard Mr. Straub as having solved a difficult and long sought problem-the passing the heat twice round without impairing the necessary draught of the stove. This is effected in the en- largement of the air chamber, which affords in- creased space for the rarefaction of air, and com- pensates for the usual disadvantage of a circular draught.
The plates of this stove are thicker than mnost others, which enables them to retain heat a longer period, and to cool more gradually.
The thickness also renders the plates less lia- ble to warp. I deem this a valuable improvement.
Indian Portraits.
I would call attention to the advertisement of Messrs. Stanley & Dickerman, in this day's Ad- vertiser. I have seen the Gallery of Portraits while in their progress on the canvass, know they have been taken from the living subject, and con- sider them of inconceivable value as a commen- tary on the past and present condition and char- acter of that interesting race, the Indians of the west. The day will come when this collection will command an extravagant price, for a national or great public museum.
Cincinnati Directory for 1846.
The new City Directory of Robinson & Jones, long wanted and expected, is now out. I shall take the liberty of commenting upon this publi- cation ex cathedra; claiming as I do to know something from experience, what a Directory should be.
The names appear to be alphabeted carefully, and care to have been taken in getting the Ger- man names correctly spelt, and the given names of all persons, as far as possible supplied: all this goes to contribute much of the value of a Di- rectory.
An admirable map forms a frontispiece to the volume, embracing not only the city itself, but a circuit of two and a half miles adjacent to it in all directions, in which are designated the subdi-
| visions, canal, turupikes, hills, and every other natural or artificial object of any importance, and serves to direct the stranger to the various points of this vicinity, as fully and distinctly as a guide book.
This Directory is the first of a series which Robinson & Jones propose to issue annually. They design in each successive volume to add such improvements as the progress of the enter- prise may suggest. I have no doubt myself, that the experience of a year or two will supply any deficiency that may be found in this issue, and render its successors equal for compreliensiveness and accuracy to similar publications of long standing in our Atlantic cities.
Errors of the Press.
A capital story is told of a " mistake of the printer" in the Baltimore Argus. A merchant employed an engraver to cut a plate for a busi- ness card; the plate was sent to the printer, who worked off five hundred cards and it was then re- turned to the engraver, who, at a glance, discov- ered two C's where there should have been but one. Without delay, he altered the plate, taking out the extra C. This was just accomplished when the clerk of the merchant called with one of the cards, and pointed out the error to the en- graver, who appeared much surprised, and at once produced the plate on which the cards had been printed. This not having on it the extra C, it was at once decided that it must be a mistake of the printer. The story is not without a moral.
Our Great Staple.
As a heavy pork market, Cincinnati is in the receipt of hogs, which, for size and fatness, would appear incredible to those who know nothing of the west but by description. I am not aware, however, whether the following statement has been paralleled in the Miami Valley. It is taken from the last " Chillicothe Advertiser."
" On Thursday last, the finest lot of hogs that we have ever seen, was killed at the slaughter house of John Marfield, in this city. They were owned by John H. Maxwell, of Green township, in this county. There were fifty-four hogs in the lot, and their average weight was 360 pounds. Fifty of these averaged three hundred and seventy pounds each !! We give herewith the weight of nine, all of one litter. We doubt whether this has ever been beaten in the Union :- 386, 454, 456, 452, 456, 526, 534, 516, 444.
" These nine averaged a fraction less than four hundred and seventy pounds each."
Mr. Maxwell's lot of hogs for 1843, were eighty in number, and an average of 335 pounds in weight.
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Pioneer Adventure of two Scouts.
What is preserved of the Pioneer history of the west, serves to shew the value of that which has perished. Bold enterprise and hair breadth es- capes are constant features in the settlement of the west.
As early as the year 1790, the block-house and stockade, above the mouth of the Hockhocking river, was a frontier post for the hardy pioneers of that portion of our State from the Hockhock- ing to the Scioto, and from the Ohio river to our northern Lakcs. Then nature wore her undis- turbed livery of dark and thick forests, inter- spersed with green and flowery prairies. Then the axe of the woodman had not been heard in the wilderness, nor the plough of the husband- man marred the business of the green prairies. Among the many rich and luxuriant valleys that of the Hockhocking was pre-eminent for nature's richest gifts-and the portion of it whereon Lan- caster now stands, was marked as the most luxu- riant and picturesque, and became the scat of an Indian village, at a period so early, that the " memory of man runneth not parallel thereto." On the green sward of the prairie was held many a rude gambol of the Indians; and here too, was many an assemblage of the warriors of one of the most powerful tribes, taking counsel for a " war path" upon some weak or defenceless frontier post. Upon one of these war-stirring occasions, intelligence reached the little garrison above the mouth of the Hockhocking, that the Indians were gathering in force somewhere up the valley, for the purpose of striking a terrible and fatal blow on one of the few and scattered defences of the whites. A council was held by the garrison, and scouts were sent up the Hockhocking, in order to ascertain the strength of the foe, and the proba- ble point of attack. In the month of October, and on one of the balmiest days of our Indian summer, two men could have been seen emerg- ing out of the thick plumb and hazel bushes skirt- ing the prairie, and stealthily climbing the east- ern declivity of that most remarkable promonto- ry, now known as Mount Pleasant, whose western summit gives a commanding view to the eye of what is doing on the prairie. This eminence was gained by our two adventurers and hardy scouts, and from this point they carefully observed the movements taking place on the prairie. Every day brought an accession of warriors to those al- ready assembled, and every day the scouts wit- nessed from their eyrie, the horse-racing, leap- ing, running and throwing the deadly tomahawk by the warriors. The old sachems looking on with indifference-the squaws, for the most part, engaged in their usual drudgeries, and the papoo- ses manifesting all the noisy and wayward joy of childhood. The arrival of any new party of war- riors was hailed by the terrible wur whoop, which striking the mural face of Mount Pleasant, was driven back into the various indentations of the surrounding hills, producing reverberation on re- verberation, and echo on echo, till it seemed as if ten thousand fiends were gathered in their or- gies. Such yells might well strike terror into the bosoms of those unaccustomed to them. To our scouts these were but martial music strains which waked their watchfulness, and strung their iron frames. From their early youth had they been always on the frontier, and therefore well practised in all the subtlety, craft and cun-
ning, as well as knowing the ferocity and blood- thirsty perseverance of the savage. They were therefore not likely to be circumvented by the cunning of their foes; and without, a desperate struggle, would not fall victims to the scalping knife. On several occasions, small parties of warriors left the prairie and ascended the Mount; at which times our scouts would hide in the fis- sures of the rocks, or lying by the side of some long prostrate tree, cover themselves with the sear and yellow leaf, and again leave their hiding places when their uninvited visiters had disap- peared. For food they depended on jerked veni- son, and cold corn bread, with which their knap- sacks had been well stored. Fire they dared not kindle, and the report of one of their rifles would bring upon them the entire force of the Indians. For drink they depended on some rain water, which still stood in excavations of the rocks, but in a few days this store was exhausted, and M'- Clelland and White must abandon their enter- prise or find a new supply. To accomplish this most hazardous affair, M'Clelland being the elder, resolved to make the attempt-with his trusty rifle in his grasp, and two canteens strung across his shoulders, he cautiously descended to the prairie, and skirting the hills on the north as much as possible within the hazle thickets, he struck a course for the Hockhocking river. He reached its margin, and turning an abrupt point of a hill, he found a beautiful fountain of limpid water now known as the Cold Spring, within a few feet of the river. He filled his canteens and returned in safety to his watchful companion. It was now determined to have a fresh supply of water every day, and this duty was to be per- formed alternately. On one of these occasions, after White had filled his canteens, he sat a few moments, watching the limpid element, as it came gurgling out of the bosom of the earth- the light sound of footsteps canght his practiced ear, and upon turning round, he saw two squaws within a few feet of him; these upon turning the jet of the hill had thus suddenly come upon him. The elder squaw gave one of those far-reaching whoops peculiar to the Indians. White at once comprehended his perilous situation,-for if the alarm should reach the camp, he and his compan- ion must inevitably perish. Self-preservation impelled him to inflict a noiseless death upon the squaws, and in such a manner as to leave no trace behind. Ever rapid in thought, and prompt in action, he sprang upon his victims with the rapidity and power of a panther, and grasping the throat of each, with one bound he sprang in- to the Hockhocking, and rapidly thrust the head of the elder woman under the water, and making strong efforts to submerge the younger, who, however, powerfully resisted. During the short struggle, the younger female addressed him in his own language, though ralmost in inarticulate sounds. Releasing his hold, she informed him, that, ten years before, she had been made a prisoner, on Grave Creek flats, and that the In- dians, in her presence, butchered her mother and two sisters; and that an only remaining brother had been captured with her, who succeeded on the second night in making his escape; but what had become of him she knew not. During the narrative, White, unobserved by the girl, had let go lis grasp on the elder squaw, whose body soon floated where it would not, probably, soon be found. He now directed the girl hastily to fol- low him, and with his usual energy and speed,
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pushed for the Mount. They had scarcely gone | fatal rock before he could adjust another flint, he two hundred yards from the spring, before the alarm cry was heard some quarter of a mile down the stream. It was supposed that some warriors returning from a hunt, struck the Hockhocking just as the body of the drowned squaw floated past. White and the girl succeeded in reaching the Mount, where M'Clelland had been no indif- ferent spectator to the sudden commotion among the Indians, as the prairie parties of warriors were seen to strike off in every direction, and be- forc White and the girl had arrived, a party of some twenty warriors had already gaincd the eastern acclivity of the Mount, and were cau- tiously ascending, carefully keeping under cover. Soon the two scouts saw the swarthy faces of the foe, as they glided from tree to tree, and rock to rock, until the whole base of the Mount was sur- rounded, and all hopes of escape cut off.
In this peril nothing was left, other than to sell their lives as dearly as they could; this they re- solved to do, and advised the girl to escape to the Indians, and tell them she had been a captive to the scouts. She said no! death, and that in pre- sence of my people, is to me a thousand times sweeter than captivity-furnish me with a rifle, and I will show you that I can fight as well as die. This spot I leave not! here my bones shall lie bleaching with yours! and should either of you escape, you will carry the tidings of my death to my remaining relatives. Remonstrance proved fruitless; the two scouts matured their plans for a vigorous defence-opposing craft to craft, expedient to expedient, and an unerring fire of the deadly rifle. The attack commenced in front where, from the narrow backbone of the Mount, the savages had to advance in single file, but where they could avail themselves of the rocks and trees. In advancing the warrior must be momentarily exposed, and two bare inches of his swarthy form was target enough for the unerring rifle of the scouts. After bravely maintaining the fight in front, and keeping the enemy in check, they discovered a new danger threatening them. The wary foe now made every prepara- tion to attack them in flank, which could be most successfully and fatally done by reaching an in- sulated rock lying in one of the ravines on the southern hill side. This rock once gained by the Indians, they could bring the scouts under point blank shot of the rifle; and without the possibility of escape,
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