USA > Pennsylvania > Crawford County > Pioneer sketches : scenes and incidents of former days > Part 27
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29
Much more might be added on this subject, but suffice it to say that we don't want any of it at our American toa party.
While this sad spectaele and state of affairs exist to-day in old wealthy dark England they liberally contribute their funds and missionaries to enlighten the heathen of India and Africa. Would to God that the Indian and the African would in turn contribute to the sufferings of the worthy millions of willing toilers in darkest England to-day. Reader, let us take heed and solemn warning from this outlook, and by precept, hope and labor that the same unhappy condi- tion may never occur to the workingmen of America.
We should notice that there is a great difference be- tween the strike and the demands of the willing, honest toiler, and the anarchist and communist. We have wit- nessed the former, and sparks of the latter have already appeared on this side of the Atlantic, proving that the same element has made its debut and exists amongst us.
Let us try to remedy this as far as possible by proper legislation, a more fraternal spirit among capital and labor, thereby not extending encouragement-
To trusts, monopolies and rings,
For such belong to potentates and kings.
CHAPTER CLII.
THE GIANTS.
HE COMMERCIAL giants of America are Astor, Vanderbilt, Rockafeller and JJay Gould. They have moved upon the checkerboard every way and have made from $7,000 to $20,000 a day.
Next they'll rig a purchase and make the sun stand still, And try to win the world to gratify their will.
Jay Gould's daily income is estimated at $7,446; Cor- nelius Vanderbilt's at $15,249; John D. Rockafeller's at $18,715, and Wm. Waldorf Astor's at 823,593. These giants, with their colossal yearly income, can load a train of cars with silver bricks, sufficient to pave the street from the Battery to Central Park, or to the cemetery for their funeral cortege to pass over, to lay away their departed souls in a silver casket in the tomb, but alas, to finally occupy no more square feet of God's earth, under the canopy of heaven, than will you or I.
If these magnates keep on in the same ratio, piling up their millions a score of years, that they have in the past decade, it will be hard to compute their accumulations. Yet it has not been haphazard affairs, nor a matter of mere good luck that has landed these men to the zenith upon which they now stand. It has required incessant labor, a bold, indomitable will, a shrewdness of action and a brill- iant brain to perfect plans by which to accomplish such great results.
32
498
PIONEER SKETCHES.
Commodore Vanderbilt, when a boy, worked out by the month, and finally worked his way up to a Commodore and the owner of a steamship line across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and finally the owner of a vast system of railways.
Jay Gould also started out a poor boy, and has worked up and become a railway king.
John D. Rockafellar has become the oiliest man in the world, and controls more of the oil interest than per- haps all others combined, hence his vast income.
William Waldorf Astor has inherited much of his great wealth, the foundation of which was laid by his ancestors in the Northwestern fur trade and Hudson Bay Company and real estate in New York City.
But if the business of these men was to be wiped out, annihilated, especially that of the three former, thousands of men would be unemployed, and the wheels of commerce would stagger for some time to come. Then we will say to the Old World that Gould, Vanderbilt, Rockafeller and Astor are the "big quadruple, " and duplicate them if you can.
"Young man," said the theatrical manager, "would you like to join my company ?'
"Any inducements?"
"Would you try a star part ?"
"Anything but star-vation."
CHAPTER CLINI.
WONDERFUL PROGRESS.
URING the last decade there has been added to the Union six new states, 200 new counties, 20,000 new railway stations, 40,000 new post- offices, 68,000 miles of new railway built, 90,000 miles of telegraph, and a change of population in 100,000 cities, towns and villages. The increase in population are many millions, the creation of capital immense and millionaires and syndicates are many.
This can be attributed to America more than to any other nation on the globe. With this view, facts and re- sults, what possibilities lie stretching out to the American in coming decades?
The illustrious Sherman said that when in the field that General Grant always done more than was expected of him. And so it has been with the American people. The growth of population in the last ten years has astonished the world. For instance, Chicago during that time has outgrown her boots several times, and now her imprints reach nearly across Cook County-
From heel to toe,
And declares she has just began to grow.
CHAPTER CLIV.
THE MORNING TIME.
HE MORNING is the time for all animate and inanimate nature to be up and dressed, ready for the coming day.
The morning warbler with enchanting song,
In myriads greet the early morn;
Arise and hear from their melodious notes
Harmonious music from ten thousand linnet throats.
Whomsoever else were made
To hear the morning songster's serenade?
You and I and all mankind
Should hear their melody in the morning time.
Paris may have aided us in etiquette and her fashion school, But to become fashion's votary is not the best of rule;
To merely do as somebody else doth do,
For instance, in wearing a giper narrow shoe.
Then, the practice of late hours in toil,
Late at night, to burn the midnight oil;
Do as you will, say what you please,
Daylight's the time for work, night's the time for ease.
Again, the practice, 8 or 9 a. m. to rise, 'Tis practice nature's laws defies; The bird and fowl teach a lesson to mankind,
To be happy and rise in the early morning time.
Young man, if you want to become a stalwart busi- ness man, and one who can digest well your Johnny-cake, be industrious and rise early. Young woman, whether you be a domestic or a piano thumper, if you wish to enjoy life, rosy cheeks, health and vigor, rise early and hear the song of the morning warblers-
Singing praises for the coming day, Which will benefit you in every way; That beautiful flower, the morning glory. Caps the climax, and tells the story.
CHAPTER CLV.
THE LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEER.
HE soldier, sentinel, cavalryman and cannoncer, all while on duty must be at their posts, but no more than must the locomotive engineer. Nor is there in any industrial department or branch of service a man on whom more really depends than upon the locomo- tive engineer. He is frequently the guardian of a whole train load of human lives, therefore the importance of his being a cool, temperate and brave man, of good judgment and quick perception on all emergencies.
Like the pioneer, he has to pave the way, Though disaster frowns at him every day; Throughout the country far and near,
No better nerve than the locomotive engineer.
He mounts and stands upon his iron horse, Pulls the throttle, onward he flies the state across Much quicker than anyone would think, If he didn't have to stop for his horse to drink.
Whether his horse is very dry or not He has got to speed him on to Conneaut, And when he pulls into that station He kindly offers him his ration.
The noble horse looks fresh, not a wet hair, Therefore there is no use waiting there; The engineer mounts his steed and out he pulls for Erie, This town to make in forty minutes, looking fresh and cheery.
502
PIONEER SKETCHES.
This untiring horse, ready to onward go, To pull his driver and train on to Buffalo; The driver said, "To reach Buffalo in two hours we must, And I will fill your nostrils with black diamond dust."
The black diamond chunks and dust were freely given, To that black charger, fresh as the first mile driven; And he and the engineer went through to Buffalo On time, fast as the passengers cared to go.
As the enemy's column charges the cannoneer, Grim death stares in the face the locomotive engineer; Dan McGuire and Pap Folsom, at the close of this year, (1876) Yes, on the 29th of December, it doth appear,
These stalwart engineers, at Ashtabula, were to go down; McGuire wide opened his throttle and jumped to the ground, Pap Folsom, with the Ashtabula bridge, went down Aboard of the Columbia, to that fatal icy ground.
Down that awful chasm his locomotive, Columbia, Carried its driver, who is alive to-day ; But the whole train rush down with a fearful crash, Soon all was ablaze, with lightning flash .
Engineer Folsom was taken out of the wreck in a helpless condition, with many others, and given the best attendance. For his injuries he received from the Lake Shore Company $6,000. For further description of this horror see "Ashtabula Disaster."
CHAPTER CLVL.
COST OF LIFE INSURANCE. INCOME AND EXPENDITURES.
HE Mutual Reserve Fund Life Association has issued a neat brochure under the caption " The Fundamental Principles of Life Insurance," which is certainly a gem well worth treasuring up by every natural premium life agent. It is edited by J. Thompson Patterson, who adds force to the arguments he has advanced by the assertion, "The author has carefully guarded against making a single statement that is not substantiated by indisputable evidence," starting out by saying that "in any system of life insurance the insured are the insurers, and from them every shilling expended, whether in manage- ment or in payment of death claims, must be first collected." Then by means of charts produced in colors the premiums collected annually per 81,000 by the level premium com- panies are compared with the actual death rate experience. Nor does the comparison by any means sustain the position which these companies have assumed in this matter. The average premiums collected annually by the New York Life from 1845 to 1849 are shown to have been $30, while the average mortuary cost is shown to have been $11. Quite a nice little margin from which to pay an occasional dividend.
The query in this connection, "Is it any wonder that the accumulated funds of insurance companies now exceed $1,500,000,000?" is certainly a most pertinent one. The history of the New York Life on this subject suggests the
504
PIONEER SKETCHES.
manner in which these funds have been accumulated, and the depleted purses of those who have created them cor- roborate the suggestion. Statistics show that $1,000 could be paid to every man, woman and child who dies in this country at an annual cost not exceeding $18 per person. The necessity, therefore, of charging nearly double this amount on the lives of selected adults is not so clear as it might be.
The book is replete with other facts and information equally as lucid as the above. It is well worth the study of every one advocating or interested in insurance, and we commend it to the perusal of those who have been taught to think the burdensome Legal Reserve a necessary adjunct of safe life underwriting.
On another page of the issue is given a brief summary taken from the New York insurance report for 1891, show- ing the assets, liabilities, incomes, expenditures and policy record of the various companies reporting to this depart- ment. These figures, supposed to represent actual condi- tion of those reporting, are of especial value in showing the relative cost of insurance. The total income of the level premium companies doing business in New York State during 1890, was $187,424,957.81. There was paid out during the year, under the heading "for claims," $58,608,614.88, while "cost of management" walked away with $39,546,188.22. Thus for every $100 received from policy holders, the magnificent sum of $31.20 was paid for claims, $21.30 was absorbed by expenses and the balance found its way into the rapacious maw of reserves, dividends to stockholders, etc.
505
PIONEER SKETCHES.
During 1890, the co-oporative associations reporting to the New York State Department received from their members $33,095, 817, and paid out in death claims to ben- eficiaries of deceased members $26,906,435; expenses aggregated 85,234,730, and $1,650,734 was added to the emergency reserve. By the same basis of estimate as is employed in the foregoing paragraph, it is learned that out of every $100 received $81.28 was used in the payment of death claims. The contrast between the amounts paid out under the different systems is quite marked, and the reader will here find ample opportunity for investigation as to the various elements which are com- bined to make up the old line premiums. Thirty-six dollars were used for expenses, to $58 for claims, a ratio which policy holders, if they knew it, would hardly be inclined to look upon with favor.
During the year the Old Line Companies issued 285,- 797 policies, while the Associations issued 336,435. The amount of insurance represented by these policies written has not been given, but estimating each policy at $2,000, the new business will approximate 8700,000,000. These are big figuers and represent the transactions of a stupend- ous system.
"I never jump at conclusions," said the pastor: "No," said an elderly member of his congregation, "I have noticed that from your sermons, you reach a conclusion very slowly."
CHAPTER CLVII.
THE TELEGRAPH OPERATOR.
W HAT A wonderful invention the telegraph. How could we get along without it in this fast day and age of the world? And when contem plating its magnificence and usefulness we realize that its great inventor, Morse, will go down the countless ages in history as the great benefactor of his day to all the races and the nations on the globe, of the Nineteenth Century.
The telegraph operator, too, must come in For his share of the laurels, in the wonderful art; When you have news of great import to impart, Don't you see how much there is at stake, Should the operator make a mistake.
There must be no guess work with the operator, He must be expert, a correct manipulator; Strange, it is, with such means for a translator, Nothing equals since the day of our Creator.
The operator has learned the art of making lightning tame. Beside his machine, whether he be blithe or lame, He there transmits messages of great import, Correctly to the remotest parts of earth:
CHAPTER CLVIH.
THE HAIRY CHICKEN.
HE owner of this peculiar chicken, Eliza Hum- phrey, who is well known to the Ashtabulian for her excentricity, living as she did on an island on the flats of Ashtabula River known as Eliza's Island, about a mile from its mouth, in her little cabin, with her chicks and her white cattle, (goats) and dog for company. Occa- sionally lads from town and now and then a fisherman would visit her abode out of curiosity.
In time of a flood or a big rise in the river Eliza would climb a tree with some provisions, and defiantly sit perched upon it until the waters subsided.
Occasionally she attended the county fair with her white male cattle, but her late curiosity, the hairy chicken, capped the climax. While up town the other day she informed some of the inquisitive young men that she had a curiosity. "What is it?" they asked. She replied, "A chicken with hair on." These curious young men, anxious to see such a strange freak, called at her place, about a mile away, on the East Side, to see the hairy chicken.
Eliza informed them that she could not Praise and ex- hibit curiosities for nothing," and that they must put up 50 cents for the sight. The gallant young men were not going to be outdone. They had started out to see the elephant. and were going to see it anyhow, and up went the money. Whereupon they were escorted to the chicken coop and out came a chicken, nicely feathered-
508
PIONEER SKETCHES.
And they couldn't see a bit of hair; The boys came right away from there, Feeling relieved and somewhat the wiser From their little experience with Miss Eliza,
Truman Martindale, who lived on the county line, Crawford County, Spring, Pa., was a farmer and shoe- maker, and he liked the juice from corn and rye as a daily beverage. One day in the fall of 1830, being pretty full of corn juice, he was stubbing around on his place near to where he had an unfinished well dug about ten feet deep. His brother-in-law, Harry Nicholson, warned him to keep further away from the well, as he would fall into it. Mar- tindale, however, felt his oats, and was going to enjoy his liberty that day. Presently he made a lurching reel toward the well, and in he went. Nicholson exclaimed, "There, I told you you would fall into the well." Martindale- "Whose business is it? It's my head and my well." They got him out of that well unharmed. Had he been sober he would probably have broken a leg or his neck. However, I would not advise one to get full to prepare for like mis- haps, but would advise you to keep sober and take out an accident insurance policy.
"Hello, Brother Mackley !" Hello, Record !" "Have you got that article ready on the Past and Present of the Life Insurance Business ?" "Yes." "Where is it ?" "Here it is. Twenty years ago the applicant got the policy, the company the premium, the agent the commission; later the applicant got the policy, the agent the premium and the company the commission; now the applicant gets the policy and the premium and the agent the commission." "Well, but what does the company get ?" "Gets left."
CHAPTER CLIX.
SPARKS OF HUMOR.
JUST AS HE DID AT PRESENT .- Mrs. Nubbins - "Josiah, are you going to get up?" Mr. Nubbins (yawning)-"Well, I have one consolation; I shall have sleep enough when I'm dead." Mrs. Nubbins -- "Yes, and you'll find the fire lit when you awake, just as you do now."
Cornelius Lovell-"Don't address me as Mr. Lovell. Maud, it is so formal, you know; call me Cornelius." Miss Mand-"I'd call you Corn-if-" Mr. L .- "If what, darling ?" Miss M .-- "If I thought you'd pop." Mr. Lovell is now engaged.
Teacher-"What part of speech is "but ?" Michael-"But is a conjunction."
Teacher-"Correct ; now give an example of its use." Michael -- "See the goat but the boy. . But' connects the goat and the boy."
Advertising the enterprise-A poor country congrega- tion found itself badly in want of hymn books. The clergyman applied to a London firm and asked to be supplied at the lowest (church) rates. The firm replied that on condition that the hymn books contained certain adver
510
PIONEER SKETCHES.
tisements, the congregation could have them for nothing. The minister sorrowfully complied, thinking to himself that when the advertisements came they could be removed from the leaves. The hymn books arrived and they contained no interleaved advertisements. At the Thanksgiving service the parson gave out the Christmas hymn, and the congre- gation sang the first verse. When they reached the last line they found that this was what they had been singing-
Hark the herald angels sing, Dash's Pills are just the thing. Peace on earth and mercy mild, Two for man and one for child.
Edward Bellamy has earned $16,000 by "Looking Backward." This is better than Lot's wife, who only earned her salt.
Mechanic (catching a pickpocket rifling his pockets)- "What are you doing there ?"
Pickpocket-"Raising your wages, that's all."
Dude (posing for a bold bad man)-"How does water taste, Miss Belasye ?"
Miss B .- "You don't mean to say they've brought you up all this time on milk ?"
Women do not suffer as much now as they used to in olden times from contraction of the chest. Just look at the size of the Saratoga trunks.
CHAPTER CLX.
"NOW AND THEN.
N TAKING a retrospect of the past, back to the primitive days of the Pioneer of this country, the day of wooden clocks; wooden plows and wagons, and a woollen factory at every fire-side-where, by the hand of the pioneer woman, wool and tlax was carded, spun and wove into cloth to make garments for the family. Cotton cloth was a luxury at seventy-five cents a yard, and salt at fifty cents a quart in Ohio and Western Pennsylvania.
There were a dozen wolves for every head of sheep, and a half dozen bears for every hog in the land; an enemy across the water, to exact from the American pilgrim (a Stamp Act) revenue for any kind of business transacted,- and Indians lurking in the forest to take the scalp of the Pioneer. These were scenes that tried the soul of the heroic Pioneer. and finally culminated in a seven year strug- gle with their mother country for Liberty and Independ- ence. At last, victory having crowned their superhuman efforts, they betook themselves to the different pursuits of agricultural and commercial life, preparatory to making this a great country. Success and wonderful progress was achieved, when a little more than one seore years the iron hand of the mother country again sought to grapple Young America by the throat. As before, she found her Ameri-
512
PIONEER SKETCHES.
can son plueky and long-winded, and in the course of a couple of years she was forced to let go her grip.
Again the wheels of commerce were set in motion, and during those seventy-seven years wondrous results in all kinds of improvements have been accomplished, notwith- standing those dark days of '61 and '65 threatening a dis- memberment of our Union,-she still stands to-day the brightest star in the galaxy-the greatest country on the globe-none pretending to be its equal or its peer.
In view of this we can truly say, by the fruit we shall know the tree. The American tree was planted in a pro- lific, virgin soil, and became firmly rooted, not to be up- turned by adverse winds, nor cut down by ruthless hands, or to be baptized in a living hell, but in a healthy, living stream which will flow onward as long as time and nation- alities doth last.
This was a decree and the benediction of those heroic sires of Bunker Hill, Trenton and Valley Forge, when famished and shivering, from dire necessities of life, bare- footed and bleeding, they held the fort and vanquished the enemy.
They were imbued in the principle to render due re- spect to all nations, but to fear none. The noble bone and sinew and principle of those Pioneer men and women of America have moulded a country and a people who have come to stay-who court no smiles nor heed no frowns-
"Who must be recognized in the throng, Already are sixty millions strong. Let us cherish in our memories ever dear, The heroic struggles of the American Pioneer."
INDEX. PIONEER SKETCHES:
INDEX
-A-
ABIGAIL 184 ABLES -- , 419 Harry, 413
ACCIDENT And Life Insurance, 240
ADAMS -- , 419 John Quincy, 32, 71 Mr., 84
ADDISON
Judge, 42
ADRIAN Michigan, 406
AFRICA 71, 347, 422, 496
AFRICAN 496
AIKEN & Scott's Mill, 228
AKRON Ohio, 190, 231, 232, 233, 414
ALABAMA 428
ALASKAN 488
ALBANY N. Y., 103, 210, 213, 393
ALBION
Pa., 108, 114, 127, 136, 153, 158, 167, ,170, 186, 202, 212, 286, 299, 305, 306, 314, 317, 319, 324, 326, 327. 329, 330, 333. 336, 374
ALDEN
General, 49, 51 Roger, 43 Roger (General), 49 Roger (Major), 30 Timothy, 31 Timothy (Rev), 32
ALDERMAN Capt., 162 Elisha, 333 Elisha (Captain), 158, 161-162
ALDERMAN continued Fayette, 158, 161, 164 Marietta, 261-264 Michael, 333 Polly Sargent, 261-264 Va., 105. 152 Villiam, 261 Villiam S., 261-264 Mrs. Villlaa S., 264
ALEXANDER Janoa V., 466
ALDRICH V .. , 329
ALLEGHENY College, 25, 31, 192 County, Pa., 34, 40, 220, 379 Mountains, 73, 83, 124, 187 Valley, 379, 412, 429
ALLEN Benj. W., 389 General, 100
ALLIANCE Ohio, 431
ALPS 464, 486
AMERICA 60, 70, 89, 100, 142, 206, 211, 245, 337, 338, 339. 340, 342, 353, 425, 437, 440, 455, 458, 470, 473, 483, 484, 485, 499, Su1, 512, Banner of, 13
AMERICAN
71, 74, 84, 86, 87, 93, 99. 122, 242, 304, 211, 322, 415, 425, 436, 411, 458, 465, 487, 488, 493, 496,497,499,511,512 Constitution, 484 Continent, 338, 358, 370, 404 Fire Insurance Co., 237, 238
flag, 436 Independence, 434 Pioneer, 13 Shores, 322, 338, 440 Surety Co., 466
AMETHYST HARBOR 237
AMIDON A. A., 308
AKTIEY Ama, 389
ANDALUS:A Prior of Convert, 12
ANDERSON -, 443 George, 40 Jane Van Horn, Mather, 320 & Ralph, 420
ANDERSC!". : LLE prison, 21
Joseph, 53 Mr., 337, 455
ARCHIMEDES 194
ARIZONA 454
ARKANSAS 197, 454
ARMSTRONG County, Pa., 216, 220 George, 42 Miltor., 413
ASHTABULA
Oblo, 15, 73, 187, 139, 193, 235, 237. 238, 248, 250, 326, 327, 372, 377, 379, 390, 381, 383, 384, 386, 389, 390, 392, 395, 396, 398, 309, 400, 401, 404, 406, 4.0, 414, 431, 451
bridge, 403, 502 Children's Home, 330 Commons, 405 CorDers, 383 County, Ohio, 238, 3:3, 325, 372, 379, -01, 408, 415. 417, 431, 451
County Court, 29% Disaster, 239, 241, 403 Rast, 390, 393, 394, 401 East Side, 387, 388, 389, 507 East Village, 389. 390 Harbor, 99, 238, 386, 388, 397, 399, 400, 429, 436,439, 440 High School, 384 Strike, 436 Tool Company, 383 Town Hall, 438
PIONEER SKETCHES
ASHTABULA continued Township, 383 Woodland Park, 388
ASHTABULIAN 507
ASIA 492
ASIATIC 472
ASTOR
-, 393, 493, 497
William Waldorf, 497, 498
ATLANTIC Cable, 211 Ocean, 21, 86, 338, 389, 471, 483, 496, 498 Statee, 488
ATLANTOSAUR 462
AUSTRIA 486
-3-
BACHELOR Amos, 396
BAD LANDS 460
BALDWIN -- , 336 Henry (Hon.), 42 Himrod & Co., 284, 328 Jesse, 56
BALDWINSVILLE N. Y., 314, 336
BALL Ame, 321 Cornelius, 320 Miss, 193, 196, 197, 200 Samuel, 320
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.