Chapter IV: Preface: To Volume X (3)

_July 17th._--Set out again, crossing the Ohio into the state of that name, and take the road to Chillicothe, 74 miles from Maysville. Stop about mid-way for the night, travelling over a country generally hilly, and not of good soil, and passing through West Union,[40] a place situated as a town ought to be, upon high and unlevel lands; the inhabitants have fine air to breathe, and plenty of food to eat and drink, and, if they keep their houses and streets and themselves clean, I will ensure them long lives. Some pretty good farms in view of the road, but many abandoned for the richer lands of Indiana and Illinois. Travelling expenses much less, hitherto, than in Indiana and some parts of Kentucky; we had plenty of good buttermilk at the farm-houses all along the road, free of expense, and the tavern-keepers do not set before us bread made of Indian corn, which we have not yet learned to like very cordially.

[40] West Union, the seat of Adams County, is situated on Zane's Trace, seventeen miles from Maysville and fifty-five from Chillicothe. It was established by an act of legislature (January, 1804), which fixed the county seat at that point, and ordered the land for a town to be purchased and paid for out of the county treasury.--ED.

{297} _July 18th._--Come to Chillicothe,[41] the country improving and more even as we proceed. See some very rich lands on passing Paint Creek, and on approaching the Scioto river; these, like all the _bottom_ lands, having a coat of sediment from their river in addition to the original soil, are by far the richest. Chillicothe is a handsome town, regularly laid out, but stands upon a flat. I hate the very sight of a level street, unless there be every thing necessary to carry off all filth and water. The air is very fine, so far as it is not contaminated by the pools of water which stand about the town as green as grass. Main sewers, like those at Philadelphia, are much wanted.

[41] For the early history of Chillicothe, see F. A. Michaux's _Travels_, volume iii of our series, note 35.--ED.

_July 19th._--Called upon Mr. Bond, being introduced by letter, and spent a very pleasant evening with him and a large party of his agreeable friends.[42] Left them, much pleased with the society of Chillicothe.

[42] William Key Bond was born in St. Mary's, Maryland, in 1792. Educated in Connecticut, he came to Chillicothe (1812) and was admitted to the bar. In 1841 he removed to Cincinnati, where he practiced law until his death in 1864. He was a member of the 24th, 25th, and 26th congresses, and was appointed by President Fillmore surveyor of the port of Cincinnati.--ED.

_July 20th._--We were introduced to Governor Worthington, who lives about 2 miles from the town.[43] He took us to his house, and showed us part of his fine estate, which is 800 acres in extent, and all of it elevated table land, commanding an immense view over the flat country in the direction of Lake Erie. The soil is very rich indeed; so rich, that the governor pointed out a dung heap which was bigger than the barn it surrounded and had grown out of, as a nuisance. The labour of dragging the dung out of the way, would be more than the cost of removing the barn, so that he is actually going to pull the barn down, and build it up again in another place. This is not a peculiarity of this particular spot of land, for manure has no value here at all. All the stable-dung made at Chillicothe is flung into the river. I dare say, that the Inn we put up at does not tumble into the water less than 300 good loads of horse-dung every year.

[43] For a brief biography of Governor Worthington, see Cuming's _Tour_ volume iv of our series, note 142.--ED.

I had some conversation with Governor Worthington on the subject of domestic manufactures, and was glad to find he is well convinced of the necessity of, or at least of the great benefit that would result from, the general establishment of them in the United States. He has frequently recommended it in his public capacity, he informed me, and I hope he will {298} advocate it with effect. He is a true lover of his country, and no man that I have met with has a more thorough knowledge of the detestable villainy of the odious Boroughmongering government of England, and, of course, it has his full share of hatred.

_July 21st._--Leave Chillicothe. A fine, healthy country and very rich land all the way to New Lancaster, 34 miles from Chillicothe, and 38 from Zanesville.[44] Stop at the house of a German, where we slept, but not in bed, preferring a soft board and something clean for a pillow to a bed of down accompanied with bugs.

[44] For the early history of New Lancaster, see Cuming's _Tour_, volume iv of our series, note 145.--ED.

Nothing remarkable, that I can see, as to the locality of this, town of _New Lancaster_; but, the name, alas! it brought to my recollection the horrid deeds done at _Old Lancaster_, the county town of my native country! I thought of _Colonel F----r_, and his conduct towards my poor, unfortunate townsman, Gallant! I thought of the poor, miserable creatures, men, women, and children, who, in the bloody year of 1812, were first instigated by spies to commit arson, and then pursued into death by the dealers in human blood. Amongst the sufferers upon this particular occasion, there was a boy, who was silly, and who would at any time, have jumped into a pit for a halfpenny: he was not fourteen years old; and when he was about to be hanged, actually called out for his "_mammy_" to come and save him! Who, that has a heart in his bosom, can help feeling indignation against the cruel monsters! Who can help feeling a desire to see their dreadful power destroyed! The day must come, when the whole of the bloody tragedies of Lancashire will be exposed. In the mean while, here I am in safety from the fangs of the monsters, who oppress and grind my countrymen. The thought of these oppressions, however, I carry about with me; and I cannot help its sometimes bursting forth into words.

_July 22nd._--Arrived at Zanesville,[45] a place {299} finely situated for manufactures, in a nook of the Muskingham, just opposite to the mouth of Licking Creek. It has almost every advantage for manufacturing of all sorts, both as to local situation and as to materials; it excels Wheeling and Steubenville, in many respects, and, in some, even Pittsburgh. The river gives very fine falls near the town, one of them of 12 feet, where it is 600 feet wide; the creek, too, falls in by a fine cascade. What a power for machinery! I should think that as much effect might be produced by the power here afforded as by the united _manual_ labour of all the inhabitants of the state. The navigation is very good all the way up to the town, and is now continued round the falls by a canal with locks, so that boats can go nearly close up to Lake Erie. The bowels of the earth afford coal, iron ore, stone, free stone, lime-stone, and _clays_: all of the best, I believe, and the last, the very best yet discovered in this country, and, perhaps, as good as is to be found in any country. All these materials are found in inexhaustible quantities in the hills and little ridges on the sides of the river and creek, arranged as if placed by the hand of man for his own use. In short, this place has the four elements in the greatest perfection that I have any where yet seen in America. As to manufactures, it is, like Wheeling and Steubenville, nothing in comparison to Pittsburg.

[45] For a more particular account of this place, as well, indeed, as of most of the other towns I have visited, see Mr. Mellish's _Travels_, volume ii.--HULME.

Nature has done her part; nothing is left wanting but machines to enable the people of Ohio to keep their flour at home, instead of exporting it, at their own expense to support those abroad who are industrious enough to send them back coats, knives, and cups, and saucers.

_July 23rd._--All day at Zanesville. Spent part of it very agreeably with Mr. Adams the post-master, and old Mr. Dillon who has a large iron foundery near this.

_July 24th._--Go with Mr. Dillon about 3 miles up the Creek, to see his mills and iron-factory establishment. He has here a very fine water-fall, of 18 feet, giving immense power, by which he works a {300} large iron-forge and foundery, and mills for sawing, grinding, and other purposes.

I will here subjoin a list of the prices at Zanesville, of provisions, stock, stores, labour, &c. just as I have it from a resident, whom I can rely upon.

Dls. Cts. Dls. Cts.

Flour (superfine) per barrel of 196 lb.
from 5 0 to 5 75
Beef, per 100 lb 4 0 -- 4 25
Pork (prime), per 100 lb. 4 50 -- 5 0
Salt, per bushel of 50 lb 2 25
Potatoes, per bushel 0 25 -- 0 31½
Turnips, ditto 0 20
Wheat, ditto of 60 lb. to 66 lb 0 75
Indian corn, ditto shelled 0 33⅓ -- 0 50
Oats, ditto 0 25 -- 0 33⅓
Rye, ditto 0 50
Barley, ditto 0 75
Turkeys, of from 12 lb. to 20 lb. each 0 37½ -- 0 50
Fowls 0 12½ -- 0 18¾
Live Hogs, per 100 lb. live weight 3 0 -- 5 0
Cows, (the best) 18 0 -- 25 0
Yoke of Oxen, ditto 50 0 -- 75 0
Sheep 2 50
Hay, per ton, delivered 9 0 -- 10 0
Straw, fetch it and have it.
Manure, ditto, ditto.
Coals, per bushel, delivered 0 8
Butter, per lb. avoirdupois 0 12½ -- 0 18
Cheese, ditto, ditto 0 12½ -- 0 25
Loaf Sugar 0 50
Raw ditto 0 31¼
Domestic Raw ditto 0 18¾
Merino Wool, per lb. avoirdupois, washed 1 0
Three-quarter Merino ditto 0 75
Common Wool 0 50
Bricks, per 1000, delivered 6 0 -- 7 0
Lime, per bushel, ditto 0 18¾
{301} Sand, in abundance on the banks of the
river.
Glass is sold in boxes, containing 100 square
feet; of the common size there are 180
panes in a box, when the price is 14 0
The price rises in proportion to the size
of the panes.
Oak planks, 1 inch thick, per 100 square
feet, at the saw-mill 1 50
Poplar, the same.
White Lead, per 100 lb. delivered 17 0
Red ditto 17 0
Litharge 15 0
Pig Lead 9 50
Swedish Iron (the best, in bars) 14 0
Juniatta, ditto, ditto 14 0
Mr. Dillon's, ditto, ditto 12 50
Castings at Mr. Dillon's Foundery per ton 120 0
Ditto, for machinery, ditto, per lb. 0 8
Potash, per ton 180 0
Pearl Ashes, ditto 200 0
Stone masons and bricklayers, per day, and
board and lodging 1 50
Plasterers, by the square yard, they finding
themselves in board and lodging and in
lime, sand, laths and every thing they use. 0 18¾
Carpenters, by the day, who find themselves
and bring their tools 1 25
Blacksmiths, by the month, found in board,
lodging and tools 30 0 to 40 0
Millwrights, per day, finding themselves 1 50 -- 2 0
Tailors, per week, finding themselves and
working 14 or 15 hours a day 7 0 -- 9 0
Shoemakers the same.
{302} Glazier's charge for putting in each pane
of glass 8 in. by 10 in. with their own putty
and laying on the first coat of paint 0 4 to 0 5
Labourers, per annum, and found 100 0 -- 120 0
The charge of carriage for 100 lb. weight
from Baltimore to Zanisville 10 0
Ditto for ditto by steam-boat from New Orleans
to Shippingport, and thence, by
boats, to Zanesville, about 6 50
Peaches, as fine as can grow, per bushel 0 12½ -- 0 25
Apples and pears proportionably cheaper;
sometimes given away, in the country.

Prices are much about the same at Steubenville; if any difference, rather lower. If bought in a quantity, some of the articles enumerated might be had a good deal lower. Labour, no doubt, if a job of some length were offered, might be got somewhat cheaper here.

_July 25th._--Leave Zanesville for Pittsburgh, keeping to the United States road; stop at Cambridge, 25 miles. During the first eight miles we met 10 wagons, loaded with emigrants.

_July 26th._--Stop at Mr. Broadshaw's, a very good house on the road, 25 miles from Cambridge.[46] This general government road is by no means well laid out; it goes strait over the tops of the numerous little hills, up and down, up and down. It would have been a great deal nearer in point of time, if not in distance (though I think it would that, too), if a view had been had to the labour of travelling over these everlasting unevennesses.

[46] When in 1798 Zane's Trace was laid out from Wheeling to Zanesville, a ferry and tavern were established where the road crossed Wills Creek. Eight years later the town of Cambridge was planted. Among the early settlers were fifteen or twenty families from the Island of Guernsey, who happened to be travelling through the West in search of homes when the town lots were offered for sale.

Bradshaw's tavern was in the village of Fairview.--ED.

_July 27th._--To Wheeling in Virginia, 31 miles. They have had tremendous rains in these parts, we hear as we pass along, lately; one of the creeks we came over has overflown so as to carry down a man's house with himself and his whole family. A dreadful catastrophe, but, certainly, one not out of the man's {303} power to have foreseen and prevented; it surprises me that the people will stick up their houses so near the water's edge. Cross Wheeling Creek several times to-day; it is a rapid stream, and I hope it will not be long before it turns many water-wheels. See much good land, and some pretty good farming.

_July 28th._--Went with a Mr. Graham, a quaker of this place, who treated us in the most friendly and hospitable manner, to see the new national road from Washington city to this town.[47] It is covered with a very thick layer of nicely broken stones, or stone rather, laid on with great exactness both as to depth and width, and then rolled down with an iron roller, which reduces all to one solid mass. This is a road made for ever; not like the flint roads in England, rough, nor soft or dirty, like the gravel roads; but, smooth and hard. When a road is made in America it is _well_ made. An American always plots against labour, and, in this instance, he takes the most effectual course to circumvent it. Mr. Graham took us likewise to see the fine coal mines near this place and the beds of limestone and freestone, none of which I had time to examine as we passed Wheeling in our ark. All these treasures lie very convenient to the river. The coals are principally in one long ridge, about ten feet wide; much the same as they are at Pittsburgh, in point of quality and situation. They cost 3 cents per bushel to be got out from the mine. This price, as nearly as I can calculate, enables the American collier to earn upon an average, double the number of cents for the same labour that the collier in England can earn; so that, as the American collier can, upon an average, buy his flour for one third of the price that the English collier pays for his flour, he receives _six times the quantity of flour for the same labour_. Here is a country for the ingenious paupers of England to come to! They find food and materials, and nothing wanting but their mouths and hands to consume and work them. I should like to see the old toast of the Boroughmongers brought out again; when they were in the height of their impudence their myrmidons used to din in our ears, "Old England for ever, and those that do not {304} like her let them leave her." Let them renew this swaggering toast, and I would very willingly for my part, give another to the same effect for the United States of America. But, no, no! they know better now. They know that they would be taken at their word; and, like the tyrants of Egypt, having got their slaves fast, will (if they can) keep them so. Let them beware, lest something worse than the Red Sea overwhelm them. Like Pharaoh and his Boroughmongers they will not yield to the voice of the people, and, surely, something like, or worse than, their fate shall befall them!

[47] For an account of the National Road, see Harris's _Journal_, volume iii of our series, note 45.--ED.

They are building a steam-boat at Wheeling, which is to go, they say, 1800 miles up the Missouri river. The wheels are made to work in the stern of the boat, so as not to come in contact with the floating trees, snaggs, planters,[48] &c., obstructions most likely very numerous in that river. But, the placing the wheels behind only saves _them_; it is no protection against the _boat's sinking_ in case of being pierced by a planter or sawyer.[49] Observing this I will suggest a plan which has occurred to me, and which, I think, would provide against sinking, effectually; but, at any rate, it is one which can be tried very easily and with very little expense.--I would make a partition of strong plank; put it in the broadest fore-part of the boat, right across, and put good iron bolts under the bottom of the boat, through these planks, and screw them on the top of the deck. Then put an upright post in the inside of the boat against the middle of the plank partition, and put a spur to the upright post. The partition should be water-tight. I would then load the fore-part of the boat, thus partitioned off with lumber or such loading as is least liable to injury, and best calculated to stop the progress of a sawyer after it has gone through the boat.--By thus appropriating the fore-part of the boat to the reception of planters and sawyers, it appears to me that the other part would be secured against all intrusion.

[48] Trees tumbled head-long and fixed in the river.--HULME.

[49] The same as the planter only waving up and down.--HULME.

{305} _July 29th._--From Wheeling, through Charlston, changing sides of the river again to Steubenville.[50] My eyes were delighted at Charlston to see the smoke of the coals ascending from the glass-works they have here. This smoke it is that must enrich America; she might save almost all her dollars if she would but bring her invaluable black diamonds into service. Talk of independance, indeed, without coats to wear or knives or plates to eat with!

[50] Charleston, on the Kanawha River, about sixty miles from its mouth, is located on the military grant made by Lord Dunmore to Colonel Thomas Bullitt (1772), in recognition of his services in Braddock's and Forbes's campaigns. Five years thereafter, the land was purchased by George Clendenin, one of the commissioners for laying out a road from Lewisburg to the Kanawha. Clendenin constructed (1788) a fort on the present site of Charleston, and soon other pioneers built log cabins under its shelter. In 1794 the town of Charleston was established by legislative enactment.--ED.

At Steubenville, became acquainted with Messrs. Wills, Ross, and company, who have an excellent and well-conducted woollen manufactory here. They make very good cloths, and at reasonable prices; I am sorry they do not retail them at Philadelphia; I for one, should be customer to them for all that my family wanted in the woollen-way. Here are likewise a Cotton-mill, a Grist-mill, a Paper-mill, an Iron-foundery and Tan-yards and Breweries. Had the pleasure to see Mr. Wilson,[51] the editor of the Steubenville Gazette, a very public-spirited man, and, I believe, very serviceable to this part of the country. If the policy he so powerfully advocates were adopted, the effects would be grand for America; it would save her dollars while it would help to draw the nails of the vile Boroughmongers. But, he has to labour against the inveterate effects of the thing the most difficult of all others to move--habit.

[51] James Wilson, who had been on the staff of the Philadelphia _Aurora_, came to Steubenville (1815) to edit the _Herald_, changing the name to the _Western Herald and Steubenville Gazette_, and the politics from Democratic to Whig. Wilson was elected to the state legislature in 1816 and again in 1820, and was an associate justice of the court of common pleas. He died in 1852.--ED.

By what I have been able to observe of this part of the country, those who expect to find what is generally understood by _society_, pretty much the same that they have been accustomed to it on the Atlantic side, or in England, will not be totally disappointed. It is here upon the basis of the same manners and customs as in the oldest settled districts, and it there differs from what it is in England, and here from what it is there, only according to circumstances. Few of the social amusements that are practicable at present, are scarce; dancing, the most rational for every reason, is the most common; and in an assemblage for this purpose, composed of the farmers' daughters and sons from 20 miles round, an Englishman (particularly if a young one) might very well think his travels to be {306} all a dream, and that he was still in a Boroughmonger country. Almost always the same tunes and dances, same manners, same dress. Ah, it is that same _dress_ which is the great evil! It may be a very pretty sight, but, to see the dollars thus danced out of the country into the hands of the Boroughmongers, to the tune of national airs, is a thing which, if it do not warrant ridicule, will, if America do not, by one unanimous voice, soon put a stop to it.

_July 30th._--From Steubenville, crossing the Ohio for the last time, and travelling through a slip of Virginia and a handsome part of Pennsylvania, to Pittsburgh.

_August 1st._--Sold my horse for 75 dollars, 60 dollars less than I gave for him. A horse changes masters no where so often as in this Western country, and no where so often rises and falls in value. Met a Mr. Gibbs, a native of Scotland, and an old neighbour of mine, having superintended some oil of vitriol works, near to my bleach-works on Great Lever, near Bolton, in Lancashire. He now makes oil of vitriol, aquafortis, salt, soap, &c. at this place, and is, I believe, getting rich. Spent a pleasant evening with him.

_August 2nd._--Spent most part of the day with Mr. Gibbs, and dined with him; as the feast was his, I recommended him to observe the latter part of the good Quaker Lady's sermon which we heard at New Albany.

_August 3rd._--Leave Pittsburgh, not without some regret at bidding adieu to so much activity and smoke, for I expect not to see it elsewhere. I like to contemplate the operation by which the greatest effect is produced in a country. Take the same route and the same stage as on setting out from Philadelphia.

_August 4th, 5th, and 6th._--These three days traversing the romantic Allegany Mountains; got overturned (a common accident here) _only_ once, and then received very little damage: myself none, some of my fellow travellers a few scratches. We scrambled out, and, with the help of some wagoners, set the vehicle on its wheels again, adjusted our "_plunder_" (as some of the Western people call it), and drove on again {307} without being detained more than five minutes. The fourth night slept at Chambersburgh, the beginning of a fine country.

_August 7th._--Travelled over the fine lime-stone valley before mentioned, and through a very good country all the way, by Little York to Lancaster. Here I met with a person from Philadelphia, who told me a long story about a _Mr. Hulme_, an Englishman, who had brought a large family and considerable property to America. His property, he told me, the said Mr. Hulme had got from the English Government, for the invention of some machine, and that now, having got rich under their patronage, he was going about this country doing the said Government all the mischief he could, and endeavouring to promote the interest of this country. After letting him go on till I was quite satisfied that he depends mainly for his bread and butter upon the English Treasury, I said, "Well, do you know this Mr. Hulme?" "No, he had only heard of him." "Then I do, and I know that he never had any patent, nor ever asked for one, from the English government; all he has got he has gained by his own industry and economy, and, so far from receiving a fortune from that vile government, he had nothing to do with it but to pay and obey, without being allowed to give a vote for a Member of Parliament or for any Government officer. He is now, thank God, in a country where he cannot be taxed but by his own consent, and, if he should succeed in contributing in any degree to the downfall of the English Government, and to the improvement of this country, he will only succeed in doing his duty." This man could be no other than a dependant of that boroughmongering system which has its feelers probing every quarter and corner of the earth.

_August 8th._--Return to Philadelphia, after a journey of 72 days. My expenses for this journey, including every thing, not excepting the loss sustained by the purchase and sale of my horse, amount to 270 dollars and 70 cents.

As it is now about a twelvemonth since I have {308} been settled in Philadelphia, or set foot in it, rather, with my family, I will take a look at my books, and add to this Journal what have been the expenses of my family for this one year, from the time of landing to this day, inclusive.

Dls. Cts.
House-rent 600 0
Fuel 137 0
Schooling (at day-schools) for my children viz.; Dolls.
for Thomas, 14 years of age 40
Peter and John, ages of 12 and 10 48
Sarah, 6 years of age 18 -- 106 0
Boarding of all my family at Mrs. Anthony's Hotel
for about a week, on our arrival 80 0
Expenses of house-keeping (my family fourteen in
number, including two servants) with every other
out-going not enumerated above, travelling incidents,
two newspapers a day, &c., &c. 2076 66
Taxes, not a cent 0 0
Priest, not a cent 0 0
----------
Total 2999 66

"What! nothing to the Parson!" some of my old neighbours will exclaim. No: not a single stiver. The Quakers manage their affairs without Parsons, and I believe they are as good and as happy a people as any religious denomination who are aided and assisted by a Priest. I do not suppose that the Quakers will admit me into their Society; but, in this free country I can form a new society, if I choose, and, if I do, it certainly shall be a Society having a Chairman in place of a Parson, and the assemblage shall discuss the subject of their meeting themselves. Why should there not be as much knowledge and wisdom and common sense, in the heads of a whole congregation, as in the head of a Parson? Ah, but then there are the profits arising from the trade! Some of this holy Order in England receive upwards of 40,000 dollars per {309} annum for preaching probably not more than five or six sermons during the whole year. Well may the Cossack Priests represent Old England as the bulwark of religion! This is the sort of religion they so much dreaded the loss of during the French Revolution; and this is the sort of religion they so zealously expected to establish in America, when they received the glad tidings of the restoration of the Bourbons and the Pope.

END OF THE JOURNAL

FLOWER'S LETTERS FROM LEXINGTON (JUNE 25, 1819) AND THE ILLINOIS (AUGUST 16, 1819)

Reprint of the original edition: London, 1819

LETTERS

FROM

_LEXINGTON and the ILLINOIS_,

CONTAINING A

BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH SETTLEMENT
_IN THE LATTER TERRITORY_,

AND A

REFUTATION OF THE MISREPRESENTATIONS
OF MR. COBBETT.

BY RICHARD FLOWER.

London:

_Printed by C. TEULON, 67, High Street, Whitechapel_,

FOR J. RIDGWAY, PICCADILLY

1819.

[_Price One Shilling._]