Maumee City express. [volume], May 18, 1839, Image 1

About Maumee City express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1838-184?

Image provided by: Ohio History Connection, Columbus, OH

                
7
r
VKIRTEB AND PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY,
BY REED Si HOSMER.
BUSINESS DIRECTORY.
MAUMEE CITY.
MAUMEE CITY INSURANCE CU
Commercial Buildings,
' MUTUAL INSURANCE OFFICE,
At the Jefferson House,--Was. Kingsbury
Agent.
CUSTOM HOUSE OFFICE.
Canal street.
STATE LAND OFFICE,
Erie street.
' REED b HOSMER,
Book b Job Printers, Maumee Express
Office.
Wolcott Btreet
DANIEL F. COOK;
Attorney and Counsellor at Law.
' 8. M. YOUNG,
Attornies Ac Counsellors at Law.
" n: rathbun.
Attorney and Counsellor at Law.
HENRY REEC;
Attorney and Counsellor at Law.
NATHAN RATHBUN,
Justice of the l'eace.
HORATIO CON ANT,
Justice ot the l'eace.
DR. WILLIAM ST. CLAIR,
Physician b Surgeon. Erie street.
JUSTUS D WIGHT,
Physician and Surgeon,
G. S.
HAZARD.
Forwarding and Commission Merchant,
water Btreei.
Smith tiowe & CO.
Forwarding and Commission Merchants,
Water street.
FORSYTH b MACK,
Forwarding and Commission Merchants.
Water street.
JTWOLCOTT.
Forwarding ond Commission Merchant,
Water street.
eTfairman,
Dry Good and Variety Store, Commercial
Ijuuuings.
W. WISWELL,
Dealers in Hardware, Hollow-ware, Tin
wareand Cutlery, Erie street.
Spencer b moohe, "
Dealers in Dry Goods, Groceries and
Crockery, Erie street.
ELISHA MACK,
Dealer in Dry Goods Groceries and
Crockery, f ront street.
' G. b W. RICHARDSON,
Dealers in Dry Goods, Groceries, be. be.
Erie street.
G. H. NITCHIE k CO.
Dealers in Fancy and Staplo Dry Goods,
lltttei ouiiuings.
DTb D. WILLIAMS,
Dry Goods, Groceries, Hardware, Crock
ery, &c. Erie street.
ill A WHITE.
Dry Goods, Books be. Wolcott street.
" n.AlIK Hr. FAlTGO.
Wholesale and Retail dealers in Groceries
and Provisions, Com., ercial Buildings.
' C. A. b A. dTWILLIAMS ,
Groceries and ProviBions.
"rTTtf ASTINGS.
Grocerios and Provisions.
A. CARY,
Boots, Shoes, Dry Goods, Groceries.
Paints, Oils be. Corner of Broadway and
BOYNTON b GANNETT,
Dry Goods, Groceries, Provisions, Hard
ware &c. Front street.
JTWOLCOTT.
Dealer in Dry Goods, Groceries, Provi
ions. Stoves. Iron be.. Wolcott street.
"GEORGE DOTY.
Dealer in Jewelry be. Erie street.
J. S. MEACHAM,
Tailor,' over the old Post Office, Erie st.
"TlTTeN b GIBBONS.
Groceries and Provisions, Erie street.
i O. H. HARRIS,
Groceries b Provisions, Erie street.
FORSYTH b HULL,
Dealers in Dry Goods, Crockery and Hard
ware, corner'of Front and Conant streets
! LATHAM T. TEW,
Cope b Tin Manufacturer on Wolcott st.
at the late store of T. W. Crowell.
CHARLES A. LAMB,
Cabinet Furniture Manufacturer rear of
Commercial Buildings.
JEFFERSON HOUSE,
Robert Gower, Erie street.
MIAMI HOTEL,
By George Kirkland, near the Io-ver steam,
boat landing.
AMERICAN HOUSE,
By Tyrrel b Hall, Wolcott street.
CENTRAL HOUSE,
Eli jah Clark. Erie street.
BRICK TAVERN,
By Daniel Hubhell, Port Miami.
PERRYSBURG.
SPINK b HOSMER,
Attornies and Counsellors at Law.
BENNETT b CAMPBELL,
Attornies and Counsellors at Law.
COFFINBUY"lTSTETS7rNr
Attornies and Counsellors at Law.
EAGLE HOTEL,
Joseph Creps. Louisiana Avenue.
HOLLISTER b CO.
Forwarding and Commission Merchants.
DOAN & EARL,
Forwarding and Commission Merchants
GILBERT BECH.
Dealer in Dry Goods Groceries be. be.
Boot, Shoe, b Leather Store, opposite the
Tamnar.nl. HnllBA.
C. T. WOODRUFF, ,
Tin and Copper Manufactory.
TOLEDO.
DANIEL O. MORTON,
Attorney, Counsellor and Solicitor.
PALMER. BUSH b CO
Forwarding and Commission Merchants,
foot of Erie and Kalamazoo rail road.
" . . ' TITUS b Co. ,
Wholesale Dealers in Dry Goods, Groceries,
Hardware be. see. i.a tirange street,
J. A. TITUS b Co.
Dealers in Fancy and Staple Dry Goods,
Groceries be, corner of Sni mi t and Locust
streets,
7. CARPENTER. MYERS b Co.
Forwarding and Commission Merchants,
Foot of Erie b Kalamazoo railroad.
AMERICAN HOTEL.
R. N. Lawtnn, Summit street.
TOLEDO RECESS,
fly John L. Smith, next door to the Tolodo
MAUMEE' CITY
Volume III.--IVTe. 7.
1839.
Perrysburg, Toledo, JUaumee City
Manhattan.
rpHE steam-boat GEN. VANCE, S.
Spink, Master. This splendid lit
tle boat haB now taken her place for the
season, and will run rogularly botween the
above named places, in the followiug order,
to wit: Leave Porrysburg every morning,
at 7 1-2 o'clocn, touching at Munmee City,
Oregon and Toledo, in time for the cars go
ing to Adrian, and arrive at Manhattan at 9
o'clock, touching as above, and arrive at
PerryBburg at 13 o'clock. Leave Perrys
burg at half past one o'clock, and Toledo at
4 o'clock, or after the arrival of the cars
from Adrian; running and touching as
above.
For freight or passage, apply to the cap
tain on board, or to
J. Hollisister & Co., Perrytburg.
Smith, Howe b Co., Maumee City.
2.L. Upper Toledo.
rainier uusn a. ju,
Poag b Titus,
Peckhom & Co,
Lower Toledo.
Cornwall & Fox, Manhattan,
P. S. Sailing parties can at all times
depend upon the services of the Gen. Vance,
by giving a few hours notice to the Capt., or
to the above agents.
N. 1). Capt. Spink will attend prompt
ly to all calls from Capts. of vessels who
may wish to be towed either up or down
the river.
TO PHYSICIANS AINU I A J. lEiii J iv
The Blind Piles, said to be incura
ble byexternalapplications. Solomon Hays
warrants the contrary, ms minuiem. win
cure Blind Piles. Facts are more stubborn
than theories, He solicits all respectable
PhysicianB to try it upon their patients. It
will dothom no harm, and it is known that
physicians who had the huneBty to niaKe
the trial, have candidly admitted that it has
succeeded in every oane they have known.
Then why not use it? It is the tecipe ol
one of their most respectable members, now
deceased. Why refuse to use it 1 Because
it is sold aB a proprietory medicine 1 Is this a
sufficient excuse for suffering their patients
to linger in distress? We think not.
Physicians shall be convinced that there is
no humbug or quackery about this article1
Why thou not alleviate human suffering?
If they wont try it before, let them after all
other prescriptions fail. Physicians are
respectfully requested to do themselves
and patients the justice lo use the article.
It shall be taken from the bottle, and done
up as their prescription, if they desire.
Let them apply the Comstock b Co., at the
Drug Store, No. 2 Fletcher street near Pearl,
New York, and of most respectable drug
gists throughout this country. Also at
O. Williams b Co., Muiimeo City 1
SOLOMON IIAYKS.
FLORENCE, Ala. aur-T.
gentleman of the highest standing in
this town, who has been dreadfully afflicted
with the Blind Piles for the last 26 years,
called upon me and freely confessed to me
his situation. Afterdescribing the Bevcriry
of the complaint, he. remarked he had not
been eo well for 20 years mst as lie was at
thnt moment. Ho has used one bottle only
of Hay's Liniment. To use his own words
he said "tho whole human family, who
were thiiB afflicted, ought to bo made ac
quainted with this medicine."
1 .... i t Tr Tea
The originalletter may be seen where the
article is sold, No. 2 Fletcher street New
York. And at nearly all the Apotnecaries
in North America. Also at U. U Win
lianis Maumee City. 1
TO PRINTERS.
11 OR BALK. A tout ol small rica
I of about two hundred pounds, near
ly new and complete, with Italic and ca
ses, atthis office.
TO THE INCREDU LOUS, New York
Sept. 28th, 1838. I have been entire
ly bald during 13 yearfl, and have now, Dy
the use of the genuine Balm ofColumbia my
lead covered witn nne nair. i sutui ue
haopv to convince the most incredulous.
who will take the trouble to call at m house.
I have bought the article of Comstock b
Co. 2 Fletcher st. For sale at O. b D. Will
iams Maumee City. I
Jr. HUHM1UL.11U,
47 Attorney st,
AMERICAN HOTEL.
Summit street, near the lower steamboat
landine, Toledo.
-sr N. T.AWTON takes this ODnortiinitv
IX. to inform the public that he has taken
the above splendid establishment, and fitted
it up in good style for the accommodation
of all who may favor him with their cus
tom. He intends to try the experiment of
keeping the best ot every thing, and tnus
moriting a substantial reward from the res
ident and travelling public.
March, 16 1830 50tf
NO MISTAKE.
pvR. ST. CLAIR would give notice to
U the people of Maumee City and vicini-
tv. that he has disposed of his interest in
the store of O. Williams b Co., with the
full intention of tiursuinff the science and
practice of Medicine. Therefore hopes to
merit a reasonable share of the public patronage.-
March 5, 1839. :. '-'' 49lf
NOTICE.
A LL indebted to the subscribers, by note
. or book account, are requested to can
immediately, and settle the same by pay
ment, or they will be necessiated to put their
demands in the hends of the proper officers
by the loth of January next, tor collection,
dec 21. 38 ACKER b KANADY,
REMOVAL.
A rADV haa removed from Front St
nf Conant fit's.
where he has received in addition to his
former stock, a large assortment of Boots
aUn nf a tiiiwrin, nuitlitv. ' Also, a
good assortment of Dry Goods, all ot
which will be told low lorcaso.
Dec. t .... ..
TTOSIEJY, silk, woolen and cotton
II for sale by
O H. NITCHIE b Co.
jan 5
Brick Hotel.
OOKING STOVES of Wilson's and
j Eagle patterns. Also, Franklin.par-
luur stoves, for sale by
nor. 24. BOYNTON li GANNETT.
STOVES! STOVES!!--Jusl receivea,
a lot of Cooking and Parlor Stoves, by
JaUofCookingando
18S9.
DETROIT & MAUMEE CITY.
TTE new and elegant steam-boat MA
COMB, Iiia Davis Matter, will run
the ensuing Season, between Detroit and
Maumee City, touching at the intermedi
al eportB :
Leaves Detroit for Maumee City, every
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday morn
ings, at 0 A. M.
Leaves Maumee City for Detroit, every
Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings,
at 7. A. M.
The Macomb has, the past winter, under
gone thorough repairs. Her engine has
been much improved, which, with an audi
tion of a splendid gentleman's cabin, large
and airy, on her hurricane deck, together
with other improvements calculated lortne
convenience of passengers, will render her
accommodations far superior to any other
boat ot the same tonnage on Lake brie.
For Freight or Passage, apply to the
MaBter on board, or to
GILLET Ac DESNOYERS, Detroit.
FORSYTH b MACK, Maumee City.
April 8.
1830.
DETROIT & MAUMEE CITY.
rPHE splendid low pressure steamboat
-1 ERIE Capt. A. Edwarus, will run du
ring the coming sciison between Detroit, and
Maumee City and l'errysburg, touching at
the intermediate port in the following or
der: Leavos Detroit at 9 o clock A. M. on
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Leaves Maumee City and l'errys burgh on
Tuesdays Thursdays and Saturdays.
for freight or passage apply to the cap
tain on board, or to
SMITH, HOW IS b Uo. Maumee city,
HOLLISTER & Co. Perrysburg.
May 4. 1839.
HAVE YOU A COUGH? Do not neg
lect it! Thousands have met prema
ture death for the want of a little attention
to a common cold.
Have vou a couch 1 Rev. Dr. Barthol
omew's Expectorant Syrup, a Bafe medical
prescription, containing no poisonous drugs,
and used in an extensive practice mr seve
ral years, will most positively afford relief,
and save you from that awful disease pul
monary consamption, which usually sweeps
into the grave, hundreds of the young, the
old, the fair, the lovely and the gay!
Have you a cough T no persuaded to
purchase a bottle of this Expectorant Syrup
to day ! I To morrow may be too late.
Have you a cough f liartnoiomcw s r.x
pectorant Syrup is the only remedy you
should take to cure you.
For this plain reason; That in no one
for the thousand cases where it has been used
it failed to relieve.
For sale at the drugstore of ComBtock
b Co., I Fletcher st. near Peail, a.id at all
respectable Drug Stores, Also at O. b D.
Williams Maumee City. 1
(rTHE LATE MAYOR of Philadel
phia has certified under seal of the city the
character of several Divines, Physicians,
and gentleman of high standihg who declare
positively under their own nanus tan oi
which may be seen at the Drug Store) thot
the Balm -ofColumbia is not only a certain
preservative, but positively a restorative of
the human hair; also a cure for Dnndruff.
Who shall dispute, or go bald? 1 he only
true have a splendid steel plate engraved
wrapper, with falls of Niagara, and the
Jiarof of Comstock d Co., JVem York, fyc on
it. For sale at O. b D. Williams Maumee
City.
O. & D. WILLIAMS,
WILL continue the business of Mer
chandising at the old stand of O.
Williams b Co., where they will be ready
to attend to the calls of their customers as
usual. They respectfully solicit the pat
ronage of their old friends, and the public
in general, a continuance of which they
will endeavor to merit. March 9.
MRS. MANWARING, of Jamaica, L.
I., has been under the hands of several
physicans for a year past with an unheala
ble Fever Sore on her ancle, and has been
part of the time quite unable to walk, and
gotno relief till she has now by the use of
two bottles ot Hay s wniment, oeen enure
tv cured. To this fact Judge Lamberson
and J. P. Jones Ebo.. Editor of the Long
Island Farmer, nd many other citizens of
that town will testily. Hay's liniment,
genuine, for sale at No. 2 Fletcher st.near
Pearl- Also at O. b D. Williams Mau
mee City 1
Court of Common
Pleas, March Term,
18119.
IN PARTITION.
THE Respond
ents will take no
tice, that a petition
has been filed in
this Court by the
Dcmandnnts, and is
nowpending.where-
' State of Ohio,
Lucas County ss.
Wash'h T. Bkedf.e,
Elizur Fairman, Ex
ecutors of Levi Bee
bee, deceased,
Waah'n T. Beebee,
Isaac H. Bronson, b
William Fairman,
vs.
Milton St. John, b
in is demanded par
Sinclair Tousey
tition of the follow
ing real estate, to wit: tiot no. id in
Block No.39, in Hunt's addition to Maumee
Citv.' and that at the next term of said
Court, application will be made by the de
mandants tor an order mat partition may
be made of said premises.
S. M. YOUNG,
. Sol. for Demandants.
Dated at Maumee City, April 6, 1839.
l-6w
CORN MILL.
THE subscribers have placed a run of
O. bnHino Rltnn nn
stones in mo kjhsuh, wigiu. huj
Tappan street, where they can now grind
any kind of grain that does not require
bolting, at short notice.
WOLCOTT b STEPBINS.
Jan. 26. v 43tf
SPOONS. Plated and German silver tea
and table spoons, for sale by
G. H. NITCHIE b Co.
jan 5 ' Brick Hotel.
CLOTHING, auch as coats, jackets, vests
pants., cotton and flannel shirts, flannel,
drawi be, for sale by -
. G. H, NITCHIE b CO.
jan 6. Brick Hotel.
T
AKRANTEE DEEDS, Mortgage
Deeds, with a goneral assortment
MAIM EE CITY, OHIO, SATURDAY, MAY 18, 1839.
MAUMEE CITY EXPRESS.
SATURDAY, MAY 18. 18:19.
Ohio Editorial Convention. We
have refrained from saying any thing upon
the subject of the proposed convention of
newspaper editors and publishers, to bo
holden at Columbus on the 8th July, and
should still continue to do bo, but for the
appearance in the Ohio State Journal of a
list of newspapers whose editors, according
to the Journal, have signified their intention
to bo present on that occasion, accompanied
with a request that, " if, by mistake or oth
erwise, any name has oeen inserted without
due authority, an immediate and respectful
notification of the fact," will bo given. As
we have no recollection of ever having sig
nified, by word, look, gesture or paragraph
our intention to be present on the occasion
referred to, we were somewhat surprised to
see the name of our paper inserted in the
list, a fact which, we hope, the editor of the
Journal will tuke as a respectful notifica
tion that we have not yet deterimned to at
tend, however grateful to our feelings it may
be to look forward to a meeting with our
editorial friends of this great and flourishing'
state. We confess, that so far as pleasure
enters into the account, we know not how
we could elect to spend a few days of more
enjoyment than would arise from mingling
in the society of those who are engaged
in the same kind of business, and whose
days and nights are given to the same
kind of hopes and fears, of cares and
labors of pleasures and disappointments
that ours are. Considered iu the light ol an
excursion for amusement, we feel sen
timents of regret that the calls of business
and the still more pressing considerations of
economy will not' permit ns to enroll our
name in the list of those who will probably
attend, but here we must be allowed to say,
our regret ceases, for we have no.er yet
been able to discover out of what, in thedo-
ings of this Convention any real good can
be expected to arise.
The evils under which tho publishers of
newspapers suffer lie too deep to be reached
by the doings of a body that can only re
solve without the power of enforcing their
resolutions. Tho courtccios interchang
ed by tho meeting of a day are not
such as will be carried into practice to any
extent, even when fortified by resolutions
to (loan, bo long as every editor will be a
self-constituted arbitrer of the rules and will
construe and practice as he understands
them. It is beautiful to thiuk of a reforma
tion in this matter. es"ecia!ly -c mo is bo
much needed, but, Alas, the prescribed re
medy is hot equal to the disease, winch
can only bo cured by an application to the
heart, such as is only the result of calm and
sober reflection, best performed at home.
Nor do we believe the inadequate toward
which the publishers of newspapers receive
for their labors is a matter in which concert
and resolutions can b3 productive of a ro
formation, There is a foreign competition
continually operating upon the interests of
the local press, which is beyound the juris
diction of any Convention. The presses in
several of the citieB of the United States are
teeming with Buch publications as the Sat.
urday Courier, Saturday Evening Post, Al
exander's Messenger, and a whole train of
Lady's Books and Parlor Magazines, which
are sold at the cheapest rate, and heralded
forth to the public, under the imposing title
of "Family Newspapers,' "Ladies Maga
zines," and so forth, while their circulation
is aided by Homing prospectuses, huge re
wards of novels and trash promised to those
who may become agents, copperplate en
gravings, prints of the fashions, wood cuts
in each number, and all the flourishes of
rhetoric that are calculated to impose upon
tho ignorant and entrap the unwary. These
miserable emasculated things are filled up
with the namby pamby trash of the day, sil
ly tales of love and murder, and old stereo
type Joe Miller jokes, without a spice of
originality or even an nttemptat what is re
ally useful.' It is these soulless publications,
made up of extracts from old almanaCB,
gleanings from each other, stealings from
the whole newspaper press at large, and the
productions oflove-sick poets and silly tale
wrighte, and which to call Family Newspa
pers is a most arrant perversion of terms,
that Sni agents in every Post Master, and
what is worse ready advocates and most
constant puffers in almost every country
newspaper, and by the means find their way
into almost every family circle, to the per
version of the tastes of its members, and to
the exclusion of the honest aud laborious lo
cal press, that dwindles and expires under
the influence that it has so foolishly labored
to build up. For ourselves, were we the
father of a family, none of these vaunted
Family Newspapers, and talented Ladies
BookB should ever find their way into the
hands of our children. We should as soon
think of making them healthy men and wo
men by feeding them with the sickly sweets
oft confectioner's shop as of making them
wise or sensible by pampering their minds
on the lackadasieal tales ef love-smitten
swains and woe-begone damsels that figure
so largely in these publications. ,
' Newspaper publishers may learn it when
they please, that so long as they can hum.
bly see nothing but perfection in a Lady's
Book, and can jump at the chance of pub
lishing two or three columns of prospectus
for the honor of an exchange with a Satur
day Courier, they will see tlieirowri business
EX
PEE
and themselves thrown into the shado by
that which will not annually furnish its rea
ders with one solid practical item of knowl
edge. There are many things still unsaid upon
this subject, but as this articlo is already
too long, we shall leave it for the present,
commending some parts of the foregoing to
the serious consideration of our editorial
brethren.
By publishing this hymn ill your paper
you will much oblige one of your subscri
bers. 11.
HYMN.
Rfuoioh is a glorious treasure,
The purchaso of a Saviour's blood,
It fills the mind with consolation,
And lifts the thoughts to things above.
It calms our fears and soothes nur sorrows,
And smooths our way o'er lifu's rough sen,
'Tis mixed with goodness, meek, humble,
patience,
This heavenly portion mine shall be.
This earthly house must be dissolved,
And morlul life will soon be o'er,
All eurthly carosond earthly sorrows,
Will pain mine eyes and heart no more,
But pure religion remains forever,
A nd my clad heart shall strengthened be,
Whilu endless nj;es are onward rolling,
This heavenly portion mine shall be.
How vain, how fleet, how transitory,
1 his world with all its pomp and show;
Its vain delights, delusive pleasures,
I'll gladly leave thcin all below.
But 1,'race and glory shall be my story,
While I in Jesus such beautie" see;
And endless aires are onward roiiing
This heavenly portion mine shall be.
While journeying here through tribulation,
In Christian luvo' we'll march along;
And while contentions divide the ambitious,
In Jesus Christ we 11 all be one.
For pure religion unites together,
In Christian union I plainly see.
While endlessoges are onward rolling,
This heavenly portion mine shall bo.
From the Knickerbocker, of March.
THE FIRST LOCOMOTIVE.
BY ONB WHO SAW IT.
It is very generally conceded, that of all
tho inventions of man, nono holds any com
parison with tho steamboat. The mind can
scarcely combine a calculation which may
measure itB importance. Some vague esti
mate may indeed be formed of it, by unngi
ning what would be the state and condition
of the world, at the present day, were there
no steamboats; were we still to find our
selves on board sloops, making an average
passage of a week to Albany, expoBed to all
the disasters ot flaws from tho 'downsco
mer, and discomfiture of close cabins; or
ascending tho Mississippi in a keel-boat,
pushing every inch of the vay against its
mighty current, by long poles, at tho rate
of 'fourteen miles in sixteen hours.'
It is now just thirty years, since the firBt
steamboat ascended the Hudson, being the
first practical application of steam-ongine
to wuter conveyance. Then, no other river
had ever scan a steamboat; and now, what
river, capable of any kind of navigption, has
not been bepaddled with ihcin! It is not
my purpose to enter the list of disputants;
lately sprung up, striving to prove that tin
immortal Fulton was no the first succoss-
full projector of a steamboat. In common
with the world, I can but mourn over the
poverty of the history, that tells not of any
previous successful effort of the kind.
Steam, no doubt, was Known oetore. ine
first teu-kettlo that was hung over a fire,
furnished a clear develupement of that im
portant agent. But all I can say now is,
that I never heard of a steamboat, before
the ' North River' moved her paddles on the
Hudson; and very soon after that period,
when it was contemplated to send a steam
boat to Southern Russia, a distinguished
orator of that day, in an address before the
Historical Society of this city, eloquently
soid in direct allusion to the steamboat:
'The hoary genius of Asia, high throned on
the peaks of Caucasus, his moist eye glis
tening as he glances over the destruction of
Palmyra and Persepolis, of Jerusalem and
Babylon, will bend with respectful deference
to the inventive spirit of this western world;'
thus proving conclusively, that the inven
tion was only of this country, and t.iat no;
other couniry yet knew of it. In fact, the
invention had not yet even reached tho Mis
sissippi, for it was not until a year after that
a long-armed, high-shouldered keel boat
man, who had just succeeded in doubling a
bend in the river, by dint of hard pushing,
and run his boat in a quiet eddy, for a res
ting spell, saw a steamboat gallantly pad
dling up against the centre current of that
Father of Rivers ;' and gazing at the scene
with mingled surprise and triumph, he threw
down his pole, and Blapping his hands to
gether in ecstacy, exclaimed : ' Well done,
old Massassippi! May I be eternally
smashed, if you ha'n't got your match at
last!' .
But, as beforo hin'ed, it is not my design
to fii'iiish a conclusive history of tho origin
of steamboats. My text stands at the head
of this article; and I purpose here to record,
for the information of a future time, a faith
ful history of 'Thefirst Locomotive,' lam
determined, at least, that that branch of the
great steam family shall know Us true ori
gin. In the year 1808, 1 enjoyed the never-to-be-forgotten
gratification of a paddle up the
Hudson, on board the aforesaid first steam
boat that ever moved the waters of any riv
et, with passengers. Among the voyagers,
was a man I had known for some years pre
vious, by the name of JabezDoolittle. Ho
was an industrious and ingenous worker in
sheet-iron, tin, and wire ; but his great
success lay in wire work, especially in ma
king ' rat traps;' and for his last and best
invention in that lino, he had just secured a
patent; and with a specimen of his work,
he was then on a journey through the State
of New York, for the purpose of disposing
of what he called 'county rights;- or, m
other words, to sell the privi'egeof catching
rats, according to his patent trap. It was
a very curious trap, as simple as it wss in
genious; as most ingenious things are after
they Rre invented. It was an oblong wire
box, divided into two compartments; a rat
entered one where the bait was hung,
which he no sooner touched, that the door
at which he entered, fell. His only appa
rent escape, was by a funnel-shaped hole in
tho other apartment, in passing which, he
moved another wire, which instantly reset
the trap; and thus rat after rat was furnish
ed the meant of 'following in the foot-steps
of his illuatiioua predecessor,' until the trap
Ju..full ..TOlnj ! wn IttginVifitiltP" 1"
Whole No. 111.
catch a rat, but a trap by which rats trap
ped rats, ad infnitun. And now that the
recollection of that wonderful trap in recal
led to my memory, I would respectfully, re
commend it to the attention of the treasury
department, as an appendage to tho sub
treasury Rystem. The 'specification' may
be found on filo m the patent ollice, number
eleven thousand and forty-six.
This trap, at the time to which I allude,
absolutely divided the attention of the pas
sengers; and tor my part, in interested mo
quite as much as did the steam-engine ; be
cause perhaps, I could more easily compre
hend its mystery. To me, the steam-engine
was Greek; the trap was plain .Eng
lish, Not so, however, to Jabez Doolittle.
I found him studying the cugino with great
avidity and perseverance inasmuch that
the engineer evidently became alarmed and
declined answering anv more questions.
' Why, you need n't snap off so tarnal
short,' said Jabez; 'a body would think you
had n'l got a patent for your machine, III
can't meddle with you on Jio water, as nigh
as I can calculate, I'll. bo up with you on
land, one of these days.'
These ominous words fell on my ear, ns
I saw Jabez issuing from the engine-rooin,
followed by the engineer, who seumod evi
dently to have got his steam up.
'Well,' says I, 'Jabez, what do you think
of this mighty machine?' 'Why,' ho re
plied, ' if that crittur hadn't got riled up so
soon, a body might tell more about it; but
1 reckon 1 vegot a lectio notion ou t: aud
then taking me aside, und looking carefully
around, lest some should overhear him, he
then and there' assured mo in confidrnce,
in profound secrecy, that if he didn't make
a wagim go by Bteam, before he was two
years older, Ihcn he'd gpve up invention.
I at first ridiculed tlio idea; but when I
thought of that rut-trap, and saw before me
a man with sharp twinkling gray eyes, a
pointed nose, and every line of his visage a
channel of investigation and invention, I
could not resist the conclusion, that if he
rcaily ever did attempt to nieddlo with hot
water, we should hear more of it.
Time went on. Steamboats multiplied;
but nono dreamed, or if they did, tlier nev
er told their dreams, of a steam-wagon; for
even tho name of ' locomotive' waB then as
unknown as 'loco-foco.' When, about a
year after tho declaration of the Inst war
with England, (and may it be the last!) I
got a letter from Jabcv., marked ' private,'
telling me that he wanted to see me.' most
desperately,' and that I must mnke him a
visit at his place, 'nigh Wallingl'ord." The
din of arms, and the destruction of insu
rance companies, the smashing of banks,
and suspension of specie payments, and va
rious other inseparable attendants on the
show and ' pomp of glorious war,' had in
the mean time entirely wiped from memory
my friend Jabez, and his wonderful rat-trap.
But I obeyed his summons, not knowing but
that something of importance to the army
or navy might come of it. On reaching bis
residence, imnginu my surprise, when he
told me, he believed he ' had got tho notion.'
'Notion? what notion?' I inquired.
' Why,' says he 'that steam-wagon. I telfd
you about, a spell ago; but,' added he, ' it
has pretty nigh starved mo out;' and su,e
enough he did look as if he had been on 'the
anxious seat,' as he used to say, when
things puzzled him.
'lhave used up,' said ho, 'plagueynigh
all the Bhect-iron, and old stove-pipes, and
mill-wheels, and trunnol-heads, in these
parts; but I've succoeded; and for fear that,
some of these 'cuto folks about hero may
have got a peep through the key-holo, and
will trouble mo when 1 come to get a pa
tent, I've sent for you to bo a witness; for
you was the first and on'v man I ever hin
ted the notion to; in tact,' continued ho, '1
think the most curious part of this inven
tion is, that as yet I don't know any one
about here who h is been able to guess what.
I'm about. They all know it is an inven
tion, of some kind, for Unit's my business,
you know; but sonic say it is thrashing ma
chine, some a distillery; and of late, they
begin to think it's a shingle-splitter; hut
they'll sing another tunc, when they see it
spinning along post the stuge-coaches,' ad
ded he, with a knowing chuckle, 'won't
they?'
This brought us to the door of an old
clap-boarded, dingy, long, one story build
ing, with a window or two in the roof, the j
knot-holes and cracks all carefully stuffed
with old rags, and over the door he was un
locking, was written, in bold letters ' No
Admittance.' This was his 'sanctum
sanctorum.' I could occupy pages in des
cription of it, for every part exhibited evi
dences of its uses. Tho patent-office at
Washington, liko your Magazmo, Mr. Edi
tor, may exhibit 'finished productions' of
'inventive genius;' but if you could look
into the port folioB of your contributors, in
every quarter of the Union, ond see there
tho sketches of half-finished ossays, still
born poems, links and fragments of ideas
and conceptions, which ' but branched and
died,' you might form some 'notion, of the
accumulation of 'notions' that were presen
ted to me, or entering the work-shop of Ja
bez Doolittle, But to my text again, ' The
First Locomotive.' There it stood, occu
pying tho centre of all previous conceptions,
rot-traps, churns, apple-parers, pill-rollers,
cubking-stoves, and shingle-splitters, which
hung or stood around it; or as my Lord By
ron says, with reference to a more ancient
but not more important invention.
'When each conception was a heavenly
guest,
A ray of immortality, and stood
Star-like around, until they gathered to a
God.'
And thoreit stood, 'the concentrated fo
cus' of all previousraysofiuventivegenius,
'The Locomotive,'
An upainted. unpolished, unadorned,
oven-shnped mass, of double-iiveted Bhcet
iron, with cranks, and pipes, and trunnel
heads, and screws, and valves, all firmly
brazed on four strongly made travelling
wheels.
' It's a curious critter to look at,' says
Jabez, 'but you'll like it better, when you
see il in motion.'
He was by this time igniting a quantity
of charcoal, which he had stuffed under the
boiler. " I filled the biler" says he, ' arter
I stopped working her yeBterday, and it
han't leaked a drop since. It will soon bile
up; the cotilis first rate.'
Suro enough, the boiler soon (rave evi
dence of 'troubled waters,' when, by push
ing one elide, and pushing another, the
whole machine, cranks and piston, was in
motion.
' It works slick, don't it? said Jabex.
' But.' I replied. it don't move.'
'You mean,' says he, 'the travelling
wheel? rVn't move: vM. f dit't. moan thnv
shall, till I get my patent. You see,' ad.,
dod he, crouching down, 'that trunnel.
head there that small cog-wheoll Well,
that's out of gecr just yet, when I turn that,
into gear by this crank, it fits, you see, on,
the main travelling wheel, and then thai
hull scrape will move, as nigh as I can cal
culate, a leetle slower than chain light
nin', and adaru'd leetle too! But it won't
do to give it a try, afore I get the patontt
There is only one thing yet,' ho continued V
'that I had'nt contrived but that is a giuw. , 1
pie matter and '.hat is tho shortest mode
ot stoppin' on her . My first notion is, tq.
see how fast I can maka her work, without
smashing all to bits, and that's done by
screwing down this other valve; and
show you'
And with that he clambered upon the
top, with a turning screw in one hand, and,
a horn of soap fat in the other, and com,
menced screwing down the valves, aud oiU .
ing the piston-rod and crank-joints; and
the motion of the mysterious mass increase
ed, until all seemed a buz.
It is nigh about perfection, aint it? say ' , ,
ho, '' ,
I Btood amazed in contemplating the ob '
ject before m(, which I confess I could no$
fully understand; and honce, with tho.
greater readiness, permitted my mind to,
bear off to other matters more comprehem,
siblc; to the future, which is always mora
clear than the present, under similar cir
cumstances. I heeded not, for the very
best reason in the world, because I under- '
stood not, the comp lioated description that
Jabez was giving ofbiB still more complica
ted invention. All I knew was, that here was,
a machino on four good, sturdy, well-braced
wheels, and it only required a recorded pa
tent, to authorize that small connecting cog-,
wheel or trunnel-head to bo thrown 'into;
gear,' when it would move off, without
oats, hay, or horse shoes, and distance the
mail-coaches. As I was surrounded with,
notions, it was not extraordinary that on
should tuke full possession of me. It dawn-, .
eil upon me, when I saw the machine first
put into motion, and was now full orbed
abovo the horizon of my desire; it was tq
see the first locomotive move off. The
temptation was irresistable. 'And who
Snows' thought I, ' but some prying scamp
may have been 'peeping through the kovr
hole,' while Jabez was at work, and, catch
ing the idea, may be now at work at soma
clumsy imitation? and if he does not sue
ceed in turning the first trick, may at las)
divide the honors with my friend?'
' J ibez,' said I, elevating my voice abovtj
tho buzzing noise of the machine, ' there if
only ono thing wanting.'
' What is that?' says he, eagerly.
, Immortality,' Bald I; ' and you shal(
have it, patent or no patent!' And with,
that I pulled the crank that twisted the conT
nccting trunnel head into the travelling
wheels, and in on instant away went tha
machine, with Jabez on top of it, with tha,
whiz and rapidity of a Hushed patridge.
The side of the old building presented the
resistance of wet paper. One crash, and
the 'first locomotive' was ushered into this
breathing world. I hurried to the opening,
and had just time to clamber to the top of
the fence, to catch the last glimpse of my
departing friend. True to his purpose,
saw him alternately screwing down tha
valves, and oiling the piston-rod and crank?
joints; evidently detormined that, although
lie had started oil a little unexpectedly, h
would redeem the pledgo he had given,
which was, that when it did go it ' wouli
go a leetle slower than a streak of chaior
lightniii,' and darn'd leetle too!'
' Like a cloud in the dim distance fleeting,
Like an arrow,' ho fled away I
But a moment, and he was here; in a
moment ho ivas there; and now, where is
he? or rather, where is ho noli But that,
for the present, is neither here nor there.'
The vile .Moslem ridiculed the belief, so
religiously cherished by tho Christian Don,
that in all the bloody conflicts that laid tho
crescent low in the dust, Saint Iago, on a
white horse, led on (o hutue, and secured
triumph to the cross; but as this has now
become matter of history, confirmed by the
tact that on numerous occasions this iden?
tical 'warrior saint' was distinctly seen
1 pounding the' Moors' successfully and sim
ultaneously, in battle scenes remote fronj
each other, thus proving his identity by
saintly ubiquity; so we may safely indulge
the belief that tho spirit, if not the actual
body n nd bones, of Jabez Doolittle, stands
perched upon every locomotive that may
now be seen, in every direction, threading
its way at the rate of thirty miles an hour,
to tho total annihilation of space and time,
The incredulous, liko the Moors of old, may
indulge their unbelief, but for myself, I ne
ver see a locomotive in full action, that I
do not also see Jabez there, directing its
course, as plainly as I see the immortal
Clinton in every canal-boat, or the equally
ininortal 1' ulton in every steam-boat.
Unfortunately, however, these, like Ja?
bez Doolittle, Btartcd in their career of glor
ry without . patent, trusting too far on an
ungrateful world; and now the descendants
of either may (if they pay their passage)
indulge the luxury that the ' inventive spi
rit' of their ancestors has secured to the
age.
But my task is dona. All I know ask irf
that although some doubt and mystery harg
over the first invention of a steam-boat in
vyhich doubt, howevor, I for one do not parr
licipate none whatover may exist in re
gard to the origin of the locomotive branch,
of the great steam family; and that, in all
future time, this fragment of authentic his
tory may enable the latest posterity to re
trace, by ' back track' and ' turn out,
through a long rail-road lino of illustrious
ancestors, the first projector and contriver N
of 'The Locomotive,' their immortal pro
genitor, ' Jabez Doolittle, Esq. nigh WaU
lingford, Connecticut.' D.
Poistrv. They raise regular built poeta
out west. As a specimen, we copy the fbl
lowing from the Kalamazoo Gazette, beinjf
the first three lines of an Ode to the Moon,
sent to that paper for publication:
"Thou pale resplendent orb,
Thou look'st like a huge oobb
- Of maple sugar!"
There is a sweefocss of conception here,
rarely equalled.
The Indiana Democrat says, that" tha'
dogs of the whig party are continually beset,
ting Colonel Benton." We do not profess - -a
vory Ultimate knowledge of tha habits of
dogs, but we should suppose them not at
all unlikely to worry the hero of Chape
Hill. We read, yean ago in our primer r
"A dog will bite, a thief at night."
Lonisviite Journal.
If a girl has pretty teeth, she laughs often
if she's got a small, foot, she'll wear -short
dress if she's got a small hand, eho's ...
fond of a game of whist and if tho reverse,
eho dislikes tXUhete small affairs. So say .,
the Philadelphia Times, the villain! Cii,
Sun. . " . 1
It is estimatod by the N. Y. Herald, that
there are at this time, about no gambler
in that city,' besides those in Wall etreet,
vhn ii-i--" for '
jjouse.