[68] For a brief sketch of Transylvania University, see Cuming’s Tour, volume iv of our series, note 126.—Ed.
[69] Augusta, at that time the seat of Bracken County, is eighteen and a half miles below Maysville.—Ed.
[70] New Richmond, twenty miles above Cincinnati, was platted in 1814 by a former resident of Richmond, Virginia, hence its name. It was incorporated in 1828.—Ed.
LETTER X
Cincinnati—Situation—Manufactures—Settlement and Progress—Weather—Credulity and Want of Education—Descend the Ohio—Islands—Jeffersonville—Louisville—Falls of the Ohio—Taverns and Accommodations—Expedition for Exploring the Missouri Country and Forming a Military Post there—Miscellaneous Observations interspersed.
Jeffersonville, (Indiana,)
May 19, 1819.
I concluded my last letter, dated Cincinnati, 30th December last, without taking any notice of the town; I shall therefore begin the present one with some particulars respecting that place.
Cincinnati is no sooner seen than the importance of the town is perceived. A large steam grist mill, three large steam boats on the stocks, and two more on the Kentucky side of the river, and a large ferry boat, wrought by horses, were the first objects which attracted my attention. The {125} beach is lined with keel boats, large arks for carrying produce, family boats, and rafts of timber. On shore the utmost bustle prevails, with drays carrying imported goods, salt, iron, and timber, up to the town, and in bringing down pork, flour, &c. to be put aboard of boats for New Orleans.
The town is situated in north latitude 39° 5′ 54′′, and in west longitude 85° 44′, according to the determination of Mr. Ellicott.[71] The distance from Pittsburg is 305 miles by land, and 5131/4 miles by the windings of the river. The streets are laid out in a rectangular form, and are enlivened by drays, waggons, and an active people. The houses are nearly all of brick and timber: about two hundred new ones have been built in the course of the year. Merchants’ shops are numerous, and well frequented. The noise of wheel carriages in the streets, and of the carpenter, the blacksmith, and the cooper, make a busy din. Such an active scene I never expected to see amongst the back woods of America.[72]
The manufactories of this new place are more diversified than extensive. An iron foundery, two breweries, several distilleries, a woollen manufactory, a cotton-mill, an oil-mill, a grist-mill, a nail-cutting machine, a tan-work, a glass-house, and a white-lead factory, seem to be the principal ones. But the more numerous part of the artizans are joiners, bricklayers, blacksmiths, plasterers, shoemakers, tailors, hatters, bakers, tobacconists, cabinet-makers, saddlers, &c. &c. Journeymen mechanics earn from one and three-fourths to two dollars per day. Their board costs about three dollars per week. Most of them dress well on the days they are not at work, and some of them keep horses.