Maumee express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1837-1838, 1837-09-23

pity so healthy spot should be deserted
by business.
There are here four stores, two taverns,
horse mill, court house with sir
sides, four-plan roof, and chimneys at
two ofthe corners. The edifice is used
as church to which the serious minded
are gathered each Sabbath morning by
the notes of tin dinner horn.
When the salt works were in opera
ton, the bones of that huge animal the
mastodon, once roamer on these hills,
were frequently dug out of the salt pits
at the depth of lS and 90 feet They
lie in clay, or the shale Immediately a
bove the sand rock, where the water is
sues. cannot learn that the bones of
any other animal have been found.
Whether the mastodon occupied this
region alone, or the earth about the
licks destroys the bones OF other herbiv-
erous beast, while owing to the differ
ence in composition, it preserves his,
will not undertake to determine. 1t is
a question worth, perhaps, the consid-
GRAFTON of some of the members of the
Geological corps of the state.
At the period of the first surveys of
this portion Of lands Of the United States
tract six miles square was reserved
from sale, embracing the salt grounds
of this vicinity supposed to be of great
value. At some subsequent period Con-
gress granted the proceeds of the salt
works, rented at certain sum per gal
lon, for the contents of the kettle, to the
state of Ohio for literary purposes. In
1925, Congress made an absolute gift
OF the six mile tract to this state. Ii
was put in market and portion sold,
the residue was appraised and placed
subject TO private entry at or above the
appraisal which was from ten to fifty
cents per acre in general, the salt
springs not being considered at that time
or now, of any value, and the land itself
of a poor quality. Yet with a thin soil,
this county may become wealthy
district, for the grass, though light, is
exceedingly nutritious, and both cattle,
and sheep not only become fat, but enjoy
the most perfect health. Large numbers
of fat cattle are sold here. In the east
ern part of the county, there is pine
from which tar is extensively procured.
This substance is extracted entirely from
the no,s Of decayed logs, by splitting
} them quite fine, and heating the splin-
ters in kettles. There is coal and prob
| ably iron in this neghborhood, bat the
streams are small, and but of little val
ue for hydraulic purposes. In the north
east portion OF the flint ridge, contain
ing the "Burr stone" or mill stone grit
enters the county. THERE'S a dispute
about the relative value of the French
Burr and the 'Raccoon Burr but great
numbers of the Raccoon mill stones are
sent abroad and the demand is rapidly
increasing. The quarry is inexhaust-
ible.
There is custom here, said to be
of old standing, but new at least, to me.
When such an event as wedding takes
place, the happy pair are not annoy
ed by the presence and congratulations
of their friends and their enemies, as is
usual elsewhere, but the joyful occasion
is celebrated in more public and i'm
posing manner. All the horns, trum-
pets, drums, tin-pans, triangles, pumpkin
vines &c. are put in requisition to es-
tablish discord. ALI the mouths that
are capable of originating and prolong-
ing tolerable correct imitation OF the
bray Of a donkey, the hoot of an owl, the
yell of an indian, bleat of a sheep, cater
waul of cat, and other like symphonies
are enlisted by the way of forming a
chorus. Silently the company assem-
bles in the front Of the house where the
bridegroom and his bride are, at about
eigt O'Clock, p. M. No sooner are the
lights extinguished, and silence reigns in
the domicil, than the overture com
mences "by the whole choir" After
the select pieces are gone through with
for the benefit of the welded pair, the
serenade is protracted for the amuse-
ment of the unwedded damsel of the vi
cinity, until the lungs of the operators
collapse, and the instruments loose their
key, when the musicians dispense h ighly
gratifed at having so religiously observed
a solemn duty to their newly married
friends. A performance of this kind
was executed at our next door last week,
the harmony Of which was very much
lessened by the prellminaries Of a person
al combat between two Of the principal
performers.