The Illinois free trader and LaSalle County commercial advertiser. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1841-1843, 1843-06-30

toned have they become to this mode OF
selling corn, that no price that can be
offered will induce them to bargain for ii
by measure, or even by weight in grain
and the buyers are about as obstinate, for
barrel If shelled corn will scarcely sell
at all. and will not bring more than bar
rel of ears with the hnsks on. Horses
are not fed with oats here, because, among
the other wise discoveries of the Spaniards
they have found ont they will not eat
them; they are also so sure oft, that they
never try them-though rs often as an
American tries the experiment, he finds
no difficulty in getting rid of his oats fast
enough. Another about rs wise disco
very is, that neither horses nor cattle will
cat salt, and ii would be yery injurious to
them if they should cat it. Tell them
that we have tried, and they reply - 1t
may do for your cattle, but will not do
for ours. 1t will not do here Among
other objections to my giving salt to my
horse, was assured that it would Learn
dew to eat his halter off.
sold in OTTAWA anu r.IiiOAeiO, Al
back, in large Jugs.
Charcoal comes to market on a grand
scale also. When first saw it in little
bags, about ten inches long, thought it
was Indigo, or some other choice article.
1t is put up in this manner to adapt It's
measurement the comprehension of the
people, which does not extend beyond.
the reals worth and medo's worth.
There IS but one man in town who has
the prerogatve Of shoeing horses, and his
advancement in this art IS truly interesting.
He makes his shoe nearly round of
thick piece of iron, without corks, and
puts 1t on with two nails on one side and
three on the other, with elevated and
sharpened heads, to serve in lieu of corks.
The master genius does not degrade him
self by touching the horses foot, but has
negro TO hold it up while he performs
the scientific operation. After driving
the nails, he puts board under the foot,
on the ground, and then goes around with
his hammer and clenches the nails. 1t
is very good business, as the shoe sell
dom remains on over fortnight, and
would be better if it were not for the fact
that all sound horses go barefootcd.
Oxen are yoked by piece of wood
lashed TO the horns at each end, and to the
cart hung in the centre. The carts are
made with huge wooden wheels, general
ly without tires, and the body is framed
into the tongue and axle-tree; so that
when necessary to unload hogshcad or
other heavy article it has 10 be tipped up
by uDashing the yoke of the oxen's horns,
and letting the tongue and the yoke swing
together with the body. Some have gone
so far i'll the march of improvement as to
put tires upon the wheels-in doing
which, great amount Of mechanical ge-
MUS is displayed. The iron is put on in |
pieces about two feet long and fastened
with spikes with heads protruding above
the surface about an inch thick, the marks !
of which are distinctly seen in the tracks
along the road
Ploughs are made so as to turn the dirt
as much on one side as the oher-a piece
Of wood with a point of iron on the end.
When the American plough was first in
troduced, the Spanards declared that it
would not go; it was impossible it
should, because it turned the dirt all on
one side.
The scenes which meet the eye Of an
American on his arrival here are striking
ly novel and amusing. lie sees passing
along the street long line Of pack horses
loaded with merchandise, then great
Number Of weather beaten asses and |
mules, some lacking an eye or an ear,
and all extremely lean, loaded each with |
four great bottles of water, each large |
enough for the animal to crawl into, and !
a negro or mulalto mounted between
them, and beating and pounding them
with all his might. Then comes n bull, |
loaded with sacks Of charcoal, and noun
ted also by negro, then horse, upon |
the gallop with load of boarls-that is, |
two boards with one end slung across the
horse, the other dragging on the ground
then horse-load Of live tu!kies, their
heads hanging down each side, and the
music of their squaIking Ginning in fine,
ly with the babbing of the negroes and
naked children along the street; while
among the rest. now and then passed a
Spanish Nabob IN his volantc with |
wheels six feet high, silver mounted hubs,
and two mules harnessed to it, one of
which is always mounted by negro in
grand livery.
| will conclude by mentioning one
thing which does great credit TO the place, |,
to wil--the Plaza or Public Garden. LII