The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-11-06
LETTER FROM CINCINNATI.

LETTER FROM CINCINNATI
The Mechanics Institute Exhibition-The Queen Of
song" again in the Queen City-Ohioi state Flee
tiOns.
CINCINNATI October 80, 1851.
To the Editor of the National Era.
The Annual Fair of the Mechanics, Institute
OF this city is now in progress, having been
opened somewhat more than two weeks since,
and to be continued for week to come. This
institution, some six to n dozen years ago. was
in successful operation, holding its Annual
Fairs for successive years, and exciting no little
interest among our mechanics. For some time
past it has been suffered to lie in comparative
obscurity, partly for the want of suitable build
ings, until the project Of erecting spacious
and elegant building for the purposes of public
lecture rooms, library, exhibition rooms, &c,
was carried through, mainly by the efforts of
two or three individuals, among whom MIR.
Greenwood, president of the institution, and
one of our largest manufacturers, deserves hon
orable mention. They can now boast Of an
edifce Of noble dimensions, well adapted to it,
purposes, and ornamental to the city and since
its completion last year, the mechanics have
shown On increasing interest in it. the number of
members being constantly on the increase. The
exhibition at the time of the State Fair year
ago was creditable one; but this exceeds it,
and, take it all in all is the best display of the
kind ever made in our city.
The articles on exhibition are from over
three hundred individuals and fill six rooms.
one of which is the great hall of the Institute
They are nearly all of Western manufacture,
and these chiefly from Cincinnati and both in
the department of mechanical inventions, and
that for the finer fabrics, show an advance
upon former years, both as to convenience and
elegance of design. Thus far the Fair has
been well attended, both by day and night
and often crowded, and the receipts, am glad
to learn, will contribute materially to cancel the
debt still resting upon the institution. A brief
D0,ice GA SIX ossSs IS. The ARTICLES ,4ssfAsye3
can be expected here.
.. One Of the fEst objects that attract attention
as you enter the lower room is chime 81
church bells, eleven in number, made by Hanks
& Co, of this city. The frame work in which
they are hung is of octagon form, about seven
feet high made to fit the Cathedral steeple for
which they are intended The machinery is
all arranged to strike the notes, the hammers
being moved by keys on one side similar to
those of piano. heard number of tunes
played with admirable correctness by COM
petent performer. This will be the first conf
plete chime of bells put in this place. There is
ring of bells -four in numberin the tower of one
of our German Catholic churches, but the music
made by them, though loud enough to satisfy
any one, is anything but grateful to the ear.
Besides Mr. Hanks, there is another founder of
bells here, Mr. G. w Coffin, and at both estab-
lishments bells have been cast, and are now in
use here, equal in tone to any brought from the
East
A new thing in the exhibition is an hydraulic
bed for the sick, made by Tatem & Co, of this
place. The bed is icdter enclosed in an India
rubber tick which lines II box, in shape like
bath tub. On the top are spread sheets pill
lows coverlet, &c, to all appearance like an or
binary bed; and when you lie upon il, it seems
to be the very perfection of ease required by
the wearied frame of the invalid
Greenwood exhibits over a thousand varieties
of hardware of his own manufacture-locks,
knobs latches, stirrups, hatstands, looking
glass frames, &c. many of them east of mallea-
bic iron, and of very tasteful patterns and cle-
gance Of finish, indicating an extent and com
pleteness in this department that places Cincn-
natl in the first rank There is certainly no
foundry in the West equal in the variety and
extent of iron articles produced, to MIR, Green
woods, and those who ought to know, say there
is not another such establishment in the
Union.
The reaping machine exhibited is said to ex
Gel the one taken to London, mir. COrmick's,
believe,) as it has several improvements upor
that A small machine is in operation foi
making gas from grease-it seems to work ~
if it carried on business for ITSELF and makes Q
beautiful light. Lard oil and stearne can
dies and hams of course make prominent
feature in any exhibition of Cincinnati pro-
ducts Lard oil has ousied spermacet and
tallow candles to great extent and much
chemical knowledge ingenuity, and skill, have
been employed to make the oil pure and clean,
and the candles elegant in appearance. The
lard oil is displayed in long slender bottles of
the clearest glass and some of it appears ~
pure to the eye as water. No one unacquainted
with the nature of the fluid would suppose it
to be oil. This is the place to find this article
in the highest state of perfection.
Artificial teeth, surgical instruments, saws of
great variety, silver ware daguerreotypes-a
great display splendid specimens of bOokbind-
ing from the Methodist Book Concern and H.
S. & J. Apologize, and numerous articles, might
be noticed. ! can only refer to one article. in
closing, which was intended for tho Worlds
Fair, but could not be finished in time. It is
picture drawn entirely by The pen, in black,
blue. and red inks, Of St. George killing the
Dragon, on a space, should Judge about three
feet square 1t is framed, and hung against the
wall, 80 that, at n short distance, any one would
take it to be colored engraving If not paint
ing in water colors or OIL 1t in certainly the
most extraordinary specimen of pcnmanship
ever shown here, and reflects the highest credit
on its author-a citizen of Pittsburgh. II has
been regarded by some as the most remarkable
object in the exhibition.
Jenny Lind arrived here two days since and
gave her first concert last night in the Melo-
deon The tickets went off without any diff
Guilty, but the enthusiasm and eagerness to OBJ
tain seats could not be compared with the ex-
element attending her first visit to the city
This was owing in part, to the fact that the
tickets were not put up at auction, and there
was none of the Barnum tact and clap-trap put
in requisition to create rush. She gives her
farewell concert here tomorrow evening, (the
3lst.) and then returns East
The official returns from seventy-nne counties
received here give Wood for Governor ma
jority over Vinton, Of 23,ii6. There are nine
counties To hear from, most Of which are deci-
dedly Democratic and will swell Woods ma
jority to about 10000. The vote for Samuel
Lewis will be upwards of 10000, being an in
crease over the Free Soil vote Of last year Of
nearly three thousand Senator Cbase's defec-
ton has not injured us, think, 10 any percep-
tible extent. Woods majority over the Wing
and Free Soil vote combined will not be less
than nine thousand-enough to satisfy the de-
a:.o ~ an,, sooy,o. oftor oN,oa ,,r ,,nn,ia