Western Reserve chronicle and weekly transcript of the times. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1854-1855, 1855-02-21
[FrOa The Pit. DIspateh.l
AN OLD MERCURY"

AN ULD AEhCu4x.
We are indebted to a friend for copy
of the Pittsburgh Mercury, of March Q,
1si4--nearly forty-one years old. The
paper was in its secont-year published
by John M. Snowden, Esq. Pittsburgh
was then a borough. The war between
England and this country was raging, and
the paper is chiefly filed with reports of
land andnayal operations. General HuI's
trial for the surrender of Detroit was then
pending. The frigate President had Just
returned from a cruise in which she bad
run past the blockading fleet, succeeded
in destroying a number of English mer-
chant vessels, and rescued the American
schooner Comet, which had been captured
by the enemy; the privateer Governor
Tompkins had also returned home after
escaping from an English frigate, from
which she had "caught tartar''-having
mistaken her for merchantmen. The
only persons killed on the General Tomp-
kins were two colored seamen, John John
son and John Davis, of whom Captain
Shaler makes this mention:
"The name of one Of my poor fellows
who was killed ought to be registered in
the books of Fame, and remembered with
reverence as long as bravery is consider
ed a virtue. He was black man by the
name of John johnson. A "a lb. sho,
struck him In the hip, and took away all
the lower part of his body. In this state
the poor brave follow lay on the deck,
and several times exclaimed to his ship
mates, Sire a0ay my boys NO 6aal a
color do,Cn %
Gen. Wilkinson had just burnt the boats
and barracks at French Mills, and was
pressing on to Plattsburg, Malone and
Sackett's Harbor, TO meet the British the
corvette John Adams was waiting at New
York to take on board Messrs. Clay and
Russell, appointed to meet the English
commissioners al Gottenburg, TO negotiate
for peace. Jonathan Roberts, then NJ. c.
from Montgomery county, had just been
elected U. s. Senator in place Of Or. Nj
chael Leib, resigned The "Ohio Com
pany" had Just been organized here, "for
the purpose of raising fund to assist the
farmers, mechanics and merchants in the
purchase and sale of such articles as they
respectively raise, make, manufacture, or
deal in" Capital to consist of $3.50 900.
The Washington (Pa.) Bank was just be-
ing commenced-books Of subscription to
be opened on the 25th of March, lsl4.-
The Pittsburgh Steam Mill wasthen pay
ing sl,25 per bushel for wheat, ande2i
for corn and rye. Nathaniel Holmes had
his "porter and ale bottling cellar" under
Mr.. Grants store on Market street, be-
tween Third and Fourth. Cramer, Spear
and Eichbaum were selling and publish
ing books. C. Won Bonhorst advertised
for a shepherd a; his residence above
Turtle Creek. s. Murdock was SecrC.
tary of the Western Medical Society
s. Engles & Co., were just dissolying
partnership as printers. PEBBLES, TWee-
dy & Co., were making hats. J. JOHNSON
& Co., selling groceries, &c. (We no
tice, as fact which would be curious
now, that very few Of the advertisers took
the trouble to mention their place Of bus
iness. The borough was then ''small po-
tatoes," and everybody knew everybody
and everybody's business.