The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1864-12-06

IIl.ronr or 49, MtnlNo So

HISTORY on fuT NtRINo SuErr
MkStA ln connection with the bis
tory 81 llso silk Worm mauia. and tho
RataH Potato fever the Maino sheep
speculation il wcll worthy 10 be re-
called, because 81 iis siupodeoas char
adcr, eXcrilinF every other hambnr.
probably, except The Tulip Mania of
Holland. There has always been
enough uf mcn 10 the United States
to lay hold Of any novelty and make
money out Of it, whether beneficial or
otherwise 70 The community. But pre-.
sent any thing before the public.wh!ch
looks ike a great benefit, and the fu.
ror becomes iutsnse lor speculation.---
Such was the ease with the Morino
Sheep, Gfsl introduced into this coun-
ry ip 1915. In the summer Of tha,
year dozen sheep from Aadalusia, in
Spain, were imported into boston,
They we're immediately invested with
= mysterious character. II was said
that their ileeccs were Of the finest
texture, and. tlAt lhe introduction Of
the breed iH1o tins country would en-
able our wooden manufactures, then
IL their infancy, TO produce broadcloths
that would compete successfully with
tic besi European fabrics. Our far
mcr4 became excited Henry Clay
was consulted, and he Immediately
gaye the opinion that the sheep were
exactly what was required TO enrich
both our agriculturists aud our manu-
faclurcrs. The mania spread itself
rapidly. The six sheep at Boston
sold for fifty dollars zach they cost,
in Spain. about one dollar. This mar
yellous profit famed lhe flame of spec
ulation, and il was not long before q
ieet set sail from our shores in pur-
sui Of the golden ileeces ot Andalusia.
In December, 1916, there we're ope
thousand Mcrino she, 4 Ia the United
States, which were valued at twelve
hundred dollars per head. In 1917
the importation and the value iu\reas-
Cd. In The summer Of that year Sc
lcct ewes were sold IN New England
at fifteen hundred dollars. by the
close 0, 1917 the speculation in New
I England began TO decline on account
OF the excessive e importation, but il in
creased rapidly in The Western and
Southwestern States, and particular
/ " in Kentucky, IN consequence OF Mr.
/ Gays opinions. Il is narrated that
! in August, 1917, Samuel Long, a con-
/ tractor, living pear Ashland, paid
eight thousand dollars Tor Merino
buck and eve and he believed that
lie had secured fortune by the pur-
chase. Some OF the oldest inhabitants
may remember Samuel Trolter, who
/ resided ai that time ia Lexington, re-
pated the wealiilest toea Ia Kentucky,
laGd the controlling manager Of the
United States Bank. He owned
4 Merino buck and eve which Long
was anxious 70 buy. Trottef offered
| to give The Merinos If be would build
/ for him a certain house upon certain
Site. The ofler was accepted. AT an
expense OF about fifteen thousand dol
lars, Long built and finished four
story brick Eouse, about fifty feet by
seventy, and delivered il 10 Troiter
for the two Merino sheepl In six
mouths from that time The value OF the
Merinos had fallen to twenty dollars.
Long kept them until they had fallen
10 The value Of other sheep, when he
killed them, made a feast ot the costly
mutton, summoned his friends, and,
4 ike the ruined Venetian, thanked God
that he was not worth 9 ducat He
died soon after Of a broken heart, as
did many others who had suffered from
! tAis extraordinary Merino mania.