The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-02-12
Business and the Centennial.

Business and the Centennial.
The prospect for the revival Of busi-
ness is now unmistakable. The Centen-
nial has settled it. 1t has developed an
entirely new branch Of profitable indus
try, which has rapidly grown into a
trade OF itself, and which promises to
give employment to great number of
skilled and ingenious workmen-it is
the manufacture of Revolutionary relics.
Searchers after these specimens Of the
antique have already discovered fifteen
arm-chairs that Washington sat in on
the occasion of his first inauguration as
President, all made OF rosewood. beauti-
fully carved, and the yarnish not yet
dry. There have been found twenty
nine OF Ben Franklin's electric kites, all
made with frames of split bamboo and
covered with Chinese tissue paper, in
excellent condition, the paper unsoiled
and the color unchanged.
Research has been rewarded by the
discovery of eleven pair Of buckskin
knee-breeches worn by Washington dur
ing Braddock's campaign; all beauti-
fully stitched ON Wheeler and Wilson's
sewing machine. The massive seal-ring
of Charles Carroll of Carrollton has
been found, with its beautiful cameo set
ting of splendid profile of Henry Ward
Beecher, in a good state OF preservation,
This will be contributed by South Caro-
lima. There have likewise come to light
| the watch and chain given to Thomas
jefferson, when he became of age, by his
father with the motto-"Sic semper ty-
ranais" engraved on the case, and bear
| ing the trademark OF the Elgin Watch
making Co., and numbered 621, 900, all of
oroide, warranted. This will be exhib-
tied by Virginia.
Also, the sword of Corvallis, taken
| from him at the surrender of Yorktown,
has been unearthed from the lumber
room OF the Washington family mansion
at Mt. Vernon, with vivid picture OF
Lees surrender at Appomatox beauti-
fully delineated upon its venerable
Iblade. From the same lumber-room has
also been drawn from Its century Of OBJ
security the identical little hatchet that
did the memorable hacking to the cher
lished cherry tree during the gulleless
boyhood of the Father of his Country;
still in good order for more mischief Of
like kind, and upon which is yet plainly
legible the stamp of "Blood & Co., manu-
tacturers Of edge-tools and cutlery"
This, together with Jefferson's oroide
watch and chain, will also appear in the
Virginia collection Of Revolutionary
lrelics. -'yss-.
Massachusetts, will exhibit the steel
pen wherewith John Hancock made that
marvellous display of penmanship when
he signed the Declaration of Indepen-
: denee. This valuable relic is identified
; by its bearing the stamp Of "GillotW on
stits back. A barrel of mess pork, sweet
r and sayory, saved from the Quartermas-
l ter's supplies at the battle of Bunker
, Hill, has also been found, with the Gin
cinnati brand still plainly legible there
5 on. This will constitute the. contribution
: from Ohio:
Il The same diligent research has sue
ceeded in finding the dress-sword ant
belt OF Benedict Arnold worn one nigh
when he entertained Major Andre al
, supper at West Point, and bearing or
its brilliant blade the patriotic inscrip
tion-"I 90 ont aoith my Statep' There
} liz also the inkstand, made OF COW.
: horn, used by Aaron Burr when he wrote
t his fatal challenge to Alexander Hamil
D tton, and which is adorned with ths
! sublime. motto--"Let mo- guilty. man es
e Icape." These remarkable relics VIII ap
e pear In the collection from New York.
III The ladies engaged in this laudabll
5 work ofdiscoyery have had their effort
0 olmost richly rewarded by finding thu
j Lutte switch and s'rars" that, helped t.
y form Laay. Washington's head dress a
Eher first Presidential reception" in th
i great Centennial City Of Philadelphia
j. These, feminine trappings were identi
'e fed by finding upon them the following
g neat inscription: "Mddan,e ZWick ydbri
r. cat."
~ The special attribute Of curiosity sale
le to be CHARACTERISTIC OF their sex has like
MI wise prompted them to dredge for 4
I'd specimen OF the tea that was throw
~ loyerboard in Boston harbor, by cels
ID brated ''tea-party,n p about the .beglnnin
n OF our revolutionary unpleasantness
n They resolutely determined to makeeveI
n old ocean give up its relics Of that men