davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-07-24

Harrison located an advance picket guard;
it was the site OF an extensive Indian ceme'
terry, which fact gave II It's name.
One mile down the river on the opposite
side, is the village of MInm--thc site of Fort
ami, occupied by the British General
op Fort eng sH IS tho owns town Of Ma
famous in historic lore; occupying prOmi-
nent position on Il blun bank, In the lower
part of town, were located the British mortar
batteries during the unpleasantness, and the
oull mes are still distinctly visible; on the
site OF the Presbyterian and NJ Il. churches
which h did such terrible execution. and were
captured by Colonel Dudley's gallant COM
mand. About two miles above Mnumec Is
Presque Isle II II, the scene of the "Battlc of
Fallen Timber"
PRESENT APPEARANCE OF FORT MEIGs.
Many of the heroes who defended Fort
Meigs in 1913 have visited the spot in late
years, and have expressed their surprise
that the or glnal contour mo. Of the Fort has
for by the fact that luXur ant ana te'
nacious sod has preserved the embnnkments
from tho effects of storm and rain, and the
proprietor of the domain and the patr otto
citizens Of the community have, prevented
the sacred soil from bo ny disturbed.
The Fort proper covers space or about
fourteen acres. As ono stands upon the
ground. the most prominent feature Is the
grand traverse, extending nearly parallel
Wth The ,ss fee ,bS
man entrenchments at the opposite point:
II was originally built twenty feet wide and
twelve feet h gh: 1t has since settled about
nal shape and proportions, and is covered
with green sod. This huge cmbankment was
built es q place of retreat, IN the event OF
storm, and shorter traverses were also
erected ut right angles with 1t from the
brow OF the hill and on the opposite side ex.
hank movement OF the enemy. -Four open.
ings are to be seen in the grand traverse
three OF them about twelve feet In dthh
timber gates. through which the art llery
psssed the one nearest the northeast end
Wss larger than the others, having double
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-07-24
CHORD AND DlSCORD.


AS blue ns shred of the dappied sky,
Will delicnio fold OH fold, =.
The spiral of smoke rpsc curling high
Ger the cottage. and colied and rolled
And fastened my gaze rs l wandered by,
Win tho chiirm of grace untold
The woods were vivid with June's lush
The oak and the mnplc made, NJ
With the tass.ls of soInber pines between,
And the willows along tho glade.
And the bralding ct sycamGre's pullid sheen,
\ lattice of shine and shade.
ripple OF water family trllied ~ a..
Where u sparkle OF light fell fur;
The scent OF the new -nown meadow tillcu
Encl wnfs OF the dewy air:
And the winnowing gurgle OF blue birds
stlied
Tlc coo OF the doves despair. etri
The symphony woven OF sight and sound,
Att,iucd to the perfect day,
Game home to my senses intcrwound
with merrment clear and gay;
hut under bank with sweet .bricr crowned
The children were at their play.
One tossed in his hand robins nest:
One snatched Mt tho fledgelings three:
One miInirkgd the heave of the mothers
breast, -. 'aft
As sho inoancd in the nearest tree:
And another set heel with laughing Jest,
ON the home of q humble bee. "
A call rang harsh from the cottnge door;
., They heened not what was said; 'N
The peri ct accord so full before
Had all In n moment fled:
The chorale OF Nature heard no more,
Hut the jar Of the human instead.
Margaret u. Preston, In NJ !. Independent
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-07-24

yates opening directly onto the military road
lead ng from the Fort TO Lower sandusky
tnow FremonO. .
river bank, about hvc rods distant from
tnis double gateway, tho we'll which supplied
the garrison with water was located. IL has
long nee been almost ent rely filled up,
still. however, leaving n deep depression.
The spot IA marked by white oak post ex-
tending about eight feet out OF the ground.
This Ia the end of n stick of timber sixty feot
long, brought from Swanton two weeks pr or
to the great celebration Of 1870 as y contrbu-
tlon from the patriotic citizens of that com-
munty toward the erection of log cabin on
tho Fort iu honor of the hero OF the hour,
General Harrison, who was then the WING
candidate for President. During the night
after its arrival, some mischevious young
horhoo upendcd the stick and dropped II
to the bottom of the well. dehantly planting
hickory bush In the top OF III there the
timber has since remained.
At the east angle OF the Fort tfrontinR the
large ravlne where the british thrcc-~'n
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-07-24

At the southwest extremity of the Fort
was the main defense, constructed after the
outer ramparts had all been completed
WAS hf ahs iha
quarters, store-houseS and magazine were
moved into it from the opposite end of the
Fort: The first and second &c locations of the
in diameter. The weldeiincd outlines of
eompanvns ilIustratIops II Sas in the es shane me-
of a parallelogram, the east and west lines
being 2iO. and the north and south lines 100
CORNERS. At easa angle there were strong
blockhouses which were connected together
from their inner corners by stout timber
palisade.. Outs de of the pockets and around
earth about ght feet thick, sloplng out.
ward from tue feet OF the pckets, covered
originally about fifteen feet wide and eight
feet deep Near the blockhouse Mt the north
east angle OF tn stronghod, on the brow of
the hill, was the main battery, where Harri-
son stood watching the movements of Dud-
ley's men over the river.
On the parade ground, about midway be.
tween tho grand travers, and tho outer OK.
tremity of the Fort at tho brow OF the hll,
IS the officers burial ground, Lieutenant
walkers grave was surrounded by neat
cket fence and marked by hcadstone,
erected TO h 8 memory by his friends; these.
however, have long since disappeared, the
latter having been carried OF p ecemenl by
part of the Fort, dedicated principally as a
burial place for tho "PIttsburgh blues, has
been staked otf and never disturbed. Tho
Fort-the burial ground of the garrison-is
still enyeloped by the green sod which trst
covered II.
When the Fort was built tho timber was
cut down on every side for n quarter OF U
mile or more. IN order to prevent surprise
from the Indians and also to give unob.
Tended tho Fort The large, handsome trees
growing In the pretty rayIne east OF the Fort
nave % ail Erown up since the GATE o. ne siege
the town OF Qtleans Of the North lioosted on
the bottom lands, between Fort Melys and
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-07-24


angle of the Fort).
Of the old heroes were present upon this
interesting occasion. among whom were the
following: General Leslie Cpombs, one of
Dudley's men who successfully ran the
gauntlet; Peter Navarro. Harr sons cele-
brated scout; Colonel Charles :. Todd, Har.
rison's aidc.de-camp, and Others more or less
distinguished
reunion on the old Fort. WAS obtained much
of the information contained IN the forego-
ing description. Unfortunately the only
plan of Fort Meigs on file in the wariDepart-
ment at Washington is sketch made by
Joseph II. Larwel. July ~, 1919 the day prior
to the opening of the second siege,, which is
manifestly, in part incorrect, although re-
produced and adopted by LOSING in his
"Field Book of the War of 1s12-l5," by Henry
Howe, in his Ohio Historical Collections and
by n. S. Knapp in his history of the Maumee
Valley.
An earnest and well-drected effort is being
made by the people OF Northwestern Ohio.
and by prominent citizens in every quarter
OF the State, to locate the proposed Soldiers
and Sailors Home upon this spot, which is
not only most appropriate. but "a. in hy-
RieniC sense and in every other way espe-
cially adapted to it On this subject Mrs.
Kate Il. Sherwood. Past-President of the Ma
tiOnal Relief Corps, in a well written ed
toriai In the Sunday Journal, dated July 4,
says:
'Should the board of Trustees iocate tho
Ohio Soldiers Home at this spot, the time 10
coming when they will receive the piaudits.
not only of their own people. bat of tho
Union. which holds in this historic spot
double share"
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-07-24
EARLY COACHING DAYS.
Introduction OF Coaches Into England
Copies OF Old Coach Bills.

Introduction OF Coaches Into England
Copies OF Old Coach Bills.
Previous to the introduction of
coaches, Journeys were performed on
horseback or by post-chaise, and goods
were carried by pack-horses. Stow says
that the Earl of Arundel introduced
coaches into England about 1880; but
some give the honor 10 Boonen. a
Dutchman, who is said to have used
this class of vehicle as early as 1864.
These coaches, however were for pri-
vate use, and it was not until 1926 that
they were let for hire at the principal
inns. In 1857 there were fifty hackney
coaches in London and Westminster.
and soon after stage-coaches came into
general use. Here is copy of an old
coach bill of that date: York Four
Dayes. -Stage-coach begins on Monday,
the 18th OF March. 1873. All persons
that are desirous to pass from London
to York, or return from York to Lon
don, or any other place on that road,
let them repair to the Black Swan in
Holborn in London, and the Black
Swan in Cony street in York.
At both which places they
may be received in stage coach every
Monday, Wednesday and Friday, which
performs the whole journey in Four
Days if God permit and sets forth by
Six in the morning. And returns from
Yor to Doncaster in Forenoon; to
Newark in Day and q Half; to Stam-
ford in Two Days; and from Stamford
to London in Two Days more Near
ly one hundred years after the coaches
were called '.machines." and the fast
ones "ilying machincs;" while, to con-
tinue the metaphor, one man thus ad.
vcrtises his coach: "Pruen's Machine
viii! begin flying as follows: Hereford
Machine, in day and u half, twice u
week, sets out from the Rcdstreak-tree
Inn in Hereford, Tuesday and Thurs
day mornings, at o'clock; and from
the Swan with Two Necks, Lad
Lane, London, every Monday and We'd
nesday evenings. lnsides, II; outsides,
half-price. Jan. 5, l775." During
these palmy days they had not the good
macadamizcd,r roads that we now en-
JOY. In winter the roads were often SO
bad that the coaches could not run,
but were laid up, like ships during IN
arctic frost If the roads were
defined ut all it was most frequently by
bitches, into which many n luckless out
slider has been thrown by the numerous
coach accidents of the period. In many
places there was no road boundary ut all,
for we read that Ralph Thoresby the an
tiquary lost his way between York and
Doncaster and the diarist, Pepys, be-
tween Newbury and Read ing, A writer
in ITO thus speaks of the Lancashire
roads; II know not, in the whole
range of language, terms sufficiently
expressive to describe this awful road.
Lot me most seriously caution all
travellers who may accidentally propose
to travel this terrible country to avoid
it as they would o pestilence; for a
thousand to one they break their necks
or their limbs by overthrows or break
ings down. as they will here meet with
ruts, which I actually measured, four
feet deep. and floating with mud In
Summer time. Chambers Journal.
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-07-24
THE PIANO PLAGUE.
A Berlin Electricians Humane aud In
valuable Invention.

A Berlin Electricians Humane aud In
valuable Invention.
1t is no secret, says continental
contemporary, that private scholar is
a ruined man if next door to his resi-
dence on the same floor maiden prac-
tices on the piano from eight o'clock
to twelve in the morning. and in the
afternoon again from three 10 seven,
besides giving performances to friends
in the evening. Knocking against the
wall, whistling, bombarding the wall
with boots, is all of no avah against
piano-mania. There has. indeed,
hitherto been no remedy, and We are
still waiting for piano tax. Lately.
however, Berlin electrician has helped
n tortured friends by means of piano.
piano on IL lovely spring day; her de-
light at touching the keys could be felt
through the wall. when suddeniy-oh.
heavens!--the whole piano went out of
tune and not single sound was
correct. The girl trembled with fear,
and the operators next door heard
through the wall how she began
to weep, which softened tho heart
of the electrician, who was, however,
furiously attacked by his friend when
attempting to restore its. music to tho
instrument, the enraged savant swear
ing that the tortures which he had en-
dured from the piano were not to be
atoned for so easily. Tho case OF
Else's piano became widely known,
chiefly because now and then the old
clear music returned to the keys. The
greatest musicians and pianist doctors
came in ilocks to examine the strange
case, but no one could solve the riddle,
which was finally explained as follows:
A large electromagnetic was put into
the room of the tortured savant, and it's
pole was put close to the wall, against
which stood the piano in the next
house. An electric battery was con-
nected with the electro-magnet. When
ever strong stream of electricity was
turned on its effect could easily be felt
through the wall by tho horizontal
steel springs in the piano, and although
the electricity was not very powerfully
felt it was quite powerful enough to
put the piano out of tune. Whenever
the electric stream was stopped, which
occurred as often as tho victim of the
piano plague went out. tho mystical
influence stopped and Miss Else could
play.-PaN Mall Gazette.
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-07-24

The attention of policeman OF
Lcith was attracted one night recently
by sizable brook of port wine, which
flowed from the gate of a large ware.
house into neighborng sewer. Making
saving, the policeman aroused the
warehouse manager, and it was found
that large vat had burst its hoops,
permitting 1000 gallons of wine to run
out upon the floor, which was flooded
to the depth of several inches. Assist
ance was called in, and some 200 gallons
were ladled up and saved. bat 1000
gallons ran away.
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-07-24

stockade for the passage of troops and
to the river from about the center of
the line running along the brow of the hill
through which the garrison was, for a
of the sp'h aneIe of ibe Fart 70 her rEm fbe
forges and repair shops were located: one.
to the right of the east angle. on the military
Of these stocku,ies can be followed, in many
places. distinctly by the depressions in the
ground caused by their decay; time, how
ever, has destroyed every vcstige of the
stockade itself excepting the decayed
stumps under the surface.
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-07-24

pretty residences. Ton miles below, over a
low.lying headlnnd, the church sp res and
many of the lofty buildings In the growing
city OflToledO come into view.
AS one stands upon the old fort and d nks
in this beautiful vision, he IL overcome W tn
sympathiZing pity for the savage natives
who named the river the Mother OF Waters"
aud to whom 1t was so fOndlv endenred that
many brave lives were sacrificed IN strug.
man.
The outlook from Fort Me!gs embraces
many miles in extent and every foot of the
soil within range of the vision has been
made sacred by deeds of herosm in the his
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-07-24

tory OF the country. A broad ravine, lead.
glimpse of the pretty town OF Perrysburg,
half hidden by the luNuriant trees which
line its broad avenues, andsOn the brow
of a small arm of tho ravine are still
to be seen the outlines of a British battery
which did terrible execution during the
ege and was gallantly captured. In the
foreground, u few rods from the Fort. Oh II
green hilltop, is the burial spot of forty-fve
OF Dudley's brave command, whose graves
have never been disturbed. To the left of
this ravine leading toward the river, twenty
rods from the Fort. is an elevated, narrow
point known as "Indian Hill" whore General
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-07-24

-"Yes," said the tramp. "folks may
talk about charitable institutions.
Nowadays, If man goes to the work
house and gets II supper and lodging,
he's got to do something In the way OF
work to pay for 1t. My stars, sir. J
don't cali that charity" !
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-07-24

frse. For some distance along the brow OF
the bank. to the right Of the west angle of the
cts, and the double row also continued from
this point to the left until 1t Joined tho heavy
earthworks to the right of the east angle,
where the single row again commenced
Outside this stockade 800 sycamore barrels
sections of hollow sycamore trees. cut In
lengths OF five or six feet and Allied with
by ropes close to the stockade. The inten.
ton was to cut these loose TO be hurled down
the steep bluff in the event OF q storming
party attempting TO take the fort by AS
aAult. There were three outer gatcs To this
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-07-24
OLD FORT MEIGS.
Present Appearano, and Interesting Sur
roundings Of the Historic
Spot.
The Present Outlook From the Old Fort.

nv JAMES r. AvEnitL.
Fort Meigs occupies Level plateau, 10.
Gated on the southeast bank of the Mnuinee,
sixty feet above the water. about one hal {
mile above Pcrrysburg. standing on It's
breezy height, the vision extends for range
of over twenty IN les up aud down the valley.
The location was no doubt originally selected
as n ste for the fort on account OF It's cxpan.
sivc outlook as well rs it's strong natural de-
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-07-24

"A banana skin rlghtfully located
forms a. much of an obstruction to the
highway u would o mule,
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-07-24

fcnscs, for certainly there is no spot n the
State. or in the territory for many miles
west and northwest, that will favorably COM
pare with 1t MS II point of extensive observa-
ton and scenic beauty. From above for
many miles the si,vcry waters are seen.
sparkling and flashing i'll their rapid flow
over their rocky bed winding among the
pretty green islands aud pnst the rich bottom
lands. covered with ripcning era n.
At the foot of the Fort the rapids end and
the head of steam nav CATION commences.
The river cont nucs its winding way among
the islands ana bottom lands. but widens
perceptibly after leaving the Fort. The
banks are lined with groups of native forest
trees, thrifty orchards and vineyards and
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-07-24

thr river became quito an important frontier
po mt; the town of Perrysburg was laid Out
banks below, in 1878, and the once preten.
tious village OF Orleans became q thing Of
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-07-24

battery was piantcdl. and extending along
the north line of the Fort, bordering the
brow of the hill facing the British batteries
works were constructed, and the solid ram
parts with their bustions, curtains. etc. are
well preserved, although settled materially
from their original proportions The out
lines of the block houses and battery para-
pets can be traced very readily.
A line of heavy timber stOckades origin.
ally extended around the entire encamp.
ment: on the north and east line, where the
heaviest earthworks were erected, this
stockade was placed just below the brow OF
the hill, and the tops of the pickcts pro.
jected outward at an angle of about forty.
i've degrees, III the shape of u chevaldc.
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-07-24

aud raising his long, bony arm threaten.
ingly above his head. "Do you show that
mercy to othersW
"I-I dunno. try"----
"You try great deal! Oh, yes; you're
good at showing mercy, YOU are. Ask
your daughter-that daughter whose hap
piness you are trying to wreck by your
brutal cruelty. Ask your neighbor whom
you accused of stealing your property,
just because you wished to injure him.
Did you show any mercy or justice thenW
In his excitement the specter had un-
consciously raised his voice to "a rather
high key, and now actually shook his fist
In the Majors face.
"For goodness sake, spare mew walled
the old man.
"I would spare you on one condition."
continued tho ghost: "if you would prom
ise solemnly----but no, you would only lie,
"No, III promise any thing. Only try
mew gasped the Major, despairingly,
ready by this time to make any kind of a
compromise. what did you want me ter
"That you will do better in the future.
That you will try to use your family more as
man should and that you will take back
all that you have said against Tom White,
and offer no more objection to your daugh-
1t was a bitter pill for the old man to
swallow, but he was driven to the wall.
~ promse--Tll do it," he said.
"And mind, IL you break that PROMISE"
and the ghost raised his arm again, men
acinGly, "I'll not spare you the next time"
l'll haunt you, and'--
The threat ended in a most unearthly
howl, and the ghost, after casting one ter.
rified glance backward, suddenly sprang
to one side of the road and went headlong
down the high bank, which was covered
with n growth of hazel bushes, in a most
undignified and certainly unghostly man
ner. Back in the road and outlined against
the sky there loomed up in the semi dark :
ness huge, Ehostly form, the pack still
upon its back. Mechanically the Ma jor
turned and looked up the road, uttered one
long despairing shrek, and then lay mo-
tionless. The terrors of the night, COM
bined with the stimulative qualities of
Johnson's "tanglefoot," was more than he
could bear. Fortunately for him he had
tainted.
And then most extraor-
dinary thing took place. Scarcely
had the shrek to which the
Major gave utterance, and the howl of
! ghost number one, which were almost si-
multaneous, died away, whenlthe phantom
peddler and his phantam pack seemed to
| be In a strange commotion from some
cause or other, and the next moment the
peddler, in some mysterious manner, had
disappeared, leaving his pack in the road
| behind him.
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-07-22
DIR. w. A. France. of New York.

1t has just been learned that DR.. France
has decided to make his headquarters in CO.
lnmbus, Ohio, having purchased fine resi-
dence, 80 West Gay street, and to accommo-
date his patients in towns surrounding Co
lumbus will occasionally make brief visits to
some of his former appointments. The doc
tor has number of patients and friends in
Napoleon who have prevailed on him to in
clude Napoleon on the list of towns visited
His next visit will occur on Thursday, July
29th. He will be quartered at the Miller
House, where he may be consulted by those
who may wish to see him free of charge. His
method of examination is as follows, and il
and never has been the practice among coun'
try doctors, viz: He carefully notes the
symptoms of the patients, ascertains the CON
ditions of the internal organs; he examines
the eye, ear and throat with the most recen
and improved instruments and methods, al
of which he carefully records in his register
for future reference. In this way he invaria
bly, ascertains the true nature of the disease
and its cause. Knowing the disease he knows
the changes it produces in the tissues; anG
knowing the changes he checks them with
specific remedies and places the patient OF
the high road to recovery.
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-07-22
He was Sharper than They.

A stranger visited Wayne county farmer
and offered to buy his farm for $4,000.
The farmer agreed to sell and the buyer paid
$3.50 to hold the bargain. A day or two later
another stranger offered the farmer $6,5OC
for his place, asserting that there were indi-
cations of natural gas, oil and coal in the
neighborhood. The farmer did not care to
break his first bargain. Soon the first buyer
appeared again and urged him to take the
second offer, proposing to release him fol
$1,000. The farmer said $4,000 was enough
for the old place, and he would not ask any
more. The nervous stranger said he would
give up his claim for 800, and then reduced
his price to 5000 and finally to $500. But the
farmer did not propose to be released, ant
finally the sharpers betook themselves off
leaving their intended victim $3.50 ahead.