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A Little piece of Paradise… College Hill, Ohio - SELFCRAFT

A Little piece of Paradise… College Hill, Ohio - SELFCRAFT

A Little piece of Paradise… College Hill, Ohio - SELFCRAFT

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The freight boats were made in several sections, easily taken apart. These sections were takenseparately from the water by running an iron basket under them and drawing them out <strong>of</strong> the water. Theywere then let down on the other side into the continuation <strong>of</strong> the canal, refastened together and continuedthe voyage. This was a very economical invention, as when the boats arrived they were again taken apartand drawn from the water as before and hauled by horses without being unloaded right into themerchant’s warehouses in the city.We continued our route to Philadelphia but were stopped by the authorities at Columbia, which is afew miles from Philadelphia, where there was a great riot in progress, the mob setting fire to Nunneriesand other Catholic Institutions. The military were called out and martial law enforced. I was too young toknow what the trouble was about, but it must have been quite a bitter one as many buildings were burntand a number <strong>of</strong> lives sacrificed...(They next traveled to New York). I don’t think father had any idea <strong>of</strong> remaining in New York... Sowith as little delay as possible father engaged passage for London on the clipper ship Victoria, a verylarge and handsome vessel and a quick sailor, as she made the passage in fourteen days, one <strong>of</strong> thequickest on record...As soon as we landed at London father immediately went about reestablishing his business...Hecalled to see his old customers, but was not received with much enthusiasm...After making every effort toget upon his former footing and finding it impossible to do so, and his capital rapidly growing smaller, heknew the end could not be long delayed...We had only been in London about six months...as soon asfather had gotten rid <strong>of</strong> the business and settled everything the next thing was to return to America. Weengaged passage on the good ship Espendola, <strong>of</strong> one thousand tons register, for New Orleans. TheCaptain’s name was Barstow, and the first <strong>of</strong>ficer was the captain’s nephew, his name being the same. Wemade the voyage in about six weeks, half the time <strong>of</strong> the former voyage. It was a modern vessel and quitefast and as large as the largest <strong>of</strong> those days. We had a very nice voyage. We did no remain any longer inNew Orleans than time enough to get passage up the river to Mt. Vernon. We had quite an exciting eventon our trip up the river, we got into a race with another boat and were side by side for hours. The pointwas who could reach the mouth <strong>of</strong> the Arkansas River first, where there were usually a lot <strong>of</strong> pine knotspiled up for sale. The passengers at first objected to the boats racing but they got excited and helped thecrew pass wood to the fireman. The ladies were as anxious to win as the men and did all they could toassist, in fact some <strong>of</strong> them assisted in passing wood. We won by getting first to the place where the pineknots were for sale. The Captain bought all the knots that were on the bank, amid the cheers <strong>of</strong> all thepassengers. Getting the knots settled the race. They being nearly all rosin they made steam so fast theengines had all they could do to work it <strong>of</strong>f as fast as it was made. The other boat had no chanceafterwards as we easily left it behind. It was a very exciting episode while it lasted which was more than aday.We again intended settling in Albion...I have never been able to account for it, as he had tried italready and found it impossible to make a living in the town, as the few people living there were veryprimitive in their wants, most <strong>of</strong> them had brought a little furniture with them when first coming to theplace and had never found it necessary to add to it. Furniture was a luxury not attainable by them. I don’tremember that we ever sold a <strong>piece</strong> to anyone living in the town, what little we did sell was sold to peopleliving outside <strong>of</strong> Albion.We made c<strong>of</strong>fins for the dead ones, sometimes they paid us in money but usually we had to takepork, poultry, corn, or something they raised on their farms for our pay. The lumber to make what littlefurniture and the c<strong>of</strong>fins we made we had to buy at Graysville on the Wabash River and haul it ten miles.I remember father once forgot to take the money on one <strong>of</strong> the trips to Graysville, and mother notknowing how he would manage without it started on foot in hopes <strong>of</strong> catching up with the wagon andwalked the whole distance to the mill before catching up with it. Mother was entirely played out beforeshe reached Graysville for the roads were as bad as mud roads could be, in the worst places they tooksaplings and laid them side by side in the mud holes forming what is called a corduroy road, it made avery rough road but kept the wagons from sinking into the mud. We had a lot <strong>of</strong> this kind <strong>of</strong> road between164

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