1899 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
565 
Events of the Week. 
DOMESTIC.—The New York and Brooklyn car strike 
failed in its efforts, and subsided July 20. There were 
many small riots, but no serious damage. An attempt 
was made to blow up the pillars of the Brooklyn Ele¬ 
vated with dynamite, and numerous arrests were made. 
... At Cleveland, Ohio, strikers blew up a car with 
dynamite July 20, seriously injuring one woman. There 
were many scenes of violence. July 21, troops were call¬ 
ed out, as the rioting was beyond the control of the po¬ 
lice. The sleeping-quarters of non-union men were blown 
up by dynamite, and only the fact that the heat had 
caused the men to change to a cooler place prevented 
wholesale murder. Cars were also blown up by dyna¬ 
mite, or attacked by showers of stones, passengers shar¬ 
ing the fusillade with the non-union men. The tele¬ 
phone men have struck in sympathy. July 22-23, seri¬ 
ous rioting continued. The violence reached an acute 
stage, infantry, cavalry and naval militia were called out, 
and COO soldiers were on duty. The sympathetic telephone 
strike reached many towns. Sunday, July 23, a Euclid 
Avenue car was blown up by dynamite, 18 persons being 
injured, four fatally. Scores of persons were injured in 
clashes with police and soldiers. Two policemen attacked by 
a large mob were saved from instant death only by a priest, 
who rushed from the altar in his sacerdotal vestments, 
and succeeded in awing the mob into leaving. There 
was one pitched battle in which CO shots were exchanged 
before the militia arrived and dispersed the mob by a 
bayonet charge. Women were active in inciting the 
mob to violence. The disorder continued July 24, when 
another car was blown up with dynamite, four persons 
being injured. Cars were also shot at. All Cleveland ap¬ 
pears to have gone mad, and is practically in a state of • 
anarchy. Outside troops are being held in readiness to 
aid. The mobs continued active July 26. Dynamite was 
used, cars were stoned and the board of arbitration says 
it is helpless. As in' all strikes, the hoodlum element is 
conspicuous for its ruffianism. July 2G, 150 men from a 
furnace factory attacked a car run by non-union men. 
beating and kicking the men brutally. All the power 
houses and street-car barns are under military and police 
guard. . . Five Italians, charged with shooting a citizen, 
were taken from jail at Tallulah, La., by a mob July 21. 
and hanged. All the Italians in the parish have been 
warned to leave under penalty of a similar fate. . . 
Hold. G. Ingersoll, the most famous agnostic in the United 
States, died July 21, aged GC. . . Electrical storms in 
northern New York July 21, destroyed much property in 
Saratoga, Malone, Ogdensburg and other places. One man 
was killed at Rosiere. . . Elihu Root, of New York, will 
succeed Gen. Alger as Secretary of War. . . A severe 
earthquake shock was exj>erienced at Los Angeles, Cal., 
July 22. No one was injured, though several persons had 
narrow escapes from falling stones and bricks. . . A 
dust explosion in a grain elevator at Toledo, O., July 23, 
caused a tire which destroyed more than 900,000 bushels 
of wheat in the building, and more than 100 cars of grain 
in the adjacent yards. The loss is more than $1,000,000. . . 
A tidal wave on the south shore of Lake Superior, near 
Ashland, Wis., July 22, raised the water three feet, back¬ 
ing it up over the shore, and causing damage to crops. 
The wind was off shore at the time. . . An explosion in 
i he Grindstone Mine, Uniontown, Ra., July 24, killed five 
men, buried 70, and set the mine on fire. . . Butchers 
at Cincinnati are accused of embalming meat with “free- 
zine," and thereby causing an epidemic of intestinal dis¬ 
eases. . . July 25, Gov. Candler sent two companies of 
militia to Bainbridge, Ga., which is reported to be in the 
hands of a mob. Two lynchings of negroes have occurred 
there. . . The hospital ship Morgan City reached San 
Francisco July 25, with 500 sick and wounded from Ma¬ 
nila. Complaint is made of neglect in transferring the 
Invalids when they reached the wharf, where they had a 
long wait without any comforts. . . R. E. Brown, a 
Philadelphian, now at Victoria, B. C., has presented to 
the State Department a claim for $2,000,000 against the 
Transvaal Republic. He asserts that President Kruger 
deposed the members of the Transvaal Supreme Court, 
because they were going to decide in Brown’s favor re¬ 
specting certain valuable mining claims. . . The Com¬ 
missioner of Internal Revenue has decided that pawn¬ 
brokers must affix a 25-cent revenue stamp on all pawn 
tickets. 
FARM AND GARDEN.—Beef has made a decided ad¬ 
vance in Chicago. Live stock dealers July 20 were pay¬ 
ing an average of $5.55 per 100 pounds, which has caused 
an advance of prices in the restaurants. . . Ex-State 
Senator George C. Brown was gored to death by an Al¬ 
derney bull at Yorkana, Pa., July 20. Mr. Brown was 57 
years old, was Lecturer of the State Grange, associate 
editor of the Farmers’ Friend, and was prominent as a 
farmer and public man. . . Reports from Holly, Mich., 
state that the huckleberry crop is very large, and farmers 
who have swamps are selling the fruit on the bushes. . . 
Heavy rains near Tawas City, Mich., have damaged 
garden and farm crops. Near Willow, Mich., both hay 
and wheat have suffered greatly. . . A cheese factory 
at Haven, Mich., took fire recently. It was put out by 
the use of whey. . . Chas. A. Bennett was recently ar¬ 
rested at Gilroy, Cal., for swindling dairymen by induc¬ 
ing them to ship consignments to a mythical dairymen’s 
exchange in San Francisco. . . The tomato crop at 
Fresno, Cal., is suffering severely from the attacks of 
thrips. Spraying with kerosene emulsion is advised by 
the State Experiment Station. . . It is reported that 
the epidemic of anthrax among cattle in the Island of 
Gothland, Sweden, is spreading to human beings, and 
the infected villages are strictly quarantined. . . The 
Government has corraled all the sheep on the Crow Reser¬ 
vation in Montana, and is holding them for three years’ 
grazing taxes due the Crow Indians. The owners say 
that they will not pay, and the sheep will be confiscated. 
. . The Michigan grape crop is said to be two weeks 
earlier than usual. . . South Carolina wheat growers, 
who have harvested a good crop, will hold a convention 
at Greenwood, S. C., August 15. . . It is said that Michi¬ 
gan peach growers are using smaller baskets than usual, 
on account of the small crop. Heretofore, they have been 
shipping in fifth baskets; now the makers are turning 
out sixth size. . . Prof. D. A. Kent, late of the Iowa 
State Agricultural College, has been selected by the Turk¬ 
ish Ambassador at Washington to go to Turkey for the 
purpose of introducing American methods in farming. . . 
July ^6, no rain had fallen in Nebraska for 16 days, and 
the corn crop was in danger. Prior to that time, the corn 
had suffered from too much moisture. A general rain 
means a yield of not less than 300,000,000 bushels. . . 
Farmers in the Illinois River Valley complain that thou¬ 
sands of acres of valuable land have been Injured by the 
damming of the river during the building of the Chicago 
Drainage canal, and they protest against the inflow of 
lake water and sewage until the channel of the Illinois 
River has been deepened. A mass meeting was held at 
Whitehall, Ill., July 26, to make public protest. 
PHILIPPINES.—During the first 20 days of July, the 
rainfall at Manila was 41 inches. The country is flooded. 
Owing to the typhoons, it is impossible to coal the trans¬ 
ports lying in the harbor. . . The gunboat Albay, which 
was purchased from Spain, has been detailed to patrol 
the coast of Panay, to prevent filibustering. . . The 
Babylones, a native tribe on the Island of Negros, who 
have caused much trouble by marauding expeditions, were 
attacked and beaten July 20 by American forces; 115 Baby¬ 
lones were killed, the American loss being one killed and 
one wounded. It is supposed that these Babylones were 
those who killed Capt. Tilley. . . The transport Zeal- 
andia, which sailed from San Francisco June 22, reached 
Manila July 23, with troops and supplies. . . Floods have 
interrupted communication with Imus. . . The disease 
known as beriberi has broken out among Filipino pris¬ 
oners at Cavite, and efforts to check it are fruitless. 
This is an East Indian epidemic, characterized by acute 
inflammation of the nerves and excessive rigidity of the 
limos. . . Bandits in the Cebu Mountains have been 
committing dejiredations in coast towns. Some of out- 
troops engaged in a skirmish with them July 25, and 
drove them from their position. 
OLD DAYS ON THE FARM. 
OHIO FARMING IN THE EARLY DAYS. 
Wages on a Whisky Basis. 
Part III. 
From the records kept by my father, it can easily 
be seen just what was done on the farm from 1825 to 
1849. The previous transcripts from these books 
show, very largely, the status of the liquor trade 
among the country people. As 1 have before me the 
prices paid for almost every kind of country produce, 
store goods and labor, both outdoors and in the 
house, a few more items may be of interest, by way of 
comparison with the same of to-day. Their perusal 
may set us to thinking: 
Account of Henky Eagle. 
He agrees to make rails ai 37% cents per 100, and to break 
flax at one cent per pound. Clearing land and other 
farm work at 37% cents per day, except harvesting, at 
50c. per day. 
1830— Henry Eagle. Creditor. 
May 16—By breaking 363 pounds of flax.$3.63 
May 20—By making 400 rails @ 37%c. 1.50 
June 29—By 1 day’s mowing.50 
Oct. 12—By 5% days’ work in the clearing @ 37%c— 1.81% 
Nov. 9—By 3 days’ work digging in mill race. 1.12% 
1831— 
Feb. 14—By 9 days’ thrashing rye @ 37%c. 3.37% 
May 15—By 1 day’s plowing in the big bottom.37% 
H. Eagle, Debtor to Joseph Van Deman. 
1830— 
Sept. 10— To 22 pounds side bacon (&) 6 cents.$1.32 
Sept. 25—To 4% pounds of butter & 8 1-3 cents.37% 
1831— 
Jan. 12—To 47 pounds pf beef @ 2 cents.94 
Feb. 9—To 1 pair copper-fastened bools. 6.00 
May 16—To 113 pounds of flour <tp 2 cents. 2.26 
Sept. 1—To one fur hat. 2.25 
Oct. 12—To 1 pair of coarse shoes. 1.75 
Dec. 30—To 1 bushel of dried apples.75 
1832— 
Nov. 25—To 10 pounds of honey @ 10c—.. 1.00 
Nov. 25—To 20 pounds pork @ 2% cents.40 
1833— 
Oct. 20—To one barrel of cider.75 
Oct. 20—To 5 bushels apples for apple butter.50 
1831— David Ross. 
Sept. 7—To 14 pounds of mutton @ 2% cents.35 
Nov. 19—To 7 pounds of mess pork <g) 6 cents.42 
1832— 
May 22—To 2 bushels of corn meal.50 
May 26—To 1 bushel of potatoes....37% 
July 11—To 116 pounds of middlings @ 1 cent. 1.1G 
July 28—To 3 quarts of vinegar.12% 
July 28—To 28 pounds Hour (£f) 2c.56 
Dec. 27—To 2 bushels wheat © 56% cents. 1.12% 
Dec. 27—To 2 bushels corn @ 18% cents.37% x 
William Ross. 
He agrees to work for J. Van Deman, March 18, 1833, 
at 4 dollars per month, for half cash and half trade. 
LHe was a young man.] 
1833— 
April 10—To cash for schooling, 1 month to S. Latta.. .60 
April 15—To 2 bushels chopped rye & 37%c.75 
May 22—To cash for the show at Oldtown.25 
July 11—To 5 pounds salt.10 
Sept. 23, 1831—To 1 day lost at the horse race.16 
Jan. 3, 1836—Began working at 7 dollars per month. 
1836— 
Jan. 22—'To cash for Ohio Temperance Advocate.50 
Feb. 4—To one woolen comfort.48 
Mch. 29—To 1 pair calfskin summer shoes (at store)... 2.00 
April 22—To 50 pounds flour @ 3 cents. 1.50 
April 22—To 1 live turkey for wedding.37 
July 13—To cash for the show.50 
Sept. 22—To 40 pounds bacon @ 8 cents. 3.20 
Oct. 29—To 1 pair coarse boots. 3.75 
Nov. 30—To 14% pounds pickled pork @ 6 cents.89 
Dec. 4—To 2% yards Janes’ goods (for pantaloons)... 2.50 
Dec. 10—To 32 pounds wheat middlings @ l%c.48 
1840— William Bonum. Dr. 
April 26—To one sow and 6 pigs.$3.50 
July 2—To 10 pounds bacon side @ 6c.60 
Aug. 27—To 11 pounds mutton-hindquarters <§> 5c.55 
Sept. 13—To 100 pounds superfine flour @ 3 cents.3.00 
Sept. 24—To 12% pounds pickled pork at 4 cents.50 
Sept. 24—To 2 yards of tow-linen & 25c. pr. yd.50 
1841— 
Oct. 12—To 6 yards Janes’ goods @ 62% cents. 3.75 
Oct. 12—To cutting and making one frock coat. 2.00 
Dec. 28—To SO pounds beef-hindquarters @ 4% cents.. 2.88 
1842— 
July 4—To one Bible for Sunday School.50 
1838—John Bonum. Cr. 
June 12—By 1 day's plowing.$ .50 
July 12— By reaping one day. 1.00 
Sept. 22—By 10 days’ work cutting corn. 5.00 
Oct. 10—By 6 days’ work on the mill dam. 3.00 
1841— John Wilcox. Dii. 
Contract, Feb. 10—He agrees to work for J. Van Deman 
at $10 per month in trade. 
June 18—To 10 pounds bacon (shoulder) @ 6%c.62% 
Nov. 10—To 2 pigs—162 pounds gross <Q) l%c. 2.43 
Dec. 28—To 9 pounds veal @ 2c.18 
1842— 
Jan. 5—To 115 pounds beef @ 2c. 1.30 
Mch. 1—To one year’s rent of house and garden, ete.12.00 
June 14—To 3 pounds coffee <&> 16 2-3 cents per pound.. .50 
July 10—To 6 pounds lamb's wool @ 31c. 1.86 
July 14—To 1 acre of first class grass. 4.00 
Aug. 5—To 2 bushels of corn @ 25 cents.50 
Oct. 12—To pasturing one cow during Summer. 3.00 
Oct. 12—To % ton of hay. 3.33 
Oct. 15—To one Durham cow.12.00 
Nov. 10—To 75 pounds pork 6(1 l%c. per pound. 1-13% 
1848— Stephen Tetrr. Dr. 
Nov. 24—To 5 pounds lard @ 5c.25 
Dec. 30—To 1 pound butter.10 
1849— 
Jan. 2—To 80 pounds beef—forequarter <S> l%c. 1.50 
Jan. 18—To 1 bushel of apples.37% 
Feb 13—To % bushel of apples.25 
May 2—To 1 gallon of beans.12 
May 19—To cash for Ohio Cultivator (I year).75 
May 24—To 10 pounds wool-fleece. 2.50 
Aug.20—To 3% months’ horse pasture @ 1 dollar. 3.50 
1848— Credit Account of S. 'Peter. 
Dec. 27—By 1 day’s work killing hogs and beef.$ .50 
1849— 
Feb. 20—By making 1,300 rails (77) 62% cents per 100. 8.12 
Feb. 28—By husking 12 shocks corn @ 5c.CO 
April 15—By one day’s work at mill dam..50 
Sept. 10—By 6 bushels of wheat @ 70e. 4.20 
Sept. 15—By cutting and shocking 12 acres of corn (? i) 
50c. per acre. 6.00 
From these accounts, we see that farm labor was 
very cheap, as we count it now, during all the time 
covered by them. For ordinary work, 25 to 37% 
cents per clay, and $5 to $7 per month, were the ruling 
prices for a good man on the farm, from 1825 up to 
about 1840. For the next 10 years, the wages rose 
gradually to about $10 per month for ordinary work, 
and $1 per day in harvest. Reaping, which was about 
as hard work as ever fell to the lot of the farmer, 
brought 37% cents per day in the ’20s, 50 cents in 
the ’30s, and $1 in the '40s. This was nearly trebling 
harvest wages within about 25 years. Monthly wages 
nearly doubled in the same time. The prices of farm 
products did not rise proportionately. I do not say 
that it was not just to raise the wages, for I know 
by experience all about the sweat and backache from 
mowing, cradling, binding, thrashing and all other 
jobs that came in the course of a farmer’s life in the 
’GOs, which was not long after. Cutting corn at 50 
cents per acre (and no doubt the corn was heavy on 
those virgin lands), was also very low. 
All that the farmer had to sell brought but little, 
except in very rare cases. Beef sold as low as 1% 
cent per pound, and the highest price for hind quar¬ 
ter was 4% cents. Veal sold for 2 cents, and mutton, 
2% to 5 cents for the very best. Fresh pork was 2% 
'to 4 cents per pound, and pickled pork and bacon 4 to 
8 cents. Lard was 6 to 8 cents. The highest price for 
butter was 10 cents, the ordinary price being 8 % 
cents. Corn rarely sold for over 25 cents, and gen¬ 
erally less. Wheat brought 50 to 70 cents per bushel, 
which was decidedly higher compared with other 
things. Flour and middlings cost about the same then 
as now. Potatoes were 25 to 40 cents. Apples were very 
cheap compared with present prices, for 50 cents per 
bushel was the highest for good Winter apples in mid¬ 
winter, and Fall apples sold at the nominal price of 
10 cents per bushel. A turkey for a wedding dinner 
was surely cheap enough at 37% cents. Honey at 10 
cents per pound brought the best price of anything 
sold. Wool was a fair price for those days, at 25 
cents per pound. Hay brought only from $6 to $8 per 
ton. 
My father rarely sold hay or grain, and in nearly 
every case to men who lived and worked on the 
farm. It was his plan to turn such crude products 
into pork, bacon, beef, mutton and wool, and sell 
them as finished products. The wheat and part of 
the corn were ground into flour and meal in the mill, 
and then sold at retail or shipped to the southern 
markets by water. Father told me that he often 
worked hard on the farm during the daytime, and 
spent the nights at the mill, sleeping while the stones 
hummed in their accustomed manner, and waking if 
there was any unusual noise or stoppage of the ma¬ 
chinery. He built four flatboats near Chillicothe, in 
as many years, and loaded them mostly with pro¬ 
ducts of the farm. There were flour, bacon, mess 
pork, boiled cider, and in one case, at least, whisky 
and brandy formed a part of the cargo. When the 
Spring floods came, all being ready, he floated them 
down the Scioto into the Ohio, and on into the great 
Mississippi, where the produce was retailed at a profit 
in the great markets from Cairo to New Orleans. 
This was a part of the pioneer commerce of the Great 
West. By these means, the products of the old farm 
enabled my father to pay every debt and the claims 
of all the other heirs to the estate, h. e. van deman. 
A 
