(RETURN TO THE TITLE PAGE) 600 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. Doctor Hume carried by his side a magnificent surgeon's sword, which was detached from his body and handed to General Bierce, who retained it as a trophy, and, in after years during his life, he delighted to exhibit it, when " fighting his battles o'er again," to interested if not admiring listeners. This sword was, by will, among other relics, bequeathed to Buchtel College by Gen Bierce, in the following words: " My sword, captured from Major J. J. Hume, of the British army, in the battle of Windsor, Canada West, December 4, 1838, and by me carried through the war of the rebellion from May, 1863, to November, 1865, as Assistant Adjutant General of the United States Volunteers." It is proper to remark, in thi connection, that Gen. B.'s services in the late war, were confined entirely to routine work in the office of the adjutant general, at Columbus, until after the close of the war, when, for a few months, in the latter part of 1865, he was assigned to muster-out duty, Fort Madison, Wisconsin, and subsequently for a short time was placed in command of Camp Washburn at Milwaukee. THE FINAL BATTLE.—As Doctor Hume fell, firing in the direction of the orchard was heard, and Gen. Bierce dispatched Mr. Harmon, mounted upon the dead surgeon's horse, to ascertain the situation there. Galloping hastily in that direction, a glance was sufficient to enable Mr. Harmon to instantly divine the speedy collapse of the expedition. The orchard was surrounded by about 400 Canadian soldiers, under command, as was afterwards learned, of Col. John Prince, of Sandwich, and other experienced British officers, whose sharp firing Was playing sad havoc with the little Patriot phalanx of about 100 men only, while Col. Harvell, a large framed, fine-looking Kentuckian, was evidently endeavoring, with the Patriot flag in his hand—a white star in a blue field—to lead the command in a hopeless retreat. Being wounded in the leg, the brave Kentuckian faced about and commenced firing at his pursuers, and when his ammunition was exhausted, still defiantly brandished his bowie-knife at them, until finally shot down in his tracks. Thus ended the battle of the orchard, the balance of the command being all either killed or captured. THE FLIGHT FOR LIFE.—Riding rapidly back to Windsor, Harmon hastily reported to Gen. Bierce that "all was up," when a precipitate retreat of the thirty men who had held the town, was begun. Supposing that the steamer Champlain was still at the landing, four miles aMove, they made their way thither in a body, though presumably without any undue regard to military precision, or martial bearing. Col. Prince, and his command, evidently riot being aware of their presence in the town, and supposing that the 100 men in the orchard comprised the entire Patriot force, the fugitives were not immediately pursued. On arriving at the landing, the Champlain was found to be non est, and the fleeing Patriots searched the shore of the river for skiffs and canoes in which to ferry themselves over to Hog Island. A sufficient number for the purpose were found, but there being a lack of oars, the butts of the guns were used as paddles to propel them across. Reaching the Island, the party walked to the other side. There a single canoe only could be found, in which the men were ferried across to the American shore, a few at a time. Gen. Bierce was among the first to go over, his friends, owing to the bad humor of some of the men at the failure of the IGNOMINIOUS COLLAPSE - 601 expedition, and the whispered but distinctly audible threats in which they indulged towards the commander-in-chief, deeming it unsafe for, him to remain until the rank and file were all safely across, as genuine patriotism would naturally have caused him to do. CAPTURE BY U. S. TROOPS.—The United States authorities, under the proclamation of President Van Buren, in their endeavors to maintain neutrality, had chartered the steamer Erie, and with a Detroit military company, under the command of Major Payne, of the United States Army, in cruising about the Detroit River, overhauled the last batch to cross over, five in number, and took them on board the steamer, Mr. Harmon being among the number. On being hailed by the Major and ordered on board the steamer, they quietly dropped their guns overboard, so as not to be found with arms in their possession. Being captured in American waters, and there being no positive proof that the men had been in Canada, they were set at liberty on reaching the wharf at Detroit, Mr. Harmom being so kindly received by the citizens who witnessed the arrival and discharge of himself and his fellow prisoners, that he remained in that city to the time of his death, 1888. THE FATE OF THE 107.—Of the 137 men who went upon this necessarily disastrous expedition, all but about 30 were either killed or captured, the most, if not all of the prisoners, like those of Gen. Von Schultz's command, being transported to Van Dieman's Land, very few of whom, even after the promulgation of the general amnesty, as above stated, ever returned to the United States. This disastrous affair ended the contest, it being fully demonstrated, on the one hand, that the people of Canada were not so ripe for revolution and independence as had been represented, and, on the other hand, that the government of the United States would not stand idly by and permit its citizens to organize, either publicly or secretly, military expeditions against the contiguous dependency of a nation with whom it was at peace. The "Hunters" lodges incontinently disbanded, and the interest in Canadian independence rapidly waned. It was said, however, and generally believed, in this vicinity, that the Canadian government had offered a reward of £2,000 for the capture, and delivery within its borders, of the American commander-in-chief of the defunct Patriot Army, Gen. Lucius Verus Bierce. Whether true or not, the writer has reason to know that the General firmly believed the report, and for many years observed the utmost caution when visiting any of the Lake cities, and even believed that secret emissaries were prowling about his own home, with a view to his abduction and clandestine delivery into the hands of his enemies. It is probable, however, that these rumors had no foundation in fact, for, most certainly, so large a reward would have tempted some of the reckless spirits of That rather reckless period, to make the attempt to kidnap and spirit him over the border, though such attempt, like his own wild attempt to conquer a populous and well-protected province, with 137 undisciplined men, should ignominiously fail. IN A POETIC MOOD. Immediately after his return from Detroit, which, in view of the active part Uncle Sam's officers were playing in that vicinity, 602 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. was somewhat speedy, Gen. Bierce prepared the following poetical adaptation from Campbell's " Battle of Hohenlinden," for publication in a local paper, evincing not only the General's enthusiasm for the "Lost Cause," but also a sort of shadowy impression that instead of suffering an ignominious defeat, immortal glory had inured to the Patriot cause from: "THE BATTLE OF WINDSOR." The sun had set on Erie's wave, The snow-clad hills on which the brave Reposed, were silent as the grave, Or Soldier's tombless sepulcher. No martial sound, nor busy hum, No clarion clang, nor rattling drum Gave signal that the time had come, For daring feats of chivalry. The soldier took his hasty meal, Then fixed the deadly, burnished steel, Which soon the tyrant's fate would seal, When joined in war's dread revelry. The Patriot band was soon arrayed, Their hearts beat high, but not dismayed, As each one drew his battle blade And shouted, "death or victory." Then foe to foe, in contest view; Fierce flashed the fire, the rockets flew, And death was revelling 'mid the few Who bared their breast courageously. The Patriot cry of deadly war, "Remember Prescott!" sounds afar, And lurid flames, and crashing jar, Push on the dreadful tragedy. The warrior foe in contest slain ; The wounded strewed upon the plain, Make fuel for the burning chain, Of barracks burning rapidly. Now fiercer grew the dreadful fight; Now higher rose the florid light, And shouts, and groans, as morning light Appeared, were mingled horribly. Ah, dreadful sight! As morn arose, The mingled corse of friends and foes, Bestrewed the ground amid the snows That formed their only sepulcher. GEN. BIERCE IN UNITED STATES COURT. In Cleave's Biographical Encyclopaedia, in a sketch evidently written by Gen. Bierce, himself, it is stated that "after the disaster at Prescott, he led the remainder of his forces through Western Canada, capturing Sandwich on his way, and burning the barracks and taking Windsor. The main body of his forces, under General Putnam, being defeated, he, with a force of 25 men, kept an attacking force of 500 at bay until he succeeded in crossing over into Michigan and was safe. He was twice indicted in the United States Courts for violation 9f the neutrality laws, and responded to the indictments, but the matter was dropped, and he resumed his law practice in Akron." In his own "Historical Recollections of Summit County," in closing his account of the Battle of Windsor, he says : "Thus terminated, as Gen. Bierce had foreseen it would, after the fatal expedition to Fort Wellington, the campaign of 1838, and the Patriot War. * * * Soon, however, he was called before the United States Court at Columbus, Ohio, to answer for a violation A CARD FROM AIDE—DE—CAMP HARMON - 603 of the Neutrality Law of 1818, but with as pointed a charge as Judge McLean could give, so popular was the the man and his cause, that a grand jury could not be induced to indict him." A CLOSING WORD FROM MR. HARMON. Not finding Gen. Bierce's name mentioned in any of the newspaper accounts of the Windsor affair, I addressed a note to Mr. Harmon, after the foregoing was written, as to whether, for prudential reasons, he adopted some other name, to which Mr. Harmon responded as follows: "In regard to Gen. Bierce, justice has never been done in his case. He was in command throughout the short campaign. There was jealousy on the part of Cols. Harvell and Putnam, and they did not lose an opportunity to prejudice officers and men. They were both killed in the Orchard Battle. I was Gen. Bierce's Aid, and knew all the difficulties. Gen. Bierce saw, before leaving this side, the outcome, and tried to persuade me to remain on the Detroit side. I resolved to go where he went, and did so. He behaved nobly, and protected the men who followed him. Gen. Bierce did not sail under false colors. In crossing from the Island we changed clothing, to save him from arrest by the United States authorities. He did avoid arrest, and I was taken by the U. S. Military, but released when my identity was discovered." THE END. Thus has been collated, at some length, an episode in national and international history, which, over half a century ago, very largely convulsed the public mind of both Europe and America, and in which Akron and Summit county bore a more conspicuous part than any other county in Ohio, not only furnishing the "Commander-in-Chief," as above related, but quite a large proportion of privates also, with a liberal supply of arms, ammunition, and money, in addition to the "moral" aid of public meetings, resolutions, patriotic speeches, etc., as above set forth. CHAPTER XXIV. SECOND ADVENTISM-THE END OF THE WORLD PREDICTED-APRIL 4, 1843, THE DAY OF DOOM-GREAT EXCITEMENT IN AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY -THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH TWICE RENT ASUNDER BY ITS ERRATIC PASTOR-MISCALCULATION IN DATES-FINAL CRASH POSTPONED ONE YEAR -THE FAITHFUL STILL SANGUINE-ERECTION OF A TABERNACLE -FEET WASHING ORGIES-ATTEMPT TO WORK MIRACLES-PELTED WITH ADDLED EGGS-MADNESS AND SELF-MUTILATION -SPIRITUAL MARRIAGES- PROSECUTED FOR ADULTERY-TABERNACLE BLOWN UP-THE END \GILL NOT: COME-MILLER, ITS PATRON SAINT, "GIVES IT UP "-"A DELUSION FROM THE FOUNDATION "- LOCAL ORGANIZATION GOES TO PIECES-A FEW STILL STICK-JOINING THE SHAKERS, ETC.-WONDERFUL POWER OF HUMBUG! SECOND ADVENTISM AND ITS FOUNDER. ONE of the most exciting episodes in the history of Akron and of Summit County, was the reign of "Millerism," or "Second Adventism," here, from 1841 to 1846. For the enlightenment of the more youthful readers of these pages, a brief sketch of the founder of this sect, and the reasons by which he was actuated in the promulgation of his erratic doctrines, will be in order. William Miller was born in Massachusetts, in 1781, and was bred to the occupation of a farmer. He was a volunteer in the W of 1812, rising to the rank of Captain, serving mainly upon the Canadian frontier. His education was quite limited, but being of a religious turn of mind, he applied himself to a diligent examination of the Scriptures, and especially to a thorough study of the prophecies, and by an ingenious combination of symbols, dates and figures he evolved his theory that the Second Coming of Christ, and the destruction of the world, would occur in 1843. The precise day was not at first named by him, but later on, either by himself or his followers, the time was fixed for Apri14th of that year. About the year 1833, Mr. Miller commenced to promulgate his new doctrine in local talks and lectures; but his fame at length began to spread, and the desire to hear him became so great, that his farm labors were suspended, and his entire time and energies devoted thereto, so that by the time fixed for the winding up of all temporal affairs on earth, it was estimated that his followers, in the United States, the Canadas and Great Britain, numbered not less than 50,000 souls. ADVENT OF "SECOND ADVENTISM" IN AKRON. In the year 1839, a talented, but somewhat eccentric preacher, by the name of James D. Pickands, was called to the pastorate of the First Congregational Church of Akron, whose house of worship —the first church edifice erected in the village—then stood upon the Court House grounds, but was afterwards removed to the corner of High and Quarry streets, where it later, for several years, did service as a parochial school for the German Lutheran Society, THE EVENT FAILS TO EVENTUATE - 605. giving place, in 1889, to their present more imposing brick structure. About this time some of "Father Miller's" proselytes began to preach the new doctrine in the west, a series of that class of meetings being held in Akron in 1840, '41, resulting in a number of accessions to the faith—some of them good and pure men and women and sincere Christians, and some of them of rather a doubtful status for either piety or morality. Among those who began to investigate the subject was the Congregational pastor, who, though not at first fully endorsing or preaching the doctrine, became so "free and easy" in his pulpit utterances as tb alienate quite .a large number of the members of his church, who, after a vain endeavor to work a reformation in his theology, or to accomplish his dismissal, themselves withdrew and on the 8th day of June, 1842, organized the Second Congregational Church of Akron, being the same society that is now known as the First Congregational Church of this city, building for themselves a house of worship on North Main street, the same building lately occupied as a livery stable by Mr. George Wulle. From this time on, Mr. Pickands rapidly gravitated towards the new faith, and finally, as "Time" approached its predicted "End," he was wholly en rapport with its most confident and most earnest advocates. A majority of the remnant of his congregation were with him, and an effort was made to exorcise the minority and retain possession of the house for the promulgation of the new faith, but it was found that this could not be done, inasmuch as the lot had been donated, by General Simon Perkins, for the exclusive use and behoof of the Congregational Church. Upon this discovery the Adventists themselves withdrew, holding their meetings in the groves and woods, and subsequently building for themselves a "Tabernacle"—a temporary structure, 30 by 60 feet, with plain board seats and desk, and sawdust floor—upon the opposite side of South High street. GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT—NEW "COUNT." Though many sincere believers in the doctrine, blindly following their enthusiastic leaders, had made every preparation, regulating all their worldly transactions to fit the date of the predicted consummation of all sublunary affairs—some even distributing their effects among their neighbors, and large numbers (as was alleged) having provided themselves with "Ascension Robes," of purest white, in which to mount to heaven with the rejoicing hosts —the 4th of April passed without the realization of their hopes. Father Miller and his numerous talented lieutenants set themselves to work to revise the "tally sheets," to ascertain, if possible, the cause of their discomfiture. It was finally found, by either the Great Apostle himself, or some of his "lightning calculators," that there had been just a year's mistake in the figures, and the end would surely come on the 23d day of April, 1844. After the discovery of this perplexing blunder, and the due correction of the "Time Tables," the Advent trains were again started, under a far greater head of steam than before, and at a largely increased rate of speed. The local lights of the faithful, both ministers and laymen, became extremely active, not only zealously laboring "in season and out of season," Bible in hand, with their 606 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. unbelieving neighbors, on the streets, in their places of business, and at their several abodes; not only holding enthusiastic nightly meetings in their places of worship, and at private residences, but calling the people together, en masse, in grove and camp meetings, by extensive advertising, both by attractive posters and in public prints. As a sample, the following advertisement is copiest from the SUMMIT BEACON of August 9, 1843 : SECOND ADVENT CAMP MEETING, IN SPRINGFIELD, NEAR AKRON, AUGUST 17. There will be a Second Advent Camp Meeting (if time shall continue), to begin on Thursday, the 17th day of August next, in Springfield, Summit County, Ohio, about six miles southeast of Akron, on the Canton road, at the same place occupied last year by a camp meeting. All who love the appearing of our Lord, are earnestly requested to attend, prepared with tents, to remain throughout the meeting. Boarding will be provided on the ground for those who cannot bring their own provisions. The following named ministers, among others, are expected to attend and preach: Brethren Fitch, Sawin, Needham, Poe, Baker, McCue, Sheldon and Pickands. Come up brethren and sisters, to the feast—let nothing hinder you. Remember the time is short. This call was signed by parties living in Springfield, Mogadore, Canton, Middlebury, Cuyahoga Falls and Akron, several of whom are still living. Of this meeting, Hiram Bowen, Esq., in the BEACON of August 23, 1843, editorially said : The Millerites are holding a camp meeting in Springfield, six miles east of this village. Great numbers of people are in attendance—it was estimated that from three to five thousand persons were on the ground on Sunday last. We cannot learn that they are making many new converts to their doctrines, most of the people attending through mere curiosity. Meantime the unbeliever and scoffer were constantly poking fun at their "terribly in earnest" and zealous neighbors, in various ways, and especially in business advertisements, Wilcox, Huse & Co., of Middlebury, manufacturers of chairs, heading their advertisement, " If Time Continues," and Harry Pardee, in the same line of business, giving a counter blast under the head of "Time Continues !" The BEACON, of December 20, 1843, contains this item: Father Miller lately visited Rochester, New York, where he devoted one whole week to dealing out exhortations and admonitions in relation to the awful destruction which awaits this sinful world, on the 22nd day of March next, according to the improved reckoning, which 22nd day of March, Gentile time, is equivalent to the 23rd day of April, Jewish time. During the whole time of his sojourn there, he was listened to by congregations, daily and nightly, ranging between one and two thousand. He departed thence to enlighten the good people of Lockport, and other cities, in relation to the near approach of the consummation of all things. The 22nd day of March, as well as the 23rd day of April, 1844, came and went, like other similar days since the dawn of time, and great was the grief and disappointment among the true and earnest believers, while equally great was the joy of the unbelieving but fearful multitude, that the predicted day of doom had safely passed. At a meeting held in the Tabernacle, in Boston, on the 4th day of June, 1844, Father Miller acknowledged that he had made a great mistake about the end of the world. The time had THE CRAZE RAPIDLY AND RABIDLY INCREASES - 607 gone by and he must confess that he knew nothing about it. Yet notwithstanding the failure of both his definite and proximate prophecies, Father Miller still held to the belief that the end would come soon, and in a modified way, continued his labors, while his loca1 adherents, in Akron and elsewhere, not only continued their labors, but were constantly promulgating new dogmas and adding new features to their modes of public worship and their private teachings and practices. FATHER MILLER IN AKRON. On the 13th day of August, 1844, Father Miller visited Akron and addressed large crowds of people, assembled in and about the Tabernacle, both in the afternoon and evening. His discourses, delivered in a plain and unostentatious manner, were mainly devoted to the elucidation of the prophecies on which his calculations had been based, and which, though there had been some alight error in his interpretations and computations, he still believed to be substantially correct, and that the end was near at hand, closing with an earnest exhortation to those still outside the fold, to fly from impending wrath by an immediate preparation, and a continuous watching and praying for the coming of the Lord. Though this demonstration made no very great impression upon the large audiences in attendance, the greater portion being present from mere curiosity, it had the effect of very greatly stimulating his adherents, and augmenting their zeal, in the propagation of their doctrines, resulting to some extent, in an increase of their proselytes and members. The Second Advent organs (of which there were many), also took on new ardor and began to promulgate new data for the final “Wreck of Matter and Crash of Worlds;" Brother Storrs, of New York, editor of the Midnight Cry and the Bible Examiner, as well as one of the most powerful preachers of the dogma, saying, in a sermon published in the Examiner, early in October, 1844, that the world would positively come to an end the 22nd or 23rd of that month, or be postponed fifty years; a speaker in the Tabernacle, here, about the same time, assuring his hearers, that they would "never see another cold Winter." Baptism by immersion, if not at first considered an essential element of the Second Advent creed, at length came to be so regarded, and about this time many of the old believers, and all of the new converts, were duly submerged beneath the rather chilly waters of the Pennsylvania and Ohio Canal. A local paper (the Cascade Roarer), of October 8, 1844, said: "Five persons were baptized into the Millerite faith on Sunday last and several more on Monday. The cause seems to be prospering in these diggings." The next issue of the same paper (October 15, 1814), says: "The Adventists are doing a splashing business in the immersion line, having submerged some thirty or forty in the canal on Sabbath last, and among the rest some six or eight children, from six to ten years of age;" and in its issue of October 22, remarks: "Our Second Advent friends have fixed upon this day as the very last—or to-morrow as the extreme fag-end of time, and many of them have acted accordingly, by stopping all kinds of business, settling up their affairs, paying off their debts (strange infatuation !) giving away their provisions and effects, warning their neighbors to 608 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. prepare for the awful day, and in sundry and various other ways making themselves as supremely ridiculous as possible.': In its issue of October 24, the same paper says: " The Adventists of this place have given us fifteen days longer, on account of one hour which was not taken into the calculation of Brothers Miller, Storrs & Co.," the same issue announcing the miraculous cure of a young lady in the family of one of the faithful, who had not left her bed for four years, through the exercise of faith, and who immediately commenced attending the meetings at the Tabernacle, in apparently good health; also, that during family worship in another family, there occurred an instantaneous restoration to consciousness and health, of a child lying in its mother's arms, apparently insensible from an acute attack of chill-fever. Early in November, 1844, Brother Storrs, in his Midnight Cry makes a statement in which he says: " I confess that I have been led into error, and have thereby led others astray, in advising Advent believers to leave business entirely and attend meetings only; though I have usually qualified that advice by excepting business absolutely necessary for present necessity." In commenting upon this, his neighbor, the New York True Sun, pertinently said: "What compensation is the confession to hundreds who have been ruined in property and in mind by the delusive prophecies of Brother Storrs and his associates? Confession will not restore the dead who have perished from exposure, nor re-illumine with the spark of reason the darkened intellect; nor clothe the naked and feed the hungry; nor relieve one jot or tittle of the misery, wretchedness and despair which Millerisrn has inflicted upon its victims." And apropos of the evils resulting from the Second Advent delusion, the following, from an Akron paper, of November 12, 1844, will be strongly confirmatory of the Sun's remarks: "MORE MILLERISM AND MADNESS.—Last week Mr. Ira Viets, of Cuyahoga Falls, having become a dupe to the Second Advent doctrine that all earthly passions are sinful, and that the command: 'If thy member offends thee, cut it off,' should be taken literally, most barbarously mutilated himself with a plane-bit and mallet. He is now upon the town, under the doctor's care, awaiting the Second Advent, or the end of time, which it is thought may soon take place for him, as it is somewhat doubtful whether he will escape the consequences of his rash act, even with his life;" the same paper in its issue of July 1, 1845, saying that Mr. Viets was then confined in the county jail, " a perfect lunatic from the delusive and inconsistent dogma of Millerism." And the writer will here add, that there were several others in this immediate vicinity—notably women--whose minds were permanently unbalanced, and their domestic relations seriously disturbed, and in some instances entirely broken up, by the delusion. THE HOLY KISS—FEET-WASHING, ETC.--The Augusta (Maine) Age, in March, 1845, said of the Second Adventists of that vicinity "The 'Receivers,' as they style themselves, of the Millerite fallacies, have discovered a new theory, which is that the day of grace has been passed, and that we are all now in Eternity, and that the awful horrors of a general Judgment are soon to be manifested to all eyes. Some of them take special pains to humble themselves and for this purpose wash and kiss each other's feet, creep upon THE GREAT APOSTLE GIVES IT UP - 609 the floor, etc., their conduct, in some instances, being revolting in the extreme." The day of grace and Eternity theory, did not obtain here, to any extent, but the kissing, feet-washing and rolling upon the floor--stricken down by the power of the holy spirit'—tom-foolery was adopted by a portion of the local faithful, though it is but simple justice to say, right here, that the more intelligent and well-balanced among the believers drew the line on these practices, and that only the more infatuated, and the dishonest among them, participated in the well authenticated disgusting powwows of this character that were for several months indulged in. At all events, certain peculiar services were held almost nightly, at which none but. the most faithful of the faithful were admitted, though there was sufficient leakage, from one and another, to fully demonstrate the revolting nature of those secret orgies. FATHER MILLER GIVES IT UP. Early in October, 1845, Father Miller published an address to his deluded followers, frankly acknowledging his great error, in predicting the end of the world, closing as follows: "For my indiscretions and errors, I ask pardon, and all who have spoken evil of me without cause, I freely forgive. My labors are princi-. pally ended. Yet, notwithstanding the Great Apostle of Millerism—Father Miller himself—frankly renounced, and wholly repudiated, the doctrines which he had originated, and so long advocated, the local "small fry" Adventists of the country still keep pegging away, and though not pretending to designate any particular day, or even month, or year, for the final "wind up," continued to promulgate new dogmas, and fulminate new prophecies, through which to render themselves still more ridiculous, and to still further disgust the public mind, as will be seen in what follows. The "Simon-pures" of this vicinity—united in what they denominated "The Advent Band," the very holiest of the holy, of that extremely holy people. Among the very earliest of the converts to the Second Advent faith was a Mrs. Green, a thoroughly honest and sincerely pious lady, the wife of Col. Lyman Green, for many years one of Akron's best known hotel keepers. Mrs. Green, like many other honest and earnest christian women, became entirely infatuated with the delusion, readily accepting, and conscientiously entering into, all the dogmas that were from time to time proclaimed, and who, of course, became a devoted member of the "charmed circle"the Advent Band. Like many of the other "ungodly" husbands, whose wives were thus distracted from their domestic and wifely duties, Col. Green tried every possible argument, and made use of every possible mode of persuasion, both with Mrs. G. and her pastor, to restore her to her family and her domestic duties, but in vain. The Colonel then thought he would try what virtue there was in the law for the redress of his grievances. Accordingly criminal proceedings were instituted against her pastor, charging him with assault and battery upon the person of Mrs. Green, in saluting her ith the holy kiss, washing her feet, etc., in the exercise of his brotherly devotions and his pastorly functions. The suit was brought before the late Gen. Philo Chamberlin, then mayor of 39 610 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. Akron, December 13, 1845, Gen. Lucius V. Bierce acting as attorney for the State, the accused officiating in his own defense. The witnesses were all, necessarily, members of the "Band," who, disavowing all allegiance to human laws, refused to be sworn, but finally consented to affirm, under the pains and penalties of perjury, to "Tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth." Though the general fact was admitted that feet-washing and the holy kiss were part and parcel of their devotions, the testimony was so obscure, under the skilful management of the defendant, as to the actual contact of himself and Mrs. Green, in those peculiar modes of worship, and his plea so convincing to His Honor, that he was triumphantly acquitted. THE TABERNACLE BLOWN UP.—Ten days later, December 23, 1845, at about 8 o'clock in the evening, a loud report shook the very foundations of the town, which was at first supposed to he the explosion of one of the Austin Powder Company's mills, located on what is now known as Fountain Park—a sound that was quite common to the people of Akron and vicinity, about those days. It was soon discovered, however, that it was no powder mill explosion, but the explosion of a keg of powder that some ungodly hand had placed in or under the Second Advent Tabernacle, on South High street, by which the front end, including the pulpit, had been entirely blown out, and the balance of the structure, irretrievably wrecked. In the Cascade Roarer, the writer, in speaking of this affair, said: "No matter how supremely ridiculous the conduct of any individuals, or of any sect, may be, such acts of dire depravity should by no means be countenanced. It is fostering a spirit of mobocracy which may yet require a mighty and bloody struggle to overpower. If we have laws, let us regard them; if they are not sufficient to punish and protect, let us enact such as are. We hope the perpetrators of this foul deed will not go unwhipped of justice. The act cannot be of the slightest benefit to the community. The persecuted fanatic always prospers; and this last act will only cause these monomaniacs to increase their zeal and redouble their diligence." ATTEMPT TO HEAL A BROKEN LEG BY PRAYER.—AS was anticipated, the persecutions above recorded served only to "enthuse" the deluded Adventists, whose proceedings were, if possible, more disgusting and more reprehensible than before. In our own town, a miracle was sought to be performed as follows: A middle-aged lady, the wife of a former highly respected builder, and the mother of one of our present most active and useful business men, and in every way a most estimable woman, was a faithful attendant upon all the meetings of the band. She was a very heavy woman, and early in the month of January, 1816, on leaving t private residence where a meeting had been held, late in the ev ing, she either slipped or made a misstep and fell, very ba breaking one of her legs. She was carried back into the hou where, notwithstanding a physician was called by an unbelieving neighbor, it was sought by the faithful to re-unite the broken bones through the efficacy of prayer, the grand master of ceremonies, meantime, peremptorily commanding the suffering woman to "rise up and walk." But though the prayers were vehement and confident, and though the command to " rise up and walk" "SPIRITUAL" MARRIAGES - 611 was authoritatively and unctuously repeated, the broken bone would not heal, and the crippled and suffering woman was, after an hour or more of enforced torture, finally handed over to the ungodly and mortal " saw-bones" who had been called, for a reduction of the fracture and relief from pain. SPIRITUAL MARRIAGES-TRIAL FOR ADULTERY. -- Among the many peculiar tenets of faith embraced and practiced by a portion of this peculiar people, was that of spiritual marriages, and about the middle of February, 1846, a couple who had thus gravitated together as " Spiritual Affinities," were arraigned before Justice Henry Converse, and tried under "carnal" law, on the charge of adultery. The pastor, though refusing to take the judicial oath; on the ground that it would be an acknowledgment of the obligation of human laws, affirmed, under the pains and penalties of perry, jury that the defendants came to his house February 17; informed him that they were a brother and sister in the true faith, and had been brought together by the spirit of God, in the bonds of spiritual matrimony; that the man had abandoned " his wife according to the flesh," at. Auburn, N. Y., about four months before, and that the woman had deserted a carnal husband about the same time, at Hamburg, Erie county, N. Y., preparatory to their present spiritual union; that they had journeyed together from Hamburg to Toronto, Canada, back again to the state of New York, and thence to Cleveland, and finally to Akron, and that upon this open avowal he had, in the fellowship of the Spirit, taken them into his house, where they had slept together until their arrest under the charge on which they were being tried.; that such an association was strictly in accordance with the doctrines and principles of the sect, but that actual sexual intercourse was not tolerated under any circumstances. Mr. John Kidder, also testified that the connection between the defendants comported with the doctrines of the Second Advent people, and explained the propriety of "Spiritually sleeping together," by the trying test to which it would put the piety of those embracing and practicing the doctrine. Mr. Charles Clapp, and Mr. William J. Hart, being called as witnesses, refused to " bow down to the Beast," either by swearing or affirming, and were fined for contempt of court, the latter being committed to jail for want of the wherewithal to pay his fine. The defendants, claiming no justification except the direction of the Spirit, and the warrant of Scripture, the carnal justice of the peace, not seeing the evidence of either, and not acknowledging any higher authority in such matters than the statutes and jurisprudence of this wicked world, bound them over to the Court of Common Pleas of Summit county, in the sum of $200 each, to answer to the charge of adultery, in default of which they were committed to jail. The "persecuted" couple, who were confined in different parts of the jail, boasted, that like the walls of Jericho, the walls of the jail would come tumbling down, in answer to the prayers of the faithful, but the walls aforesaid did not tumble, and the deluded and lecherous twain were compelled to abide their time, and suffer the penalties of outraged public sentiment and violated law. The principal headquarters of the local saints at this time, was at the house of a Mr. Southwick, on South Summit street, near where the new freight depot of the N. Y., P. & 0. R. R. now stands, where 612 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. most of the meetings were held, and where, not only the spiritually separated wives and husbands found refuge, but where the same class of persecuted saints from abroad, were also harbored and p vided for—eight devoted women, who had, by direction of Spirit, separated from carnal husbands, arriving there in a sin week, during the month of March, in 1846, there being at one ti no less than fifteen in the neighborhood, from abroad, in searcl " Spiritual Affinities" among the other sex. It was from the house that one of our most respected Methodist citizens--long an honored resident of Akron, often led to her neglected children, th wife and mother, who, solely through the Millerite delusion, was a, life-long care to the family, and, until her recent death, a confirmed monomaniac. It was here, also, that the wife of Col. Lyman Green was harbored, and encouraged in her disregard of her wifely motherly duties, and failing, through the law as above detail to get from the leader of the delusion proper redress, the Colonel a length became so exasperated, that, meeting Mr. Southwick n the corner of Howard and Market streets, on the 13th day March, 1846, he proceeded to mete out justice on his own hook, most thoroughly pelting him with addled eggs. This act, though fully recognizing the great aggravation which inspired it, was, like the blowing up of the Tabernacle, severely condemned by the public press and the better portion of our citizens. In speaking of the outrageous operations and practices of these people at this time, the BEACON, of March 18, 1846, editorially said; The little knot of demented fanatics in our midst, who have so long disgraced themselves, and even putting human nature to the blush by their foolish and witless proceedings, seem to be drawing their affairs to a crisis. Kissing and feet-washing has given place, as all supposed it would to the more intimate communion; and under the guise of spiritual marriage, husbands and wives are very unceremoniously exchanged. A few nights ago eight strolling females, who had left respectable families and friends, accompanied by one male biped, made their advent into our devoted town, in the character and capacity of angels. They were cordially welcome by the “Saints" of this village, and thereupon their usual feet-washing, kissing and other strictly spiritual performances were entered into with great gusto, and all for the glory of God. A well-known citizen of our town, who has long been demented in regard to these things, and whose fall many deeply deplore, leaving home and wife and children, has gone forth, pedestrian wise, under the protection of one of these vestal visitors, on an angelic in mission, in obedience to the divine injunction, taking neither script nor staff nor money in his purse, nor two coats, nor even a change of shirts. IMPORTANT CONFESSION—FINAL COLLAPSE.—The Cascade Roarer, of March 24, 1846, contains the following: Mr. Pickands, formerly the principal promulgator of Millerism in Northern Ohio, confessed, on Sabbath last, before that portion of the church that dissented when feet-washing, etc., was introduced, that Millerism was a humbug and a delusion from the foundation ; that he had been deluded and that all who had embraced the doctrine were deluded, and that those who continued to hold it were deranged. Mr. Pickands not only renounced Second Adventism, and all the other "isms" connected therewith, but abjured every other form of religious belief; thenceforth devoting himself to worldl pursuits; at first adopting the legal profession, reading law, and , being admitted to practice, but soon abandoning that calling to take charge of a paper devoted to the wool growing interests, put published in Cleveland by the late S. N. Goodale, formerly of Akron, THE END OF THE DELUSION - 613 and for several years afterwards officiating as collector and compiler of statistics for the Cleveland Board of trade; but during the later years of his life residing with his sons, Henry and James, then and now highly respectable and enterprising business men at Cleveland and Marquette, Mich., at which latter place Mr. Pickands died some ten or twelve years ago. THE CONCLUSION.—On the collapse of the organization here, several of the members sought and obtained admission into a family of "Shakers" in the southern part of the State, Mr. Charles Clapp, a former partner of the late Harvey B. Spelman, in the dry goods trade in Akron, separating from a most estimable wife (sister of Hon. Marvin Kent) among the number, and who for the past forty-five years has been a highly respected and useful member of that society. The many other, members of the Second Advent church quietly accepted the situation, and though some became confirmed skeptics and scoffers at every form of religion, the most of them soon again affiliating with other church organizations, but some still holding to the doctrine of the speedy Second Advent of Christ upon the earth, in its most literal sense, though fixing no particular date for his appearance. Thus is briefly given a history of one of the most wonderful, as well as one of the most exciting religions delusions of the Nineteenth Century, and especially proper among these chapters, because of the very conspicuous part in the great " Spiritual Farce " that was played by so large a number of the people of-Akron and Summit county. CHAPTER XXV. MATTHEW CANFIELD READ,—born in Williamsfield, Ashtabula county, Ohio, August 21, 1823 ; at 12 removed with parents to Mecca, Trumbull county ; worked on farm and attended &strict schools till 18 ; pursued preparatory studies in Western Reserve Seminary, atFarmington, and at Grand River Institute, in Austinburg ; entered Western Reserve College in 1844, graduating in 1848, afterwards receiving the degree of A. M. from his Alma Mater ; taught school in Columbus and Gustavus ; read law with Chaffee & Woodbury, at Jefferson ; was married, August 28, 1851, to Miss Orissa E. Andrews, of Homer, N. Y., who has borne him four children — William H. A., a member of the Toledo Bar ; Charles P., a contractor and builder in Hudson ; Mary O., living at home, and Janet A., recently teaching in Asylum for Imbeciles at Columbus, Ohio. At close of law studies, Mr. Read took editorial control of the Hudson Family Visitor (elsewhere written of), at same time teaching one year in Grammar School of Western Reserve College ; then opened law office in Hudson ; during the war officiated as general relief agent of United States Sanitary Commission, Western Department ; at close of war was deputy revenue collector, and later assistant geologist on the Geological Survey of Ohio ; had charge of archeological exhibits of Ohio at Centennial Expositions at Philadelphia and New Orleans, and for several years held the position of lecturer on Zoology and Practical Geology in Western Reserve College, also, besides having filled several local offices—township clerk, justice of the peace, mayor, etc.—in addition to his law practice has been extensively employed in the exploration of mineral lands for private parties. GEOLOGY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. BY MATTHEW C. READ, A. M. AS the name indicates, this county is situated on the Summit, or divide, between the waters of Lake Erie and the Ohio River. Akron, also, is the top—the Summit. From these names it has been often assumed that here is the highest land in the State. But this is a mistake. The door-sill of the Court House, at Akron, is 452 65-100 feet above Lake Erie, and the highest land in the county, in Richfield township, 675 feet. The highest hills of Richland county are 910 feet above the Lake, and the summit between the Scioto and Miami, in Logan county, 975 feet, which is probably the highest land in the State. The surface of the county is greatly diversified and has taken its ,final form as the result of several causes.1 CANYON FORMATION - 615 When lifted above the ocean, to an elevation much above the present level, it remained for a long succession of ages, subject to arial erosion, until canyons were cut through the rocks to the depth of over one thousand feet. One of these canyons is now substantially occupied by the Little Cuyahoga, and by the Cuyahoga from their junction to the Lake. Another commences on the north line of Northfield township and extends southeasterly through Mud Brook Lake, thence through Stow, Tallmadge, Springfield and the eastern part of Green. A branch of the main canyon passes through Akron, Summit Lake, and thence along the chain of lakes through Coventry and Franklin, with branches from Norton and Copley. Owing to the erosions of these canyons, the rock surface between them was disintegrated and a soil formed capable of sustaining a forest vegetation, but, from the want of a mingling of the material, everywhere lacking in some of the mineral ingredients of the most productive soil. The deep canyons produced such an efficient drainage as seriously interfered with continued fertility and left a barren rock surface in many places bordering the canyons. This was the first chapter of the formative influences producing the present topography. The second filled these canyons, widened out the upper parts f them into valleys, crushed the rock surfaces, pulverized the agments and commingled them with the debris of all the northrn rocks. This work was done by Nature's great ice plow, coming down from the frozen regions of the north, loaded with the minerals of all the rocks of the north. Moving slowly over the urface of the state, with the pressure of a mass of ice several thousand feet in thickness, it left upon the surface of the northern townships of the county a thick deposit of unstratified clay drift containing fragments of all the local rocks mingled with the load brought down by the glacier. In the central and northern parts of the county, the waters flowing from the retreating glacier carried away the most of the clay, ground the residue into sand, and left the surface diversified by swamps and lakes, the sites of immense masses of grounded ice left by the glacier on its final retreat. The evidence is pretty conclusive that there were two such invasions of the ice, the last one leaving its marked impression upon the topography of the county. Upon the withdrawal of the ice, lakes and lakelets, some of large size, covered much of the surface. Water from the hills silted up the bottoms of these lakes and deepened their outlets; the renewed vegetation encroached upon their margins, and converted all the shallower ones into swamps, sometimes bridging the surface of the water and leaving buried lakes. This process is continuous, and, unless checked by artificial means, all the lakes will become swamps, the swamps will become drier and all, in the end, become capable of tillage. Since the drift, surface erosion has materially modified the topography in other respects. The filling of the canyons diverted many of the streams from their old beds and compelled them to seek new channels. The most conspicuous instance is that of the Cuyahoga river, which has cut itself a new channel, mostly throtig-h solid rock, from above Kent, in Portage county, to its 616 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. junction with the Little Cuyahoga. Other streams emptying into the Cuyahoga have opened similar but smaller rock channels. The time required for such results is very long, but not as long as a. superficial observation would indicate. If the surface wear of the running water alone did the work the time required would be almost illimitable. The work accomplished by this agency is shown at Kent, Portage county, and by the rock channel above Cuyahoga Falls, where the superficial action of the running stream has been the only excavating agency. At Cuyahoga Falls, and below, it has been an undermining process. The soft argillaceous shale, under the sand rock, has rapidly disintegrated making an abrupt precipice, at one time over one hundred feet high, with a protruding overhanging rock which finally broke down by its own weight, and this process, continued, carried the falls up stream many thousand times faster than would result from surface erosion alone. Such is the mode of all rapid canyon making. STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY. Something about six hundred feet in thickness of the rocks of the county can be studied from their out-crops. The lowest is Devonian, the upper part of the Erie shale, of which about one hundred feet is exposed in the valley of the Cuyahoga, from the north line of the county to near Peninsula. It is a soft argillaceous shale, with thin bands of impure fossiliferous limestone, and contains no valuable minerals. There is a sharp transition from the Erie to the Cleveland shale directly above it. This is a highly bituminous black shale, lying in blocks and splitting easily into thin layers. It is exposed in all the streams emptying into the Cuyahoga, below Peninsula. As it resists erosion, and the Erie below it is soft and friable, it uniformly produces a cascade or water fall in the streams which cut both these shales, the rapid erosion of the Erie undermining the Cleveland shale, until the projecting mass breaks down and falls into the chasm below, so that the falls are slowly but steadily retreating up the stream. This shale was made the base of the Waverly or sub-carboniferous system, by Prof. Newberry, in his reports upon the geology of the State, but Prof. Orton, the present State geologist, unites it with the Erie and Huron shales, under the name of the Ohio shales, and calls all Devonian. All the molluscous fossils contained in it are regarded, by expert paleontologists, as carboniferous. These are sparingly found, except in the upper layer, where, in places, they are very abundant. The weight of evidence is decidedly in favor of Prof. Newberry's classification. This shale is remarkable for the large collection of monster fishes obtained from it in neighboring counties, described by Prof. Newberry, in the Paleontology of Ohio, and in Vol. XVI of the monographs of the United States Geological Survey. Careful search may lead to the discovery of interesting fish beds in this shale in Summit county. It contains so much carboniferous matter that it could be profitably mined and distilled for petroleum, if the supply from wells should fail. Next above the Cleveland is found the Bedford shale, so cal from the fine exposure of it in the gorge at Bedford, Cuyaho county. In Summit it is more argillaceous than in Cuyahoga, STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY - 617 and therefore more easily disintegrated. Its out-crop is generally concealed by its debris, covered with soil and vegetation, but in sonic places, in Boston township, there are sandy layers exposed, which would make fine flagging. Above this is the Berea grit, the same as the Independence, the Berea and Amherst stone, called in the east the Ohio stone. It is, in this county, about sixty feet thick, mostly in thick layers, and an admirable building stone. The quarries at Peninsula have long been noted for the amount and excellence of their out-put, and have furnished the best stone for oat mills obtainable in this country. Some of it is nearly white, very hard, with a sharp grit and can be quarried in almost any size desired. It rises above the bottom of the valley, near the south line of Boston township, and is found on each side of the valley, at an increasing height and distance from the river, to the north line of the county. At Brandywine there is a precipitous fall of the creek over its outcrop, and it forms precipitous bluffs below on each side of the stream. In places, the bluff on the north side is curiously covered with calcareous tufa, deposited from the water coming from the soil above charged with lime, and flowing down the surface of the bluff. The amount of stone that can be cheaply quarried, from exposures along the valley of the Cuyahoga, is practically unlimited. Above this is the Berea shale, of about ten feet in thickness, black, highly bituminous, containing coal fossils, and of no value except to the geologist. It is a well defined geological land mark extending to the Ohio river. Next in the series is the Cuyahoga shale, taking its name front the exposure of it in the Cuyahoga river *below Cuyahoga Falls. It is, in this county, about one hundred and seventy-five feet thick, and composed mainly of soft argillaceous shale. Near the top, below Cuyahoga Falls, it carries a band of impure limestone which makes a fair water lime, and was quarried for this use in the building of the Ohio canal. It is the horizon of a thin band of limestone found at Richfield, and in the neighboring counties, rich in molluscous fossils. Near the middle there is about twenty feet of very hard, fine-grained sandstone, which resists erosion and has produced what is called the Big Falls in the river. It is from this bed that the paving stone is taken in Trumbull county, successfully used in Warren, and to some extent in Akron. The bed in this county is in thicker layers, harder, will resist abrasion better, and, although harder to quarry, will make a more durable road-bed than the Trumbull county stone. This shale, in the Cuyahoga Valley, carries abundant specimens of "Cone in Cone," the character of which has been a puzzle to geologists and paleontologists. Examined in place, it is seen to be generally associated with bands of blue carbonate of iron, and is probably not organic, but a peculiar semi-crystallization of clay. Above this is the carboniferous conglomerate, a conspicuous feature in the landscape at Cuyahoga Falls, at the Boston ledges, and at other places. It is about one hundred feet thick and the surface rock in more than half of the county. Its quarries furnish vast quantities of bridge and foundation stone, and some of them furnish excellent building stone. At Wolf's quarry, near Akron, 618 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. and at a quarry near Cuyahoga Falls, it is colored red by iron oxide, giving it a highly ornamental character as a building stone. The quarries in Twinsburg are extensively worked, and some of the rock is ground for use in the iron mills of Cleveland. It contains many rounded pebbles of quartz, which, in places, and especially near the base of the foundation, detract from its value, but it contains an inexhaustible supply of material, accessible, with little stripping, for all ordinary uses. Its fossils, so far as known, are all vegetable. This is the base of the coal measure rocks, and should be carefully studied by all prospectors for coal; for it is certain that here no workable coal will be found beneath it. It bordered the old marshes, in which our lowest coal was deposited, and rose in many places above the marshes, so that coal may be found at a lower level than the conglomerate, but never below it. A thin bed of conglomerate is occasionally found above the coal, but this is the debris from the true conglomerate, where it rose in bluffs above the coal marshes, and was carried down and mingled with the covering of the coal. From twenty-five to fifty feet above the conglomerate, is the normal position of coal No. 1, of the Ohio Geological Reports, the interval being occupied by from two to six feet of fire clay, with argillaceous or sandy shales below. The territory in which this coal may be found, embraces substantially the whole of Franklin and Green townships, the larger parts of Tallmadge, Springfield and Norton, about half of Coventry, and the southwestern corner of Copley. The coal was originally deposited as peat, in a series of swamps, much like the marshes now covering the surface. It does not form a continuous sheet over any large area, but lies in a series of connected basins of very irregular shape. It is to the superior quality of this coal, and its proximity to Akron, that this city is indebted, in a large degree, for its remarkable prosperity. Few cities, even in the center of the coal fields, have had the advantage of a cheaper or better fuel. While this fact has been recognized, and persevering search made for new deposits, it is by no means certain that all the coal in the county has yet been discovered. The indications from the ordinary drill and sand pump are often misleading. The diamond drill should be used for testing the territory, and when the coal is found to be so thin as to be worthless, it may lead, by a channel sometimes tortuous and narrow, to workable deposits. This coal, in the "swamps," or central part of the old marshes, reaches a thickness of from four to six feet. It is the same as the old Brier Hill coal of Mahoning county, the standard of excellence for all bituminous coals. An addition of a few hundred acres to the known supply of this coal in the county, would result in so many advantages as to justify renewed search for it. The normal cover of the coal is an argillaceous shale, generally black, next to the coal, and above this a heavy sand rock from fifty to seventy-five feet thick. This sandstone sometimes comes down to the coal, and sometimes "cuts out the coal." This cutting out of the coal, by the sandstone, may require a ward of explanation for the reader not conversant with geological literature. All the rocks of the county are sedimentary, deposited in water. OIL AND GAS POSSIBILITIES - 619 When clay alone was deposited above the coal, we know that the water which brought it in moved with only a very slight current, as it carried with it nothing but clay. The sandstone above shows a more rapid movement of the water, with force enough to bring in sand and carry away the clay to quieter water. Sometimes the current was so rapid as to carry away the clay already deposited, removing it down to the surface of the old marsh, and sometimes carrying away, also, the accumulation of carbonaceous matter which was waiting its change into coal. This is the cutting out of the coal by the sand stone. The general dip of the rocks of the county is to the southeast so that, in places in Green township, coal No. 1 is not less than two hundred and fifty feet below the surface. It is probable, in many cases, test borings have not been carried deep enough. Above the sandstone, last mentioned, is a bed of shale and sandstone from fifty to seventy feet thick, carrying a thin and worthless seam of coal, and capped with a thick bed of fire clay, extensively mined in Springfield township. This is the under clay of coal No. 3, two to four feet thick, of poor quality, with four feet of limestone above it, which, in places, carries, a fair quality of iron ore. There is an interval of about thirty feet between this limestone and coal No. 4, in Green township, which is not of first quality, but reaches a thickness of four feet and is capped with four feet of limestone. These two beds of limestone would furnish a large amount of good material for road making, enough, supplemented by the scattered granite boulders brought in by the drift, and the banks of water-washed gravel, to put all the roads in the county in good condition. This is a work which would promote'the best interests of the country and the city and deserves the careful consideration of the county commissioners. The coal horizons of the county, where the coal is either wanting, or too thin to work, furnish inexhaustible supplies of sewer pipe and potters' clay, and have furnished the basis for most important and profitable industries. But, as intimated above, our peat marshes, so numerous in the county, represent the first stages in coal making, and the same causes which resulted in the under-clay of the coal, have given us like under-clay, in our peat marshes. The manufacturers of sewer pipe and pottery will soon turn to these peat marshes for their best clay, which is thoroughly washed, will need no grinding, and can generally be mined more cheaply than that now used. The peat, which must first be removed, can be largely composted and used as a fertilizer, or dried and used as a fuel, with whiCh to burn the ware. When the deposit in each locality is exhausted the marsh will be restored to its old condition of a lake. GAS AND OIL. It will be expected that in a geological sketch of the county, something will be said about gas and oil. There is no doubt that gas can be found in most of the townships of this county, if persevering search be made for it. The singular phenomena occurring in Coventry township, where there have been repeated explosions with a fissuring of the surface, as if by miniature earthquakes, indicate a constant escape of gas which, in winter, 620 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. imprisoned by the frozen earth, has at times acquired a tension sufficient to rupture the frozen covering and cause explosions which the citizens compared to the explosion of cannons. Gas and oil springs are to be found in various parts of the county, and the deep wells drilled in the Cuyahoga valley have in several instances yielded gas. Further, all the well known horizon of gas and petroleum are below the surface of Akron, and may be reached by drilling. But the horizon of the Mecca oil, the Berea sandstone, is cut by the Cuyahoga valley and so thoroughly drained that there is little chance of obtaining from it any important yield. The Huron shale which underlies the Erie, the latter being the lowest rock exposed in the county, is an important horizon for the hydro-carbons. But the sandstones which are found above it in the productive regions, are wanting here, and the conditions favoring a large production do not exist. Many wells drilled into the Erie shale, in northeastern Ohio, have produced gas in considerable quantities which has maintained a persistent flow for many years. Doubtless the same result can be obtained in this county, by sufficient trials, without any reasonable hope of a supply sufficient for the use of a city like Akron, but in many cases sufficient for lighting and heating a few dwellings, or for the wants of a single manufacturing establishment. The important horizon, in Ohio, is the Trenton limestone, which, according to the indications of the drill, is over 3,000 feet below, the surface at Akron. This rock furnishes large quantities of oil and gas, but, as far as is now shown, only along the summit of anti-clinals, and in limited areas where the rock is of a peculiar character. According to Prof. Orton's deduction, from test drillings, there is a moderate anti-clinal in the Trenton and its coveing rocks passing through Akron, and this, so far as it goes, is favorable condition. But the depth of the Trenton rock below the surface places it practically beyond reach. While moderate supplies of gas can doubtless be obtained from the shales, no great fortunes, and no great "boom" can be secured by the search either for gas or oil. CHAPTER XXVI. SUMMIT COUNTY'S RAILROADS--ANCIENT AND MODERN-FINISHED AND UNFINISHED-RISE, PROGRESS AND COLLAPSE-RESURRECTION, COMPLETION AND SUCCESS--HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS SUNK, BUT THE PEOPLE BENEFITED - THE FIRST LOCOMOTIVE IN AMERICA - SINGULAR BOILER EXPLOSION---LONGEST -LONGEST RAILROAD IN THE WORLD IN 1834, ONLY 130 MILES - WONDERFUL PROGRESS IN 60 YEARS - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY IN THE VAN-A TRULY INTERESTING CHAPTER. BRIEF REMINISCENT HISTORY. AT the beginning of the present century railroads were wholly unknown, either in the Old World or the New, and though some rude tramways had come into vogue, for mining and grading purposes, the longest railway in the United States, as late as 1827, was that from the Mauch Chunk, Pa., coal mines to the Lehigh river, twelve miles; the loaded cars being propelled by their own gravity and the empty cars returned to the mines by mules; the mules, in turn, being transported from the mines to the river in cars constructed for that purpose. But from this time on, railroad enterprise took a deep hold upon the public mind and several short lines were constructed for passenger travel in the Eastern States, propelled by horse-power, the first locomotive to turn a wheel, upon the American continent, being a clumsy English affair, called the " Stourbridge Lion,' landed in New York in 1829. FIRST AMERICAN-BUILT LOCOMOTIVE. The first locomotive built in the United States, probably, was called the "Best Friend," constructed at the "West Point Foundry Shops" in the city of New York, in the Summer of 1830. It was built for the Charleston, S. C., and Augusta, Ga., railroad, and was-transported from New York to Charleston by the ship Niagara, in October of that year. The trial trip was made on a short section of the completed road out of Charleston, November 2,1830, running, according to the Charleston Courier, "on the wings of the wind, at the varied rate of fifteen to twenty miles an hour, annihilating time and space, and, like the renowned John Gilpin, 'leaving all the world behind.' SINGULAR BOILER EXPLOSION. The "Best Friend" was used in the completion of the road, a Mr. Darrell acting as conductor and engineer of the construction train, with negroes, only, as assistants. On the morning of June 30, 1831, while being ended about upon the turn-table, the negro fireman becoming alarmed at the large amount of steam which was-blowing off, and wasted as he supposed, placed his hand upon the lever of the safety valve, causing an explosion by which the boiler 622 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. was thrown twenty-five feet, Mr. Darrell severely scalded in the back, the thigh of the safety-valve manipulator broken, and the other negro assistant badly cut and bruised about the head and face. This road was opened to travel in the Winter of 1833, '34, at which time it was the longest continuous line of railroad in the world-130 miles--over which it was the pleasure of the writer to ride on one of its earlier excursions, in January, 1834, the first hundred miles west of Charleston, by steam, an all day trip, and after remaining over night, at the head of the incline, where it was proposed to place a stationary engine, making the last thirty miles, on the downward grade to Hamburg, opposite Augusta, on handcars propelled by negro power. Ax u THE "GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY." The first railroad scheme to attract the attention of any portion of what is now Summit county, was the project to build a road from the Hudson river, through the states of New York, and Pennsylvania, to the Portage summit on the Ohio Canal, at Akron, under the above title, and in September, 1832, committees were appointed all along the line to solicit funds to defray the expenses of a survey, but nothing further was accomplished. "AKRON AND PERRYSBURG RAILROAD." In Akron's first newspaper—the Weekly Post,—in its issue o April 8, 1836, is a communication favoring the building of a railroad from Akron to Perrysburg, and citizens urged to subscribe to the stock of the company, which had already been chartered, and on the same date the Post published a notice that a stock book would be opened at the hotel of Lewis Humiston (corner South Main and Exchange streets) on the 10th day of May, among the names attached to the notice being, E. Crosby, R. K. Du Bois, J. W Phillips, Richard Howe, Harvey McCune and S. A. Wheeler, of Akron. In the same issue, besides a strong editorial favoring the project, was. a communication from Charles Olcott, Esq., to pf people of Medina county, in which he guaranteed ten per yearly dividends, after the first year, on the amount of stock a scribed. But the road was never built. "AKRON AND RICHMOND RAILROAD." In the Post of April 22, 1836, is a long communication from Sidney Rigdon, then, next to Joseph Smith, the most prominent man of the Mormon fraternity, at Kirtland, urging the project of a railroad from Akron via Cuyahoga Falls, Hudson, Aurora, Bain bridge, Russell, Kirtland and Mentor, to the then prospective commercial city of Richmond, at the mouth of Grand River, on Fairport harbor, near Painesville, "for the purpose," in the language of Mr. Rigdon, of "creating a competition between New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore, which will be most favorable to the west." At a meeting held at Kirtland, June 10, 1836, the preamble and resolutions adopted, among other things said: Akron is becoming a great central point, it being at the junction of the Ohio and Mahoning Canal, and the Akron and Perrysburg railroad, thereby opening communication, via the Wabash canal, south to Cincinnati and New Orleans, by water, and to Charleston, S. C., via the Charleston and EARLY RAILWAY ENTERPRISES - 693 Cincinnati railroad, and also by canal and railroad to Pittsburg and Philadephia, thus uniting the eastern communication from New York and other places terminating at Buffalo, with the western line of communication forming a junction at Akron, being one of the most important links in a chain of communication now presented to the public for their consideration and co-operation. "CLEVELAND AND PITTSBURG RAILROAD." In this year, also (1836), the Cleveland and Pittsburg road was chartered, but before anything of moment had been accomplished, the panic of 1837 struck the country, and it, as well as the several other schemes above mentioned, went into a protracted slumber, from which some of them have never yet been fully aroused. In the case of Cleveland and Pittsburg, however, March 14, 1845, the Legislature of Ohio granted an amended charter, but so tardy were the movements of its promoters that nearly six years were consumed in its construction, cars running from Cleveland to Hudson, for the first time, in the Winter of 1851. This road has always been ably managed, and has entirely escaped the almost universal fate of the average American railroad—insolvency. "THE AKRON AND CANTON RAILROAD." February 21, 1845, a charter was granted for a road bearing the above title, with a capital of $200,000, to be divided into 8,000 shares of $25 each, the company being prohibited from contracting debts greater than the amount of stock subscribed, and not to commence operations until $100,000 was subscribed, with authority to extend the line to the Ohio river, if deemed desirable, and to increase its capital to an amount sufficient to accomplish that object. But though some preliminary work was performed, this road was never built. "THE AKRON BRANCH RAILROAD." As the Cleveland and Pittsburg road neared completion, the people of Akron, Cuyahoga Falls and other towns in Summit county, became alive to the importance of a connection therewith, at Hudson, and in February, 1851, largely through the efforts of the late Col. Simon Perkins, an amendment to the charter of that road was secured, authorizing the construction of a branch road from Hudson, through Cuyahoga Falls and Akron to Wooster, or some point on the Ohio and Pennsylvania railroad, or any other road running in the direction of Columbus; the amendment also providing that this branch road might form a separate organization under the title of the "Akron Branch of the Cleveland and Pittsburg Railroad." The "Akron Branch" was organized March 11, 1851, with Simon Perkins, Milton W. Henry, and John W. McMillen, of Akron, Horace A. Miller, of Cuyahoga Falls, James Butler and Henry N. Day, of Hudson, and John Carey, of Millersburg, directors, Col. Perkins was elected president, Henry N. Day, secretary, and John W. McMillen, treasurer. COUNTY AID INVOKED. Though individual subscriptions were quite liberal, as it was believed that the construction of the road would greatly inure 124 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. to the benefit of the entire county, a special act of the Legislature was passed, on the 24th day of March, 1851, authorizing the county commissioners, with the consent of the legal voters, to subsCribe for $100,000 of the stock of the company, and to borrow the money on bonds of not less than $100 each, at a rate of interest not exceeding seven per cent. This proposition was voted upon at the special election for the adoption of the new State Constitution, on the 21st day of June, 1851, with the following result: Pursuant to this authority County Commissioners Edwin Wetmore, of Stow, James W. Weld, of Richfield, and Hiram Weston, of Middlebury, "For and in the name of Summit Count, subscribed for said amount of $100,000 of the stock of the road, and on the 19th day of June, 1851, issued 100 bonds of $1,000 each payable in 15 years, with 30 coupons attached, bearing interest at seven per cent. per annum, payable semi-annually; at the same time, as provided by the act in question, increasing the rate of taxation sufficient to meet the interest as it accrued, and to create a sinking fund for the final payment of the bonds at their maturity. In the process of negotiating these bonds, and after about one-half of them had actually been sold by Col. Perkins and Treasurer McMillenAit was discovered that the bonds were defective in that they did not show upon their face that they were issued by the authority of the State of Ohio, and, on the 17th of February, 1852, a new and correct series was issued and the first ones taken up. A portion of the bonds were paid by County Auditor S. M. Burnham some two or three years before, maturity, thus saving something to the tax-payers in the amount of semi-annual interest paid thereon. RAPID CONSTRUCTION. With this aid the directors pushed the work so vigorously that the road was completed to Cuyahoga Falls, by June 1, 1852, and to Akron July 4, the same year, and speedily thereafter through to Orrville and Millersburg.