fortune about forty lives were lost. This boat was built at Ashtabula harbor, and most of her stock was owned by persons of moderate circumstances in this place. Ashtabula, on Ashtabula river, and line of four railroads, is the principal town of a large agricultural and dairying district. It has about 7,000 inhabitants and is growing rapidly, owing to the development of its natural advantages as a point of shipment of coal to the lake cities of

the west, and ore from the Lake Superior mining districts. Ashtabula has 4 newspapers; Ashtabula Telegraph, Republican, James Reed, editor; News, Independent, E. J. Griffin, editor; Standard, Democratic, J. Sherman, editor; Record, daily, Republican, F. V. Johnson, editor; also 2 Finn, semi-weeklies. 8 churches-1 Methodist, 1 Baptist, 1 Presbyterian, 2 Congregational, 2 Episcopal and 1. Catholic. Banks: Ashtabula National, P. F. Good, president; J. Sum. Blyth, cashier; Farmers' National, H. E. Parsons, president; A. F. Hubbard, cashier.

Manufactures and Employees.-Ashtabula Tool Co., agricultural implements, 96 hands; L. M. Crossby & Son, Fanning Mills, 15; Phoenix Iron Works Co., machinery and castings, 18; Ashtabula Hide & Leather Co., 32; Ashtabula Carriage Bow Co.; London Rubber Co., rubber clothing, 74.-State Report, 1886. Population in 1880, 4,445; School census 1886, 1,172. Supt., I. M. Clemens.

The principal feature of Ashtabula is its harbor, which promises to lead all the lake ports in the amount of iron ore received. From thirty to fifty vessels arrive weekly with cargoes of ore, while the shipments of coal nearly equal those of Cleveland or Erie. From 700 to 1,000 men are constantly employed on the docks, a large proportion of them being Fins and Swedes-a thrifty people and good citizens, most of them owning their homes. The harbor is three miles from the main town, but is a part of the same corporation; it is connected with it by a street railway. The rapid development and growth of Ashtabula in the past twelve years has been owing to the enterprise of the citizens, with the aid of the National government in developing its natural harbor. When the work now in progress is completed it will have a channel with a uniform depth of eighteen feet. Along the banks of the Ashtabula river are thousands of feet of docks, from

ASHTABULA BRIDGE.

which twenty to forty vessels are constantly loading or unloading their cargoes. The iron ore is shipped to the manufacturing regions of Youngstown, Pittsburg and farther east, while thousands of tons of coal are conveyed here by the railroads from the great coal field of Ohio and Pennsylvania and shipped to Chicago, Duluth and other lake cities in the west.

Ashtabula harbor is supplied with the most improved machinery for handling coal and ore of any of the lake ports, and it is not unusual for propellers carrying 2,400 tons of iron ore to be unloaded inside of twelve hours.

In 1872 this district about the river and harbor contained less than 200 inhabitants, two or three struggling stores, and one or two old decaying warehouses, relics of former industry. Now it has more than 2,000 inhabitants, is a flourishing community and a scene of ceaseless activity night and day.

THE ASHTABULA RAILWAY DISASTER, which occurred at this place early in the night of Dec. 29, 1876, was one of the most memorable in the history of railway tragedies. The night was cold and bitter, a blinding snow-storm blowing at the rate of forty miles an hour in full progress, as the Pacific Express No. 5, westward bound over the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, broke through the iron bridge over the Ashtabula river and plunged into the chasm, just seventy-five feet from rail to river. The time was exactly 6.35, as afterwards ascertained by a clock in the engine. The train was composed of eleven coaches, drawn by two heavy engines, having

on board 156 human souls. The span of the bridge was 165 feet long between abutments. At the moment of the crash one engine had gained the west abutment, while the other engine, two express cars, and a part of the baggage car rested with their weight upon the bridge. The remaining eight cars were drawn into the gulf. Of the persons on board at least eighty perished in the wreck; nearly all the others were wounded; five died after rescue. The wind was at the time blowing a perfect gale, the cars caught on fire and those unable to extricate themselves perished in the flames. From the burning mass came shrieks and the most piteous cries for help, and with these sounds mingled the fire-bells of the town, whose inhabitants hurried to the spot to be agonized by the sight of the awful scene of wo.

Two weeks later Charles Collins, chief engineer of the railroad, shot himself with a revolver. He was universally esteemed, and lost his mind through an undue sensitiveness that the public would hold him responsible for the calamity. Nineteen of the unrecognizable dead were buried by a public funeral in the Ashtabula cemetery; the sad procession was over a mile in length. Among these were supposed to be the remains of P. P. Bliss, of Chicago, and wife. He was the author of the famous hymn "Hold the Fort." One of the engravings shows the bridge before the disaster, the other the spot after it. The debris was about fifteen feet deep. The railroad company promptly paid all claims for damages, the disbursements amounting to nearly half a million of dollars, averaging about $3,000 per head for the killed and wounded.

TRAVELLING NOTES.

Ashtabula, Thurs., Oct. 8.-A pretty custom is that of a hotel in this town where I am stopping. The house itself is an ordinary two-story, wooden structure standing off on a little side street, but its appointments are excellent. Its name is the "Stoll House," but it is known far and near as the "Bouquet House." This because at each guest's plate is placed a freshly-plucked button hole bouquet neatly wrapped in tin foil, with a pin thrust through it. The pretty waiteresses often volunteer their services to pin these on the lapels of the gentlemen guests, an extra pleasant duty, I fancy, where they happen to be fine, fresh-looking young men, as I find them to be now. I know not how there can be a more fragrant prelude to tea and biscuit. In the evening the hotel office was filled with a dozen commercial travellers, each with the inevitable bouquet on his lapel, all apparently happy and full of joviality; a natural effect of the combination of a good supper with feminine smiles and flowers.

The Fins.-What largely tends to render our country increasingly interesting is the great variety of people arriving among us, so we need not go abroad to study foreign customs and ideas. A new element has lately

come into this region, emigrants from Finland; but recently subjects of the Czar. Down at Ashtabula harbor is a large colony of Fins and Swedes, numbering several hundred, who are employed as laborers on the docks. They are highly thought of; their religion is Lutheran. Fins, young men and women, are scattering on the farms in this part of the State as laborers and domestics, and are noted for their industry and honesty. Their marriage ceremony is peculiar, lasting half an hour, it is partly kneeling and partly praying. The festivities run through several days, consisting of dancing and carousal, during which the dancing capacity and endurance of the bride is taxed to the utmost; each gentleman is expected in turn to dance with her and at its conclusion to pass her over fifty cents as his contribution to her dowry. Those able dance many times with the bride. On their first arrival they wear their own homewoven garments, woolen and linen. Instead of bonnets the women wear shawls; also home woven and plain black silk. In their own country a man's yearly wages on a farm are twelve dollars and his boots! Ohio says to them "Come! we welcome you and at your option, with boots or without boots."

GENEVA is three miles from Lake Erie, forty-five miles east of Cleveland, on the line of the L. S. & M. S. and N. Y. C. & St. L. Railroads. The P. A. & L. E. R. R. is expected to complete its line to the harbor, three miles north of Geneva, within the coming year. It is forty-five miles east of Cleveland. Free gas and free fuel are offered by its enterprising citizens as inducements to manufacturers, to locate here. The Eastern Division of the Black Diamond Railroad passes through

the town.

Newspapers Times, Republican, J. P. Treat, editor; Free Press, Republican, Chas. E. Moore, editor. Churches: 1 Congregationalist, 1 Methodist, 1 Episcopal, 1 Baptist, and 1 Disciples. Banks: First National, P. N. Tuttle, president, N. H. Munger, cashier; Savings Exchange, J. L. Morgan, president, L. E. Morgan, cashier.

Manufactures and Employees. Geneva Manufacturing Co., carpet sweepers, 12 hands; Eagle Lock Co., cabinet locks, 110; Enterprise Manufacturing Co., house furnishing, etc., 27; Geneva Manufacturing Co., carpet sweepers, 15; Geneva Tool Co., forks, hoes, cultivators, 95; Goodrich, Cook & Co., planing mill, 25; Eagle Lock Co., locks, 26; Enterprise Manufacturing Co., hardware, 31; N. W. Thomas, planing mill; Geneva Skewer Co., skewers, 26; Geneva Machine Co., machinists' tools, 75; M. S. Caswell, flour and feed ; Goodrich, Cook & Co., planing mill, 13. -State Report, 1886. Among the other industries are Dickinson's nickel plating

works, Anderson's flour and feed mills, Maltby's extensive apple, jelly and cider manufactory, Waters & Wade's bed spring factory, Lane & Moreland's steam injector factory, Tibbitt's machine shop, Jackman's flour and feed mills, C. R. Castle's fruit basket factory, Cadle's bottling works, Bedell, Bartholomew & Co.'s lumber mill, Reid's extensive brick and tile works, Geneva prepared chalk works, and W. P. Simmons & Co., wholesale florists, growers and importers. Population in 1880, 1,903; school census in 1886, 577.

The village of Geneva until the year 1888 had long been the home of Miss Edith M. Thomas, the noted American poetess, a notice of whom, with portrait, will be found under the head of Medina county, in which she was born.

The Soldier's Monument appears in the distance.
TRAVELLING NOTES.

Geneva is a pleasant name, and the township has an enduring fragrance in my memory, for within its limits in my original tour over Ohio in 1846 I passed several most enjoyable days, a recipient of the hospitality of a man of rare character and usefulness, the late Platt R. Spencer. The home was a quaint, comfortable old farm house in a level country, with the surroundings of grassy lawn, orchards and forests, about two miles from Lake Erie. It was in the heats of summer; a severe drouth prevailed throughout this region, the home well had given out and I remember I daily rode Pomp, the faithful companion of my tour, and his willing burden down to the lake for his drinks. Mr. Spencer was at the time the secretary of the Ashtabula County Historical Society and had collected nearly a thousand folio manuscript pages; it was a rare mine, from whence I took nearly all the historical materials embodied under the head of this county as well as much elsewhere. Mr. Spencer was born on the first year of this century in the valley of the Hudson; when a boy of ten, came with his family to this county and died eighteen years after my visit to his home. The great work of his life was as a student and teacher of penmanship. For this art he was a born genius. President

Garfield, writing of him in 1878, said: "He possessed great mental clearness and originality and a pathetic tenderness of spirit. I have met few men who so completely won my confidence and affection. The beautiful in nature and art led him a willing and happy captive. Like all men who are well made he was self-made. It is great to become the first in any worthy work, and it is unquestionably true that Mr. Spencer made himself the foremost penman of the world. And this he did without masters. He not only became the first penman, but he analyzed all the elements of chirography, simplified its forms, arranged them in consecutive order, and created a system which has become the foundation of instruction in that art in all the public schools of our country." Mr. Spencer's early struggles to learn writing show the strength of a master passion. Up to eight years of age he once wrote he had never been the rich owner of a single sheet of paper; having then become the fortunate proprietor of a cent he sent by a lumberman twenty miles away, to Catskill, for a single sheet. When he returned it was after night. Platt was in bed, when he arose all enthusiasm but could not produce a single letter to his mind after an hour's feverish effort, when he returned to his bed and to be haunted by un

We give here some amusing incidents copied by us in 1846 from the MSS. of the County Historical Society. Although trivial in themselves they have an illustrative value.