tin' through it a' before." It is not recorded whether this honest gentleman was called on for his "peart," but it is presumed he was enabled to enjoy these advantages gratis.

It was also about this period that a Methodist church was built in this place. This church is the one referred to in the communication published a few pages previous. It was the second church of any kind ever built in the city, and was erected by the subscriptions of all the citizens. It was under the direction of the Methodists, but was opened to ministers of all denominations. It was situated on the North side of Market street between Seventh and Eighth. The house has since been converted into a dwelling and is still standing. It was soon found to be too small to accommodate the growing population of the town and was accordingly sold, and the present Fourth street Methodist Church built with the proceeds of that sale, assisted by the subscriptions of the citizens. This latter building was erected in 1815.

In 1814 the town of Portland was laid out by Alexander Ralston, for the proprietor William Lytle. It was originally divided into Portland proper, and the enlargement of Portland. The lots in Portland proper were all half acre lots, and when laid out, were sold for two hundred dollars each. In 1819 they had advanced to about one thousand dollars. The lots in the enlargement were three-fourths of an acre, and were sold at three hundred dollars each. This town was not established by law until 1834, and in 1837 it was adjoined to the city. It has fulfilled the office of a suburb to Louisville, but has never at any time held prominent impor

tance among towns, and is chiefly worthy of notice now as a point of landing for the largest class of New Orleans boats at seasons when the stage of the river will not allow them to pass over the rapids. Although it was at one time predicted that "its future destinies might be regarded as those of a highly flourishing and important town," it has never equalled the least sanguine hopes of its friends. It has no history of its own worthy of

relation.

During the same year the town of New Albany, in the State of Indiana, opposite to Portland, was laid out by its proprietors, the Messrs. Scribner. Its progress at first was slow, but the many advantages which it presented (firstly its extremely healthy location, and secondly the great quantity and excellent quality of ship timber in its vicinity,) soon established its prosperity. In 1819 it contained a population of about 1000 souls, and had 150 dwelling houses. A historian of this latter period asserts that the inhabitants are all either Methodists or Presbyterians. It has now grown to be one of the most important towns in Indiana, and still promises renewed and increased prosperity. It would be hardly fair to class this flourishing city as a suburb of Louisville, and yet the two are so intimately connected that the prosperity or adversity of the one cannot but affect the other. The value of those relations will be shown hereafter.

Some idea may be formed of the commercial prosperity of the town at this period by reference to the following manifest of the Barges and Keel boats, arrived at this port during the three months, ending July 18th,

1814. There arrived during that period, 12 barges, in all 524 tons burthen, and 7 keel boats, in all 132 tons.

The following is a manifest of cargoes delivered by these boats during that period.

The probable value of these articles was estimated at $266,015.

It was during the same year that Messrs. Jacob and Hikes put into successful operation a paper mill at this point. The Western Courier was issued on paper manufactured at this mill.

A very great barrier to the progress of the town at this period consisted in its great unhealthiness. Owing to the vast reservoirs of standing water which still remained in and about the town, there was a great deal of bilious and remittent fever, "often sufficiently aggravated to entitle it to the name of yellow fever.” It will be recollected that reference has been heretofore made to this subject. At this period, a new alarm was raised, and it was found difficult to get people even to bring produce to the markets of the town. Acclimation was considered, and indeed was absolutely necessary. The newspapers of the day teem with indignation at the course pursued by the neighboring and rival towns in circulating aggravated accounts of the progress of disease here. But even the warmest friends of Louisville

did not pretend to deny that it was extremely unhealthy. One of these writing soon after this date, says: "To affirm that Louisville is a healthy place would be absurd, but it is much more so than the thousand tongues of fame would make us believe; and as many of the causes which prevent it from becoming perfectly so, can be removed, a few years hence may find the favorable alterations accomplished, and so do away with the general impression of its being the grave-yard of the Western country." As is well known, this prediction has been verified, and from the reputation of a grave-yard, Louisville has now everywhere attained the title of the most healthy city in America.

With the commencement of the next year, 1815, we are again enabled to give the following very accurate tabular view of the political position of the city. The following table will clearly show its past growth, and give an accurate idea of its size, commerce, and manufactures at that time.

24 Merchantile Stores,

1 Book

5 Medicine shops,
8 Boot makers,

1 Auction and Commission, store, 4 Cabinet makers,

do,

3 House Painters,

4 Chair makers,

5 Tailors,

Hatters,

3 Saddlers,

2 Coppersmiths,

1 Steam Saw mill,

1 Nail factory,

6 Blacksmiths,
1 Brewer,

1 Bagging factory

1 Stone ware, do,

1 Meth. church,

2 Taverns, (inferior to none in the Western country, and several others of

less note.

The only other event belonging to this year which may be considered worthy of note was the arrival on the 1st of June of the steamboat Enterprize, Captain Shreve, only 25 days from New Orleans! This trip then so astonishingly speedy is made the subject of remark in the newspapers of the day, and Captain Shreve is every where congratulated on "the celerity and safety with which his boat ascends and descends the currents of these mighty waters." These congratulations or at least a part of them were received just in time, for in about a year afterwards, this same gentleman proved that his navigation was not always alike safe and speedy. On the 3d June, 1816, he was in command of the steamer Washington, bound from Pittsburg for Louisville, when she met with the first serious disaster which had ever occurred in the steamboat navigation of the Ohio. When near Wheeling this boat burst her cylinder-head, killing seven persons and injuring several others, Capt. Shreve among the latter number. This accident elicited a degree of sympathy and occasioned an amount of alarm, which a much more severe steamboat disaster would now fail to produce.

The following announcement from one of the newspapers of the day, gives an account of the launching of the first steamboat ever built at this point; and shows that despite of accident and danger, the citizens had fairly embarked in a business that has since been so productive to the interests of the city. "On Monday the 3d of July, was safely launched from her stocks, at the mouth of Beargrass into her destined element, the elegant new steamboat Gov. Shelby, owned by Messrs. Gray, Gwath