Some of these anecdotes came from an almanac dated 1855.

Lightning- According to Mr. E. Merriam, of New York, a distinguished scientific writer and practical philosopher, a person struck by lightning should not be given up for dead until at least 3 hours. The first 2 hours, the person should be drenched thoroughly with cold water. If this fails in restoration, then add salt and continue for another hour of drenching. 

Here are a few interesting items about education and money.

Average income in 1855 for each person in Europe and the United States.
England-20cents per day
Ireland-eight cents per day
France-fourteen cents per day
United States-In the most industrious states about 30 cents per day-Average for whole nation is seventeen cents per day

Livestock in the United States-The census of 1850 there was about 600 million dollars worth of livestock in the United States. Their value exceeded that of all manufacturing establishments in the country, and also exceeds the capital invested in commerce, both foreign and inland. [ The Industrial Revolution was in the 1860’s and 1870’s]

Education in the United States- For the free instruction of the people,it seems there are now in the whole United States, in round numbers, 60,000 schools, which are supported at an annual expense of something less than 6 million dollars. More than half of that is expended by the two states of Massachusetts and New York.. In this survey of the common-school facts of the different states, we find little cause for boasting, though much for hope. For though every state in the Union has recognized its duty to see that no child within its borders grows up in ignorance, yet only a few of the states have taken up the subject of universal education with anything like the earnestness which its importance demands. Teachers are ill paid and hence ill qualified; and it is a startling fact that the people of the United States pay half as much every year for the support of their dogs as they do for the education of their children. A well informed man is still a rarity, and multitudes of people ’spell character with a k’ and are ready to affirm that ‘oats is cheaper than they was last year’ [Home Journal 1853-4 ]

Boston was said to be the richest city in the world in proportion to its population in 1853. Each inhabitant was worth $ 1440. if its taxable property was equally divided. By the same rule, each New Yorker was said to be worth half as much, namely $ 584.

According to’ The Boston Traveler’, Boston’s valuation was worth 3 times the State of Maine and a combined valuation of three states combined, New Hampshire, Vermont and Rhode Island.

Here is some wisdom on building houses. Never erect a house after you are five and forty. Have five years income in hand before you touch a brick. Always calculate the expense at double the estimate.

I was most interested in the updated lists of banks with Worthless and Uncurrent Bank Notes. This list was for all of New England. Maine had several. Here is the list.

 Worthless-
 Agricultural Bank, Brewer
 Bangor Bank, Bangor
 Bath Bank, Bangor
 Castine Bank, Castine
 Citizen’s Bank, Augusta
 Damariscotta Bank, N obleboro
 Exchange Bank, Portland
Frankfort Bank, Frankfort
Globe Bank, Bangor & Portland
Georgia Lumber Co, Portland
Hallowell & Augusta Bank, Hallowell
Kennebunk Bank, Kennebunk
Kennebec Bank, Hallowell
Lafayette Bank, Bangor
Machias Bank
Bank of Old Town, Orono
Passamaquoddy Bank, Eastport
Penobscot Bank, Bangor
People’s Bank, Bangor
Saco Bank, Saco
St. Croix Bank, Calais
Stillwater Canal Bank, Orono
Waldo Bank, Belfast
Washington Co., Calais
Waterville Bank, Waterville
Wiscasset Bank, Wiscasset
Winthrop Bank, Winthrop
Bangor Commercial Bank, Bangor
City Bank, Portland
Citizen’s Bank, Augusta
Megunticook Bank, Camden
Maine Bank, Portland

Uncurrent-
Calais Bank, Calais
Mercantile Bank, Bangor
Westbrook Bank, Westbrook

Also of interest…..
Massachusetts in Miniature- In 1851 there were 34,235 farms in cultivation and 9637 manufacturing establishments.

Snowstorms and Depth of snow for ten years past. This information came from a writer in the Boston Transcript who furnished it to the almanac.
1843-4/ number of storms was 44/depth 7 feet seven inches
1844-5/number of storms was36/depth 3 feet three inches
1845-6/number of storms was 27/depth 3 feet seven inches
1846-7/number of storms was 32/depth 2 feet eight inches
1847-8/number of storms was 27/depth 2 feet one inch
1848-9/number of storms was 27/depth 3 feet one inch
1849-50/number of storms was 38/ depth 2 feet eleven inches
1850-1/number f storms was 28/ depth 3 feet one inch
1851-2/number of storms was 38/ depth 6 feet three and ½ inches
1852-3/number of storms was 20/ depth 3 feet two inches

 There was much interesting information about the National Debt which was usually in the 75 million dollar range from 1790’s and was somewhat steady until the Civil War when it reached the 2 billion mark.  Maybe this seems like a lot of useless information but it helps to put things into perspective when we can compare to today’s numbers. And of course for any one interested in farming, there is a wealth of information on how to care for your livestock, to rid your crops of pests and how much manure you need for an acre of land…..300 lbs. of guano should suffice.