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 162 RACHEL RACINE RACHEL (Elisabeth Baehel Felix), a French ac- tress, born at Mumpf, Switzerland, Feb. 28, 1820, died at Cannet (near Toulon), France, Jan. 3, 1858. She was the daughter of a Jew- ish peddler, whom she accompanied as a stroll- ing singer and guitar player. While singing in a cafe in Paris she attracted the attention of Achille Ricourt, a theatrical manager and writer on art, and of Choron, who in 1831 be- gan to give her instruction in music. As she showed a great talent for the stage, he trans- ferred her to the care of Saint- Aulaire, under whom she made rapid progress in elocution. Her personation of Hermione at a private per- formance procured her admission in 1836 as a pupil of the conservatory ; and on April 24, 1837, she appeared at the Gymnase theatre in La Vendeenne, a vaudeville written for her by Paul Dufourt. She attracted little attention, and for more than a year did not again appear prominently. In the mean time she studied as- siduously under Samson, and on Sept. 7, 1838, produced a great sensation as Camille in Cor- neille's Lea Horaces at the Theatre Francais. The long neglected plays of Corneille, Racine, and Voltaire were speedily revived for her, and she became best known as Eriphile in Iphigenie, Arnenaide in Tancredc, Roxane in Bajaiet, Pauline in Polyeucte, as Athalie, and especially as Phedre and Camille. She was also much admired in other parts, such as Joan of Arc, Mary Stuart, and Adrienne Le- couvreur; and during the excitement of 1848 she produced a great effect by her peculiar rendition of the Maneillaise. She excelled most in the impersonation of lofty classical heroines and in the delineation of the fiercer emotions, and was celebrated for the magnet- ism of her gestures and voice, her singular air of distinction, dignity, grace, and repose, and her wonderful identification with the charac- ters she represented. Her income, originally 4,000 francs, soon rose to 80,000; and in 1849 she effected an arrangement at the Theatre Francais, by which six months of absence in each year were allowed her. The receipts from her performances in the French prov- inces and in England reached enormous sums, and in Russia in 1853 she received 400,000 francs. In 1855, in company with her brother Raphael Felix, her sisters Sarah, Lia, and Di- nah, and a complete troupe, she gave perform- ances in New York, Boston, and other cities of the United States, and then went to Havana to regain her strength ; subsequently she spent some time in Egypt, and finally sought relief in southern France; but all attempts to ar- rest the progress of her disease (consumption) proved unavailing. Rachel was slender, rather tall, with a finely modelled head, clear, pale complexion, and features capable of the great- est variety of expression. She died unmarried and a Jewess, but left two sons, who were educated as Catholics. RACINE, a S. E. county of Wisconsin, bor- dering on Lake Michigan ; area, about 850 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 26,740. It is watered by several streams, and is traversed by the Chi- cago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul, the Chicago and Northwestern, and the Western Union railroads. The surface is nearly level, and the soil productive. Limestone is found. The chief productions in 1870 were 339,739 bush- els of wheat, 376,398 of Indian corn, 393,127 of oats, 25,983 of barley, 164,219 of potatoes, 164,321 Ibs. of wool, 610,228 of butter, and 43,070 tons of hay. There were 5,395 horses, 7,257 milch cows, 6,747 other cattle, 37,620 sheep, and 7,423 swine; 12 manufactories of agricultural implements, 6 of boots and shoes, 5 of brick, 13 of carriages and wagons, 22 of clothing, 2 of iron castings, 3 of lime, 8 of saddlery and harness, 3 of sash, doors, and blinds, 2 of woollens, 7 flour mills, 8 tanneries, 6 currying establishments, 6 breweries, and 8 planing mills. Capital, Racine. RACINE, a city and the county seat of Racine co., Wisconsin, on Lake Michigan, at the mouth of Root river, and on the Chicago and North- western railroad, 23 m. S. of Milwaukee and 62 m. N. of Chicago; pop. in 1860, 7,822; in 1870, 9,880; in 1875, 18,282. It is built on a plateau projecting about 5 m. into the lake and elevatea about 40 ft. above its level. The climate is cold in winter and cool and bracing in summer; the mean annual temperature is about 44. The streets are wide and cross each other at right angles, the principal ones being bordered by shade trees. Main street is the business thoroughfare, and its upper por- tion is lined with elegant residences. The city is connected with Rock Island, 111., by the Western Union railroad. The harbor is one of the best on the lake, and is accessible by ves- sels drawing 14 ft. A considerable tonnage is owned here, and the lake commerce is impor- tant. The lumber trade is large and increas- ing. Manufacturing is the chief interest, and to this Racine owes most of its wealth and prosperity. The value of products in 1874 was $4,179,265. The principal establishments are 8 wagon factories, 8 carriage factories, 5 fanning-mill works, 10 tanneries, 2 trunk fac- tories, 5 harness and saddle factories, 3 sash and blind manufactories, 3 founderies and machine shops, 6 saw mills, a paper machine factory, a woollen mill, a wire manufactory, a wagon lock manufactory, a manufactory of threshers, a linseed oil mill, a basket factory, and a silver-plating factory, besides many oth- er establishments. There are two national banks, with a joint capital of $400,000, two elevators, a dredge company, and seven hotels. The assessed value of property in 1875 was $4,200,000. The public schools are excellent, and the Roman Catholics have a flourishing academy. Racine college, under the control of the Episcopalians, was founded in 1852. The buildings are situated in handsome grounds, 10 acres in extent, at the upper end of Main street. The institution comprises a collegiate depart- ment, with classical and scientific courses, and