Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-03-16

We observe in almost every journal that comes
to hand, an article announcing the discovery oil
fountain of natural gas, in Holmes county IN TINS
State, in which it is spoken OF not merely as Gu
riosity but novelty, almost, IT not entirely un-
precedented. The existence OF an infiammnble
gas, the product of some mysterious operationsof
nature has been known fora great length OF time.
II has been discovered injmany parts of the lake
country, and, more than twenty years ago, bea-
erected by the government of the United
States, at Fredonia, New York, and considerable |
portion of the village at that place was lighted |
with gas drawn fromsthe soil in the vicinity. The
fact that it has been found by mere accident Ill |
the basin of Lake Erie, is evidence OF its album
dance, and there can be no doubt but If an exam-
nation should be made there and in the coal basins
further South, would be discovered in many 10,
cations whe:e it is not now known to exist. II
In the vicinity Of the river Auglaizes and its
Tributaries, natural gas is found in many FACES
We have seen it in the town OF Flndley, in Ham
cock county, and recollect an incident in connec-
ton with its economical i'll that city, which
afforded, at the time, no little amusement. Alter
a political Convention, in which good deal OF
feeling had been excited by the discussion of
certain local interests entering into public affairs,
all parties sat down at one of the hotels 10 pretty
general joiiticaton, during which the existence
OF this natural gas works was spoken of, and its
location described The gas of mine host OF the
Square and Compass, not being very good, several
of the company became pretty essentially tiddled,
and at the close OF the ceremonies wandered on
III various directions. All, however, returned be-
one, who, it was decided, had lost himself and
must be looked up. After ransacking the village
i'll various directions without success, the quest
was nearly given up, when light was discoveteu
i'll distant cottage, whose proprietor had conveyed
the gas of spring in his garden into his house,
and constructed rude burner for its combustion.
rhther theparty proceeded, knocked and entered,
and there sat our long lost friend, with all the
gravity which he has since displayed judge on
the bench, Staring at the burning gas i'll perfect
silence while standing 10y in nearly puris rlatuTu-
i6us were the astonised proprietor and his house
hold, wondering what kind of an odd fish had dis
turbed their sumbers with his Unsuitable appetite
to behold their domestic gas works.
We believe it was somewhere in that region that
| a gentleman made himself practically conversant
with the question whether natural gas is ex-
ploSive. Ilaying discovered fountain upon his
premises he prepared 10 convert it to by placing
| an inverted cask over The orfce and banking it
well around with turf. Seating himself upon the
head he proceeded TO bore hole Though the tim
Der, to which. when completed, lie applied light
ed candle. The flame was speedily communicated
t. The interior aud the ameture philosopher instant
| ly found himself making an involuntary shoot to-
ward the Zenith; from which he returned pretty
thoroughly singed, bruised and astonshed, rs we'll
as enlightened.-Cin Cincinnati Atlas. 81. a, ..sz-
| +Our Southern friends seem to be quite aware of
| the fact that an end eau sometimes be accomplish
ed in ways than the direct one. us is illustra
ted by the instance we now publish. In the legis-
ature OF Texas the roposition to which the FOL
lowing report ref rs was efectually put at rest by
the laugh created by this jeu d'esprit; and, least
any of our readers should, from its extravaganza,
be led to doubt its authenticity, state TO them
that 10 extracted from the 427th page of the Jour
nal OF the Legislature of Texas of the last session.
! Nh. MERRIMAS made the following report:
| To the President Of the Senate:
| The Judiciary Committee, 10 whom referred
the resolution requirin said committee TO nvesti
gate the exredency OF repeating all laws for the
collection of debts hereafter contracted in this State
and the result their investigation The
Senate, have had the same under consideration,
and find the subject matter thereof very subtle,
| ceedingly metaphysical, and Troublesome of soiu
ton. The brief time given your committee, al thi!
late period of the session, TO investigate the ques
ton amounts 10 prohibition Of demonstratye con
illusions, unless, our chairman beautifully ex
pressed himself, each member oil the committee
could save al! his thoughts al dinner and dreams
night unon the subject and string them upon sticl
as boy strings catfish, and present them in pill.
TO the Senate.
Difficult as the task has been, your committe,
have enteavored 10 dive beneath the submarine
depths and soar above the heaven kissing height
of the vast problem contained in the resolution
They have endeavored to extract the intumescen
efflorescence of the resolution, and, by Artesai
thought, 10 sttke the fountain of rejuvenescenc
embowelled in the primary strata on which the du
biouS syllogisn is based. Ii the language of thu
resolution had been encountered by the amend
ment, the good that would have resulted to In
State from law comprehending lis provision
would have been apparent 10 all. A heavy AM
onerouSdebt, which has attached itself to ndIvidu
ais by divers ways and means, connected with tn
fall of cotton and the rise of putty, would hav
been wiped out by Artistic act OF single section
and the elevated heads of depressed and down
trodden DEBTORS would have turned 10 the capitc
and blessed the framer of the resolution that cal
led forth a law to burst their shackles. Alas! th
human good, the amendment cuts off this frultu
source of inquiry, and sends your committee altos
on sea of ince1titude, with untried pc rilS boom
ing up in the distance, without chart to distin
gulSh The channel from the rocks and quic ksa nd.
The earlier and perhaps the only law analogous
the one asked for by the resolution was enacted
Captain Moses, sort of military justice of tn
Ipeace and law-Inaker for people called Israeli
ties, who had borrowed and otherwise obtane
from people, called Egyptians large amount
tiewelry credit; and by virtue of this law the
never did pay for il, will be seen by several
tried where this law was given in evidence und'
the general issue, and sustained by the Court
Your committee found this law, and the decision
under it, IN the first volume of Moses's Report
printed few years prior to the revolution of Text
and 10 which they refer the Senate for further pa
ticulars. a aat
In pressing the inquiry to ascertain the results
such law on the future destnies of Texas, yol
committee have gone chronologically back TO Il
time when Adam and Eve formed copartnersh
in the fruit trade, and Cain and Abel were on
shrt-tal boys running at large in the Garden
Eden. The few remaining records OF the tin
show conclusively that no law then existed to Ell
force the collection Of debts, and the people we
hugely happy. Before the battle of San Jacin
there existed republic called Sparta, where Il
collection of debts could not BE- enforced Wy Il
lcourtS, although money was plenty, but difficult
llnake small change, except at the blacksmth's S.
If in the opinion of the Senate and evil exists
the frequent enforcement OF laws for the cole
. ton of debts, then, by adopting the Spartan CO
and standard of value for the pigeon-roost curren
now afoat, and ma king it legal tender, the San
he nj would T