Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1860-07-02

scENE ALoxo me pocks.

'>-'h ALONN TIE DOCKS.
Long before the time at which she was
announced by the papers as likely to ar
rive, inc Great Eastern was the principal
SnoJect OF conversation along North River,
LFerynody communicated what little he
hhe" "hout her to everybody else. and the
large amonnt oS information of .,gh;rh
some inveterate takers nre nossesseT Wa !
very marvellous, considering that none Of
II was correct. Chairs were brou0h, mt
from all the drinking houses TO the side
walk, and were occupied by the wa5tino
multitude. Some were of patient inlirid7
naiS' who sat for two. or thre hours on tho
uocks, IN the hot sun, agonising and peY-
spring, whiting and longing for% her an
proaeh, determined TO see her if she came
ut all: We presume they had fine timc
OF It, Perhaps they were right in tliukino
that to see the vessel pursuing her ,yav.u9
the harbor, was hundred times better
than to see her lying qnietly and notion
less on the dock. 1t may be very inter
estlng to look upon the skeleton of n mas
todon, but the grand sightw ould be to.be-
no4a the great animal moving amid its ma
tive forests
By three o'clock, the ends of all the
piers along the way were covered with
people. The top of pile of timbers was
sure to be occupied by crowd. The
docks near Hammond street were covered
oy large numbers of people. An occa
slonal sailor, in the masts of n shin, stood
ready to give the signal of the approach
OF the vessel. A cry, in Joke, of "Here
she comes" would make the ropes alive
with boys. The men speculated on the
Tune sue would arrive, and the little BOYS
pointed out the masts OF vessels almost
out OF sight, very positive that all belong
ed TO the Great Eastern. One little fellow
thought that if he could go up in bal
loon he could tell just where she was
the firing of cannon was the signal for
increased vigilance on the part of lockers
out, and in short time after this the yes-
sci came in sight. When she came near
enough to be fully observed, the admira-
tion, astonishment and enthusiasm were
nnoounded. The men cheered involunta-
riiy, the boys uttered prolonged enuncia-
lonS OF the syllable "Ohl" aud every per-
son commenced to point out to his neigh
Dor some peculiar or wonderful thing
which he observed about her. The mostS
OF the ships were now covered with hu-
man beings, numerous as fruit OH an an
pie tree Old gentlemen, seized with un-
wonted vitality, essayed to climb the rope
ladders, and sailors shouted to Gland lub-
oeFs, IN deTIsion, to look out and not fall.
lhe roofs OF houses that were near enough
TO afford view of the river, were covered
with ladies and children as we'll as men.
As the vessel approached Hammond
street, the crowd increased, until there
seemed to be no end to it. The universal
emotion was admiration and astonishment.-
Some, indeed, from benightcd neighbor-
hoods, who had been told by erudite
friends that she was about seven miles
long, and that II livery Stable was in sue
cessful operation on board of her. on ac-
count OF the pleasure the passengers deri-
we'd from taking morning rides of fourteen
miles or so, from stem to stern and back
again, and who had implicitly believed all
PIE .eomic naDers had said about her, were
her only 81 quarter of mile in length, but
were constrained TO admit that she was Il
''great baste."
At Hammond street she was a long time
in the river, seeming to be
TO turn about, but without sue
cess. She ran very near to the Jersey
City shore, and lay there fer considera-
BILE time. then she bore down directly to-
wards the pier at the foot of Hammond
street, and every one supposed that she
was coming in. Changing her course,
however, she started up the stream and
went so far as to be out of sigh. from that
locality.