Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-02-13
Abont &c Araenal.

pEopEtAueu SoUtUUU Tor Ihe eTeClOu OIL Iufee
Arsenals-ope in the valley of Virginia,
one somewhere near the big Kauawha
river, aud the other on the line of either
the B. & D. or y. W. Va. Railroad-the
question arises, at'what points shall they
be built3 Our enterprising Contemporary,
tho ClaFkSburg Regtster, comes ont in a
laborsd article with an immense array of
facts and figures meant to prove that
Clarksburg is the hub of the terrestrial
world, and as such entitled to be the point
selected for the Arsenal designed for this
section of the State. This IS claimed on.
account of geographical position, great
facilities for building-uncommon means
of Communication with tue border couu--
ties-to all which is added, as a .fnal and
overwhelming argument, the. heavy taxes
paid by Harrison county to the State
Treasury.
Now then, iF it be not too late-that is,
If the Arsenal be not built at Clarksburg
before we get this printed--we want to put
Ia for 1t. In the first place, We do not
imagine, as the Register seems to, that the
building of these Arsenals was intended,
specially, as bonus to the counties in
which they might be erected. The object,
IL there WAS any, was to provide for the
defense of the State. Then, Of course,
they should be placed where they would
most sHectaally promote this end. Inva-
sion, We take to be the danger with
which Virginia is, or is to be, threatened.
Well if Virginia is to be invaded it
will be from abroad, we reckon-from
Ohio or Pennsylvania. I'VE don't mean
to be facetious, but the Register seems to
DO possessed Of an idea that the first dan
ger will show its front somewhere about
Clarks6urg) The defences then ought to
be on the border at good pOints-sO that
either Parkersburg or Wheeling can pre-
sent stronger claims than Clarksburg. 1t
will not be difficult to show that Wheeling
is better point than Parkersburg. 1t is
SO, for the simple reasons that it is easier
and spsedler to ship supplies, should they
ever be needed by the counties between
here and there, dorm the river than up
because the means of Communication in
all directions are better; and because the
facilities for building are so much superior
that it could be built here cheaper than In
ParkorSbprg. 1t is just as easy TO supply
GlRrksburg from here, as to supply Ohio
county from Clarksburg, las the Register
proposes,) while for facilities of commu-
niention by railroad, by river, by tele-
graph, or mail, Wheeling is certainly
equal, If not superior, to any point in
Northwestern Virginia.
It is reasonable TO say-all other con-
alterations, among others such as we have
named, being equal-that the. Arsennls
should be erected where there are the
most people in the greategt danger. Well,
now, M. RICHTER, we can beat you on.
both these points. The FIRST one won't be
contested. WO have got more people in
Ohio county than any county in this part
Of tho State, not excepting HARRISON, of
which Clarksburg is the metropolis. As
for the second, the danger to which our
people are exposed, is of such an awfully
terrifying character, that meIe glance at
our dreadful situation will carry this point
at once.
Here We are, half way up the Panhan-
die lying between two hostile countries /;
thsfetee ohioans ON the one side, and the
fsrociouS Pennsylvanians on the other, liza
BILE on any market day to be overrun by
hordes OF these barbariaus armed to the
chin with huge eabbages, and bristliug
with parsnips aud carrotls-breathi6g de-
fNnce over immese stacks of potatoes and
turnips, aud frowning grizzly over big
big beefsteaks. More than that we are
subject to the constant inroads and fOrays
of these same barbarians, who come into
our city daily, and carry off the dry goods
aud groceries of our merchants and tie
wares of our manufacturers. Think for 4
moment if the Black Republican BuskeySs
scross the river should Tin case NO ..se-
eesh',) plant battery, some dark night,
on ono of their hills commanding our city,
and At The ''dawn's early light send us =
dag of truce aud the information that if
We didn't instantly 'recOnstruet," they
would eoeFce US by blowing us over into
PennsylVania-Iust think, ne say, how
submissive We would feel u ne. sAoslda'f
AsRPsa TO AaVs an arasaal IN torH. And
just here We will say, that If We do SCI
eede, (which NC don't intend 10 do il We
can help it) We shall demand the surren-
der Of the Ohio hills just across the river,
aadsiF they are not surrendered, why, we
wiIl-sepd commissioners 70 Columbus.
to negotiate for themi {
Yes, Nr. Rsgister, IS yOu viii now agree,
o,tr danger Is danger .sas IS" danger. We
need an aFsenal Iou see. Yon have mo-