Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1862-01-17
Letter from Columbus. o.
COLUMBUS, Jan. s, '62.

COLUMBUS, Jan. s, '62.
Editor Ielegraph-That we are in CO.
lumbus, will surprise no one;to learn II
On the morning of the first day of the
year 1862, we took passage onthe.steam-
boat "Sallie List, at Lower Long Bot, |
tom, bound for Cincinnati. The officers
of the boat were very kind and obliging,
always ready to accomm odate, and each
one seemed fully adequate to the daties
of his office; especially the pilot, Curtis,
who never failed, when the boat was
driven ashore by the gale-as it was sew
eral times-to bring his one wheeled
"Sallie' out into the river again, and
without compromising with either wind
or wave. .
No part of the cabin company was
composed of F. +. VS., but, on the con-
trary, of intelligent gentlemen, of the
substantial kind. -f-5
Although our company and the fire
were both very agreeable, we were not
willing to deprive ourself of the privi-
lege of knowing what was going on, or
to be seen outside. Accordingly we as
cended to the pilot house, where we had
view of the broad and beautiful Letart
Bottom, spread out before u.s. This bot
tom is second to few, if any, of the Ohio
If were to select farm for the profits
of farming, and for pleasant location,
[ would go to Letart. .zs-a4z
About six miles below, on the same
side of the river, is situated the neat
and fleurishing town of Racine. This
place has a probable population Of FIVE
or six hundred, and has the prosperous
appearance of most of the villages that
have been so fortunate as to grow upon
the banks of the Ohio. The buildings
are mostly of modern structure, and
have whittier appearance than most
places during these hard times. s+
Still, if some 20 or 3O-and no ma tier
how many more of her Inhabitants i
owners of houses, would procure a little
oil and lead, and set the man who lives
by the brush to work, no doubt both
parties would be benefited by the opera
tion;, but the sproprietors. of the build
ings most. To keep building one-half
painted is not only bad economy, but
downright extravaganza in very. dis
tasteful way. Mr.. Cross has given to
the people of Racine noble example
of an elegant.three- story brick building,
which, if they will follow, will add a
proportionate wealth and beauty to the
place. The high school has the reputa-
ton of being an excellent institution,
and said to be in fourishing condition,
and styled by its friends and patrons
the first school in the county: Were
| the Tuppers Plains Sch hool one mile east
! Of its present site we would not 4centro-
vert the point with our Racine friends
4 for one moment, but leave it to the
| friends and benefactors of other schools,
who think theirs, if no better, is just as
good. .4z s4. =,sssJ r-a rl.-sa
Syracuse, the Eext place below on the
Ohio side, is of recent date, and presents
a great deal of uniformity in the struc-
ture Of its dwellings, the greater part of
them having the appearance of being
cut by true patterns. The field of lu-
cratiye labor, by which the place is
largely y sustained, lies one hundred feet
! beneath the base of the hill just in rear
Of the town. We are told that when a
full set Of hands are employed one thou
sand bushels of coal an hour is elevated
to the surface by carriage, up single
perpendicular shaft. 4.- tff
After passing for two or three miles
down busy and thickly- -settlsd shore,
our boat, was aside the eastern point of
the great rock which forms a rear wall
to the Gibraltar of Meigs.o By a stran-
ger, or one unacquainted with the char
acter of the place, Pomeroy might be
easily taken for secession town, as her
Inhabitants are all bivouaced on the
south or secession side of her great for
tifeation.,i But knowledge of thenum-
Der of men she has furnished for the war,
is only necessary to exonerate her from
suspicion of any such proelivities. -
Then again the line Of embrasures at the
base of the great. fortifcation, are ar
ranged and formed evidently for the pur-
pose of sustaining front fires. a!sI-ss..s
We know not how seriously the fnan-
cial dearth may have effected the bust
ness affairs of Pomeroy, but the life, en-
ergy and industry of the people seem to
remain undisturbed; though new years
dayTas it was-the town seemed alive
with business; and We saw men and wo-
men with uncovered heads, and upturned
sleeves, bidding defiance to hard times.
The children of such parents will never
beg bread. nr =. tsz. 81 .-.t rsa
The lower third of Pomeroy gradually
narroWs as it extends down the river,
until, without any apparent line of de-
markation, it becomes Coalport. This lat
ter place is situated on neck of land,
intervening the hill and river, and when
viewed from the channel of the stream,
has the appearance of rising almost di-
rectly from the waters edge. Coalport,
instead of distillery-whieh curses so
many of Ohio villages-has built neat
and commodious church, where the good
people can assemble and do worship in
their own way. They also have good
school, where their Miner boys are edu-