Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-11-28

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JoHSs.-ou Saturday of week before last
party of excur sionists left the city, on
board the steamer Saint Johns, for Gin
cinnati. The pleasure which the excur-
sionists enjoyed will not soon be forgotten
by those who participated. The officers
and employees of the boat, from Captain
Sam Mason and VIM. NJ. List down, and
from the smallest cabin boy up, all were
constant in their care for the comfort and
pleasure Of all on board, and we were not
surprised to observe that the Saint is an
exceedingly popular craft all along the
river.
AT Marietta, going down, several of the
excursiOnists went ashore, and it is whis-
pered, with what truth we are not pre-
pared to say, were induced. in an unguard-
ed moment, by an urbane and gentlemanly
dispenser of liquors, to improve and ame-
liorate their respective "systems" by GER
tain cheering beverages. Strange to say,
they saw attractions in the gentlemanly
and urbane individual Aforesaid and his
surroundings, the destinations of which
not even the beauty and grace of the fairer
portion of the excursionists could dispel.
Capt Mason blew his whistle and rang his
deep-toned bell to no purpose, and finally
concluding that his tardy friends had been
stricken down in some obscure place by
the oil fever, which prevails in that local.
ity, he pulled out and turned the high head
of the Saint down the river. The excur-
sionists reached the landing just in time to
see her going out of sight. Some misera-
BILE person has asserted that the excursion
lists, like Artemus Ward, when his organ
grinder died, felt so ashamed of them.
selves that they ''drownded their sorrer in
the fowin' bole;" but this has been ascer-
tanned to be base slander got up for
political purposes on the heels of the cleo
ton. On the contrary the excursionists,
with each separate and distinct system in
admirable and unexceptiOnable order, in
dustriousIy procured vehicle and hurried
with all possible speed towards the village
of Parkersburg, hoping to flank the Saint
at that place. But, alas, for the uncer-
tainty of haman hopes and aspirationsl-
The Saint wasn't the kind of boat to be
oyertaken by mule team, and the excur-
sionists were mortified by the information,
communicated, we regret to say, by "Mr.
P. Johnson of GallipOlis, five miles back"
that the boat had been gone about two
hours. Nothing was left to be done but to
remain in Parkersburg during Sunday, go
to church, and join the boat by rail on
Monday.
On the return trip good thanksgiving
dinner was provided on board and the day
was appropriately observed by the passen-
gers.
We regret to say that the Saint Johns
met with an accident to her machinery at
Parkersburg which will detain her several
days, and the excursiOnists and others we're
transferred to the steamer Express.
Ali along the river nothing is talked of
but oil, oil, oil. The steamers are crowd
ed with people of all classes and conditions
from the sturdy farmer who has until re-
Gently been content to pursue the even
tenor of his way, to the eastern merchant
and capitalist, all in pursuit of the one
great and absorbing purpose of grow
ing Suddenly wealthy by striking OIL
The very atmosphere is greasy and the
faces of the excited spectators shine
like mackerel. All the hotels in every
little village where grease spot was ever
seen are crowded with people, and at
night the rooms are packed with people
like sardines in a box, the New York
Creosns lying down side by side with the
cold backed West Virginian. Every avail
able spot on the boats are used by persons
making plats, preparing leases and trans
fers, &c. The boats are compelled to land
day and night at all sorts of out Of the way
places, and people get ashore with gimlets
and augurs and go to work boring for oil.
Derricks and engines and pumps are thicker
than Lincoln voters, and the whole country
seems to have literally run oil mad. When
ever it is known that oil has been found in
any given locality the hungry spectators
come down upon it like an avalanche, and
the territory is gobbled up quicker than
you could say Jack Robinson. About half
of the people you see in pursuit of oil
know no more about the business than a
Chinaman, and stand about as much chance
of getting rich as they do of being struck
by lightning.
I&-AN UNpRovoKED AssAuLT.-On Fri
day night last, about 10 o'clock, as Mr..
William Stamm was walking down Market