Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1873-08-16
For the Register.
SUMMERSVIILE,
Nicholas county, w. Va.
August 4th, 1873.

Mr.. Editor-The situation of this lit
tic place is beautiful one Surrounded
as it is by large mountains, it presents a
very cosy appearance. We neglected
to state in cur last that Summersville,
before the war was quite a hOurishing
country town, but during the bloody
conflict was burned to the ground, and
since then has been but partly rebuilt.
Nicholas is mostly composed of rough
mountains, densely covered with tim
Der, the valleys are small and poorly
cultivated. Land in these valleys. can
be bought, as we stated before, for ten
and fifteen dollars per acre, while the
wild mountain land can be purchased
for twenty-five and fifty cents per acre.
There is one man that owns one hun
dred thousand acres of this wild land,
which can be bought for forty or fifty
cents an acre. The principle stream
running through Nicholas is the Gauley.
This is a grand little river, clear as crys-
tai and full of trout. AS it tears its way
towards Fayette, it meets running di-
rectly towards it, and in its very face,
the Meadow river; here the waters of
the two streams rush madly together, as
two armies in bloody charge, and after
fierce struggle, as if by mutual con
sent, they mingle their waters, and
speed their way OH towards the bcauti-
full Ohio. Where these two rivers meet
is rs sublime spectacle as any lover OF
wild scenery could wish to behold.
The mails are carried through this
and the adjoining counties on horseback.
There is some talk of a railroad being
built through this portion CT the State,
if this should be done it will put within
reach of the enterprising world an I'M
mense amount of iron, coal and timber.
The coal veins along Gauley river are
from six to fifteen feet thick and their
number innumerable. There is no
doubt but that our little Commonwealth
surpasScs any of her sister States in min
eral and metal substance. Allshc needs
arc railroads to place her resources with
in reach, and enterprising men to devel-
op them. Surely her future is bright.
The new liquor law has no effect mp
on the Nicholasians, those that indulge
do 50 when thcy feel forit Then again
there are some who do not know what
the monster is, and rs for temperance
societies they never had one IN the coun-
ty. NV :.
There is one injunction in Holy Writ,
however, which is carried out to the
fullest extent, namely, "Multiply and re-
plenish the earth" This every man
feels his duty to carry out,as far as time
and ability will permit. Nearly every
family has ten or fifteen children, rank
ING from the height of a spittOon to six
feet. One patriotic fellow was, to the
time of his death, the father of twenty
eight legitimate children, and was also
sheriff of the county for two terms.
Near him dwelt another, who was the
rightful parent of twenty four. The
majority of the mothers scorn to cali
their daughters by common names, such
as Betsy, Susan, &c, but instead we
hear something like this, ''Dorothy shut
your mouth" 'Viola stir the ashes,
'Ladonna GO help Ruth and Arkansas
fetch UP the wool" &c, &c.
Yesterday we rode through the Mum
ley Peg Valley. This is quite narrow
and through it passes the only good
road leading into Braxton. From here
we crossed over the Mumley Peg Greek
into what is called the kentucky Settle
ment. When we came to the above
named creek, we found it full of logs
and very dangerous to cross. After
considerable hesitation We finally drew
lots as to who should strip and try the
ford. The lot fell upon your feeble cor
respondent, who in few moments don
ned her person in the garb that nature
presented her with, and after swimming
around for some time at length found a
place suitable to cross over our "horse-
beasts" rs the natives call them. In the
course of the evening we reached the
kentucky settlement. This is thinly
inhabited, and gets its name from a
kentucky family that first settled there.
The people devote most of their atten-
ton to sheep raising, and live by selling
the wool. Every house has its loom and
spindles, ON which they prepare their
flax, hemp and wool for market: The
women make nearly all the clothing tor
their families. This is the case through
out this and the adjoining counties.
Game is very plenty in Nicholas, even
now ,e can hear the hounds yelping, rs
they chase the timid deer. The meat
sells for ten cents per pound.
At the place where We are stopping
at present is ''knight of the needle.
One hour in the day he devotes to sew
ing his customers garments, the rest OF
the time the loquacious creature passes
away i'll stuiling up the postmaster, OF
some way worn traveller, who may
chance to stop. Just now he has at bay
Baltimore drummer. Poor fellow, he
has our sympathy,for wepassed through
the same ordeal. He first tries to dis
cover your business, then your politics,
md then entertains you by abusing all
his neighbors, the Legislature, State and
Nation, aud finally ends up with a IA
miliar quotation from Burns. lie is a
rare specimen of the Genus Homo, and
is never forgotten by the tourist.
There is a confederate soldier by the
name of Moore buried near Summers
Vile He was from Jefferson and think
inc perhaps that he might be some rela-
ton to the Moore family Of our county,