The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-12-15


j and Manufacturing IntereBts..PIC
tureaque surroundings.
Correspondence Of the Evansville Daily Lou
nal F.IE q
WHEELING, W. Va, Dec. O.
There are two accounts OF the origin c
the.name bywhich this cityis now knowr
As o definite knowledge In regard 10 thi
matter u not, In West Virginia theology
O condition Of escape from that fiery gu
which has not yet been eliminated from
the universe" you can believe anything
you please about Il. II Is said that III
Indians once murdered q white man upol
the ground where the original part Of lhl
city stands, and placed his head upon ,
pale facing the river. The Indians callet
the place, thus marked by this ghastl,
trophy oi their murderous malice, Ioeelin!
the place Of q head. From this 1t i
supposed that Wheeling, the present naml
Of the city, was derived. Another &c.
count, however, states that the name wa!
given In honor off Romish priest, who
was an early missionary among the In
dians. 8 i 8hall not discuss the relative
merits Of these accounts. A determine
ton Of this question Is not essential 10 the
progress Of the race, nor to the eternal
well.beIng Of immortal souls. One tre-
mendous and sufficient fact is new patent
"a city called Wheeling Ia here; and
Judging from the altitude Of the surround
ing hills, II 10 not likely to get away soon,
Another TACT which leads me to suppose
that the city Is permanently located at
this place, Is that II some celestial giant
should attempt TO, carry 1t of, he would
be suftocated with coal smoke before he
could get o good "holt." The town is
over one hundred years old-old enough
10 stand alone, as It does; but when We
remember that q thing cannot fall up
wards, we shall see that this city stands
because 1t has no place 10 fall. In the
year 1853, o settlement was made here BY
three brothers by the name Of Zane. The
descendants Of these heroic pioneers from
the banks Of the historic Potomac, are
still numerous In this vicinity. 1.
Few places are more memorable than
Wheeling in the history OF our early wars
with the "untutored Indian" Traditions
OF the awful ravages Of the tomahawk and
scalping knife, ol fearful leaps from
dangerous precipices, OF hair breadth es-
capes and wonderous adventures, are still
rehearsed and are eminently calculated to
make warlike "lamb" like me, wish he
had been there. It was here that the
memorable siege Of Fort Henry occurred.
This siege, in which hnudreds Of infuriated
savages were held at bay by o mere hand.
full Of heroic settlers, under the head OF
the immortal Simon Gerty, will ever be
conspicuous In the annals OF our border
warfare. It was on this occasion that o
young girl, Elizabeth Zane, displayed
heroism OF which the braveat warrior
might have been proud, by running, under
fire from the Indians, TO an outside mag
azlne, and returning with ammunition for
the brave defenders Of the fort. In the
days Of our childhood, we oil read with
wonder Of this daring deed; but lew Of US
know what became OF the applauded
heroine who performed 1t. She lived In
this city during her entire life, and died
only few years since at very advanced
age. Just north Of the city Is a fright
fol preclpice, known as "McCullough's
Leap" This renowned Indian fighter,
when hotly pursued by q band Of blood
thirsty savages. 10 said TO have spurred
his horse over this precipice and miFacu-
lously escaped unhurt from his pursuers.
/ have passed this spot twenty.aix times,
each time with different companion,
who has called my attention TO the place
and enlarged upon this "leap.." At first
] listened respectfully; now the tale has
become monotonous, and II this hero
could have known what anguish his rash
act was TO cause me. am sure, he would
have made his "leap" In some other local.
ity. The last man who GRATED TO me on
the subject was silenced when asked
him II this McCullough's grandparents
were still living.
"The National Road" Of which Henry
Clay was the author and champion,
passes through this city, and 10 feature
Of some considerable interest. Before
the piercing whistle OF tho locomotive
was heard In these, then western wilds,
this road was the great avenue Of travel
between the East and. the West The
travel Ia, this point by steamer was, In
those days, immense, and here the tray
elleIs took coaches for Baltimore, Wash.
ington, and other eastern cities. Goods
from the West were brought here In
wagons over the National Road, and
then shipped by steamer down the Ohio
River. This road built up vast busi-
ness Tor this city, and gave 1t national
so that no one was ever
compelled 10 ask, "where Is Wheellpgg
This road 10 stillin splendid condition,
smooth as floor, never encumbered
with mud, and inrniahes one OF the
pieaSanteat and most romantic drives in
the country. s,,... M
Wheeling d city Of no inferior dimen'r
sions, nor Of limited business resources.
Il was, from Ito frat settlement the com!
inercial metropolis ot the western por-.
tion olSVirginia, but was long retarded
In its progress by the fatal conservatism
Of the +. 4. va. It's early settlers were
chiefly from the ranks Oh the aristocratic,
slaveSolalng YiEglhians. They erected
house8 and surronnde them with high
walls, as u to soy, Eve. wish 10 be let
alone" They lived on the profits Of
slave labor-were opposed 10 schools-
10 the development OF manufacturing
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