Huntington independent. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1871-1874, 1873-06-05
UPPER OHIO MINING INDUSTRY
IRON AND COAL
Steaming Up the Riter.

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Correspondence OF the Cincinnati Gazette
HUsrIxGTos. W. Va. May 26
"Comc promptly tap. u., sharp
These were the words used by Capt
Wade, Of the Ohio Riversteamer Bos.
toua. to impress me with the necessi-
ty Of being ION time" if | desired to
ascend the river on his boat. Hemem-
bering this timely injunction, board
ed the beautiful steamer Bostopa 40
hour betimes. The kindly, but ster n
manner of the Captain was sufficient
proof to me that | must not be q lag
gard, or, when the Bostons showed
forward, I would be left aft To the
min dts the departure bell rang, the
pilot gave bis signals to the engineer,
and the great rush and studder Of
escaping steam, with the simultaneous
quivcr of the vessel, indicated that the
Bostona was surging from the wharf
foot Of Main street) into the chan
mel of the Ohio.
The steam up the river was, Of
course. pleasant and agreeable. First
there came q good. appetizin9 supper.
Capt. Wade, who has immediate
charge Of the Bostona, brought your
correspondent 10 contact with Capt.
Honshell, Superintendent Of the
Chesapeake 4 Ohio Railroad line Of
steamers, comprising the two fast
boats, Bostona aud Fleetwood. and
Superintendent, also, Of the line OF
packets plying between Cincinnati
and Pomeroy. Capt. Wade is aquiet
reserved gentleman, who is net de-
monstrative. But he is particularly
pleasing and agreeable, and. in a
great degree, entertaining in coDver-
,ation. His long experience, as a
river commander, mostly in the navi-
CATION below Cincinnati, ha, made
him familiar with Ohio River boating
and commerce, and he is thoroughly
alive to any and every interest, par
ticularly Of new development, which
holds out prospect Of auethenting
the tonnage Of river transportation.
Besides being a very agreeable con
versa tionalist, Capt. Wade is posted
on all matters pertaining to the river
and its immense traffic.
Capt. Ilonshell is equally well
known in Cincinnati. Asa vis-a-vis
at the supper table and an entertainer
IN conversation, he is host ofa supe-
rior order. Unlike Capt. Wade, he
has devoted most OF his life to river
navigation of the Upper Ohio. His
residence i, at the picturesque village
of Catlettsburg, 10 the extreme north
eastern corner Of Kentucky, 90 the
Ohio, where he has lived these many
wears asd raised an interesting fami-
". He married Buckeye lady, and
became q resident of Catletisburg
when l. was mere hamlet. He was
s'in'' at the birth Of Ironton also, and
has been living, active participation
10 the origin and growth of all of
those up-river towns which mark the
development of this region during
the past twenty FIVE years.
Capt. Honshell Is firm, inhexiblc
believer 10 grander destiny for this
region of the world, and the busy
life inseparaole therefrom. and the
increased river commerce connected
Herewith. lie has seen lrohton,
Catlettsbnrg, Ashland, Huntington,
aud several other places Of note and
activity, develop from the germinal
condition, and he thinks their pros
perity IS due to the mining and man
ufacturing indus ries which are be
coming both the forcrunner and alb
sorber of vast capita al, and the per
mapeut employer of great quantities
of both crude and skilled labor thro'
out q region comprising a thousand
square miles.
The Bostona being Meet steamer,
the run from Cincinnati to Hunting
ton was smoothly made in fifteen
hours. Here connection was made
with the through train on the new
mountain penetrating railway, the
Chesapeake Il Ohio, running from
Richmond Va, 20 this point. VI
course, in ,peaking If the new and
vigorous inpulsiou which is fast bring
ing this part of our country into pro
duciue region, it Is essential and fair
to include this great railway enter
prise as one of the giant forces exert,
ing immessurab!e influence on the
sure and satisfactory results. But
beyoud a few general statements and
q brief resume ofthe enterprise OF
erecting q city here, reference TO the
G. &. o. R. r. aud its plaos NUT be
reserved for future letter.