The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-07-20

u Dtlce uOude was
burned a short time since, together
with most oil Of ais household goods.
II was supposed to be tho work Of an
iusepdiury. KEiMER.
Naeker's Valley, July 10.
Editor Democrat. returned home
on last Saturday from a surveying tour
10 the southwestern portion of Web
iter county, near tho limo Of Nicholas
and Braxton, some is or 90 miles
from Addison, on StrOuds Creek, u
branch Of Gauley river. This creek
takes its name from a family formerly
living there BY tho name Of Strond,
who were murdered by tho indians
On my way there | staid all night with
Major Triplcs, aud had plenty Of the
finest yenison thiuk I ever cat. |
surveyed two days for Robert Morton,
somo 6f the zines. lands | think | ever
saw. 1t lays we'll aud is heavily tim
bcrCd with poplar. Wits oak, black
and white walnut. hickory, sugar, ma
pie, white lynn, dogwool, ash, chest.
nut, and many other kinds Of timber.
The soil bus dark red appearance on
the southern exposure, aud on the
northern slopes dark color, underlaid
with tho fiuest beds Of coal. The hill,
are not so very high or rough as in
souc other parts ofthc county. then
headed out sirouds Creek aud over on
to the head Of Beaver Creek, in com.
pany with Mr.. Morton, aud surveyed
2S6 acres there for a nlan living 10
Kunawha county, who, learn, is going
to move there shortly. Here is a vast
wilderness Of uniuiproyed land, which
will some day make a 6ne farming aud
grazing part of tho county. Passing
on over 10 Birch river and up a north
east branch Of that stream, called Skilcs
Creek. and down branch Of Laurel
Greek, called Missouri. came across
aud killed a fine largo rattlcsnake, 8
feet aud a half in length. with 10
rattles | suppose it had como down
Of the bill to get water, as it WIS lying
on some rocks in the edge Off snail
branch The dry weather drives them
from the points aud dens to tho water.
Passing up Laurel Dreek. to a branch
thereof, called Amos Fork, on which
| see Mr.. Lewis McElwnin is building
himself finc house. Passing branch
Of Laurel Greek called Camp Run. |
put up all night with Mr. Carpenter,
who informed me that one of his grand
sons had been bitten by a rattlesnake
some days before, but was getting bet.
ter. This old Mr.. Carpenter is a son
Of Jeremiah Carpenter, who. together
with some 9f his family, were murdered
by the Iudnus where he lived. at or
near the mouth of Holly river, in what
IS now Brsxton county, lie was Que
of the first pioucers Of this county.
Passing from Caplp Run to Elk river,
iutO the NlcCourt naighborhood, sur.
veyed some lines FOR a G. j Burns
aud Il. s. DC. McCour,, and stayed
all night with til. latter. Next morn
ing, the great day Of the American Ia.
dependence, in company with Mr..
MuCvurt aud others, we madc our way
up this beautiful stream, as it passes
along, gushing aud foaming over the
rocks, clear as tho crystal fountain rep.
resented 10 tho Bible-as much as TO
say its creator lives forcver.-I saw
vast quantities of saw.logs all along
this stream, which the citizens have cut
and rolled in for the Charleston Lum
Der aud Manufacturing Company. We
arrived safe at Addison, aud heard
Rev. WIN. DObbins, a Baptist Minister,
preach, after which lively timc en-
sued at our friend Peter Cogar's, 10 a
Cue little. celebration Of tho Fourth.
SOME Of the audience showed tigns Of
having imbibed Harris best; but ey.
crything passed oil poacOably and
quiet. Kelley Ben Iaurick, from up.
pearanccs. had on u little thu most
lie said he lived far up tho ELK, Sllere
ho could not get tue medicine in time,
and for iear OF beiag bitten by u snake,