The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1874-10-06
Written for The Spirit Of Democracy.] q.
LETTER FROM WEST VIRGINIA.

~ -----A 'vfpE III E'p~t, .
WEST UNION, W. Va, Sept. "a, 1874
Ed. SPIRIT: The political kettle has
been gotten up to quite a boiling heat
lover here, although the only candidates
for whom we Have the privilege of So-
ting are for'Members of Congress, State
Senator and Honse, of Delegates. -r o.
For Congress we have on the track, as
Democratic candidate, COL, Benz. Wilson,
Iof Harrison County! who in my9epinion
is gentleman, and lawyer celebrated
| in the practice ofohis7 profession. His
opponent, Gen. Nathan Goff,. who re-
fleets the Republican views of this. dis
trict, would receive great wrong at my
thands wste4sto4say sless fer.sliim than
for Col. Wilson. In fact they are both
gentlemen of;the firstiwaterdt .i1afyJ -
The issues of IA national eharacterl be-
fore our5people, and upon Jwhiehrwe are
called to decide between our, candidates
for Congress, are the questions fof the
"Givil Rights Bib and q the currency
question: Upehthe first / believe there
isIn6 difereneeof opinion, both candi !,
dates opposing it, as, do the people of
this! district, without regard, ito! parity
And the only difference of opinion / can
learn as to the second,is as to the means
of accomplishing the same end ,cyiz: the
our volume, Of carrency.,trI /
I iam Informed that Col. Wilson ,fayors an
increase, of the, volume of greenbaeks,
while Gen, Goff, according to- my infori
| nation, ,faForsr the removal Of the restric,,
ition as,to the amount of National Bank
Notes, giving US free banking system,
the issue to be securad by deposit. And
so far as haye been oahhFto learn Gen.
Goff appears to reflect the views of the
people; Of, the district, and we believe he
will be elected; for in addition, TO the
above, ,our local affairs are in such y con,
1dition, through blind partisahshiip, as 'tsoS
cause a strong and determined opp6si-
ton to the Dsmo ocratic party oyef here,
for at least the time being. For INSTANCE,
the psoRIs arss opposed to our og present saH
refstfhs g Uur Hofhesteaa Exemption
so framed thaN tks popr y4an fappot
availlhibself of those heheffs hdekpetts
toderive from such g. Handicapped
|tGhaNeIs joiut tacsssiqnI 4ereYtginory
row. the sqbstapce, Of which ! may try
anG write you afterwards. y
Last evening about s O'clock the. two.
trains which pass here I. at about that
hour, collided at Smithton, about three,
miles east Of this place. THE, ngfnes but.
ting square, the one. against the other,,
which reduced: them very nearly into.
their. original elements and quite 80, SO
far as breaking them to- pieces lis con
cerned. The baggage car and U. s..
Tostal car of the West. bound train were
burned, and the. US mails en- route
west ,but that is a small affair when com
pared to the burning Of a man who was
on duty in the. postal car and unable to
escape, the flames. making such rapid
progress that one who rushed into the
car to. rescue the wounded man came
near sharing the same. fate. just imag-
inc yourself. to be in such situation as
to be unable to do anything forthe relief
Of fellow-mortal, .writhing, groaning in
the flames, and before your eyes being,
consumed to ashes! Four besides 1.-THE
nlanewho was burned were somewhat Sc.
riously injured, but not dangerous)M1d
believe, and some received slight scratch
es only. / arrived upon. the ground in
about an hour after. the accidents but the
light of the burning cars could, be seen
yet for considerable distance, aud upon
looking around and making inquiries, by
which I gained the intelligence give
you above, the impression forced itself
upon my mind that Railroad Companies
were very culpab!e in this, that they per-
nit that fruitful source of mischief, car
bon oil, to be used for Illuminating pur,
poses on their trains, and, for 50 con-
stsucting the ears in which the business
| OF the train is transacted, that in case, Of
accident there is no possible escape, not
even a window deserving tie dignity Of
the name. Nor do they carry, axes, or
anything else, by Which tie side Of ear
could be torn away in case d man Should
become imprisoned, that he could not es-
|cape by way IF the doors ataeRkes ehd.
| bfnundertande that ilno one is blamed
for the collision, as. everything WAS done
that could be to prevent it,but the entire
catastrophe was caused by the failure of
the patent airsAsqkA ,t3seperate in its
usual efficient manner. -noly GASE9H, III
1 - . aS-f-' W ~ - 'b'' .SOS