The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-06-16
OUR PARKERsBCRG LETTER.
PARKERsBURG, June l3, 1874.

|
Editors OF the Register.
In my last endeavored TO give you a
short dissertation on the weather, crops
and politics, in this to tell you some-
thing OF our court proceeding, oil inter-
ests, etc.
The spring term Of our Circuit Court,
Judge Jas. NJ. jackson presiding, COM
menced on the lst inst, and has been
devoted up to this time, almost exclu-
sively, to the trial oi criminal cases
The grand jury was in session about
three days and found about thirty in
dictments, most OF them for violations
OF the liquor law. The crusaders
here have come 10 the conclu-
sion that the cause Of temperance can
best be advanced by rigid enforce.
ment OF the present liquor law, aud are
constantly on the alert and bringing to
trial all oHenders.
One man, John Cain. has been tried
and convicted on two indictments, on t
for selling to O minor and the other tor
selling on Sunday. Mr.. Cain Was ably
defended by Messrs. Okey johnson. D.
H. Leonard and w. s. Sands, and on
the trial OF the last indictment for sell
ing on Sunday, these gentlemen based
their defense upon the grounds that as
the low now stands, it ID no offence
to sell on Sunday. They contepded
that the new law repealed all former
laws upon the subject, aud that as there
is no provision tohdtever in The nsV ta,o in
regaad to selling on SUNDAY. oil course
II Is no offence and no indictment will
lie. These gentlemen made very able
and ingenious arguments in support OF
their positions, as did also j. B. Jack
son, ESQ, the States Attorney, on the
othe er side. The Judge did not
concur with these gentlemen in
their view OF the law, and Mr. Cam
was convicted by the jury, but at the
request OF his counsel. sentence was
suspended until the case could be taken
up to the Court OF Appeals.
The points involved 10 this case are
certainly very interesting, and will ma
terially affect those who are engaged In
the traffic.
The criminal docket WAS very large.
and almost every case that has been
tried furnishes an illustration ot the
baneful effects OF drunkeuuees.
Two young men have been convicted
and sentenced to tbe penItentIary for
cutting and stsbbing persons while un-
der the influence OF drink. The Col
ored brethren and sisters" have furn-
ished their full quota TO the crinlns'
docket and two ladies OF color have
been tried ard convicted oi grand lar
ceny.
The hard times" seems 10 affect our
city more seriously than any other 10
the State. The merchants and buT
ness men generally, complain bitterly
OF the scsrcity OF money and the'v
inability TO make collections
The proprietor OF one OF the
largest establishment in the city, rec
marked in our hearing, q few days
since, that he could not collect money
enough TO meet the current expenses oI
his store.
The low price OF oil has done much
to PROSTATE business have been iu
formed that nearly, if not quite. all the
oil wells ct Volcano and Burning
Spriugs have been stopped. Toe mar
ket price is so low that it will not pay
the actual expenses Of OF prodnctloh
This depression 10 the price OF oil. hsi
. also operated very unfortuns,eI,
, lor''us here, by causing the suspension
OF all but three out Of thirteen or four
teen oil r.6oeries, and consequently ba:
thrown ou; oi employment large nun
Der OF men.
Speaking Of oil and oil refueries, re
minds me OF g pleasant visit made
. short time since, to the largest at
probably the best appointed refinery II
this State, il not 10 the United States
that OF Messrs. J. y. Camden Il Co
) As there NAV be sone OF your reader
t who are unacqusiuted with the proces
OF converting the dark, mui
{ dy. oderous crude oil lot,
L. clear, colorless, oderless burning fluid
I propose 10 finish this letter with a.
account o. my visit and OF the mode o
r manufacturing kerosene oil,
D The refinery and barrel factory con
G nected .sith it are located On the Littl
q Kauswha river, just without tie cor
!, porste limits OF the city, and occup
E about sixteen acres Of ground. whic
= is divided into about two equal partI
J. by the Baltimore and Ohio Rsilroa
d passing through it, which affords ther
t remarkable facilities for receiving an
T. shipping freight
3 The oil used for dis,illation 10 fror
IS TO As degrees in gravity. 1t is fri
put into stills varying in size from on
hundred and fifty 10 four hundred bal
rels. The stills owned by THE cou
psny are OF q different eonstructio
q from any used in this section Of couu
o try. Instead OF the old fashioned cuu
. berous goose neck outlets, they bs'
g fifteen large pipes lesdirg from the tc
le OF the still into large wooden coDdsr
II ser, which 10 about 100 ieet lon
d IS feet wide and . feet dee
d filled with cold water pump,
from the river at the rate Of about tv