The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-07-01

Gen. GRANTS Visit to Charleston.
A Cordial Reception Speech from
Col. Ben. Smith.
Especial to the N. Z. Herald
CHARIEsToN, W. Va, June ~, IA.
The Presidential party, conslstiug Of
the President, Mrs. Grant and maid, and
DR.. Norris, left the White Springs this
morning In the palace car in which they
came, but by the regular express train on
the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad, and ar.
rived here at three P. NJ. On the way
crowds had assembled at several stations
and thronged round the car to get q look
at the President. At Hinton the crowd
was very large, and Mrs. Grant, observing
a very.beautiful: young lady, a brunette,
asked Col. Whitcomb, the Chief Engineer
Of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad, to
present her with a boquet which she
handed him. The Colonel gallAntly ten
dered the flowers, and the young lady &C.
cepted them, blushed, returned her thanks
and felt as proud and happy as II she had
been made q duchess.
Colonel Whitcomb was astonished at
the thorough knowledge General Grant
had Of the geography Of the country,
though this was his first visit, and he
found him conversant with all the great
mineral resources Of this section.
AMONG TIE GENTLEMEN INTRODUCED
on the way was the ex. Confederate Gen
eral McCauSland, with whose name the
President smllingly expressed himself
rather familiar, and all the presentations
that took place were received with the
utmost cordially on the part Of the, Presi.
dent and lady, and ] heard OF no one who
did not gosway most favorably impressed
with both.
It Is universally conceded that this visit
will accomplish not only great deal OF
good for the two Virginias, but Tor the en-.
tire South, as It has resulted in establish.
ing on firm basis the most friendly feel
ing between the President and the South.
ern people. On the arrival Of the party
here
A GRAND OVATION
was rendered them. They were met by
Colonel Swan, the Presidents cousin, and
his wife, and, when seated In carriages,
were driven to the river bank and taken
across on the ferry. The high bluffs
overhsnging the river on the opposite side
were crowded with spectators, and as
soon as the ferryboat had moved of q ga
lutte Of artillery, accompanied by cheers,
thundered welcome over the water, the
echoes Of which rang along through the
stiffness Of the surrounding mountains.
When the party had disembarked they
were driven to the Hale House, in front Of
which the carriages containing the party
seemed to be halted by the large con-
course Of people. A tall mulatto woman
at this juncture rushed up, seized the
Presidents hand, shook it violently, and
lavished the most extravagant expressions
oi endearment upon him. As soon as the
crowd became sill Colonel Smith, q ven.
crable lawyer-his age being seventy six
and esteemed citizen, with his white
hair shining in the rays Of hot sun, ad-
vanced, and after introducing himself,
said:-
Address OF WELCOME.
Afr. PreSident-I am deputed by the cit.
izens OF Charleston to tender 10 you our
sincere welcome to this city. The name
Of Grant Is not Of recent origin among the
people Of Kanawha. For fifty years the
name has been as familiar as household
words. Since the year 1906 TO the pres.
ent time the great business Of the country
has been the manufacture Of salt, which
has often been subjected to almost ruin.
Gus depreasions, and Ia no instance so
alarmingly as In 1926. Insolvency then
threatened the entire community, when
Peter Grant, your worthy uncle, deter.
mined TO redeem the county from its most
hopeless condition. This he did by dc.
voting not less than three months Of un.
ceasing labor to the formation OF the
company Of Armstrong, Grant & Co., for
the purpose OF buying the salt Of the coun.
ty for the term OF three years at a price
greatly In advance Of former rates. This
company was managed chiefly by James
Hewett, who, in the year 1895, married
the daughter Of Peter Grant and became
leading and promising member OF the
firm. The business Of this company was
most skilliuly and honestly managed by
Mr.. Hewett At the end Of the time Of
that company the people were relieved Of
their embarrassments and the country left
In q most prosperous condition. Alter
this Mr.. Hewett was leader In and proiec.
tor Of many other enterprises which re.
suited most fortunately Tor the people OF
Kanawhs county.
We regard, therefore, Peter Grant and
James Hewett as benefactors, and hold
them in afectionate remembrance. In
this connection I regard 1t as emineAtly
proper to refer to the fact that while you
are here to visit your relatives, that Mrs.
Hewett, the widow Of James Hewett, an
amiable and accomplished lady, returns
after an absence Of forty years, without
concert with you, to this, her early home,
for the same purpose-she from New Or
leans, you from Washington. This unex.
pected meeting cannot fail greatly to en-
hance the pleasures Of your visit To your
highly respected and worthy relatives oil
Kanswha county. Having been 80 emf
nenty the 6snNttdrieS OF your family in
former days, II may be said that an sppli.
cation for further iavors from the same