Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1875-01-16
OUR TRIP TO CHARLES
TON.
PARKERsBURG, w. VA,
January 10, 1875.

Messrs Editors
We got & good send eff. The
Chicago Express was on time at
Martinsburg Friday night last IAN d
Logan and | stepped aboard at 2
A. NJ; a good mild atmosphere
prevailing. Two eeping berths
were procured and we had a Coma
Portable trip to Parkersburg, where
we landed at twelve u clock-noon
We here exchanged our comforta-.
BILE surroundings in the car for an
omnibus trip to to the hotel, thro'
a bleak northwest wind, whose
every blast freZs an icicle before it
passed your lips. The first gust
that struck Logan as he alight ed
from the car, made him look white,
and discovering the negro porter
from the hotel, half smothered in
furs, he, in half whisper, for fear
his words would freeze before they
reached the darkey, inquired,
no VS. the river ?" :" No show.
boss, dis week." replied the Afri-
can, as he showed US into the
coach, throwing some old lady's
handbook astride of my new hat,
and then jumping in, he slammed
the door TOO and ordered his COM
panion OBJ the box to go ahead
Five minutes after the coach drew
up at the hotel door and we alight-
ed in full view of the river. There
were steamboats, crowded together
at the wharf a dozen deep, and
the whole surface of the river, as
far as you could see, was filled
with floating ice, up off which blew
"a bitter cold wind, that was every
moment freezing the cakes into a
solid mass. Logan nearly tainted
at the sight, for be it remembered,
that we had already travelled near
ly three hundred miles, and nearly
two hundred miles of this floating
ice, every moment becoming more
shapely and destructive to navige-
ton, was between us and Charles
ton. helped him into the house,
gave him a little hot water to stay
his stomach, and he registered our
names, while / undertook to drive
bargain with the landlord to keep
us at half, price until navigation
opened, agreeing to advocate the
removal of the capital to Parkers-
burg for the reduction. The land
lord didn't seem inclined to trade
his victuals for our influence, and
looked about to get Logan's adj
vice, and found him in the midst
of a group of men near the stove,
all of whom looked as though they
had just come from their mother
in-law's funeral. joined the par
ty to listen to the conversation,
which lulled little as / drew up
my chair. Finally one old chap,a
cross-eyed member of the House,
from one of the back counties, who
hadn't been "out' before for three
years, squirted stream of tobacco
juice out from under heavy NOUS
taehe, whose original color was
grey, but was now black from the
manipulations of the BARRIERS art.
A good part of the juice lit on Lo-
gan's best pants, but the member
never minded the damage, and
turning to the venerable Mr.. Price
from Greenbrier county, now can
didate for Senator, said: " Cover
nor, Il reckon We'll have to go 10th
er way" at the same time Begin
ming to count his fingers to ascer-
tain the increased mileage the long
route would bring him. " Seven
hundred and twenty miles at ten
cents a mile" he soliquized, lis
$72,' and a smile broke over his
ruddy countenance as he saw the
ice still gathering; " More money
than l have had for year" Mr..
Price quickly nudged Col. Ben.
Smith for his opinion about it -
This gentleman was trying to take
quiet nap in his chair next to
him, and at the same time of the
inquiry, was dreaming that he was
on the Emma Graham" bound
for Charleston. The shake aWoke
him too suddenly, and he jumped
to his feet shouting, Governor,
she has struck snag." Hon. Okey
Johnson another candidate for the
Senatorship, calmed his agitation
by explaining the inquiry Of Gov.
Price. 81 don't believe she will
break up before spring." he an
swered, and again squared himself
for nap. Slack, U. S. Marshal,
then gave his experience in river
matters, as did Gen. Golf, u. S.
District Attorney. Hodgson of the
Morgan Mercury, told what he
knew about navigation. Part of
the crowd here went out to take
a drink, and it being election day,
had to hunt back door. The 9th.
ers dezed about the stove, while |
asked the clerk how could send q
despatch to Charleston. Go right
across the way, he answered, 1.-THE
route il via San Francisco, and the
- n 4 n