Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1875-10-02
ORR CORRESPONDENCE.
West Virginia Letter.

WHEELING, w. VA, SEPT. 2OTn, 1870.
The "captal question is decided, at
least for the present, and Wheeling Is the
seat of government of this State. Inc
oucst;on of the constitutionality OF the re-
moyal bill having come before the Court
of Anprals they decided unanimously that
the law was in due form, giving damages
aruins, the in,unctionists OF Charleston lof
,hc delay AID obstruction OF the removal
of the archives A boat has now been sent
to transport all the public property to this
Mace and here will be the capitfl OF West
VIRGINIA until another Legislature again
starts it on its pcripatetc course. Inc
probabilities are that i'll each separate SEES
sion of the Solons the halls Of legislation
will resound with arguments on TINS same
question until Gabriel sounds the general
assembly. Indeed, it would not be surprls-
ing if the opening notes of his bug!c breaks
in ON the harangue of some Cicero pro-
claiming the pros. and cons OF some point
other than Wheeling, or wherever the seat
of government then may be, looking TO-
ward its relocation.
The foundation of the new capitol build
inc-to be built by Whecling-is in fair
state of erection. On Saturday the Mason.
ic fraternity laid the corner stone. All
Wheeling had a holiday; everybody was
on the streets Tie parade was a grand
affair. Masons, public officers, the fire de-
partmcnts and a host of citizens made a
procession of over Il mile in length. The
ceremonies were conducted by Hon. Robert
White of Romney, w. Va, G. M. of the
State. Aud now, since the corner stone is
laid and the capital question is decided, let
us lay by the subject and think OF some
thing else.
Business here is very dull for the time Of
year, although, compared with other parts
of the State, it is good. The foundrics,
nail mills and glass furnaces, are work
ing every day and find sale for their pro-
ducts, although nails are lower now than
ever before known. The wholesale mcr-
chants are making book sales with pros
peel of better times in the near future. The
provision market is well supplied and
prices are good.
There arc many historical places in and
about Wheeling. Your readers have no
doubt read about the Indian that hid in a
hole in rock among the bushes and gave
turlley-cals until some incautious pale face
came hunting for turkey, aud got his scalp
taken. Finally, howeyer-'hc story has it
Lew Wetzel, n noted Indian fighter of
that day, discovered the trick aud shot the
rcdskin in his ambush. The scene of this
story is just outside the corporation limits
of Wheeling. l went to see it. | climbed
up into the identical hole in the rock where
the Indian sat and carefully examined the
situation and the ground TO see if in his
death struggle he perchancc. had dropped
any loose change from his jacket pockets
but it was all vanity and vcNation of spirit
Too many chaps had been there ahead of
me for that
have also visited the historical spot of
'McCulloch's leap" renowned in Indian
history. Ii is also within sight of this city
and personal inspection of the ground takes
great deal from the story. Instead Of
McCGlloch's leaping his horse over cliff
OF yocAs to escape the Indian, he simply
had TO ride him down a steep hillside The
ground is too steep, of course, for any one
10 deliberately ride down on II pleasure ex
.c,,rsion yet it is nothing like the scene Civ
en- in the pictures Of that event.
The old fort STOOD here and was the nu-
clcus around which Wheeling was built
p~riuya s;esc by the Indians Miss Zane