Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1875-07-10
REMINIsCEN Noes.
WRITTEN FOR THE aAKTissBuRe rxDxPEsprsT
BY BERKELEY BOY.
Printers Blunders, with Notable
sample.

sample.
In my last chapter the com posi-
tor who had the takev of that
part OF my manuscript in which ]
alluded to my purchase into the
Baltimore Saturday Visiter,v-
/ for was only half owner at first
inflicted an annoyance which i
have frequently encountered since
that journal went out Of existence
by mergement into the old Ma
tional Era This was in setting
"Visiterp with an COZ instead OF
an &C." A journal, no more than
its owner, should ever be spell
ed out of its chosen name. For
paper names there is no rule of or
biography. But. the truth is, the
founder of the sVisiter,' in spelling
the name with an e. only follow
cd a quite common usage of that
earlier day. When see it spelled
Visitor" / confess to the weak
ness of being made nervous. The
most noticeable circumstance of
this last calling of it out of its
name, was that / took pains to in
terline the letter e. to make sure
| of getting il printed right, where
as it met the usual fate.
Now, if the foregoing should
seem, to the general reader, as
much ado about a small matter, IL
only remains to call attention to
the fact that the history of the
struggle to preserve the identity
Of my unfortunate adopted child,
the "Visiter," is itself a reminis-
cence. And this recalls what was,
perhaps, one of the most remarka-
BILE instances of the interference of
compositors, or proof-readers, with
the texts of contributors, conceiv-
able. / will put it on record.
In the month of January, 1852,
| j think it was, the then President
of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road, the Hon. Thomas Swami, got
up an excursion to celebrate the
arrival of the first train of cars by
that line az Wheeling. Some of
the tunnels not being completed,
there was temporary zig-zag
track laid across the mountains in
the neighborhood Of the unfinish-
ed tunnels, and they were scaled
with what is known amongst en-
gineers as the "Y." A snow hav-
ing covered the Alleghanies, the
trip, which was participated in by
about 500 invited guests, became a
very romantic and sensational one.
Whenever one of the different sec
tons into which the train had been
divided commenced backing OBJ
liquely, in accordance with the
plan adopted, a panic seized not a
small number Of the passengers,
who felt as if about to be dashed
to pieces. Hence they preferred to
walk through the snow to remain
ing in the cars. AS the various
sections were espied, by turns, now
far above, now far below the pc
destrians, the scene was wildly
picturesque and exciting indeed.
The weather became very cold
during our return trip. Ours be-
ing a special train had to wait he, e
and there for the passage ofregu-
lar trains, on the finished portions
of the road. The excitement, loss
of rest, and over-feasting and
overdrinking at Wheeling, where
a great dinner was given by the
city authorities, had greatly de-
fbilitated most of the party, while
causing not a few to catch fearful
colds. Consequently several of the
elderly men gave their lives for
the compliment of having been in
cluded among the invited guests,
dying as they did, soon after our
return to Baltimore, of diseases
attributed to the fearful exposure
they had undergone.
When l arrived on the return
trip at the North Mountain sta
ton. feeling that / had about as
much of a cold as 1 could bear,
comparatively young and vigorous
though | was then, j slipped from
the train, during the night. and
made my way up to Hedgesville,
where / found comfortable quart
ers at a sisters home.
That was a trip across he noun
tains, which stands out in fearful
contrast With all of its predecessors
or successors in my experience,
although i have made the trip in
| three modes and many times, in
GLIDING conveyance over Mr.. Gar
rett's admirably equipped and
marveloasly safe road, by horse
back, and by the memorably per-
ilous old-fashionea stage coach,
during the winter. Then the
wheels sometimes. found mainly
sheets of ice, and not enough Of
friction to turn them, for miles to-
gether, so that they became as
sIeigh-runners instead Of coach
| wheels. This was during the
| ..coxA 1000 aNA 1000 otkns. l s,raa