Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1876-06-27
LBTTER FROM OAKLAND.
OAK1ANn. Nal June 1O. 1s16

OtlaI lS6NUHu lGSGGlOdl h1tCA Az AA0 bnlAA
month of June, the breath of summer was
sweet and tho scent of new mown hay
showered perfume Ger the land the young
onion also had begun to cast his scent with
Sampsonian power upon the noontide breeze.
lie arrived at Oakland as tired a specimen of
humanity Us over needed a cane, aud as cold
a one as ever wished for an overcoat-June at
home, December up here lamb and peas
there, roast beef and coal fires here. Says
Victor Hugo, "as we go up, we get cold"-
probably he had been to Oakland.
It was one o'clock in the morning, and with
q whole car to ourselves we sat shivering and
nodding when the conductor cried "Oklin,"
and We scattered ourself promiscuously out on
q platform, where no lantern, not even q dark
one, shed one ray of light to guide the wan
derers weary footsteps to a hotel; however,
some young Oaklander, returning from the
court, took US under his wing and over TO a
hotel, the New Glade House, (when you go
TO Oaklaod 90 West and board) where We
found g nice bed and an open crate ready to
receive us.
Oakland is built on the sides aud bottom of
a teacup, up on top Of the mountains. In the
morning. when the old man of the mountains
blows cold and frosty, on the edge of the tea
cup, Oakland shiVers and shakes; about 10
o'clock old Sol looks over the hills and smiles
hot and strong, and Oakland frizzles and
stcTs at the bottom of the teacup-at noon the
town boiis, at night it freezes. Twelve huns
dred mountaineers and mountainceresses and
their children make up tie sum total of the
population Of the teacup; for these only six
teen stores dispence the luxuries OF life, and
three bar-rooms the necessaries.
Five churches stick their steeplcs in the
blue SKY and seem to make holes there, 30
nCaE they look. OF these, the Memorial
Church is By far the most imposing, and looks
as though it had been hewn out of some vast
grey rock by the hand Of some giant sculptor.
This chnrcN was erected bg Mr.. Henry Gar
rctt, g 6rnther OF j. W. Garrett, cost $685.
coo, Nt nourse Oakland has a Mayor. Wo
had .Ha pleasure Of meeting him and found
out :hEt n followed Storewall, in the thirty
t}Ijgd ]'.s.A;a, From tho little time we
s~n-mGiu cfe burg %o formed the deliberate
opinion that Mayor Nnsuu Inns his hands full,
and Iha, his Office is no sinecure.
The Dext thing that struck our attention
was a eiste1n en- stills. Some inventive genius,
tired OF waiting on the clouds, had erected in
. his garteo a hogshead on stills, this, with a
gum pipe attachment made a good rain daily
in the garden. unaccompeniod by thunder and
lightning, but we suppose the owner of that
garden mentions both when he fills the hogs
head.
Then there is Mr.. Brooks, storekeeper and
fisherman, sthe only man who ever accom-
plIshed the wonderful feat of catching sixteen
bass On one heck at one pull in the Potomac.
Sixteen bass from 4 to II inches long on one
hook pulled out hnnd OYER hand at one haul,
this is youohed for by Mr.. Brooks himself,
who proved to US the truth Of the fish story
beyond the semblance of shadow Of c doubt.
Oakland has what Chariestown has not, and
that is q Literary Association and a fine pubs
tic library, containing about FIVE hundred
volumes; thrco hundred volumes having been
presented by President Garrett. 1t would DO
an excellent idea TO start one in Charlestown,
especially if we could get some healthy and
able bodied Il. Il. President to let US name il
after him.
Among tho pleasant people We met at this
elevated town was DR.. Bartlett, another rebel,
q friend OF Pat Claiborne and Gen. Hindman,
q Cuban by birth. Tho DR.. combines the
warmth of the South with tho GOODNESS of
Oakland, and while mixing the powders and
pills sugar coats them with the smiles and
jokes Of the genial and jovial Doctor call of
20 olden time"
We started, however, to write about the
Vsst Hotel that O Charlestown contractor has
jus: finished for the B. 4 o. r. X. at this
point.
When, in December last, Mr.. Holmes COM
menoe3 to get his material on the ground for
this immense structure, and contracted to
finish it by the 18th of June, Oakland know
ing tho SHOWS and blows that come 80 pro-
fuscly and with such an awful suddenness on
its head, arose in q body and said "he couldn't
= = q y IL
winds blew" on that house day after day and
week after week, bets were offered and taken
al big odds that the contract could not be
compiled with, but energy aud perseverance,
and push and pluck braved all storms, and on
tho I2.h OF June the Hotel was completed.
Rir. Holmes deserves great credit not only
for the workmanlike manner in which this
hercuicaa task has been completed, but for
the way in which he has thrown himself as it
were square IL the face offs thousand obstacles
and conquered them all.
The Hotel stands up on the side of a hill
whore il catches all the brcczcs and misses
tho hot sunshine hat pours down into the
town bciog.
The main building is one hundred and
oighty-one feet long, with three wings each
~Gtty>tiga feet by twcnty>cight; it contains in
all one hundred and fifty rooms, neat, airy
aud comfortable, hot and cold wator, and gas
all over the house.
The Architect, probably remembering the
aarTtt Of his chiIdhood's home, has provided
a chsliEcu's play room ; it is only the old
fashioned garrett moderated aud improved,
Hhe=2 ~ r1ildEon Of this advanced age can
rgH-: 3! <..... tsartz content.
"a>::G cae Nolai in ri lis arrangements,
It : IT." 49, tsc,Gcc home for a tired man,
= '.-s- CIT eau Tcst. and rest easy. with
- L. e<-.Iaf,5 II life around him, and a
place Sf:,ro v.ntrr ilngsTs in tile lap of sum-
Hlor unt.t the ncEt winteg comes sEong.
Tic g5e~!dlng genius Of this Summer
Hone Is Mr.. John Daily, manager of the