The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-12-18
WHEELING CUSTOM HOUSE.
The History Of Our Port Of
Entry Concluded.
The so,nss and Incidents Con.
nsOtod With lie Occupation
During Tho War.


These DO "Stirring timeS," IL ftly said
Of the period at which We again find our
selves at the Port Of Wheeling. The
financial crash Of 1867 had come, and, as
Il we're, gone, scarcely scRthing anything
hereabouu. The John Brown tragedy
had stirred the deepest depths Of prinCi.
pie, as we'll @ faction; clouds Of discon'
tent had gathered and dissolved; fierce
political rivalry and sectional Jealousy
had embittered one portion Of our coun-
Try against another; Kansas, bleeding but
resasCitated, had Graded and raised TO
manhood party OF progress; but still
the work Of our Custom House building
had gone peacefully on, aud Messrs. Stew.
arts, Schedule l. Co, the contractors, had
completed the same at a cost Of over
eighty.iOur (S4) thousand dollars; and
now II was occupied by the officials, Gen.
)Ss.tsh F. Feeney, as Postmaster, and A..
J. Pannel, Surveyor, Thos. J. Carbon and
H. NJ. Phillips, sen, as Local Inspectors
Of Steam Vessels
The month Of April, 1851, had brought
the "roll Of the stirring drum" to many
pAru Of our land but not to this neigh
bOthood; and lest the events which fol.
low should obscure those which are gone,
letit be understood that A. J. PANEL,
Esq, had continued to be the Surveyor Of
Customs here during the two administra.
tions Of "Pierce" and buchanan" and
hsd seen the Port In tho zenith Of its
prosperity, II the importation Of mer-
chAndiSe was to be the principal business,
The steamboat business had maintain
edR lair proportion OF its former self,
even thoug ID the finished railway commu.
nicatious east aud west, as we'll as north
and south Of us, had made the running
OF passenger steamers up and down the
Ohio river :almost losing business. SO
that but few we're willing to embark in
so hazardous an enterprise. Hence the
list Of vessels belonging TO the port be-
came lees and less; and as only pSSsen.
ger steamers then paid their inspection
fees TO the Custom officers, the consequent
recei pts Tor both that and the marine
hospital service were small; the latter be.
ing less than six hundred dollars per an
mum.
About the middle Of May, 1851, Mr.
PANEL appears to haved dated the last en-.
rollment Issued by him, and his successor,
Thomas Hornbrook, Esq issued his first
about the middle Of the July following.
War was now under full tide; the Au.
thorities Of the 70 organized State Of
Virginia had begun their work. The full
list Of United States officers provided for
ut the Wheeling Custom House were
Thomas Hornbrook, Surveyor Of Gus.
toms, and OK 0(EiciO Collector and Gus.
todian Of Public Building; yourseif, Mr..
Editor, as Postmaster; Hiram Young and
the late Edward W. Stephens E.q., as
Local Inspectors under steamboat lave;
Hons. ]. ]. Jackson. it., Judge; Jasper
Y. Moore, Clerk; Edward NJ. Norton,
Marshal, and BEN amin II. Smith, Attor-
ney Of the United States District Court,
Western District Of Virginia.
Although peace had determined the
duueS Of the Customs officer here to be
the collection Of import duties, Marine
Hospital fund, and steamboat inspection
fees, together with tho issuing Of enroll.
ments and licenses 10 vessels, besides be-
ing Custodian Of United States property,
yet the exigenCieS OF war demanded 4
Supervision Of trade and travel, and tha
supervision required "AidS to the Reve.
nue." who were consequently attached TO
: the port and authorized under the direc
ton Of it's chief to supervise the trade Of
this State and it, surroundings for the
public good.
Tho reorganized State of Virginia
found an upper wing Of the United States,
beneath which it could bid defiance 10
the storm Of adverse circumstances that
now surrounded it, and the officers thereof,
with the consent Of Mr.. Hornbrook, &C.
cupied, first IA hall for the State Con-
yention, the U. s. Court room, and second
as balls for the Legislature, the U. S.
Court room and his own official business
room, and third the State officers, Gov
ernor, Secretary OF State, Adiutant Cen
eral, Treasurer Of State and Auditor OF
State were conSecutively ranged from
South 10 North on the east side Of the
second floor Of the building, and they
there remained until the advent Of the
new State Of West Virginia.
How easily the brain traces its pic.
tures. A thought crosses the mind and
up looms the pOrtly form Of the Govern
or, the clean shSven face Of the Secre.
tary, the dark thoughtful brow Of the
Adjntant General, the jovial features OF
the Treasurer and the wearled look OF
the Auditor.
The necessities Of the war had we'll
nigh converted the Custom House iuto
an arsenal. Mr.. Hornbrook, the Survey.
or, was also acting Military storekeeper
to Gov. F. d, Pierpoint, Of the restored
government Of Virginia, in the distribu.
tion Of United States supplies 10 the vol
unteers for tho U. s. Army, "a well as
agent for His E1cellency in the care and
keeping OF stores belonging to the militia
ofthe State. And as the dangers OF the
timeS rendered 1t inexpedient 10 take the
arms and ammunition beyond the city
limits Tor long time, tons Of those con-
Hinciug arguments in war found safe
and convenient place Of deposit within the
Custom House walls, the irst receipt OF
which was one hundred boxes (200O
guns) from Governor Andrews, Of Nassa.
ehusettS, to Mr.. Hornbrook, for the use
Of the loyal people of Westsru Virginia.
The courtesy Of Captains Young and
Stephens, the Local Inspectors Of that
date, was also brought into requisition
andth United States Paymas,crs depart.
ment was allowed TO occupy their room
In the northwest corner, on the second
aoor Of the building, and the Inspectors
attended 10 their office business in the Sd
story, and in room under the control OF
tho United States Marshal, while the
care OF Mr.. Hornbrook for the public
veal induced him 10 give up his office
vault for the paymaster'a use.
Thus We fad matters at the Custom
House in 1852, and as we run along TO the
close Of the war, and call up the faces
OF PaymasterS, McPhail, Pumphrey,
Allison (now Register OF the U. s. Treas.
ury) Doddridge, Stafford, &C., &c., and
bring to mind those elerks-McPhAil,
AlliSou, Van Setback, So, a pressure Of
years Seems to bear upon the mind.
Speaking Of the vault and the storage
therein OF moneys belonging 10 the pay
masters, reminds US Of several circum.
stances which will illustrate the timeI and
their dangers.
Mr.. Hornbrook, uS military store.
keeper" for Governor Pierpoint, occupied
the second story, and part Of the frat, in
the building OF VIM, Paxton, ESQ, at the