The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-12-13
Some Interesting "Reminiscences
Of His Career In this City.
Ponr.MourH, O,, December lO.

ulu NOT bec your ANIELLl0ENCAh uuI'
ins tho Centennial year, nor do | sup.
pose shall at the next Centennial, for ]
am beginning to look back as they say
old men do, and find in my memory many
incidents that amuSe me and may some Of
your readers; but II begin to write Of
them | fear they may run too lenG.
Here arc afew: Some OF your readers
may remember when the stages ran from
Wheeling TO Frederick, sometimes TWEEN.
" day each way, and half as many
west. No one could 90 anywhere with
out going through Wheeling. Indeed,
stranger once stopping at tavern 10 St.
Clalrsville, and asking the route to vast
number Of places, in various directions,
was told 10 go to Wheeling and take the
National road or river up or down. Get
ting irritated at the repetition, he asked
"Ii Il wish To go to hi which route shall
/ takep "Well Wheeling, guess, is
about tho nearest route" There was
much gambling and other siufulnOSS
there in bygoue days-YowknoW.
- WHEELING FORTY YEARs AGO.
Although the city was not tenth as
large forty years ago as II is now, yet
Wheeling was more widely known then
than now, when her nails and glass 60
everywhere. Rusde, the great land Ad.
miral," was the leading figure then. Hc
had no education, but he owned more
stage lines than any other man in the
country al one time. When be was about
failing took bill OF SCI TO him. He
had nothing 10 pay with except horse
he would give nc for 1t. lie said the
boys had been plaguing him and got him
TO kicking little. | went TO the stable
and found him lively looking chunk Of
horse, took him and gave a receipt in full,
taking him up to McConnels stable. l
told Mr.. Nc. he kicked some and no had
better be careful. AS l was going from
him both heels went by my head with
Whiz. ! had been in my Office but a few
minutes when Mr.. Nc. came running in,
his hair standing up in all directions, and
stummeripg out, "come and take that
horte nway or he will kick my stable
down in an hour" / took him TO Mr..
McCourtncy, who said he would cure
him. He kept him for two weeks with
his tail tied up TO beam so that his hind
legs scarce touched the floor, but when he
let him down be made up for lost time.
! offered him ut auction, but the auc.
iioneer dared not ride him. 4 reckless
fellow offered to do it for triAe, and !
tried him twice; but having to keep nt u
distance from everybody there were no
bids until Mr.. McCourtney bid SIS. His
bill was $40, and the other expenses were
81 Is, 30 | kept76 coats, mostly cash.
JOHN M. CLARKE, TIE LOTTERY DEALER.
John NJ. Clarke was the Lottery deal.
er for many years, and made great deal
Of money at II; but he was too fond Of all
kinds Of games and lost about as fast "a
he made It. did great deal OF print.
ing for him. One rainy day was pass.
ing his Office and he called me to come in.
It was very dull and he wanted me to
play game with him; told him Edid not
know how. Why, you can play euchre !?
mol Old sledge? No! Brag? Mo-!
Chess? mol What can you play, Check
ersS Well yes, lPIayeds little at check.
era when boy. Well, let me beat you
once We played. He played accord
ing to Hoyle, as he said; but | beat him.
You can't do that again. Beat him Rn-
ally the third time. He Jumped up and
kicked over the board, exclailning "Iou
move SO id awkwardIy; no man I'M
der heavens can beat you.'
Clarke used 10 have Eastern exchange
for sale, and one day I met his brother
Albert who came up to ME very Beedy
and seriously, and asked earnestly il |
could tell him where he could get some
Eastern funds2 l told him John N.
probably had some. Well, can you tell
me where eau get the Western 10 buy it
with? twas the frat time had been
sold in that way, and was too sore 10
laugh. Albert went to San Francisco
where he read the Times at Tallants
banking house. He wrote home, "If you
kill Wharton and open him You will find
railroad iron enough to lay track from
Cumberland to Wheeling"
A HIGH WATER RENINIsoERoE.
In the spring of 1886 l boarded at tho
old frame us. Hotel on Water street.
The ice had broken up with flood, and
when 1 went to bed the ice and water
were but about four feet from the steps OF
the house. What trouble there was at
such times in getting the passengers and
mails acrosaI Sometimes they were de-
taiued for days. Now, you have two
bridges instead Of our little ferry. Well,
in the night 1 was awakened by noise
Of tramping below, and thinking The river
had suddenly risen into the houSe, moved |
my boots in hurry; went down and it
proved skiff had come across from the
Island with the letter mail and a passen.
ger or two. Invent to the open door and
looked ont. The scene was one OF the
gtandest ever looked on. The steam.
boats doomed up over us dark and grand
az the speotreS OF the storm. The ice
was swept past us and went grating on
the frozen shore and against the boats,
and together with harsh, hoarse sound,
mingled with which was their heavy thud
as they were driven on each other 10 their
fierce march 10 their death fields in the
sunny south. Tall trees, with their roots,
were thrown upward, floating with u
splash and groan as Of the wounded
spirits Of the mighty waters, swept along
the current, while tho spray, whitened BY
the moon just struggling through q path.
way in the eastern clouds, flew up toward
the dark and Sombre western skies.
AN ECCENTRIC CELEBRITY.
All these formed a scenc that made us
feel that we could "see God in the clouds
and hear him in the wind" Just then
little weaEen faced figure came siding up
to tho door and shaking his fist toward |
heaven called down the depth OF dAmna.
tion upon the river and all that belonged |
to It. l looked at the register and there
found him registered, Robert J. Walker,
Mississippi, Senator Of the U. s. He
called, then, to know II the stage was
ready, asst was important that he should
be in Washington. He had been ap.
pointed to Gil vacancy. On inquiry it
was shown that he had arrived on tho
Island, and stormed and clustered until
the guard and ferryman took skill 10
the upper end Of the Island and succeed
ed, at the risk Of their lives, in landing
at the mouth OF the creek. While com.
ing over he was handling purse Of gold
in his pocket; the boat careened and to
save himself from falling he had suddenly
drawn out his hand and threw the purse
In the river. he offered reward for II,