The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-05-19
LETTER FROM VOLCANO.
VOLCANO, w. VA, May 9, 1877

Since then three temperance meet
ings, under the auspices of the "Mur-
ply" movement, have been held in
Volcano, the first by the undersigned
and the second and third by Others
from afar. These resulted in the or
ganization of branch of the INA
tional Christian Temperance Union" "
on basis similar to that of the Oak
land Band of Hope. Nearly two
hundred names were enrolled as
members.
Yesterday we had Masonic fu-
neral in this place. The remains Of
the deceased brother were taken to
the Odd Fellows Cemetery at Pats
kersburg and there buried according
to the ceremony of the Order.
Though the afternoon was rainy and
very inclemeut, about sixty Masons
of the Volcano and Parkersburg
Lodges formed procession at the
latter place to do honor to the men,
ory of the dead. Among those pres
ent were two Episcopal ministers
and two NJ. Z. ministers. The young
man who died had not a relative
present, was far away from home,
and comparatively unknown. Kind
ly hands smOothed his pillow to the
last, and give him every needful at
tention. Scare for the dying and
bury the stranger" was not forgotten
by the Masonic fraternity of Vol
canO and vicinity.
On the 18th ult., the first number
of the Vest Virginia Oil Record was
published here, weekly paper,
chiefly of a business character. 1t is
much needed, and appears to be
ably edited. From it | learn that
the prospect for very brisk and re-
muneratiye trade in Oil is good, at
least for a considerable time. Dur.
ing the financial depression the peo-
pie of this community suffered, and
are now joyful over their more than
ordinary "streak of good fortune"
Several of the wells are kept going
all night, and quite large number
of new shafts have been sunken and
are now in full blast. 1t is quite an
interesting sight to watch the process
of drilling for OIL" Sometimes
they have to drill to a depth of 800
and 900 feet, and nearly always to a
depth of 500 feet, more or less and
when they happen to lose their tools
or when their tools stick in the rock
or mud, if you were very near you
might, perchance, hear a few tex,
plosives" more emphatic than re-
fined.
Changing the subject a little,
hear less talk about politics here than
any place l have ever been. No one
has yet approached me on any polit-
ical topic. Suppose the "fuse" is all
exhausted after the recent campaign,
and the people are taking their
quadrennial "siesta."
The weather for a week or 80 past
has been very cold and disagreeable.
On the first day of May we had
heavy hail, snow, rain, etc., and the
rain has continued ever since, with
intervals of a few hours sunshine,
just to show us what old "Prob."
could do if he liked. Well, an Eng
lish Divine once said that the wealth
er never goes astray, and 1 presume
he was right, for it is better than we
deserve, when we remember our
manifold sins and transgressions.
On last Sunday afternoon 1 atten.
ded service in the Episcopal Church,
and was called upon to conduct the
closing portion, and at a funeral SER
vice in the same church recently the
same was repeated. l merely men
tion this to show that in some places
the Protestant Episcopal Church is
as willing to fall in with the spirit of
fraternity as any other, and 1 would
that this were more generally culti-
waited and promoted.
On Sunday, April %, in the fore
noon my pulpit was filled by min
lster of the Presbyterian Church,
who breaches here about once in ev-
cry two months. He visits us from
Cairo.
The strangest sight OF all is Bull
garian Monk, (so he styles himself, J
in his long black calico wrapper and
very small red cap, who, with un.
kept hair and sunburnt face, is
to-day parading our mountains, and
arranging for hall wherein to lee.
ture on the countries of the East.
How such variety of people find
their way to Volcano, is something
can hardly understand.
Vegetation here is about three
weeks behind Parkersburg, so that
after all we have not fallen very far
in our descent from Oakland.