The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1878-11-05
(From the Wheeling Intelligencer 9th ult.
MONROE COUNTY.

An Occasional Writer for the Intel
ligencer On his Return from q
Trip to the Dark Hills of Monroe
IAN Interesting Account of What
he Saw down There. 6~ "a
STEAMER Ed. Pope, October, 1878.
Editor Intelligencer:
Having just returned from short so.
iourp among the Ozark mlls Of Monroe"
have at your suggestion jotted down a
few notes of matters and things in that
unknown and in the pres
ent declining condition of "LaBelle Riy-
iere." almost inaccessible region.
The euphemism above employed to de
scribe this corner of the Buckeye State
is commonly used, believe, in poll
teal sense. AID, certainly, this is mis-
sionary ground for Republicans. In the
great reaction at the polls this year
against current financial heresies, Mon.
roe C,unLy increased her Democratic
majority by about thirty (30) votes.
Greene township which constituted the
principal sphere Of my observations gave
one hundred and forty two( 1922 votes to
the nominees Of the dominant party on
the State ticket and thirty one 1911 to
the. Republican candidates But where
schools and churches are multiplying
and the standard OF education and cul.
ture is being elevated as is the case here
the independent voter is not far behind.
In fact he has already appeared even in
Greene township. Tae returns show
that four courageous voters scratched
tho successful lnominse for Congresl and
one voted for the opposing candidate
But II we accspt the common phrase
as description Of the physical aspect of
the country then it must he applied at
this particular season with some reserva-
ton. 1t is rugged country and its iu-
Vulnerable hills, s,not ridges, touching one
auotber with scarcely any intervening
bottom land, all clothed with dense for.
es,s, but they are not now dark. They
have donned the autumn robe of various
colors, so that a single glimpse from the
heights Of Sunfish is worth trip on a
low-water packet.
On she FIshpot road, four miles west
of Darlington, the visitor has spread out
before him landscape not less than
twelve miles in extent, (which is one splen-
ded panorama OF green and gold and
crimson. Near Rbund Bottom on a
cross road, looking south west we obtain
another equally magnificent and even
more extensive view.
The rayine of the Fish.pot through
which the road sscends by remarkably
easy natural grade is shut out from the
sun for more than mile by lofty cliffs
and tall forest trees while every rock and
fallen trunk is crowned with the green
est moss and festooned With the most
luxuriant ferns In fact everywhere in
this rig on, the lover of the grand and
beautiful in nature may enjoy perpeptu.
al feast.
Clarington may be called the metropo-
lis Of this district, the point of approach
and departure for trade and travel. /,
is as most of your readers may know q
fair and thriving village having some
inviting homes and prosperous business
and last but not least handsome and
capacious school house. The ware.
houses of the traders are being rapidly
6lled with the fall crops OF apples, pota.
toes, beans and cheese, which will doubt.
less soon seek market in your city.
Some of the young ladies of the village
prefcrmed what may be regarded as q
rather daring feat the. other day. The
ill-starred steamer Jno. Porter lies a
short distance below the town. Turee
young ladies being out ON an after noon
ramble, party perhaps through love Of
adventure and partly through womanIy
sympathy forthose aboard who had been
go long cut off human society, ventured
to 60 abroad of the steamer where they
were received as so many angels by the
surprised but grateful enforced hermits
They. ware most courteously treated and
given q cheering. account Of the thor
oughly renovated and perfectly clean
condition of the vessel. aoT -
New Castle. the Capital Of Green town
ship. is village of perhaps -dozsr
houses, none Of them being pretentious
with a neat and comfortable Presbyteri
an church having fourshing eongrega
tion and SABBATH School. The soil o
the country ronnd about is not rich but
is kept in pretty good condition anG
yields fair crops. Some Of the farmers
as for example that of Mr.. George Neff
abouta mile and half from the village.
are models of neatness and completeness
in dwellings,, barns. outhouses, gates dc.
bnt such is not generally the case. Th,
people are largely emigrants from Green
county, Penn. from which the township
takes its name. They are characterized
by the homely manners and virtues, The
conservative principles and the generous
hospitality for which that portion oil
Western Pennsylvania is famed. The
wisdom ofthe people is, after the true
BacoDtan idea, embodied chiefly in pithy,
though sometimes not very elegan,
proverbs. ! Ole employed by friend OF
mine struck me as rather uew and at the
same time foreible. Speaking, of the
necessity OF paying due attention to
natural aptitude in the choice of avoca
tion he remarked: "You cant make 9
whistle of pigs TAIL" a
Considerable interests has been excl
ted on the subject OF temperance, owing
to the excessive indulgence bv few ole
soakers in ''hard cider. which is the prin
cipal Intoxicating drin used in the neigh
borhood. Hard cider drunkenness il
TO beloud. lively and lasting. A Muir
phv society has been organized and il
holding weekly meetings in the vilIag,
church.
Fox hunting with hounds is favorit,
amusement among some Of the people
but themethod is rather novel. The hun
is conducted by night, and the darker tn,
night the better. A tire is kindled in th,
center of the field of operations which i
supposed to attract the attention of th,
foxes. The hunters who follow th,
hounds, part on horseback and part oil
foot, determine the state ofthe game ant
the successful dogs altogether by the
sense OF hearing The effort is not t,
destroy the fox and great offense woult
be given by any one who should MAIN O