The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-08-05
ELK RIVER.
A Tour Among the Hills OF West
Virglnia-The " lid and Gloomy
Forests-Cheap Lands, dc.

FRENCH CREEK, W. Va, Aug. l.
Correspondence Of the lntelllgeneer.
Much has been said Of late about the
wild lands Of West Virginia. Many and
various are the opinions expressed by
those who have visited the unsettled dis.
,ricts Of the State. West Virginia has
within a few years been visited by tour.
lists and others from many Of the States,
all Of whom agree with regard. to the
roughness OF the unsettled portions. but
much diversity OF opinion exists con.
corning the fertility Of the soil. Having
just returned from tour through some
Of the unsettled parts Of Randolph and
Webster counties, I beg leave to say a
word about those wild and gloomy forests.
I About noon on the 30lh Of June party
Of ia reached the German village Hell.
yetia. Helyetia, surrounded asiti Is by lofty
mountains and situated on the banks Of a
beautiful little stream, Is indeed pleas.
ant hamlet. Notwithstanding the beauty
Of lis situation and apparent fertility Of
the adjacent lands, to all appearance Hell.
vetia's glory has departed. Nearly one
half OF the houses in the town are vacant.
Afew miles beyond 'Helyetia we left
civilization altogether, steering our course
southwark through All unbroken forest,
our object being TO visit Elk river and
the lands along its shore. On the Back
Fork Of Elk we stopped few days in or.
der to see the country, and also to try
our hand at trout fishing. The. noun
tains there are very steep and rocky.
The coil Ia sandy, and apparently not
very fertile. The principal timber Is
Beech. On leaving the Back Fork we as.
cended Point Mountain, from the top Of
which we could see far 10 the southwark,
the course Of Big Elk las they call the
main branch) as 1t meanders among the
defiles Of the mountains, and still beyond
arose 10 wild grandeur, the blue topped
mountains OF Gauley. .
Point Mountain has few equals as 10
elevation in these parts, and Is the water
shed between Back Fork and Big Elk.
Along the top Of It was located years
ago The Slayin's Cabin & Summerville
turnpike road. The ropd was one Of the
precious gifts the good old State Of Wiz.
einia bestowed on her children west Of
the mountains. It's eastern terminus was
at Slavin'a Cabin, at the foot Of the Ale.
ganies, on the staunton 4 Petersburg
turnpike, and the western terminus Sum.
mersville, Nicholas county, nearly the
whole length Of 1t running through
dense wilderness. Hwas, however, com.
pIcted only in sections, and therefore did
The mountaineers no good.
After long and tiresome tramp through
the woods. we at length stood on the banks
Of Big Elk. History does not tell US who
was the frat white man that ever looked
upon the waters Of this river OF the noun.
taina. II it did his discovery would hard
lyrapk with that OF De Soto. We are, how.
ever, told by writer Of olden times that
more than century ago Colonel George
Washington, DR.. Crack and other Virgin.
ia gentlemen, while surveying land in
Western Virginia, encamped for while
on the banks OF the Elk-that while there
they were visited by q renowned Indian
chief, who, as be said, had travelled long
and weary path that be might behold the
young warrior Of the great battle IRE
ierring to Braddock's defeat).
The country along The Elk, indeed the
whole Of Webster county, Ia exceedingly
rough. The soil is rich, and ia the very
best Of grazing land. Land Is cheap, and
one with capital enough 10 open up u
farm and stock 1t with sheep would per-
haps do we'll there. The country being
40 elevated is therefore rather too cold
for the cerials. Fork Lick, or Addison,
Al the confluence Of the Back Fork and
Big Elk, will probably 10 the future be Il
town Of come note, on account Of the
mineral springs there. The people Of
Webster, though not noted for enterpris'
inn habits, are indeed remarkable for
their hospitality and kindness to straug-
ers. I. Is said that when the war cloud
began 10 gather in '6l, and rebellion
threatened our happy land, the people Of
Webster county we're generally found
adhering To the Union; but distinguish
ed Judge from Charleston coming among
them, succeeded with his eloquence 10
getting them to renounee allegiance to
he Government and embrace secession
Der their final decision "haugs many a
tale OF blood not meet to be told" at this
day. Of peace and quiet. A little way
from Addison, on the shores Of the Back
Fork. the traveller will observe some very
old looking farms, aud fruit trees that
look "a though they had stood the storms
Of hundred winters. Tradition statet
| that long before the Revolutionary wal
few families trayersed the mountains
and fixed their homes on the banks Of thC
Elk. Il being out Of the usual track o
the Indians, they thought 10 pleasantly
live far from the hAunts Of man, both civ
| ilizsd and savage. Il seems strange, whet
one coutemplates, that this region q
long a part Of the Old Dominion-th,
home otthe white man for more than ~
years-sthat over its hills ehould sill
s,and the forest primeyal and unders y
shadows the deer and bear would I'll
run At leisure.r PHILLIP
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