The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-03-23
WHEELING IN OLD TIMES.
The observations of u Foreigner
who stopped Here In 1906.

VINO Stoppbo AAeFe III A9Vo'
Our attention was recently called to an
account publishedi in Nila RegIter Of May,
1872, Of a description Of the state Of sOci.
ETY. prevailing in Wheeling and vicinity
a few years prior to that time, as given by
an English traveller, named Thomas
Asho, who wa making his way down the
Ohio in a small ia. boat. He had spent
some time at Pittsburgh, and had even
made an excursion up the Monongahela
as far as Morgantown. He seemed to be
looking round to see how much fault he
could find with the people and the cOun-
try. He saw little to praise but very
much to grossly misrepresent and criti-
else. He speaks ora queer custom which
be noticed among the store keepers
whether at Morgantown or not is not
stated oftryiDg to sell a customer some
thing they happened to have on hands
when they did not have what the
customer had inquired for, no oddt
how utterly homogeneous the thing
offered might be with the thing
wanted. He said, for instance, T"
have known a person to ask for a pair Of
shoes, aud receive for answer that there
were NO shoes 10 the store, but some cap
ital gin" ~ have heard another ask for
a rifle gun; and be answered that there
were no rifles, but that he could be &C.
commodated with the best Dutch looking
glasses and German flutes in the coun'
try" BE remarks Ia one OF his ls!ters
that "ths stores to be met with in this
part of the country are really curiosities,
and are as we'll worth a voyage across the
Atlantic as Mr.. Jefferson's rock. Each
shop exhibits a complete medley; a mag
azine where are to be had both q needle
and an anchor; a child'a whistle aud a
pianoiorte; u gill OF whisky and q hogs
head Of Madeira wine" The s~torekeep-
era, he said, "are an an abominable set Of
rogues who never fail to impose upon
their customersif possible; for notwith-
standing the complete medley OF their
stores they arc sure never to have
any article that is asked for" He
sojourned some time at Pittsburgh
and found a good deal to interest
him at that point. lie noted the fnctthat
the inhabitants we're principally Irish,'
and that their influence "hindered the
vicious p~ropensities Of the genuine Amer
loan character from establishing here the
horrid dominion they have assumed over
the Atlantic States" lie was much
pleased with the ladies Of Pittsburgh
said they we're "bettsr educated than the
men, and make very pfaiseworthy and
constant wives, never forsaking their
husbands even In the yellow fever, when
servants and all others have lied the dread
c%ontagion." Having, at length, finished
his sojourn at Pittsburgh, this remarks
bic traveller proceeds to wend his way
down the Ohio. The first place Of note
he stopped at was Wheeling, and here il
what he said about the old pioneers who
dwelt here seventy odd years sgo. We
quote as follows from his narrative as
dished up the editor Of MIesR Register:
"Having provided himself with two
attendants only, Cuff and Mindeth, tc
assist in navigating a huge unwieldy boat
along the deYios current OF the Ohio
a traveller is himself obliged 10
take The helm. In the capacity of steers
man, then, his attention Is too much oc-
cupied with the dangers which ut every
moment besst him, to allow 4 survey Of
the sublimities OF the surrounding scene.
~. Arrived at Wheeling, however, he has
full leisure to take a retrospective view
Of the various beauties OF this meander-
ing river and TIA incumbent banks. Tc
these Mr.. Ashe has done ample justice;
and seema pleased to indulge the graft
fying anticipation Of one day seeing
the whole margin Of "lR belle raviere'
covered with villages and towns. But
alas! we have scarcely time TO express
our delights that anything should be
found in this country, to deserve the ad.
miration of this wonderful P~anellogimos
ere we are called upon TO view the re-
verse OF this attractive picture. Death
turks in a thousand hideous shapes
ready 70 seize upon every rash adventur.
err who shall dare 10 fix his residence on
these waters.n The river iself seems Ia
be subject to the influence OF those inter
nitten, feyers which lie concealed In
every wave; for ont time 1t will be sui
iicient To carry n fret rate man.of.war,'
(does the traveller mean himSefor aShip2)
and at another "barely capable Of float
log a canoe" The lands are very fertile,
particularly those which Congress have
UNANIMOUSLY wrested from the hands ofthe
poor harmless Indians. Mr.. A. thinks il
would DO a good speculation 10 buy up
these lands Ut two dollars an acre. Bat
then, what man Of common understand
ing would think Of e%migrating to u place,
where, II the yisitations Of "diarrhoes
and fever" should fail to sweep him of
his crops will never the less be "yisited
by Rrubs, flies, and clouds Of locusts,'
disadvantages more than sufficient to
coun,erbalance all the inducements oil
soil aud climate. tits worthy OF remark,
too, that the spring season commences at
the breaking up Of the ice-,he autumn
generally commences in October. The
sun IL generally observed TO rise in the
East; and what is more extraordinary,
the sun sometimes acts considerably to
the south oil west. Persons who may feel
encouraged to follow the steps OF our
traveller, will meet with ROtne valuable
information by consulting his directions
without which, indeed, they might find il
extremely difficult to accomplish their
object. "Ths first thing to'be attended
10 by emigrAnB or travellers Wishing "a
deseend he ripa, Is toprOeure a boat" And
II they arc not careful 10 provide one
that does not leak, the probability Is their
goods, II they have any on board, would
get damaged by the water. Of II the leak
was great they might run the risk
OF sinking. To attempt a voyage
down the Ohio Tor "Oyo," Al
the Americans call it) without y
boat, would !not only DO unpleasant bu,
very dangerous, n the best swimmers
.a,Il La liahla ~ hn ant1naIal annnun