The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-03-23
LETTER FROM VOLCANO, W. VA.

lug GIl0 DFlSHG USilSHIlul udyo vi
early summer here during the first
and second weeks of March. The
trees are beginning to show signs Of
life and the roads to look pleasant
and inviting. We can guess with the
accuracy of prophet, however, that
these pleasant anticipations will end,
or undergo some process of change be.
fore the fourth of next July. Let
them come, for such is life, and the
weather is master of the situation.
Now as this information is as old as
"Josh Billings" do not place it
among your cable telegaaphic dis
patches. The winter has been unus-
ually mild and the water supply su-
perabundant all this, doubtless to
atone for the drought of last summer
and to prepare us for the heat of
next, for whether it is news to you
or not, the Volcano heat is sure to
come. Some of the present writer's
family, and possibly himself. will
rusticate next July and August
among the "Alps of Maryland"
We hear persons say, "Well, the
seasons are changing they are not as
they used to be-" Now all this
though apparently the case, is not
really so. We learn from the high
est authority that if we take the
mean daily average temperature and
then the mean annual average tenn
perature of any one place, it will be
found that the variation of one year
from another, hardly ever reaches or
exceeds one degree. To do this,
the thermometer and barometer must
be consulted every hour of every one
of the 365 days, and proper reckon
ing recorded. Now here is a nice
little scientific job for some of the
excellent young students of your
prospective academy. Speaking of
your proposed Oakland academy,
Mr.. Editor, take a friends advice
and have it pushed forward to speedy
completion. 1t would undoubtedly
succeed. 1t is needed, and no more
suitable place could be chosen on the
line of the B. & .. r. r.
Business here during the winter
months was not as active as in the
summer and fall. The decline was
most perceptible in January and Feb
ruary, yet no person seemed to suffer
except those who came seeking en-
ployment. Now the balance turns
again and the scale of prosperity is
ascending. These changes are the
usual attendants of all towns similar
to this,
Since the opening of our new Town
Hall we have had numerous and
varied entertainments from travel
ing troupes. Though your present
correspondent has not seen any of
them perform ,he has heard from them
all. Some of-them were "literary,"
and others were not quite so literary;
some of them were "comical" with
a Vengeance, and nearly all of them
were well received and had crowded
houses Anything to relieve the
monotony of winter is gladly well
coined by the major part of Volcanoes
citizens. There is nothing new in
the churches they are trying to do
there work smoothly and. in har-
mony.
Parkersburg has gained a great
temperance victory. The recent vote
of the people will exclude all saloons
and liquor license, on and after the
first day of May, and it is supposed
the "powers that be" will also refuse
county license at the same time. 1t
is said that there are only three Ii
censed bar-rooms in Wood county,
outside the corporation limits of
Parkersburg, and we earnestly look
for their suppression. When the sale
is wholly confined to the drug stores,
we shall have reached the long de-
sired haven. / was informed yester-
day, that of all the counties of West
Virginia, only seven grant license to
sell intoxicating drink. If this be
true, it makes fair display for the
mountain State. In singular con-
trast with the foregoing is the fact
that in West Virginia Good Tenn
plarism is on the wane. The churches
and Murphy societies have taken up
the work and have left but little for
the temperance secret orders to do.
But if the 1. o. G.. T. should be SUI.
perseded by any other influence or
instrumentality in this State, it must
never be forgotten that in conjunc-
ton with the churches, they worked
hard: did their duty nobly and well,
and have largely assisted in reaching
the present status. This honorable
mention is justly due and heartily
accorded. OF course MANY wears