Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1878-07-16
MoUNDsvILLE, June %, 1878.

known asself made men. Beginning on cap
ital of four dollars and sixty five cents, he has
by industry, energy, perseverance and pluck,
risen to occupy the position of one ct the
most successful business men of our State
Hornbrook Park is situated about four and
a quarter miles from Wheeling, and you
reach it by horse-car railway that runs up
and down hill and through fields in very
astonishing way indeed. The place contains
fifty acres. and is open to the public. Trees
and flowers of all varieties make this park
very attractive, and its beautiful drives and
walks, leading to the top of the mound, are
very inviting to the weary traveller who turns
aside from workday life to rest a moment by
features of this park are the unique sign>
boards about the grounds, of which the follow
ing are specimens. Fronting the pike we
have: "Thomas Hornbrook's place. Ladies
and Gentlemen are welcome" In front of
his residence Ladies and Gentlemen, when
you call to see my place do not think that
you under any obligations to see the Pros
prietor" On the summit of the mound:
"Here is the place had intended to build
my earthly mansion, but now | am preparing
to build my mansion in Heaven" The fol-
lowing sign board is very welcome and sug-
gestive ono to the young folks of Wheeling,
who occasionally drive out to the Park
glitch your horses here ifyou wish to prom
enade and do your cOurti"g." Wandering
around the park we came upon little white
cottage that for simple beauty surpassed any
other home we have ever seen, and this is
Mr. Hornbrook's summer home; here, amidst
the flowers and plants and trees his own
hands have planted and nursed, he rests
Imagine an immense frame of beautiful green
leaves dotted all over with the brightest aud
rarest of flowers in that frame put picture
of the cosiest little house your fancy can
paint, and you have picture Of this retreat,
this bower of beauty among the roses
MIR. Hornbrook is earnest temperance
worker, and is the father of the great moves
ment in Wheeling. He has spared neither
time or expense in this grand work, and in
his Office he keeps large supply of temper
ance tracts and papers for gratuitous distri-
button.
This morning, at half past ten, we boarded
the good ship Courier" at Wheeling, and
on the broad bosom of the Ohio drifted down
to Moundsvile. Tho ride was delightful,
and as the barber on the boat informed US,
''Thc Courier is de King of de ribber, boss,
she just gifts up and flies, she do" We
reached this place at half past twelve. If
Moundsville could just be picked up and
but in its present condition it is the most
wandering place we have ever visited. One
of its Oldest inhabitants explained this by re-
marking, 'Iou see, stranger, the place was
built s0rter 7,rOmiScuOns like" This county
can boast Of having the finest Court Ii ouso
in the State built in 1877, at a cost OF
twenty seven thousand dollars, it is admirably
constructed. and we may say elegantly fur
nishcd. The Mound, situated. in the heart
of the town, is one of MoundsVillc's greatest
attractions. This mound, older than history,
was evidently the work of gigantic race of
people-there were giants in those days. 1t
is ninety-six feet in height, has shaft sunk
from top 20 bottom, and an excavation made
from one side. The skeletons, arrow heads,
tablets, &c , found in the mound, are, We
learn, i'll New York.
Our experience in the Pcnitentiary, we are
glad TO say, is very short one we were there
just thirty minutes. OF course we had no
trouble in getting in the Penitcntiary; few
people do2 They have now two hundred
and seventy regular boarders at this State In
stitution. The youngest convict is twelve
years the oldest seventy eight years, in for
horse stealing; five Indians and four women.
NJ LOck 0gentS-not one from among the
many thousands who have distributed liter
ature for years past in our State. 1t speaks
we'll for the profession but it is hard on the
Peuitentiary. Carriages, wagons, brooms,
cigars, bricks and whips are manufactured by
the convicts, who are hired to the contractors
at twenty five cents per day. Each man has
his regular task to accomplish each day, and
most of them get through the days task by
three o'clock. At night each man is locked
in his iron cage alone. The discipline is very
fine. No talking allowed. These halls are
indeed the 'halls of silence" as we went
through the shops we missed the sound of the
human voice. These men are buried alive,
they hold no communication with the outside
world or with one another. They eat, drink,
work, sleep, and that is all of life they have.
Some of the most notorious convicts were
pointed out to us-murderers, bank robbers,
&c. We were struck with their faces
They were, as a rule men of good counte-
nances-we saw very few chad faces" among
them. AS We came out it seemed to
though we had been through immense
work shop where all the work done by
automatons, machines in striped pants that
glided noiselessly around, each in its accus>
toned way. Two hundred and seventy men
who never laugh, four women who never talk.
1t is death in lie. Charlestown is not rep
resented in this institution another case Of
taxation without representation.
Local option IN Moundsvllle. No dram
shops, no poison sold, no places licensed to
destroy souls. No drunkards' homes hero.
Clcar-faced men and bright>faced women pass
you on the streets. Happy homes are all
around you, poverty and wrangling have
given way to peace and plenty. Do we not
see just ahead of US the dawn of that day
when this shall be so all over our State
God speed the day. RAMBLER.
WESLEYAN FEMALE INSTITUTE, STAUN>
TON, Wave take pleasure in directing at
tention to the advertisement of this popular