The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-07-18

some HtstOrleal "Reminiscences OF ives
Alexander-GeOr and Colin wilson,
The Old Academy. .r.
Whoever spends an idle day in Wash
ington county is apt to hear a great dea
aboutits products and celebrities. For {
long time distinguished from most other
counties, it was, and perhaps is still, the
great wool growing county Of the State.
OF old the fneness Of It's wool was equally
the pride OF the citizen and the marvel Of
the stranger. Itwas the opinion Of John
Brown, Of 0ssawatamie, once wool buyer
for an eastern house, and still remember,
ed by some Washington countains as q
genial man, OF great energy and marked
intelligence, that there were no such green
grasses on the continent as grew between
the mountains and the Monongahela river
in Washington county. They then grew
fine wool without regard to its weight,
washed the sheep thoroughly and she&red
them before exc rose, The average weight
Of the fleece Of large flock would seldom
reach two pounds, but sold over and over
again at 81 25 per pound. Its fineness was
frequently that OF 9, 100 fibres to thesquare
inch. All this is changed now. They
raise the heavy wool sheep and make the
fleece weigh anywhere from FIVE to thirty.
five pounds, and ii is said that this years
clip will reach three million pounds. II
1t should average 3St cents per pound
all sales have been made as high as 10
cents-it would bring into the old county
the sum OF one million dollars. For many
years the great wool buyers in the west
end OF the county were George Wilson
and his brother Colin, with whom, rs
clerk, John W. Garrett, President of the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, worked
long and faithfully. The Wilson's are
both dead. Colin, who aiterward held a
Government position somewhere on the
Pacific Coast, was most genial gentle.
man, a man OF vast and varied informa.
ton, and most brilliant conversation, |.
list. A talk with William Mccoy, the
venerable blacksmith OF West Alexander,
himself no common man, put your cor
respondent in possession OF some enter
tanning facts for future letter. BY the
way, this
WEST ALEXANDER
has an interesting but not very widely
known history. It lies in the shape OF IN
S on the top Of high ridge midway be.
tween Little Washington and Wheeling.
It was once the seat Of celebrated class
ical academy, at the head OF which was
Rev. John McCloskey, D. D., whole.
souled, brainy Irishman, who presided in
a manner which would have done credit
to an Oxford dean. From the walls Of
this old academy went many SPLEEN
did fellow OF whom the world has since
taken note. This town is the Gretna
Green OF Ohio and West Virginia, The
young people Of those States, to avoid the
marriage license laws at home, cross the
the line in coach and four" and hasten
to the Office OF Squire Mayes at West
Alexander.
The present Justice, Joseph Mayes, a
very intelligent gentleman, publishes
yearly the number OF his marriages.
hope soon to have o look at his docket and
learn the story OF the many romantic run.
away mathes which have come under his
notice.
West Alexander is a fine village OF most
excellent society.
The drive into the country are as good
as could be expected, and you could 10 far
away indeed before you would view finer
scenery or meet with more hospitable
people than live among these splendid old
hills.
John Irons, who once kept the St
Charles in Pittsburgh, was a hotel keeper
here for many day, and is well and
kindly remembered by the older in
habitants.