The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-04-12

for q bushel, but was brought up with a
round turn when he made q contract to
furnish q large amount TO the road and
they demanded full bushels.
Mr.. Steenrod was then q large contrac-
tor OH the National Road, and did his
farming beside. The hill close 10 the road
from which McColloch leaped was then all
woods. with only a horse path TO West
Liberty.
South Of the creek was all farmed, ex.
Cept DIR. EOfTs stone house, near the Bel
mont Mill. There was a little ferry house
at tho end Of the bridge over the creek,
and a cabin for workmen against the hill
at the stone quarry. He says they raised
fine corn over there.
These are the main recollections Of
Wheeling, as It appeared to him as a boy,
having been born and lived there until he
was thirteen years Ot age, and did a large
portion OF his playing there and some
work. OF course, as u boy, he Just knew
the people when there were boys, and he
probably falls TO remember some whose
descendants have become prominent and
numerous. There were many small houses
along up Main street, OF which he could
give no account.
lie speaks Of one fact very vivid In his
recollection. A sister OF the Zanes, for
eight years lived among the Indians. He
could not tell whether she was a prisoner
or not; and after her return he saw her
90 TO a ball one night, in Indian dress,
with the feathers, beads, rings, paint, leg.
gins, m~oCcasins, fringUs and bells, in per.
feet rig. The Indians frequently came
there in considerable numbers and sal
AROUND tho Sprigg house, afterwards called
the Indian Queen.
Daniel Zane's brick house, on the Island,
was commenced before he left, his father
having dug the cellar. That was, for many
years, the only house on the Island. ]
think there was no other in 1885. There
have been many improvements up Main
street since that day, but the city has ex'
tended but little higher up the river. III
whole course has been downward to the
best land. How great the change
in siXty.foUr years, and that will
so iOw natural advantages, and cursed
by slavery. 1t would have grown much
more rapidly up to 1860 il the line be,
tween Pennsylvania and Virginia had
been run through to the river, rs was H.
tended. The National, or more properly
the Cumberland road, first gave ii i'm.
petus and it grew pretty rapidly from
1915 to 1887. 1t would have grown much
moro rapidly in subsequent years, iftht
b. & 0. road had occupied tho Pennsyl
vania charter OF 1885, and built their road
through the sand patch; but there is a vel
updeveloped mineral wealth on that road
and what will he its connections, tina
promises well for Wheeling iishe only had
that blafsted'h hill and creek out oithe way
giving her roo to build. Pittsburgh and
Cincinnati have removed larger hills will
far less cause. Another matter that will
always offset your growth and that Of the
State, us long as it exists, is that Northern
capital and enterprise looks with doubt
upon a State whose Representatives and
public officers vote and act withthe South
in all their most ultra measures; or, al
Thad. Stevens used to say, "your mem,
bers vote so - badly" You will change
that when your people in the interior find
out that it is moreproitable to raise sheep
than dogs, and that q pillow is more Valua.
bic as an agricultural implement than q
shotgun" ]. Z, W,