The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-04-12
WHEELING IN 1915.

Further "Reminiscences OF an Old Resi-.
dent OF lint D~NIe-SccOnd Letter on
the Subject from James Il. Wharton.
Editors IateIligcnceF:
Looking at other authorities l find my
informant was right as to the steamer
Washington being built in 1914, and have
the authority Of Neville b. Craig's history
for saying she was 400 tons burden and
was built and partly owned by Captain
Henry NJ. Shriver; that she was the first
steamer with boilers on deck, instead OF
in the hold, and the first making the
round trip from Louisville to New Or.
leans, to prove that steamers could DO
made useful for the ascending trade. The
New Orleans and Comet had been built
at Pittsburgh, and the Enterprise Mt
Brownsville, before, and the same year the
.Etna, Butfaloand Vesuvius at Pittsburgh.
AT this time from the bridge up the
river now Main street) there was = frame
house and then Miller's pottery, a log
house, and another frame stood, about
where the n. W. Bank now is, and on the
east side a brick built by Mr.. Waddle, af.
forwards McCourtney's tavern. Mr.. Sock.
mans brick yard was near the creek about
south oil the lSTEuLIGESCER office. East
Of this near n little ravine was Mr.. Upde.
gratis brewery, and near it a brick house
built in 18Th. Mr.. Graham had a rome
walk near the old burying ground. This
house was a good brick, and was situated
near what isnow Fourth street. ! should
Judge it was Mr.. SoCkman's. Somewhere
between there and Waddle's house, Mr.,
Hall, father OF the late VIM. Hall, lived in
a log house. These were the only houses
then on the bottom, or rs no SAYS, south
OF Zane's. The balance was corn and
grass and wood land, except the race
track, which must have been south OF the
present Court House. He says the late
Hugh Nicolls, Esq, was then boarding at
beymer's: lie always presided ut the
races, and you would hear his call, "All
ready:-go," rs far us YOU can a steamboat
whistle.
He says, (but l think he is mistaken)
that there was no church in Wheeling
except the log Quaker church, in ISi5.
that the Presbyterians had occasional
services in the. court house, and the
Methodists held meetings at different
houses, but had derived from some one
the impression that the old Methodist
Church that stood nearly where the
present one does was built before that
time. 1t was a quaint little low thing
The entrance was from Fourth street, Il
do not know what it is now
Chapline perhaps,) and you passed
around aud entered in the west end,
the minister occupied the east end
This lasted until Mr.. Motif came
there i'll 1888 and such was the effect that
they tore down and built q bigger house,
Some distance northwest OF thai and near
the hill, was McConnell's lanyard, his
house, and further back a log house,
here the Second Ward market house
now Is was all n pond supplied by the
spring before named. To It wild ducks
often came, and many were shot
by Hugh Nicolls and other vonnS
men who also hunted foxes and
squirrels on the hill. The only hOuse be.
tween the pond aud the hill was a frame
IN which queer noises were heard nj ni06t
and no n would live in II, GroSns
Srunts ana screams were heard in tho cal,
la5, Nntll ome one more brave than the
others made a desperate charge on it and
found the hogs had turned it into a root.
ing, place. A'few stones were laid upon il.
and the ghosts were also laid. Market
street was not graded and there was nd
other dwelling house except that Of Mr..
Church at the r where the National
road turns 10 the river. he burnt lime.
and as was the custom sold half bushei