Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1880-05-01

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foot Of North Mountain. met with
hau been to Martinsburg and on
her return nome stopped at the
residence Of Mr.. Alfred Hoffman
to light her pipe. She put coal
Of fire on the pipe and started
home. She had gotten but short
distance from the house when she
discovered her clothes Were on
fire. She ran back to Mr.. Hoff-
mans with her clothes famed into
fame by the wind. Mrs. III.
threw a bucket of water over her
aud. the flames, when
her clothes dropped off, not piece
remaining on her. She was terri
bly, burned, Notwithstanding she
walked home. We learn she is
suffering a great deal, and it is
thought will lose the use of her
night arm. A warning to smokers
not to light their pipe with coal
of fire.
Your correspondent from Broad
Lane says: Cant 'C'' or "Sitting
Bull" tell Us who introduced the
custom Of eating eggs at Easter %.
Certainly, it was the pale faces in
the year 1892, not only OF eating
them, but of stealing them also,
and if he don't know the price of
them we can tell him who will!
keep him we'll posted about that.
Now will he be so kind as to tell
us which is the longest thing in
the world and yet the shortest ?
and then give US his opinion Of
the constitutional amendment.
We must have seen the new
moon over the right shoulder, for
we have been the recipient of sew
eral nice presents lately. Among
them is an Eagle Automatic lead
pencil, with a box OF leads. 1t is
perfect beauty with a patent
clamp that makes it as handy as
snuff in a rag. The Christian gen.
tleman who gave ii to us has
soul in him as large as both body
and soul of some men we know,
and if this world was full of such
men there would be a paradise
here below, but as it is not we feel
sure that when he leaves this
world to go to that one above st.
Peter will say walk in and take
one of those reserved seats, for the
noblest work of God is an honest
man.
We had hoped that from the
number of meetings held in Mar
tinsburg, and the buncombe
speeches made together with the
proffered aid of that liberal coun-
sci, who has been so successful in
building up the Martinsburg mar
ket, that we would already have
heard the ring of the anvil or the
sound of the loom, but human ex-
pectations are doomed to disap-
pointment. The doleful sound
comes from the INDEPENDENT
that the joint stock company has
not met with that encouragement
that they had reason to expect.
We ask what reason had they to
expect anything? Were the peo-
pie of Martinsburg ever known to
do anything for themselves =? If
have we would like to know
of it. Oh, yes, excuse me; | be-
lieve you have gas works, and that
accounts for the manufacturing
boom-it is all gas and nothing
more. But if they should ever be
so fortunate as to get stock enough
to start the enterprise, we shall
beg leave to differ with the report
of the committee as to what kind
of a one it should be. They think
that the manufacture of agricul-
tural implements will pay the
stock holders best. We think that
a manufacturing company of that
kind would be of but little advan-
tage to Berkeley county, and for
the following reasons: First, we
have one now in Martinsburg;
secondly, they would have to send
out of the State for their iron
and coal, and also for skilled ma
chinists; thirdly, the county is
we'll supplied with agents of other
manufacturing companies and
they will have them to compete
with. But suppose they start u
wooden factory. Our farmers can
supply them with all the wool
they need and by selling direct to
the manufacturer save the COM
mission of the middle man; or
they might start cheese factory.
Our farmers could furnish them
with milk. Either of these would
give a market for the products of
the county, and we believe pay a
handsome profit to the stockhold-
ers, and without danger of over
production. What we need is
something to bring capital here
not take it away. The small num-
Der of hands required to run a
manufacturing establishment so
| =