The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-04-18
AZ INHARITAnT.

hressGore years and ten and II by reason
II strength they be iourscore years, yet Ia
heir strength lAbour and sorrow, for it Ia
soon cut OF, and we ay away"
The words OF the PsRlmist would seem
10 have no application in the case OF one
Of Wheslipg's pioneer residents, who %
now living in North Wheeling at the ad'
ysnCed age OF so years, with an intellect
apparently as vigorous as that OF most men
al half bis years. No: Is he physically "a
infirm as one might naturally expect 70 see
Q man who lacks but few months OF be-
ing nonogenarian. The gentleman re-
isrrsd to il Joseph Greer, who came TO
Wheeling in 1872, and has been resident
OF this city ever since that time.
Speaking Of his physical condition, q
reporter who called on the old gentleman
on Saturday ct his home on North Mar
ket street, was astonished to find him so
hale. He has for aome time been missing
from his accustomed hauuts about town,
where his familiar form was daily to be
seen few mouths ago. This Is on &C.
count Of severe injuries to his spine TO-
ceiyed some ten or twelve weeks
ago, which were Of q nature
to produce most serious results. Indeed,
that at his age he should at all recover
nom the shock seems marvellous, and Ia
but another evid :nce Of his wonderfully
strong frame and constitution. A some
what similar accident happened to him In
1877, when he fell off the roof OF o house
and broke his arm. The physician pro-
nouuced the shock fatal to one OF his age,
but the arm quite healed up, and Is al
most as good rs ever.
SERVICES AZ A SOLDIER.
Soon after casting his lot among the pee.
pls Of the Pan Handle, Mr.. Greer turned
out under Capt. Irwin, with numerous
other citizens OF this vicinity, to defend
their homes, believed to be imperiled by
the proximity Of British troops. 1t was
rumoTed hereabout that force 81 men
was en- route from Brownsville to burn
and pillage this town. The militia lay on
Wheeling hill that night. In the course
OF the night--as Mr.. Greer told the story
the other daY-A horseman came galloping
up the road from the east. Hearing the
tEoops he halted and inquired what was
up. He was informed Of the nature Of the
force, and the duty they expected to DO
called upon to perform; whereupon he
turned and rode rapidly back toward
Pennsylvania. Mr.. Greer remains firm In
the belief that he was q British spy, and
that only his warning averted q cory con-
hiCt. ...
The young man, at that time only about
twenty, was six months under arms, In
the spring Of the year there came on
heavy rains, while yet the snow was ~
ing on the ground, and the result was q
great deal OF sickness among the "band Of
militant pillow boys" Mr., Greer's share
was a spell Of fever and ague, which held
on with the wonted pertinaCity OF that
disease, and prevented his re'entering the
army. Italso cut him of from the pension
lists OF the Government, The old gentle.
man still has In bis possession the musket
he carried In those memorable days.
Al this time Mr.. Greer says the ground
now occupied by the Second Ward Market
and the adjacent buildings was q low
swamp, or vast pond after season OF wet
weather. He has often skated on this
frozen pond over the cite OF the market,
the rear OF the Grant House grounds, and
tho east side OF Market square,
"REMINISCENCES OF THE PTRB DEPARTMENT.
About this time, Mr.. Greer also joined
the primitive fire department that fought
the flames in those days. The only orga:
nizalion then was "buCket brigade"
Ladders were kept at convenient corners
for uEe in case Of fire. Mr.. Greer was q
"rooi man, 1t being his duty TO receive
the leather buckets Of water from the
next man In the line and dash 1t over the
fro. In this way Mr.. Greer thinks less
water did more good, and there was no
possibility OF damage 10 goods from
drenChlng. After the bucket system went
out Of vogue, which was not until water
works were established, hose were used for
some time, and this plan was superseded
by hand engines, which gave way 10 steam
engines at comparatively recent date.
Mr.. Greer was until within q very few
years custodian Of the Hope Hose house,
and prior 10 accepting that position he
held D similar one In the H0ld Red" com.
pany. His experience In this business
covers period OF fifty or sixty years.
In 1924 or '26 he was on the roof Of q
building on Main street, near the head Of
the hill, when a companion fell, and pull.
ing Greer with him, both rolled to the
edge OF the roof, and were only saved by
Greer's catching the water spout. Mi
Greer's narrow escapes were not few, bis
most recent one being at the big Grant
House fire, where the walls fell on q space
Just vacated by him, and within a few
inches Of bis new position. He thinks
he has aided in distinguishing considers
bly, more than one hundred fires, among
them being that ct sweeney's North
Wheeling Glass House, and the one
which, about thirty years ago, destroyed
the block Of houses east Of Main street,
and South Of Eleventh.
As A BoATAAN
In the old days Of flats and keelboOts, Mr..
Greer's experience was varied and start.
ling enough 10 make q. volume Of interest
Ing reading He used to take freight 10
New Orleans, aud then sell bis craft and
return by whatever means offered. On
two Of his trips he was obliged to walk
back from the Crescent City. HO took
several hat.boat loads Of -four down for
RediCk Mckee, and various merchandise
for others, Ia the years 1878 to 1921.
About the beginning OF bis river expert.
enCe, about 1917, as Mr.. Greer remembers
t. a man brought from Brownsville a
small steam. boat, which was very inter.
esling toy, but OF no practical account.
Mr.. Greer says II ran well enough III
smooth water or down stream, but againsL
the current II required the liberal use oil
the polo. II was operated by a series OIL
upright paddles or oars on either side, tho
motive power being applied to shalt to
which these were attached II was not,
however Tor a number Of years later thai
steam navigation became practical sue
cess.
ACQUIRING PROPERTY.
In 1921 Mr.. Greer bought from his
father a lot on the east side OF Market
street, above Eighth, and year later he
erected house on II. This house is still
In his possession, with several others in
the Vicinity.
lie narrated 10 tho reporter little In.
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