Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-08-15
The Muddy Missouri and Its Nam
moth Bridge.
A Western Zephyr Broken Streets and Mis-
celianeous Wreckage = Soldiers "A
Fine SchooHWestern Youth and
their Pleasing Frankness.
A FEW WESTERN CURl0SlTlES.
Special Correspondence to the Register.


reach of that turbid, dirty food when it
makes its customary rise in the spring.
The river is crossed from Council Bluffs by
a lofty and solid iron railroad bridge which,
with its approaches, is somewhat over 5000
feet long. As you look down into
the water from this height, it does not
strike YOU as being an inviting fluid to
bathe in, for il runssso swiftly that there is
constant erasion of the clay ban ks and mud
bottom, and it is of the red brown color
common to the banks. Tumbling through
the swirling, eddying current come snags
from the forests northward, and occasion
ally whole trees, perhaps destined in COLI
sion with steamers in future. There are
low lands, some hundreds OF acres in ex-
tent, AT the foot of the Omaha bluffs, and
these are owned by the Union Pacific Rail,
road Company, who have erected ,hopsand
sheds and tracks thereon. Omaha streets
are, TO put it as gently as possible, mighty
bad. You can 60 through them afoot by
daylight if you don't mind jumping
An Occasional Gully
or rubbing elbows with some greasy citizen
on the middle of two foot PLANK bridge
across an open sewer, ravine or opening for
a gas main. Sidewalks are good, but there
are few crossings, and when you get mired
to the shoe tops in the middle OF the street.
and are afraid that you are so hrm!y glued
in as to be unable to eXtricate yourself in
time to escape the band of horse men gal
Looping pell-mell down the street, the situa-
ton fills you with bitterness and dlScon-
tent. Carriages must have sorry time OF
it in trying to get over these thorough
bodies Perhaps l do Omaha some
thing of an injustice, however, because
wind had been along the day before, which
had thrown roofs all over the streets, tilted
ckimneys upon plug hats, Knocked over
stalwart trees like ten pins, blown down
many rods of fences, smashed windows,
porticos and awnings, hoisted respectable
citizens off their feet sent them buzzlng
through the atmosphere gyrating like
windmills, whooping like Indians, and
kicking the glass out of the street lights,in-
verted the normal position of middle-aged
ladies and thrown the dear children ar)und
like shuttlecock. This playful demonstra-
ton is called by westerners with that love
for the inapposite and exaggerated that
makes their language so picturesque,
zephyr" In this case 1t was accompanied
by
and the rain pouring through the ill-paved
and graded streets in brooks, had washed
them full Of ravincS and Uttered them with
small boulders. But the residents did not
sit around and lament. Although the
damage was less than twenty-four hours old
gangs of workmen were labOring to restore
a surface to streets, garden walls and fences
were going up again, fallen trees were dis
appearing as firewood. the Clink of the
mason's trowel reSOunded from roof tops,
even the ChiRcsc laundrymen were hay-
ing their signs replaced and more
securely fastened, the tack ofHham-
mers putting repairs on roofs, doors, avn
ings and doorsteps was heard in every
street, and nobody seemed less happy that
the air had been frcshened by zephyr and
the earth moistened by necdful watering.
There has been more rain in the West this
summer than for seven years, tree planting
causing some of it, but many people ascrib-
ing il, through some occult process OF rea-
soning, to the railroads. Zephyrs OF this
kind are the bane of plain and prairie re-
gions, for as there are no mountains be-
tween the Rockies and Alleghanies to break
a tornado's force, the wind rushes hurting
over hundreds of miles Of level country
with the force of cannon shot,
Laying villages In Ruins
and spreading death and devastation over
a large tract of prosperous country. Wind
travelling in this manner assumes rotory
motion and cuts a swath of destruction
from a half.mile to six miles wide, and
whirling waterspout is often carried with
il, There are extensive barracks at Omaha,
the post being regarded as the point OF
supply for the regions where Indian
troubles are going On-that is 10 say, IN
places where the red man is entering
feeble and useless protest against being
pushed off his reservation into
onaipSk nYfan-
sive robbery than usual OF his supplies by
Indian agents. Blue coats are seen IN the
streets at all times; steady, sun-brewned
veterans, conCeited young lieutenanta fresh
from West Point, dazzling in white he'll
NETS, gold lace, white gloves parted whisk-
ers, waxed moustachhs and eyeglasses
they'll get all that take out OF them shortly
and gruff but good natured officers who
have passed through the second lieutenant
stage of buttons and foppery and are to be
relied upon for business. Plainsmen are
in town too in numbers, to get good.
square drink, a fresh supply OF tobacco and
TO stake
A Few Shekels on Keno,
Gaming is very quietly, done, however,
and 0 naha is Just as orderly as Wheeling,
if it isn't quite as good looking. 1t has
police force horse cars, has just built fine
hotel. and boasts of gas, good water and
some stylish residences. Likewise 1t has
park of perhaps an acre in extent, on
whose gate appears this mystic legend:
climbing trees, or any interference there
with is strictly prohibited" This is use
full ordinance to the small boy, because, al.
though he must not climb the trees, yet II
he does, nobody is allowed to interfere
with his amusement. In the centre OF the
CITY, and on the highest point OF ground, IS
the bandsomest high school building in the
country, now that the beautiful structure
which occupied similar position in Hart
ford is burned. 1t is of brick and stone,
divided up into class rooms Of unusual spa
ciousness, airineSs, and light, and sur
mounted by tall tower. We wanted to 90
up into that tower to observe the scenery,
so approached a small boy who was Wig
orously
Tolling the Bell
for afternoon session, and there ensued a
confusing conversation TO this effect:
1--WE want to go to the tower
"Do yer?"
YES"
"Well, run along"
"How do you get upS'
You can't get up" ....
"Wby not"
Doors locked"
"Is there nobody in the building who
can unlock it?'
Guess so, but he's out"
when will he be in?'
Dunno"
Where are the keys"
"Up stairs"
"See here. We want to 60 into the tower.
Will YOU take US or won't your
why didn't you say so before. Just
YOU wait now till get through yankin
this bell and I'll take you up. Come
along"
up so many flights of stairs and throug d so
MANY gloomy garrets that our bones achei,
and eventually arrived at the summit.
The zephyr had broken in the windows and
a stiff breeze whistled through. but we held
10 our hats and looked and admired. The
Missouri could be seen for miles cutting
through steep banks of red clay that here
and there made an humble
Miusiery Of Mountains
in outline, and opposite, at Council Bluffs,
were crowned with pretty villas. On the
nearer side of the river foundries and fac
tories exhaled smoke, and signs of business