The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-07-10
Che a,tte:u!lqente1::
0nire, Nos. Is AMI 81 Fourteenth ~ rect.
!ALoSG TmE II. d o. II. n.
BeiWeen Deer Park and
ParkersburE.

the writer finally found himself enrolled d
n guest in the elegant hotel at Deer ParI
Probably not more beautiful resort ca
be found anywhere among the Alleehenie-
ind mt aud nature seem here to vie Wit
each otherior the benefit OF the tours
The hotel itself Is magnificent s,ructu,
with accommodations fol; 200 guests, an
with II situation which could scarcely b
surpassed. The rooms are large and air,
the furniture Is new'and OF the latest d,
signs, and the products OF lI culinary d,
partment are such as the most fastidiou
epicure might demand. On either sid
OF the hotel are n number OF beat
iiful cottages, and those owne
by Senator Davis OF West Virginia, an
John W. Garrett, Presiden, OF the railroad
are especially elegant structures Of thei
kind. The cottage OF Senator Davis is 81,
uated upon Il gentle slope overlooking tn
railroad and the country beyond, is sur
rounded by iluwer.be,is and grand oil,
trees, and Is supplied with every convent
ence which money can command. Her,
overlooking his immense estates the Sena
tor is accustomed TO spend much OF hi
time, and many are the stories told OF hi
generous hospitality and liberal deeds
The cottage OF President. Garrett adjoin
the hotel on the west, and when finishes
will be one oil the best appointed in tn,
country. Il is gothic, with spacious yer
andas in front and on one side, and con
tains twenty rooms. Ash, white and vel
low pines are the woods mostly used in thu
construction, and the interior is bcin,
decorated with all the magniicence which
the workmen can command.
In front OF the cottages and hotel the view
is limited only by distant mountains and
the horizon. Beautiful walks, flower beds
and picturesque knobs, follow each other
in quick succession, and such an expanse
OF well cleared land is seldom elsewhere
seen. For the invalid, the pleasure seeker
and the man OF wealth Deer Park presents
Il multitude OF attractions, and will always
be considered the resort par eIcslience Of
the Alleehenies. slt5
Passing Mountain Lake land Oakland the
train finally halted at Cranberry Summit,
and here | found another splendid resor,
under the charge OF Mrs. Mary Z. Worth.
ington. At this place number OF the
best families at Wheeling have been nc.
customed 10 spend their holidays, and the
scenery is not inferior to that OF Deer Park
or Oakland. From the hill adjoining the
hotel West Virginia, Pennsylvania and
Maryland can be seen, while from Gregg
Knob, four miles distant, Pennsylvania,
West Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, Eastern
Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky are said
to be visible. From Rowlesburg TO Gran.
berry the. railroad grade is ll3 feet TO the
mile, and everywhere succession OF beau
tiiul views are presented.
The scenery oil the Cheat river country
is probably the most superb on the line Of
railroad. In the neighbOrhood OF Rowles.
burg the train seems TO run along narrow
path at dizzy height among the noun.
tains, and the eye and senseaie bewildered
BY themighty prospect beyond. 1t is wild
and sublime scenery rather than that
which is soft and picturesque, and the
traveller is relieved when Grafton is finally
reached. Waiting for tie train at Grafton
I counted twen'y-three engines and one
hundred and nineteen passenger and
freight cars in the yard. This will indicate
the importance OF the place IS q railroad
center, and also the wonderful advance the
town has made within the memor,
OF the Oldest inhabitants. 1t i.
less than thirty years since Mr.
Nathan Goodwin built the, Iirst house
within the present corporation limits, ant
it was then severai"hundred feet, from the
railroad track. The transportation busi
ness has since so largely increased that til,
railroad lands have become covered will
tracks, and no room for a street along til,
line IL nov found In the earlier days o
tile toxin 60 uninvitiDg was the prospect
that the first storekeeper was told, tina
foxes would look out OF the window Of hi.
house before the store was yet Year old
yet the store was erected and the town i
one Of the most prosperous in the State
1t boasts OF 1900 inhabitants,. sever
churches, excellent banks splendit
Court House, and thirty. stores and more
and other private and public buildings.
Taylor county, Of which Grafton. is the
centre, confined II ,i54 'inhabitants il
1850, and this is an increase Of o,0S7 sine,
1870. In consequence OF the surface o
the county being very hillv. not gre.l
deal OF the land is cultivated, but tht
timber and coal lands are especially valua
bic. The soils are calcareous, sandy ant
clay loans, and the'crops are corn, wheat
oats and grass. Under most OF the county
are coal veins from . 10 - feet in thick
meas, apd iron in workable quantities il
also found. The principal stream Of til,
county is the Valley river, and this has a
Grafton large boom. The lumber bust
| ness is the most important industry OF th,
people OF the town, and millions OF lee
are annually brought down and put int
shape for the market. The boom is larg,
and complete, and is navisable for bat
teaux al! tue year roi;Hd:
While ,arrying Ct Grafton, through thu
kindness OF S. r. Hooton, chief mail clerk
OF the road, was given some insight OF tins
mail service on the main line for the montl
oil June between Grafton and Baltimore
There were handled 2,42G, $50 letters, ant
22,46t bushels OF newspapers. in addition
there we're i,t2l registered packages, TO
each letter I'll which receipt was given
The distribution o. ell The mail matter i
done on the trains, and on account OF th,
| tLlCltHCl VI liC 5SiNN a iSttCi VI paper
seldom lost or niscarricd.f -.5-st..,-
Leaving Grafton on crowded train
found myself at Clarksburs in less than Al
hour afterwards, Iterc found myself ii
the nth county Of the state; as regard
population, but in one OF the first as regard
The wealth and enterprise. ei its inhabi
tants. The county is prominently
grazing one, though there is much improvet
land with good soil, and the whole is vel
cultivated, On inquiring into thecondi.ior
Of the crops, the answer was given that tn
prospects for wheat this yeSS. eie unusual,
line. An immense crop oil wheat Ess beef
harvested, and the farmers arc jubilant owe
the prospective outcome. The oats are look
ing well but the acreage is not great, and tn
co;q il shor, but looks very promising
The potato yirll viii be unusually large
and the hay crop will he sreaieE than ha
been known ior many years. The pastur
| fields are literally meadows, and. it is
matter OF resre, that the farms are no
this year stocked to their fullest capacity
| While at Clarksburg ! paid -visi, /,
Gen. COTS new house, and found it tn