The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-07-26
ATRAyELsK,s VIEW

/ -
OF the Farms and People OF weiEel
Couniy-A Glance rs b HonndsFiii'
Sisters.
EeS Haniasrtas Correspondence BpgalO, N. Y,COurir
This is a brisk little river town Of about
1,4O0 inhabitants, and ia the capital Of
Weizsl county, which embraces a rich agri'
cultural region. The only manufacturing
industries of New Martinsville area large
merchants Touring mill and an extensive
coopering establishment which turns out
several hundred oil barrels q day. First
class oak timber, suitable for that purpose,
Is becoming somewhat scarce in the
counties bordering upon theriver, although
TO look over the country one would think
otherwise, as more than hall OF the general
face OF the landscape is covered with q
gtowth Of timber; but in most cases the best
Of it has been culled out. What strikes
me as being the most prominent fea-
ture Of this town is the great
number OF young women who parade
the main street OF the village in endless
procession from shutdown until very late
bid time. III fact the clatter OF many feet
was resounding from the pavement when
| walked from my first nap after retiring
last night. 1t is really astonishing where
so many OF them como from, for a rough
estimate OF the number WHO pass in Que
evening would give about five or six 10
every house in town III personal appear
auce they present the exact reverse oflheir
Mouudsyilie sisters. l do not think l have
seen a half dozen plain or unattractiye
looking young women among tho hundreds
that have passed in review before me'in
this place, whereas l never saw such q
universally and MORALLY ugly collection OF
women 10 my life as in the place just
named. Those readers who have witnessed
a group OF snow or mud images modelled
by a lot OF school children may arrive at
something OF an idea Of the beautiful spec
tacle that a picnic party Of Moundsville
women would present. 1t would absolute
ly make ones face ache to look at them. Ma
ture made u very unequal division Of favors
between the two places. Icannot say that
i am iayorably impressed with the general
conditions and features OF society along the
Ohio border. There are occasionally small
fragments Of intelligent and refined socie-
ty, but their circles are very limited.
There is a large classscattered through the
towns and most favored country neighbor-
hoods whose opportunities for gaining
knowledge are equal to those possessed by
the average community throughout the
country, and yet who are 80 utterly ignorant
as 10 be practically little better than imbe.
Giles. For example, l sat down yesterday
with "a gray-headed old man, who h.lds a
minor county Office, thinking to draw out q
considerable fund OF information regarding
the general features and Of the
county. My fits! question was regarding the
number OF inhabitants in the town.
"Well, really" said he, II don't be-
Iieve : al tell, aud | have heard It talked
OF many a time too" Failing to obtain any
satisfaction on this point, l asked him il
he had ever eng iged in farming. "Yes;"
he replied, III larmed 1t nigh on 10 forty
year before l came to town to live" "What
Is the leading crop OF this vicinity Z" | then
asked. ~ don't believe ! can tell" said
the old agriculturist, and so 1t was with re.
gard to every point on which l questioned
him, subjects regarding which u boy of
ten years OF age should have been well
versed. Thelarge proportion o tho insane
in this region isanother noticeable feature.
The jailer here told me he has been called
upon to take charge Of thirteen different
mad people from this county during the
past three years, while several had been
sent directly 10 the asylum without pass
ing through his hands.