South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1883-04-20
Romney, Hampshire County, West. Va April 90 1888

TIE distance TO OAyS Mill Was 40 miles
by way of tho North Fork Of the South
Branch; this soSc:ded mo to abandon
tue idea OF reaohinx that point, no I
started to Petersburg to hunt my man /;
arriving on Tue day morning. went at
once 10 tue Con- house, where found
q large crowd y eady gathered. full ..
excitement abo9 the trial Of Douglass.
My man Was III the jury .box aud Of
course had TO wait until recess to trans
act my business With him. jus. as
Was about to leave that place for home,
MIR. joe Harmon. merchant from Pen.
dioton county, Informed me that tue
distance from Petersburg to DAYS Mill
was only 81 mice and that the roads
were IN fair condition, SO changed
my plans again, and meeting with an
Old friend. Mr.. Isaac Shobe tho late pro.
prictcr Of the Taylor mill property ia
the Gap 3 miles above Petersburg, who
invited me home with him for the night ;
after enjoying good hot supper, puck.
ed up u newspaper, which to my great
pleasure. proved to be the good old
South Branch Intelligencer, ami ne
rusal Of it afforded mo great Delight, as
l found mu;h in its columns to into re ST
me. Next morning left my kind
friend home, proceeding on my trip up
Tue n. Fork, Crossing the stream twice,
struck good gradsd road up the south
SIDE hills along the stream To avoli SO
much crossing of waters. On my way
l notice" some excellent farms AMI some
new buildings recently put up. two o,
them by the young Mr.. Houses. A,
ian !, l,. ~
large school stili in session, and new
store lately built.
just above, On that strtim il MIR.
iisrmon's ore. doing u line business.
While stopping here ~ feed NV horse
learned thar tnls is u fine opening for
Il pm sician. the nearest resident VI ID
oeing al Petersburg { distance of %
miles, ami Yet mos. all of the settlers
here are In good crcum stances, and a
bl: To meet u ID ,cLur's bull. After leav.
ins Tie hea waters OF the Seneca C Im .
'uencs'; ascending the Allegheny which
| proved to be much stcepe than the
Mo1reiie,d CRATE, good road bel, bu,
fearful hills above me and deep Oh ,sm ,
below. would not advise nervous
persons 10 search this road for pleasure /;
though reached the top in safety, ant
began descending the other 81 ,c into
Randolph county, and utter riding e. "
miles reached Days Mill. Found good
business men, goo 'untry stores. busy
IN trade. their counters and shelves dad
ed with maple sugar taken in exchange
! Tor Soois. They have 4 mails w elk
and have tieir goods hauied from Koy-
scr, distance oil "a miles ut tho rate
OF 81 90 per hundred. H. began snow
IN, sUon sitter L arrived, AMI the next
m"rning | nas told tina; it is the deep ST
snow they have had this winter. 1 left
on Thursday, returning by the same
route, staying oil night in Peulleton
county, slept under single roof and
listened to the rain during the nj .ht.
Imagine, II you can, my feelings. 20
miles from homo. Il deep snow on the
ground. rain falling. snow netting RAJ
/ piily AMI the s.ream9 roaring as If dc /.
icrmined 10 CIT me of Il started, how
ever, OF Friday. and soon 20, safely into
Grant county; after riding few hours
In heavy rain reached the n. Fork
which was ris:n. fast; hut eros 3ed in
safety. Alter leaving blr, Shobc's mill
got coiored lnan TO rifle my horse
across tho >. Bra"cJ, while frien set
Inc over in q boat. In short time
was opposite Petersburg on the south
side OF the river. whcre | nolice1 the
koifer dam was almost flooded, will be
apt 10 he swept out when the snow .ne,ts.
| then crossed over t. Mill Creek which
was very high, found Ba-gdal's mill
undergoing thorough repair; noxt OBJ
Ject ot interest was new miil site on
same stream being built by Henry Yam
ker, very cnterprising gentleman.
Barbeetown comes next, at which place
Is large Circular Saw Mill owned hy
the same gentleman aud doing n good
business. Mr.. Shearer Of Mooreield.
has son In the mercantile business
here and doing we'll Mr. Sam. Morfi-
son, another enterprising gentleman just
above, bas nice neat property, well
huiit, good store and carding machine,
doing fine business. After leaving
this side of the mountain crossed over
the south Fork miles below Dasher's
mill; / travelled on the new grade TO
said mill without crossing the stream.
End the Dashers doing brisk business
with their new mills. / crossed the
Fork here ant then crossed the noun
tain into Rockingham county, Virgins,
thence down 90 W mills. crossed
the N. Branch Of the Shenandoah, got
on the old Augusta road leading to liar.
dy county, soon struck the divide, and
then got on the head of Zig Capon. bet
ter known as Lost River; as the snow
bad not melted fast, the river was for
dabIe. | noticed several sloighs at n
Iunker church passed where worship
was boing held. There was service also
in the Lutheran church further down
the valley Still further down. between
Mr.. Harpcr's aud HoYs store, | noticed
fine looking church with gothic roof
and stained glass windows IL would be
credit TO many more important town.
Late Sunday evening / reached my
hofln and found all we'll. If kind Heay
en- spares my life, | will never again
venture on the Alleghauies until mid
summer; for IL am ever caught there
IN such y storm and such rough wea-
Their will bid the Allegheny noun
talns final adieu. $50