The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-12-03
Ghs QnteIligetreer
once, Nos. as and ~ fourteenth Street.
FLYINe TRIP
Across the state-A Hard Ride over the
Mountains.
49,. ~. T,lsJJE,.,n.-

Leaving Wheeling by the Baltimore &
Ohio on the evening train, schedule time
put me in Columbus, where l was to meet
companion de roydg', in about the time il
would take a carrier pigeon to make the
distance. A glance at the register at the
Neil House showed my friend was OF
hand, and, though 1 knew he could
have scarcely enjoyed even forty wink
after his journey of 800 miles, remorse
lessly beat up bis quarters for news from
friends and to plan for the future. SHARP
6 o'clock found US fairly launched on oul
trip via Portsmouth, Ashland and Hunt
ington to the Chesapeake & Ohio. Arriv.
ing at Ashland, we were little chagrined
to find we were to be detained five hourl
for want OF connection, but fair dinner
and the fact that 20 see what We could was
part Of our business, readily recOnciled US
10 our condition. A ramble through the
town showed US there was plenty Of room
for it to grow, and impressed us that its
growth was retarded if not stopped for a
time, many OF the houses being unten-
anted aud posted 40 Let"
Our walk took in the blast furnace, at
which we were surprised to learn they
were making fifty tons OF pig from strictly
native ore with raw coal. The ore, which
is said to aDalyzs iorty-eight percent, is
obtained by rail from Bath county, Ken
lucky, some sixty miles away, from vein
ten to fourteen feet thick at cost OF 81 10
per ton laid down in the stock house.
The iron produced is soft and weak and
sold under the name of American Scotch
pig. The coal is brought from mines be-
longing to the company that own the fur
mace, at q cost OF q fraction over four cents
per bushel. The limestone is partially
from the neighboring hills and partly
from the fossiliterous deposits OF the
lower Silurian, near Maysville.
An item that attracted our attention was
the color and quality Of the brick manu-
featured here. A piece struck on car
bumper gave out sound as clear as a
bell, but refused to be redaced to any
smaller proportions though struck with a
force which made my hand ache with the
jar. We fingered around the furnace until
our time was up. Taking our seats in the
smoker We both INDUCED in the weed, q
few OF Miller's best, and with the occa-
sional cry OF the name OF station, We
managed TO pass the time until Ronceverte
was reached at4: 80 A. N. Our destination
being Huutersville, We had bought our
tickets to White Sulphur under the i'm.
preston that it was tue best plan to leave
the railroad there, but information obtained
=. - ~ a r-,,s ,1ao;Jad uofo laayya II az Ro0Ca
verte, as there was tri-weekly communica-
ton by hacks between Lewisburg and
auntersviIle, While congratulating our
selves on being in luck, it being Wednes-
day and Lswis5u!s only four miles away,
to which hack stood ready to take US, it
was something OF damper to be told the
hack for Huntersyile had been gone ar
hour, having started at the same time the
one did that had Gene to the
railroad; but the assurance that
private conveyance could be had at
LeYisburg decreased our dampened ardor
little. An hours ride brought US to Lewis
burg to find no servants up and no fire.
This was priyati0n, and as the morning
was cold aud damp We we're disposed to
grumble, but finding both wood and coal
handy it was but few moments until We
mad rousing fire, which dispelled the
and created feeling Of will
ingness to bide the t"tnre. While wait
ing for breakfast We were agreeaoly sur
prised to learn that-thS proprietor OF the
mack line had decided to send Sn extra as
lar as Falling Springs, distance OF SIX
Teen miles, and to hold the hack which
had preceded US at that point until we
came up. This was done by tue aid ofthe
telephone. Blessed be the msn that in
vented the telephonel
Over two hours had passed before we
we're again all aboard. The crack OF the
iriyer's whip as We started from the hotel
meant business, and buslnessit was to the
End OF the route. II We had to go slow up
/ mountain, time vas made going down,
the horses often bres king INTO lope.
Here was where the fun came In, ior At
eyeIy breaker across the road or stone in
the rut firm grip on the seat was the
best bold to prevent a collision OF your
head with thGt oil your r1G Tis. A stretch
Of good road had begGl!ed me into momen-
tary iorgetfulneSs OF the necessity oil hold.
ing on with death grip, which was paid
for by rap on the head by the top OF the
coach that made my neck sore for week.
It may be supposed from this that tho road
vas unusually rough. Not bit Of it, as
we found on our return. 1t was simply
the pace We were hurried down the noun
ssiu that produced "the little unpleasant.
ness" Il,
Inc three hours delay to which the
driver OF the hack which preceded US had
been subjected had put him inthe worst
possible humor, and this he vented on his
horses for which none oius felt inclined to
pied for mercy as We were suffering from
the cold. HunterBvIlle vas reached
little after dark where hot supper was
ready for US, which consisted o. Verltable
bucEwheat cakes and honey and old lash
toned Virginia corn bread. These with q
couple OF cigars, which We discussed after
wards, put US in excellent humor for bed,
but as it proved not to unbroken slumbeI
80 far as wSs concerned, rs the cold and
violent shaking up We had e1periDced,
produced cramps in my limbs at intervals
all through the night. A few minuels after
breakfast su[Eiced to complete our bust
nes here, and look over the village salts
fed Us that the thing for us 70 do was to
get away as soon as possible, and We
could moi help thinking 1t would be the
best thing everybody in the town could do,
for more hopeless outlook | never saw.
Still 1t is the county seat and railroad
or two would work wonders. A survey
from ParkerburV to the Chespeake &
Ohio at White Sulphur, by the way Of
auntersvillie, shows the route to be emil
nently practicable, "a no grade over sixty
feet TO the mile would have to be over
come, while 1t would lead through q sec.
lion Of country Astounding in timber, coal
and iron ore. About fifteen miles to the
west Of Huntersyille, on the line Of the
surveyed route, there is reported an
abundance OF the finest cokinR coal in the
country, and twelve miles to the east
ward in Beaver creek mountain hematite
and iossililerous ore in largequantities, with
mountains OF limestone between the two
points to be thrown in for good measure.
With these advantageSit would be natural
II suppose that every man, woman and
child IA the county would be in favor Of