Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1886-06-19

i referred to the manufacturing
interests in vogue fifty years ago.
and incidentally mentioned the flour
barrel business, and named some of
the individuals engaged in it. Out
side of town, in Falling Waters dis
trict, for use at Honeywood, Falling
Waters and Springfield or Ham,
mond's mill, the Horner family, En-
erson family, and Briciners, with
many others, were largely engaged.
The Bedington mill, then run by
John r. Crook, and afterwards BY
A. w McCleary, received their bar
rels from persons who resided in the
mountains around. Johnson's mill,
since and now owned by Mr.. Minor,
at Newcomers mill, on Opeqnon,
southeast of town, the Manfords,
Myers and Henrys were largely en-
gagged in such labor. In fact, at that
period, one hundred barrels were
made and used to any one now man.
nfactured. The milling interests of
our county was always good, and
many fortunes were made and lost
in the trade. It was within the
years since the war that the system
of shipping grain to the city for sale
and manufacture, has been introduce
ed, and grown almost to the extent
of all being SO shipped. Our county
was densely covered with fine tim
Der of various kinds, which gave
much employment to labor in pre-
pairing it for market. All farmers,
both near and far from town. in
clearing land, hauled timber to wa
ter saw mills, which were generally
attached to Touring or grist mills.
We had no such things as portable
steam mills, and seldom seen any
steam power used. Every merchant
in town had place for the storage
of lumber, and would trade dry
goods and groceries for it to far
mers- Nearly every day, teams with
wagons loaded with lumber, could
be seen in town. Nearly every
| neighborhood had its established
distillery, where our fathers would
have fruit or grain converted into
liquor--part for home use and part
for market. 1t was marked insult
if upon calling on neighbors, the
bottle, with superior apple or peach
| brandy or whiskev was not placed
upon the sideboard or handed round
to all, young or old, male and fe-
male, and it was seldom that any
one declined partaking of it. About
the year 1912 the first temperance
society was formed, and the pledge
only required that we refrain from
using whiskey or brandy wines, CT
der and beer were never excluded.
In 1914 the great Washingtonian
temperance movement occurred, and
many who drank to excess were re-
stored through it's influence to sobri-
ETY. and good citizenship. Since that
time we have grown to demand, on
the part of many, the prohibition of
its sale and manufacture, to strin-
gent laws and penalties, possibly for
the betterment of society; but no
grander class of honorable people
can live than those who have passed
on before us, in every quality of
character.
In noting changes which have oc.
Cured for number of years-large
| crops of flax were raised, to the ex-
clusion of grain, and we had in many
places, oil mills, where faxseed was
ground and pressed into OIL On the
site now occupied by Fitz's mill,
there was an old one-story house
called the oil MILL Opposite was
saw-mill, just in the rear Of the pres
ent foundry and machine shop. 1t
was in or about the year 1852 that
Mr.Fitz purchased from Daniel Burk-
hart, the property referred to, and
Immediately commenced the present
improvement, greatly added to since
erecting the stone structure. The
present condition has no resemblance
to the then appearance. There was
broad point of land between the
south and north side ON which was
located a fine spring, with large logs
spanning the water, and where the
bridge now is on Queen street, was
broad, rapid flow, over rocks, thro'
which the roadway ran. ! believe,
in improving, the spring has been
preserved for use. Where the bridge
on the railroad crosses the stream.
there was another fine spring, from
which / carried water for the school
room under the Lutheran church for
many day. In course Of time, a
well was dug on Schoppert's corner.
At one time the only public pump
was located on Queen street, in front
Of Lambert's present saloon, with
another at the southwest end Of tho