The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1886-02-13
KINGwOOD.
Its DistinE uished Citizens. Its
Schools, improvements and
Items Various and Ins
fcrestfng.

Special, Correspondence OF the New Dominion.
KINGwooD, w. VA, Feb. l, 1885,
Like good friend, the New DoMrN-
IONS visits are always welcome, and
are made much more so by there not
having been an issue for years but
what my eyes have gazed upon with
interest, and also that l was for quite
while humble contributor.
Having thought communica.
ton from here might not be alto
gether void of interest to your many
readers, and especially to my fellow
teachers of Monongalia, have from
time to time contemplated sending
you few notes, but procrastinated
as often as | contemplated it, till the
present.
Your correspondent Is snugly
quartered for the present school term
among the clever people of No. 3
Kingwood district, two miles from
Kingwood and within one mile OF
the Tunnelton pike and the new X
d T. Il. r. OFF to the east, in plain
view and in a pure blue sky, the
Briery Mountains tower, while be
tween us flows the turbulent, historic,
picturesque, romantic, wild Cheat
with its bottom ever as solid as be-
fore it was made the theme of the
penman in his wild imagination OF
her bed and waters being sent to the
slower regions" by the big rock
Across Cheat at Albrightsville is
a good, substantial iron bridge, cost
ing $4,000, which was built in 1878.
The first bridge here, an iron one,
was cut down by the rebels during
their raid. A wooden one was built
in its stead, which blew down during
a wind storm in 1877. 20
Preston, within the last few years,
has been making rapid stridesin the
improvement of her schools, and es-
pecially of her teachers. / believe
there are two districts in the county
that have five months school; and
she pays her teachers wages consid-
erablv above the average of the
counties of the State, and has thus
influenced many good, experienced
teachers into her school work.
Worthy teachers, like other people,
always like to labor where they are
the most rewarded.
Various Monongalians are teach
ing in Preston. Among them Prof.
l. G. LazzeH, Principal of the King
wood school.
/ was pleased to meet Mrs. Snider,
formerly Miss Bayles, of Monongalia,
and who was very successful
teacher there for several years.
w. G.. Shafer, former Morgan
town boy, is making pictures at
Kingwood this winter.
Among Preston boys, of late, who
have their labor in foreign fields are
- Goodwin, son of Capt. Goodwin,
late postmaster at Kingwood, who is
serving in the regular army and is
now stationed in Texas; Elbridge
Ravenscraft, who is in the U. S. Sig
nal Service at Washington; Capt.
Brown, of the steamer ALARM" and
others. -
The labors of the Rev. George
McGrew, as missionary in India, are
too well known to your readers for me
to give any note Of them here. He
and the Hon. J. c. McGrew, to whom
your correspondent is much indebted
for kindnesses shown me at their
residence, by opening to me their
collection of many curious things,
gathered by the father in his exten-
sive travels throughout the world,
and especially from Scotland, Greece,
Damascus, Jerusalem, the Dead Sea
and Constantinople; and by the son
from India, among whose people
he was for about ten years laborer
for their civil and religious welfare.
The collection consists of photo
graphic views of cities, mosques,
palaces, Bible scenes in the Oriental
cities and countries, the pyramids,
the sphinx, and of the people of these
countries themselves. The collection
also consists of the very ornaments,
implements, instruments, books,
monies and many other curious
things Of these people; and, more
than that, the very gods themselves
of the heather Indian that they have
worshipped! Among these are vari-
GUS kinds of ware, coins, musical in
struments, stones, works of art,
beads, implements of war, wax fruits,
woods, image servants, fine carvings
in both wood and stone, and as we
stated, the very gods to whom the
Hindoo had bowed and worshipped.
Such collections are very rare, and
as curious as they are rare.
In the cemetery near Kingwood
has been erected monument to the
memory of the Hon. VIM. G. Brown,
who has, perhaps, as conspicuous a
history as any other man connected
with the history of Preston county.
Pardon me for saying word with
regard to the papers of Monongalia
and their readers There are many
of your readers that are not aware
of the vast difference in the Morgan
town papers and the other local pa
pers of the State, in size and the
amount of their local news. l do not
say it for puff" for they do not
need that, but l say it for the truth,
that / believe that Monongalians
have the best local papers in the
State, at least in my knowledge, and
the people should appreciate them.
Glad you are about to be forever
blessed with the railroad.
The grading is nearly completed
on the X. & 7. r. R., but perhaps
there will be no track laid till good
weather comes, at least.
Many roads are still blockaded in
this section from the great snow
storm.
West Virginia Bills.