The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-09-14


Next to the Pittsburgh Of former days
Wheeling has all unenvable reputation
for smoke and SCOT and all the debris Of
dirt aud bIackness that results from the
universal use Of coal In an unsCientlGC
way-that is, in a way that did not CON
sumo the smoke. 1t was here as It was in
Pittsburgh, that every house We'd with
every factory in bslchirg forth columns
OF smoke from its chimneys that rsined
down endless flakes Of SCOT on tho town.
As we all know, this condition OF affairs
has been the bane Of housekeeping in
Wheeling in the past. It has indeed made
weary drudges Of our housewives and their
help, besides being highly expensive on
account Of the wear and tear on carpets,
curtains, clothes and all the parspher-
MALTA Of home.
The inside and outside Of our houses
too plainly suggested smoke and SCOT and
dirt, No amount Of paint could keep
down this unpreposses1ing appearance.
1t would persist in asserting itself as soon
as the paint was fairly dry. The roofs on
the houses, the paper on tho walls, the
carpets on the floor, the curtains In the
windows, the shrubbery and tue grass in
the yards, the trees on the sidewalks, all
conspired to tell the tale Of sulphur and
aoot, and all took on the complexion Of a
damaged reputation.
The sorrows OF wash days in Wheeling
eau never be told, especially Of the clothes,
line part OF 1.-THE hanging-out.to.dry
ordeal. Tho breeze that dried the linen
would rain down the carbon that so pro-
yoklngly bssprinkled 1t, There was nc
help for this-and we had to console our
selves with tho reflection that SCOT, after
all, was "clean dirt" and no! unhealthy.
This was our answer to the olustic criti.
CismS Of strangers and visitors, in addition
to the remark that they would be willing
to put up with our annoyance II they
could only have our cheap and abundant
supply Of coal.
Until the news that natural gas was
coming, we all expected to plod along in
this weary housekeeping throughout our
lives, attOr the manner Of our predecsss.
ora. Bat great change in this matter OF
SCOT and blaCkness is about to occur-the
same sort Of change that has already oc.
Cured at Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh ID nov
clean town. A collar and a pair Of cuffs
can be worn whole day, and an ordinary
cake Of toilet soap will last a lady o week,
To many people who have not seen Pitts.
burgh lately this may appear incredible,
but it Is fact. And 1t Is all owing to the
substitution Of natural gas for coal to such
a general extent.
AS it now is up in that once "smoky
City" SO will it very soon be down here in
Wheeling. In ayear or SO when gas IL
burned in all our homes and only Colorlest
carbonic DIR is seen issuing from our
Chimneys, we will scarcely recognize the
complexion Of the old town. And wher
in winter there is no kindling to provide
and split up, no shivering over damp iue,
that refuses to ignite, no smoke to be
driven down the chimney by q gust o.
changing weather, no sulphurous cinderl
and dust scattering ashes to take up, nc
unsightly barrels or bins Of refuse in the
back yards waiting to be hauled away Il
the dump pile, we shall all thank Pfovi
dence that while our lamps still hold ou
to burn we were permitted to see thil
new order Of things.
Really and truly 1t will revolutioniEl
housekeeping in Wheeling and give mum
berless weary hands a rest from hitherto
endless scrubblng, sweeping and cleaning
This Of itself, putting aside all we expec
Of benefit to our manufacturers, is enough
to create boom in the old town.
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