Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-04-07

81, 504 ,093; 697 miles of canals, innumer-
able turnpikes, stretching over every one
Of the lightweight counties, most OF them
without toll to the travellers; and the great
swamps OF the Northwest are drained by
thousands Of miles of bitches, making
them the most fertile lands on the cont
nent.
The State contains 25 SIS, 1854 acres Of
land Of the value of $7l2, 436, 424; this ID
divided into 240, 900 farms. The chattel
property in the duplicate is sos, 9l3, 565,
making q total value of chattel and real
property Of 81, $40, 079, 56s, on which il
paid an annual tax of $3l, 167, $40. Oh
the land 9,S05, 305 acres are cultivated as
farms. and 6,214,662 acres as pasture.
Over these farms and pastures roam 1866
223 cattle, 4 ,295, s39 sheep, FAC, 300 horses,
54,5lS mules, l,606, 936 hogs. In 1885
we raised 40, 1865, 500 bushels of wheat and
H., '92, 44 bushels Of corn. We had
500, 524 mich COWS, from which were
churned As, 169, sl9 pounds of butter.
While the hens, partaking Of the general
Industrial activity, laid 80, $40, ISL dozen
Of eggs. OF cheese 80, 420 45l pounds are
made, and 1888, 24S pounds exported from
the State. OF wool VIZ clipped %, 558, 070
pounds.
We have $50 coal mines, employing 49,
7O4 men, and produce 7,8l6,017 tons of
coal, while the product Of the numerous
oil and natural gas wells simply defes all
srithmeticsl computation. In the last
twenty-five months 6 ,694,539 barrels Of oil
have been produced. In every town in
the State are numerous manufactures with
steam engines; rearing and hammeriDg,
cutting aud sawing out all articles Of use
iulness for other manufactures, for the
farmers and for every other useful avoca-
tion at home, and shipping machinery and
manufactured articles to all parts CT our
own and foreign countries. Connecting
sll parts Of the State and our own and for
eigu lands by instantaneous communicG-
ton, there are 473 6i2 miles Of Geographic
wiIe, and innumerable newspapers, daily
and weekly, in nearly every city and town
to convey to every house the news from
all the world. This is but a small fraction
Of the ensus Of q State first settled 100
years ago, and which. when admitted tn
the Union eighty-six years ago, John Ran
dolph denominsted "a mere geographical
diagram beyond the Ohio river of vast des,
erts Of woods inhabited by the AbOrigi-
nes."
The feature of the evening was the read
ing by the author of q poem on John
Gray, W~asbington's Last Soldier, written
by Private Dilzell.
Among the distinguished visitors here
are ex-President and Mrs. Hayes and DIR.
futile, Of Indiana.
SENATOR sHERMAN's LETTER.
Senator Sherman sent the following let
ter to DR.. ]. ". Andrews, Chairman Of
the Committee of Arrangements:
DEAR SIR:-Your card Of invitation to
attend the centennial celebration and to
make an address WAS received, and / hoped
until within a few days that l would have
the pleasure Of accepting it and of sharing
with You in the ceremonies Of this inter
esting event; but it is now manifest that
can only do so by q neglect Of the public
business committed TO my charge, and !
know that neither the men who founded
the settlement at Marietta nor its citizens
OF our day would justify q neglect Of the
public business TO participate In a celebra-
ton 10 interesting even "a your centennial.
| share 10 the opinions and enthusiasm OF
my friend, senator Hoar, who will deliver
your principal address.
l believe with him that the ordinance Of
1887 and the settlemement of the North
west Territory chiefly by Revolutionary
soldiers from New Euglsnd, was one Of the
most important civil events of the last
century. Second only to the Declaration
of independence and the adoption Of the
Constitution. All that has happened since
that time, though not directly trsceable 10
these events, has been colored by the pEiI-
ciples and ideas of the first settlement al
Marietta and those which soon followed
along the valley of the Ohio. These are
the topics which will ELL the minds Of the
desctndants of the early settlers and
of many millions who have spread over the
Northwest and founded States ard cities
and villages and hamlets without number,
populated by many more millions than
lived in the United States at the time o.
the settlement of Marietta, 100 hundred
years agN.
Ny eaIly association in boyhoOd times
with the people of Marietta and the Mus
kiDgum valley has always spread a halo OF
enchantment over the familiar scenes about
you, and perhaps /. more than strangers
less fortunate, will appreciate the interest
Ing surroundings amid which you stand,
Many OF the old pioneer settlers were iv'
ing at Marietta aud Beverly where, just
fifty years ago, / aided as a subordinate i'll
the work of the MuSkingum Improvement
A single life there Carried me back TO the
first settlement at Marietta. The stories Of
hardship, Of suffering, Of Indian warfare, o.
constant watcbfulnsss, Of sturdy courage
end the simple habits Of those early settler:
left an impression upon my mind that car
never be effaced. l would gladly add my
affe CtiC nate remembrance TO the many elo'
ouent words which will be uttered In tteil
praise and in extOlling the wonderful pro
gress which their sacrifices aud service:
made possible. ToHS SHERMAN.
This celebration is intended TO cOmmemo
rate the Tooth anniversary Of the first set
Element of the territory northwest OF the
Ohio river, from which were carved the
STATE s of Chic, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan
aud Wisconsin, The first settlers, under
the leadership Of Gen. Rufus Putnam, the
revolutionary soldier and friend of Wash
ingtoD, arrived at Marietta on April Z,
I-ll