The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-11-15
nnSMESr pusINEss,

ERSMEST BUSINESS,
ITO call ut Room Hotel
Charleston, ". Va. When the Nation
calls none should refuse to obey"
This had the desired effect, and the
Commissioner OF the Department oil
Forestry was enabled to make his map
OF the forests Of West Virginia without
leaving The hotel.
All day long the farmers poured into
the hotel until some twelve or fifteen
we're seated in the large sample room
around n great table assisting - in
compiling the map of the timber landa
Of the State. Such convention has not
been seen in West Virginia since the
DAYS OF Clay and Calhoun.
The mode Of operation was as follows;
The map was spread on tho table, the
bottles OF ink were arranged in row,
the, Commissioner gravely unCorked
each bottle, then made out a list OF the
timber that he expected to find. Oppo.
site each name Of tree was made small
mark Of the kind OF ink to 10 used In
drawing the belt representing the
boundary line OF. this variety. For in.
stance: p, .ff
/. Chestnut-Green ink.
2, Dogwood-Blue ink.
8, Pino-Yellow ink. lN.l
A. Red oak-Red ink, &c.
Thus the table was formed, while tho
farmers looked on In undisguised amaze.
ment. Beginning with each one in turn,
the Commissioner questioned as 10 the
point where the farm aud residence Of
tho farmer was located. He said, "Mr.
johnson, whereabouts do you liver"
avail, l live horeabouts;" aud the
farmer would place his great thumb
down on the map and indicate the spot.
The Commissioner would then ask,
"NYhat kinds Of trees grow around your
placer
"Well, We has pine on the mountings,
chestnuC'un the hillgides, an dogw0od
In the hollers." The Commissioner
would then run his finger down the
list, zone, two, three, four; three.
nine: yellow ink" He would
grasp the yellow ink bottle and
make u heavy line Oh the map; then
ne would take number two, being dog.
wood, and make u heavy blue ink mark.
Thus tho examination proceeded rap.
idly, The Commissioner, wishing to
reward the farmers for tho information,
ordered wine and whisky for the crowd,
and each parlook llberally Of the supply,
The examination and compilation OF the
man taking place meanwhile.
II was now well on into the evening,
and the landlord OF the hotel thinking
thnt there was more noise issuing from
tho room than should bC made by q body
Of men investigating IN botany, sent d
bell.boy up stairs TO ask the gentleman
10 make less disturbance. The boy
ralne down stairs 10 iOw moments and
reporlod that there was fight In pro.
vresS In tho room above. The landlord
and the night clerk rushed up stairs
nnd burst In tho door Of the
Samplu room. A most amusing
1ivht met their eyes. Farmers
Iny drunk upon the floor, several were
stretched aCroSs the bed, aud two big
bnrly iOllowsand tile Commissioner were
IeNnInR over thu table, engaged In q
irnnken argument a. 10 hOiy much red
,aE Mcrc igds IN The State. Tho rcd oak
'nk bottle had been upset over tho map,
Md there was q belt Of rod oak running
,Dt and weSt across tho State, right
through the mountains, fully eighty
niles wide, Il
iT6e landlord cleared tho room, aud
M commissioner, when sufficiently
,obered up, tried 10 Btralghtgn. up his
Mined map. lie returned 10 Washing.
on llle rlRxt day with tho map, and al.
.Louph he tried 10 keep tho story q
,ecrpi, IL leaked out In spite Of his Of.
ara, His assistant here Ia Washington |
ma worked over tho map a long time
.ryibg 10 lessen the surplus Of rcd oak,
MI even yet, Ia tho last publication, the
Depattnent Of Forestry las anywhere
rom 100000 10 10000 acres Of rod oak
n excess Of the real amount.
The Commissioner stlll labots OH, He
iaE been corresponding recently with
aFmers In Kansas with a view Of deter.
mining whether the great plalnB were
,nce covered with forests which came To
holr unllmely end by tho buIlaloes eat. !