The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-12-03
SCENES ?HHN AND NOW.
A Study Of the Growth oi
WheeIing from a Picture.
AN OHIO RIVER VIEW IN 1866.
The difference between tho Appear
ancc OF this Part OF tho Ohio
Valley ut the Close Of the War
aud ut the Present Day.

Commodore John Crockard has fran
cd aud hanging in the office OF the new
wharfboat photograph OF tho steamer
Phil. Sheridan, taken at tho Wheeling
wharf in 1865. The camera was located
ut the lower end Of the wharf, and the
picture includes ali the upper part OF the
wharf, the Suspension bridge, all OF the
Island above Ohio street and that par,
OF the Ohio side visible from that point.
On this side up near the water works
pumping station are two new boats
building by the Sweeneys; one the Min.
nesota, for the Northern Line Packet
Company, and the other the Como, a
side wheel cotton packet, afterwards
operated by tho Sweeneys in Trinity
river, Texao. 90
The picture has not the artistic merit
to appear we'll when compared with n
fine modern photograph, but as u study
in the progress made by the part OF the
Ohio Valley which it covers, it is yery
interesting. The part ithe wharf shown
is cut to pieces, and Is rough and un.
paved, showing here and there washes
made by heavy rains. There arc only
four Of five houses on the Island above
the suspension bridge, and only two
persons appear upon the bridge. The
P, W. d Ky. railroad, O; course, is not
there, and the row OF rear ends OF houses
on Main street is not built up solid as
now.
On the Ohio side nothing appears
where now arc the E.ns and Standard
mills, and the busy town OF lE:nayille
shows only one house. On tue Ohio
hills there are three houses, and they
may be seen and recognized yet.
To take the old photograph and stand
with it where the camera which took it
stood, and pick out particular points,
shows the great growth OF Wheeling and
vicinity. Where on the Island there
were then only four houses, there ia
now small city. The smoke and steam
from the mills on the Ohio side make Il |
strangely animated picture compared
with the quiet, sombre appearance of I
the same territory in the view, and tie
putting, snorting engineS and humping
cars OH the F., ". 4 KY. tracks show
the new life that has come to this sec.
ton.
1t tseo,as q pity that the new Union
bridge nor no part Of the immense ter
minai System are visible from the point
where the picture was taken, but it does
not require long stretch OF imagination
to bring it to view. The work on the .
new bridge to the Island marks an epoch !
ia the history Of the city. It's existence
is made possible by the filling up with |
prosperous, happy homes Of the great !
hiatus between Ohio street and the |
north end Of the Island, shown in the |
old picture. Then it was doubted il |
there was business enough to make the |
bridge n successful venture,
but now another is building, aud still
another is projected, 30 great has be.
come the traffic between the two sections
Of the city.
Instead OF the old mower and reaper
works in North Wheeling, with its
dome, there now appears
The immense five story buildings OF the
West Virginia China Company, and in
the eaule vicinity and along the shore
lower down are numerous other signs oil