The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-08-11
Roe Daad IL Noam, D q, n Walrn CArnlian


right arm and President Harrlson's
secretary Of war, But very few can tell
you where Elkins. West Virginia, is.
Not very wonderful, for 1t 10 only about
four years old. Before that, there was
a peaceful crossroads lying there
in beautiful Tygart valley, with
scattering farm houses and q
frame Presbyterian meeting, house
Of respectable antiquity, made historic
by ito dissertation by our troops durin
the civil war, who used it-So its pres'
emit pastor informed me-now for
horse.stable, aud again for pig-stye.
II Is some fifty miles southeast OF Graf
ton, on the West Virginia Central, u
road built by ex-senator and his brother,
Col. Thomas Davis, ex.secretary Elkins
aud others, from Belington, q 3. s. o,
spur, to Cumberland; and which pro-
poses, when President CleVeland's con-
gress makes times good, to push on
through Hagerstown and Frederick to
Baltimore; and westward possibly to
the Ohio.
all the way from Grafton the road
follows the Tygart Valley river, mostly
typical mountain stream, which is
lmpeded by great stones tumbled along
its rocky bod, only here aud there wlde-
ming out into a placid flow. The
great industries arc timber and coal,
vast companies being at work, and the
lands that once went begging at twenty
five cents per acre now commanding
from $40 to $500. / was shown one
tract, east OF Elkins, which, underlaid
with coal and richly wooded, cost its
owners $500. Recently they had sold
the timber privileges for $4,000 and
had the land and coal left,
Some OF the people are OF the most
primitive types, especially the noun.
talneers. They oil 60 to mill on horse
back; and saw two men emerge from
mountain forest-path, each with bag
OF grain over his shoulder, trudginR con-
tentedly millward. II this areadian
simplicity extends to morals also, it is
well.
Between Elkins and Piedmont--as l
was permitted to study from Senator
Davis's private car, with himself, his
charming daughter, and the colonel ~
my tutors-there Ia a wonderful devel.
opment Of coal mining, cokin0, and
numbering in all its forms, Churches
are being built; and the roughness 30
commonly the concomitant OF pioneer
mining life is being succeeded by the
decency and amenities Of refinement,
even aa the musical tones OF church
bells mingle with the screeching Of on;
CINE whistles, and modern school
houses and dwellings mark the begin
ming Of better architecture.
West OF Elkins the scenery Is pictur-
esque; east OF II, in places, it is wild
old sublimity itsoli, wierdly trlCked out
with garlands Of blooming chestnut
trees, rhododendrons aud laurel. But
for the deep, green foiinge covering the
Alleghenies to their summit, could
have fancled myself whlrllng aaound
the curves aud loops Of the Denver &
Rio Grande, in dear old Colorado.
Fairfax is the divide between the
Cheat, flowing westward into the Mon
ongahela, the Ohio, the Gulf; and the
Potomac, flowing eastward into the
Chesapeake Bay. The West Virginia
Central clings to these through the viii
dernesses as timid tenderfoot would to
mountain gulue'
The names of the railroad stations
show tho style Of men whose brain and
money made the stupendous enterprise
a success: Rawlings, Window, Chat
foe, German, Blaine, Harrison, Hen
bricks, Davis, Elkins. Cleveland, l
suspect, though not interested, will be
with the noblest ate on the "exten-
Hion." for the Davises are family OF
sturdy Democrats.
Ioften think that had not Providence
made DR.. Cranston lawyer and bust.
ness man before he put him into our
ministry, lie could not have become the
incompatible agent he is Of our great
publishing interests. Similarly, the
two Davises were practical railroad men,
on the old Baltimore & Ohio-the colo
mel conductor, and the senator brake
man-and thus learned all about rail-
reading, and incidentally all about the
timber and mineral deposits OF West
Virginia, and were fitted for the leading
part they have played in uncovering the
unsupported riches of the hoop.polc
state.
Alighting from tho cars at Elkins, the
attention Is ut once attracted by two
immense chalet.like establishments on
ahigh plateau north Of the village, with
forest slopes rising beyond as q back.
ground. 1t Is easy to believe tho TyRart
to be the Rhine, and 10 expect gallant
knights, with sounding bugles, to clat.
tor out from these castles across the re.
sounding draw.bridges, as in feudal
times. But US tho carriage and noble
bays bear you up the ascent, through tho
ample grounds. along windingand shady
drives, until you debouch from the
glorious woods directly upon the front
Of Mr.. Elkins's summer residence, and
you are received with Republican elm.
plicity aud Virginia hospitality by him.
self and his gracious wife and children
and rugged old father, you find this
castle an ideal American homo, and
learn that the other 10 the home Of his
fatherdn.law, ex-senator Davis; and
that tho ono over yondor on tho nOxt
glorious hill 10 tho summer homo OF
MIR. Curran, Of 81. Louis.
this magnificent place. II IL given with
illustrations In the journals Of architec.
ture. But the loveliest thing about
1t 10 tho happy blending Of elegance
and homolikeneSB-rlchOs and sim Pill.
city, Gta front Is toward the wooded.
sloping hillside, out OF which tho grassy
plateau has boon carved, and over
which, with exquisite taste, cultivated
and tropical plants are dispersed abroad,
contrasting charmlngly with the luxu.
rlunt natural growth6. From the rear,
oyOrlookingthO village, a Landscape OF
hill beyond hill, tho green and billowy
ocean yistas, spreads out before you,
framed by Cheat mountain range on