The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-04-11
WHEELING'S GROWTH.
AN Early Account of the Young
City and her Industries,
UNPRECEDENTED PROGRESS HERE,
The City Assigned by tho Author, Mr.
Martin, tho First Place us to Popu'
Iation aud Industries in Virginia
An Interesting List of tho Manuiao'
tories, tho Churches and the Schools
OF 1884.

ing, owned by the McUolloch estate,
has been torn down to make way for u
modern structure. In the cellar was
found an antique chest, full Of interest
ing ancient volumes, These are oil all
characters, but perhaps the chest con-
tanned none more interesting than an
octave volume with the title. "History,
Gazetteer, &C., OF Virginia"
This book is in the form OF chronicles
o! tho researches and inquiries OF
Joseph Martin, and is addressed to the
members Of tho Virginia Historical and
Philosophical Society, with a request
that the members assist the author to
complete and correct this record,
which was to him labor Of lovo,
There is scarcely a page in the book
which does not possess even greater in
terest to-day than when it was printed.
Turning to the portion devoted to
Western Virginia, most interesting
account is found OF Ohio comfy, which
then included among its post towns"
"Elizabethtowu" or "Grave Creek
now Moundsville, in Marshall county,
Particularly interesting is the long arti-
Gle, taking up several pages, on Wheel
ing, from its beginning down to tho
date OF the book, which was written in.
1883 and published a year later.
1t Is perhaps not generally known
that the name Wheeling was older than
Fort Henry. Its origin is obscure. One
legend is that it came from the Indian
word weeling, meaning "the place Of u
skull, and was due to the presence OF q
skull on pole at the mouth OF Wheel.
ing creek. Another, less plausible, idea
is that wheeling" meant the turning
or wheelingplace OF boats which former
iy tratiicked on the river.
The book now described does not 60
into these facts. but states that the vii
lage OF Wheeling was organized in 1888,
about the site OF "Fort Wheeling"
which OF course means Fort Henry. In
1920 the town had 1867, and in 1888
5000, which, says Mr.. Martin, showed a
phenomenal growth. His enthusiasm
hDSub W hGSlAllb NOulN lhhlCuto bllht phS
was "boom town" in those days.
She had in 1888 twelve physicians,
fourteen attorneys and eleven clergy.
men. There were nine churches, two
Presbyterian, one Episcopal, two Meth
odist, one Catholic, one Friends or
Quakers, one Baptist and one Camp
bellite," now Disciples.
The town had educational facilities
which sound odd till it is remembered
what a change the public school sys-
tenn wrought. The list included the
Wheeling Military Institute, the Lam
castriau Academy FOUNDED by Noah
Linsly), the Wheeling Classical Acad-
envy and the Wheeling Female Semi
nary. Besides these a Wheeling Uni
versity" was then projected.
1t appears that every day not loss
than 2G steam engines are in operation
In Wheeling" The most important
works were the Wheeling Iron Works
(whore the "Top mill" is, in part, A. D.
lS9S-iust sixty years iater.) It pro-
duced 1000 tons of iron, including 800
tons OF cut nails, annually. There were
four foundries, five glass houses, three
steam flour mills, one brewery, two dis
tiller!es, two cotton and two wooden
mills, two paper mills, two saw mills,
one copperas factory, one white lead
and one sheet lead works, two tobacco
factories, one glue factory, one pottery,
and ono rope walk" or factory,-truly
goodly industrial showing for a COM
munity OF 5000 people. In all Wheel
ing Is credited with 1l3 factories" OF
various sorts, employing 1900 hands,
and consuming over 1000, 900 bushels OF
coal, tho cheapness and convenience OF
which is dwelt on over and over in the
article quoted.
There were likewise one lyceum, one
theatre and Masonic hall.
The river trade and wagon trade over
the National road Of course occupy
much space. There were eight stage
lines daily.
Boat building was q big industry,
also.
The interesting fact is here learned
that tho old stone bridge cost $4,000,
while $4,000 had been spent in i'm
provements in two years. The city
water works was nearly completed.
Mr.. Martin concludes with the state
ment that Wheeling had undoubtedly
tho largest white population in Vir-
ginia, and il not the largest, atleast tho
second largest entire population in tho
commonwealth, and he dwclls with en-
thusiasm on her phenomenal growth,
predicting that she will at no distant
day becomctho metropolis, as abe Ia al
ready the busiest town, Of Old Virginia.
A comparison with tho facts and
views he recorded then and the facts
aud viawR Of today nnnns TN n syitln