The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-10-05
DOWN RIYER INTERESTS
An interview with Hon, John a.
Riley. OF Marietta.
BUSINESS, POLITICS AND PERSONS
interestingly Discussed by a slan
Who Knows What Is Going on on
Both Sides of Tho Riyer-Prospects
for Success in tho Fourth West vir-
ginia DIstrict-Democratic DIsaffec-
lions.

The Hon. John II. Riley, Of Marietta,
formerly Of Jackson county, this state.
and twice member Of the West Viz
GINA legislature, who ha, been in the
city for day or two, in speaking Of the
down river country says that his town
Of Marietta is looking up in q CONNER.
cial and manufacturing point OF view.
They have now five railroads there,
several foundries, furniture establish.
ment, and an organ and piano factory.
and several minor concerns that employ
in the aggregate large number Of
people.
Marietta enjoys the distinction Of be-
ing the pioneer settlement in Ohio. The
Putnams of Revolutionary memory
went there from New England, with
other colonists, soon after the conclusion
OF peace in 1888. and laid out the town,
and il was there that Aaron Burr made
his headquarters and built his barges.
etc, when he was planning his mys-
terious scheme OF Mexican conquest or
domestic treason, whichever it was,
early in this century. for which he was
tried and acquitted at Richmond, Va,
under the administration Of his success
fui rival for tho presidency, Thomas
Jefferson. That episode in Burrs lie,
his sojourn ut Marietta, and his memo
rable acquaintance with the Blenner-
hassetts, especially Madame Blenner.
hassett. while there. gave William Writ
his opportunity to make that immortal
speech at the Burr trial that Is now
classic 10 American literature.
The town OF Marietta boasts about
ten thousand inhabitants, 1t has been
helped In recent years by tho oil deyel.
opments on both sides OF the river. II
has well known college and other in.
stitutions Of learning, and Is a sort OF
old fashioned aud well bred place. 1t
was to have been the metropolis-the
Clncinna,i-of Ohio, when 1t was laid
out, but It proved to BIO too high up the
river for that, and has had to yield the
pnim 10 one alter another OF 0hio's in
Vulnerable cities and towns, until at
length, and long SINCE it dropped out
ofthe race. Still, il Is good town, has
n good country around it, aud will be
heard from in the future.
Mr.. Riley practices law thore. and he
was speaking OF lawyers on this side oil
the river, and among the rest OF tho
late Judge Robert S. Brown, of Ravens.
wood, whom he knew very well, and
who, he said, was one OF the peculiar
men Of West Virginia in his day. At
tile outbreak OF tho war lie was very
moor. very irregular in his habits, and
withal !secessionlst and voter tor
accession. But he saw his opportunity
for speculation and Strengthened up
and went at it in dead earnest, so much
10 that he bought and sold oil territory
with great success, and at last achieved
very decided fortune, which he
further increased to still larger propor-
tons on up to tho time Of his death,
and died worth at least q quarter OF a
million.
Mr.. Riley defends the judges memory
from the reflections that were current
in his time in regard to his business
methods, and says that while he was a
sharp, a very sharp trader, be was not
crooked in his ways. lie admits
that he was guerilla in politics, and
seemed TO veer to all points Of the COM
pass, spreading his sails to any wind
that blew, having been betimes rebel,
a Republican, a Greenbacker and a
Democrat. with variations between
times, but in all these changes he al
ways claimed that he was patriotic and
trying 10 serve the best interests Of the
public. He had a stormy and an acri-
menious nature, was very domineering
in his ways, made many enemies and
not a great many friends, but still he
was a success generally in achieving his
ends. Altogether, said Mr.. Riley, lie
was a remarkable man.
Speaking OF General A. ]. Warner, Of
Marietta, who has national, and, in.
decd, an international reputation rs a
silver crank, Mr.. Riley said that he, re-
minded him somewhat OF Judge Brown.
He was the same forceful sort OF man,
inclined to domineer over opposition
and not particularly regardful Of the
rights Of others. The general Is sup
posed to be dcvot0e of silver for sill
vops sake, said he, but II you were to
scratch his back deep enough you would
probably find that there is method In
his madness. Ho Is supposed, in other
words, to occupy tho relation OF an at
torney rather than that OF an individ
nal to the silver question. lis his pro
fessional interests in the question rath'
or than his personal devotion that arc
supposed to incite him to such persist
ent advocacy OF free coinage. Asked
whether it was not his financial enbar'
easements some years ago, In
connection with the building OF the
Marietta & Pittsburgh railroad, thai
first lod the general to cry out with 'old
Bill Allen" for more money and less
misery" Mr.. Riley could not reply
with certainty as to that, but thought
it not unlikely, "a in the case of Gen.
Tom Ewing, that business pressure had
much to do with it. Still, said he, the
general is not now supposed to DO ON
barrassed. He is understood to be {
large holder OF the securities OF thai
rond and of coal lands aud other prop
orty. In fact, lie is well enough fixed
But rs l said, he is man OF supposed
influence ut Washington, having once
been a member of Congress, and his
Identification with tho agitation fol
free silver Is therefore supposed to bt
rather professional than personal.
Speaking OF Jackson county and the
contiguous country on tho West Viz
ginia side Of the river, Mr.. Riley dwell
Interestingly on tho change for tho bot
ter that has occurred down there since
the building OF tho Ohio River line. ant
especially It's feeders in Jackson, where
by, said he, more or lesa Of revolution
in the idcas and modes Of life has result
cd. All that primitiveness, or rathol
rnrnnaa TINT Ynn anM down thnrn Ii