The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-04-08
WHEELING 1907.

q r !.
Nincty.two Years ago. "a
( In a quaint old book written in 1897,
by DR.. F. Cunning. and published by
Cramer, Spear C Elchbnum, OF Pitts
burgh, in 1910. we get glimpses Of things
that are interesting by way Of contrast
with the present. The writer, who was
n physician, started from Philadelphia,
and Travelled to New Orleans. to give
his own words, made q tour to the
western country through the states OF
Ohio and Kentucky; u voyage down the
Ohio and Mississippi territory. and part
OF West Florida; commenced at Phlln-
delphil In the winter of 1907. and con-
cluded In 1909.
d Those who enjoy rapid transit can
hardly imagine the case of such
Journey. There was no rush to catch
cabmen and make trains. no hurry to
check baggage or to forget to check 1t,
for DR., Cunning set out on foot. He
says: On the Sth OF January, 1907, I
left Philadelphia on foot. accompany
ing n wagon which carried my bag
gage. ! preferred this mode of trav-
pressed for time wished to see as
much OF the country as possible; the
roads were In fine order. and / had no,
incentive TO make me DESTROYS of
reaching any point OF my intended
Journey before my baggage. With re-
.spect to expense, there was little differ.
ence In my travelling In this manner, or
on horseback, or in the stage, had
been unincumbered with baggage; for
the delay on the road, awaiting the
slow pace OF loaded wagon, which Is
not quite three miles an hour, and not
exceeding twenty-siS miles on VIM
tcr's day, will occasion as great expense
10 a traveller In distance exceeding
two such days Journey as the same
distance performed otherwise In less
than half the time. including the charge
Of horse or stage hire" We find he was
glad to try horseback riding many
times before he reached Pittsburgh.
From Pittsburgh he travelled by boat.
his description OF which will be of In
terest to the older steamboatmen. He
describes HIS departure from Pittsburgh
''in batteau. or fiat bottomed skiff,
twenty feet long. very light, and the
stern sheets rooted with very thin
boards, high enough to sit under with
ease, and long enough to shelter us
when extended on the benches for re-
pose, should We be beRlshted occa-
slonally on the river. with side curtain
Of tow cloth as screen from either the
sun or the night air. We had pair OF
short oars, or rather long paddles, for
one person to work both, and broad
paddle to steer with; and q mast and a
lug or square sail to set when the wind
should favor u.s." He describes every
thing on the Journey very infinitely, and
rnfarrtnr IN Hho ri t,,bt
Its location. must be what Is now Wells
burg, he says, "Mr. Doddridge, who Of
ficIates alternately here and at Steu-
benville, to the Episcopal congregations
first practiced law. then physlcs and
now adds the trade OF tanner to the
profession Of divinity" One point In
the description OF this town must be
omitted. In the middle is
convenient little court house. with
a small. light cupola splre
The goal IS behind It, and in
front Is the pillory, on plan differing
from any ever saw elsewhere; large,
round wooden cover. like an immense
umbrella, serving as q shade for the
criminal in the, stocks. or for u plat
form for one In the pillory TO stand on,
or for shelter from sun or rain to the
Inhabitants who meet OH business In
front Of the court house. the place gem
orally used as u sort OF exchange in the
small towns In this country" He re-
fers to Col. Connel. of Brooke county,
as clerk Of the county court. and hav-
ing q very large but unfinished house
of hewn stone near the court house.
Our greatest interest centers z In
Wheeling and Its suburbs, and we read:
1--WE proceeded after dinner from.
Charlestown, three and half miles to
a ferry, and two miles further we pass
ed a point and a tavernfo on the right, q
mile and q half below which. on the
same hand. Is the struggling town and
fine settlement OF Warren. laid out by
Mr.. Kimberle. the proprietor, FIVE years
ago. but 1t Is only within two years
that II has begun to assume this appear
ance Of town. 1t contains thirty
eight dwelling houses, charmingly sit
uated on an extensive bottom. the larg-
est had noticed since leaving Pitts
burgh, with Indian Short Creek empty
ing into the Ohio at Its southern ex-
tremity.
Three miles lower we passed Pike
Island. which Is about three-quarters Of
n mile long, and seems capable OF cul-
tivation, though perhaps rather low.
Opposite to It Is the boundary line be-
tween Jefferson and Belmont counties.
in Ohio.
1.-TWO miles further. at o'clock, we
landed ut Rolands Ferry. on the left,
and found Roland and his son employed
building a boat on the bank. He had
removed from Pittsburgh last April and
now rented small farm from Mr..
Woods. the county surveyor, who has
a handsome house In sight, little re-
mote from the river, where he resides,
npthnr nm tho hopE n 1ttf1a
and cottage amongst the woods on
the highest neighboring hill. intended
for banQuet!ng house during summer.
and commanding an extensive prospect
At Rolands invitation. we walked to
his cottage, little distant from the
river bank. His wife and very fine
girl. his eldest daughter. were spinning
cotton, while younger one was at
tending the ferry, who. though dell
cate and pretty girl, padded the skiff
backwards and forwards as well as q
man could do.
s"At Z we left Roland's. and three
miles and half below passed between
the north end Of Wheeling Island on
the right. and the principal part OF the
town OF Wheeling on the left, which Is
situated on so high q cliff. with the
avenues from the river so steep. that
on account OF the apparent difficulty
of getting our baggage carried up, we
preferred going on to where the elf
was considerably lower. landing Just |
under Sprigg's tavern. near the ship
yards. n little above the confluence OF
Wheeling creek with the Ohio.
This being great thoroGgffare, on
account OF Its situation. where the
great post-road from Philadelphia. Bal
timore and the northern part OF Fir- |
.Iv,l. ....lA Il .
route through the states Of Ohio and |
Kentucky. to Tennessee and New Or
leans. We found several travellers OF |
various descriptions In the house, md
after pnrtaking with them OF u good
gupper, we went out to sumter unfit [