West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1902-09-04
MORE INNOCENCE ABROAD.
col. zeph Breonsedge SIN Swinging
Around the Circle.

From our STAFF Roustabout.
Innocence Abroad promised to send
more stray notes into the devil" and
promises should not be made unless to be
kept. But about the only opportunity to
do so Is when aboard a river boat The
last experience OF this sort was on a
gasoline boat and the quick jerky strokes
OF the gasoline engine Jared the whole
concern so that the iypesetters would have
thought the writing was spider tracks.
So here goes for few items which will
have about as much connection with one
another as so many definitions 10 a
dictionary.
WINDING STREAM.
One OF the crookedest creeks in West
Virginia Is Middle Island creek which turns
and bends through Tyler and Pleasan
counties like 400 feet OF rubber hose In a
yard SO feet square. At a point near
Middlebourne is the Jug" Here the creek
makes bend seven miles long and the
rest Is SO very narrow that n water mill
occupies nearly half the breadth. To
construct race and get a sufficient fall
was quite easy job From near this point
TO its mouth at St. Mary's. :he creek is
said TO run 81 miles.
MOVABLE MAIL BOX
A farmhouse situated across the stream
from the Middlebourne pike has a wire
swung over the creek. person coming
from tho house can draw the letter box TO
him by means OF MINDLESS and then return
IL TO its place.
HARD LUCK.
Mention was made in my former Ictter
ola test we'll for oil which was sunk by the
Bethany pike in Brooke county The
owner Of the ground formerly lived else.
where. OIL was found on his land and Of
course not 10 his financial disadvantage
But not liking the rough crowd that came
into the neighborhood. he sold out. bought
a fine 900 acre farm in the Panhandle
expended some 10000 on the property.
and thought he could live where the oil
man ceases from troubling and the driIler
is at rest But the oil men found him out
and the result was so barrel we'll with a
probability that the whole farm is over an
oil pool. The unfortunate man will now
have &, get rich second time
MELONS GALoRK
Inc pcoPie OF Kipiey and Spencer and
other towns in the same section are great
melon eaters. One sees wagon loads of
melons on the streets and stacks of melons
in the stores--water. musk. and nutmeg
melons. They are brought mostly from
the Ohio bottoms. One style OF serving
ice cream is in the scooped- out half of a
nutmeg melon.
CROPS
Las; year was very dry in this part OF the
state and not enough feed was grown Cor
the stock. This season the crops are
excellent with the exception OF wheat.
Corn is particularly good. A large share
OF IL Is grown in the creek bottoms. which
are very productive. They are also more
extensive than in our part of the state.
The sleeper billsidcs are less rocky than
ours but more liable to wash There are
apples here. and good ones too. but the
crop Is not large.
TIiE LIT Tile KANAwfA
This river has sIackwater navigation for
50 miles above Psrkers burg. At Palestine.
80 miles up the river. passengers are
transferred from the train 10 a little boat
propelled by gasoline engine and are
taken 40 miles further up the crooked
muddy stream. The Kanawha has light
fall and $ comparatively smooth even in
high water. The gasoline boat can then
run up to GrantsvilIe and even farther
Numerous quantities OF timber have gone
down the river. but the woods are now
becoming very much thinned.
RAILROAD RUMBLss.
The people OF this valley sre much in
terested in the purchase OF the Little
ksnawha railroad by the Wabash system
and its early expansion into very i'm.
por.ant east and west line across the
state IL is stated that contracts for tho
grading will soon be let. and that this
work will begin simultaneous, by all along
the line.
BLACK BUSINESS.
Two miles below GrantsvilIe is Iamp.
black plant. said 10 be the largest in the
United States. q metallic rings. which
closely resemble oil tanks except in size.
are grouped closely together on the river
bottom. Natural gas Is burned in these
rings and Is brought here through large
main Itrcquires only - men to attend to
collecting the lampblack and pushing IL
into sacks. The men ought TO be con
tented. Tor the work always scots them
The output Is 10000 pounds week IL
goes TO market by boat except in time OF
low water when Il has to be hauled - miles
TO the head Of regular navigation
GAINESVILLE
the county seat Of Calhoun. Is on the
Little Kanawha aud also on the line Of the
Wabash extension. AZ present. IL is a
miles from the nearest railroad point.
But the person expecting to see red brush
settlement here will find himself utterly
mistaken. II IS clean. pretty. Handsomely
situated little town. with neat cory houses
occupied by as friendly. intelligent. free.
hearted people As one can End anywhere
IN the Mountain State. 70 make stop
N their town IS 20 wish 20 see u again
Ippu ppooMsupro