Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1919-04-10
Mr.. LANG,s LETTER
Continued from first page.)

that eXCenQS from fTeoeTic JOiHSoii
to this place, a distance of some
three miles. This mill was once one
of the best in the vicinity as it is
one of the best water powers in the
state and could grind grain when the
wheels of other mills could not move
for lack Of water. Mr.. VIM. Hols-
berry owned the mill and operated it
for years. The old mill is now a
mother one of the gone by's" and
its old frame like that of human
being is fast passing away under the
ravages of time The altitude at
this point is about 1867 feet and an
80 foot dam would possibly back the
water to Frederick Johnsons, 70 feet
would at Kirt Johnsons mills. This
territory possibly was once lake or
a succession of small lakes and its
outlet might not have been where it
is at present. Mr.. Perkins, gelog-
est, passing thru the vicinity some
years since said that this was once
a lake and that its waters were dis
charged at one time in the history
of the world over the brow of
small ridge above where the Hols-
berry mill now stands and where the
residence of VIM. Holsberry stood be-
fore it was burned, some years since.
AS proof of this assertion there is
a low place in this ridge where the
| waters could have flown, and there
| is number of small ridges and hol-
lows that lead to where the creek
now flows. Some years ago about
| 1895 Mr.. James K. Holsberry, who
was digging his we'll on one of these
| ridges on which his residence stands,
| passed through bed of forest leaves,
| pine knots and other material some
three feet thick, at a depth of fif-
teen feet from the surface. This
material could never have been de-
posted only from the theory that
| this water course at one time flowed
| through this course to its present
channel. The water of the stream
as it was at the present time from
/ the old Holsberry mill, as it leads
over boulders, and falls at the foot
of giant oaks and spruce, falling 227
| feet in a distance half a mile for
being one of the most gigantic water
/ powers of the state that could be
utilized for the benefit of her citi-
| zens if we had such men as Henry
Ford and Thomas A. Edison to har-
ness this great power that is momen-
tarily going to waste. Mr.. John Hols
berry built a sawmill at this grist
mill but moved it afterward farther
down the stream. Some distance be-
low Peter Johnson built sawmill.
/ Isaac Johnson a brotehr of Robt.
/ Johnson built water mill at the falls
where ] D. Lang now lives, another
Mr.. VIM. Stalnaker one of the first
settlers on Teter's Creek in that vi
| cinity, and neighbor, sent a colored
boy to Mr.. Johnsons mill. He called
Mr.. Johnson to the door to take off
/ his grist. Mr.. johnson seeing nothing
under him, inquired where his grist
was, the boy looked down and said,
| ooh, | let it fall off down he road"
/ 1t is not related how he got his grist
4 to mill
A water saw mill was operated by
/ Dock Polling on the John Ryan
farm after tie close of the Civil wa.
/ This was. POSSIBLY built by Mr. Ryan
4 in his lifetime. The traces of this
mill and race are yet to be seen on
/ the lands of w. H. Stalnaker and
W. w. Holsberry James S. Polling
says he helped his uncle Dock on this
mill, and Jacob Lati says he used to
/ fight humble bees in the old forebay
when it was only of water. These
last mills are all "by cones" There
still remains a chestnut log in the
bed of letters Greek, on the farm of
| w. H. Stalnaker His father Willis
! Stalnaker said he had no history of
it, and might have been there 100
years.
From the Corrinth Church to Mes
torville, distance of some three
miles, this stream has waterfall of
only some fifty feet, and the most
fertile lands are long these bot
toms, which have been made rich by
washing down the alluvial soils from
the steep hillside and deposited on
the low lands, making rich farms
the grass for grazing and meadows,
There are only four bridges that
span this creek, Holsberry mill, ce-
ment one built few years since when
Old Morgantown and Beverly turn
/ pike across the stream half mile
above Nestorville, wooden bridge at
this place and another at old Meats