Year: 1867

Sketches by the Wayside.


Editor Of the Register .7Ti~,,1 >


l forgot to notice one important item


in my sketch of Grafton-the National


Cemetery for the soldiers who died in


West Virginia during the war. Thi;


has been located at Grafton. The Gem


etery will contain about five acres ot
land and will be sufficient to inter some
five thousand bodies. They are now
grading the ground and fitting it up in


handsome style. When completed II


will he an ornament to the place. From


nv observations and from what i could


learn upon the subject, / am of the opin'
ion that money is very profusely paid
ont. But as it is distributed among the
faithful it IS only a premium for loyalty.
1t seems TO me that snch enterprises
should be let to the lowest bidder, then
all would have an equal chance and sat
isfactiou would be more general.


Well, left Taylor county and passed
through q portion of Harrison. The
face of the country is pretty much the
same-hilly and very broken. The
| farmers are not as enterprlsing as they
might be. A political indifference is
accompanied with a kind of agricul-
tural carelessness which is too plainly
discernible in the whole country. This
| is TO be lamented. Such spirit be-
tokens the decline of any country the
citizens of which become so apathetic.
found Clafksburg to be a very old
town. Its antiquated appearance is
not at all prepossessing, though the cit
izens are very courteous and kind. This
place, learn, is strong competitor for
| the location of the capital of the State.
The site for the building, which has al
ready been selected, is quite central and
handsome.


| think, Mr.. Editor, yOn should urge
upon the Democrats and Conservatives
to organize. Were your party as well
organized rs the radicals the political
character of the next Legislature wOnld
be- materially changed. The Legisla-
ture, il should be bcrne in mind, will
soon DE called upon 10 elect 4 United
States Senator to fill the place of Mr..
Van Wrinkle. How important that West
Virginia should have COED, reliable
Democrat in Congress. If the Demo-
Gratis would do their duty much might be
expected. They should go to work and
get up clubs for the REGISTER. knowl-
ed &c is power. Democrats should seek
to inform themselves, and then, equip
ped with the armor OF Truth, they
could put TO flight the pampered cohorts
of negro worshipperS and public plum
defers. The radicals leave no stone
unturned. They keep up their party
drills. They know their strength and
can estimate their vote before an cleo
ton. Ii the Conservative vote could
be brought out in the whole State, rad
icalism could be made to tremble, and
the infamous reign Of terror aud un-
scrupulous plundering of public funds
would he abated.


The region between Clarksburg and
Weston has suffered much for the want
of rain, but on Wednesday night 9th
inst. there was quite refreshing rain.
think there is lack of industry
among many of the farmers. There
seems 10 he but little pride manifested
among them in having their farms kept
in the best of style. The manure piles
lay rotting around their poorly con-
structed barns and stables. Weeds Of
every description are suffered to grow
along the fences and even in the fields.
Orchards are laDguishing and produce
stinted supply OF stinted and very in
different fruit, merely for the want of
proper care and proper pruning. Ma
ture has given them the soil and the
climate, but there is q grand deficiency
in the science and skill, as manifested
in the occupation of the farmers gener-
ally. The same quantity of land hus-
banded in a scientific manner, would
return nearly double the profit to the
owner. The wealth and prosperity OF
a country depend upon the fullest de-
velopments of agriculture and horticul-
ture.


There is another deficiency very no
ticable among the farmers of this sec
tion of West Virginia. They are not as
well posted in political matters as they
should be. They think few dollars
expended for a good newspaper is
waste of money. What delusiye idea!
In nearly every number of weekly pa
per is agricultural information of more
value to the farmer than the price of a
dozen papers. Besides he can be posted
in the political workings of the govern
mental machinery both State and Ma
tional. 1t is fact which is everywhere
demonstrated, that wherever the farm
ing community is given to reading the
papers, that community is the most
prosperous. 1t is true that the onerous
taxes new imposed upon the people are
creating uneasiness and, IN some In
stances, almost distress. But the first
dollar any one has to spare, after salts
flying the grim -visaged x-gatherer and
the pressing wants of his family, should
be spent in subscribing for newspaper.
Excuse my prolixity and my medley.
Yours, &c,


MOUNTAINEER.