Thursday, February 22, 1900
A plague of measles is universal in this county. Happy is he who buried this sorrow with other ills of his childhood.
The Methodist church is being fitted up with furniture. A 500-pound bell is on the ground ready to be put in place.
A case of smallpox developed near Millboro Depot Monday and a strict quarantine has been established by the rest of Bath County against that point.
Several persons who traveled in Bath County last week with health certificates found no place in which they could eat and sleep in the county. A Millboro wagon was turned back at the top of the mountain. We feel sorry for Bath, for to be scared to death is worse than the plague.
NEW STAR ROUTE ORDER
The Postmaster General has long sought to obtain from Congress the right to refuse all bids for star route contracts except such as come from contractors living on or near the routes concerned. A large class of professional bidders has sprung up within the last thirty years. These men obtain contracts by the thousand and sublet them at about $10 a year less than their own proposals, a practice which makes it needlessly difficult for the department to compel good service…
FROST
Fourteen below zero Tuesday morning. Snow 8 inches deep and windy.
James Gragg’s wife, near this place, has been dangerously ill for the past 10 days.
John Tacy died at the camp Friday night last, of pneumonia.
Mrs. Jennie Williams is still growing worse. Her friends have given up all hope of her recovery.
Peyton Moore has changed his occupation from the measles to clerking and is now in the store of Hannah & Harper, where he is kept busy.
James A. Reed, who was a frequent visitor to our town, has discontinued coming. He has an 8-pound boy and is now taking his time up singing, “Bye, oh, Baby!”
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Harry Guinn, a fine girl. Harry is seen no more at the stores. Mother and child are doing well.
There are plenty of widows and bachelors in this section; but, Mr. Editor, they always remind us of – hotel soap!
A great many of our young gentlemen and ladies “tipped their light fantastic toes” at John Cleek’s, eight miles below here, Wednesday night last.
CORRESPONDENCE FROM WESTON
Gentlemen – As a Valentine, I will send you a postal money order for two dollars, which pays my arrearages on subscription to date…
The Times is quite a source of pleasure each week to me, as it brings to my mind many persons that I am acquainted with and brings me the doings of the people in general.
We are now quarantined against smallpox here and it is lonesome and disagreeable to be penned up without any access to the outside. There is only one case of smallpox so far in Eston, but of course the family of the patient will be afflicted, and it may be some time before the quarantine is raised…
It seems to be scattered over nearly all of this part of the State, as there are pretty reliable reports of smallpox in all the following named counties: Monongalia, Harrison, Upshur, Lewis, Gilmer, Ritchie, Braxton and Webster, and reports, but not absolutely reliable, from Marion, Doddridge and Calhoun.
I have only heard of one fatality so far, that was a Mr. Bennet at Glenville. He was a lawyer.
The latest report gives Buckhannon 30 to 35 cases of smallpox, and the local authorities there have acknowledged that it is smallpox and that Camden-on- Gauley has 12 to 15 cases.
Very respectfully,
O. Hunter Kee
(Mr. Kee is employed as a guard at the Weston Hospital)
THE LAUNCHING OF THE POCAHONTAS
Smith & Whiting sent a couple of their employees down the river to cut away some of the drift timber which would interfere with their driving logs. They came to Marlinton and made a very neat boat, pitching it within and without, and were preparing to sail away in an unostentatious way when some of the boarders at the Marlinton House decided that the boat must be launched in style.
A crowd gathered at the bridge in spite of the storm. Senator McNeel made a speech and Miss Mary Yeager broke a large bottle of good red wine over the bow and said,” I christen thee The Pocahontas.” The hitch occurred in the proceedings when it was found that the bottle would not break against the soft wood of the boat. One of the lumbermen held his cant hook so that the bottle could be broken. When the bottle was broken a wail went up from some of the spectators, who cried that they were carrying the joke too far.
The local Society for the Support and Maintenance of Opulent Liquor Dealers handed in the following set of resolutions:
Whereas, on Saturday, February 17, 1900, a small boat was launched at the Greenbrier Bridge during very inclement weather and whereas, on that occasion a large bottle of wine was broken over the front end of the boat and the contents wast-ed, be it resolved:
That it is the sense of this society that such action was wasteful, extravagant and uncalled for; that all such practices be condemned and that hereafter we unite and change the practice of christening boats to the more sensible form of drinking the contents and breaking the bottle on the bow of the boat.
Given under our hands and sealed with the great seal of our order, Want, Wretchedness and Crime, this 18th day of February.
G. I. N. RICKEY, T. BOTTLENOSE, A THURSTON, Committee
