Thursday, May 18, 1899
A big deed has been recorded here between the St. Lawrence Boom and Manufacturing Company and John G. Luke, of New York City. The land conveyed is on the headwaters of the Greenbrier River and approximates 7,646 acres at a purchase price of $77,620. The deed bore $78 war tax.
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The railroad survey ran into a snake den on the east side of the Alleghany. They succeeded in scotching six big rattlesnakes.
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The railroad survey cuts through the Beard place at the mouth of Locust Creek and takes about 23 acres of bottom land, counting that required for the right of way and a narrow strip between the road and the river.
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Mrs. Anna George was acquitted of the charge of having shot Saxton, the brother-in-law of the president. While the evidence was tolerably conclusive that she had killed him, the man had so wronged her that the jury had good reason to find reasonable doubt in the evidence, which was circumstantial.
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When Mrs. Levi Gay was coming to Marlinton last week, a trusted family horse named Jack, which she was driving, shied at a large stone at the side of the road and backed the buggy over the road at a point opposite the lower end of the island. Her two little daughters, Julia and Susie, and Miss Mary Gay were in the buggy with her. The horse and buggy rolled down the bank about fifty feet to the bottom. The mountain at this point is very precipitous. When the buggy stopped at the foot of the hill, the persons were under it. Colonel Gay, who was riding behind the buggy, extricated them from the wreck. They were unhurt with the exception of Mrs. Gay, who was pain-fully, but not dangerously, bruised and cut about the head. Mrs. Edgar Sharp, who was present, fainted. Harry McDowell was there also and rendered material service. The horse was hitched to the same buggy and Mrs. Gay was driven home.
It was a very remarkable escape all round.
Great National Calamity
The pulp mill has decided to establish itself at Covington instead of Caldwell, so say all the reports, and we suppose that the bells are all ringing and the people celebrating in Hinton for now they will have the mixture they drink assured them. Caldwell, Ronceverte and Lewisburg are so cut up over the asininity of the town of Hinton, however, that they are ready to turn the river from its course so that it will not pass Hinlton. Hinton will hear of this for many a day, for the loss of the industry to the State will be felt by all within its bounds…
At the Hot Springs
President McKinley is enjoying his stay at the Hot Springs and the papers report his doings daily. Not a fly profanes that illustrious forehead but the fact is duly noted. The following is an incident of the President’s politeness to an attendant on the golf links:
As they walked, they passed a bright faced “caddie,” who, without knowledge of whom he was addressing, stopped directly before the President, and said: “Say, mister, can you gimme the time?”
The President drew his watch, and in a cheerful and kindly way replied: “Just 4 o’clock, my boy.”
THE LOG DRIVE
Sunday, the log drive hove in sight. Six arks, or house rafts, each in charge of a Greenbrier pilot, furnished the twenty horses and 107 men living quarters.
The arks were made out of spruce hewed timber for the bottoms and spruce boards for the sides and tops. They are destined to become postal cards in the near future. Each bore the name of a warship penciled in large letters. The Iowa, captain, John Buckley; the Olympia, captain, Wm. Siple; the Merrimac, captain, J. Stretch; the Oregon, captain, ––—; “Mary Trisa,” (Maria Teresa), captain, John Rorke; Brooklyn, Willis Burner and Colbert Duncan.
There was something over six million feet of logs ranging in diameter from 4 inches to 2 feet. After a lot of hard work, the logs were driven out of the west branch of the Greenbrier, several days being spent on four miles. The stream was narrow and swift and the logs were jamming continually. Since the main river was reached, the drive has been making wonderful speed. Four days brought the drive to Marlinton.
Sunday, at sundown, the town was apprised of its coming by the hoarse-throated dinner bell on the Olympia, and turned out to see the flotilla come over the Marlin Ford and anchor in the pool below.
Colonel Dan O’Connel was in command. He is extremely fortunate in making such a magnificent beginning on his drive, as the tides on this river in the summertime are not to be counted on with any certainty. Monday morning, they had reached Buckeye by 11 o’clock and were still making fine headway. It will take not more than one small flood to put the logs in the boom at Ronceverte.
The men are still cutting at the forks of the river.
