100 Years Ago Today:. Jan 27, 1905
 
by Brandon Woolum
Huntington News Network Writer
 
Huntington (HNN) — In addition to the Pennsylvania Packet and Daily Advertiser published in 1785, Ex-Mayor Charles Nash has in his possession a number of other papers that are curiosities in this age of rapid newspaper making.
 
There are in his possession two copies of the old Parkersburg News, published in the year 1858. One of these papers is especially treasured by Mr. Nash for the reason that ti by Mr. Nash for the reason that it contains the account of the marriage of his mother and father Mr. and Mrs. John C. Nash.
 
These old papers are liberally supplied with advertising, which it convincing that the merchants and business men of Parkersburg of that date were not unprogressive.
 
The display ads are few and far between the greater number of advertisements being set in solid nonpareil, with no attempt at ornamentation, and containing generally a list of the articles offered for sale. There were numerous hotel advertisements, but however, only one of them is now in existence under the same name that of the McLure house at Wheeling.
 
The McClure house advertisement is rather, curiously worded and reads as follows:
 
McLure House, corner of Monroe and Market streets, extending 125 feet on each streets, five stories high, and containing one hundred and fifty rooms. Erected in 1851-52, at a cost of $130,000. Only two squares from the railroad depot and steamboat landing, Wheeling, Va. Every attention paid to the wants of the guests. Price of board, $1.50 per day. Dr. Watson Carr, proprietor. April 13, 1858.
 
There were no photographers at that day, but a number of advertisers offer to make daguerreotypes. The steamboat lines wore numerous and seemed to be doing a thriving business on the Ohio.
 
The Pittsburg and Cincinnati packet line was already in existence, and the names of some of the boats are well remembered even by citizens or middle age, although all of them have passed out of existence. The boats then operating were the Buckeye State, the Pittsburg City of Wheeling, Allegheny, Cincinnati, Philadelphia and Pennsylvania.
 
The Bridge City was advertised as running between Marietta, Parkersburg, Hockingport, Ravenswood, Pomeroy, Gallipolis, Guyandotte, Catlettsburg, Ashland, Ironton and Cincinnati. Evidently Huntington was not then upon the map. (Editor’s Note: Huntington wasn’t founded until 1871).
 
The old side wheeler Stephen Bayard was running between Parkersburg and Wheeling and the City Belle between Marietta and Cincinnati as was the Helen Marr, although under a different company.
 
The Young America was running between Parkersburg and Pomeroy and the famous Fashion No. 2 between Parkersburg and Gallipolis. A paper that is yet older than the News, is the Parkersburg News and Courier, published on April 25th 1855. At that time Parkersburg had no railroad, although in 1858, a road bearing the high sounding title of “Midland Railroad of America” was operating for a short distance through Ohio.
 
The Baltimore & Ohio, had just reached Wheeling, and has an advertisement announcing that it was ready to accommodate passengers, although, if one is to judge the appearance of the trains by the cut of the train that accompanies it, the accommodations would be very much wanting.
 
The mall was brought to Parkersburg by the fast light draught mall boat, Courier.
 
— The next annual meeting of the Western Virginia conference of the M. E. church, south, will be held in Barboursville.
 
The conference, at its meeting at Fairmont last fall, did not decide upon a place of meeting, but left it with a committee which met in Parkersburg this week, and after due consideration decided upon the Cabell County town.
 
The announcement was received with joy at the former county seat, which is rapidly becoming the center for Southern Methodism in West Virginia and eastern Kentucky. The date of the conference is not definitely known, but it will probably be early in September.
 
— While making his usual trip to Proctorville and other points Ryan Schawb, the popular salesman of Biggs, Watts & Company, had his feet badly frozen.
 
— Miss Addie Cur, of Rockwood, who was visiting in this city last week, became violently ill at her home last night and is not expected to live.

More 100 Years Ago Today by Brandon Woolum:
 
— Jan. 1, 2005
— Jan. 2, 2005
— Jan. 3, 2005
— Jan. 4, 2005
— Jan. 6, 2005
— Jan. 9, 2005
— Jan. 10, 2005
— Jan. 11, 2005
— Jan. 12, 2005
— Jan. 13, 2005
— Jan. 20, 2005
— Jan. 25, 2005
— Jan. 26, 2005