Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1854-07-05
CLARKsBURG, WEDNESDAY, JULY 5th, Is5A,

that the Monongahela and Ravenswood
railroad would prove to be of more i'm
portance to US, and to Western Pennsyl-
vania than all other railroads put to5eth-
er. It was true we had RAILROAD here.
which dispensed to US privileges of which
we had hitherto been deprived. 1t ex-
tended from one end to the other our rich
country, which had been previously
locked up by frowning mountains. We
had been largely benefited by the pre-
sent road. Our lands had been enhanced
in value, and our business increased in
extent But, he asked, does the BAu-
more and Ohio railroad answer all our
purpose He would answer, that it one
! ly created the greater necessity for the
Mononyahela and Ravcnswood railroad.-
Look ab our coal fields. They extend ten
miles iu width. And while the Baltimore
road had cut across these fields, and in
some instances made the poor rich, yet
persons owning coal lands lying four, six,
ten or twenty miles from the road. have
found that their lands have not increased
very much in value. Why Is This =
The Baltimore and Ohio read runs thro'
this region "crosswise," opening the coal
mines for comparatively but few miles.
But how will it be with the MOnonguhe-
la and Ravens wood road : Look at the
map. It will run in Pennsylvania
through one of the mos: productive OF re-
gions in agriculture, and one as richly en-
dOwed with minerals rs any in the world.
How will it be in Virginia ? The coun-
try which will be penetrated is one Of
vast mportance-immense every way
Beds of coal underline the surface near
ly the whole distance and the Mononga-
hela and RavenSool railroad will plOw
these beds from the point where it starts
to the grand and magnificent Ohio. The
benefits of this road will be distributed,
like the dews Of Heaven, upon all-Mo
nonga!ia, Harrison, Marion, AMI all the
counties wiQ partic pate in the rich re-
| suits.
But, he repeatad. does the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad answer all our PurpD-
scs? Look at the charges Of that com
pany. Look at the Determinations they
make against way passengers aad way
freiyhts. We want TO see opposition to
it t-competition with it. We desire &C
cess to the three great cities Of Baltimore,
Philadelphia, and New York. SO that we
may have choice Of markets. 1t may
be said that we paid nothing towards
the construction of the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad. That is true. But we
granted to ambitious Baltimore the right
to,cross our territory and thus draw 10
herself a large portion OF the products OF
the Mississippi Valley. The charter Of
this company is not under the rcstrlc-
tons Of the general railroad law of our
State, and hence the company may OPP
press us. What. is the rene ~ ? 10
build up a competing improvement.
Now we can send corn and oats to BAIIi-
more because of the rise in their prices ;
but for long time after the road went
into operation, we could send nothing but
wheat, owing to the enormous ErelS hts
charged. Oar agricultural productions
were still without the means Of reaching
market. You see this, gcntlcme.! farm
crs. that in proportion as Ereights are
high, the prices you get for your pro-
ducts are so much less. The Monon5a-
) hel4 road will open the markets north
and cast to US. 1t will be great artery
Of trade extending from Boston to Ne"
Orleans. And what will be the effect {?
Competition The eastern cities want
our coal for gas. One company here is
now sending off from six to ei 5ht thou
sand tons per day. Our coal is said tu
be the best for making gas. 1t now
Ii !hts up Bait imorc, AMI will soon light
up Philadelphia, New York. and Boston.
. Look at the immense quantity of our coal
. lands. The increase in their value alone
. will pay the cost of the proposed 'Oad'
The coal privilege, alone. the farmers re-
r serving their lands for cultivation. is now
selling here at from 50 to 5000 per acre
Suppose that were the case with lands
, lying upon the route of the projected
road. Our young men would not desert
their homes to seek graves in the west.
But is that all? While cilizcns of the
old State have gone to California TO seek
, gold, geolo5sts have been examing our
hills. And what have they found? In
exhaustible stores Of iron ore. That is
/ not all Where is the iron? Side by
side with the coal which it is necessary
to use in preparing the iron for MARKET
Morc-there is also limestone here
Coal, iron ore and limestone-aIl to &C.
| ther. Such is the case also thrOu5 5h
Western Pennsylvania. There are Il few
men who know it, and they intend to puI
, up as many furnaces as they can, TO N 1ke
1, pig iron, which they intend to transport
: 10 Wheeling to be made up into nails
&c. They look up here and see the rich
treasures in such profusion, and they say
t they are going into the business largely
: do not know that the Baltimore comPa'
Z ny wants to accommodate US. AT any
/ rate, they charge $3.75 per ten for car
: rying our iron to Wheeling. Suppose
The M0nougahe1a and Ravenswood roac
; were done. Then we might send oveI
our iron to Pittsburg, to Philadelphia. O.
wherever we might desire to send l..
is subject in which we should be deeply