Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1858-04-20
Correspondence of the 1ntelllgencer.l
GLEN EAsToN, Marshall Co., Va,

of an unusually early spring, with its necessary
cares and labors, the "hard times" in the none
tary world of the West, and the religious inter
est usually called revivals, have, to so great an
extent, occupied my attention and time, that for
some weeks past have not had the pleasure OF
telling Won of what have seen and heard in
the numerous circles in which have been
placed but have been taking notes for the fu-
ture, and it may be that if circumstances favor,
shall make some developments about matters
and things societies and Individuals. in their
operations under false Pretcnces and false phil
anthropy, that will "astonish the natives" But
for the present we wish to speak of things in
this immediate REGION and OF Western Virginia
generally.
Until the present, it has not been my good
fortune for some time past, to take little trip
on the b. ( D. Railroad. In the mean time, |
have been on other roads frequently, especially
the Central Ohio Railroad, the T. & NJ. r. r.,
and G. & p r. R. &C.; but taking the natural
difficulties into the account with Mhich they
have to contend, the deep cuts, tunnels, curves,
&C. / have not been on road for many day
where felt more safe, and where the conduc-
tors and other officers of the trains seemed to
understand their respective avocations, and act
for the convenience and safety of their patrons
more than on this road. The running gear APP
pears to be in excellent order, and all their
movements on the road shows life and strength
in the company. As every one knows who has
ever passed ONertulS TOau IL runs through one OF
the toughest and most picturesque regions of
the Old Dominion. The little villages springng
up all along its line, show that its influence on
the country through which it passes, has been
fine in developing the resources and bringing
into cultivation the soil, which is found TO be
much more valuable than formerly thought,
both for grain and grass. OF the former have
seen some of the finest specimens of wheat
along here, that have met with for some years
past in Ohio, Pennsylvania, or Virginia. The
quantity too, raised per acre, has been really
astonishing, when we consider the ravagcs of
the wevil or nudge that has for few years past
been in almost all the wheat growing country
AT this village and the ono above, Cameron,
very large quantities of almost all kinds of grain
grown in the West are received and shipped to
Baltimore; in fact, all these little towns along
the railroad furnish ready market at fair rates,
or means of shipping not only for grain, but for
every species OF marketing grown in the cOun-
try, from an egg to n horned bullock. This has
added very much to the value of the lands ly-
ing near the railroad. The bringing of the peo-
pie in this part of Virginia into such proximity
to the Wheeling, Baltimore and Eastern mar
kets, has caused many of the lands that had
lain for ages in their natural wild state, to be
brought into cultivation, and their surprising
fertility and adaptedneSs for both grain and
grass, added to the fact that it is one of the
healthiest and best watered countries in the
world for grazing, has attracted the attention of
land spectators and persons wishing new
and cheap home both in the eastern portion of
our own country and of Europe. This subject
is only beginning to be noticed-I speak what
know-for having had the pleasure of travel
ing over abont half of the States ofthis Union,
know of but few finer openings for men of
moderate means in our country than Western
Virginia Men have run wild after Western
lands, in Illinois, Iowa, WISCONSIN, Kansas or
Nebraska, where, to say the least of it, they
will be tribe as far from our greatest market,
which every one knows is i'll the East, rs they
would be here, and no better means of reaching
it than The people have here. These facts, as
before intiuated, have increased very much the
value of lands lying near the road. Still they
are not high here yet, like they will be in few
years, and like nature says they must be, and n
little off from the road lands can to-day be had Mt
astonishingly low figures. | know of farms out
u short distance from the road, that a few years
since sold at four or five dollars per acre, that
would now sell at twenty-five or thirty dollars
per acre. even these hard times; tnke for instance
the old Potter mill farm, only mile or two from
this-a few years ago the whole oft was bought
for about three dollars an acre, and not four
years since part OF it was sold off at less than
seven dollars per acre; a few weeks since part
ofthat was sold again at thirty dollars per acre.
This will give some intimation in respect to the
change that is taking place around here on this
subject, and there is no natural reason why
these lanoS should not, III lew years, bring from
forty to eighty dollars per acre. The lands ly
ing off at some distance, will not rise in value so
rapidly as those near the road, nor will they be
valuable because of their distance to market, but
still there is in the nature of things in the reac-
ton of the West consequent on over excite
ment about lands so far from market, which
will be more apparent az soon as the rush of
migration is over, which now furnishes market
for everything, and in the general feeling about
these lands at the North and East and in Europe
that will pour flood of emigrants into this por-
ton of the county, that will bring it into cult
vation, adding much value to both tho lands
themselves, and be a source of revenue to our
State. This will eventually place the Western
portion Of our State nearer on par with the
East in our Legislature, where too often section
al feeling on the counting of noses arises, and
keeps us of the West out of our rights But
there is brighter day coming for the West,
whether the East wills it or not; come it must
and come it will, as sure as fate, and the powers
that be may prepare for it, or receive it unpre-
pared, just as they please. All the groans,
whines, or threats of all who wish to have
things just as they choose, cannot stay the cur
rent of emigration to the Western portion of
our State, and the mingling of races from this
country and the old world, on the soil of the Old
( Dominion