The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1864-12-08


the soil, climate, prices OF land and labor, aud
various iEGIstrial resources Of West Virginia
as well as every other kind of information use.
1 ful or necessary to the immigrant. Cores
pondenae in English, French and German.
J,H DISS DEBAR.
/ Commissioner Of immigration,
St. Clara Colony, Doddridge Co, W. Va
In our present attempt to divert a
branch Of the current Of emigration to-
wards our modest but hopeful young
commonwealth, we do not intend to fol-
low the usual practice Of undertaking the
merits of competing States. II is not to
be denied, that while thousands who
have failed to realize their hopes in the
western Edorados would have found
contentment among us, there are many
more who would not now change their
situation there for The most tempting
prospects we could open to their view
On the other hand numbers Of West
Virginians, who had been allured away
from their mountain homes by the Prais'
es Of the distant prairie, are continually
returning, not seldom broken in health
and spirits, 10 the shady valleys aud
warbliug brooks other native State
This fact proves Significantly that the
individual views, wants and tastes of
emigran,s differ just as widely as the
natural features of the different States,
and entitlo US to the presumption, that
tens of thousands Of pilgrims from con-
genial regions would have cheerfulIy
stopped and built their huls among US,
had their road TO the vaunled west led
them through our home suggestive scene
ry'
1t is but little more than one year
since West Virginia was admitted as one
of the sovereign States of the Union;
but as a section Of the old commonwealth
of Virginia she had long been known and
inhabited, and favcrebly recommended
by the emigration literature Of Europe,
especially Of Germany. Notwithstanding
the latter advantage, however. the step
of tie foreign emgrant but seldom and
cautiously found its way across our bor'
der HumansIavery, though claiming
little more than a nominal existence on
the westsrn slope Of the Alleghanics,
still lrowafod upon enterprise and intel
ligcnce from the statue book OF the
Stale, hand in huad with the confusion
of laud,title systematically uursed BY the
ruling classes 10 the dCtriment OF The
poor snd illiterato pioneer.
Tho 6Isl mentioned evil is now ire
voeably disposed Of by the new State
Constitution, and the other giOvsncc has
been gradually mi'igutod by equitable
legislation 10 such an extent that the
danger of imposition can, in doubtful
cases, be avoided with the ordinary de-
g'ee ofprudenea required in such trans
actions IN every other State.
The fact that since tho removal OF
those two leading obstacles to our pros
pcri'y, others Of minor Importance are
fast disappearing, and 'prrenderiug the
fsl1 10 an unprecedented impulse Of in
dOslrial activity. Mill be easily account
ed for by reference to the census tables,
exhibiting the relative progress achieved
by the western section OF Virginia in
comparison with the eastern during the
last / 5 years, in spite Of the adverse cir
eumstnnces alluded TO.
The geographical position Of West
Virginia, is between latitude 270 and
400 and longitude and 50 80 west
oil Washington. Her boundary cmbra,
ces the counties Of the State of Virginia
lying between the Pennsylvania line, the
Ohio river, tho Kentucky line, the head
valley OF the Tug Fork of the Big Sandy
river, the east river mountains, the Pc
ters and Alleghsny mountains, and on
the east of the latter ridge, the counties
of Pendloton, Hardy, Hsmpshire, Mcr-
gan, Berkely and along the Potomac aud
branches, thus extending almost 10 the
tide water Emit of.hat 'iyes,
The area of West Virginia is estimated
at 25, 900 square miles, with a popula.
ton Of about $4,000 souls, or fraction
over Is inhabitants to tho square mile.
Iu comparison with Scotland and Swift.
zsrland, where sterile mountains occupy
4 much larger surface than in West Vir.
ginia, our State would be able to sus.
tain a population oI 100000.
The first settlers Of our territory came
principally from Eastern Virginia, and
they and their descendants constitute a
majority of our present population
They are chiefly Of English, Scotch, and
Irish descent, 'porScly intermixed with
Pcnbsylvanis German blood, and as a
whole, form one of tho most interesting
communities Of the Uhited States Ma
tive tact and sagaoity, urbani,y, hospi'
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