The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1865-11-29
THE CAPITAL,
B,,ckhannon vs.. Clarksburg'

nuelzhannona vs.: olar ark g s
Tho locationi Of the capitol Of West
Virgins is the most important topic
that will come before the: next legisla-
tule. Tho two points above named ap.
near to be the only ones that have any
Claiming whatever, or which seem to
attract the attention of tho people of tho
State, excepting only Grafton and Par
kersburg-of which place We will speak
in o future article. Our intention now
is to speak Of tho advantages of the 10.
cation ut Buckhannou over C!arksburs.
Whorcverthe capitol of the State is
located, will be . thriving, business city;
one that will spring up in very few
years. Such q place will naturally
draw internal improvements. BY pla.
cling tho capitol at Buckhannon, will, We
firmly believe, bring the West Virginia
Central Railroad from the Pennsylvania
!. limo to that point; then it must have an
outlet, which will cause it to be built on
to the Kentucky liue. whore it will be
intcrSccted by tho Kentucky Central,
giving us o direct through line from
New York to New Orleans. Not Gully
this great throu CD thoroughfare, but it
will open up tho counties Of Preston,
Tucker, Upshur, Barbour, Webster,
Lewis, Braxton, Gilmcr, Calhoun,
Nicholas, Clay, Kanawha, Boone, Cabell,
Putnam, Wayne, md adjacent counties,
which are now, with the exception Of
Preston, completely cut off from all the
advantages Of railroad facilities. by the
unjust legislation of OLD Virginia, where
no improvements could be had unless
they ccutercd at Richmond. These
counties all conA n immcuse mineral
resources tho best water power in the
! United States the best timber in the
world ; the finest and most healthy eli.
luato known, and every natural facility
for making a prosperous State, if they
were only developed. Preston county
has The four and seven feet strata Of
camel, and the ST, and eleven feet stra
ia of stone coal, besides great quantities
of iron and lead, sploudid timber, and
unsurpassed water-powor. Barbour and
Tucker have the same. Upshur has the
four and fourteen feet strata Of stone.
coal, end within six miles Of Buckhan.
non is the great eighteen feet Of camel
coal her timber is excellent, and water.
power equal to the great Merrimac Of
New England. Webster and Braxton
have the best timber we ever saw 10 any
country; the best water power; the
strongest salt springs; the finest soil,
and the best Indications Of petroleum
that VIC cver'saw .a#All tbcso means Of
wealth aro sleeping, and for ages will
sleep, unless our Legislature takes the
proper steps to develop them. The
counties Of the Southern portion Of the
State drained by the waters Of the Great
Kauawha and its tributaries, and the
counties lying along the Kentucky line
on Sandy river, and through and adja
cent to which the Central railway will
be constructed, we have never travelled
through, but hayo been informed that
they abound in all resources Of sleeping
wealth Of the counties named, These, If
the proper legislation is had, will be
opened up in ten years. Place the cap
itol of tho State at Buokhaunon, build
the Central railroad from the State limo
through the rout named in the charter,
and We at once open up tho immense
mines Of sleeping wealth., thus incrcas-
ins the wealth of our State to thousands
Of millions of dollars.
! But place the capitol at Clarksburg,
and what will be the result? That part
Of our State which is already improved
u mere bean patch--will be still made
richer at the expense Of tho great boay
of territory drained by the waters Of tho
two Kanawhas and head waters Of Jack.
sons river. All that part Of the State
lying % miles south Of the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad will DO left out in the
cold, just rs West Virginia has been for
the last fifty or seventy.dYc years, By
having tho capitol Of the State located at
! Richmond.
Place tho capitol at Buckhannon, and
we not only have the advantages result
| ing to the State at large, but We will
have it on the most. beautiful location,
in a central position, and in the health.
lest part of the country; VIC will also
have the benefit Of the taxation result
Ling from tho Increased wealth Of that
portion of our State, thus making each
section bear an equal SHARE Of the c1-
penses Of our State government.
This thing Of placing the capitol in
the richest part Of a State, improving
the already improved part thereof, is
something like nun running for q
political Office and cluctioncesing alto.
scther among his friends! 1t wont do |!
It won't pay and is sure to end in dc.
rcat.--.iorgantogn Post.
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