The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1865-09-28
VEST VIRGINIA..
BY j, R. DODGE.


under the influence Of the demon OF Sc
ees5sioll-is disembowelled, and rent in
twain But she is immortal, and while
East Virginia yet writhes in penitentia
agony,# West Nirginian not only lives, but
is beginning to put forth hitherto TN
known vigor, and promises a career of
glory and benefaction, a full muturity Of
beauty and pride, and name OF honor
among the most illustrious Of States In
all coming time.
Il The new State has had herbirth in the
era OF revolution, and has been baptised
in blood, in the name of law and liberty;
yet her most ardent aspiration is for a
peace unsullied by coWaTdiee Or nius-
tice-for an honorable diversion from The
"War-path, }" to the path ofprogress in the
arts of industry-for a higher and purer
life, that shall animate andelevate every
human being within her borders, and
bless, with prosperity, education, refine
inert, and religion, myriads of happy
homes.
Other States may boast Of broad savaIl-
nahs that bask in placid beauty, and
!, soils of interminable depth andrichness.
! West Virginia acknowledges rough
exterior, but claims for her hills the
adornment of majestic and comedy forest
groWths; for her wales a permeable and
fruitful soil; for her rivers wealth OF
water power; for her mines a heritage
illimitable. and for her broad domain the
INSIGNIA of strength, enduring vitality,
and sturdy independence-the proud
characteristics Of her people.
LOCATION.
"A more central and accessible location
O0uld scarcely be pointed out upon the
map Of the United States not central IN
fol cpnSa hI1t ll1if1Q5D4 * tsO Ss
regards the Atlantic seaboard and the
area almost encircled by the lakes, the
n upper Mississippi and Ohio rivers; een-
q trail as regards the populous cities, the
q markets of the country. Harper's feH
ry, on the extreme east, is but 81 miles
u from Baltimore, 10 from Washington.
Vie from Philadelphia, and 2S6 from New
81 York. Wheeling, on the northwestern
Aborder, is but 1871 miles FROM Cleveland
Nand 491 from Chicago. Parlzersburg, the
81 terminus on the northwestern Virginia
n branch of the Baltimore and Ohio rail-
road, is 3s3 miles from Baltimore, ITS
& from New York, $40 from St. Louis, ~
from Nashville, and 200 from Cincinnati.
n 1T is connected with the tide-water of the
Atlantic coast by railroad, 81 miles dis
tant The water communication by the
bays and rivers OF Maryland and Vi
ginia is neither appreciated nor impfeS=
5 ed as it will be in the future haVin@
some OF the lseepest ,gllG largest iif,fi.=az5
4 on the continent. The shore-line Of N5if-
! ginia alone is made 1, 571 miles by the
s Coast Survey. The western border OF
81 West Virginia lies 300miles on the Ohio
a river, and is in immediate communities
n ton by waters with the whole Missis-
4 sippi Valley, permitting the exchange of
ii products with the Louisiana planter at
4 his doors; admitting of traffic along the
n banks of the Missouri in the wilds ofDa-
y kota, and allowing side-Wheel steamers
u from the Kanawha to veX the waters Of
S. the far-off tributaries of the upper Mis-
n sissippi.
" The ploughs and automaton harves-
q tiers, which will hereafter garner the an
8 nual wealth of western prairies, may be
a transported to all those plains in vessels
III fabricated by the labor of West Virginia
II from her own oak and iron, and the
II metal of those implements may there be
Il mined, the ore heated by adjacent strata
"a of coal, the requisite flux obtained from
I'd perfect machine, with timber found
y. growing on the surface, which has been
manufactured bya perpetual WATERPROOF
er that leaps the crags of the summitand
Isl falls gently into the vale below, mean
M dering towards the Ohio, quiet as the
meditative OK that fattens on the sweet
est of perennial heritage upon it's banks.
# Where, in the wide world, lies so
broad a network Of water communion
ton at the very feet of a State so full of
the varied treasures of the forest and of
s8 the mine? That such country, with
nan elevation above the malarias of the
lowlands, and never rising above the
level Of corn and sorghum production;
within few hours of the sea and its
treasures and facilities for transit--a land
peculiar for its green pastures flowing
with milk, for it's bright flowers laden
with honey, and for its river slopes that
N promise to run with Wine-should lack
inhabitants, or the hum OF industry, or
Xthe show of wealth, is an absurdify of
the present and an impossibility Of the
future.
POPULATION.
Settlements began to extend across the
fountains Immediately after the close
NY the revolutionary war. Localities in
Il feenbrier and Berkeley, and other
nlntias Xvara settled before lis CLOSE