The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-01-28

lLCnly Iurn 1SheQ with cOnVenlenceS as
Buckhannon. He thought the Capital
shoutd be near the centre of the State,
aha that II the iron horse could be in
trouuced up there, it would increase
tne Vaiu e OF lands fully as much as
stated by the gentleman from Upshur.
hopeu the members would remember
his county in voting. -
GEN. GoFF's Speech IN REHALF OF
cLARKsBURG.
Gen. Con said:
MR.. CHAIRMAN: move that the
first blank in House bill No. 8, be FILL
ed by inserting the name of Clarks-
burg, in the county OF Harrison
/ imagine Mr.. Chairman, it will not
be necessary for me or any one else TO
descant for any length of time upon the
natural resources and facilities of the
town of Clarksburg. Unlike other
places that have been placed in nomin-
alton here to-day, we had no brilliant
"orator" during the last eight months
to advocate our claims, nor anyI'poet,' %
in strains OF fancy to picture the many,
the exceedingly many, reasons, why
the Capital should be located in our
midst. We need, sir, to-day no such
introduction to the assembled wisdom
of the State of West Virginia. Clarks-
burg has for years been known, and is
now, as one of the most important,
towns. 1t has been known for the past
year that the town of Clarksburg would
be placed in nomination before this
body as candidate for this much cher
ished boon. In coming then before
you to-day, advocate no new propo-
sition. l have no lengthy speech to
make. have simply to say that the
people of the county of Harrison and of
the town of Clarksburg say now as
they told this body one year since, that
we believe the Capital OF this State
should be located with us-not to bene-
mt the people of the town of Clarks-
burg or advantage the citizens of the
county OF Harrison; but because the
entire people of the State would be BEN
etittedI and because 1t is the point at
which the great majority of the people
of the State can most conveniently as
s5mble. We come Offering the State no
one hundred thousand dollars. We say,
locate the capital in our midst, and we
will save you in half dozen years,
five hundred thousand. And, sir, i
make the statement not without data
by which to prove it.
We have heard here to-day that there
are various points eminently worthy of
the location of the State capital. We
have nothing to say to the contrary.
They are eminently worthy of the
honor. We offer no detraction from
the claims set up; but we think we have
reasons why Clarksburg
should be the permanent seat of gov
eminent.
1 maintain, Mr.. Chairman, contrary
to the representations you have heard
here this morning, that the town of
in the county of Harrison,
is more accessible to four-fifths of the
people of this State than any other
point which can be mentioned. We
were told here this morning that large
TfNV-f tn - NkNn
lived South of the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad, and that if the capital were
located at point south of that road,
four-htths of the people of this State
could more conveniently reach that
capital. l propose for one moment to
consider this matter. In the first place
1 propose to glance at the vote cast at
October last, and TO show that four
htths of the persons casting votes on
that day, if the capital be located at the
point indicated south of the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad, would have TO
pass through Clarksburg TO reach
that capital. If this proposition
can be established-and will take the
very vote counted by this honorable
body day before yesterday to prove the
point. want to know why the people
of the State should pass through
to an inaccessible region
beyond to find a point for the State
Capital? II this vast majority of voters
will be compelled to pass through this
point, I do maintain that there is
where they should stop.
We find, then, 10 begin, Mr.. Chair
man, the counties of Berkely, Brooke,
Cabell, Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer,
Grant, Hampshire, Hancock, Hardy,
Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson Knnawha,
Logan, Marion, Marshall, Mason Min
eral Monongalia, Marshall, Ohio, Pen
delton, Preston, Putnam, Richie,
Roane, Taylor, Wayne, Wetzel, and
Writ would have to pass through the
town of Clarksburg to reach the chosen
spot, if this capital be located at the
pointmentioned lying south of the b.
& o. r. r. and IL the policy advocated
by this gentleman should finally sue
coed. The total vote for Governor was
40, 43S. The counties have mentioned
cost a total vote of $3.50 this "large
majority" to the south of the railroad
Notwithstanding. II any gentleman
doubts this, 1 ask that he refer to the
report and orders of this House-de-
cIared but day before yesterday. In
those counties we have 1886 votes;
and that taken. from the total number
leaves 1922. If this Capital should be
located at the point mentioned this
morning, j say these thirty-fve thous-
and voters would have to pass through
SldEkbDuTR 10 ReL 10 Ln6 CdDlthl.
We have also been told that these
points are rich in mineral resources,
coal, iron and salt. i maintain, and
refer to the Auditors report of 1860. to
prove, that if there Is any countyiin the
State entitled to be distinguished in this
particular, it is Harrison, the county
seat of which is Clarksburg. We have
the finest coal in the United States, de-
clRred SO by analysis at the Manhattan
gas works of New York, and mex
beds of it. We have iron and
salt works. But, sir, what do all these
avail ? They are eminently entitled TO
be taken into consideration in making
a permanent location of the capital,
but, at the same time, what do these
long harangues about opening up
markets amount to? Suppose these
railroads are built, from Pennsylvania
down to the southwestern line. Sup
pose this remarkable railroad, the bill
for which was introduced yesterday,
should be located, how many bushels
of the coal through which these rail
roads will pass Will ever see market?
We have now on the line of the
branch of the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad the finest coal mines
in the United States. How much of
that coal is carried 70 market. Ifnines
on this main road cannot to-day afford
to send coal TO the eastern or river mar
kets, want TO know by what logic or
arg Iment this House can be led to be-
lieve that mines situated one hundred
miles back in the interior would, il "a
route be opened, be a BILE 10 compete
with other mines nearer the markets.
Why the mines at Clarksburg and Fair
mont and other mines scattered along
the line of that road, have not demand
sufficient to employ more than twenty,
thirty, or forty men, because other
lines, with which these very roads If