The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-02-05
Letters from the People.
The Capital Question.

GLENvILLE, GILMER COUNTY, Wv,
January 10Th. l-6S.
Editor of the Register.
! notice in several, and especially in
the Clarksbarg and BuckhanAon papers,
that the location of the State Capital is
becoming a question Of considerable im-
portance. And judging from the tone
of these paIers, every point, that has
heretofore met with any encouragement.
has rallied its entire strength for the
coming contest, so that every effort of
the Legislature to settle this much veX.
ed question will be look ed to with much
interest by the people generally. Some,
we imagine, will make liberal donations
both IN greenbacks and real estate.
Others will rely more upon the
real merits of the points suggested, to-
gether with little skillful wire-work-
ing, on account of personal interest
than any msnied influence that may be
brought TO bear. Then again there will
be others who will partially ignore both
of the former modes of proceeding, and
will say, ''let justice be done though
the heaven fall" New it is in sup
port of this last and liberal
declaration that we offer few sugges-
tious. 1t has been argued by prominent
and influential men in all sections that
no decided action would be had upon
this question this winter, and therefore
we thought it premature aud out of
place to make any propositions favor
ing any one point, but since his Excel
lency, the Governor, in his annual mes.
sage has recommended speedy action
OH this subject, it is right and proper
that every point that has any induce
ments to offer, or good and substantial
reasons to assign III its favor, should do
so at once, so that in the consideration
of the advantages aud disadvantages of
one point over another that one may be
selected which will encourage inmigra-
ton, invite capitalists to settle in our
infant State and develop its hidden re-
sources of mineral and manufacturing
wealth, and in the end promote the
welfare and hasten the speedy settle
ment and Improvement of the country.
Ii has been said, and justly too, (by n
correspondent of one of the newspapers
mentiOned,) that this is question of
great magnitude and of the utmost i'm
portance TO the whole people OF the
State, because all are equally interested
in it, And looking to the interests of
the whole, and not to any selfish or per-
sonal interest of few, the first and
natural suggestion is, that it should
approximate as near the centre as pos
sibls. By this We are to understand
that il should be at point that IS or
can or will be made easy of access by
reason of its location, and thereby in
sure the construction of railroad
through the State. We are not of
those who think the State Capital of
itself will guarantee public improve
ment of this kind. Far from it. But
in connection with other considerations
! it will aid in their construction,
because then the Improvement will
have two-fold purpose to accomplish,
viz: that of reaching the Capital and
building up great commercial trade
from the west. Then the question
comes up, where is the point embracing
these considerations We answer along
the valley of the Little Kanawaa river,
in the county of Gimer-three in num-
Der and either well suited to the pur-
pose. The first point is on the Wood
ford farm, at the mouth of Leading
creek; the second at the mouth of Stew
arts creek, on the Hays farm; and the
third is on the Burke farm, at the mouth
of the same fork One of these three
places wOuld have been on the line Of
the Railroad-for which the State of
Virginia granteds charter just before
the war-starting at some point in Penn
sylvauia, thence up the Mononsahela
and West Fork, by way of Sandy to
Charleston-and this, to-day, is the
only practicable route for such a road.
Surprising it to start at Clarksburg aud
interseet the Covington and Ohio road
at Charleston, the greatest distance
possible need not exceed l25 miles, with
only one tunnel to make.