The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-01-23
Location of the state Capital.

"a AhS 6ASAS SAplAAAs
Editors Intelligeneer:
While the question of the location of
the Capital Is pending It Is right that
the claims of the central portion of the
State should be fully presented. do
not wish to weary your readers, but
will give brief statement OF the rea-
sons why Buckhannon should be Sc
lected as the State Capital. 1t is evil
dent that the Capital should be as near
~ as possible in the centre of the State.
This alone would be a reason for the
selection of this place, even If the rival
localities had equal claims in other re-
respects. The argument is greatly
strengthened by the fact that Buckhan-
non is not only the natural centre of
the resources and population of the
State, but is unsurpassed as beautiful
site for city. Without the advantages
of a railroad 1t has made improvements
which other villages on the railroad
would do well to emulate. There have
been twenty-five or thirty buildings
erected or rebuilt within two years: 1t
Is the only locality in the centre of the
| State which can now furnish ac-
commodations for the State officers
aud members of the Legislature.
The new hotel is one of the largest
and best arranged in the State, and
the other has been refitted and re-
modelled until it is substantially new
building. Buckhannon is in the CEN
tre ofthe great region of vast and un-
developed resources OF coal, iron and
other minerals. This extends from
Pennsylvania to Georgia. 1t is also
on the line of water courses through the
centre of the State, thus forming a
feasible railroad route. In the-vicinity
OF Buckhannon are abundant quarries
of stone, which can easily be worked
into any desirable form or size, AS to
Der, we can point to our beautiful
oak, walnut, poplar, cherry and chest
nut trees. There they stand, chal-
longing the admiration of the beholder
by their graceful and colossal proper
tons. We have therefore great re.
sources, which should be developed for
the benefit OF the State and it's inhabit-
ants. The true statement of the ques.
ton is that the Capital should be
located at Buckhannon,-not because
the people of that locality are to be ben
Gifted only, hut the benefit will accrue
to the whole State. Are the masses to
be profited by the location of the Capt..
tai in section which is a centre fol
ne.fourth of the State only? II the
Capital is not located in a central
place the advantages will accrue only
to few score of indiyiduls, while the
interests OF the people of the State viii
be sacrificed. No limited section o
State can be permanentlv benefited al
the expense of the rest OF the State.
few individually may be, but the masses
! OF the people of that section will bC
, dwarfed in their own development by
such selfish policy. The advantages t
J be gained by locating the Capital a
3 Buckhannon have been stated in TIVE
or three articles published in severa
papers, but we sum them up briefly
The central part of West Virginia 4
l the natural route for railroad connect
ing New York, New Jersey, Pennsyl
e vania and Maryland with Southern
l Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, and tn
D other States south and west, and tn
;, great Pacific Railroad. The Capita
/. should be located in the central part @
: the State on this line OF railroad. !
f railroad connecting with the BalLimor
i and Ohio Railroad, and passin
i through the centre of the State shout
g have branches radiating from that Ger
Y trail point to the undeveloped portion
d of the State. That central point
e Buckhannon. and hence, II should b
/. the Capital. AS we have already shown
it has in its vicinity all the essentit
e materials for the Capital building
l. The statements about the thickness
l. the strata of coal, which have bee
d made, are substantially correct, If me
s. of experience and veracity, who haT
y examined them are to be believed.
d is consideration worthy of notice thu
Is the community in this section are li
,e tinguished for morality, temperate
le and zeal in furnishing facilities for e.
ID ucatiOpal and religious interests. tt
Of masses fthe people are to be relied @
10 as loyal, law abiding and hospitable
Id strangers. In conclusion, the Peep
" of this section claim that BuckhannC
IN should be selected as the Capital, n
as the result of bargaining or Lobbyin
d, but because the best interests OF Il
IL State demand 1t. At the same tin
~ they are willing to be just and iber
ie to the State. E. 8. BRONSON.