The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-02-09
[To BE Continued
THE CAPITAL.



To the Editors of the IntelliEencer:
Whether the Capital will be locat ed
by the present Legislature or no is as
yet matter of. doubt. The ballotings
oflast week have developed the strength
OF the different points. Charleston, in
the Kanawha Valley, has strong vote
Buckhannon meagre one. Parkers-
burg is voted for by few, and Clarks-
burg Is hesitating whether "to be or not
to be" the Capital; while Grafton has
succeeded in concentrating better vote
than for years past: Neither of these
points have to appearance strength
enough to locate OF themselves. We
have been convinced long since that II
be accomplished by compromise be-
tween the supporters of several of the
prominent pla1es. The ballotings have
so far been fruitless, and now we ask
the friends OF the far distant Kanawha
and Shenandoah valleys to meet and
shake hands at Belington.
Belington Is situated on the Tygart's
Valley river, twenty-eight miles South
of Grafton, and on the line OF the Ty-
CARTS Valley and Greenbrier Railroad.
This is the only practicable route for a
railroad between theI northern and
Southern portions of the State; and it
was considered so practicable, that be-
fore the war the Legislature of the old
State appropriated a, 200 to make a sur
vey. A railroad can be laid down up
the Tygarts Valley river and across to
the head waters of the Greenbrier, with
such gentle grade as to be scarcely
perceptible, thus bringing the Kama
Wha Valley in communication with the
central and northern portions of the
State, by a shorter and more accessible
line than that proposed by the Central.
rkh hn
were it possible OF construction, have
to mount up the Buckhannon river to
its source, and then swoOp down in
some forty miles the entire fall of the
Buckhannon, Tygart's, Monongalia
and Ohio river, from Pittsburgh
to Point Pleasant, in all, GER
tainly a greater undertaking than
has eyer yet been achieved. That West
Virginia should ever have a Central, Is
surely wilder dream than the Castil-
lian's Castillo del orc, there can be no
realization in the future. 1t begins no.
where, goes nowhere and ends nowhere,
while the Tygart's Valley railroad has
Pittsburgh for it's Northern and the Vir-
ginia and Tennessee railroad for its
Southern terminus. The Laurel Noun
tain is a monument of iron. The coun-
ties of Barbour, Randolph and POGO.
hontas are vast coal field, having in
different strata from three to five beds,
ranging from three to eight feet, and
the Laurel Mountain has one bed COW
ering an area of from three to five hun
dred square miles, seventeen feet in
thickness.
The Tygart Valley Is tho peer OF the
Kanawha and Shenandoah valleys,
and lies between the Rich and
Cheat mountains, opens out from three
to seven miles in width, and Is seventy
miles in length.
The citizens of Belington have dona-
ted to the State each alternate lot OF 24OI
acres OF land for the purpose OF aiding
in the construction OF the public build
ings. These lands are worth from thir-
ty to fifty dollars now and would, were
they divided into 1872 acre lots, bring
at one hundred dollars each the hand
some sum ofnear half million dollars,
or enough to build the public buildings
without cost to the State.
The donations OF other places are but
pitiful pepper corns compared to that
OF Belington, and the Great Tygart's
Valley is the garden Of the State.
In conclusion Il hope that these reA-
sons dispassiOnately advanced may DO
weighed and acted upon, as it
is evident that we must sooner or later
come 10 compromise between the diff
delay. Truly Pro Bono PUBLIOO.
To the Editor OF the IntelllSencer:
Quite number of places have been
named for the State capital and now
we propose TO name new point in Tay-
lor county, on the lands of John Shields,
on the railroad. We un-
lerstand there has been a publication
naming this place heretofore, but we
have not seen it. Mr.. Shields proposes
10 donate one hundred acres of land to
,he State, on which to locate the capitol
Ninety acres of this land
could be sold for city lots and realize
1ne hundred thousand dollars or more |
20 the State. Besides this, the citizens |
d Taylor county will donate fifty
thousand dollars in cash to aid in the |
of the State House. This |
site, proposed for the capital, is located |
n the beautiful valley of Simpsons |
creek, on the railroad, between Clarks- |
ourg and Grafton, much more beauti- |
'ul situation for city than either |
traitor or Clarksburg, and the nearest |
point on the railroad for people residing |
n the mountain counties. Thousands |
0f acres OF the very best coal are near
and Immediately adjacent the proposed |
site for the capital; abundance of good |
building stone is easy OF access.
The surrounding country this site is |
as rich and productive as any in the |
State. So are the people OF that portion |
IF Taylor county as loyal as any part
If the State.
GREAT KAEAwHA VALLEY.