The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1869-03-03

time remarked that the reluctance Of
our Legislature to provide for the con-
struction and repair Of roads seems TO
operate 'Uith dtsproportiondtc hardship
Hpon the counties south Of the Little
EannWha river, as most Of the counties
north Of it have railroads, turnpikes
and other roads in sufIlcicucy construc.
ted and paid for before the formation
Of the new State. Since then appro-
priations for roads have been systc-
matically discountcnanced by the Ley
islaturc, and no remedy 10 left to the
sections 20 disinhcritcd but oncrous
sclf-taxntion. ''..' - 1'.. 20 ..'
.,t,s,,,, .:sst;ttLAsD oonIAxrEs: ( -,
If the condition Of the public Treas:
ury docs not admit OF appropriations
for roads, and it is not cxpcdient to
amend the Constitution so as TO create
q debt for that purpose, it may be
asked why that measure could not be
rcsortcd to, in order to authorize bona
fdc colonization companies 10 hold
land and sell it for profit, upon condi.
tion Of constructing and'rcpaIring Ger.
tain. sections Of roads. Such condi-
tion, feel warranted to say, would be
cheeriullv subscribed 10 bv capitalists
from other States whom the rcstric.
tions Of our corporation laws have
hitherto prevented from investing
here.
4 company Of capitalists in the
North Of Germany are contemplating
the purchase OF petroleum, coal or
timber land sufficient TO employ ono or
two hundred lumilics; whom they in-
tend to bring over with them. under
contract to receive q portion of their
wages in land. TO accomplish this
project, the company must be incorpo.
rated and authorized to purchase and
sell for q reasonable profit about twen-
ty thousand acres Of land. Nothing is
more Legitimate tlinn such q transac-
ton, to which the company and their
employees arc perfectly agreed in ad-
vance. Considering the old unpopu-
larity Of West Virginia as field for
colonization. the legislative opposition
to enterprises Of this nature is nothing
short of suicidal policy. If tho COM
pany referred to cannot accomplish its
purpose In West Virginia, it will sim
ply turn towards more favorable To-
cality, aud We shall forever see tho
current Of enterprise flow past our
doors TO enrich more distant States.
] nm familiar with u certain tract OF
10000 acres Of land, which IN 1916 was
assessed mt fifty cents per acre, and
paid less than IS taxes into the public
treasury. By single handed and per
scvcrins efforts, nifty families, princl.
pally German, were gradually located
upon this tract, purchasing from one
hundred to three hundred and fifty
acres each, ut one dollar to five dol.
lars per acre, in proportion rs the value
enhanced by surrounding improve
mcntS. To-day these lands are wortl!
from seven to ten dollars per acre. and
pay an aggregate revenue for State,
county, school and road purposes OF
over $1,000. Up to this time this set.
tlcmcnt has built over fifteen miles OF
wagon road. one saw mill, ono steam
saw and grist mill, two school houses,
two meeting houses, md Its fifty little
farms are fair samples Of what indus.
try and good management may develop
out Of the rough lands Of West Vir.
ginia. May be permitted to add. that
in the same vicinity there are still re.
siding some Of tho ancient pioneer
hunters, who settled there when the
best OF land could be entered aud pat
Gntcd for about five cents per aci .,
and have not up 10 this day nccunu.
lated n homestead Of one hundred
acres free from cncumbrancc.
THE RESOURCES OF WEST VIRGINIA.
No State can excel West Virginia in
tho cheap production Of live stock,
meat, wool, fruit and the products .oi
the dairy, and If industry and capital
were devoted to these few branches
alone, sho would soon be one Of the
wcaIthicst States of her size. Although
not rcputcd grain growing country,
yet She produced IN 1850, two hundred
thousand Bushels Of wheat, aud seven
million five hundred bushels OF corn
or an average Of twenty-scvcn bushcl,
Of these edible grains alone for each
inhabitant The aggregate value ol
live stock is Sl2,0O0,000, Of which ono
huff is owned BY the ten counties OF
Barbour. Harrison, Hampshire, Green.
bricr, Monroe, Hardy, Jefferson, Ma.
rion, Monongalia and Preston, leaving
only $6,0O0,0O0 as tho valnc in about
forty other counties. about twenty ol
which arc inferior IN grazing capacity
to none Of those above named, and
only want improvement to prove the
accuracy Of this estimate. In com.
parison with Switzerland, the most
mountainous country IN Europe, oui
State could subsist q population ot
two million five hundred thousand
and live stock to tho value OF at least
$50, 100000, through her agricultural
resources alone, but what her wealth
IN timber, oil, coal, iron aud other
minerals might be in connection will
manufacturing. battles oil calculation
at present. p. ...... J..
Massachusetts, has no native timber
Of any value, no coal, no iron nor any
cheap lands or cheap food. But she
possesses q dense, skillful and enter
prising population, one Of whose won.
derful achievements consists in i'm.
porting West Virginia timber by way
! Of Baltimore, and with the aid OF coal
and iron from other States. tnanufac.
turing It into furniture, implement,