The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-01-24
From the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
West INSTRUMENTATION.

Democracy Of that State, Tor us poii''eai
significance. Than to the citizens OF
Charleston in a local aspect. For sew
eral years past the question OF per
mapent location Of the capital has been
a disturbing element in the legislation
and politics of West Virginia; but two
wears ago, after an animated and some
what embittered struggle between the
sunporters Of Charleston, Wheeling,
Parkersburg, Grafton, Buckhannon, &c,
the first named city was decided upon
as the future and permanent capital OF
that State.
Charleston is beautifully located upon
high plateau, at the confluence OF
the Elk and Kanawha rivers, about DO
miles southeast of Gallipolis 1t is the
largest central city in West Virginia.
The Kanawha river is navicable to
Charleston, and some distance above,
for the lighter draught steamers. Dur
ing The past few years, the State author
tiles have been constantly employing
two large dredging machines, in charge
OF a corps of efficient operatives, to
deepen the channel of the river, and
with such success that there has been
uninterrupted navigation upon the
Kanawha for a long period, except
when frozen, which, in that region,
is an exceptional occurrence. lp adj
dition to that mode of communication,
by this time next year the Chesapeake
and Ohio Railway will have been COM
pleted and running from the Ohio to
Charleston, and in 1871 clear through
and connecting with Baltimore and
Richmond, which, when an accomplish
ed fact, will place the capital Of the new
State upon one of the leading railway
thoroughfares of the country. In this
respect, at least the people of West
Virginia, have good cause to felicltate
themselves, that they have made per
manent location Of their capital, where
by river and rail, it will be easily &C
cessible, and where the charming
scenery, mountain and valley, which
surrounds it, can be seen and admired
Of all men.
The Kanawha valley is one Of the
most beautiful in our country. Those
who have never enjoyed trip TO that
delightful and inviting region, would be
filled with admiration in beholdinS the
majestic hills and picturesque scenery
which line the banks Of the river from
the vicinity Of Charleston to the Falls.
TO say that the tourists will find there,
what so few would expect, the beauties
of the Hudson in miniature, would not
be praise too enthusiastic or undeserved.
Previous to the war, there was but lit
tie known to the general public OF that
attractive valley. 1t was not on
any of the railway routes of the
business community. or OF the pleasure
seeker, and hence in a measure,
escaped the attention it deserved for 20
many years. Its wonderful mineral
wealth was, of course, known 10 those
residing there, but not until recently
has even that feature been appreciated
abroad. In this particular, however,
there has been sudden and extraor-
binary change. The location of the
Capitol at Charleston, the early com
pletion Of the Chesapeake d Ohio Rail,
way, with other projected lines aiming
for the Kanawha valley, have, within
short time, attracted the attention OF
capitalists in all parts OF the country,
who are Fastening to that vicinity, and
making investments in the lneXhaustI-
bic coal fields, timber lands and iron
mines which abound throughout that
section cf West Virginia, now that out
! lets FOR the rich treasures OF that State
are about to he at command. Those
who are at all acquainted with the
great resources of that locality of which
we speak, will not be surprised to hear
of its rapid progress and development
because they are well aware that there
is no interior portion OF our country, so
long overlooked, where the field for
speculative effort, and energetic practi-
cal industry is so inviting, and none,
we may safely say, where larger rewards
are within the reach of the sagacious
operator or entcrprising laborer.
The city OF Charleston is the natural
commercial centre for the trade Of a
large area in and surrounding the Kan
awha VALLEY. 1t also commands the
entire trade Of the Elk river country,
now about TO be rapidly developed by
slack water navigation, and, prospec-
lively, by railway. The location OF
Charleston is such that a competing
city is an impossibility. This fact has
been leading consideration in influ-
encing the remarkable improvement i'll
its business, and increase in its popula-
ton, during the last preceding years.
1t has in that time about doubled its
number Of inhabitants; property has
more than quadrupled IN value; a large
number of very valuable public and
private improvements have been made,
adding greatly to its beauty, comfort
and attractiveness as a desirable place
of residence. Investments Of every
nature have been profitable to those
interested, and the enterprising business
man, the mechanic and laborer have
each been abundantly rewarded. The
city, in this short period, has bounded
upward so rapidly, and its prospects for
the future are so promising, i'll business,
population and wealth, that we predict
it will not be many years until it will he
the most flourishng and populous point
in West Virginia, except the old and
: renowned manufacturing city Of Wheel
ing.
Although out of our bailiwick, and
certainly not disposed to make any sug-
gestions distasteiul to our neighbor on
the South, yet we avail ourselves Of so
opportune an occasion to say that, as
their favored city is now upon the
threshold OF a new career, and more
conspicuous and historic future, it would,
in our Judgment, be an appropriate
| tima To grace their canital with a more