The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-08-25
MR.. PENDLETON'sL. CENTENNIAL
GRAFTON.


K. PENDLEToN, which was delivered al
the Centennial grounds yesterday, on the
history, industries and resources of West
Virginia. 1t came too late for US to find
room for it IN full in this mornings
REGISTER, SO we must content ourselves
with such extracts as our time and space
will permit US to make at this time. 1t is,
like all of Professor PESpLEToNs pro-
ductions, carefully prepared, scholarly
and thorough document upon the subject
treated. 1t opens in this beautiful and
appropriate fashion:
/ cannot better introduce to you the
state of West Virginia than by adopting
the description of Moses, the great law.
giver, to the Israelites, concerning the
land TO which he was conducting them
by the weary marches of the wilderness
He says: at is good land, land OF
brooks of water, of fountains and depths
that spring out Of valleys and hills; land
of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig
trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil,
olives and honey; land wherein thou
shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou
shalt not lack anything in it; a land
whose stones are iron, and out of whose
hills thou mayst dig brass" (Deut., 8 ch.
7-9th.)
This may seem like poets ideal of a
land fitted by nature for the home Of a
chosen people, but it WAS realized, we are
told, in the land Of promise, and it is
wonderfully descriptive ofthe young and
growing state which am here to repre-
sent.
The geology of the country determines,
in large measure, its topography,and this
in West Virginia, is deserving of special
notice. To take brid's eye view OF this
most picturesque of all the states, let US
place ourselves above that remarkable
region near the junction of the Pendleton,
Randolph and Pocahontas counties, in
West Virginia, and Highland county
in Virginia. 1t is - miles little
west OF south from the historic
Fairfax stone, planted October
II, 1876, by the commission
appointed under George III. TO ascertain
the place of the "head fountain OF the
Potomac" and as the point from which
to start the northern line of boundary
between Virginia and Maryland. Under
us is Panther Knob, which, we have
seen, is 900 feet in height, and, proba.
bly,, the highest point in the state. East
and south of us lies the state OF Virginia,
our venersted Mother, who can speak for
herself. AS one of her sons, | turn from
her, with heart full OF memories and
hopes, that cannot and would not sepa-
rate from the state that l represent, and
which in her present separation and SOW
eighty rightly and proudly shares as her
own, whatever is iIlustrious in the history
of the 'Old Dominion"
From one imaginary point OF view,
we see within circ.e of few miles, be-
meath us the fountain heads of many
rivers-on the northeast the South
Branch and forks of the Potomac; on
the north the liuger-forked fountains OF
the Cheat; on the northwest the closely
parallel streams OF the Tygarts Valley
river, and other tributaries OF the Mo-
nongahela; on the west the many
branched, firm like fountains OF the Elk;
on the southwest the silver lines Of the
Greenbrier; and south, but in Virginia,
the head streams Of the Jackson, which
pours into the James and meets tho sea
in Hamilton Rhodes, below Richmond.
Following the course oi these streams
with our eye, we see them dropping
down in their several channels and
reaching the border lands of the state AT
level of some 1000 feet below their
fountains, from 500 10 600 feet above the
level of the sea. Sweeping round these
ascending lines OF silver they
seem to be creeping in tor
tuous courses down the surface
of a very fiat cone, and, with their tribu-
tsries, cutting it into tesscllsted laba
ryths of surface that neither memory ror
Imagination can thread. Northeast and
southwest. however, we discover long
parallel mountain ridges-the Appa'
lachisn chsin-which enter into the
state from Pennsylvania on the north
and traverse it to its borders on the
south. Tracing the western line Of thi:
range under their local names, we fol-
low the Laurel Mill, Rich Mountain
Gauley and Greenbrier Mountains, the
main Allegheny near the White Sui
phur Springs. and Peters Mountain al
our southern border, and discover that
they mark & distinct division OF tn:
surface into what is called the
Mountain region on the east, and the
Hill region on the west. These ridges
appear to have been formed by 8
laptsl force, acting from the southeast
and folding back the spsta as they were
elevated, and throwing them into long
high ridges and deep furrovs, like The
corruga,ions Of giants brow, wres Ilng
with an enemy. The sharper ridges ap
pear TO have been cracked along thelI
.rests, and opened into deep tssures BY
the force that elevated them, and 20 have
become the main channels through which
the old ocean of the coal era poured IL
wR,ers and was emptied. Cut and worr
and deepened by the tidal tumlt OF thu
epoch OF cstaplssm, they have remained
forever the sublime highways OF ouI
mountain torrents. These characteristics
we notice, are row marked in the north
The folds arc more numerous, and, OF
the east, narrower and deeper, their anti
clinsl sid IS crowding in upon the streams
and leaving but small margin for chi
alluvial bottoms. One OF thes'
rivers attracts particular atten
ton. The Chest rises just under
US in Randolph courty. Its fou
forks run along assures in the crests o
separate, but closely parallel, mOunisin
ridges till their dark waters how togethei
and become one in fucker county. Bu
the bed is still only q deep channel IN tn
crest of lofty mountain.
The Baltimore and Ohio railroad ha
made the awful precipices that wall Il
the river familiar to the world, and "
n ed not dwell upon its wonderou
,cefery-the highway Of nature Tor be
mountain torrents, the highway OF mai
tor the fruits of his toll, here, for It'll
/ Ia ard nrssent