The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-08-05
West virginia at the Centennial.

The Baltimore Sun of Wednesday
contained the following interesting dc
scription of "West Virginia's Latch
String and Products" at the Centennial.
1t was written by lady correspondent:
Near the japanese houses is the West
Virginia building, with this hospItable
sentence on placard by the side of the
road: "West Virginia welcomes every
body. The latch-string is out" Around
the grounds are immense blocks OF Goa,
dug from veins varying from three to
| nine feet IN thickness, which are al
ternated with pyramids composed OF
sections of logs The building Is q
large and handsome one, with an IT
regular shaped front, from one corner OF
which rises tall tower. In front are
the offices and an octagonal hal which
opens into the main hall con-
tanning the state exhibits. These COM
prise a wonderful variety and sbund-
ance, showing the atiluence Of the state in
natural production as well as in the cul-
tivsted grains and fruits. In the hall IS a
memorial bracket, made Of seventy-sN dill
ferent kinds of wood, found in Brooke
county, which are very skilliuIly
Joined together, and 50 carved as 10
show the names of the signers of the
Declaration of Independence and oil the
Presidents the United States, with
the words Liberty, Union, ,lndepend-
'ence," and the motto "Esto Perpetual.
The central ornament Of the main hall
is high stand, on which is arranged
what appears 10 be a collection OF
books. but thew are really one hundred
and ten kinds of native wood cut III the
form OF books, the natural bark forming
the back, on which is red label giving
the name of the wood.
There are many specimens OF wines,
mineral waters, petroleum and natural
brine, some of the latter being FROM a
we'll SIX hundred feel deep, which has
been flowing constantly for eleven years,
and which was originally bored for oil.
The exhibit Of building stone and mar
blcs are very fine, and q gray sandstone
is shown which is often taken from the
quarry IN blocks ten feet long. Iron and
other ores, natural cement white sand
for making glass and fire clay are only a
few OF the remaining specimens
of the natural products of the
state while the samples of grain and
tobacco, show the great fertility of the
.oil. Tobacco is exhibited in the leaf and
also in the form of Wheeling stogies,
long mines, etc and We are informed that
the Weld is from FIVE hundred TO
thousand pounds 20 the acre. Wheat
oats, rye and other grains, grass and
clover grow luIurisntiy, and West Vir-
giulans proudly point 10 the taliest corn
stalk on exhibition at the centennial
gisn, nineteen feet high. Their public
and other schools are represented by
books of written examples n various
studies, and there is great curiosity IN
a map of the state, prepared for blind
pupils BY teacher in the institution for
the deaf, dumb and blind, who Is himself
bind. The ladies' psrlor Is up stairs,
and from the veranda upon which II
opens, there is q lovely and extensive
view. 1t is nicely furnished and besuii
fully paneled in native wood, and The
walls are hung with paintings by yount
ladies Of Wheeling. A well-executet
painting Of the "Hslt of the Stonewsl
Brigade" by . gentleman, is in the uPpe
hall, and attracts much attention.