Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1876-08-12
West Virginia at the Centennial.

The Philadelphia correspondent of the Bal
timore Sun thus describes West VirGinias con-
tribution to the Centennial Exposition:
Near the japanese houses is the West Viz
einia buildins, with this hospitablc sentence
ON a placard by the side Of the road " West
Virginia welcomes everybody. The latch
string is out" Around the grounds are i'm
mense blocks of coal, dug from veins varying
from three to nine feet in thickness, which
arc alternatcd with pyramids composed OF
sections Of logs. The building is large and
handsome one, with an irregular shaped front,
from one corner of which rises a tall tower
In front are the offices and an octagonal hall,
which opens into the main hall containing the
State exhibits. These compose wonderful!
variety and abundance, showing the aiiuence
of the State 10 natural productions as well as
in cultivated grains and fruits. In the ball Is
a memorial bracket, made of seventy-six dliier-
ent kinds of wood found in Brooke County,
which are very skilfully joined together, and
80 carved as to show the names of the signerS
of the Declaration Of Independence and Of the
Presidents of the United States, with the
words " Liberty, Union, Independence" and
the motto Esto Perpetua." The central
ornament Of the main hall is high stand, on
which is arranged what appears TO be a col
lection of books, but they are really one hun
dred and ten kinds of native wood cut in the
form OF books, the natural bark forming the
back. on which is a red liable giving the name
Of the wood.
There arc many specimens Of wines, miner
al waters petroleum and natural brine, some
of the latter being from well six hundred
feet deep which has been flowing constantly
for eleven years, and which was originally
bored for oil. The exhibits Of building stone
and marbles are very fine, and gray sand
stone is shown which is often taken from the
quarry in blocks ten feet long. Iron and 9TH
er ores, natural cement, white sand for making
glass aud fre-clay are only few of the remain
ing specimens of the natural products OF the
State. while the samples Of grains and tobacco
show the great fertility Of the soil. Tobacco
is exhibited in the leaf and also in the form o
Wheeling stoges, long mines, &c. aud we are
informed that the yield is from five hundred
TO a thousand pounds TO the acre. Wheat,
oats. rye and other grains, grass and clover
grow luxuriantly, and West Virgiuians proud
ly point TO the tallest cornstalk on exhibition
at the centennial-a giant nineteen feet high.
Their public and other schools are represented
by books of written examples in various
studies. and there is great curiosity 10 MAJ
of the State, prepared for blind pupils by a
teacher in the Institution for the Deal Dumt
and Blind, who is himself blind. The ladies'
parlor is up stairs, aud from the verandab upon
which it opens there is a lovely and extensive
view. It is nicely furnished and beautifully
paneled in native wood, and the walls are
hung with paintings by young aides Of Wheel
ing. 4 well-executed painting Of the Hal
Of the Stonewall Brigade, by gentleman, Is
in the upper hall, and attracts much attention