The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-02-16

We are indebted 10 Mayor Sweeney
for copy OF the report OF the State
board OF Centennial Managers to the
Governor, by which we are informed of
the disposition Of the 100000 apmopri.
ated by the State to West Virginia's part
in the great exhibition at Philadelphia
during the Centennial. The expenses at
tending the getting up and maintenance
OF the States exhibit were rs follows:
Salaries, S2,S96 95; expenses, treights,
hauling, labor, &C., S5,76S 10; printing,
a,SOS OG; buildings and grounds, SG,7l2.
4G;furniture and cases, 81 ,857 sc. Making
total OF $2l ,OS3 55.
The buildings were sold after the ex.
hibition for 5000, and part Of the fur.
niture for S4l6 03, leaving the net expen.
ces at Sl96s7 IS. The details of the ex.
penses are on file in the Governors office
together with the vouchers for the same.
Mayor Sweeney, rs chairman Of the
State board, expresses the opinion that
the State has been and will continue to
be we'll repaid for her liberal expendi.
tnre at the Exhibition. On this point he
remarks as follows in his report:
"The display made by the State of West
Virginia was very creditable to her and
has excited the interest and attention not
only Of her own citizens, but also that Of
capitalists and residents OF other States
and countries. 1t needed the positive
evidence shown by the State exhibit to
convince all OF the immense wealth in
Goa, iron, timber, salt, wool, tobacco,
grain, grasses; indeed in every valuable
product Of the mine and soil which she
possesses. Already many inquiries have
been made by persons looking to the pur.
chase OF lands with the intention OF To-
eating within the State, and the board
deslres to urge, through your Excellency,
the great necessity and propriety Of some
action by the Legislature to cause thor.
ough geological survey OF the State to be
unaeFtaKen, and more complete and
lnll report oil her resources 10 be made
than the Centennial Board has succeeded
in doing. The board is fully aware that
II will involve great expense and will be
the work OF years, but il must have A
beginning, and moderate steps can be
taken at this time 10 prosecute n survey
and follow up the Centennial work with.
ont involving serious outlay Of money
for the next two or three years."
This matter OF geological survey Of
the State is not new proposition, but
its revival at this time, in this report OF
the State Centennial board, is proper
enough, and We trust will receive atten.
tion at the hands Of the Legislature. We
are not prepared to say that such u sur.
vey should be ordered Immediately, but
it is nevertheless a project worthy OF in.
vestigStion. The over production Of
mineral wealth in some parh OF the
country has put Il damper on the spirit
OF development at points not possess.
ing very decided natural advantages
both for mining and shipping, and
i. is difficult to attract attention in the
ordinary way to such resources as West
Virginia possesses in this matter Of min.
erals. These resources have been tolcr.
ably we'll advertised through the Centen.
nial Exhibition, and but for the depres.
sion that broods so heavily over the iron
iulPreats nftha world vnnh ha likely IN