Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1879-05-13
RESOURCES OF WEST VIRGINIA..
A Ta1h With Governor NatAetos-If Progress
of the State an Population, ReaM and
Intelligence -Iaducenaents to Northern
Sellers
Nav Ynrk Tribunal

spent few days in the city recently. the
adjournment of the Legislature of his State
giving hin an opportunity of enjoying briet
season OF rest and recreation. lie is man
about 45, of medium stature, with brown
hair, side whiskers and mustache, and
countcnance whose healthy color bespeaks
good digestion and fondncss for out door
exercise. In his main outline his face re-
sembles that of Wade Hampton, but his fig.
ure is shorter, more compact and more alert
than that of the South Carolina hero. He
is Democrat, of course, and is in the mid
die of four years. term to which he was
elected in 1916 by majority of $4,000.
His Democracy is of the liberal and progress
sive school. He deplores sectionalism and
rejoices that in West Virginia there is now
very little bitterness in politics, land that men
of the highest character are found in both
parties. A representative OF the Tribune
talked with Governor Mathews the other day
ON the condition, resources and prospects OF
West Virginia, q State very little known to
Eastern people, although lying almost at
their doors.
"We estimate our present population at
soc, O0O," said tho Governor, "a gain of
shout 1000 since 1870. This gain has
been chiefly from the natural increase of our
OVID people. We have had very little immi-
grafton; not that We lack plenty of room for
more inhabitants, but the tide of foreign
emigrants flows past us to the West. Re.
Gently a number Of Swiss and Scandauavians
have come in, and their success will no doubt
bring more people of these nationalties Our
mountain counties, with their fertile valleys
and upland pastures, are particularly pleas
ing to these people, reminding them some-
what of their native countries. One obstacle
hoo haa tho Of
large tracts of wild lands by few individu,
ais, who have kept them out of the market
We have men who own as much as 100. 900
acres each. These big tracts are gradually
getting broken up. however. Our mountains
are not all rocky and sterile, by any means.
The sides and tops often fertile, and you
have only to clean off the underbrush to get
q fine growth of blue grass. The mountain
lands are thus Of great value for pasturage.
The cattle and sheep industries develop
ing rapidly Sheep do remarkably we'll on
the mouc tain ranges, and the chenrness of
land makes this industry especially attrac
tive"
.'Aro the salt works in the Kauawha Val
ley in operation now?'
Yes; | believe they are doing tolerably
well. For time this industry was greatly
depressed, but it is picking up rapidly"
ave hear very little of the West Virginia
petroleum fields of late"
"a good deal of oil is still produced in the
neighborhood Of Petersburg, but it comes
from wells of small capacity, and the business
has lost its speculative character. The yield
of the old wells has fallen off, and few new
ones are being sunk"
.You make a good deal of iron in your
State, I suppose?"
"Wheeling is one OF the chief IRON making
cities in the country. 1t turns out yearly
more than one third of all the nails in the
United States, and fully one fifth of the an.
nua production of the entire world. Wheel
ing is also heavily interested in the manu-
facture of glass, which i, ships everywhere
even to London. Brazil and Australia are
among the best markets for our glass. One
feature of this industry is rather singular,
Our manufacturers make the beautiful glass
chandeliers which have become so fashiono>
bic of late, but they import tho ut-glass
pendants from Switzerland. where the peas
ants make them by hand cheaper than they
can be made by machinery in this country.
Many of these chandeliers are sent to Lon-
don, so the pendants make two voyages
across the OCEAN. Speaking Of the iron bust,
ness, there are now important works at Quin-
namout, Oh the Chesapeake and Ohio Rail
road Valuable deposits of ore have been
found on New River, on the line between
Virginia and West Virginia. These
magancsc ores, from which Spiogelcisen and
Bessemer steel can be made ut a price far
below the ordinary cost of manufacture"
''Are your coal fields being worked ?"
'sTo much greater extent than formerly
since the opening of the Chesapeake & Ohio
Road. We have more coal in proportion to
our territorial extent than any other State in
the Union, and much greater variety, too.
We have bituminous, splint, semi-cannel,
camel and peculiarly 6ne CRATE coal known
as Campbell's Creek coal. Many new mines
have been opened lately and are being
worked. Our State is wonderfully endowed
with natural wealth. have not spoken of
our lumber interests. which are quite impor-
tant. We have white and yellow pine in
abundance along the Greenbrier and Elk
Rivers aud in the Cheat River country. and
good deal of cherry and black walnut.
Many new mills have been erected in the
last few years"
ais your State Government economically
administered"
II believe there are no complaints on that
score. In fact VIC are rather proud of our
success in cutting down expenses. The cost
of feeding our convicts in the penitentiary is
only 81 cents per day for each convict. Our
Insane Asylum makes an equally good show
ing. The cost of maintaining each inmate,
including all expenses, is only 1888 per
week I doubt if any similar institution in
the country can show better financial NAM
agement"
"What is your State debit"
"Wc have none"
"You still decline to shoulder your share
of the debt Of the old State"
''Not at all; we have always been ready to
assume our equitable share, but not the share
that old Nirpinia insists VIC ought to nay.