Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-02-08
SHEEP HUsBANDRY.
More Sheep and Wool Litera-
ture-A Few Words to Our
Legislature.

receipt OF letters similar to the one / in
close. / have received and answered
great many coming from nearly ever,
State in the Union. This becomes quits
a task on time and patience. Yet such
is my confidence in the future OF oul
State, as a wool growing and sheer
breeding State, and my interest in hel
development, that / never let such let
tiers pass unanswered, although many
hours OF my time are consumed, besides
postage and stationery. 1t is no per
sonal Interest TO me that / am aware OF
/ expect no financial gain, have no sheer
for sale, or West Virginia land to specu
late on. II had it would be more the
reason why might not answer proper
ly the questions in the following letter
Nils, Mich, Jan 20.
]. ID. Whitman, Esq Valley Grove, w
Va Dear Sir:
Hon. C. Brady, Secretary OF S'a'e
sent me Resources OF West Virginia
and some pamphlets OF addresses. One
by YOU advocating your State as pecu
harry adapted to wool growing. L pre-
sumo that at the meeting OF your assocla'
ton last fall other addresses were made.
Were they published? What are good
stock sheep worth now3
What can good land be had for pei
acre? To give you an idea OF what kind
OF land / mean, will explain. | find
that your land is very rough to us west
ern people. But some land for corn
raising and moving must be had, and
then the broken land will do well for
pasturage. What should want would
be to start with 500 sheep, and the flock
would increase as ones experience did.
would not care for the high priced
land nesr too large villages, but good
corn land and grass land. Rolling table
land might be just as good as bottom
land, and then pasturage land. The
kind OF sheep-not pure blood, but good
grade-then use pure blood rams. You
will have an idea what man will want
TO start with, as have mentioned. Are
there farms that could be rented for, say
five years time, that would be as profit
able as buying? Then one would better
know what they wanted. | have pass
ed over the b. & U. railroad to Washing
ton, crossing at Benwood, but it was
some sen years ago, and in March. Any
information that will help me to a cor
rect understanding Of the sheep grow
ing business in your section will be
thankfully received. Do YOU keep a
herder with the flocks. or do you fence
the land? Awaiting your reply, yours
respectfully. b. 5. REED.
Now, gentlemen, Delegates and Sena.
tors, as business men, as wool growers
some of you are-and as citizens Of West
Virginia, what is your duty towards our
State? We think it peculiarly adapted
TO wool growing and sheep breeding.
Will you delegate your duty in this mat
ter 10 private citizens, who have some
selfish motive TO serve or take advantage
of the State pride and patriotism OF those
who choose to volunteer to do the
work? Have you any assurance that
the work will be well done? Business
men do not have their work done in this
manner. You are sent to our State cap
ital TO look after the common interests
OF our State.
Our Wool Growers and Sheep Breed
ers Association, although organized but
a year ago, has already published a
pamphlt giving some o the advantage oil
West Va. as a wool growing State. In
doing this they are doing greater adj
......-., g., tka otafa fhat IN their Oun
Individual interest or 10 their interest as
a wool growers association. The State
at large is identified, land owners are
enable to sell their land, which as con-
sequence rises in value. The State re-
ceiyes a greater revenue from taxes.
Is not the State the general public, who
are benefited. the proper party to un-
dertake the work of showing up the
advantages OF our state, and it should
not be done in a general, high sounding
way, il should be written up by those
who understand what they are talking
about. Facts and figures, actual knowl-
edge and practical experience should be
giver. 1t will do very well TO tell the
emigration public that our mountains
are ribbed with iron andi rough with
mineral, that our hills are scanned with
coal, limestone and every form OF
valuable rock, that our valleys and
slopes grow the finest grasses for
pasturage and grazing purposes, and
among, and along which sparkles, bub-
bles and flows the purest waters.
Capital and emigration demand
something more than general state
ments, we have, / fear, INDUCED IN
that too long, until emigration has
passed US BY, while We sit poor in our
very riches, like the miner who sits on
his block of gold and stares clinging to
his wealth, like he We must give OF over
riches, to avail ourselves OF the re-
mainder.
Through more than half the states OF
the union | have travelled, the name
Virginia passed me always into every
circle. was proud of nv birth, proud
of nv state and of her history, but these
do not bring gold to the purse, bread TO
the mouth, and in this practical aye
emigration TO our own state.
The above is written as dproE0 to
the recent meeting OF the state wool
Growers and Sheep Breeders Assocla-
ton ami the introduction into the
House o, Delegates Mofft's resolution
in regard to the reprinting OF Maurays'
Resources OF West Virginia, for the
New Yosk Worlds Exposition of 1883.
Presume this will pass without a dis
sen,ing voice and would this not be an
optortune OCCASION to have the part
relating TO Sheep Husbandry rewritten
and the advantages OF our State as
Wool Growing State more strongly
shown.
We Of the Panhandle DO Rot have
the same intrCst rs other portions OF the
state not vet developed, but the general
interest in our state will induce the
members FROM this section to do all in
their power TO further the action above
spoken Of.
With your permission ! may answer
the above letter through your columns.
Yours, j. ID. W.
A Sensibl, Speech.
United States Senator-elPct Jackson Of
Tennessee made an exceedingly sensible