Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1881-01-08
The SenatorshiD


doubleday leads the field:
Mr.. Camden is a native Of the
State and a lifelong Democrat.
He began life poor, and by his en-
ergy and talent has made himself
one of the prominent and substan-
tial men OF the State. He has held
no Office except that OF Prescott
ing Attorney for Braxton and
perhaps Nicholas counties, 10
which he WAS elected when
young man.
1t is not claimed that any Dem
ocrat in the Slate has served his
party more faithfully or contribut-
ed more to its success by organic
ing, personal attention and the
liberal use Of his means, than he
has.
In point of expression and abili-
ty, Mr.. Camden is the equal of
any of the gentlemen named, and
we might go further and say the
equal of any gentleman now serv-
ing the State.
The point has been made against
him that he is interested in the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad. So
far from this being true, he does
not and never did own O dollar of
stock or other interest in 1t. In
this connection another point has
been made against him, which is
that he made a special contract
with that company for the ship
ment of oil from Pennsylvania TO
Parkersburg, there it was refined
and then shipped to Baltimore.
1t is true that he did make such
special arrangements, and it is
also true that as consequence his
company expended in Parkers-
burg for labor, slaves, barrels, &c,
about one million dollars a year
for .three years. This arrange
ment was broken up by the abro-
CATION of the contract by the roai-
road company in consequence of
a clamor about it before the Legis-
lature and Parkersburg, and the
laboring men, Parkersburg and
the lumber men in the vicinity
have been the suffer ers.
Mr.. Camden by his published
letters and public utterances is
fully committed to and heartily
in accord with the demand of the
times for the regulation of inter
State commerce by Reagan bill or
otherwise just as far as Congaess
can conStitutionally go.
He denies in most emphatic
terms that he has any other con-
nection with the Standard Oil
Company than that of stockaold-
er, that he is not in its employ
ment and receives no salary from
it. 1t is just little singular that
the persons who have raised the
howl and kept up that howl about
his railroad interest should not
refer to the only railroad interest
he has His friends in the interior
of the State are proud that he is
identified with one railroad, and
he might we'll point with pride to
| it.
He is the President of the
Clarksburg and Weston narrow
gauge road. 1t is one Of the most
valuable improvements in the in
terror of the State. It's carrying
trade and passenger travel far ex-
ceeds the most sanguine expecta-
tons of its projectors. Not only
has it been the means of starting
up new enterprises, but it has in.
fused new life in Lewis and adj
Joining counties. When Mr.. Cam
den became connected with this
it was in state of partial compile
ton. Its cuts were filling up and
its entertainments washing away.
The comp any was without means
for its completion. Lewis county
had given literally. Private en-
tcrprize could do no more. Clarks-
burg had given her share. AT
this juncture the public spirit OF
Mr.. Camden was appealed to and
right handsomely did he respond.
He and few friends advanced
the money needed and pushed the
work on to speedy completion,
comforting large benefits upon
Harrison county and operating as
a bonanza to Lewis county, and it
will be pushed on until the great
timber districts of Upshur, Gilmer
Braxton, &c, shall be reached
and in time it will top the Chesa-
peoke & Ohio read.
This is johnson n. Canden's
railroad interest which has raised
such bugaboo. All honor to him
for it. If other prominent gentle
men and the counties on the pro-
jected line from Wheeling to
Parkersburg and Charleston had
gone along with him the propos-
ed narrow gauge roads between