Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1882-03-04
An Excellent Project.

IN ciTort 10 be nais 70 secure 10 IIest lIrgin
ia portion Of The Million IalnagrGHts(rofH
Eayepe.
West Virginia has s greater amount OF
coal in her bills and mountains than Penn
svlrania. This fact is stated on the author
10y of the lste l. 5. census reports. Tio
same reliable authority gives official infor-
nation to the world that West Virginia
mines and markets but oRetrmheih as much
coal as does Pennsylvania! Does the reader
see the difference?
1t also Is a matter OF official record thai
West Virginia has larger quantities Of tho
valuable hard woods than any other state in
the Union, yet ,'e is exporting almostnonc
ofit. Her people build worm fences and
pig pens out of cherry aad walnut which
sells in the markets Of tls East for fsom 800
to 500 per 900 feet Yet these coal and
timber lands are within easy distance from
the bcs, markets Of the world Whyare our
people no: utilizing these treasures Be
cause We have neither the capital nor the la
Dor 70 open raiircais and do the work. Why
do not capital and labor come from other
SECTORS and engage in the profitable enter
priss,? Because the riche- ofWest Virgin
ia and the opportunities here offered to cap
itai and enterprise Tor rich returns have not
been properly Plsced before those seeking
investments and new homes.
Thesscretary state, with the encourage
mont of the other State officers, andthe Leg
islaturc. also we hope will coon undertake
to remedy in q great measure this evil Tho
following prospectus, looking tothis end, was
placed in circulation yesterday. We most
empbatioally endorse the objects and alma
set forth
1t is proposed by the undersigned TO issus
At an early day, for free distribution,
"TIandbook of West Virginia" in which
will be Sc. forth all available facto in 4 con
vsnicn: and compact form, relating 10 tho
resources Of the State \ reliable and com
prehonsiye work of this character has long
been needed, and more particularly at thn
time when capital and enterprise are look
ing toward our state with moreinierest than
NJ any time in our previous history. Letters
from all parts are constantly pouring into
this Office making inquiries relating to mat
ters connected with our material capacity
and development, and it is found impossible
to answer in detail all these enquiries, and
thus has been suggested the idea Of compii-
inc in convenient form all information re
ouiredupo these subjects. The design will
be 10 Gull from the book published under the
auspices Of the Centennial managers know
as "Resourccs Of West Virginia, =" all reliable
facts concerning the geography, topography
climatology. geology, timber and mineral re
sources. and the adaptability Of each locali-
y in the State to the production Of cereals,
grapes, tobacco, etc. In addition to this IT
IS the design Of the compiler to publish all
additional facts relating to Developments
nude since the publication Of the krefer-
ID to above. and to present many details OF
interest which were omittedi in that publca-
ton. In the preparation Of this work wa
will be aided by thoroughly competent gen
tleman in different localities. well vcrsed in
the resources Of their respective sections OF
the State.
The nee ,s,iiy for such work is stiii fur
ther apparent in the fact that las, year there
were in round numbers, ono million emf
grants landed in the United States, and yet
i
Of that number perhaps not ten found their
way into West Virginia. There is as much
( inviting to Europeans to settle in West Viz
rinia as in any other state ofthc union, yet
they never come, and it is largely from tho
fact that we ha-- no system for advertising
tie State. They never hear Of US, or if they
10. have no idea ofour capacities or resources,
and thus pass by our healthy mountainsand
valleys and genial climate 70 find homes
N the malariai districts Of the West, or in
the rigorous climate Of ,hc No-thwest.--
These things should not be, and IL is hoped
that sufficient encouragement will be given
70 justify tie under taking set forth in TIN.
prospec.us. r. STALYAEEn, JR.
Secretary Of State