The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1882-09-16
WEST VIRGINIA.
A Region of Wonderful Natu-
raj Wealth.
The Timber Lands of the Great Kanawha
yalley-Grand Scenery-Rich Be-
posits of Coal and Iron.
Correspondence Philadelphia Record.

.
embracing pine, walnut, oak and
maple, as well as valuable deposits
of iron ore and coal, West Virginia
must soon take rank with some of
the most important States in the
Union. Charleston, soon to become
the permanent capital, is one of the
largest towns in the State. 1t it To-
Gated on the right bank of the Ka-
nawha river near the junction of Elk,
fifty-four miles from the mouth,
where it empties into the Ohio, on a
broad plateau extending nearly mile
to the hills, which rise to the height
of two of three hundred feet and
form Il beautiful background to the
wellshaded town. The Chesapeake
and Ohio Railroad passes down the
Kanawha on the opposite side from
the town, and visitors have TO be fer
ried across the narrow stream. -
Charleston is also the capital of Ka-
nawha county, which contains an
area of l,l50 square miles, popu-
lation of $4,000 inhabitants, and is
increasing at the rate of 25 per cent
per annum. The town contains be-
tween 5000 and 5000 inhabitants,
and there are many large and sub
stantial business houses, with nu-
merous handsome private residences.
Soon after the formation of West Vir-
ginia Charleston was selected at the
State Capitol. The citizens raised
100000 or more for the construc-
tion of a handsome brick building
for the Capital, but owing to politi-
cal dissentions, which soon after
arose, it was suddenly taken to Wheel
ing by a vote of the Legislature
This was great drawback to the
prospects of the town, and for time
all branches of business languished
AS Wheeling is situated at the base
of the famous Panhandle, and near
~ 300 miles from Charleston, com
nunication with it was found to he
very difficult, and the question of
making Charleston again the State
Capital was submitted to vote of
the people and carried, and in Isl 5
the vote will 90 into effect. The
Capitol building, which is undergo
ing improvement, will be finished and
ready for occupancy on the LIST OF Jan
uary, 1885.
TIE KANAwHA VALLEY.
The valley of the Great Kanawla
is beautiful, and was settled at an
early period in the history Of Vir-
ginia. General Washington took up
a fine tract Of land some distance be-
low where Charleston now stands,
and to this day it bears the title of
the Washington Farm. The Kama
wha, which is formed by the union
If the New and Gauley Rivers, a
short distance above the Falls,
emptics into the Ohio at Point Pleas
ant. In t.le Indian language it is
said to mean "River Of the Woods.
probably on account of the splendid
timber which once grew upon it's
banks, and which is still found OH
the tributary streams and the ada
cent mountains. From the Falls to
the Ohio the valley is positively beau
tiful. The soil is rich, and produces
excellent crops, and, as farms are
numerous, it presents the appearance
of a great garden. Hills, with irreg-
ular crests, averaging from 700 to
1000 feet in height, inclose the val.
ley with ever-changing aud graceful
outlines. The river bottom ranges
in width from one-half to mile, and
at many points is much greater The
better way to see the valley in all it's
glory is to pass up or down the
river in the springtime on a steam
boat when Nature is putting on her
garments of green, or in the autumn
when the frosts are timing forest
trees. OF course the valley has
history dating back into the last cen
tury. At the mouth of the river a
desperate battle was fought in TIA,
which decided the white supremacy
of the Ohio Valley. The colonial
forces were commanded by Andrew
Lewis and the Indians by their re-
nowned chief Cornplanter. As this
region was q favorite one with the
aboriginies, Of course it abounds in
Indian relics, which are found to this
day, and the remains of a great
mound near st. Adams still attracts
the attention of the antiquarian.
The river is navigable for steam
boats nearly all the time. The con-
struction of the Chesapeake IL Ohio
Railroad was great advantage to
the valley in affording an outlet both
to the Ohio River and over the noun
tains to Richmond. The distance
from Charleston to Huntington, the
original terminus, is 81 miles; to
White Sulphur Springs, 142; to
800. The road has re-
Gently been extended from Hun
tington to Lexington, Kentucky, 139
miles or 211 miles from Charleston.
EXTENSIVE MINES OF COAL.
The Kanawha Valley was for many
years the seat of thriving business in
the manufacture of salt, and for
years supplied the Ohio and Missis-
sippi river towns and the country
but the war closed the fur