Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-08-18
WAKING UP.
THE DAwNINe ERA OF PROGRESS
Some Striking Instances Of What Our
People Are Doing in the Way
of Increased Wealth
and Prosperity.
Special Correspondence Of Me Reqistsr.

Special Correspondence Ot Me heglsteT.
HARDY COUNTY, w. Va, August 16.-Not
having seen anything in the REGISTER from
this section for good while, have con-
cluded your many readers throughout the
State, who feel an interest in the progress
and pre- sperity Of our State, would be graft
fed to know what we are doing. l am
happy TO say our people are at last waking
up to a realization of the fact that they
must do something themselves TO promote
the general 49, ..i
Progress and Prosperity
or fall far behind other sections of the
State. 1t is an indisputable fact that we
have in this section almost all that nature
can give US to make us happy, progressive
and prosperous people. We have the finest
water power in the United States. We
have inexhaustible mines Of coal and iron
We have thousands upon thousands OF
acres of the best tinlbered land IN the
United States, and behind all this we have
good soil. In speaking thus, am referring
10 the counties of Randolph, Tucker, Grant,
Mineral, Hardy and Hampshire. These
coantits can, without difficulty, support IN
perfect
Ease and Comfort
ten times as many people as they do now.
We want more popuIatiOn-with more pop
| u alton must come wealth and prosperity.
TIE coal, iron and timber land OF all these
counties have heretofore been utterly v&!u'
less, because we have been without means
o: transportation. There are, in all these
counties, hundreds and thousands OF acres
OF land upon which people have been pay
| ing taxes for years. that have never In all
these years yielded them cent OF reVe'
nue., and all for the want OF transporta'
ion facilities. We have had for some
,earS few
Pushing, Progressive Men
n our section, among them Hon. II. 6.
| Davis. But they have had an uphill busi.
ness of it. They not only have received no
| encouragement from the masses OF the
peopIe, until recently, but have positively
had them TO fight. But all this moss.
| backing is fast passing away. We have a
| few Of them in all three counties yet, but
| the large mass of our people are now fully
alive to the great importance OF change.
Senator Davis has constructed a railroad up
the North Branch OF the Potomac to the
| coal fields in Grant and Tucker counties,
and he now desires to turn back, asst were,
and construct a road from the point where
the present road ends through the counties
of Grant and Hardy, to point in the
valley Of Virginia, where he can reach
The Great Markets OF the East
With the great coal, iron and timber inter
ests of our section. He has, through his
attorney, Joseph Sprigg, Esq, OF this Coun-
ty, appealed to the people OF Grant and
Hardy TO aid him in this great and import
ant enterprise. The county courts OF both
counties have responded by submitting TO
the people the question Of a subscription
20 the capital stOck OF the road. The vote
will be taken on the 9th OF October next.
The people are enthusiastic in both COun'
ties in favor OF the subscription. They are
asked to demonstrate igi iq S9ms Roisttllye SUB
Tor the road, and this is the best way they
can do it, and they will dc it with hearty
good will. Our peol l. will do
Any and Every thing
they passibly can TO promote this great en-.
terprise. The construction OF this pro-
! osed road will be of greater general benefit
10 these two counties than any other road
that could be built into this section. 1t
will run east and west through the centre
Of each county and the entire length OF
| each county.
We have established at our county seat,
Moorefeld, national bank with capital
of $50, COO paid up. it is called the South
Branch Valley National Bank. Most OF the
capital stock is owned by our own people.
It's president is Alexander Sommervllle,
end its cashier is James w. GllkeSon. The
cashier is live man, fully up to the spirit
| Cf the times and will make the bank sue
cess. We have long needed bank in this
section badly. We have heretofore been
as badly off for banking facilities as for q
| railroad. say all this shows our people
TIP ard Doing
doing well too, when it is considered we
have been shut out from the busy, bustling
| world all our lives. We have much mar
row mlndedness and provincialism to over.
come, but We will down il after a while.
| The other sections Of our State are going
| ahead so fast that we must be up and doin :
as an act Of self defense and self preserya.
ton. They will surely get away with us
| ii we do not.
our crops in the valleys will be good this
| season, but not up to the average in the
mountains and hills The spring was to1
wet and cold Our wheat crop is better
than usual, and the largest hay crop for
many years has been cut this season. All
IN all our farmers, as a general rule, will
not have great deal TO complain OF.
Political Matters
are very quiet all through this section al
| present During the coming fall and win
Ter, however, the candidates for the coming
campaign will begin to walk out. We
think we have got timber in this county
for Governor, and should not be sur
prised if his friends pushed him into the
| fight. refer to ex Senator Joseph Van
meter. Mr.. Nanmeter is a solid, substan.
,ial man, is popular in this section and
would make us a good executive. This
county has never had Governor. We are
| beginning TO feel our oats. We have a
| rational bank. will soon have a tirst.class
| 49, IL. ,.nrt q Enrarnnr