The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-04-19
EIkins.

or nVe weeks gone Dye WIN EiKlnS
unrepresented in your columns, and
all the people hungry for news. How
singular thata country 50 alive should
make so little fuss about it.
This is a new exemplification of an
old condition of things noticed in my
first letter. l said we were modest
people and now here are two prolific
pens literally stopping over with
news and both waiting several weeks,
letting an unlimited quantity of
news, rich, rare, and racy, go to waste
for want of a chronicler, aud all on
account of ineXcusable modesty.
Well, as my literary friend who lives
IN the "city" is good on hot track,
and as l am just as much at home on
cold trail, propose that we devide
the labor, letting him work up the
current news while 1 browse round
in the "Auld Lang Syne."
He lives in Elkins, a fact of which
he is especially proud, while I ann
equally satisfied to be a safe distance
away, sort o. out of range, you know.
He says Elkins is all right if it were
not for so many "RambIers" coming
in, which is rather tough on gentle
men of my nomadic habits, but we
will not ask for bill of particulars.
neither will he furnish one.
1t was my purpose at the COM
mencement to say something of the
natural resources of the section of our
county lying on the South East side
of the Backbone Mountain, but my
thoughts. in imitation of my own
bad example, have fingered so long
at Elkins, that there is little time ior
anything else.
The section referred to extends
from Bloomington to Fairfax Stone.
embracing an area over forty miles
long by four miles in breadth, and
covers one-fourth OF the territory of
Correct county, and is unexcelled in
natural resources. Owing to its re.
moteness from lines of transporta.
ton it has renamed an undevelOped
field. and its immense natural wealth
is just now coming into notice.
This entire belt of territory is un
derlaid with all the seams of coal be-
low the Big" or IA foot vein, ex-
cept where cut out by the water
courses. with the exception of a few
isolated spots of big vein too small to
be of any consequence. The soil is
rich, if of somewhat rough and
broken surface, and nine-tenths of it
is covered with the original forest.
All the fruits of the climate do well.
including peaches in the lower half
Of the slope. while apples and other
fruits do well everywhere. 1t is the
home of the wild grape, and could be
turned to good account in the produc-
tion of fruit and grapes.
Corn and all sorts of grain does
well. as this southeastern slope is
comparatively free from frost. espec-
tally the lower half.
The grasses thrive and do not run
out. and this ertire section is espec-
tally adapted to grazing and dairy
ing, and almost the whole of it can
be utilized in this way. Cold springs
of running water abound and no
more healthful country can any
where be found.
From Ryans Glades downwards it
is heavily timbered with white oak.
red oak, Rock oak. chestnut, hard
and soft naples. hickory, ash, pop
lar, walnut, and butternut while
the upper or south western part, in
addition to the above enumerated
sorts of timber in greater or less guam
titles, except walnut, has large guam.
titles of hemlock, spruce, beech, birch,
and wild cherry.
Considerable portions of these lands