The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-05-09

not only duty which the Pres
owes to- the State, but also to thos,
of its individual citizens who ar,
not properly informed upon the sub
ject, and who are troubled with til,
western fever, that the question
should be presented in an impartia
and intelligent manner. The Wheel
ing Register, referring to the fac
that number of persons from thai
community are now seeking home.
in the west, has a timely article up
on the subject, and discusses the
question from practical stand
point. Abiding to the admitted
fact that the west abounds il
wealth, and, in years past, afforded
advantages to those who were seek
ing desirable and cheap homes, the
Register pointedly refers to the sit
uation as it exists at present, and
asks:
sDo these conditions abound now
as they did score of years ago.
Are not all the choicer places alb
sorbed by land grant railroads, bo-
nanza stock kings, spectators and
mining companies? The experience
of many people who go west in this
later day is adduced as proof of
this statement. On every hand the
western wanderer tells of the Difficult
ties surrounding his efforts to get
along, and emphasizes the common
expression that money in a greater
or less degree is just as essential for
success there as in the east. A west
ern writer to the Greenbrier indie
pendent, whose judgment and worth
the editor vouches for, wrote some
weeks ago the following:
sThis country from the Missis-
sippi to the Pacific has been ran
sacked from circumference to center
by adventures, laborers and CAPT
talists, and the places offering big
returns for the investment of labor
or capital have long since been oc-
cupied. There is no new west"
This is true beyond question. and
as rule he who seeks an Eldorado
in the west without pocket full of
sheckels, is going to be disappoint-
ed. The main purpose of this arti-
Gle is to call attention to people
seeking new homes in agricultural
or grazing sections of the west that
1T is better not to make the decisive
step until they have investigated the
advantages offered in West Virginia
territory. 1t is an acknowledged
fact that in the State to-day there
are more opportunities for success
in agricultural or stock raising pur-
suits than in nineteen -twentieths of
the western Territories, the amount
OF energy, money and judgment be-
ing equal. The wild lands of West
Virginia, so-called, abound in abund-
ance in many of the interior coun-
ties of the State, and in which good
titles can be had. The prices will
compare more than favorablv with
those for similar lands in the west. |
Then there are cheap and good lands
in many sections Of the State that
have more or less improvements on
them that deserve the attention of
people imbued with the western
fever. The lands are reasonably
rich, well wooded, and abound in
convenient water ways; the climate
is of that character that all the de-
sirable vegetables and fruits thrive
in great luxuriance, all the cereals
have their home here, and in many
parts of the State bluegrass, so
fattering for stock, is Indigenous to
the soil. AS whole the climate of
the State rates high from the stand
point of health. Even in the Pan
where it is severer than any
other part, the death rate is lower
than in four-fifths of all other States.
These conditions and advantages
arising therefrom are appreciated
and understood along the river coun-
lies in Ohio. The Register is in
formed that every year Ohioans are
coming into Mason, jackson, Roane
md other counties, buying up the
cheaper lands and settling thereon.
There is much more important
lata concerning West Virginia than
what the Register has outlined that
would be Of advantage to persons
seeking new homes. While there is
40 immigrant agency in the State to
give information, it is readily at
if it be sought; course
hat has many advantages over the
'oseate hues of the enterprising land
agents Of the far west, which they
oqt upon their wares to entice the I
lnwary immigrant into their net,
full well once he and his