Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-08-08
oNTmE WEST VIRGINIA CENTRAL
What Was'Secn in IL Journey Over This
Railroad.

ON THE WEST VIRGINIA CENTRAL
What Was'SeCn in u Journey over THIS
Railroad.
SlsriB GHr,SIUHdeRcr ufhc RrIit"r.
ON THE WEST VIRGINIA CENTRAL, Au-
gust The one who WISHES tn get good
look at the country along the West Virgin
ia Central, has good opportunity by ira
Yelling Oh the way tram that leaves DAVIS
Tucker county, shortly after SlN clock III
the morning, and returns from Piedmont
about the same hour in the evening. Your
correspondent is just nearing the Junction
of this road with the II. y q. near Pied
mont, having made the trip Of ~ miles in
4 little over four hours.
fla man wants to SEE Il wild country,
immense pines trees and great coal beds
let him visit this. But the great work OF
penetrating this wilderness with
railroad could only be accom-
plishcd by men of such dauntlcSS
energy as Hon. II. &. Davis. Though the
country is wild, and its resources latent,
the traveller in looking about Davis and
Thomas sees the territory that is 10 soon
DE the finest part Of Tucker county and one
of the best districts i'll the Stale Even
while coming on the train this morning, !
heard some parties talking about soon re-
moving the County seat OF Tucker from
st. George 10 Davis. But OF course this Is
ONLY talk like there has been over in Pres
ton for twenty years. II costs money and
NOT talk, tn build courthouse. And when
the sturdy mountaiHcerS arc asked To reach
down into the bottom of their pockets for
additional taxes their hearts are 50 touched
that they lose all interest in talking about
removing the county seat.
In passing the stations of the West Nlr-
uinia Central one is struck by their names.
First there is Davis, named, aS was noted
i'm a previous letter, after Hon. II. &. Davis;
then Thomas named after Thomas Davis,
brother Of If. q. Davis Fairfax, is
named after Fairfax the former owner OF
/ land in this region, 4 man often Spo-
ken OF in the history OF the country.
WilSOnia receives its name from Governor
| WILSON, OF West Virginia. DObbln Is named
after Judge Dobbin of Baltimore, who
many years ago built II large log hotel in
| this wilderness where he and his friends
would spend the summer. Hamilton Is
named after President Hamilton 0i the Ma
tional Bank OtRaltim0rc. Camden Is named
alter Senator Camden o. our State. liayard
receives its name from Mr.. Bayard, PrcSl-
dent Clevcland'S Secretary OF State. Elk
ms is named in honor of Hon. :. Il, ElkinS,
and Schcll after Mr.. Schcll 4 prominent
stakeholder in the road. William Is
named after William t. Davis, brother
of Hon. IL: c. Dayis; Blaine after Hon Jas.
&. Blaine, and Shaw, after Mr.. Shaw
prominent stock holder in the road and
the mines.
The road passes through Tucker, Grant,
Garrett and Mineral counties. Fairfax Is
on the divide between the great watersheds
of the Atlantic and Gulf Of Mexico. The
North Branch Of tho Potomac and the
North Fork of BlackwatoT, a tributary OF
Cheat rise here but short distance apart
and flow in Opposite directions.
As we mass down the North Branch
the mountains begin to rise higher on
each side, or rather the river has worn
its channel deeper and deeper into the
strata of rocks. From towering forests OF
spruce and hemlock we gradually lind the
oak birch, beech. ash, sugar and other
hariwOods prcdominating and finally the
] lllls HIS tlulbNl NAlAllIll 'lAhNAllN't'N't'
At nearly every station Is . SAW mil
| cutting the forest trees int" boards. Hun
| dredS OF men are employed i'll cutting logs
| for these mills and peeling tan bark for
the tannery ut Davis. At MilSOnia there
| is said 10 b. n vein of iron ore thirty feet
| thicl; in some places. This IS on land
owned by the lowering Lumber Company
and they are having the ore tested and will
| mine il if it is found profitable. Several
veins of coal are also found at Wilsopia.
Between Schcll and Blaine, We pass what
! is called "COppefas rock, " 4 Clltl rising
above the road, from which IS continually
| running waters said to he strongly diluted
with Saltpctre. This mineral water Is
doubtless excellent for snake bites, rs on
the opposite side of the North Branch. on
a rocky point is famous rlttlcSnake den,
where il is said q man can find snakes
about his boots every day in the week. y
man went to this paint some time ago and
killed twenty large TattlerS before break
fIst and it wasn't 4 good morning for snakes
either. Whoever visits this rocky point
need not bother about bringing bottle of
snake medicine with them but may depend
upon this mineral wLtor.
At Shaw there is 4 branch OF the road
rms to the mines at Elk Gardens, now a
town of about 1000 inhabitants. About
300 miners are ut present employed there
Several miles before reaching Shaw, the cot
tage A. c. Rawling, Superinte ldent ofthe
mines. can BE- seen high up on the noun
tain top overlooking the railroad and the
rugged channel worn by the North Branch
The West Virginia Central Railroad Com
pany are building 4 bridge across the North
Branch at their junction with the B. & o.
and constructing their line to Piedmont,
distance of one mile. This will allow all
their trains TO run TO Piedmont without
running over the b. x o. tracks.
1t is said that this railroad is soon to be
extended southwark through the interior
counties of the State To Charleston, making
an outlet for the resources of these cOun-
ties and will form competing line with
the b. & o.
Your correspondent is indebted to Mr..
F. S. Landstreet, the agent of Hon. II. G.
Davis. at Davis City, and to Superintend-