Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1886-09-07
MISCELLANEOUS
Letter from Mercer County.
MERCER COUNTY, w. VA,
August 81, 1886.

DEAR SIR Thinking that perhaps an nc
count of the wonderful improvements of South
West Virginia would be read with pleasure ny
some OF. the readers of the SPIRIT, take this
opportunity to inflict on them the observations
and experiences of the writer in this section OF
our State. which can claim but Il Jew years OF
existence as far as the civilized world is con-
cerned. But four years have passed away
since the axe was first driven into the laurel
junglcs on the site where the maiden city OF
Pocahuntas now stands. To-day four thou-
sand human beings claim her rs their home.-
Our gifts of imagination and surprise fade
away when VIC recognize the gigantic changes
which have been wrought in so few years by
the hand of an cnterprising people. But q few
wears ago and the hardy mountaineer chased
the bear and deer over the surrounding bills
and valleys: to-day he has gone farther into
the mountains and given up land. for Il tritiing
sum, beneath whose surface there lay untold
millions of tons of coal which now pOnrs fourth
its stream of products into the markets of the
civilized world. Last year the output of the
PocalontHs coal mines amounted to 622.oO9
tons. representing = million and 4 half of
money. The city of Pocahontas is the western
terminus of the New River Division of the n.
& W. Il. r., situated in Tazcwcll county. Va.
one mile from the West Virginia line. Its out
look for the future is indeed promising. and it
will probably BECOME in the near future Il great
manufacturing centre with its fifty coke ovens
in blast, and q hundred and fifty in course of
construction i'll the ncighbOrhood, who can say
that Virginia will not return to her palmy days
once more. But my Intention was to tell you
of orr own State, of the vast improvements
and Developments that have already placed her
second on the list of coal producing States. and
will ere long place her far ahead: When the
"nntural gas companies of Pennsylvania
had commenced laying their mains to Pitts
,burgh, Buffalo. Philadelphia and the larger
towns of Pennsylvania, the coal producers
turned their attention to other field of opera
ton. Men long accustomed to the handling of
Goals and cOkcs were sent 20 examine the quail
ity and quantity of the Goals of Flat TopmOun-
tain. The results of their labOrs is best shown
by the vast improvements that have made the
name of S. w. Va. famous: The lamcntGd W.
B. Rogers. founder of the Mass. Inst. of Tech
nolory. and q Nirginian by birth. predicted
twcnty years ago that S. W. Va. would be the
centre of the coal and iron trade of the world :;
to-day the predictions OF the great ScOIOgisE
seems vCrninm on the realms of truth. Nearly
one hundred thousand acres OF land has been
bought by companies composed mostly OF
PcnnsylvanIaus. among which are The ). w.
Va. Coal Co." Tho BlucStOne G. Co." the
'CIanC Greek c. Co." etc. The lands are
owned by the above named companies and
leased to operators for Il number of years,
thirty in ono instance. ut so much per ton,
usually 12i[ cts. The land originally cost the
companies. including moneys. about Z dollars
per acre. now it is valued ut one Thousand dol
lars per acre. improvements that will increase
the value of land such a great per cent. in so
few years are inde@d worthy OF notice. Three
engineer corps are new employed running pre-
liminary lines into Mcdonald and wyoming
counties. There is no doubt but that TINS en-
tcrprisc will put the Norfolk and Western Il.
T.. on Il sound basis; with Il respect OF
carving 1000. COO tons OF coal from 5. w. Va.
to the sea shore per anniu, without any conf
petition as 20 charges. there is no other CON
clusiOn left the Spectator than that \. ~ w.
stock will ere long be claSScd among the gilt
edged" Already the population of this cOurl-
ty has been increased ono sixth by the influx OF
coal operators and their attaches. To antici-
pate any other future fOT s. w. Va. than a dis
.trict rich ana pop;ilous. possessed of all the
luXIIrics and advantages incident to 4 higher
niyiliyntinu NrpI'll i1lU;uP from tlp present
prospects. seem unreasonable. hat elect.
politically. this large influx OF a foreign clc-
mcnt into OR STAT" may exert is q question
which concerns us much. This district. as sou
well know. has long imbibCd patriotism at the
JcffcrsOnian fountain head of liberty: to say
that it will ere long be represented in the c"lIn-
ellis of o;:r country by any other than one of
the old regime, will be another cloud to blight
the fanciful dreams of those who made the
name of Virginia hOnOrcd. The physical as
poet of this portion Of our State is picturesque
in the extreme. Tall mountains. mighty for
cStS and beautiful cascades. contribute much
tomakc one ever dream of some far off Utopia
where all is grand and nobel From the top
Of Pinnacle rock. IL lasting monument of ma
tire. nearly. can he seen portions of Mercer.
Mcdowell. Wyoming. Raleigh. TaZcwcN and
Giles counties. The elevation of this rock is
POO feet above thc surrounding country. and
abont 1890 feet above tide water. The view
it affords is well wOrtl! the labor OF ascending
its ragged sides. On Il late evening in the lat
ter part of July. the writer found himself
pCiChtG Ol It's Ill5ntSt Ip!II. III S'i "iS
just sinking i'll the far western skies. the air
was fresh and ba!mv. and innuIncrablc ridges
OF the surrounding" mountains seemed to inter-
lace in rich prOfusion. the ever restless waters
of the Blues;onc, ripping over IFS rocky bed.
, winding its way through deep clasms and
narrow valleys. was soon lost in the dim blue
distance. all nature was smiling. and VIC re-
luctantly left our perch. musing Oh the @ran-
dCur and richness OF American scenery. Vol
uInes might be written on the beauty and min
cral wealth OF 5. W. Va. hut the writer claims
neither the talent nor time to do Justice to Il
portion of our State of which so little is known.
TSGOMAp.