Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-03-01
BOOM 1hE STATE.


The boom" convention that assembled
at tic O?era House yesterday and which
is now tbs West Virginia Emigration and
Development Association was an unprCce
dented gathering. West Virginia has
never witnessed its like. Il was eom-
posed Of the foremost citizens Of every
section OF our State, and slows that West
Yirginians believe thoroughly in West
Virginia aud her grand possibilities.
From the speeches delivered in the COZ
venhOn, of which the REGIsrEE presents
an elaborate report, it will be seen. as We
have often stated, tLat West Virginia is
beyond compare the richest State in the
Union, her climate the healthiest, |
her death rate by Tar the l0we.t, her soil
as fertile as any, her forests the finest, her
coal fields tie Iichsst, her general unde-
yelOped resOurCts the greatest, her business
men, agricultural and industrial, the most
prosperous, her school system the best, and
her citizens generally the most law abiding
and cOntentcd in the United States
These are bold and sweeping statements
to make We are well aware, but they are
official and made by gentlemen of integ-
rity and Of national reputation, whose in
formation is the best Ii anyone Ouside OF
the State doubt these statements no will
be furnished, on application to the West
Virginia Emigration and Developm Mt AS
sOciI;ion, ample and inContestable proofs
of their truth. That is what the Con,
vention was called for, aud that is the
principal purpose for which the West Viz
ginil Emigration and Development AssOcia-
tion was formed. Since the formation Of the
State oar immense resources have lain idle
and un1eveloped and capital and pOPuls-
tion have swept past Us westward, simply
because tie outside world did not know
what we were and what we had. This
stupendOus ignorance in regard to West
Virginia it is nov our object to dispel. We
want to let the world know that the
richest State in the Union it right here in
the very heart Of civilization with her
riches Iract,clliy untouched. We want
to let inui giants know that they can
ind cheaper anl better and healthier
homes and can make living easier here
in West Virginia only few hours travel
from Castle Garden than they can hy
going ], GOO miles further west.
These, in brief, are the objects of the
West Vim iuil Emigration and Develop
.snt Association which was formed in the
Opera Ho1se las night.
That the organizers OF that Society were
in earnet AMI bslieysd thoroughly in
thei. ability TO d. what is proposed Is
shown by the liberal manner in which they
poured forth the cold cash to set the
movement on its feet. Ia an incredibly
short time over $500 was subscribed
voluntarily by the delegates there Assem-
bled. This means business. 1t means
that West Vrginis is coming out OF the
woods. 1t means that we shall see a large
increase in the bone and sinew CT our popu-
Iation through the diversion thither
of a portion Of the spring tide
Of immigration. 1t means that
tbs attention of capital, which
bas hitherto been ignorant Of the great
field here presented tor big paying invest
nsnts il TO be drawn this way. II means
an increase in Our industries, in our rail
roads in our farms and our mines; an aP-
Drseistiou in land values and general
.w.ksning from our Rip Van Winkle
s,ssn Il means, il We DO not much mis-
,.ks a wonderful increase of our general
prosperity.
This move if carried out will put West
VIRGINIA a. tie heal and front Ct the New
South.
c,,,,;-r,,, or the Convention, last