The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-03-10
For West Virginia.

Wiicn convened here to-day to form
aaate plans to attract capital and i'm
lngrants to West Virginia was the
iafgest and most representative gath
ring of the kind ever witnessed in
his state.
Over 1900 delegates were present
mo great enthusiasm prevailed. Ey-
w county in the State was fully
'hpresented. Among the prominent
men present were Hons. Stephen B.
Skins, Henry G. Dayis, John E.
Aenna, John Garden, F. H, Pier
,ont, NJ. V. Richards, of the Balti-
more and Ohio immigrants bureau;
General Manager, VIM. M. Clements
md nearly every leading manufac-
" ar railroad man, mine operator,
lyman and agriculturlSt of the
4 FAmeeting was called to order at
ocIkk by Mr.. G. B. Hart, editor
Ni e9Wheeling H1teLJjgencer, chair
aiatf the committee of the Cham
Per Commerce, and the originator
Pi thelovement. He called to the
omar 3 Hon. j. NJ. McCorkle, of
YharleAn, Ex Senator Comden was
ipade ptnanent chairman and Hon.
lIo. liz bbeher, secretary, Addresses
were uehered by MessrS. Eikins,
paws, PIPont, Kenna and others.
Inc aIterpOn was consumed in the
work OF orgnizing the convention.
No'hlgnt thGr0pOSed hoard Of i'm
hhlSfatloh an deyelopement was Or
gFhlzed and Mr.. Hart was made
president, WIN a Yice-president from
each Senatoria district, In a few
hplhuteS about 5000 were raised for
the immediate, prosecution of the
work of the bOan. The sentiment is
unanimous that h-day dates new
era of prosperity and development
for West Virginia.
Ex-senator Henry q. Davis made
a lengthy speech which was well re-
ceived, After congratuIating the del
egates and the State on this meeting
Of representative citizens, Mr.. Davis
said
l"This is an age of progress, and
west Virginia has too long stood in
hdr own light IN not keeping pace
With the times and in allowing hen
SISTER States to outstrip and pass hel
ln Nhe great race of life. We want
PAe railroads and must have them
s's3t~A4 cannot keep on with the rest o.
the world. Each county in the State
ought to have one or more railroads
passing through it. 1t is a great mis-
take made by many people that all
railroads are profitable Investments
to the stockholders ; very few, if any
of the railroads in this State are pay
ing dividends. Some say the railroads
treat the people badly, and probably
they do at times but l take it, we
would rather have a railroad. with &
bad management than to be with
out one,
The railroads in this State last veal
paid into the treasury in the shape O.
taxes S264,73S, which went toward
the support of the State schools and
counties. The more railroads we
have the less taxes the people will
have to pay. With more railroads
and having abundant water power
and al the natural resources neces
sary to the successful working of al
most every kind of manufacturing
industry, our hills and valleys ought
to send forth the smoke of thousand;
of mills and manufactures, and oul
manufactured products should have
a name aud standing all over the
world.
| want to speak of the resources
and advantages we have, and make
a suggestion as to the best way, il
my opinion, to let others know the
grand opportunities they are missing
in not casting their fortunes will
ours. We have long needed inf0r
mation as to the mineral deposits 0
which could only be OBJ
tanned by thorough geological sur
yey. This, / am glad to state, W.
are in a fair way of getting. Majo
Powell, who is in charge of all Unit
ed States geological surveys, write
me recently that he has made consid
erable progress With the survey o
this state, and will push forward un
til it is accomplished.
The making of coke is compare
lively new with us, but it is larg
ard growing industry. In quality
quail to the best that is made, an
it commands as good price as tn
celebrated Connellsville make.
We have vast forests of all kinds c
merchantabIe timber, thousands G
acres of which are not only undeve
oped, but undisturbed and unbroker
The varieties comprise almost ever
known kind of valuabIp timber, sue