National Republican., 1888-03-04
WEST vIRGINIA,s COAL.
Opening Up an:outlet for 1t to Tide.
Water.

The speech delivered on the national
resources of West Virginia at Wheeling
some days since by Hon. Stephen b. FL
kins, and of which comprehensive
synopsis was published in the REpuBLI-
CAN, conveyed in clear and convincing
terms an idea of the astonishing wealth of
that state that yet remains to be developed
and the inviting field there presented for
both capital and individual enterprise.
West Virginia has coal basin of 10000
square miles and the aggregate thickness
of the veins is greater and the quality of
the coal is better than in any other de-
post in the United States Recent reports
made from the sales of bituminous coal in
Cincinnati, Chicago and other western
cities how conclusively that the Kanawha
Goals that are mined in the vicinity
of Charleston are preferred to all Others
and now bring the highest price. The
Kanawha coal veins extend as far east
as the western base of the Alleghanies and
run almost all the way across the state of
West Virginia from north to south.
Hardly beginning has been made in the
way of development, except along the
Kanawha river and the line of the Chesa-
peake and Ohio railroad. The vast in
terror of the state has no railroad what
ever, though at least three will probably
be pushed in that direction during the
present year. One. of these will open up
the country from the direction of Wash.
ington and the Potomac river, and this
will doubtless become the principal east
ern outlet for q coal region that Is richer
than that of Pennsylvania. But line
of railway extending into the CEN
tral portion of West Virginia from
the Potomac river at or near Wash
ington where tidewater may be had, is
not only matter of the greatest impor-
tance to this particular section Of the
country because of the immense ship
ments of coal that must be established,
but because of the opening of new sum-
mering region for the people of Washing
ton. That portion of the Alleghanies ly.
ing between the line of the Baltimore and
Ohio on the north and the Chesapeake and
Ohio on the south has up TO the present
remained an almost unknown region, be-
cause of the. difficulty of building road
ways through it, and because of the great
distance from railway lines. A proposed
line of railway will pass not far from mid
way between the Ohio and Mississippi and
the Chesapeake and Ohio, and extend
through one of the most picturesque re-
gions in the world. The valleys are won
derfully fertile, though small, and they are
watered by the clearest streams and cov-
ereu nearly all tne year by the greeneSt
grass. Much of the forests have as yet
been untouched by the lumberman, and
the game is more abundant tl.a1n. :-,..:Jy-.
whcrc else in America. The clear mount
ain streams are filled with trout, and hun
ters and fishermen find this region a sort
of earthly paradise. Almost an entire
county near the line between Virginia and
West Virginia is made up of plateau
nearly 1000 feet above the level of the sea,
and the air here is cool and bracing the
entire summer. There are innumerable
springs and mountain cascades, caverns,
and all the freaks of mountain country.
When the time comes that this region
may be reached by Washingtonians in
about three hours travel who doubts that
hundreds of summer resorts will be estab-
lished there, and place thus made acces-
sible big enough and attractive enough for
the national capital, however vast its
population may become.