New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-03-01
WEST VIRGINIA RESOURCES.
TO DRAW IMMIGRANTS TO THE STATE.
AN IMPORTANT MEETING IN wlEELfyG-BUsINEss
MEN EARNESTLY CONSIDERING THE MEANS OF
DEVELOPMENT - ADDRESS by STEPHEN d.
Iny TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBUNE.


ley TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE,
whee,,po Feb o9-Thc most important public
gathering since tho convention which organized tho
State assembled in this city this morning. ~
meeting of 900 Of tho representative business mon'
railroad men and farmers Of West Virginia, 10 taho
counsel a. to what should be done to induce cap'a
and immigration to locate here and to recommend 10
the Legislature the best to be dopted 10 oo-
velop the State and make use Of her vast na'urai
wealth Tho convention was called to order by Z. b.
Hart, chairman Of the Chamber OF Commerce Com-
mltee at 80 p. m He named W. A. McCorho' Vi
Kanawha, as temporary chairman and W. IL. byrno
as secretary. Committees Of thrteen ono rom car u
Senatorial District, permanent organization anu
resolutions appointed, and then tho delegates
were addressed by ex-senator Henry g. Davis anu
Stephen b. ElkIns. These gentlemen were followed
by Senator John f. Kenna, ex Senator Johnson NJ
Camden, Governor f. W. Wilson. the Secretary Oh
State, Henry 8. Walker, ex Governor Perpont anu
others. The Committee on Permanent Organization
reported senator Johnson NJ Camden for permanent
president and tho convention then adjourned until .
O'Clock to enable tho various committees to report
The convention enthusiastic Mr.. Ekinss au
dress follows:
Until this time organized effort has been made TO
bring the general attention of this country and OF Eu
rope the intrinsic wealth Of West Virginia. The state
presents Unusual opportunities and advantages to the m
migrant the mechanic, farmer manufactures, business
and capitalist The local press has done It's WORK
WE'LL but language Of illustiious queen when
coQuettng with the wsest Of kings The oneha OF the
greatness was not told"
According Its area, West Virginia is the richest
State In the Union natural resources particularly In
COAL iron ana timber, which furnish the basis OF 80
much wealth, and which % far toward making
country great and prosperous West Virginia does NOT
need the machinery Of exaggeration employed by tho
modern boomer to call atent to Ter sdvantages They
apparent to the casual observe. The beautiful seem
cry heathful climate inexhap,ble mines OF coal and
ore timber and fertile valleys need
only be and understood to draw within her Dor
people seeking employment and homes business men,
and capitalists desiring 70 make Invest
ments.
SITUATION AND POSITION IN THE UNION.
An impression exists that West Virginia II faron
Southern STATE almost inaccessible by ordinary lines OF
travel Wheeling, ia most important city, - further
than Philadelphia and Charleston s cs.ita, 10
q line but little south Of Washington City.
With the State reaches north Ia within 100
miles OF Lake Erie other extends within
10 miles Of tide water at Baltimore and 90 miles Of the
Capital the great Republic Twothrds Of lie terri
tory lies north Ohio. West Virginia borders on
the great State Of Pennsylvania 1875 miles, is divided ny
the Potomac River from the sate Of Maryland for 100
miles by the Ohio River from the State of Ohio for
distance OF more than 200 miles
BY rail West Virginia be sesched In less than ono
hour Pittsburg, in two hours from Baltimore AID
Washing ton In i've hours from Philadelphia Columbus
and Cincinnati, In seven hours from Ncw-York. aud In
from Chicago. The Sate lies the great
ley Two lines Of railroad psss through II from
east 10 west gor the population the Atlantic 49,
board reaching from Philadelphia to Nchmond The ,~-
uraI TO tho West ls through West tf-
GINA. The old National Road which In its day
sponded commercial importance TO the great fennsyI
Railroad Of day built through what Is
the territory OF West Virginia Lying both sides OF
the Allegheny range Of mountsns the state looks east
and divides s trade and between the
Mississippi Valley and Atlantic .eabcard The sit
uton makes Of from all the great centres
population and It's position In relation the whole
country and It's markets Is central commanding and ni
poItant
POPULATION, AREA AND RESOURCES.
The State nfy four Counties with q population Of
about 100000 Sixty per cent Of the working people In
1850 In agriculture. The area IL 24,7oO
W miles than twice large ~ the State Of
Maryland and q half times as large as Msssachu-
seLs with 1000 900 population and larger than Massa
,husetts, NewJersey, Connecacut and Rhode Island
combined The Kingdoms Of Belgium and The Neither
snds have together population Of more than 100000
people, The area Of West Virginia rs greater than the
lreas Of both combined.
In 1850 the state had 81 094 arms' covering lo'I@o
al The value OF the cleared ishos "a0
p2 o. wooded lands 30 80 per acre In tna' year inc
nay product yielded about s4OOoOOo ana inc eofh 9o
900 600 and the value product WAS more
han ~, OVOVO0.
West Virginia is trayersed from north 70 south dis
lance OF 24O miles, ~ tue great Appalachian S9S
em OF mous Lans. forming within the state Two anu
and sometimes three distinct ranges which stretch In
18th IRON east ito borders for nearly two
hundred miles.
Never failing springs and streams OF pure water break
ut VI the mountains, making the Sate ohe
4 the best watercd In the Union Two-thrds OF the
state undera with COAL Its area reaching IN extent
sixteen square miles, more than that OF fehh
ylvana England, while Elk navigabie rivers NO"
It's borders Mountains hills and valleys alternate
,pon surface which is fertile from the lowest valley to
he highest summit The mountains and hills when cleared
eId abunany the richest grasses, making grazing and
airy II unsurpassed excellence The Aiieshany
ountains yet largely contribute the dairy products
consumed OIL tho Atlantic seaboard and for export To
europe.
300 miles Of tdewater and 100 miles OF the ONO
sver hundreds thousands of Of good agricultural
in West Virginia be bought for from III to -
per acre timber which VIII pay for the clearing and
encng These lands are underIaid with coal which VIII
700 900 tons acre. and which WI some
lay WORTH with transportation facilities to Market ten
ents per ton royalty in the ground
Fuel and transportation among the greatest factors
nd in certain the greatest, In this industrial age
utilization commerce., the necessities and comfort OF
most depended upon and most aneeted by Ihen
Tuei and the more important because
pon mainly depends transportation and the MANUFACTURE
ng interests
one railway corporation-and the largest In the
annually 100000 of COAL cost
ng 5000, 900 feed the engines that diaw It's
tonnage In West Virginia coal is cheaper at
he mines than In England The State oilers
all railroads manufacturing interests within ana con-
iguous it's borders the cheapest fuel in the world In
$50 Pennsylvania had 7767 miles Of completed railroad
,ho 1875 miles Virginia 2673 miles, while West Virgin
q had only O39 miles Thus surrounded by network
railroads cannot be long before they will push across
boundaries furnishing adequate facilities for trans
,ortIDg 10 market her rapidly Increasing PRODUCTS
EMIGRATION TO THE WEST
As far back 1920 the tide Of population from the
cast TO the passed the Allegheny Mountains 70
and occupy the fertile lands Of the Mississippi valley
er 1860 this great reached and occupied the
ands belonging w the Rocky Mountain system and the
'aclo Coast.
During the last seventy years all OF the best ana most
valuable lands agriculture In the Wost have been tske
Is becoming difficult ind low priced agricultural au'
here, lands belonging TO the Government suitable of
which can be bought at minimum Govern
nent price The Great American Desert, laid down III
ur early geographes has proven 70 BIZ myth II IS 10