The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-03-19
WEST VIRGINIA FORESTS
Viewed with Interest by North
western Lumbefmen.
A MICHIGAN MAN IN THE CITY
En- Route to the Lower End of the
State to Invest in Timber Lands
with a View to Operating on
a Very Extensive Scale.

1t is evident from the reports from re-
liable sources that the West Virginia
boom is making itself felt and
known far beyond the limits OF
the State. Mr.. j. C, Holmes, Of
the Supervising Inspectors office,
Washington, whose employment keeps
him travelling pretty constantly, says
everywhere he goes he hears talk of the
growth and possibility Of growth in
West Virginia. State Senator N b.
Scott, of this city, who returned Satur-
day from an extended sojourn in the
West for his health, Ltestifes also to the
efficiency of the work being done to de-
yelope and build up the State. He says
everywhere in the West the resources
and wealth OF West Virginia were intel.
lirently discussed, and with a great deal
OF interest.
There are not wanting more forcible
evidences OF the truth OF these express
sions. Saturday there arrived in the
city a gentleman who was on his way to
the southern end OF the State on a pros
pecting tour. He has heard OF the
Wonderful wealth Of the natural re-
sources OF West Virginia, particularly
her standing timber, and expects TO
invest in forest lands in the State with q
Wow to operations on large scale
This gentleman, who does not want to
be known BY name in the matter at
present, is On experienced lumber opera.
Tor having been engaged in the business
in Michigan for the last forty years,
with such success that whereas he went
there as laboring man in lumber
camp. his fortune is rated to-day in the
millions, Heais such q man Us this
State particularly wants; live, progress
siye, daring; he operates in manners
which few others would consider prac-
ticable. =,
at Is usually considered essential to
successful lumber operations that the
timber shall be located on a stream which
can afford means OF carrying the logs
10 market or the mill. Consequently,
the timber lands along the streams use.
fuLto float lumber out, are always held
at higher prices and denuded OF timber
first. When lumber became scarce in
Michigan along such streams, we had to
cast around for other means OF transpor-
tation. found it practicable and profit
able to build railroad from the forest
where got my logs to my mills, dis
lance OF thirteen miles. The same
thing can be done in West Vir-
ginia. Lands lying off OF the
creeks and rivers, say five to eight
miles, can doubtless be purchased cheap
er than those on the streams. It's be-
coming q serious problem how to supply
the lumber market, and the West Vir-
ginia forests, if they have not been mis-.
represented to me, offer solution OF
this problem. The State'sposition makes
its forests more valuable than those OF
tho West and the Northwest, and it is
only n question OF time when the State
is filled with new people and her woods
ringing with the sounds OF modern in.
dustry."
Such men rs this gentleman are worth
much to State that needs development
as badly as West Virginia, and If several
of them can be induced to locate and in
vest here, the State will soon take on
new life"