The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-03-01

statistics on thlA point are - lolloWb'
Area In unao 3 3 t3cs ~
STATS. Iiiss % io1d. IA.
Pennsylvania -....... $40 40 S1
Ohio. .,.--.......,.,.,.-. 900 51 ea
HlfHinla.; ;''''''''''''''"' 49, 49, 10 ~
SSss 'fh viTTisI1....:. i;.., ..:. 5ISS i'a Si6
We want more railroads and must hRV
them, or We cannot keep up with the res
Of the world; each county in the Stat
ought to have one or more railroads pass
ing through. The competition in railroad
brings about 0 rivalry that compelS thI
roads 10 do right, even II otherwise In
cllnsd, and the people get the bsneht
UBlike many other enterprises, railroad
must have legIslAtlon. Capital 10 timiC
and will not locate where II 10 likely 10 bl
unfairly or uDjuBtly treated. A town o.
country may bs dead, to use q common ex
preston, but let = railroad pass through
II or manufactures bs started In II
and industries oil all kinds spring at once
into lie, and the mineral resources Ant
agricultural products find q market
These thiDgs are essential TO the life and
prosperity Of country, but II takes lRIRC
amOunts OF money to build railroads Ant
manufactures. West Virginia has bu
very little to spare In this direction, and
II we want thOee enterprises among uB
with their kindred benefits, we must bC
liberal, fair and lust 10 those having the
necessary capital, and give them hearty
welcome, and the assurance that we will
uphold them in their efforts In all proper
Ways. Without railroads, our great re.
sources, coal, iron ore, timber and aRricul.
turRl products, could not be marketed and
would be comparatively valueless, !
would invite and foster the building oi
railroads and bo liberal and juBt 10 their
owners and management; make them feel
we are their friends. The more railroads
We have, the better for the advancement
and prosperity Of the State. I would
have the railroads, In return, liberal, fair,
and Just in their treatment OF the psople
require the same oi them that you accord
TO them.
AS TO RAILROADS.
II Is q great mistake, made ylQnauy
people, that all railroads are profitable In.
yeatmsnts TO the stockholders. Very ioW,
II any, OF the railroads In this State are
paying dividends. Some say the railroads
treat the people badly. and probably they
do Of times, but taks II we would rather
have 4 railroad with a bad management
than 10 be without one. Rain sometimes
proves disastrous in flood and storm; the
sun sometimes becomes our relentless foe
and withers our crops; money, law, edu
cation and even religion are sometlmGG
perverted and used TO accomplish wicked
purposes; yet these are all ntceGgities and
we could not well DO without them any
moIs than we could without railroads.
The railroads in this State last year paid
into the treasury, 10 tho shape Of taxes,
S2iB, ,73S, which went toward the support
OF tho State schools and count!as. The
mors railroads We have, tho lees taIea the
people will have to pay.
With more railroads, and having Rbund.
ant water power and all the na.urAl re-
sources necessary to the succsssfll work.
ing Of almost every kind Of manufacturing
industry, our bills and valleys ought TO
send forth the smoke Of Thousands OF
mills and manufactures, and our manu-.
iacsursd products should have name and
standing all over the world. We have the
material; wa need the energy and capital.
From 1850 TO 1885 inclusive, 3,767,l47
Omigrants have arrived and settled In this
country, most Of them becoming wsll.to-
do people, many Of them farmers, Bkilled
artisans and lAboTers. 0i this number,
bat very ieT made their homs In West
Virginia, probably not over 1000 in all.
There iB no good reason why this number
should not have amounted to 10000, but
many reasons why It should, II the proper
effort had baen made TO let the world
know what We had 10 offer.
Many have gotten into the habit oi
speaking oil West Virginia R8 q liite State.
This Ia incorrect, especially 90 far as her
area 10 concerned, II being more than hall
Gs large IS either New York or Pennsyl.
vADis, and larger than tho area OF the Ave
States, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Con.
neCticut, New jersey and Delaware, com.
blned. But while we are much larger
than the five States last named, they far
outstrip Us in population and wealth, hAy.
ing an average Of l70 inhabitants 10 each
square mile, while We have but IS, and an
average value Of property Of s24l, l,09i Il
TO each square mile, while We have but
$l3, ,456 So.
Having called your attention to what we
lack, want now 10 speak Of the resources
and advantages We have, and make sug.
gestion As to the bsst way, In my opinion,
to lot others know the grand opportunities
they are missing In not casting their for.
tunes with ours. That, conceive TO be
the main object Of this meeting.
A A0EoIoGiCALsURvKY WANTED.
We have long needed information as to
the mineral capacities Of our State, which
could only be obtained by 4 thorough
geological survey. This, ] am glad 10
state, va are In q fair way Of getting.
Major Powell, who Is In charge OF all
United States geological surveys, writes
me recently that he has made conSiderA-
bic progress with the survey Of this State,
and will push forward until 1t Is accom-.
pllshed. This will be OF almost incAlcu.
liable yAlus to the State.
West Virginia has reason 10 be proud
Of her FREQ school system, and The rapid
and satisfactory progress II has made and
is making. Statistics chow the schools oil
this State to BE- In q most 1ouTiahlng con.
dition, and above the average condition oI
similar schools In other States. The free
school system OF West Virginia 10 often
quoted TO encourage other StAtes TO bring
toeir schools up 10 her standard.
UNIFORM CLIMATE.
Being situated between the extremes oil
heat and cold, the climate Of West HlF.
RiniR Ia comparatively uniform. The
health statistics, according TO the United
StGtsG census oi 1850, chow this State 10 be
we'll up on the desirable list. West Vir.
ginia is good place to make your home Il
vnn want unOi baalth and 20 1tvn - =, ,-is,
orous old age.
In money West Virginia is not rich, but
her credit stands high. The Financial
RfrletD Tor 1887 showa that tho number oil
failures, and their amount, In Wsat Vir.
ginla was less than In most oi tho other
States.
all who have informed themselves as 70
the wonderful resources ol this Stats agree
that Nature has bOen bountIIully rich u
us In coal, timber, iron ore, coke, salt, pc.
troleum and agriculture and grazing lands,
A recent work on the Natural Resour.
ces Of the United States" by Patton, says
Of West Virginia: "This Is one Of the
most interesting States In the Union, In
regard to mineral wealth, %, in proportion
TO is BEs, 1t Is tho richest In coal, iron,
RAlt and oil. II has ol coal, both bltu'
mlnous and camel, at least 10000 square
miles; the seams vary from three 70 twelve
istt In thickness ; In some instances, where
they are above one smother, the aggregate
depth 10 twenty-five feet"
The making Of coke iB comparatively
new with Us, but 1t ID large and growing
industry. In quality It lI equal 10 the besI
that Is made, and II commands As good
price as the celebrated ConnellsVillG
make.
We have vast forests oi all kindSoi mer
charitable timber, Thousands Of acres o.
which are not only undsveloped, but un'
disturbed and unbroken. The vArietieI
comprise almost every known kind Of val
liable timber, such Rs walnut, cherry
spruce, oak, ash, chestnut, hemlock, ms
pie and poplar.
OF ouf lfon ora. Ralt and potnolaum.