Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-04-14
WEST VA. RESOURCES.
STATE EXHIBIT BY COUNTIES.


BROOKE COUNTY. WELIsBURG
( County Seat, March, 1885, Brooke
county was organized in 1877. The
population is 1000. The total rate Of
taxation S1.3S in country districts and
81 90 in the town of Wellsburg. The
total assessed valuation is So, 500, 900.
There are number of churches, rep
resenting different denominations.
Twenty three public schools afford en-
ployrnent for 81 teachers. The total
attendance is 2,049, including AZ col
tored. At Bethany is located the cele-
brated college of that name, which
enjoys a wide reputation as seat of
learning. The college was founded
by the celebrated Alexander Camp
bell in 1841. The college buildings
were erected at cost of 800, 600 and
are the finest of the kind IN the cOun-
| try. The total number of graduates
is 657. The present number of stu
dents is 102. M
The newspapers of the county are
The Pan Handle Neacs, Herald and
Brooke County Local, all published at
Wellsburg. There are two banks To-
Gated at Wellsburg, the Wellsburg
National, with a capital stock of $780,
600, and the Bank of Wellsburg with
capital stock of $4,000. The only
existing railroad is the Pitts
burgh, Wheeling and Kentucky road,
passing along the entire river front of
the county. The road begins at Wheel
ing, and connects with the Pan Ham
die route ofthe Pittsburgh, Cincinnati
& st. Louis system at Wheeling juno
ton, opposite Steubenville, Ohio,
The road also connects at Wheeling
with the Ohio River and Baltimore g.
Ohio railroads. The Wheeling and
Wellsburg State Line road is project
ed, and when constructed will follow
the waters of Buffalo Creek.
The Ohio river affords a means OF
cheap transportation of the products
and manufactures of the county. Buff
falo, Cross and Harman's creeks furn-
ish excellent water power. There are
two good turnpikes in the county, one
from Bethany to Wellsburg, dis
lance of miles, and the other leading
| from Wellsburg to the Pennsylvania
State line, a distance of 81 miles.
There are numerous county roads in
tersecting these turnpikes. The coun-
| ty is hilly and rolling, the hills being
quite high, but smooth and capable OF
cultivation to their summit. The soils
are clay and calcareous loans, very
| fertile, and in high state of cultiva-
ton. Great interest is taken in sheep
and cattle breeding, the county being
one of the finest in the State for wool
growing and raising fine cattle. The
yearly wool product amounting to
$500. 900. Horse breeding is much bet
ter than a few years ago, with the
interest increasing. Coal is abundant.
The surface vein of the Pittsburgh
seam, Al feet in thickness, is mined
for home consumption. Five and six
feet veins are found 200 and 600 feet
below the surface, and of good quail
| ty. Limestone is found in abundance.
Three veins of fire clay of good quail
ty, having been thoroughly tested,
are found in the county. The first
vein is lis feet below the surface, %
feet thi TX !; second vein lat feet below
the surface, 40 feet in thickness ; third
vein, 205 feet below the surface, and
II feet in thickness. The timber con.
sists of white oak, hickory, walnut,
| beech, poplar, chestnut, spruce, pine
/ anu NdilCLy VA OtilSIos NaIuldl Sdo
has been developed and is utilized in
heating and lighting the dwellings
and fuel for the manufactures of
Wellsburg. Good building sand is
found in large quantity.
The market value of improved farm
land is S75, average $50, lowest $50.
Unimproved land is suitable for farm
ing or grazing purposes sell as high as
$50, average $35, lowest $40. About
three fourths of the land is cleared,
the uncleared one-fourth is worth from
$40 to $50 per acre. Owners are not
generally disposed to sell, as prices
are declining. The completion of the
Pittsburgh, Wheeling & Kentucky
railroad had good effect in material
ly increasing the prices of land. It's
highly probably that the county
would subscribe from $4,000 to $4,000
per mile to aid in the construction Of
any new railroad, and that the people
would give rights of way and donate
some money.