Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-04-26
WEST y1EGINIA.s WEALTH.
Hon. John Brannon Suggests a Means to
Make no known.

Make no known.
WESTON. ~. Va April 23. 1870.
/ To fis EiHor ~ tif Register.
/ Sm.-I have discovered from frequent
expeessious In your paper. and from ar
ticles published therein, that You feel "a
great interest in promoting a discovery
and development of the great hidden natu-
/ r1ll resources of the State.
Befor. concluding this letter, | shall en-
deav0r 90 Impress YOU with the Importance
+ 10 the people of the State. Of having put
before them the means OF knowing more
accurately and reliably the localities OF an
these yalublc resources. We may nave
some general kind OF Information on the
subject. but we are not trained 50 as accu-
ritelv and reliably % understand the indi-
eating characteristics of the State, 50 as 20
lead to the discovery of the different vari-
cites of the gifts of Providence IN our great
carb0uifcrOus formations, as yet almost un-
disclosed and uudevel0ped.
Astoall these we need Information. aud
this can not be obtained unless the state or
some other agency lends q helping hand 20
ACQUIRE and impart 10 90 our people. Inc
late Prof Rogers, State GeolOHSt OF VIZ
cinia. forty years since gave the people an
understanding of the relations % each otn-
er of the coal formations. Prof White
mas ANNNA NNNNN aNAA aAttNt 49,
can Judge. has furnished most valuable IN
formation on this subject We need more
than this BE need moro minute dnd pdFtlen-
frr fncrliedfiOu of these resources.
The sratirranhv of our state tends To
convince that the part of the state under
lain bv coal seams. az one time, was a vast
basin. Since. there have been periods OF
elevations and submergences OF the Apala-
chian country producing displacements,
and since from the Allegheny axis nearly
the whole country 90 the ONO mas Deen
more or less erOded. 10 occurs 20 me these
disbursements aud erOsi0ns, suggest that
the great need OF our State is 70 nave
traced out aud discovered the vast unero-
ded formations above the great cOnglomer-
ate which uuder.ies our coal nelds ana
whatever else there may be above that
great ldsGl formation.
We need actual field work, over small
areas bv capable men. trained, skilled ana
reliable as BIOLOGISTS and mlneraloglsts' 70
10 over and map of and report as TO the
whole of that part of the state referred 20.
our APPALACHIAN uplifts and erosions nave
/ Ina the past. forbidden railroad building az
right angles 90 them, but now enterprise
/ is overcoming an this, which, as oostruc-
tiOns iu fact. have been more imaginary
than real The Camden system, from FAR
tue NN va AAaAaf "a
/ or is proximate 90 all the coal formations OF
the State. including the Pittsburg 20 the
Bic ConglOmerate. uneQualled In extent
and variety. iu this regard, by any other
D railroad line The upifts referred 10,
necessarily were greatest at the Allegheny
IA axis. and occazi0ned there greater dls-
placements. and were lcssened 40 the west
4 eru escarpments. and the roads reierred TO-
fn the main viii Boz about equi-dlstdnt from
I the margins referred %, and with their un-
du'atious strike al the seams OF coal we
have above Or about water Levels.
Additional Importance Is impaired 20
this road by the fact that il goes down the
GauIev River. which has its head streams.
covering "a distance of fifty or sixty miles
|of the eastern border of the great iorested
Aualacnain country and north OF this, on
its line the forests of Elk and Buckhannon
rivers. and b. a'' this may be added uoat
age. aggrccut.ug many miles, upon occur
reuccs of rising waters. 90 the liRe or TINS
road Our people have an understanding OF
timber values. but have not OF the extent
variety or values Of other resources.
I trust Won may give this subject your at
tention. and through your paper invoke
public attention 20 10. Pennsylvania, oy
the employment of tho means ! have sug
rcsted for u.s. has had an experience thai
should encourage us 20 reach The same, anC
as firmly believe, greater results. We
should not incur unnecessary or wastefu
expenditure As % what may be neces
sarv inquiry should De made. III the PEG
ulonre informed OF the value OF that whct
they may have they viii know how U
utilize 30. and SO the general interest OF th'
people will De promoted and adequate pro
lection will follow. The need OF the people
is information on the subject referred 70
and then "a governmental policy Tor tht
whole people, which viii give them th'
cheapest att0inable transportation on th'
land and ON the seas. Most truly,
LnmN RNANNnN.