The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-06-25
PRESTON COUNTY.
An Interesting talk with County
Clerk Martin.
SOME OF HER MANY ADVANTAGES.
Tho coal, Timber and Farming Indus
trles--A short Railroad that is
great Observation-Disclosures as a
Summer Hesort.-Cming Improve
ments.

county, ana one OIL tue leading spirits IN
the building and development Of the
Tunnelton, Kingwood q Fairchance
railroad, was in the city yesterday. He
registered ut the Mcclure house and was
visited there by an INrELMoENcER re-
porter shortly after dinner. Mr.. Martin
had just finished good meal and
seemed ut peace with the world and
himself, the effect being to heighten
and increase the natural gcniality that's
an important and pleasant fuctor in his
makeup.
Preston is one OF the wealthiest and
most progressive 0f the back counties
OF West Virginia. 1t has an assessed
valuation Of nearly four millions and
the actual value OF the cSunty's taxable
property is estimated at about twice
that amount. About onG-third OF the
county is cleared and under cultivation
and the land 60 worked is very fertile
and gives good crops OF all the grains
and fruits raised in the agricultural
sections, and the farmers of the county
are taking q great pride in the quality
OF the horses and cattle they raise.
Within the past few years new era in
the stock raising business has begun.
The farmers are giving attention to the
breedingof fine hores and cattle, and to-
day they are shipping to the eastern
markets1s fine cattle and horses as are
taken out Of any county in the State.
They find that it pays TO raise only the
best and they are being rewarded by
being able to get more money for their
product than can be had for common
stock that costs as much to raise. Tho
best part OF the county is not in sight
OF the railroad, and one forms a rather
bad impression by passing through 1t
over tho Baltimore & Ohio road. The
farming land lies back from the railroad,
and only the timber and coal arc to be
seen from the trains. Concerning the
present crop prospects, there will be
good yields OF everything but possibly
grass, and that will be short, owing to
the drouth Of the early spring.
AN IMPORTANT INDUSTRY.
But the farmer is not the most i'm
portant citizen of Preston county, nor
is farming the most important indus
try. Timbering, though it has only
been carried on extensively for few
years, has outgrown all the other in
dustries in the section. The timbering
industry in the vicinity OF King%ood
depends almost entirely upon the Tun-
melton, Kingwood & FairchGnce rail-
road. This is an institution peculiar to
the section in which it is found and is
one that is not duplicated anywhere. II
is narrow gauge, little more than
ten miles in length and runs from the
Baltimore & Ohio at Tunnelton to King
wood. The part that Fairchance repre-
SCENTS in the name is yet to be built,
though the owners Of the roadfeel con-
fident that they will be able in few
wears at most to make the road q stand
ard gauge throughout and extend it TO
Fairchance, Pc. The distance from
Kingwood to Fairchance is little less
than thirty-iive miles and the road be-
tween those points would pass through
us good hardwood timber as is to be
found anywhere on the globe, and
through region underlaid throughout
with the same vein OF coking coal as
that from which the celebrated Austen
coke, made at the Austen mines, near
Newburg, is made. But the greatest
advantage would be in the connection
with the Pennsylvania railroad system
to be had at I'a It iance.
T Il "a LEoAD.
This road Wa Jpenod January S, 1888,
and is owned onhrely by local stock
holders. To-day there is not cent OF
incumbranco of any kind upon the road
and it is fairly vol equipped, too. 1t
has three locomotives, two coaches, one
Caboose and eighteen freight cars. A
passenger train makes two round trips
daily, and the freight trains run as
many aud as often as possible, so that
the regular time OF the passenger trains
is cleared. The road is now carrying an
average OF one hundred and eighty tons
Of freight daily or $4,000 tons year.
The freight carried is principally tim
Der cross ties, tan bark, slaves and
coopcrGgc,
The timber industry is growing very
rapidly and the road will have to make
provisions to increase its facilities, rs
the freight offered is in excess Of the
carrying capacity. When the road first
began it had but one locomotive to haul
everything. Now it has three, and a
fourth ordered. The passenger traffic is
quite extensive TOO, and now amounts
to about 400 "a nth. The timber car
ried is almost clusivcly hard wood,
oak being Tic Lei variety. Besides
oak, large quotes OF cherry, ash and
hickory are go;,-a out, and some wal
nut is shipped, though its value has
caused it to be more generally sought
after. Along the line, the AustcnTein
of coal and heavy beds OF fire clay arc
found, and iron ore OF good Quality is
plentiful. These are not worked, cX
cept the coal, and that only for loca!
consumption.
THE TOWN OF KINGwooD.
Kingwood is town of about ,000in-
habitants, beautifully located among
the mountains and in a most healthful
climate. 1t has attained considerable
reputation as a summer resort within
the past three or four years and now
has four good hotels. Last year quite
number OF families spent the summer
there and the prospects arc that
larger number will spend the outing
season there this year. The air is pure
and pleasant, and tho town is above the
iogs that are so disagreeable at many OF
the summer resorts. During the sum
mer it is always cool at night and is
never hot except sometimes between IL
u. m. and ! p. NJ.
Kingwood has one of the most sub
stanti0l and best managed banks in the