The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-06-04
TAYLOR COUNTY.
Grafton, county. seat; formed january 10, 1si
frnr,, nnrrislri IinrhnlIr md Mnrlnn: nhIne

Graiton county seat; formed january 10, 1911,
from Harrison. Barbour and Marioni named
for Gen. Zachary Taylor.
Area, IN square miles; population, l?,llI.
Assessed value Of rcGl and personal property,
Sl,GI9OQ0.
County tax on 500 cents
INTIIE general progress which Is nov marking
l the development Of the resources OF West Nir-
giuia, Taylor county, as on integral part OF The
Commonwealth, nsSs 10 he heard ~ presenia-
ton OF her part OF the elements that 50 70 make
np the wealth OF the State. The surface OF the
county is nowhere mountainous, but consists OF
valleys levels and hills The larger strains,
tributaries OF tho Monongahcla, cut down deep
into the surface and expose many different
strata Of coal, iron ore and clay.
The county Is divided by the Tygnrt Valley
river Into two distinct regions, the eastern ana
western. The formes extends from the river 10
the foot hills Of Laurel Ridge, and may DO ciRSsed
ms the mincml pnrt OF the county the latter Hos
between therivcr and the counties Of Harrison
and Marion, and Is the grazing region, although
Il has as fine n vein OF gus coal, nihc icet III
thickness, as can be found in the State.
The soil Is fertile. the hills being as productive
MS The levels. and much OF the county is inelud.
cd In the "bluG grass belt, which inSures us
excellence for grazing purposes, OwIhs 70 Tue
industrial development and projected railroads.,
the price OF lands has advanced and values are
The timber of Taylor county consists princi.
nally OF white oak. black oak, rock OAK ned oak,
black walnut, poplar, beech, ash, chcslnuf and
hickory The coal veins OF the county have
only partially been developed, but ii y known
to IOSsessAt least 10000 acres Ol what : known
as the pittsburgh Bed varying in thickness
from 10 II feet.
this vein nrc bright, dense and ttin, and the
equal Of any coke made In Pennsylyania. In I'D.
dftiOn Il Is SliO 10 shy that fivesi%ihsoI the
county are uudcrlald with the seams oil coal con-
tnincd In the Lower Measures
IL Is a suir assertion that IN no section OF tho
State does liru clay abound In greater quantities
or Of such superior excellence than IN this
county. II appears rs far east ~ thc PRESTON
boundary, and specimens taken from the depo.
sits at lr0ntOwn and ThOrnt0wn have $1,000 the
test OF practical experiment ,,,-
The from orc fields along the. loot hlllS Of
Laurel Ridge IN the eastern part OF the county Is
Of great magnitude and but little explored. The
ore Is found In veins Of from one foot iosixieen
feet IN thickness, and In richness VARYING nom
10 to 60 per cent Manganese Is also iolnq
The main stem OF the Baltimore x Vhlo runs
through the county east Nlld west from the
Preston county line to tho Marion line, and the
Pnrkerburg branch extends from Grafton 10 the
Harrison county line through the southwest Por-
tfon ofthc county. The GmttOn 4 6ieehbffer
which was largely built by county nld' extends
into the virgin forest and Immense c1al lields OF
the interior OF the state. r,,,.,,, .,
The l'alTnont, MOgnnlown * FttSplIR Iaii-
ruad n branch OF the Baltimore y ONO nus It's
southern beginning at Grafton, Taylor county,
The West Virginia Central extension 70 Fits
burg will be built through Grafton n9rthwatu,
aud when that roads southern extension Y the
Chesapeake & Ohio is completed, Grafton VIII DO
one OF the most important railroad 'en'ers IN
the country.