Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-01-18
CAM AMDENSPURCHAS
OF LARGE TRACT OF LAND IN THE OLD
DOMINION,
Said to Be Rich in Iron 0rs-Tbe Revival Of
Land Values In the Valley South Of the Kan
awha-Charlsston's Participation in the
Boom-Great Strides Made.
special 7sleuan. to TIE sunday Register.

speeial 7eleordns to TIE Sunday Register.
CHARLESTON, w. VA, January 1.-THE
big land deal amounting TO sixty thousand
acres on Potts creek, Allegheny county,
Virginia. which Senator Camden came
here to close, was consummated to-day. l
understand that about $40, ,OOO was paiu
down. Mr. Camden said that 1t was un-
doubtedly the richest iron ore region In
America, and he is evidently very much
pleased with his purchase.
This deal reminds one very vivldly OF the
great changes taking place in that part OF
the State south and east OF the hanawna,
and also in the city Of Charleston.
Changes is used here in progressive
and prosperous sense. / am reliably In
formed that within the past year not less
than
MILLION or ACRES
of coal and timber lands have changed
hands at prices ranging from two to ten
dollars an acre. IT is estimated that the
average is between five and SIX dollars, SO
that il can be safely asserted i've and a
half millions of cold cash, or its equivalent,
have dropped into the pockets Of the owners
of this vast body of land. Not all of it was
owned by West Virginians, the more's the
pity. but great part Of it was, and a
very big slice OF that part has
reached the Capital in one way
or another. One can see at glance
in circulating among the people and ming
ling with the comers and goes, that ready
money is plentier, freer and in more hands
than ever before The city shows it in her
growth. in her substantial blocks OF build
ings. in her increased vitality in the chan
nels of trade. and in the increased comforts
and luxuries of her citizens. The contrast
between now and six years ago is matter
of common remark.
I see many handsome residences with
spacious and beautiful grounds; others are
in the course of erection. Plenty OF tine
horse flesh and many private and hand
some phatOns ale seen on the well paved
brick streets nowadays, state OF tnlngs
altogether different from six years ago
the spiritual wants OF the community are
not neglected. Three very handsome new
edifices of stone in which TO worship have
been erected very recently. Tho Southern
PRESBYTERIAN Church is particularly i'm
posing and beautiful. At the time men
toned there was sort OF
sTAGNATIoN LOWERING
over and around everything. Property was
hard of sale, business dull, money scarce,
and everybody complaining. But ut was
ton became the State capital in fact that
wear. and with the permanent location
there of the State House, silver lining
began to show itself around the dark cloud
that had so long enveloped the city on the
Kanawha: which had changed but little
since the early seventies, when j. Brisben
Walker. now the bright and successful
editor of the Cosmopolitan monthly maga-
zine. made his great effort at the West
End and Glen Elk 10 boom the town He
was nearly a score of years too soon.
Financially. j. Brisben Walker went all
TO pieces. Since then many fortunes have
been made off the same property.
Perceptably the population began TO IN
crease; then property, sympathizlng Win
the increased demand, began to advance.
The attention of capital from abroad ever
since the Centennial had IN one way ana
another been called TO the opportunities
for investment in many sections OF the
State This attention rapidly culmi-
mated IN practical results with the
building of the Ohio River and
the West Virginia Central Railroads. Then
followed the building of that great coal and
coke road. the Norfolk ank Western, along
the southern borders of the State; other
railroads began to be projected and built.
mad as "A natural sequence many tracts OF
DESIRABLE COAL, TIMBER
and iron ore lands along and adjacent to
these lines of roads were eagerly sought,
and as eagerly bought on an advancing
market. Much Of this land cannot be
bought to-day for ten times, and some of it
even one hundred times first cost.
This brief outline of cause and effect Will
give the REGISTERS readers some ldea OF
whv this city has taken the jump refer to,
for he il remembered that much of the ter
ritorv effected by enhanced values is trib-
utary to Charleston.
Charleston's substantial boom is pleas
ant satisfaction to all the State. Her
growth is but another spoke in the wheel
of progress rolling over West Virginia