Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1892-02-20

fhe nrest-l Time, out, Giving 10 Tue
aid Of fert;li -ers and the additional
acreage Of Ian under cultivation,
we have pos the / east doubt but that
more grain is rails ed on the lands
bordering on Mill Cree at the pres
ent day than was raised 1t the PERIOD
of time alluded to.
Now. as we have shown the vast
plumber of Touring mills operated oy
the water flowing along The mean
behring's of Mill Greek in a distance
of not more than seven miles, as also
the beneficial results to the owners
and operators of such properties,
can it be doubted that these waters
afford sufficient powerto drive heavy
machinery?
When it isa fact known that water
power is, in any ordinary milling or
manufacturing establishment, from
five hundred to one thousand dollars
cheaper than to operate the same es-
adjustment by steam, does it not
seem a silly thing for a man to sink
well one thousand feet in the earth
to afford water to run machinery by
steam?
The eastern manufacturers OF the
Unite! States seem to be fully aware
of the advantage of water power TO
drive their factories, as in many in
stances their dams are built forty
feet in height to afford water facili-
ties to run their machinery con-
stantly. The powerful volume of
water, having its seu.ce from many
limestone springs of never-failing
waters on Mill Greek, would obyiate
any such expense in the erection OF
mill dams Ordinary establishments
or mill dams is all that is needed to
check the waters to be thrown on the
mill wheels, and, owing to the nature
of the water, is seldom frozen over
in winter time, so as to check the
operation of machinery. The ques-
ton may be asked why these mills
are not now operated as they were
in days gone by. The answer is that
it is well known that all country
mills have been damaged and Grip
pied and their business injured by
the monopoly Of city mills, insomuch
that they can only operate as grind
ing mills for the community around
them, aud thousands of them cease
to operate at all. Such has been the
fate of the Touring mills on Mill
Greek, only two utof five operating
at all, and they only making flour
for the people of the surrounding
country.
Now, what we wish to hold up to
the public view in this communica-
ton is the fact that about the mid
way of Mill Greek the Cumberland
Valley Railroad crosses it, thereby
rendering easy facilities for trans.
| portatioG to the seaboard towns Of
any commodity Of any name or ma
ture; besides, various mill buildings
and mill walls are for sale cheap on
this stream, which sites could be
turned into manufacturing establish
ments CT the very best kind.
All over the country new manu-
featuring plants are springing up. A
great disposition among the people
to engage in that kind Of enterprise,
is it not wonder that this locality,
with all of its natural advantages,
should not be utilized and improved?
Capital and manufacturing indus
tries seem to be moving southwark,
and, according to the humble view
of your correspondent, no better OPP
portunity for investment in such en-
terprises can be found anywhere in
all our section Of country than on
the waters of Mill Creek, Berkeley
county, West Virginia. You will
| have here water free as water, the
raw material to manufacture goods
and wares, which material is shipped
to other places, manufactured and
shipped back to us in the shape of
manufactured goods, purchased by
our people, our money used by other
people of other sections, making a
terrible drawback on our finances
and financial prosperity.
When the Cumberland Valley
lNdtAlOdN was III COHJCu pidbiJu, duA
when it became a fixed fact that it
would be built, the far seeing men of
our country were of the opinion that
Bunker Hill, in the future of events,
would be the best point on that road
for business operations. Their mo
tive for forming such opinions were
that a large and fertile country sur
rounded this station from which it
could draw its resources; also the
great advantages that might be de-
rived from the water supplies OF Mill
Creek, which might be utilized in
manufacturing purposes, and, accord
ing to the view of your humble cor
respondent, nothing has yet occurred
to controyert the impressions of
those gentlemen who had such opin-
ions of the future.
We therefore, the citizens of Mill
Creek, invite strangers to inspect for