The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1894-12-12
West Virginia as Home for settlers.

West Virginia as a Home FOR Settlers.
The future tide Of immigration
must be soul b ward. The annual in-
crease of population in the States
west Of the Missouri river las been
nearly 30 per cent. dnrirg the past
ten years. SO great an influx Of
population has had the effect OF re
dueing 10 the possession Of aesnal
settlers nearly all the avsi;-bIe
lands in the western country. There
are stisl large acreages there that
are not under cultis alton, but they
require irrigation, or have other
draw backs of climate or lpr..tion
that make them impractieable for
homes for settlers. The desire of
natives of European countries to
seek homes in America is just as
strong to day as ever, and that class
of population must necessarily be
diverted IN some other direction as
lands in the west become higher
and more dinicult Of acquisition.
What wider field, then, for the hon
est, industrious settler is open than
the hills and valleys of West Yir-
ginia2 Millions of acres of her ter
ritory are yet virgin soil. Timber
and coal of the best grades may al
most be had for the asking; all the
grains and the fruits of tho temper
ate zone will grow here in profu-
sion, pasturage for grazing cattle
and sheep follows the clearing of
the soil spontaneously; no grass
hoppers or droughts affect thecrops
in any season; and the festive cy-
clone is a thing unknown in W est
Virginia. In every county there is
system of good schools, open and
easy of access to every family, re
ligious societies prevail everywhere
and churches and church services
are had in every community. All
the advantage of honest, good soci-
ETY. may be enjoyed by the settler.
The market for any goods he pro-
duces are at his door and at rates
that make his labor in any agriz
cultural pursuit profitable. The
prices of lands are merely nominal.
Thousands of acres of good agris
cultural lands, with a growth of the
finest timber-popular and oak, that
will cut 10000 feet to the acre-and.
two or three veins of excellent bi
luminous coal-may be had on a
line of railroad for $40 per acre;
and little further back from the
railroad, can be purchased for from.
81 to Sc per acre. In the older
sections OF the State, lands are high
er, but are within the reach Of hon
est settlers who want to come here
to enjoy our splendid climate and
great naturaladvantages. The pos
sibilities of the State can scarcely
be oyer estimated. France is the
gazden spot of Europe, but her
lands are not richer, her valleys no
prettier, nor her climate better than
are here in West Virginia; and if
our people would bestow the same
amount of care and labor upon their
soil that are given to the soil of
France, it's capacity for production
would be equal if not superior. OF
course it is not argued that acre for
acre under original conditions our
soil is equal to that of Kansas in
raising corn or wheat, but in its
adaptability to all classes of grain
and fruits, in its climate and water
its fuel and timber, its cheap lands
and varied resources, it leads the
west or any other section of the
Union in presenting an inviting
field for the homes and the labors Of
honest and industrious settlers.