The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-03-21


Grafton, county seat; formed January
10. 1874, from Harrison. Barbour and
Marion: named for Gen. Zachary Tay-
lor.
Area III square miles; population 2,l4d.
Assessed value OF real and personal pro-
perty $3.6l3.00O.
County tax on 500 vaulatlon.... 40 cents
In the general progress which Is
now marking West Virginia, Taylor
county. as an integral part OF the COM
monwealth, asks to be heard in presen-
tatIon OF her part OF the elements that
20 to make UP the wealth OF the state.
The surface OF the county Is nowhere
mountainous. but consists OF valleys.
levels and hills The larger streams.
tributaries of the Monongahela- cut
down deep Into the surface and expose
many different strata OF coal. iron ore
and clay.
The county is divided by the Tygnrts
Valley river into two distinct regions,
the eastern and western. The former
extends from the river to the foot hills
OF Laurel Ridge, and may be classed as
the mineral part of the county: the lat
ter lies between the river and the coun-
ties OF Harrison and Marion, and is
fine a vein OF coal. mine feet In thickness.
as can be found in the state.
The soil Is fertile. the hills being as
productive as the levels. and much OF
the county Is included In the blue
grass belt" which insures its excel
ience for grazing purposes. Owing 20
| the Industrial development and pro-
jected railroads. the price OF lands has
advanced and values are increasing.
The timber Of Tyler county consists
principally OF white oak. black oak.
rock oak, red oak, black walnut, poplar.
beech. ash, chestnut and hickory. The
coal veins OF the county nave only par
| TALLY been developed, but It Is known to
possess at least 10000 acres OF what is
known as the pittsburgh Bed" vary
ing In thickness from eight TO eleven
feet.
Specimens OF the coke made from the
| coal OF this vein, are bright, dense and
hrm. and the equal OF any coke made in
Pennsylvania. In addition 1t Is safe TO
say that tive-sixths OF the county are
underlaid with the seams Of coal con-
tanned In the Lower Measures.
II is u safe assertion that in no sec
ton OF the state does IRE clay abound
| In greater quantities or OF such super
| Tor excellence than In this county. II
appears as far east as the Preston
boundary. and specimens taken from
the deposits at 1rontown and Thorn
town have stood the test OF practical
experiment.
The iron ore fields along the foot hills
OF Laurel Ridge In the eastern part OF
the county are OF great magnitude and
but little explored. The ore Is found
in veins Of from one foot to sixteen feet
In thickness, and IN richness varying
from forty to sixty per cent. Manganese
Is also found.
The min stem of the Baltimore &
Ohio runs through the county east and
west from the Preston county line to
the Marion line, and the ParkershurG
branch extends from Grafton 10 the
Harrison county line through tho
southwest portion OF the county. The
Grafton 4 GreenbrIer, which was large
ly buf!t by county aid, extends into the
virgin forest and immense coal fields OF
the interior Of the state.
The FAirmont. Morgantown & Pitts
burgh railrond. u branch OF the Balti-
more & Ohio. has its southern begin
ming ut Grafton, Taylor county.
The West Virginia Central extension
to Pittsburgh will be built through
Grafton northward. and when that
roads southern extension to the Ches
apeake & Ohio Is completed, Grafton
will be one OF the most important rail-
road centers In the state.