The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1896-12-26
OUR GREAT STATE.
Big Purchase Of Coal Land for Develop
ment-Hon. Abram Hewitt Heads the
Syndicate.

Manufacturers Record. of Balti.
more: Hon. Abram S. Hewitt, OF
New York, wires the Manufacturers
Record that he and his associates
have purchased the Loup creek es-
tate of West Virginia and have let
the contract for the building of q
five-mile standard guage railroad in
order to open up this property for
outside railroad connection. The
land purchased comprises about 25,-
600 acres of fine coal property and
had been owned by Baltimore syn
dictate. 1t is understood that the
price paid was SIS an acre, or about
$4,000 for the tract, a little more
than double what the Baltimore own.
ers paid when they secured the prop
erty some years ago In a subse-
quent letter to the Manufacturers
Record, Mr.. Hewitt says:
There are really no further par
ticulars to be stated. We have pur-
chased the Loup creek estate, con
tanning about $4,000 acres of land
and we have entered into contract
for the construction of a railway
five miles in length, in order to open
market for the timber on the prop
erty, and ultimately to develop the
very large coal deposits which il
contains. The railway is expected
to be finished in May next, and we
hope by that time to have saw mill
erected, so that shipments of lumber
may be begun during the coming
summer. We do not intend to open
the coal mines at present, but after
the railway is completed we shall be
prepared to grant leases to RESPONSE
BILE parties at reasonable royalty
We believe that the property con
tains practically inexhaustible de
posits of the best coking coal yet de
veloped in West Virginia, and we
hope in time that the tonnage will
grow into large dimensions, because
so far as we know, this coke can b'
delivered at the lake ports upor
more favorable terms than any 9th
er source of supply of which VIZ
have knowledge. The enterprise il
not speculative one. No compan,
will be organized, and no stock will
be offered to the public
A number of other important coal
land deals are pending in West Vir
ginia, with good prospects for som'
heavy sales being closed in the early
future. The construction of project
ed railroads, such, for instance, a
The Virginias Road up the Guyan
dotte valley, and others will be mucl
needed in order to afford adequate
facilities for the rapid increase thai
lis going on in coal-mining opera
lions. The very remarkable loca
ton of West Virginia has not gener
ally been fully appreciated. Withii
shipping distance of the seaboar'
on one side, and on the other sid
touching the great coal-consumin;
regions of Pennsylvania, Ohio an'
the west, nature could hardly hav'
given it a more advantageous sitlta
tion for becoming one great mimi:
and manufacturing centre. This dc
velopment, already so marked, will
force the construction OF new rail
roads, for which abundant trafii
will be provided from the very da,
of completion. No other State il
the union offers more sure and Gel
tain traffic fos new, well-locate'
lines. The investment of Mr.. Hewitt
and his associates will serve t
strengthen the public appreciation
Of the coming industrial activit
and prosperity of West Virginia.