Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1897-01-19
Governor Mac oorsle's Message.

OF Delegates
Gentlemen: It is my duty to lay before
YOU my Second Biennial Message. ii
affords me great pleasure to say that since
your last meeting the State has continued
in its career of prosperity.
Considered financially and industrially,
the State is in splendid condition. 1 think
our growth in the last four years has been
in our history. Our valleys
are rapidly filling with good. class of
population. Railroads are being buiItin
every direction in the State. The noun
tains are being opened by the pick and
the shovel. The forests are being cleared
of their growth and the improved farms
are taking their places. New and i'm
proved methods Of agriculture are being
adopted and the crops of the farmers have
been very fine. From all parts of the
Union the eyes of capital are directed to
our splendid coal deposits. Their has
been rush from every section OF the
Union into our oil fields; and in the
middle west no State can compete with
US in our wealth of merchantable timber.
Without exception our towns and cities
haYe healthy growth-new manufac-
tories are being erected. and new products
are being created within the State. Our
rivers are being improved by the general
government, thus allowing our coal the
cheapest transportation to the markets of
the world. We are becoming the great
rival of Pennsylvania to-day in the mar
kets of the east and west, and we are
largely dominating the southern trade
Within a short time the Kanawha river,
the key TO one of the great coal fields of
our State, will have its improvements
completed to its mouth Such is the case
with the Monongahela, which will be en-
tirely free from tolls, and the slack water
will be completed by the national govern
ment to Fairmont, thus allowing the
splendid coal of that region free and
cheaper transportation to the world, thus
giving impetus to a vast industry in three
of the great counties of our State. Our
growth in all of our products has been
amazing. In matter of such vital i'm
portance to the Slate, will be pardoned
when L discuss the vast growth within
the short term of this administration
West Virginia is becoming one of the
greatest producers of petroleum existing
in the world. From last indications it
seems there is n greater field of oil under
the State than under any equal amount
of territory in this country. In 1892 the
State produced 8, S10,0S6 barrels of petro-
leum. This is wonderful gain upon
100000 barrels in 1886; but in 1896 this
magnificent production of 1892 was in
creased to S,216,50 barrels. an increase
of over four million barrels.
So, with every product of the State, a
vast increase can be discerned. Such is
the case in our great production of coal.
In 1892 we produced $685. 1855 tons. In
1895 we produced IL ,3S7, 1861 tons, gain
within that short time of L. 649, FOG tons,
The output of 1896 will exceed that of
1895. This increase is uuexampied in
the history of the United States. This
vast increase has been in the face of a
national depression and in spite of the
closing down of mills and the silence of
machinery. But not alone have we in
creased in the production of coal, but
also in the production of coke. In 1892
the State produced l ,034, $50 tons of coke,
but in 1895 our production was 1 ,2S5, 206
tons, an increase of $50, 456 tons.
This product of our State was pecu-
liarly effected by the iron industry, and
in 1892 and 1898 we were also affected
by the labor troubles within the State
and oyer the country.
This increase within the four years also
extends to railroad building. In 1892
we had l SOC miles of railroad in 1895
we had increased it to 2,075 miles, aud
the railroad valuation had increased from
S17, 519,92S in 1891 to a valuation of S22,-
All ,495 in 1895, an increase in valuation
of 1892 ,773.
The magnificent progress of this State
within the last four years can be better
shown by statement of the three funds
and the aggregate thereof, on the first day
of October, 1892, and up to and includ-
ing the first day of October, 1896.
1t will be seen that the State fund was
increased from $50, 900. in ronnd numbers,
in 1892, to the splendid sum Of 1928, 600
in round numbers, in 1896. That the
general school fund was swelled from
1921 900, in 1892, to 1927 900 in 1896
That the school fund from the sum OF
SI54, 900, in 1892, was increased to $261,-
900 in 1896. And from total in the
treasury on the first day of October, 1892.
of 1882, 900, there was on the first day of
October, 1896, the magnificent sum of
1927 900 to the credit of the State. No
State in this Union has a more magnif
cent statement of its financial affairs, and
it is with pardonable pride that 1 point
to the conserving of the affairs of the
State within these years.