Sistersville oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1896-1901, 1898-11-09
Of the State Treasurer of West
Virginia.
ENCOURAGING OUTLOOK
For the Future of the Noun
tain State.

the biennial period ending Septem-
Der 80, 1898. The contents are of
much interest and gives testimony
to the rapid strides the Mountain
State is making in the development
of its resources.
Not until within recent years has
the State of West Virginia received
the attention from capitalists which
her vast resources demand.
For long time the tide of emil
grafton and development swept en-
tirely over her in its mad rush to
the far west. At last eastern and
northern capital made the discov-
cry that within easy reach of the
seaboard and lying adjacent to our
greatest home markets was a state
which offered the largest returns
for capital judiciously invested of
any state in the Union.
West Virginia's $4,000 square
miles begin at point fifty miles
west of Washington and extend to
within IS miles of Lake Erie and
100 of Cincinnati. Upon her sur
face are found magnificent farms,
while underneath, the mineral is
practically inexhaustible. She has
500 miles of navigable rivers and
over 1000 miles of railroads. One
third.of her surface is covered with
original forests and two-thirds are
underlaid with coal. She produced
last year 100000 barrels of
high grade, white sand oil, this be-
ing far in excess of the production
of any other state in the union.
She produced 1880, 900 tons of
coal and 1900 900 tons of coke.
This is exceeded by not more than
two states.
Iron aud steel are manufactured
in large quantities; the deposits of
salt and glass sand are very valu-
able and her immense beds of clay
are just beginning to be appre-
ciated.
Her mountain resorts and min
eral springs are not surpassed any
where on the globe.
Her population now exceeds T.
ooo,o 900. of whom 100000 are en-
rolled in the public schools. Her
free school system is as good as can
be found anywhere. The State
spent last year $2,35I,55I Tor
school purposes.
West Virginia has no debt, and
has over 81 900 900 in the treasury.
In addition to this, she has over
$65o,ooo invested for the benefit of
her schools.
Bank failures have been almost
unknown in the history of the
state, and during the last ID years
no depositor has lost dollar in a
West Virginia bank. Every legiti-
mate enterprise receives proper en-
enlargement, and foreign capital IS
given proper consideration.
Sensational newspaper cores
pondents have frequently done the
state great injustice, but the fact
remains that more intelligent and
law-abiding people connot be found
anywhere. j.
The people of The State are TO be
congratulated upon the splendid
condition of Our finance. The i'm
provement during the last two
years has been very gratifying. The
balance in the State Fund at this
season of the year Is unprecedented
and this Is all the more gratifying
because of the fact that there are
few deficiencies to provide for. The
total balance in the treasury to the
credit of the three funds Is 81 ,o6a.-
86o.4S. This Is available cash,
subject to check and the depositors
are paying interest on it at the rate
of three per cent per annum.
This amount is divided as follows:
To the credit of the State Fund,
$424,641.17; to the credit of the
General School Fund. 1867 ,o26.Io;
to the credit of the School Fund
(uninvested) $27I,1934I In addi-
ton to these the amount of the
School Fund invested is S65o,8oo.
The amount discussed for school
purposes during the last two years
was greater than ever before and
the School fund has been increased
nearly 100000.
The Tyler County Bank, one OF
the State repositories, has a hand
some cut of Its building in this re-
port, with statement Of its fnan-
cial condition. This Is one of the
most reliable banking institutions