The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1898-02-11
|oiVIDE The STATE OF WEST VIRGINIH
1 Federal Judicial Districts Recommended BY the Judiciary Committee
" the House Of Representatives.
nlon Of the Case Strong One Has Influential Backing, Including
ths Communication Former HttorneB General Mksnna

me bill pending in both houses :.
lnS providing for a di.
~ Of West Virginia into two
lara, ,s judicial districts, has been
aorted favorably to the house
representatives. by a unani-
~ vote Of the judiciary com
T ME-, presentation of the case
md to be a strong one.
i accompanied by tabulated
,.j,tics obtained directly from
!. records, which illustrate
.,,ly the arguments made by
mi promoters of the measure,
! nth a favorable report from
1 committee, backed by the
mig support of the Congress
sal delegation and the State
=, , ASSOCIATION, there seems to
No doubt of the passage of the
A through both houses. The
~, non, noittee without
! tabulated statement was IN
Instance as follows /:
Tbe committee on the judicia-
n whom was referred the
nIH. R. 5s63) "To divide the
NE of West Virginia into two
iicial districts, having care
nv considered the same, beg
submit the following report
commending the passage OF
Ia bill for the reasons now
s,ein set forth.
The State of West Virginia is
btless than 400 miles from the
,,tbern to the southern extrem-
4 and is at least an equal dis
nee east and west. Its area is
ESQ square miles while its
ppulation by the census OF 1880
Is 1853, 794.
THIS population has been IN
easing very rapidly, and, bas-
lupsn the vote cast by her in
slsst election, is estimated to
gpow over 100000. The State
spontaneous one, with com
lratlvely few railroads, hard to
svel over and with a large
ming population rapidly in
easing. There are tifty,fve
Sunties all embraced in one fed
al judicial district. The State
embraced in the fourth circuit,
hich has buttwo circuit judges.
strict and circuit courts are
ID at Martinsburg, Clarksburg,
arkersburg, Wheeling and
darleston.
Martinsburg, by rail, is dis
ntfrom P Petersburg, the home
Fthe present district Judge, over
5 miles, from Clarksburg is
ghty-two miles, Wheeling 100
lilies and Charleston 100 miles
ON the same point. There are
Foregular terms each year at
lch and all of these points.
The present district Judge of
Pest Virginia is over seventy
ears of age, and is the Oldest
onmissioned federal judge in
be United States.
Several statements tabulated
nn the attorney generals re-
pits are hereto attached as a
attof this report. The first,
Parked Exhibit ga" gives the
|ates. counties, population, num-
|erof judicial districts, circuit
Pdges and district judges in
ach. The second marked Elk
ll0lt 3D. shows the number of
ases pending in the district
curtis OF West Virginia for q
'efiod of thirteen years, from
SIS to 1897 inclusive. The third
'arked Exhibit &C." shows the
anber of cases terminated in
I'd courts during the same
erlod. The fourth and last shows
y number of criminal prosecu-
IONS . pending in federal courts
! the different States and terri
'tles for a period of eight years
ON y 1850 to 1897, inclusive.
from these tables it is clearly
tirst-Vhat West virginia's
aslness has been. increasing, so
n as fn1