Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1899-07-22
Through the state

especially IN TWO OF our greatest )lOdlItS,
lumber and coal. A trip up from Pied
| mont to Davis, Eikins and Belington,o over
the West Virginia Central will afford con-
| firmatory evidence of the truth Of the fol-
lowing article. Ten years ago our train
wound around its toituous track, through
dense forests yet untouched by the axe OF
the woodman, and through almost insur-
mountabe hills. The same tracks are
there. The same trains run. But mark
the differnce.
The once beautiful hills. studded with
stately pines, towering spruce and lordly
oaks and rich cherry, are now black and
desoIate with here and there a charred
stump, a dead broken columns, evidences
Of mans relentless march and the wood
mans deadly strokes. But these prin1e-
val forests have not died in vain; they
have not surrendered their heritage for
nought The products Of West Virginia
everlasting hills have been brought
| into the markets, by the axe, the saw and
/ the steam car, enriching their owners with
their same teeming wealth and giving to
! the State the proud name of first in pro-
Quoting Of lumber and second in coal.
The first mill Of any importance we
come to is the Buffalo Lumber Co., at
Bayard. This mill is under the efficient
management of Supt. Armstrong, who
| has in his employ over two hundred men,
/ telling trees and cording bark. They run
a big mill, saving hundreds Of thousands
| of feet of lumber and laths which find a
market in Philadelphia and some OF the
/ other Eastern cities. Our hospltable
! friend reports orders ahead for more than
six months to come at good prices.
Lumber used to be delivered to Martins
| burg at from ST. 90 to 500 now,it is scarce
at $40 to II and the wage-earner gets 10
to X per cent advanced of four years ago
! in his wages.
The Beaver Creek Co. have about one
million feet or more of lumber in stock
and have orders for perhaps two millions.
They run about 275 men and bring their
| logs at least IS miles. Mr.. Allen the
Supt who has been manager Tor some time
reports that the workmen are busy, often
running into the night with double force
to fill orders. Men are making extra time
at extra wages. Thos. Berger Sons Co,
at Douglass have employed about 200 men
and their for is going day and night to
hustlers and ship their lumber, to Cum
berland, Martinsburg, Hagerstown and
the larger cities. Their mills are situated
in the most romantic part OF the State,
where lofty hills and deep ravines and
many waterfalls abound. The train here
about. skints the hills 1000 feet above and
more than 500 below, They have orders
for to million feet OF lumber, great
deal sawed awaiting a shipping condition.
The Otto Creek Boom and Lumber Co,
at Hamilton under the management OF
the Wilson's have about 100000 feet OF
sawed lumber drying, ready for the SHIP
ment.
They employ about 500 hands and are
improving their machinery so as TO cut
more. These are large shippers and the
management is up to date. There are
number of other large lumber mills sucn
as the Romberger Lumber Co., at Davis,
the WINNERS at II 3oton and the Ihomp-
son &: Wilson Co at Davis. The great de-
mand for lumber is due principally to TWO
causes namely the increase OF $500 per
ton duty on lumber, thus shutting out our
Canadian competitions and the mall stock
kept by the dealers throughout the country
on account of the falling off in building
consequent of the years of depression
under the German and Wilson bill.
And as in lumber, also in coal; at
Thomas there are considerable more than
thousand hands employedin the coal and
coke business a large part OF the coal
is being handled by electric power IN and
out the mines. Anyone can get work up
there in the forest or mine. The different
companies tell me they cannot get suth-
cent help advertise as they will. AT
Coketon there has been built the last year
more than one hundred additional coke
ovens and cars cannot be had in sufficient
number to transport the coal and lumber
all along the line At Elkins a new rail-
road has been built to Huttonvllle l6mlles
distant and they are now stalking OH road
to connect with the c. & O. through the
coal and lumber district OF Pocahontas
and Randolph counties. The road VIII
be about 75 miles long. New coal and
coke ovens are being opened up at JUNIOR
and Philippi. The big tanneries at German
ard Bayard and lea her establishments
are all running. The one at Bayard has
a capacity of 500 hides day. To sum
up. such activity in the lumber and coal
districts of our own state has never been
known here before. The forests are NOV.
inc before the invading axe, but the fruit
thereof is untold wealth. The bowels OF
the earth are being opened in thousand
nlaces and from their black covers emerge
countless cars bearing away the opulence
that enters intothe the Golfers of an Elkins,
a Davis or a Kerens and returned again to
the laborers, scattering plenty over the land
of desolation, amply compensatlng the
pioneers for their enterprise, their
venture and their investment.
The philosopher will decant about the
riches OF the lew by the impoverishement
of the many. The socialist will inflame
his followers into the fallacy that the dill
fusion of wealth should be common owner
ship regardless of how acquired but who
except the guardians OF wealth can as
tribute it unless from the same mine, the
forest and field ard who caused this to
rake Mace if not the the man of money