The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-08-07
No Retirement Abont It.


No Retirement Abont It.
Rumors concerning the Intentions of
men who have been engaged in the In
vestment of capital in West Virginia,
in the development Of great coal and
lumber interests. to dispose Of their
business and retire from active life, oc-
casIonally find their way into the COL
umns of newspapers, only to be cor
rected the following day in the news
items of the same papers. We have a
sample case of this sort at hand. SAT-
urday's Register, in an article, refer
ring to an alleged agreement between
the Davis and Elklns coal interests and
r. C. Kerens, that their coal products
on the Central West Virginia road will
not be shipped to Underwater by the
Baltimore & Ohio. as at present, but
through connection southwark to be
made with the Chesapeake & Ohio, edI-
torially said:
at is whispered that Hon. Henry g.
Davis and Senator Elkins are only
waiting a favorable opportunity to dis
pose OF their great coal interests in this
state and retire from active business"
There has been no retirement notice
given out by the gentlemen named. On
the contrary, 1t is well known fact,
and has been repeatedly published that
they are extending their interests. Not
only have they been enlarging and i'm
proving the facilities they already have,
extending their hauling facilities by
additional railway. but have been ac-
uuirlnG new coal territory and options
for other fields The "Davis-Elkins In
terests." as they are called, are increas-
Ing and developing every day, and it
isn't likely that they are dissatisfied
with the richness of the investments,
and, Judging from new investments
that they are making and the extension
of their trade. they have no intention
to "retire from active business"
The developments, in view by those
Interested in the West Virginia Central
Company, and their investments in
coal territory are not all on the line OF
that road, but some Of them, and the
more important ones, are convenient to
the Baltimore & Ohio road and the
Monongahela river below the head Of
navigation in the Fairmont region, the
work of locking and damming which is
now progressing under the act of Con-
Rress. Between Falrmont and Morgan
town rich coal fields lie unopened; 1t is
owned largely by the company under
discussion.
We note a special dispatch from Fair
mont in Sundays Register, which re-
Eers directly to this phase of the work
Of coming development of the wealth
of coal between Fairmont and Morgan
town, owned by ex-senator Davis and
Senator Elklns, which contradlcts the
editorial assertion quoted above, Of the
day previous, that they are looking
for an opportunity to dispose Of their
coal interests and retire from active
business" The statement, to the effect
that they will extend their operations
is that Senator ElkIns and ex-senator
Davis have leased for term Of fifteen
years the Bryan & Loller coal mine at
Everson, on the Monongahela River
road, and taken charge of it. The Bry-
IN & Loller field contains 400 acres Of
coal, and is said to be Of a superior
quality, &c. 1t may be well to state,
in this connection, that the firm mem
TONED owns large coal lands on the
river between Fairmont and Morgan
town that are to be opened with the
completion of the river navigation now
in progress. Beside the river. the Mon
onEaheia River railroad runs from
Falrmont to Pittsburgh along rs
banks. connecting with the Baltimore
& Ohio at each city. east and west.
The Intelllgencer comments upon this
coming development to call attention 10
the fact that a company of enterprising
citizens, which has turned an important
portion OF the Interior of the state from
a wilderness, uncleared, and with no
other population but few farmers and
some lumbermen, into n rich and COM
pletely developed centre Of production
in several ways, big coal mines, produce
Ing coal that is shipped to foreign ports
and furnishes fuel for ships, for steam
purposes. for manufacturing and do
nestle uses, is not contemplating re
firing from business" but is expand
ing that line Of developing the resources
OF the state.
II means greater enterprise; the IN
vestment NJ more money. employment
for more labor. bigger tonnage for the
railroads, another long step to put West
Virginia in the lead OF the great coal
producing states Of the Union, by the
men who have devoted their lives 10
progressive enterprise.
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