The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1899-05-03

sc.
battered down by the invinciblt
forces of science. Morgantown is
the largest town, and chief com.
mercial and manufacturing center
of Monongalia county, of which il
is the capital. 1t has population
of about 5000, and is rapidly in
creasing in numbers every year.
1t may be matter of interest tc
know something of the early his
tory of Morgantown. Much could
be said of the early and remarka,
BILE history of this town, but il
would take entirely too much space
to trace step by step, its advance
ment during the past century
The first white men VINO ever2trod
the soil on which our city stands
were Thomas Decker and few as
sociates who came here in 1858
He pitched his camp" it is be-
( lieved, on the bank of the river
just above the mouth of the creek,
which thenceforth was to bear the
name of this adventurous pioneer.
In 1859 Decker and his compan-
ions were killed, excepting one,
by the Indians. BLACKWELL Morgan
/ for whom Morgantown was named,
came here, it is believed, in 1858.
In October, 1885, a town was es-
tablished here by an act of the
Legislature of Virginia, and on the
Bird day of February, 1888, it was
incorporated as the Borough of
Morgantown," Situated away from
any leading thoroughfare of trade
or travel, the growth of Morgan
town for many years was slow; but
with the completion of the B. q O.
railroad began the dawn of brighter
days. And to-day no other city
in West Virginia of its size pre-
sents SO many manufacturing in
dustries, and is so thoroughly met
ropolitan as Morgantown.
RAILROADS AND STEAMBOATS,.
The railroad facilities of Nor
gantown have added inestimably
to her commercial and industrial
success. Nothing in the last half
century has created so marvellous
a change, as the great revolution
in the science of railroad transport
tation. Beneath it the features of
old christendom have been chang
ed, and its wealth and physical
grandeur augmented. Other revo-
lutions have scattered luminous
influence over the world, but it
remained for the new generation
of railways to bring about one of
the mightiest, moral and social
revolutions that ever hallowed the
annals of any age. Omnipresence
is one of the principles of progress.
Content with no limits, they have
thrown girdle round the world
itself. Far-off India woos them
over its waters; China listens to
the voice of the charmer the ru-
ined temples and broken alters of
Greece re-echo the whistle of the
locomotive, and are converted to
shrines of open commerce by the
powers of those magnificent agen-
cles by which rivers are spanned,
territories traversed, commerce en-
franchised, confederacies CONSOLE
dated--by which the adamantine
is made malleable, and man as
sumes lordship over time and
space. The facilities offered by
Morgantown arc the legitimate
outcome of necessity, and they are
none too great to meet the de-
mands upon them. The F., M. &
P. division Of the B. d o. railroad
affords good facilities for ship
ment and travel to and from all
points reached by their lines. But
the rapid development of Morgan
town, as an industrial and COM
mercial center demands better rail-
way conveniences. Beyond the
peradventure of adoubt, the Penn
sylvania Company will construct
branch road from the terminus
of the Pittsburg, Virginia & Char
lesion at Brownsville, up the Mo-
nongahela Valley on the west side
of the river, through West Nor
gantown, thence on south. This
proposed railroad when completed
will tap one of the best coal veins
in the Pittsburg district. There
are bright prospects for railroad
between Point Marion and Rowles-
burg, where it will connect with
the main line of the B. & O. This
road will open up a vast area of
timber land, also immense and al
most unbroken coal fields. These
lines of railway, when completed,
will make Morgantown very de-
sirahle shipping point.
The Pittsburg, Brownsville, Ge-
neva and Morgantown Packet Co.
have line of first-class and ele-
gantly equipped steamboats, that
arrive and depart daily, afford
ing good passenger and freight
transportation.
TIMBER AND MINERAL WEALTH.
No city in this part of West
Virginia offers more prolific
theme for favorable comment than
Morgantown. Its fine location,
and the great natural resources of
the surrounding country, have been
the most potent factors in her
growth and development. Within
few miles of the city, in the
Decker's creek valley, there are
large forests Of white oak, chest
nut, walnut, cherry, red oak, hem
lock and other hard woods stand
ing i'll the primcyal forest. Tan
neries of large capacity could be
supplied here. Five veins of BIZ
luminous coal, all Of commercial
value, with a numberof smaller
ones, present their out-oAp along
Itho valley Of the M Acahela
NW tho Penns22Ho line