Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1900-06-07
The Geography of West Virginia.
Prize Composition by Alice Blllmyer' OF the
Shepherdstown Graded School.


I'D to the year 1861 the historic little
State of West Virginia was part OF
Virginia and was settled principally by
emiGrants from other States. The land
west of the Alleghanies, known as the
Western Counties, was uDjustly taxed
and as result the people declared them
selves free. On June 20, 1863, she was
formally recognized and admitted TO the
Union as West Virginia.
II lies between parallels 81 degrees
minutes and 40 degrees 3S minutes
north latitude and is bounded on the
north by Ohio, Pennsylvania and Mary
land on the east by Virginia, Pennsyl-
vania and Maryland; on the south by
Virginia and Kentucky; on the west
by Kentucky and Ohio.
In outline the State is very irregular
and has been compared by some to a
frog. There is no definite boundary
line given, the greater part of the state
being marked by natural boundary
lines, which are the Ohio river on the
west, the Potomac on the north and
east. and numerous small ranges OF the
Appalachian system on the south and
east.
If a straight line were drawn from
northeast to southwest it would cross
two hundred and seventy-four miles OF
country, while from north to south 1t
would be two hundred and fOrty-fve
miles. Including one hundred andthirty-
five miles Of water surface. West Virgin
ia has an area of twenty-four thousand
seven hundred and fifteen square miles;
and is about three-flfths as large as Nir-
ginia and is nearly equal in size to the
kingdom of Greece while It's popula-
ton reaches seven hundred and sixty
two thousand seven hundred and nine
ty-four.
The counties of Marshall Hancock,
Brooke and Ohio, the narrow strip of
land between Ohio and Pennsylvania,
form what is generally known as the
Western Pan Handle; while jefferson,
Berkeley and Morgan make up the
Eastern.
The principal mountain range is the
Allegheny but it is known in various
parts by local names, the chief ones be-
ing the Shenandoah, Cheat, Rich,
Greenbrier and Dividing Ridge which
run in almost parallel lines from the
northeast to the southwest. The
highest of these mountain peaks, Spruce
Knob in Pendleton county, rises TO the
height of four thousand eight hundred
and sixty feet, while the lowest eleva-
ton in the State is at Harper'S Ferry,
which is only two hundred and eighty
feet above the level Of the sea. Owing
to the great variety of scenery among
the valleys and mountains, West Virgin
ia has been Justly called the ''SwitZer-
land of America. Between these sew
eral mountain chains lie the beautiful
Shenandoah, Tygart'S, Kanawha, Mo-
nongahela and Conemaugh valleys
which are drained by the rivers of the
same name and their tributaries.
In the mountain region of Randolph,
Pendleton and Pocahontas countess
known as the "Birth-place of Waters,
is the source Of six rivers of the State,
five Of which drain the principal part
of it, OF these the Potomac flows north
eastward and empties into the Chesa-
peake Bay while the Monongahela
flows north and joins the Ohio. The
Cheat also flows north and empties into
the Monongahela, The Greenbrier and
Elk flow westward and after uniting
form the Great Kanawha which emptieS
into the Ohio near Point Pleasant. The
Big Sandy, the boundary line between
Kentucky and West Virginia, rises in
Mcdowell County and after a north
westerly direction flows into the Ohio.
Other tributaries of the Ohio are the
Little Kanawha and Twelve Pole, each
of which takes westerly course. The
mountain elevations in Mingo, Logan,
Mcdowell, Wyoming, Raleigh and Fay
Int 20 1lfv
known as the Plateau Region. 1t lies
between the Big Sandy on the south
and the Elk river on the north, cover
ing distance of about one hundred
and fifty miles. Upon this elevation
lies all the billy portion and it is the
most extensive part Of the state. 1t
presents varied scene Of beautiful hills
and valleys.
The central position of the state with
her navigable rivers connecting her
with the Ohio. and a network of rail
roads gives West Virginia great advan-
tages Of transportation, while the raw
materials for manufacture, tim Der, and
its soil and climate adapted to farming
and cattle rrisng are in her favor for
commerce West Virginia contains
more hard wood than any other State
in the United States and furnishes one
third of all its poplar timber. In these
vast forests lies much of the wealth of
the State. Stock raising, farming and
fruit growing each have their place on
her soil.
In her mineral beds is another source
of wealth. Coal and iron ores, natural
gas and salt brines, fire clays and sands
nl dc
places are thirty to sixty feet thick, and
sometimes alternate with iron ore.
About ten per cent of the coal consumed
in the United States comes from our own
coal beds. Mercer county is noted for
its iron ore while the counties of the
Western Pan Handle have full supply
of natural gas. In the valleys Of the
Little Kanawha and MOnOngahela rivers
and in Peasants County, along the Ohio
is found in great quantities petroleum
The valley of the Great Kanawha is ia
nous for its salt brines.
Wheeling, on the Ohio, the largest
city in the State, is noted for its manu-
facture of iron, steel, glass, queensware,
tobacco, leather, lumber and malt liq-
uors.
Charleston. the capital of the State,
on the Great Kanawha, at its junction
with the Elk river, is known principally
as manufacturing centre. Huntington
on the Ohio, in the midst of coal beds
and timber lands, is naturally city Of
wealth and success. Grafton. the county
seat of Taylor county, is in the vicinity
of superior beds Of fire clay, iron ore
sixteen feet thick, and exhaustless beds
Of "PittSburg coal" She has sawmills,
-four mills. machine shops and pump
factory. Parkersburg, on the Ohio, at
the mouth of the Little Kanawha. is
noted for its machine shops, lumber
trade and petroleum from neighboring
counties.
The large mound at Moundsville. !
Hanging Rock in Hampshire county,
and the numerous hot aud mineral
springs throughout the State are known
far ana wide as natural curiosites. The !
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