Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1900-04-12


Years Morgantown b. & /. COM
pany Largely Responsible for the
Growth northumberland Out
look.
The following article concerning
Morgantown's growth and present
prospects is taken from the Wheeling
News 1t will be appreciated by
Morgantown people.
Like most other West Virginia
towns Morgantown has prominent
future. The last ten years the citi-
zens have been paying attention to
the industrial development of the
town and have made much progress.
Much of the prosperity has been due
to the efforts of the Morgantown
Building and Investment company
which has secured all the industries
and has several more in sight. The
company issues the following state
ment of the town and its resources:
'Morgantown, the county seat of
Monongalia county, West Virginia, is
located in the beautiful and fertile
valley Of the Monongahela about so
miles in direct line south of Pittsburg
Pa, and 81 miles by rail east of the
Ohio river, on the Fairmont, Morgan
town & Pittsburg division of the Bal
timore & Ohio railroad aud at the
head of the slackwater navigation on
the Monongahela river. 1t is confess
edly the most beautiful and attractive
town of its class III West Virginia,
lighted at night by natural gas lights,
with it's broad clean streets, and even
ly graded sidewalks, shaded by long
lines of trees The population, in
Guiding the suburbs of South Morgan
town, West Morgantown, Greenmdnt
and Sunnyside, is over 5000.
within few miles of Morgan
town in the Decker's creek valley,
there are large forests Of white oak,
poplar, hemlock, red oak, chestnut,
walnut, cherry, and other hard woods
standing in the primeyal forest. A
railroad has been graded into this sec
tion, and its completion will open
vast area of timber land. Pulp and
paper mills could be established here
successfully on account of the small
cost of procuring wood from the Cheat
river region, and clear, pure, soft wa
Ter from Decker's creek, pure stream
flowing from the mountains.
"Five veins of bituminous coal, all
Of commercial value, with a number
of smaller ones, present their outcrop
along the valley of the Monongahela
from the Pennsylvania state line to
the Marion county state line, dis.
lance of about 20 miles. They vary
in thickness of from to ii feet of
good merchantable coal The famous
Connellsville coking coal puts out on
the east side of the river, comprising
a tract of about 10000 acres, which
extends to within about one mile of
the town. To the east of Morgantown
is another deposit of about 30, 900
acres, while the west side of the river
is one immense and almost unbroken
coal field.
Rhinestone for farm and mechani-
cal use abounds in nearly every part
of the county. In the Decker's creek
valley about six miles from the town,
the face of the limestone laid bare
reaches thickness of 100 feet.
in larger quantities suitable for paw
ing and fire brick abounds on the east
side of the river
''Potter's clay exactly the same in
all its characteristics as the famous
New Geneva deposit, exists in large
quantities near town and is pronounc-
ed among the finest for making crock
cry, drain tile and terra Gotta.
"White clay in an extensive deposit
exists, which competent gentleman
from the Smithsonian institute pro-
nounces the same in quality and other
characteristics as that near Washing
ton, d. c., from which sewer pipe
and drain tile are made
''Fine purple silica sand is found
in great abundance within six miles
of town. The well known Dunbar
and Hancock sands are accessible by
rail which with the great abundance
of natural gas makes this the cheap
est and best place for the manufact-
ure of glass in America to-day.
"Chalybeate springs of recognized
medicinal properties, situated near
town on an eminence commanding a
splendid view of the river, suggests a
picturesque location for summer
hotel. Considering the proximity OF
this point to Pittsburg and the num-
Der of people who come to Morgantown
during the summer months, suitable
hotel ought to be paying investment.
Natural gas is used for fuel and
light, almost exclusively. on account
Of re al mi ten Il
cheapness, although coal may be had
for ST per ton. The immense natural
gas belt following the eastern border
of the oil belt which crosses the Mon
ongahela valley from to 10 miles
west of the town, demonstrated by
development and test to be about 20
miles in length by 3 miles in width,
with the gas hearing sand annrnyi-