Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1900-10-19
PUBLIC ENTERPRISE.
FOUND A WAY OUT OF a DIFFICULTY
IN WEST VIRGINIA.
What the Building of n bridge Did
For IA Hemmed In Town-Frec Eac-
tory Site. as Town Boom.rs-whoie
Community Benefted.


tory Site. ns Town Boomer--whoie
Community Benehted.
Falrmont. W. Va. was originally
built on a narrow plateau or bench on
the side OF hill surrounded on the
northwest. north and northeast by
rough and precipitous hills. ON the east
and south 10y the river and on the
southwest and west by Il deep aud
wi,ie gulch or ehasm extendingthe fun
,lcrti of its boundary
clrcumscribed in this way. the town
had been literally hemmed in and its
growth retarded by reason of sheer in-
ability to secure lands upon which to
erect houses. The hills had been en-.
croached upon in every direction, and
all available space within these con.
fines was utilized for residence and
building purposes.
When it seemed that the town must
stop growing for lack of room to grow
in. a few of the leading citizens jump
ed into the ring. grabbed the bull by
the horns and organized the FairmOnt
Development company. That was a
turning point in the history of the city.
The land lying across the chasm re-
ferred to being Immediately contiguous
10 the town. had long been looked upon
as the natural outlet for the growth of
the place. 1t was comparatively level
and beautifully adapted as n site for a
| town. But for - years that portion Of
| the tract directly opposite and extend
ing along the whole front of the chasm
had been in litigation. which could nci-
| ther be compromised nor ended. 1t
/ was the key to the opening up of a
magnificent addition. without which no
improvements in that direction could
be undertaken. Impressed with the
necessity for enlarged boundaries if
! the town was to take that place among
progressive communities to which her
natural advantages were pushing her,
| the litigants finally agreed to join in q
conveyance of this property aud thus
stimulate and advance the growth and
prosperity of the whole community.
The company built 4 strong and wide
iron bridge across the chasm directly
at the foot of Main street at n cost OF
SlG0Oo. continuing that thoroughfare
by wide avenue southwest through
the whole of its property. Parallel
and cross streets were laid out in the
addition. thus opening up the entire
300 acres for residence and business
purposes. By the construction of this
bridge the whole of the company'S
land was brought within the imme
date and natural limits of Fairmont
the courthouse being less than 35(
yards from its boundary.
After making the necessary improve
ments belt line railroad connecting
the Baltimore and Ohio tracks will
the whole length of the company:
property was constructed. and the en-
couragement of industrial enterprises
for the benefit of the whole community
was not lost sight of. Along the linG
of the belt road free factory sites were
given to desirable enterprises. Mex
the main street or Fairmont avenue
was paved. Water, gas and sewer
pipes were previously laid. however.
When the development company be
gan improvements. the 800 acre pnr
chase was simply pasturage. ornament
ed here and there with a clump O
bushes and some brier patches. AZ
soon as the bridge was built across th,
chaSm Goal run is the right name o
the 100 foot gully the overflow tC tht
new addition commenced. Crowde,
old Fairmont found the needed vent
and 1t was not long before the new av
enues and streets were busy scenes o.
house building. Ten years in fas
growing town in West Virginia work!
wonderful changes in the town. IL
this case the last decade transformed
the village into a city. The Farmon
Development company's property Il
within the city limits. The old pasture
has been changed into the most mag
nificent part of Fairmont.
While the Fairmont Development
company has done great thing for thu
capital Of Marion county, it is never
theless true that the prosperity of Fair
mont made the development compan.
and not the development company tht
prosperity of Fairmopt Prosperit,
was on the ground first but it was nee
essary that the development compan!
should be organized to give her
chance to plume her plnions for Lighe
flights.
The ground across Coal run was thu
natural location for large town O
city Comparatively level, contiguous
to the old town and with great advan
tages Of situation. it only needed to b'
opened up to supply the imperative de
mand for new territory. The develop
ment company was organized to d'
this The plan of operation from th'
first was based upon square business
principles. Every dollar of stock wa
subscribed and paid in by few indi
yiduals. No town lots were offered a.
premiums for stock subscriptions. Th'
general public was never invited to bu.
its stock under any pretense whatever
The company has been close corpo
ration. buying what it needed and sell
ing it's lots and property on strict bust
ness principles. 1t has asked no favor
from any one and paid the cash for al
its improvements.
The incidental advantages of thu
work done by the company in stimulat
ing business activity. in attracting new
people and in finding employment 70
hundreds of hands have augmented TIT
prosperity of every citizen in Fairmon
and have taken the form of grea