West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-10-10
THE COAL CENTER.
An Interesting and Well Written Ac-
count or the Industries OF the Busiest
Town In the County.
Special correspondence Of the Argus.

| Special correspondence Of the Argus.
TuNNELToS. w. VA. Sept. 30. 1901.
Function. the largest and most impor
tant town in Preston county. is located OF
the line of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad
20 miles east Of Grafton and 8 miles west
Of Rowlesburg and Cheat river -Four
miles east is the famous Cheat river canon
so widely advertised by the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad Co. on account OF its gran
deur and magnificent scenery Tunneltor
has now about 100 inhabitants and is i'm Z
hourishing condition IL is enjoying th,
biggest boom in It's history. Prosperity pre-
walls on all sides.
The largest industry. and that which con
tributes chiefly to this prosperity. is the
Merchants Coal Co. Their mines are 10
Gated here. They employ about 100 men
Their coal field covers something near 4. oos
acres. The vein of coal now being worked
is from four TO FIVE feet in thickness. and
yields. according to the best estimates
from 4. 500 TO 5000 tons per acre The out
put oil all the openings at the present time
is about BOO tons per day. They have JUS
completed one of the finest tipples in tho
State. in order to much better facilitate the
coaling Of the engines. II is located one hall
mile east of town. and is said to have cost
about $4,000.
This Company owns many dwelling
houses. They have just completed ten new
ones and large boarding house. Mr.. los
T.. Miller is the Superintendent and is a
capable and careful man. closely guarding
the Companys interests and is well liked
by his men.
Perhaps the next two most important fac.
tors contributing to our towns develop
ment are those of A. J. Bonafeld and NJ. &
Gibson. These gentlemen both possess a
considerable amount of wealth. and are
using II in building up the town. MIR. Bona.
held owns two stores and is the leading
merchant not only of Function. but OF the
county He is doing business aggregating
something over 100000 per year lie is
preparing TO erect large brick store build.
ing and tor this purpose and also to fur.
nish the trade with brick. for which there
is at present good demand Has erected
one mile east of town. a large brick plant.
employing fifteen men, who are now busy
getting out the first order for 10000. Mr..
a. II. Springer, of Fairmont is the manager
OF this plant, and is said to bc thoroughly
competent mechanic.
Mr.. Bonafeld has also begun the erection
oil number OF houses. The demand for
houses greatly exceeds the present supply.
Many more people would come to Tunnel.
ton to live II they could get houses
MIR Gibson is engaged chiefly i'm the lum-
Der business, manufacturing, buying and
selling lumber and building houses. He
also has large store. the building not vet
quite complete, is the largest and finest i'm
Preston county. This store is managed by
Bert I and James C. Gibson. Mr.. Gibson
two cnterprising sons. They are doing a
hourishing business. Mr. Gibson also has
a hne planning mill some little distance east
oil town. which is kept running to its fullest
capacity
T. X. Shay & Bro. and James S. Hunt
each have good general stores. and are
doing we'll
d. L. Watson has a shoe and ladies' and
gents furnishing store. and Mrs Watson
Keeps a line of millinery. and does dress
making in connection Herewith,
Mrs. ;. b. Montgomery and Mrs. DIR.
fichtncr have each opened up new milli-
merry establishments.
We have one drug store doing frst-class
business. 1t is owned by Drs. Sivey & Bone.
We have two other observation-disclosures
and Conley
We have two hotels. the Guseman House
and the Bishop House. both doing good
business
Will West keeps the restaurant II is To-
Gated handy. and anybody that's hungry
will be politely waited on.
The NJ. +. Church building is the only one
in town. Rev c. II. Lakin. pastor He is an
excellent preacher and is doing his best to
maintain the morals of and spread Chris.
tianity amongst our people
large number of private dwellings. en-.
tirely too numerous to mention are spring.
ing up all over the town, as we'll as other
buildings of various uses and purposes.
Our Electric Light Plant is "a thing of
beauty. and we hope il will be "a 10Y for.
ever. The street lights are grand-there
are ten of them. They are called the en-
closed Arc and burn 900 hours. while the
ordinary Arc burns but one day. The work
OF wiring the buildings still goes on. and il
will be at least two months before this work
is completed James ], Thomas. the chief
electrical engineer is to be given the credit
for this splendid and valuable contribution
to our towns development
Scott Turner. Town Sergeant and Street
Commissioner, is looking closely after the
interests of the city" and has been re.
pairing the streets, dtchng. &c. until they
are in much better condition than they we're
some time ago. We hope the Council will
authorize him to kill at least 100 dogs in
this end Of town.
The foundation for our new school build
ing is being laid, but the School Directors
have decided not to build before spring
They contemplate building a brick. This
is sensible and wise We want a school
house that will favorably compare with the
Court Housc-when we get it Our schools
will be held this winter in Gibson's and
Browns Halls We have not ascertaincd
the names Of the teachers.
BILL SwADE.