Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1902-04-26
DEVELOPING A TOWN
HOW THE NATURAL RESOURCES OF
FAiRMONT, w. VA, WERE UTILIZED.

Into a Lively Town of Seven Thou-
sand Inhnbitants.
The most positive sign of the pros
perity of Farmont. W. Va. today is
the fact that the Fairmont Develop
ing company, which headed the boom
started there in 1892. is about closing
up It's business after disposing of all
its holdings. With the advantages of
q share In good sized oil boom, the
Warrington field, some of the best
coal veins in the state and natural ad
vantages, handled by entcrprising busi-
ness men, the town in \ few years has
sprung from n struggling village to
lively city OF 1000 inhabitants, inter
ests Of startling proportions and a list
Of new buildings during 1901 which
figure close to S1,OOO,OOO.
FairmOnt dates back to the early fif-
ties as stage station on the road
from Morgantown to the east. In 1852
the present suspension bridge across
the MOnOngahela river was built to
take the place of ford and ferry, but
the town figured only as a sleepy coun-
try village, where the people existed
in that mysterious way which to this
day puzzles all who are used to the
hustle of big city.
Clinglng to the steep hillsides, al
most at the headwaters Of the MOnOn
gahela river, Fairmont was an ideal
model of Sleepy Hollow, with court
day as its widest excitement or the
possible advent of n small circus or
show. Even the surrounding country
was poor, the farmers having good
lands, but no ready money to work
them.
Then came the oil and gas excite
ment in the Warrington field, close at
hand, and Fairmont profited by it. Mon
ey began to come in, coal was discover
ed and operations were begun, and be-
fore Fairmont could realize the chang
ed conditions the boom started, gather
ing size like n SNOWFALL until 1t reach
ed proportions that now surprise the
people Of the place.
The organization of the FairmOnt
Development company, with such men
as ]. Il. Watson, o. S. Mckinney, G.
L. Smith, G. w. Arnett and Samuel X.
Nuzum at Its head, was the opening
wedge of prosperity for Fairmont. The
Fairmont Coal company organized and
began operations, the farmers began
to get money for their coal and to In
vest 1t in their farms or in real estate
in the town. Business increased stead
lily, and with the increase a town of
TaI, mi
mont has modern buildings, paved
streets, electric street car lines, a long
list Of hotels-and still not enough wa
ter supply-elcctricity gas. railroads
in all directions, enough manufacto-
ries and mines to make it possible for
its residents to claim truthfully that
there isn't a man in town who wants
to work who can't get work. and very
shortly slack water navigation on the
MOnongahela river will add more to
the town.
Coal is the principal product Of the
section. In the field the Fairmont
company has now fifty shafts open,
taking out fine grade Of coal, nearly
all of which goes to the lakes or to
tidewater, and with all that is being
mined there are still thousands of
acres of coal land in Marion county
untouched, but most of it sold.
The mining operations include half
dozen towns, among them Montana.
Monongah, New England, Chieftain
and BeechwOOd, typical mining towns.
but all centering about Fairmont and
adding all of 5000 people to the towns
population of 1000.
The mining equipment is modern and
capable of turning out the greatest ca
pacity. Some of the coal is made into
coke, but every bushel Of it is shipped
by rail and goes through the yards Mt
Fairmont, where the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad company has laid out
good sized yard and weighing appara-
tus, which, big as it is, IS sometimes
taxed to handle the output of the
mines.
Besides the coal operations. Fair
mont is growing manufacturing
town, with a nice list Of factories, and
one of the first things which will be
done by the new board Of trade, now
being organized. will be to encourage
the location of more factories. The
town offers advantages In the way OF
good sites, coal. gas, railroad facilities
and an ever growing market.
The town is picturesquely situated on
the banks of the river. clinging to the
steep slopes in long lines Of houses, the
modern cottage sandwlched In with the
quaint old, half colonial or nondescript
styles of fifty years ago. Old and new
touch elbows, as in every other Old
town that has recently walked up. No
prettier town can be found on the river,
and In spite of the fact that part of
the town seems to hang on to the hill
side by sheer good luck there are many
level streets and but few with heavy
grades.
In the business section many fine
buildings line the streets. The county
courthouse, splendid new building.
fronts on Main street. A new opera
house is almost completed, and next to
the courthouse workmen are building
the foundations for a six story build
Ing which will be the largest and finest
in the town. This site one of the most
desirable in the town, cost the owners
100000. or $1,000 a foot front. while
other property in the business section
runs from $500 to $500 per foot front,
building lots In the resident district
being anywhere from $500 to 1,2OO.
The residence section of late date