The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1903-03-11
LAYING TRACK
Celebration This Afternoon Au-
spiciously Started it.


Large Crowd of People Saw the Cere-
mony-Addresses by Several Promi
nent Citizens-Band Played and PEG.
pie Cheered -Workmen are Hustling
| Wednesday on Front street an
impressive celebration was witness
ed by largo audience of town PEG,
pie and visitors. 1t was the laying
of the first rail ON the street car
system. The cadet band came out
about two and played in front of the
Court House. After a short parade
the band and large crowd of citi
zens repaired to the corner of Front
street and Beechurst avenue.
Here Dr. l. G. White, president OF
the Traction Company, Frank Cox.
it's secretary and Hon. George C.
Sturgiss made short addresses. Atthe
conclusion of Mr.. Sturgiss' remarks
he drove the silver spike with sill
yer spike with a silver hammer and
the audience gave mighty cheer.
| As soon as this was finished the
army of workmen under Dean and
Huffman at once began to lay track.
They will push it to completion and
early in June street cars will be
running over the four mile loop in
the city of Morgantown. Mr.. Stur
eiss said in part:
1--WE meet to inaugurate and ceIe-
brate the beginning of an enterprise
that means more for this ancient
town than human foresight can see
or prophesy foretell. About 1853,
or l5O years, Thomas Eckarley and
his two brothers, Dunkards and men
of peace, the first whites who ever
trod the wilds of Monongalia Corn-
ty, came first to Dunkard Greek and
thence settled on Cheat River, at
Dunkard Bottom in Preston Co.,
where they were murdered by In
dians. In 1853 Thomas Decker,
and his little colony made the next
attempt to settle In this County, 10
eating their tort and clearing at
Sabraton on Decker's creek. but
they were all murdered by the In
dams before the close of the next
year. The first permanent settle
ment was not made until David and
blackwell Morgan came in 1853. IN
October 1855 the General Assembly
of Virginia established Morgantown
| but the first trustees were not elect
ed till 1910, and from that year can
be dated the real beginning of our
corporate existence"
'.At that date no steamboat had
evel disturbed the tranquil waters
of our beautiful Monongahela; no
railroads had been built anywhere
on the continent; no telegraph in
vented; telephones were undreamed
| of, and electrical science not yet
conceived. Natural gas and petro
lem were unknown, and not a pound
of coal had been mined and shipped
from the State. In all the County
no banks, no factories, and few bust
ness enterprises existed, other than
the small fourishing and saw mills,
cross road tanneries, and an occa
sional cabinet shop, and no school
except of the most primitive char
acter'
"To-day we have thriving city of
ten thousand people, with elegant
homes, filled with all the evidences of
culture and refinement, five banks,
with resources of over So, $780, 900 3; FIVE
of the factories In active operation
within the city limits, and two just
beyond in course of erection half
dozen planning mills, furniture facto-
RES, tin plate mill, machine shops,
foundres and kindred enterprises ex-
| list railroads and steamb boat lines
connect US with the commerce of the
world, coal mines and coke ovens, oil
and gas wells, telegraph and tele-
phones, water works and sewers,
paved streets, electric and gas lights,
we'll housed and finely equipped pub
| lie schools adequate fer the education
of all our youth, while a great Uni
versity endowed and supported by the
muniflcence' of the State and the ma
tion. rears the walls of its splendid
buildings within our sight, housing
equipments, library, museums and
laboratories, and large faculty of
learned professors where most ad-
vanced instructions in literature, law,
military science, music, mechanics,
agriculture and nearly every depart
ment of science and art may be given
to the ingenious youth who flock to Its
halls from every part of the state"
| 1.-THE national governhlen t has
made navigable and forever free the
great waterway that leaves our
wharves and bears our traffic to the
seas, unvexed by tolls or taxes, and
soon will open the great isthmian Ca
nal that will give continuous water
transportation from this seat of learn
ing and commerce to every continent
and island of this round world"
Temperance, sobriety, morals and
religion are the characteristics of our
people. Industry, self-reliance and
enterprise have left their impress on
all that surrounds US. What has been
done has been accomplished by our
own people, with our own resources
and means. We have long since
learned the lesson OF self-help, and
that II we would build here great
and prosperous city we must put our
own hands to the pillow, our own mon
ey into our business enterprises, and
not wait for Others to help US. In
spired by confidence in our natural re-
sources and attractive surrounding,
and manifesting our faith by our
works, we shall inspire confidence in
others, who will cast In their fortunes
with us, and join us for the upbuild-
ing Of our city and all its business
and material interests"
| "Most marvellous of all the achieve
ments of our day has been the har-
Messing of the lightning, and making
do mans bidding. Steam first
electricity next. AS the one pioneered
all modern civilization till its work is
seen on land and sea, wherever COM
merce, manufactures and enlight-
ment.have gone, so the latter is pene-
trating all parts of the world and
spreading its blessing everywhere.
We have harnessed 1t to the car OF
our progress, and today drive the
first spike in the first electric road
way to be built 10 this county,
"We take much pride and pleasure
10 announcing the fact that this is
another enterprise to be linked with
the future prosperity of Morgantown,
built with Morgantown capital, and
to be owned and controlled by and ir
the interest of Morgantown. 1t will
cost over quarter OF million dollars
and the money is all secured and ready
for disbursement, and the work will
be done as fast as energy, men ant
money can do 1t. BY June 18th