The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1903-01-23

Senate and House Of Delegates OF West
Virginia were called to order. The
usual formula, which is impressive,
was gone through with. In sense
the election of Officers WAS only form,
the Republican nominees of the eau
Gus Tuesday being elected by strict
party vote, excepting that Mr.. Meats
voted for Mr.. Kennedy for Speaker of
the House. and Mr.. Kennedy for Mr..
Meats.
As predicted in these dispatches,
Clark May, Of Lincoln county, was an
easy winner In the Senate caucus. for
President of'rhe Senate, and John T.
Harris was nominated by acclamation
for clerk. It was settled Tuesday
afternoon. that Frank p. Meats was to
preside over the House, and Sd far as
he was concerned, the caucus was only
ratification meeting.
Immediately after the organization,
the House appointed committee to
notify the Senate It was organized and
ready for business, and the Senate
vice versa. Then a committee for q
like purpose was appointed in each
branch to wait on the Governor and
ask him II he had any communication
to make. The House adjourned until
halt past three O'Clock and the Senate
nntil half past two. ;,s~aa
The Governors message to the Sem
ate and House Of Delegates, Is = very
interesting and able document, It
makes over one hundred printed pages
The most important parts follow:
TO the Members OF tho Senate and
House OF Delegates:
Gentlemen;--It is my duty assGov!
efnor te4ay before you q statement Of
the financial condition Of the State as
well as to make such recommendation
- are deemed expedient for the gov
erIment and best interests OF the
.Commonwealth,s .eaJ sysa
It is pleasure, to say that never be-
fore III the history of the State were
the Conditions Of our people asa whole
80 prosperous, and labor so well re-
warded and In so great demand. The
development which has been going on
In our State In the past few years has
attracted the attention OF the money
markets of the world, and there has
been q remarkable investment of
wealth in our undevelnped or partly
developed resources, resulting in such
an expansion Of all our leading indus
tries that West Virginia today is prob
ably reapIng a larger share of the gen.
eral prosperity Of the country at large
than any Of the other States.
Cold facts and figures can hardly
give an adequate idea of what this de-
development has accomplished. Suf-
ice It to say that West virninia's
population has increased in the last
Sky years more than In any decade OF
our history.
In production OF natural gas, We are
equally first among our sister common
wealths in value and output OF this
wonderful fuel. We have for a num-
Der OF years been first also in the pro-
duction OF white sand oil OF the high
est grade, and the production con-
tinnes to be large and shows no sign
OF diminution.
The statistics OF our coal industry
show probably the most notable and
rapid development. The fine quality
OF our bItuminous Goals, as well as the
opening up of the dtfferen; fields in our
State, both for export and domestic
trade, have already put US ahead OF all
the other States In production of. coal,
except Illinois and Pennsylvania. We
shan probably pass Illinois and become
tine second coal producing State within
the next two years. Our production
OF coal last year amounted TO 2s.35s.-
oss long tons, having risen from H.
$50. $50 tons in 1897 TO the magnificent
aguRs Of 1902. as above stated.
Invoke we have become easily the
se "a State in production. and our
output for the last year was a,2i9.7
tons OF 1000 pounds each. which is
sure to increase greatly in the next
two years. In 1897 we produced l..
~, ST short tons.