The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-12-09
Especial Correspondence Manufactu-
er's Record.
charleston, w. Va, December 5.

Charleston, W. Va, December 5.
When l came into this section last
June # was on suggestion by the
editor of the Manufacturers Record
that there was so evident an activity
In West Virginia and Kentucky that
might find it interesting and adyisa-
Bic 10 devote some months to inyesti,
gstils and writing about the develop
meHts in progress.
AT the very beginning of this work
I was almost overwhelmed by the mag
Hitude and variety of the activity, and
d soon became apparent that instea
Of the two or three months haG
counted on as sufficient to cover the
held, 1t would require several times as
many months to even skim the surface
Of the developments under way. On
top Of what was apparent at that time
many other important enterprises have
since then taken shape. many more are
In progress of incubation, and there is
so much of portent in the as yet
haIEyeiled moves Of giant forces that
I have successfully represented to my
newspaper the adyisability of keeping
me in this section for at least the er,
tire year of 1906, establishing branch
Office of the Manufacturers Record,
gith headquarters at Charleston,
While it is true that the whole
Southland, to an extent never before
aguruached, is now undergoing de
Teiobnent hardly short of transform
ing, Jet 1t is doubtful if in magnitude.
EtIzeaching effect and spectacular in.
trrestany section can make a showing
more engaging. There is here an
5nnmnIOus condition. Not by the pow
er Of law, as in the case OF Oklahoma
and the Indian Territory, but by the
IeegIect Of the individual and the mass
es, here IS a State and section which
Had long been behind the development
mat surrounded it on every side. At
Ter long years of slow growth and fire..
9uent semi-stagnation, it would seem
- though the incalCulable coal and
timber wealth of the section had been
discovered" almost over by the out.
hide world, until there is presented to
day the spectacle of investors, spccua.
tors and coal operators from Pennsyl.
yauiR, Massachusetts,, New York, Vlr.
g1hia, Ohio and many other places
tdmbling over each other to secure
coal lands at SIS, $685. $50, $500 sand
Gygu $4O0 an acre that until few
years ago were sold, when sold at all,
1t prices even so low as 80 or 40 cents
IN acre, Even within the present year
many tract OF coal land has changed
hands at price for the fee-simple. Tho
coal area of West Virginia comprises
more than II, 100000 acres. 1t is per.
haps well within the bounds of con.
servatism to say that millions of these
acres contain from $4,000 to $4,000
tens of as fine coal as the world can
shOw--a sure promise that even the
prices of to-day will be doubled or
quadrupled in nearly every instance
More than $10O,OOOOOO has been in.
Vested in coal lands, timber lands,
soaT and timber operations and rail.
road construction in West Virginia
within the past three years, and the in.
lications are that this is but starter,
FOR as a matter of fact what has been
done in the way Of development is
hardly more than pioneering. Al.
though the coal production of West
Virginia has climbed from 100000
tons in 1880 to over 100000 year
n this time, yet In all the years that
coal has been taken from the ground
IN West Virginia not more than $4,000
acres. or less than onehalf of one per
cent of the coal lands of the States,
hive been worked out.
The enormous increase in the con.
sumption of coal throughout the world
md the fact that the West Virginia
Goals have become more generally
known and consequently are held in
greater esteem, resulting in something
ain to perpetual famine in these
Gals in many of the larger markets
sf the country, has led some Of the
greatest fnanciers and railroad build.
ans IN the land to plan new trunk lines
INTO these fields, SO that there is to-
a1y q greater mileage of new and i'm.
ErEtant trunk-line construction under
wy or in contemplation in West Vir.
ElaIh. Southwest Virginia and Ken.
5tv than In any other section OF the