The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-08-17

racksville and OF the conditions that
existed there thirty years ago. Hence,
when / saw what had been quiet and
almost deserted hamlets now con.
verted into bustling and thriving
towns and cities could but realize
what had wrought the change. OIL
and gas developments, an Increased
output of coal and other natural re-
sources lad not only changed the ap.
pearance Of the country but had
brought the inhabitants from state
of provincialism and comparative
poverty to metropolitan conditions
and great wealth.
The fiaring of the natural gas lamps
to be seen all along the railroad line
in the towns through which 1t pass
es, where they are allowed to burn
night and day as though the supply
was inexhaustible, not only lighted
the way of the iron horse thunderins
through the ravines and valleys, but
threw vast light and offered COM
btNhS vi thc
ton that has taken place in West vir.
sinia in the last decade and half.
DISSEMINATING at Fairmont, which
| remembered as a town the seat of
the State Normal institution, which
had attended in my earlier school
days, found city that had grown
from an inconsiderable population
till its last census returns credited 1t
with fifteen thousand. Not all the
familiar land marks had disappeared,
and falling into conversation with
some men about the depot discover
ed traces of people that ! used to
know who were still living in the
country round about. But 1t was not
hard for me to account for the in
crease in population, because step
ping up to man sitting upon the
platform railing l made some in.
quiry about the town and found that
the person accosted was foreigner
and scarcely understood and could
not speak the English language, and
have learned since that every ma
ton OF Europe contributed to the
increasing of the population of my
native State. until now there is such
large foreign element that the ma.
tives must content themselves almost,
with being simply balance of
power"
Had | attempted to travel from
Fairmont to Morgantown thirty
years ago. the journey would have
been slow and tedious, dusty and
wearisome, because the stage coach
or private conveyance was the only
means of making the journey. The
distance is twenty miles, and on one
or two occasions in the days OF my
youth I made the trip on foot, esteem.
Ing 1t only a jaunt occupying por.
ton of day. Now. one steps from
the Pullman of the B. and o. main
line into an elegantly equipped parlor
car upon road connecting the B. and
o. at Fairmont with the same railway
at Connellsville, and in less than an
hour, through the most beautiful see
merry imaginable. along the old
Monongahela river the journey to
Morgantown is made, which years
ago required more than half day
in the slow going stage coach. Not
only has ample railway transportation
been furnished between the two cit.
les. but the United States govern.
ment, out of the fullness of its treas.
ury and deep interest that 1t has in
the citizens Of all the States, has con.
structed series of dams and locks
upon the Monongahela river, making
1t navigable at all seasons of the year
from Pittsburg to Fairmont. We
passed half dozen Of these locks in
making the journey between the two
cities named, and while the back
water has destroyed somewhat the
beauty of the stream, 1t has added to
Its value, for the competition between
water rates and railway rates gives
to the public what the people of Iowa
are so interested in obtaining. a fair
rate; thus. there is no rate question,
in West Virginia at this particular
point. 1t did seem strange to me
though. to see the river, where, as a
boy, | had fished and boated, and
which I was accustomed to see rise
during the rainy season and grow
correspondingly low during dry wealth.
err, just as the old Des Moines does at
Fit. Dodge, now made a stream of al.
most uniform depth with sufficient