Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1906-10-13
HAS RICHES or AN EMPIRE
Almost Limitless Resources of the
Little Mountain State.
STATE BOARD OF TRADE MEETS
Prominent People Hear Interesting
Address Concerning the Great
Wealth of West Virginia.

Wealth of West Virginia.
The West Virginia state board of
trade 10 holding it's second annual con-
vention at Charleston with more than
100 representative of boards and
chambers of commerce from nearly
every city in the state. Senator
Elkins made an address Tuesday after-
noon in which he favored an exten
sion of commerce by ship subsidy.
Ex-Governor Atkinson offered
resolution to ask the Legislature to
change the states nom de plume from
the Mountain State to the Fuel
State. = This met with sharp oppos-
ition Some of the delegates feel
quoted the state motto: "Montani
semper Iibri.n Senator EIkins aud ex-
Senator Henry G. Davis opposed the
change.
The delegates were taken over the
city in automobiles Tuesday after
noon, and in the evening reception
was given in their honor by Governor
Dawson. The city of Elkins wants
the next convention.
The feature of the night session
was an address BIZ Richard H. Ed
monds. editor of the Manufacturers
Record. OF Baltimore. Mr.. Edmonds
said. in part:
ENORMOUS WEALTH.
In creations dawn, when nature
counted M her stores of wealth
intended for that portion of earth
destined in time to be known as
West Virginia, she found the quantity
so vast that she could only pack it
in the limited space assigned to
this state by Diling it mountain
high. That it might have the cheap
est OF all possible means of trans
portation to the worlds markets,
she cut these vast mountain ranges
by great rivers. which forever assure
to the coal and iron and timber
and manufactured products of the
state water transportation facilities
probably uneqnaled in many respects
by any similarly rich minreal reg OH
of earth And as though she intended
to give to the inhabitants Of West
Virginia the most favorable condi-
tions for mans highest development.
she blessed you with your braelng
mountain air, free from the 1igors
of the far North and the heat of the
far South.
West Virginia is unique in the un.
paralleled location which she enjoys.
Midway between the activities of
the Atlantic seaboard and the center
OF the worlds iron and steel industry
around Pittsburg and the Lakes, she
has on the one side the whole Allan
tic seaboard at her command. and,
for the future, the fuel DIS of
largely supply, and, on the other
hand. not only the almost limitless
demand of the g eat steel and iron
and Lake regions. even into Canada.
but also the open waterway to New
Orleans. ths West Inoiss. South
America and Panama. Even now the
steel barges are being built. which,
when loaded with West Virginia
coal, will not break cargo until they
discharge at Havana and other West
Indian ports The old wooden barge
is doomed. With steel barges built TO
stand an ocean voyage, the coal trade
OF the West Indies and Mexico is
already practically in your grasp
THE COAL FIELDS.
Surrounded by the most stupendous
activities of the industrial world, here
is a storehouse of such Iimitless
wealth that the human mind can
scarcely comprehend its extent or
grasp the figures which may be used
to try to tell the story.
1t may be safely calculated that ii
West Virg. MAS coal could be CAPT
talized at 10 cents ton You would
have wealth enough to buy nearly all
the railroads of America. or nearly
enough to paw the national debts of
the United STATES, Great Britain and
France combined. With it you could
buy all the national banks in the
United States and scarcely miss the
amount thus expended. or you could
own all the iron, steel and machinery
and woodworking plants and all the
cotton mills OF tn country and still
have ample surplus left for other
needs
Goal however, is not by any means
the sam OF your riches. In this state
is probably found the largest availa-