The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-02-28
DOWN In WEST VIRGINIA.
Jottings About This Child Of The Civil
War Made by j. II. II.
Lewis.
RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF THE STATE

uTSJ pdleuI IdnJSu w AlSAduueI
Graham Bell for telephone was in
1876, February l4th.
The House of Representa- tatives
adopted Speaker Reeds new
rules February IA, 1890.
King Edward VII. opened the
first Pertinent of his reign Feb
ruary IA, 1891.
1t is day when the mails are
filed with many dainty little MIS-
sves of love and affection, and
others that do not cement the
''tie that blnds," but creates a
good deal Of mirth, and some
times ridlcule-at the expense of
the recipient.
Logan county, West Virginia,
is experiencing an era in railroad
development which is only Sc
onded by the unusual activity IN
the opening of coal and tim ber
lands.
The Chesapeake e. Ohio, the
Norfolk q Western, the Deepwa-
tr, and the Island Creek rail
roads are all trying to secure in.
let's and outlets to this territory
10 which many new leases are be-
ing opened up.
It is difficult to understand the
actions of the various railroads,
as the plans are in their infancy,
and no official information can be
secured as they usually keep
their business under their hats.
1t is very evident, however, that
something is being done which
will effect most materially the
prosperity or Logan county.
Judging from the present ac-
tivity, the town of Logan will
shortly receive en- impetus which
Will undoubtedly place 1t IN a
class with other West Virginia
towns.
The advent of the Tldewater or
Deepwater-the railroad that Is
backed by the Standard Oil Com
pany, has done more than any
thing else to open up the State
and develop 1t to such an extent
that last year it ranked second as
coal producing state.
Those majestic hills are just
full of coal, and the ravines are
alive with people mining coal, and
miles of coke ovens, burning ii in
TO coke Towns and towns are
being built upon steep hill sides
that can only be approached by
ascending long flights OF steps,
which reminds you of the cliff
dwellers; as those ravines are so
narrow that by the time a few
lines of coke ovens are eracted,
and railroad track is taken up,
the level ground has all been util
lied and necessarily they must
use the steep hill sides for build
ing lots. Pennsylvanians have
acquired a large range already Of
the coal lands. Berwlnd. White
have large coal plants in Mellow.
ell county, Virginia, and a town
of considerable size has been
named Berwind; and the one
thing that | noticed par tlcularly
was the elegant company houses
erected-large and commodlus,
painted up to date-for their min.
ors and other employees; while at
other plants they are nearer
shacks.
You find mixed population 4
West Virginia--Hungarlans, Ital-
ians, Poles, Slavs--but the pre-
dominant race is the colored peo-
pie. West Virginia is overrun
with the negro. They have flock
ed here from the Old DOMINION,
from North and South Carolina,
and from elsewhere in the South,
because of the socill equality al
lowed them. You find them act
lug IN the capacity of Justices of
the Peace, you find them as con-
stables, as deputy sheritfs, police,
etc; and while spending some
time looking in upon the criminal
court in Mcdowell county, saw
three dusk.p free Americans ex,
pounding the law before his Hon.
Or, and one of the colored gentle,
men was an ex convict who had