The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-07-19
INEW GEOGRAPHY
WRITTEN BY A
|. IIRGINIAN
Prof M. Z. Shawkey
IS he Author

CHARLESTON, July Hon. H.
P. shawkey, superinte ntendentcI schools
Of Kanawha county and exsprealdent
of the normal department o. che west
virginia wesleyan college at Buekhan-
non, Is the author 81 the best geogra-
tphy Of the state of es ylrgiaia vet
published, and as text boos y ia con
ceded' it WIN And large usage IN the
schools and colleges q shs State. It
I.ls published by the Sally Co.,
lin connection with g series Of
Biographies. The podge series have
been compiled by Prof RsehaFI f.
Dodge, ot Columbia uptyeFsIty The
new geography has been adopted 10
the city Of wheeling and several other
places. and some predict eventually y
will be used In the ma iorlties q tho
schools Of the State
The new geography treats me
State Of West Virginia 81 Is post
tion with. reference 70 NE other
States, It's size as comp Win the
other States IN the Union; u surface,
drainage, climate and people Az
the great Industries Of the stste
are fully discussed ~ tie geograply.
The remarks on agticlliare SHOW
that both the climate and the sou oi
the state are vel adapted 70 agrl.
cultural and farm iaaas coYer nearly
6s per cent Of the area of me state
and more than one.haif ot this area
is improved land with 8 large pro
portion under crops
Prof, shawkey has tfsated the
mining industry of The State gey
extensively. Nearly seven enths Of
the total area Of the STATE Is inciud'
ed in the coal fields Of the Appalachian
system which extends across West
Virginia from northeast @ scuthHeat,
The coal area Of practically 72So
square miles exceeds that u Fennsyl-
yaula, the leading coal ptodacins state
Of the union. Coal is found q lity
Of the fiftysaye counties Of the STATE
and is Of superior quality The opera
.tions in the oil and gas fields are also
very extensive and explorations are
making constant additions
The discussions Of forests ana lum-
berlng Is very Interesting The gecg-
raphy says: IN washington;s time
West Virginia was one yast forest
and the only highways were tie
streams which nature had carved ous
and the trails made by the Eudians
To the early settler these fofe were
an obstacle to progress srather than
source Of wealth, and for many years
the finest timber In the world va cut,
rolled aintoslog heaps and burned sim
ply to get rid Of st. ks the Country
became more thickly settled the value
Of the timber began TO be appteciated
and in recent years lnmbertng ms be
come on Of tue state most profitable
industries. In 1900 tie Re6dsd area
Of West virginia was estImatsd % be
about 1880 miles and rs wealth in
lumber is still considered saofmous
In manufacturing the state q
exceedingly prosperd sSbeca1se Of the
abundant supply Of gas and coke With
in the sconanes Of tie State; and these
fuels are always conducttye to manu-
featuring plants fayotabIy situaled
Because Of the large quantltI FodHc
ed for distant markets the treigb car
riers In the State haye very ptcata-
BILE industry and for tie transpctta'
tion Of these product the rigers and
the railroads are utilized
The new geography diseuases the
government Of the State the State In
sHtutions and edEcation Il tie clos
ing pages Of the geography will be
found short descripsipns Of an the
leading cities and towns q the State
which should be oft ths greatest lntet-
est to the pupil Likewise Is given
| the organizations area population,