West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1907-09-26
The N. 4 K. Railroad Opens Virgin
Sources Of Wealth.
COAL is KING IN PRESTON COUNTY
Msrgantown Business Men Make Tcur 81
Insrsction-Kingwood Reused
~frem Her slumhers

n. iast FRIDAY TO the business men
OF Morgantown was a success in
every particular. The band woke
our sleepers and the old town looked
good to US. We had intended giving
the affair a writeup, but The Morgan.
town Dominion does it so much bet
ter that we reproduce their article
in part.
Between Norgantown aud Kingwood.
along them. 4 X. railroad, Senator Stephen
b, Elkins owns about 10000 acres OF avail.
able coal. This coal mines about o.ooo tons
to the acre. In other words. in the 10000
acres there are aio. ooo.o 600 tons OF coal. The
MA X. railroad Is as miles In length. There.
fore. Tor every mile Of road there are 5000.
600 tons OF coat to be handled The mines
are now turning out about 60 COO tons a
year. AT that rate IL will require 40 years
TO exhaust the field. But look at IL In An.
other light. The Fairmcnt Coal Company.
whose operations have made the Marion
county metropolis what IL is. at their pres.
ent rate OF production would be 80 years in
mining Senator Elkins NJ 4 X. coal The
NJ. X. has IN prospect greater tonnage to
the mile than any other railroad in the
world
but the present rate OF mining IN the M
* x. region is not TO continue for n long
period. Within FIVE or six years the annual
output will be doubled, probably multiplied
by three. kven then. the youngest CITIZEN
need not tremble for the future. Coal de.
velopnent will be assured for at least 10
years. When the coal is taken out at the
rate OF 3 100000 tons year. Morgantown
viii be the metropolis of the greatest COX.
ing region on earth
These and many other facts 400 business
men learned while enjoying the hospitality
oil senator Elkins during an all day trip
through the region Friday. Strange as IL
m'y seem. many members OF the party were
taking their FIRST trip over the road. Many
born and reared In Morgantown visited
Kingwood for the first time. A great many
more reached the main line OF the d. & o.
at Rowiesburg by way OF the NJ. & X for
the first time. Naturally. the FIRST glimpse of
tie region. rough but marvelously wealthy
aroused new enthusiasm for the abound.
ing prosperity of Morgantown and inspired
new admiration for the man whose might
and money is making this development pos.
sible. Senator Elkins is making money for
himself on prirceiy scale but at the same
tiI'e he Is making possible the prosperity
OF thousands OF others. who are even now
enjoying IL. in many instances without stop
ping TO consider the source
The first prolonged stop OF the trip was
n
No. is In successful operation. At the
present time 100 ovens are ablaze. burning
coke from coal taken from the opening IN
the hillside. The equipment includes an
adequate stone building In which the cleo
tric light and power plant. a distinguished
feature OF modern methods. IS located. The
Masortown plant IS second to the Bretz
plant In ?resen; importance. but this will
not be the case for any great length OF time.
The edict has gone fSrth that Masontown
Is to have the largest plant The number Of
ovens will be Increased 10 goo. a tunnel
mile and quarter In length isto be driven
through the-coal vein under MasontownSto
an outcropping OF the Coal at Bull Run. All
the coal mined will be cooked at Mssontown.
Between the plant and Bretz Il 600 acres OF
the best coking coal In the world await the
touch or the miners pick. This is being
attacked from two sides. but il will be
manv years before IL Is exhausted The
coke is better than the present Connells.
vile coke and as good as the old. original
Conneilsvillc product. showing less ,han
per cent sulphur
Mssontown has begun to blossom as re.
suit OF the development. A new bank has
been opened and new buildng rs being
erected as its home. s. /. Cobnn's new
building and store would be creditable m
much larger town. f. L. Street is the owner
OF second large buiidit which Is nearly
readyior occupancy. A pile offreight aud
express packages at the station indicated
the business ACTIVITY OF the town
The Bretz battery OF ovens. burning coal
from Elklns No 2. is the largest in opera.
ton at present There are 76o IN all. and
a modern coke drawing machine. operated
by electricity. reduces the cost and in.
ereases The production. OF coke. The TX.
cursionisis made trip through the Brelz
coke wards. piloted by Richard FIkrns. r..
Hanford. the general superintendent OF
mines. and James w. Knowiton engineer
and chemist. The visit was one Of the NEST
instructive and enjoyable OF tile trip.
Reedsviile IS away from the smoke OF the
coke ovens and the CRIME OF the coal mine.
The station Is situated In the glade country.
with broad fields ~ buckwheat stretching
IN every direction. and wild pasture lands
There is evidence Of the lumber industry
and OF the production on large scale OF
the best potato In the world-the Preston
county potato. J. s. Dunn has under con.
struction large three story brick.veneefed
building near the depot
The special was boarded al this stop by
Squire John w. Guseman a man Of faith
who has lived to see his hopes realized. As
early as 1873 Squire Guseman surveyed a
route Tor railroad on location practical.
~ the same as that adopted by the NJ & K.
Since the FIRST survey he has been confident
that the Black Bottle" would be built.
The whistle OF The locomotive and the
rrmble Of tlie wheels over rail Joints is
muse to his ears. His survey was the first
with The exception Of that made by the y
& o. as early as iss7
The oxcursionists left the special AZ the
KingwoOd station A. GG.7s o'clock formed
IN column OF twos behind the band and
marched up the hill. stopping to recover
breath IN the courthouse square After tbe
hurry and hustle Of the lower valley. Ma.
sontowu and Brett Kingwood was distinct.
" resiful The citizens there seemed "a
have been taken by surprise and the glad
hand was little IN evidence until several
OF the prominent business and professional
men got awake TO the situation. After that
the hospitality WAS open and hearty Hon.
William q. Brown was especially generous
senator sam Montgomery. Senator William
q Worley Senator a. G. Hughes--fhey are
nearly all senators over thcre-TIon. A
Bliss McCrnm. member Of the legislature
Hon. p j. Crogan. Rev J. " Hess pastor
OF the Methodist church. Attorney /. Ben
READY. Mavor w - -.