The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-10-27
APPLES WORTH
MORE Than !. | I COAL
STARTLING ASSERTION PROVED
RY ONE coNVERsANT WITH
THE FAcTs-sTKTE HAS WON.
pERFuL GRAZING PossI7ILl.
TIES.

II seemed startling of course, when
the West Virginia coal and tlniDer
maRnates, grouped in Peacock Alley
fnisedh fulsome compliments On their
states resources only TO hear the Hon
Joe Chiffon cnip in with the remark,
"The apple tres OF West Virginia
bring In more money than all the coal
mines" says Francis B. Gessner
There was a murmur OF dissent on
the part of the coal nababs. but II
ceased when Mr.. Chiffon pulled the
figures to show that more money Il
received each year by the apple orch.
ard owners than by the much talked
about owners of great coal concerns
II was claimed by Glifton and ap-
proved by others who Joined the group
that in the great apple producing sec
ton of the State enormous sums o.
money are taken in each year by
apple ralsers who are thrifty IN TAX
ing care of their orchards but VINO
have little to do once the fruit ripens,
as buyers nay so much for the croF
as 1t clings TO tie trees.
Tales were told Of farmers in the
Martinsburg region wlo sell a crop
for $4,000 and even more In espe-
cially good years and In other fruit
raising countries such sales are com
mon. Long ago those OF us in wash
fnRton, who hear the Hon. Geo. NJ.
Bowers boast OF the apple crop in his
section. thought him just a little over
enthusiastic, but like Chiffon he pulled
the figures of tle State agricultural
board and proved his assertions.
|lOnce the topic came up herel n New
York, there was the added fntorma.
ton that each year Is seeing great
increase in the orchard acreage OF
the State and in all sections where
apples and other fruits flourish best.
So much has been written about the
wonderful coal and lumber develop
ment of West Virginia that residents
and non-residents forget wat the
trees are doing on the uplands OF the
mountain State. While special men
ton is made of apples, II should not
be forgotten that peaches and Eer.
rIes are also big product each year
and bring in an enormous revenue.
Blue Grass District.
Col. Chiffon advanced another an
nouncement equally amazing TO the
effect that while the whole world
talks much of the famous Blue Grass
section Of Kentucky, there is much
more blue grass acreage In West Vir-
ginia than inseI Kentucky, only YOU
do not hear SO much proclaimed about
1t in the newspapers.
The: coterie OF West Virginians most
noticed around the Waldorf is made
up of men who are at the head OF
great corporations formerly estab-
lished and with no stock to sell. The
big men in these West Virginia com
panies are looking for business and
for markets, but not to sell stock for
the sake of raising money. They have
money enough and are looking for
more of it with which to still further
develop the almost virgin soil OF West
Virginia and eastern Kentucky.
Here are the Watsons OF Fafrmont
already might well established, paying
out a million cash for a new coal ter
ritory and planning the paying out OF
three million dollars more for build
ing of railroads that will take the pro-
ducts to the new property 10 market.
This is one big company Of several
others operating in many parts of the
State, also in Maryland, Kentucky and
even Southern Pennsylvania There
is a reaching out for new markets OF
course and by methods that event
uaIly prevail and bring millions OF
money into West Virginia pockets not
to mention the influx of thousands OF
workmen.