The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1912-01-13

brings about betterment Of civic
conditions and there Is NO better nor
more effective exponent for 1t than
a live home newspaper. Indeed, the
Telegram will wager that Fairmont
would now be without many of its
good improvements had It not been
for the actions OF its home newspa-
pers IN educating them. The same
is true Of almost any community.
The Telegram can sympathize
fully with the Times in the present
instance This newspaper has had
its knocks and many of them in
various fights for better things in
Clarksburg. Yet, on looking back
ward for only a few years, the Tele-
gram can experience glow of sat-
ifsaction over It's course and has not
the slightest conjunction over the
nasty filings and the ISLANDERS and the
vituperation that have been heaped
upon It.
Had it not been for the vigorous
and persistent advocacy of the Tel
egram, there is little doubt that
Clarksburg would now have an i'm
proved water works system, which
furnishes an adequate supply of
pure. filtered water and which re-
moves one of the biggest obstacles
to the progress of the city in more
than a decade. Improved sewerage
facilities came along with these i'm
provements, too. Had it not been
for what was at the time termed the
"devilishn action of the Telegram in
demanding and bringing about an in
vestigation Of the telephone service
in Clarksburg, there would have
been no improvement of that SER
vice, in all likelihood.
For a little depression the Tele-
gram begs to state that it has not
let up on its telephone crusade and
that it will fight for a reasonable
service until the people get what
they are paying for. Thus far the
crusade has had fairly good results.
The Telegram also advocated a
restriction of public utilities fran
chises in favor of the people, which
has come about to a large extent.
This newspaper is confident it
brought about the establishment of
a central fire station to take the
place of the volunteer push cart
system, and the fruits of long and
constant campaign in favor of a
still better and larger fire depart
ment, with sub-stations, are begin
ming to be realized. This viii insure
greater safety to life and property
and operate a material reduction In
the cost of insurance. To the pres
ent active board of trade with its
five or six hundred members the Tel
egram points with pride as a product
of its persistent endeavors. The Tel
egram led two hard fought strug-
giles for better school houses and
schooling facilities, one of which re-
suited in splendid advantages to the
children of the city and the other
of which, in all probability, will
soon bring great benefits to a largely
increased population.
For years a delapidated infrmary
disgraced the county and was an
eye-sore to the Telegram, but, un-
der a constant prodding, public Of
flcials have at last awakened to the
needs of this institution and big
new building is going up. In one
campaign the Telegram made
paramount issue of Baltimore street
and it was transformed from quag-
mire to we'll paved street. In and
out of season the Telegram has been
the solicitous friend of paved streets
and improved sidewalks. Indeed,
there has been much accomplished
in this respect since the days of mud
roads and COW paths only a few
years back.
Infinite. pride is taken by the
Telegram in the commercial, indus
trial, educational and religious ex-
pansion of Clarksburg within recent
years and it feels that it had no lit
tie part in this development, more
marvellous than in any community in
the state. In this respect, the great
store of natural resources have been
exploited for years by this newspa-
per, factories have been induced to
come here and a large influx of pop
ulation warmly welcomed.
Yet, there were croakers here
who did not want to bring all these
things about, as we'll as other