The Washington herald., 1912-02-22
DONALD c. THOMPSON
and
NJ. F. LEWIS,
(Staf Couespondeuts.l

Msrtinsburg. the seat OF Berkeley
County. is located nearly in the center
of the Eastern Panhandle of West Vir-
ginia, at an elevation of about SO feet
above NdeWater. Seven miles to the east
sweep the clear waters of the Potomac
River, while almost within rife shot
flows the Opequan Creek. Ten miles on
the west the waters Of Back Creek pur-
sue their steady and often turbulent
course toward the Potomac, and coming
down from the mountain springs on the
west and flowing directly through the
heart of the city is the small but COM
mercially important Tuscarora.
Located at the head of the beautiful
Shenandoah Valley, in the midst of a
country noted for its grain and fruit
products. adjacent to the great lumber
and mineral districts of West Virginia
is the beautiful and thriving city of Mar
tinsburg. On the main line of the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad IL enjoys the
splendid passenger and freight service
of that great trunk line. East and West.
It was formerly the terminus of the first
and second divisions OF that road, but,
although their shops and a large number
OF men were placed at other points, the
city has gone forward in development
and growth. Her active business men,
when they found the change was to be
made, energetically devised and executed
various projects, which resulted in the
bringing Of several large manufacturing
plants TO locate here. These, in a large
measure, supplied the place of the rail-
road shops, still holding for the mer-
chants and general dealers a sufficient
number of operatives to make their in
vestments in the various lines of busi-
ness of value to them To-day, as we
walk the streets and avenues Of Mar
tinsburg, everywhere were TO be seen the
veritable evidences of thrift and pros
pcrity. The stores OF the merchants well
stocked and well kept; the hotels modern
and literally patronized; the banks doing
business and evidently in touch with
the activity around them; the factories
and mills struggling TO turn out or
ders," and labor seemingly both con-
tented and well employed.
The main line Of the Cumberland Valley
Railroad affords splendid transportation
facilities, 4.orth and South, thus giving
the city an outlet and inlet, with the B.
& o. to every part of the country and
connecting with all the important trunk
lines.
Martinsburg to-day has some manufac-
turing establishments of the first i'm
portanCe, giving employment to nearly
or quite 1000 persons. Among these are
pany's plant, where the renowned Han
nisville whisky is distilled; the Equity
Roller Mills, Bishops Roller Mills, The
Crawford Woolen Mills a large canning
factory, great lime kilns, which send an |
average Of thirty-hve carloads of lime
each week to Pittsburg, Pa, alone; the |
kilbourn Knitting Machine Company,
and many others of more or less i'm |
portance.
There is at present no orranized |
board Of trade, although one is about to |
be organized. Any manufacturer who Is |
interested will find the business and |
financial men OF the city ready TO CO.
operate in establishing new Industries
or factories that will employ labor and /
give them free factory sites on the main |
line Of the Baltimore and Ohio and Cum
berland Valley railroads.
Summary.
Thus, with its aIl-sufficient railroad ia
cilities, telephone, telegraph, express,
gas electric, and water service, its spIen-
did home market, IN the fine aFrlcul-
frral rounfrv arofYpd IL Ste ,,,hE.ta,,. /