Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1915-09-16
nine TYPICAL COAL COUNTIES
PAY NEARLY ONE THIRD OF TAXES
Development Of Coal Industry Has Made the State
Rich and As Is Shown, Has Provided for the
State Its Biggest Taxpayer


Virginia city, save one, is dependent
almost wholly on the prosperity of the
coal industry. Property valuations in
1885, then, even, stimulated by the
infant coal industry, were $6,230,464.
Now they are 500, $50, having been
multiplied nine fold. In the same Pc
Rod capitations increased from 1928
to 1928
At this time Marion county is rich
in three great mineral resources
coal, oil and gas, though 1t was the
development of it's coal acreage that
gave to Marion county its great indus
trial impetus. The other great devel-
opments came at a much later date.
the coal production in Marion county
was started at a date earlier than
1885, which is the date shown for COM
PARSONS in this article In that year
property valuations, which were very
meager before the coal development,
had grown to $5,189,481. In 1914 they
had reached the amazing sum of $48,-
S33,3S8, being peculiar combination
of Fights and three's. Marion county
stands third among the counties in
coal production. The largest pro-
ducing company in the state has it's
headquarters in Fairmont, which is
one Of the busiest and most prosper
GUS cities in the state; its various
manufacturing, mercantile and bank
ing institutions getting a large proper,
ton of their support out of the coal
business.
Harrison county, while entitled to
be classed as typical coal county, has
an item of value to its credit that does
not, generally, pertain to coal producing
counties. 1t is rich in farming and
grazing lands, its surface being COW
cred with splendid blue grass farms.
Nevertheless, 1t is its minerals that
afford the chief part of the valuations
that go to make Harrison county the
second in point of richness of all the
West Virginia counties-Ohio county
alone leading Harrison. In 1885 there,
were only 1859 capitations assessed
in Harrison county, as against 1882
in 1914. In 1885 the property valua-i
tions were recorded as $8,721,314. In
1914 they were $59,239,S29 Clarks-,
burg, the county seat and business
seat of Harrison county, ranks fifth
in size and Importance of West Vir-
ginia cities, and will, doubtless, before
many years, occupy an advanced DO
sition.
Logan county Is just now in the
Driu1n of jtc npo1 dauolAnr,apf n~o
Of the most important of the Chesa-l
peake and Ohio branch lines was built
to bring the coal out of Logan county.
This was accomplished about fourteen
years ago. Prior to that time the only
natural resources under development
in Logan county was its timber. Its
forests were among the richest in the
state. and time out of mind, almost,
the waters of the Guyan river have
been utilized to float away from this
county the timber contained in it's
boundaries. 1t vast valuable timber
acreage gave to Logan county property
valuations somewhat larger than other
counties likewise remotely located
from rail transportation But, note
what the coal development, principal
ly, has done for Logan county. In
1885 the total property valuations
were $1,531,9sS These valuations, it
is noted, however, were cut in 1890
several hundred thousand dollars.
They advanced marked increase i'm
mediately following the opening of the
mines, and in 1914 stood at SIG, STA. 030.
Nor, is the end yet come The coal
development is but started in Logan
county. Now rated as sixth in volume
of production few years more will
find some of the present leaders be-
meath her. Operations are being
steadily opened, and with each add
ton the property valuations are ad-
vanced anywhere from 100000 to ST.
100000. 1t should be remembered,
too, that when the assessment for 1885
was made the territory of Mingo
county was part of Logan
Raleigh county has also climbed into
the millionaire class because of it's
coal deposits and the developments
that have followed the building of the
c. 0. branch and the Virginian rail-
way. Bedded with rich, smokeless coal,
from side to side, Raleigh county has
been an inviting field for coal pro-
duction. At the 1885 period, the prop
erty values of Raleigh county were
$1,0S9,979. In 1914 they had grown
to S22 ,907070
There are thirty-three coal produc-
ing counties in the state. Some of
those not included in this estimate are
possessed of valuable coal properties
that add materially to their prosperity
and also to the taxable valuations.
Prominent among these might be
named Monongalia, Preston Tucker,
and Barbour. Each of them produce
tonnages in excess of one million per
year. Boone is a coming coal county,
too. Development there is just at the
starting point. But property valua-
/ tons have grown, on account of it's
development and it's prospects, from
about six hundred thousand dollars, in