The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-09-21
Hills Are Filled with Rich De-
! posts Of Coal, OH and
Gas.
IS EDUCATIONAL CENTER
Large Normal School Located
at Chenille and 1t Has Big
Attendance.

Located in the central part or
West Virginia, her hills filled with
coal. oil and gas, Gilmer county is
on the verge Of leapinE into state
vide and even national prominence.
A locality may DO rich beyond the
widest dreams, but unless the bsat-
en- paths OF civilization penetrate
into her confines, the locality viii
never fulfill its usefulness. GIlmer
county is an excellent example Of q
locality. rich in resources. but not
penetrated by railroads. he modern
paths Of civilization
Glmer county was formed IN
1876. It,takes its name from Thorn
as Walker GiImer, at one time q
prominent virgintan. The county
ids one OF the younger ones Of the
state AS late as 1850 this terri
tory was q wilderness. There were
few roads. no bridges and settlers
We're few. At that time no railroads
had been Constructed IL the state.
and the only market for Gilmer
county was the local one. About
that time an inrodd was made in
the GAmer county timber, The
timber was cut and foated down the
Little Kanawha. AS the land grad
ually cleared agriculture became an
important 6cc1pat Hon.
AS the work progressed in taking
out the valuable timber, 1t was dis
covered that elmer county was
rich in coal, OIL and gas. Today
Gtlmer county fs ready TO take its
place among the leading coal pro-
sducing counties Of the state. The
construction of a railroad into the
wonderful Gilmer coal fields IL all
that remains to be done Tor the
county to come into its own,
The Prokpects.
The Buckhannon and Northern
railroad which runs from Fayette
county, Pa. up the Monongahe1a
river to Fairmont, has just been
completed. This road connects the
rich Fairmont coal field with Pitts
burg. A short time ago the Buck
harmon and Northern became the
property OF the New York Central
system. It is rumored that the
Wabash people are contemplating
the construction, or an extensinE o.
the Buckhannon and Northern into
Gilmer county. This IL probably the
rect become fact, the county, and
Gilmer county, and should the pros-
pect become afact. the county. and
Glenville. the county seat. will leap
into industrial prominence.
GLENvNLE
Chenille, the county seat Of Gil
mer county is located near the center
Of the county. Oil and gas can Be
found in the adjacent territory and
the surrounding hills are rich. IN coal.
One Of the best coal fields in the state
lies within the confines of Gilmeri
county, and with one exception there
are no large towns within forty miles
of Glenville. The entrance Of rail-
road into the county would make
Chenille the metropolis Of central
West Virginia, but even by the alb
lsence OF railroad Chenille occupies
"a prominent place. due to the agricul-
Itural value Of the neighboring soil,
and the location Of the Glenville state
normal school. which In point Of en-
irollment. ranks second among the
normal schools Of the state.
The Growth.
The growth Of GlenvilIe has been
rather irregular, but 1t has followed
the usual plan Of most towns that
are not laid out at the outset on an
ample scale and systematic plan. The
river bottom Is narrow, but the val
1eys open into the hills In several dis
rections and some Of the high ground
affords excellent building sites. As
Q result there are many picturesque
4 tA..NNH - 1s00 y, IL