The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-08-01
ENGROS SUBJKCT5 10 TH1
PEOPLE OF CHARLESTON.
Plausible Arguments Of Sohsnnsrs Seem
to Have Convinced Promina Men
By DWIGHT H. rHTR1.

Charleston. ". Va. July 5l.--1'he site
for III" new capitol building is still one
II IN" most cnErossins subjects in Char
icst"n. III" capitol commission hns
gwen ouc r" infor nation as 10 what site
:; prefers and nothing can be tod from
this quarter which way the wind In
Moving The latest thing the c"mm.s-
;l"n has done Is to appoint three wei
different sites and mnke report as TO
II. relative cost Of preparing them for
TN" building CT the capitol.
Among the business people Of Charies-
ton, tho location most frequently men
TONED II that Just below kAnawha City
at what - called South Ruffner. on the
opposite SIDE Of the river from Charles.
ION proper. Tbs cite is the most talked
oi FOR several reasons, but principally
because II IS the choice Of q few power
mi financial business men and real es-
rate dealers OF Charleston TheS" men
have acquired good portion OF the
real estate ut and surrounding the pro-
p""ed location. and have partially con-
WINGED number Of Charleston, most
progressive and OVERLOOKING people that
south Ruffner Is the logical location.
They have convinced these high type
rnd influential men. who have only tho
Lest interests OF Charleston at feArt'
;hat the "ov-r-the-rlvcr" site = tho
nrst for Charleston because the Kama
WIN CITY 81" 81 tho river Is the only
logical direction in whicn Charleston
,an eApand.
Hide Ultsrtor Motives.
These real estate promoters arc or
auch prominence and influence that II Is
.rry easy for them 10 blind the average
,.tizer 81 Charleston to their Interior
motives. and by playing on their Thar
.,.-i"n spirits sufficiently. bring them
around 70 iIeir way az thinking. These
i.cn dr." very close TO the capitol COM
ruls<.un and are bringing strong inGu-
..ucr /" bear TO have the matter settled
1T once and have II over with. select
ms 81 course. the South Ruffner site.
Now a word about the South Ruffier
site the Kinuwha City site having been
alta nduuHI. II the capitol were located
il, SnutN RUffner It would mean that
hridE" would have 20 be erected across
the kanawha river at about Eliza beth
street It Very considerable expense
sinr" the bridge would have t. be III
D"rtcr, architectural keeping with tho
capitol building. II would place TIC
pi'"l Il > most inaccessible l"',atiHA
compared with the location Of tho Old
capitol II would beneht the ely o!
Charleston only in that IL would lie the
,'tr>, ~ he erection OF Il new bridge
and would Eve tho city ver:tablv
umrA. The only possible advantage y
rCu!G ta," ".cr several OF IN" othcT
locations is that 1t would enhance he
.diuo IF the real estate on the o;h"~
r. Of H." river and tend 10 build up
that scr'lon ~ Charleston. Incidental
~. 1t would III the pockets OF the few
mon VIII control this real estate and
who BAY. sponsored the location from
'hc FIRST It would be contrary &c the
wishes uf he greater part 81 the people
~ r'hAr'rsinn and ~" mass OF people
living IN tho oth"r parts Z: the state.
Doesn't Know or Care.
II is rather q delicate statement 10
make but IN Charleston one gets ;ho
inlprcss;or tina, charleston does not
know much OF tho doings or wishes OF
n" RESI- If tho state. and furthermore.
docs no. seem 10 care. But from con-
v"rSlt:oEs with many prNmncn; poo
pie irnn different cities and towns OF
Vest Virginia II Is becoming more and
more cNGcnt that II the caplto! commits
san - influenced INTO selecting ste
Cor r." ;~v capitol either At IN 1aw Ia
city or South RufFner. there vii Re
quite e.. widespread dissatisfaction over
ne state and the question Of removing
the capitol 10 some other civ VII!
,"mr up again with renewed Nienr and
.rrrraSef SUPPORT. tn" people are per
!crtly willing that the capitol should
r"n'Iln IN Charleston and arc willing 10
Ir ,aTei heavily 10 build Il suita bic cd.
urc but they are most cmphn thea 'ly
opposed n their being made CATS
paw Nt = few real estate promoters n
The nan" 81 Charleston.
ruh!i~ sentiment favors cha rlcs:on %
he loyal plac" for tho capi'o' hu' II
does not favor any Of tn" surrounding