Year: 1877

Gov. JACOB by special message has


laid before the Legislature the report


of the Board of Centennial Managers on


the part of West Virginia Civ


ing q detailed statement OF the


work of the Board and the
expenditures Of the appropriation made


by the last Legislature for the purpose.


The sum of twenty thousand dollars was
appropriated by the Legislature last


winter for the purpose of enabling West


Virginia to make display of her nstur.
al wealth at the Centennial Exposition.


4 Board of Manager was appointed by the
Governor, composed of five citizens ofthe
state in addition TO Messrs. SwEENY and
BoTELER, who had been appointed under
the act of Congress as United States
Centennial Commissioners. This State
Board then appointed local board in
each county of the state to cooperate
with them, and in addition thereto en-
ployed competent agents to travel
throughout the state and select proper
specimens of minerals and products OF
the soil for exhibition and TO gather
facts in reference ~ the resources OF the
state, to be condensed and embodied in
work prepared by Professor MAuRY
known rs the ::Resources Of West
Virginia" A suitable building
was erected in the Exposition grounds
at Philadelphia where the State products
were placed on exhibition, and which
was the headquarters tor all West Nir-
ginians visiting the Centennial After
the close of the Centennial this building
together with its furniture was sold,
from which the sum of 1892 OF WIS
realized, The total amount expended
by the Board of Managers
was S2l,O33.55, including the
amount realized from the sale of the
State building, which left of the $40
600 appropriation the sum of sal247 un-
expended. The Governor says that the
short time gwen the managers to pre-
pare for the great exhibition, required
promptness, energy and activity, and SO
we'll did they discharge their duty that
in point of substantial merit no State IN
the Union was better represented han |
West Virginia" The Managers say in
relat on to the exhibition:


"The display made by the State OF
West Virginia Is very creditsble to her,
and has excited the interest and At
tention not only OF her own citizens,
but also that OF capitalists and residents
OF other States and countries. 1t need |
ed the positive evidence shown by the
State exhibit to convince all OF the I'M
menss wealth in coal, iron, timber, salt
wool, tobacco, grain, grasses, indeed IN
every valuable product of the mine and
soil which she possesses. Already many
INQUIRIES have been made by persons look
ing to the purchase of lands with the in.
tention of locating within the State, and
the board desires to urge. through your
Excellency, the great necessity and pro-
priety Of some action by the Legislature
10 cause thorough geological survey OF
the State TO be undertaken, and more
complete and full report of her resources
10 be made than the Centennial Board
has succeed in doing. The board Is full
ly aware that it Will involve great eI.
pense and will be the work OF many
yesr,, but it must have beginning, and
moderate steps can be taken a! this time
to prosecute survey and follow up the
Centennial work without involving q
serious outlay of money for the next two
or three years"