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NOTICES

OF

PARKERSBURG,

VIRGINIA,

AS IT IS IN

Baltimore. . . . John W. Woods, Stbam Peinteb,
No. 202 Baltimore Street, Baltimore.

NOTICES, &c.

Parkersburg, 92 miles below Wheeling, 184 miles below
Pittsburgh, and 277 miles above Cincinnati, the county town of
Wood county, Virginia, is situated on the east bank of the Ohio
river at its confluence with the Little Kanhawa. Its latitude
is about the same as Baltimore and Cincinnati, and its climate
that of the great central region of the Union. The range of the
thermometer is not as great as at the North or the South. The
rigorous and protracted winters of the first, and the extreme
drought and heat of the second, are almost unknown, while the
sultry nights of both sections are seldom experienced. In short,
while the temperature is sufficiently variable, great and sudden
changes are rare. Snow falls in winter but seldom and rarely
remains more than a day or two at a time. Owing to this and to
some local causes, Parkersburg, in common with a large extent
of Northwestern Virginia, is remarkably healthy. Malarious or
bilious diseases seldom or never become epidemic, and agues, the
curse of the prairie states, are comparatively unknown. Indeed
diseases generally are of a milder type than in less favored
regions. It may be added here that although the Cholera has
more than once ravaged the Ohio valley, no case occurred at
Parkersburg or its vicinity in 1833, and not more than half a
dozen cases in subsequent years.
The topography of the town site is somewhat peculiar and
doubtless tends to promote and preserve the health of the in
habitants. The town lies upon three elevations or "benches"
rising inland one above the other, and presents a very attractive
appearance to the traveler approaching it by the river. All the
water which falls upon it can be drained over the surface, and
will be so got rid of when the improvements of the streets now
in progress are completed, thus avoiding the use of underground
culverts and sewers. The rise from bench to bench is sufficiently
moderate to avoid steepness in the streets, which, however, are
so much inclined as to be thoroughly washed by every hard rain,
an advantage of which those will be sensible who ha,ve had an

opportunity to compare the rolling surfaces of Baltimore and
Richmond with the dead levels of New York and Philadelphia.
With two or three exceptions the streets are sixty feet in
width, and between them, in one direction, at the distance of
one hundred and seventy feet from each, are alleys of twenty
feet. The grades of all the streets and alleys were established
by competent engineers, having reference to surface drainage,
and are being brought to grade as fast as the revenues of the town
will permit. The soil of the two upper benches is a sandy loam
by which moisture is rapidly absorbed, and as nearly every lot
may be thoroughly drained by the street gutters, dampness, the
great foe to health, is in a great degree excluded from the resi
dences of the citizens.
The accompanying plat of the town site shows its division into
streets, &c. The lots between Washington and Green streets
and the rivers, (the original town,) are eighty-five by one hun
dred and seventy feet, and the distance from street to street
where there is no alley three hundred and forty feet. The pub
lic square, covering the intersection of Market and Court streets,
is four hundred and forty feet in length by two hundred and
thirty feet in breadth, and on this there has been erected during
the present season, by the county authorities, a spacious and
handsome courthouse at a cost of twenty-five thousand dollars.
The other public buildings are churches ofthe Methodist, (North,
South, and Protestant,) Baptist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, and
Catholic denominations, three large hotels, railroad station, &c.
Among the business establishments ofthe town are two lum
ber mills, at which lumber is prepared for house and boat build
ing, and in immediate connection with each are planing, and
other machines by which flooring, shingles, lath, sashes, doors,
blinds, bedstead and table stuff, broom handles and a variety of
wooden "notions" are prepared for market. There is also a
boat yard in connection with each of these mills, at which six
steamboats were built during the past year and as many during
the last half year. Bach of these establishments employs about
sixty hands. There are other mills of the kind in the vicinity,
but on a less extensive scale.
All the lumber used by these mills except white pine, is hauled
from the neighborhood or floated in the log down the Little
Kanhawa river, the valley of which to its head, upwards of a hun
dred miles to the southeast, abounds with timber of nearly every

variety of the growth of the country. The quality of the lumber
produced in the region tributary to Parkersburg is considered su
perior and has the preference in the Cincinnati market. The kinds
are yellow pine, of which it is the only extensive accessible lo
cality in the Ohio valley, white and other oaks, white and yellow
poplar, locust, and every kind used for furniture and chair
making, as walnut, sycamore, cherry, maple, gum, &c. Much of
the lumber is exported, generally down the river to Cincinnati
and other markets, but the pine flooring, planed and jointed, is
also sent up the river to Wheeling and other towns. Steamboat
lumber is sent in both directions, and parties are constantly en
gaged along the Little Kanhawa river in getting out, and hauling
to the bank the long, straight and heavy white oak sticks which
this locality so abundantly furnishes. The lumber trade could
be greatly extended by capital and enterprise, and if there were
shops here capable of furnishing their machinery, the building
and fitting out of steamboats would become an extensive and
profitable part ofthe business ofthe place.
Among the other manufacturing establishments are four steam
tanneries. These chiefly procure hides from St. Louis, and send
their leather to the east for sale. Their advantages are compar
atively cheap labor, and an abundant supply of chesnut, oak and
other barks. This business could also be greatly extended with
profit. There are three grist mills in the town, and others in the vi
cinity. The "extra" and "family" flour manufactured by them
has a high reputation abroad as well as at home. The quality
of the wheat produced in this region is known to be superior,
and the breadth of land sown is annually increasing. There is
also a distillery, two iron foundries, two tobacco factories, and
two potteries ; a very superior clay for the latter being found
in the vicinity. There are besides, the usual proportion of mer
cantile establishments and mechanical trades, three large, well
furnished and kept hotels, and several smaller ones. Two weekly
newspapers, one upon each side in politics, ar.e published in this
town. The coal used for manufacturing purposes and for fuel is now
abundantly supplied at from $1 50 to $2 00 per ton, by the
Ohio river during the boating season, and by railroad from the
vicinity of Clarksburg at all seasons. The coal from Clarksburg,
is mined in a vein 10 feet thick, and is of superior quality. It is

bituminous and excellent for the manufacture of gas. One of
the mining companies is now completing arrangements for ship
ping it from Parkersburg by the river. The consumption of such
coal along the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, from Parkersburg to
New Orleans, a distance of some 1800 miles, is great and rapidly
increasing, and as this superior coal can doubtless be shipped at
a profit, the trade in it can be indefinitely extended, and will
promote the prosperity of the town by employing a large amount
of labor in boat building, transhipment and navigation.
This pamphlet has not been prepared and published in the in
terest of any land or other company, nor to promote the interests
of any particular individuals or class. Its object is to call atten
tion to the inducements Parkersburg and its vicinity presents to
those who are seeking new homes or are desirous to commence
business where enterprise and industry will insure success.
Situated in the midst of a productive agricultural region, and
easily accessible from the richest portions of the great West, the
cost of living is low when compared with that of the Atlantic
states. The cost of fuel for motive power is also, as has been
stated, extremely low, and the sources whence it is derived
so extensive, that no increase of its cost can be anticipated.
Pittsburgh and Wheeling respectively nearly 200 and 100 miles
above Parkersburg, on the Ohio, are the seats of very extensive
manufactories of various kinds, the products of which are almost
hourly transported by Parkersburg, to the numerous consuming
markets of the West, found on both sides of the Ohio to its mouth,
and on the Mississippi and Missouri and their innumerable tribu
taries, draining the vast valley between the Alleghanies and the
Rocky Mountains — the great lakes and the Mexican Gulf. The
same articles can be made at Parkersburg, and some of them at
less cost, particularly wagons, carriages, furniture, and all others
of which lumber is a component part.
There is no point in the West more favorably situated for
the business of packing provisions. The Counties of Ohio, viz.
Ross, Pickaway, Pike, Fairfield, Highland, &c, which produce
the richest corn crops, and breed the greatest number of hogs
and cattle, lie immediately westward of this place, and are
bisected by the Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad, which brings the
material of this trade to Parkersburg, where, at the very conve
nient sites on the Little Kanhawa river, with the railroad to dump
coal into their furnaces, they can perform all their operations at a

minimum of time and cost, and can dispatch their products to
Baltimore and other Eastern markets, with the least possible
expense of handling and transportation.
The commercial position and facilities of Parkersburg can
hardly be overstated. It is accessible by railroad and steam nav
igation from every part of the Union, to the population of which
it is nearly central. The Northwestern Virginia Railroad con
nects it with Baltimore, (383 miles distant,) and the Marietta and
Cincinnati Railroad, leading from Belpre, on the opposite side of
the Ohio river, now connects it with Cincinnati on a distance now
of 200 miles, (to be shortened by the Hocking Valley Railroad to
190 miles,) and with every important point in the great States of
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, &c, &c, to every one of which,
except those to the North and East of Zanesville, it is nearer
than Wheeling or Pittsburg. A cursory examination of any good
map will show the immense extent of its river connections, cover
ing indeed the whole navigable coast of the Mississippi and its
confluents, stretching thousands of miles in aggregate length.
The greater portion of the through freight business done by the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, now passes through Parkersburg.
Eight or more trains of 15 or 16 cars are, during the business
season, daily dispatched from and received at the depot at that
place, where the facilities for transhipment by steam machinery
are unequalled. Those trains are laden with Western products
for the Eastern cities from Boston to Savannah, while points as
distant as Memphis and beyond St. Louis are the destinations of
much of the return freight. The railroad route through Parkers
burg being the shortest possible between Cincinnati and the sea
board, it will be readily perceived that this business already great,
is destined to increase incalculably with the growth of the great
West. A portion of the tonnage through Parkersburg passes over the
Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad, and the remainder comes or
goes by the river. During the greater part of the year there are
daily steamers both ways between Cincinnati and Parkersburg,
while further accommodation is afforded by the daily line between
St. Louis and Pittsburgh. In addition to these there are daily lines
to and from Wheeling, on the Ohio, and Zanesville, on the Mus
kingum river, and tri-weekly and semi-weekly lines to and from
Gallipolis and Portsmouth on the Ohio, and Charleston on the
Great Kanhawa river.

Parkersburg is indeed manifestly the natural point of tranship
ment for freight, ascending the Ohio and seeking an Eastern mar
ket, for it is the first railway terminus which presents itself for
that pupose, both time and distance being lost by continuing the
voyage farther. When the Virginia Central Railroad may at some
future day be extended to the river, at a lower point, boats will
still prefer to push on as far as Parkersburg, shortening thereby
the rail transportation without materially increasing the whole
distance to Baltimore. Thus from the mouth of Big Sandy,
the proposed terminus of the Virginia Central road, will be 487
miles, to Baltimore by rail, and from Parkersburg it is but 383,
while the river distance from Big Sandy to Parkersburg is 131
miles, and the total distance via Parkersburg, is 514 miles, making
the water carriage but 37 miles more, and the rail carriage 104
miles less, and of course reducing the cost in much lai'ger pro
portion. If on the other hand, freight passes above Parkersburg
to Wheeling, it adds 92 miles to its water carriage, and, if destined
for Baltimore, takes but 3 miles from its rail carriage. If it goes
up still farther to Pittsburg, it increases its water carriage 184
miles and reduces its rail carriage to Philadelphia but 30 miles.
No future change in railway connections can deprive Pai'kersburg
of large advantages of this description. For the Ohio river trade,
at least as high as Marietta and for the whole of the rich Musk
ingum valley, Parkersburg is also the unquestionably natural
outlet. Both the railroads terminating at Parkersburg, were opened to
the public a little over three years since, in an unfinished condi
tion. The Northwestern Virginia was soon completed, with the
exception of the arching of the tunnels with stone and brick,
which is now in progress. It is now one of the most substantial
and smoothest running roads in the country, without sharp curves
and of a maximum grade, admitting the highest speeds and great
economy of transportation. The completion of the Marietta and
Cincinnati Railroad, (although it is even now worked with consider
able regularity,) has been longer delayed, but since its reorganiza
tion a few months since, measures have been inaugurated which will
insure its completion at the earliest possible period. When this
is /effected, the two roads named will constitute a line at least fifty
miles shorter in distance and still more in grades and curves
between Cincinnati and Grafton on the Baltimore and Ohio Rail
road, than the line between the same points via Wheeling, Zanes
ville and Columbus.

9
Two great State turnpikes have their Western termini at
Parkersburg. One runs nearly due East 235 miles to Winches
ter, whence there is a railroad to Harper's Ferry, on the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad, and the other, 234 miles to Staunton, on the
Virginia Central Railroad. Although both these roads cross the
mountains, their grades are favorable throughout, and both are
partially Macadamised. While the progress of railroads has ren
dered them valueless as through routes, they have served and still
serve an excellent purpose in promoting the settlement of the
country through which they pass. Being intersected by many
shorter turnpikes, they act as feeders to the railroad, and are a
great convenience to those who sell their produce or make their
purchases at Parkersburg. The tolls received are sufficient to
maintain them in good order. There is also a turnpike very
nearly completed to Charleston, and the salt works on the Great
Kanhawa river, over the line of which a tri-weekly stage is run.
Two other less important turnpikes terminate at Parkersburg.
This brief recapitulation of the advantages enjoyed by Parkers
burg, sufficiently indicate its importance as a commercial and
manufacturing point. Its growth has been rapid. Although
incorporated as a town in 1823, its population at the completion
of the Winchester or Northwestern turnpike, in 1835, hardly ex
ceeded 400, but had increased to 1500 when the Northwestern
Virginia Railroad was chartered in 1851. By the census of this
year, it approaches 2800. During the last three years, more
than 150 buildings have been erected, 25 of which were com
menced since January last, and others are contemplated. Much
has been done towards the regulation of the fifteen or more miles
of streets and alleys, the improvement of the wharves, &c, &c,
and yet the town is without a funded debt, except that incurred to
pay for its $50,000 of stock in the Northwestern Virginia Railroad
Company, at an annual interest of six per cent., having fifteen
years yet to run, and for the redemption of which there is an ac
cruing sinking fund deemed sufficient for the purpose.
These facts are tangible indications of continuing prosperity, in
the town, yet the results would unquestionably have been much
greater but for the commercial revulsion of 1857, which was nearly
cotemporary with the opening of her railroads. During the same
period, the crops have been short in the Northwestern States un
til the present season. If the confident and general anticipations
of quantity and demand are realized, the trade of the railroads
2

10
will be greatly increased, and a fresh impulse given to every
branch of business. The growth of the town, which has been
both great and constant during the period of depression, must
increase its ratio in better times. The expectation of this has in
duced the publication and circulation of this pamphlet at this
time, as an invitation to men of capital and enterprise, who are
about changing their location, or commencing business, to con
sider the advantages presented to them by Parkersburg.
To manufacturers and mechanics it may be sufficient to say,
that, as there are already at Cincinnati, Wheeling, Pittsburgh,
and other points on the upper Ohio, large and prosperous estab
lishments adapted to the ever-growing markets of the West, so
Parkersburg presents equal or superior advantages, both in
cheapness of manufacture and facility of distribution, while
lots can be bought — buildings erected and boarding be had, or
housekeeping be conducted at much cheaper rates.
Commercial men must perceive that Parkersburg cannot but
become a, market for all Western products. Accessible from so
many points of production, by both land and water, the agricul
turist will look for a purchaser at the point of shipment to the
Eastern market, and to the same point for his supplies. The
lines of steamers both up and down the river, the principle busi
ness of which is to collect the produce brought to its shores, and
in return, to distribute supplies for the daily wants of the popu
lation, afford evidence that this business has already commenced.
The agriculturist may be reminded that the vicinity of a point
of shipment having superior facilities for reaching the great con
suming and exporting marts, is the place he should select. The
country on both sides of the Ohio, excepting the bottom lands of
the water courses, is hilly, but not precipitous and in the lan
guage ofthe geological report of Virginia "the valleys and steep
hill sides are covered with a richly productive soil, which is con
stantly recruited by the disintegration of the sandstone of the
coal measures." Heavy timber, of various kinds, grows luxuriantly
to the very tops of the ridges. Limestone is found almost every
where, and there are many other indications of permanent fertil
ity. Whether land is wanted for the plough, for grazing, or for
sheep raising, or for all combined, the applicant can be suited,
and at low rates, along the whole of the North Western Vir
ginia Railroad. Until the building of this railroad, the region
it traverses was inaccessible by any other than the common

11
roads of the country, and hence the great tide of emigration from
the older States, passed wide of it. It now offers its virgin lands
with a mild and healthy climate, great commercial facilities, open
ed and improved roads, nearness to schools, churches and neigh
bors, and in short, most of the blessings and refinements of long
er settled countries, at prices not much exceeding those of lands
of similar quality in the distant and ague ridden States and
Territories. It may be added that coal underlies the whole country, al
though near the Ohio River, the workable veins lie too deep for
profitable working while there is so much above water levels
and near enough for cheap transportation. Salt or salt water is
as generally diffused, and has been reached at various points on
and near the Ohio and tributaries. Iron ore appears in various
places, although not yet worked. Petroleum or rock oil, from
which fortunes are being realized with unheard of rapidity, in
Northwestern Pennsylvania, is found in abundance over large
tracts, between twenty and forty miles east of Parkersbu*rg,
with the advantage over the oil region of Pennsylvania, of
being intersected by a railroad ready to convey its product
speedily and cheaply to market. Many wells have already
been bored, and are in progress, arid, so far, the oil is reached at
a moderate distance from the surface. A mineral bitumen in a
vertical vein of several feet thick and not less than several hun
dred feet in depth has been discovered within 10 or 12 miles of
the Northwestern Virginia Railroad from which a branch road is
now being made to the mine. This singular substance (closely
resembling the celebrated "Albert Coal" of Nova Scotia, worth
$15 per ton on shipboard and costing but $3 to place it there
and yielding enormous profits to its proprietors,) is in effect a
mineral oil in a crystalline condition, and is now about to be
extensively worked by a Company chartered for the purpose.
It may be inferred from what has been above submitted, that
Parkersburg holds out as many inducements to the Manufacturer
in almost every branch of industry, as to the Merchant and the
Farmer, such as cheap fuel, cheap building materials of every
kind and of the best quality, cheap subsistence, pure air,
ample space for the dwellings of operatives, and sites for factory
buildings, workshops and warehouses not to be excelled for con
venience and facility of handling and transportation of the raw
and made up article to and from the most distant sections of the
Union, as well as the immediate neighborhood.