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CONDITIONS BY COUNTIES. 



The cross-tie and stave industries have been carried on for 

 the past 25 years and millions have been floated and shipped out. 



The only large industry, practically, which has existed in 

 Clay county — outside of farming — has been the lumber industry 

 in its various phases. 



By reference to the list of saw mills given in another part 

 of this report it may be seen that there are 3 band mills and 16 

 circular mills in operation now in Clay county. These are re- 

 ducing the stand of timber at the rate of about 50 million feet 

 annually. 



Forest fires, originating from hunters, ginseng diggers and 

 the railroads, are of frequent occurrence throughout the dry 

 months and burnt areas of considerable extent are becoming 

 overgrown with sassafras, grape vines and other undesirable 

 species of trees and shrubs. 



In the judgment of those best acquainted with conditions in 

 the county not less than 50 per cent of the land is absolutely 

 unfit for agricultural purposes. 



DODDRIDGE COUNTY. 



Location and Area. 



Doddridge county was formed in 1845 from parts of Har- 

 rison, Tyler, Ritchie and Lewis. It is separated from the Ohio 

 river by Tyler county on the west and adjoined on its other 

 sides by Wetzel, Harrison, Lewis, Gilmer and Ritchie. Its area 

 is 344 square miles or 220,160 acres. 



Topography. 



The county's surface is hilly in all parts, very rough in 

 some sections and smoother in others. There is but little level 

 bottom land along the larger streams within the area. 



About three fourths of the total area of the county is 

 drained by Middle Island creek and its tributaries, the chief of 



