WEST VIRGINIA

eastern state o to United States, (37° 10’-40° 38’ N., 77 | The 40’ 82° 36’ W.); bounded n. by Pennsy] Bran Virginia, w. by Kentucky and Ohio and Surface is generally mountainous, es frontier, pecially in =., where it is cro ed b; in various ranges of the Alleghany Mts. reaching an extreme height of 4,860 ft in Spruce Knob; drained by the Ohi of and its affluents. Climate is healthy an is on temperate. Chief towns are Charles to: Valley (cap.), Wheeling, Parkers burg, Hunting ton. Agriculture is specially important chief crops—wheat, corn, oats, tobacco fruit cultivated; live stock raised. Larg United area forested, lumbering being chie in industry. Munerals include coal, petro the leum, iron, sandstone. Industries in Ontario clude meat packing, flour milling, manu the facture of leather, hardware, pottery mil Education is free and obligatory; stat of univ. at Morgan town. where West Virginia was included in th dis state of Virginia until the outbreak c as are the Amer. Civil War; but when Virgin i the seceded in 1861, the w. part declare was its independence of the rest of the state heavy and remained loyal to the Union; orgar Const i tui zed as a separate state (1863). Execu of tive power is vested in a governor, wh cap is elected for four years and a iste in by various officers of state. Legislatur once consists of senate of 30 members an com house of delegates of 94 member: to elected for four and two years respec English, tively. Sends two senators and six rey André resentatives to Federal Congre . Are: escaped. 24,170 sq. m.; pop. (1920) 1,463,701 imSee map U. 8. Unirep