New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-10-14
WEST VIRGINIA.
A H0rsEBlCK RIDE THROUGH THE WILDE
NESS.-H.

KANAwHA FALLS, Sept. 2t.--Near olesmon'"
found little village those perpstete sh'neS' ~
on TRUCKS whrh denote the presence ~ force OF
layers freshmen and neNroes were w"rFtn2 t'@''u'F
very ously: they live separately but me sha
IN which the whites sleep are not more neat or eomio
ble than those OF the blacks Tnc white force 4uEnaN
boarded by the contractor; TIE nrgroes more commonly
buv their own provisions, anl cook for thsmsclVcf
Raeon and wheat bread form their chief food-
They win not, In general, eat corn Dr'""'
and q storekeeper told me thai they ouy
In quantities, Canned fruits ana ptesereu
vegetables. They are Jolly laxative, ana CIVIL ify
are paid from 81 Is TO per day, the miners receiving
the highest Wages The contractor furnishes the shan
ties and the straw sacks which they sleep; bur they
buy their own cooking utensils. Fuel OF course I'D
country full OF timber and coal, Is free
Its part Of railway contractors pront 10 kc"f
store which his workmen buy their supplies; and
Of his Irlshman or native a. MP
whisky shop near him. The awdoes not, unfortunately,
prevent nuisance and evils for the counties IN THIS
State have a right grant license; and, unfortunately
they TOO readily do st. only exsctinR high rec Bu'
hear every where that negroes have propensity TO
drink; and did not see "bsr-room In any place
where only cOlored men were employed.
At COiesInouth lit my cigar at fire where some
negroes cooking their dinner They were frying
bacon, and making Of wheat what Ia in Australia
called damper" Some VI them had also hunks "
OF smoked sausage, which seemed favorite FOOD A
| Raunt, dirty looking white took occasion OF my
presence to ask me, with smrk and continuous gr.
II would write down for him the names OF party OF
boys" whom he was to convey in fOur-horse open
wagon to the White Sulphur Springs, where they
would take the railroad TO their homes In Eastern
| Virginia. He said he could write, but
| doubt he could read what he called
his writing He wasto carry the distance. about
$50 miles, for ~, which reasonable enough hut h.
winked at me, and said silly that he could sell "the
! boys" some supplies the road and he meant 10
bring back load OF sheepskns he said-for what pur-
pose could tell except to sell them again at
| considerable profit and I suppose he meant 10 pick
these up way from tile farmers, who have in that
interval, market for such produce. This white man
could not talk to without an idotic simper, which
caused the tobacco juice out OF 1.-THE corners OF his
mouth down his scaDt beard, and over his coat do
not believe he meant 70 swinde the negroes for he.
would not dare do and yet his whole air was that
of man detected In cheating baby Of pennys worth
OF candy and trying TO "lsugh 1t oh Certainly the me-
| groes we're more respectable than he.
OF ak negroes whom INTERCEPTED at this fire. three
could read and one could write. Three said they had
saved money; told me he had 500 In the Dank-a
| savings bank-at interest. He had a German silver
watch whose time he compared with mine with evident
comfort to his feelings One had saved $780, which
he had white family who once took care OF him
when he was very lie no interest," but could
get his money back when he wanted it. told him his
money would bring him. at six per cent, IN BANK wa
per year but he said, with some tl' lndgnatun that
have done gone died and had muffin ef dem folks
had MT TUX OF him; aud he ali ut car Tor Interest," Ell
dey needed de money"
One man hid little boy at Richmond. Two owned to
being married. but several said they did Mt want no
wives TO be hangin round;" and when asked why
they wanted 10 20 "home." found was to see
tier mothers One OF those who " did Mt want no
wives had put his mother and father little farm,
and told me he "meant to keep em dar;" and when
greater number drew around discovered that several
supporting their "mudders. and that 1t was to
| father and mother, rather than TO wife, that
| they locked feri comfort l noticed the same
| trait on st. Helena, Of the Carolina sea
| Islands, during the young woman there
had married fine young fellow, carpenters bur shortly
after the wedding back to her parents ON Lady
| Island. Her husband brought his sorrows before an
officer Of tne Freedmen's Commission, who tried to per-
suade the girl her husband brt she refused
she loved him. she said and Of that there seemed no
doubt; she would be glad 70 see him at her mothers
house. but she firmly determined to live with her
mother.
One of the colored at ColeswOrtb from Rich
mond He said he would not live in town any more: he
was tired Of paying rent; he could save no money
town was 10 place for his people; he liked railroad
work. and when done he meant to have farm ~
his own: "tOwn was place for him." There was
very general 20 this from the rest said. Tn"n
you'll marry and live your farm" No. he replied;
he didn't want wife; he going to have his mother
to live with him.
While we were talking. two osored MP. dis
putting about fair price Of Bible which OH" meant
to buy for dollar, apparently from q woman. fer be
remarked, Perhaps she won't part wild 1t; SHE said
she'd look her mind and see which seemed to Inc
quite picturesque phrase Another, talking OF some
vain white man. said he one o. dem fellers what
always wants to have de taieathers Of lis chickens
painted pink
Through the Kanawha Valley 10 this place, tho soil Of
the bottoms ia rich, the looked we'll bit lac fern
buildings very poor and have, almost without eAcrp
ton a look Of decay. We diued III sngle-roOmed log
cabin which yards away from the main h0nse
and contained bed the we'll under still another roof
and had no curb but only level with the ground,
which was pushed of when water was drawn The house
seemed very cherries, but the room into which
we were shown contained \ good sewing
machine and the farmers daughter-n-!aw, who pre-
sided at dinner had the manners and appearance OF
lady and was evidently Of some intelligence
Her husband also we-spOken man, and the family
was far from poor Yet these people lived in what
among New England people would be accounted discred
table sQualor Tho father OF the family. years DID,
but still hale possessed Of all his faculties, hoped
the railroad would be completed, for he wanted to
ride In before he died. He had never heard the
whistle Of D locomotive, or seen tram OF cars They
told Colesmouth, Of an old woman who TOOK Der
first ride on platform passing piece Of restle
work near there She said she hilt (heid and hit
ND till she didn't weigh than q pound" Thanks
to her exertiOns. tho train passed over safely.
suspect that this part OF West Virginia has been TO
many of It's sons stephen A. Douglas said be found
Vermont TO be very good place to away from. IL
has been drained for OF its most enterprising
youth who emigrsted other States, leaving behind
the those who had energy TO face the
world This. at leas the explanation offered me BY
a person with whom eonversed on the road. Young
fellows who never shoes IN Summer till they left
these pars" said he, have to other States and
made the seves wealthy and gained good positions IN