New-York tribune., 1871-10-10


ya surous chance, the State Normal School Of West
Virginia In placed hero. It formerly Marshall COL
ope one Of the old collegiate schools Of Virginia West
virginia bought the buildings and turned 10 into nor
mai school for the state and In the model senoo whcn
a mart of ts tytem Of instruction, the children OF the
new town have provided for them what hear Ia IN ex
oellent free school. 49,
n Runtingt took horse for Ooiesmouth' whien
lee days ride distant The Guyandotte crossed ~
ane suspension bridge which Is surprise TO the uaV
eer who has something OF the people thsreaoou
It was built by the State Of Virginia. which had 'he
habit before the war; Of furnishing for Its people, In the
eparsey settled regions threehfths OF the money re-
ouired for an expensive public Improvement IKE tns
bridge on condition that the region TO be bcnented SUI
scrbcd for the remainder The Guyand0tte Is crosseo
also by railroad bridge, over which the cars ran ior
the first time todayt and the whole line between HUM
nCtou and Coesmouth and indeed to the mouth OF tne
New River, at the falls Of the kanawha n
graded the tes are laid ready 10 be laid and e ROAD
Is ready for the iron, which has been delayed py low
water on the Ohio. 1t came up to Colesmouth TINS
morning. and force ready here strong enough to lay
three miles day the line Of ioa miles which ready
for the iron.
The Guyandette 10 q mountain stream, running now
deep banks and sometimes rising forty feet In
night It is navgated In the Summer by hats, which
are called "push. boats" and which are propelled up
by poles. 0 small heet OF these pnsh-boats,
with their cargOes Of tobacco dried apples and other
country produce and their rough crews they carry pack
various articles Of merchandise but chiefly Coffee which,
q who knows the upper country remarked TO me,
s the only thing tho natives cannot do without whole
sale dealer Guyandote sold to pushboat during
six months 80 bags Of Rio coffee and only pounds OF
tea and this about the proportion in which those ar
cles are used IN these parts.
Between Huntington and Colesmouth lies fne farm
ing country, full Of valuable timber and with rich and
productive soil this will In few weeks have rail-
road connection with the Ohio and In course Of time
probably new population will in here and take
possession. This at least may hope, for the west
Vrginian, q rule, seems to he o t0eraby useless
creature One would think that the inhabitants here
about would have found their advantage In furnishing
supplies to the railroad company but believe whisky
is the only commodity they have sold At any
rate was told by railroad contractor that the ma
tiyee" are totally useless as wOrkmen on the
line; and Of over 2Ooo,OO0 Of ties used for
the road between Huntington and the New River,
not o single tie supplied by West Vlrgnian. Wher
inquired, whether on the track, In saw-mlls or
any other department Of industry, received the answer
that the white natives useless. The ax-men, the
sawmilmen the aborersskiled and unskillcd-are oil
brought from Ohio Pennsylvania, Eastern Virginia.
An EaBtern man summed up for me hs opinion OF the
people, when he said: They think the Lord put them
here and that He bound to take Of he and they
won't interfere"
The turnpike which ia very good, runs all the way In
sight of the rarOad and noticed rode along, that
the at work on the line we're mostly negroes. 1
told that this lie the the whole line; and the
engineers aud contractors wherever had opportunity
to inquire without exception gave the greatest praise
to these colored men, faithful quiet. and good-tem-
pered aborers whom they preferred to rshmen or any
other labOrers whom they had tried.
There about 5000 men at work on the unfn-
ished hne between Huntington and the White Sulphur
Springs The greater part Of these colored men and
far have had opportunity for inquiry, they
counted rstcass laborers. They come mostly across
the mountains, from Eastern Virginia; many Of them
from the tide region; they do not drink they
work well In the tunnels and the rougher parts OF
the line the beet GLASS Of Irish railway aborers they
do not give trouble quiet, and do not shirk work;
only complaint against them is that at harves-
time and Chrstmas they utU break off and 20 home
to see their wives, and have froo 30 far as have
seen. thus far my journey. they are very kindly
treated have heard no swearing or driving"
The region through which are travelling or at least
part of It, first surveyed by Gen. Washington, and
some of his old marks, monuments" surveyors
call them st stand On map Of the coal region met
Some his family and some Of his name are ftn
found about here and there is local tradition which
asserts that had keen eye for the most valuable
and that where be hud surveyed the best
anus were generally found to stand In his own name.