Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-03-11

My attention has been often at
tracted by the frequency of your
articles in regard to manufactures
of some description here in Mar
tinsburg | think it subject of
great importance, and one which
ought to be taken into considera-
ton, by some-ifnot all our intel
ligent and energetic citizens.
1t is not necessary for me to
speak of the advantages Martins
burg affords, in the direction of
manufactures. they are such that
if other towns were blessed with
them their citizens would not re-
main blind to their interests as
ours have done. Blu to my object
in writing you are aware that
there is at least two hundred men
here in Mertinsburg out of employ
ment, ard have been since the
panic, with the exception of five or
six months work they have obtain
ed by securing the country for it.
Some of those men have from six
to seven in family, and / ask how
is it possible for those men to sup
port themselves and family with
out means or without employ
ment. Some people will ask how
they got along since the panic,
without employment. / will al
swer A great many of the men
out Of employment here were born
and raised here, they grew up to
manhood here, married, when the
war broke cut Berkeley county
men responded to the call for
troops, and when the strife was
DER and those men after fighting,
aye, shedding their blood for Vir-
ginia, came home, lat least the sur
vivors)and purchased each small
portion of that land they had
fought to save. Some of them
bought lots at 5000, some at $500,
and some at $500, they then erected
dwellings according to their
means, and as Martinsburg grew
up they became comfortable from
the wages they received from the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad and
other sources, ana the little pro-
duce they received from their re-
spective lots. They had plenty
and wished for nothing else, this
state of affairs continued until the
panic, since then they have been
doing nothing, and the little
sum they had saved by strict
economy gradually ebbed away
for necessarles of life, until now
there remains nothing but grim
want. Laboring men want en-
ployment whereby they can drive
the wolf from their doors. Could I
give vent to my feelings as / would
wish | could reveal facts that
would make some of the wealthy
citizens blush for shame, to think
they mad remained inactive while
their poorer neighbor was on the
verge of starvation. I'll tell you
what the poor people want is en-
plOyment here at home; here
where they have lost their all, and
not like they have been in the past
seeking work first i n Baltimore,
then in Cumberland and next in
Piedmont. They could get work
every place, but none at home
where their interests are. There
are some of our best men in New
ark T. hie, Chicago and through the
west land with them are the stuff
which Martinsburg could easily
have turned to her advantage had
she chose to. But the worst is to
come know of at leest twenty
five families going to leave here in
the Spring for some place where
they can earn living. Now why
let these people go? why not keep
them here ? start up something to
give them employment. Keep
them home and let them pass the
remainer of their days amid the
scenes of their youth. Their stay
ing here will benefit every one,
the merchant, the doctor, the law
yer, and in fact no one will lose
anything. l have been talking
to great many men here and
what they desire is what you have
been working for, namely: man
ufactories, and they can't see why
we should not have them, there is
nothing wanted but start, and if
Col. Nadenbousch, Philip Showers,
Mr. Faulkner, you and great many
more of our enterprising citizens
would only push this it would not
be long until the wishes of the poor
people would be gratified.
A LABORER.
Martinsburg, March 2.