The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1885-02-11
THE SOUTHERN COAL QUEEN.
Miss Maud Sc. Pierre Tells of Her Grea
Wealth.

bliss Hand 50. Pierre Tells Of Her Greas
Wealth.
Miss st. Pierre, believe 7"
THAT is my name, sir what is it you
wish p
The reply came from lady of command.
ing and very striking appearance. She
was rather above the average height, square
shouldered, figure well rounded, the keen
gray eyes, nose, chin and frm-set mouth
indicating vigorous force of character,
while the graceful manners betrayed the
most finished and lady-hke composure. The
sich, brown hair was brushed plainly back
from high forehead. The air of the lady,
as she rustled the folds of Il maroon velvet
aud motioned the reporter tc seat, was
one of Partisan dignity. The impression
has somehow gone abroad that when one of
the gentler sex branches out into business
and assumes the functions supposed to be-
long by divine right TO the man, she is
necessarily attended by short hair strong
minded and masculine views, and DISPOSE
ton to talk bass. Miss Maud st. Pierre
does not meet any of these conventional re-
quiremsnts. The hair certainly had the
proper feminine Insurance there was not
the funniest symptom in the conversation
that followed of any wish to advance heter-
odox notions or tear existing society up by
the roots and her voice, SO far from reflect.
ing the masculine lower register, appeared
at first to contain studied mellowness of
tone, so peculiarly soft and liquid was its
How. This impression, however, fades
awayas the lady warns into enthusiasm
over her subject and the eyes and cheeks
glow with purely natural feryor. Add to
this n most remarkable gift of diction and
you have slight notion of the celebrated
Southern Coal Queen, the happy possessor of
nearly 300, 900 acres of mineral treasure in
Tennessee, Alabama and Kentucky, over
which she Yields the sceptre of practical
business enhantress.
And so you want to know something
about Inc ?" she archly inquired. Well,
there's no special mystery. My native
State is Louisiana. Most of my early life
was passed abroad. and came back here
Just about the time that Birmingham, il
Alabama, was looming up as coal and iron
centre. l had already known of the vast
mineral wealth of that entire region and was
on the lookout for purchase. Luck SEEM
sd to favor me. Down in Franklin County,
Tennessee, near Alabama State line, there
lives an old gentleman named John F. An.
derson. Sixty-fve years ago he went from
the East and settled there. After he got
under way he made rule each year to add
a thousani-dollar slave and so many acres
to his possessions. When the war broke
out he was an immense owner Of lands and
slaves, but his wealth in the latter was
swept away, and by degrees he became what
You call land poor
The moment learned that he meant to
dispose of IA ,000-acre tract made 1t con.
venient to appear in the neighborhood and
advertise my intention to purchase He
came to see me, the transfer was soon made
and have since added enough in that re-
gion to bring my acres up to $4,000. The
property lies on either side of the Nashville,
Chattanooga and st. Louis Railroad. forty.
nine miles from Chattanooga and 100 miles
from Nashville, Immediately on the Alaba-
ma State line, and extends from Anderson
to Sherwood, six and one-half miles on one
side and nearly eight miles ON the other
side of the railroad, which there runs d.
rectly north and south.
Do fancy this sort Of life and adven.
lure? Why, Of course I do. Why not,
pray2 Here are mountains, natural and
commercial grandeur, pure air and the
most absolute independence. Here (and
the lady drew rough chart) is the spot
where | am building my cabin. You see it
IL right on a mountain spur, equidistant
from the two roads leading to the mines.
The view is superb. And It will not be
your typical cabin when get 1t finished.
The interior viii be tapsstried in Queen
Anne style, and with my books and horses
why can't I be happy on that mountain
peak among the clouds Men are the most
peculiar individuals. They seem to think
all valuable rights of property and ssnti-
ment are reserved for their special amuse-
ment. Now, / have coal-black mare,
cuubiu VI MSuu o., ueet ~ u NulrlW1nu anu
more intelligent than most persons meet.
In the early blush of the morning leap on
Mollie's back, gallop up to the mines, in.
speet the works, and when start out for a
long brush over the hills do you suppose
that becauseI happen to have long hair
and wear skirts I can't feel glow OF satis-
faction in travelling whole day over my
own possessionsf
Business is not an intricate thing by
any means. The principles are simple
enough. Ihate lie snd love fair dealing.
When I first began operations at the mine
the wiseacres down there were full Of adj
vice. 1t had been customary to pay day
iaborers at the rate Of as cents, and the pay
came in the shape of bacon at % cents
pound This was all nonsense. gave m,
men a dollar day. This was supposed tc
be fatal, and was sagely informed that 1t
would lead to Generalization and that 1
wouldn't have single hand left in weeL.
In order to offset such possibilities establish
cd the rule Of cold water to drink, and from
that day to this have not lost but one hand
snd am working sixty"