Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-11-22
A FEW FACTS
WHICH THROW A FLOOD OF LIGHT on
NRRcRR AND EDOWBLL.
What a Gentleman Familiar With The 0uhu!'
and a Gloss Observer, Says Of q Part Of
the Republican Fraud Area.


The Republican Fraud Area.
Yesterday afternoon a REGISTER reporter
met Msjor J. @. Anderson and had q coz
versation with him regarding the e1ueme
southwestern portion of the State, emorac-
ing Mercer and Mcdowell counties, where
the Republicans piled up fraudulent Vo''
at a rate seldom equslled in this country
in their desperate efforts to secure q ma
iority for Ger eral Golf. OF all hsznds-
Major Anderson has been o frequent visitor
to those two counties, knows the country
and the people well, and is well quahned
to speak as to population, topography IN
dustries, voters, or almost anything else
bss,ing upon or relating to that region.
This interview was so full Of valuable
facts, that it is reproduced entire, for the
benefi. of cur readers:
when were you last in Mcdowell anu
Mere counties, Major"
about the middle of last May, in com
pany with two gentlemen from h CITY
I passed through both Mercer and mellow
ell couutiea" ,
"was that the first trip you had made
through that part of the Slater"
"No. That was the first time 1 mao
been in Mcdowell county for some years.
but 1 had been in Mercer county about Q
month b.fore." :,
"Did You 20 pretty generally through
both counties on this last trip?'
II passed through Mercer on the cars,
aud went from n end TO the other Of
Med DWELL on horseback"
You had pretty good opportunities Oh
observing the country well?" -.
eyes, and I had n pretty thorough
knowledge Of the two counties before
was there, having had q great many &c
quaintances in each county Tor some
years."
"From what you raw ofthe two counties
on that trip, and from your general know
edge Of them, what is your opinion Of tho
vote raid to have been cast in them at the
last election?"
"As to Mcdowell county, I am quite
sure that the only legitimate increase Of
either Republican OF Democratic votes wal
from the natural increase which would
arise from the native Republican and Dem
ocrstic population"
Gould the increased vote possibly arise
from the immigration from this State Oh
other States?"
"Not at this election. I was informed
while in the E'khorn Valley that the tun'
mel under Flat Top mountain (the dividing
line between Virginia and West Virginia.
OF the Norfolk and Western railIoid had
then Just been compile ted, and that trains
would be running IN the course Of two oil
three weeks. This valley is only sbo1l
fit cen miles from Pocahontas. 10 1sZe vel
county, Virginia, the centre Of an mmense
colored population. While | saw, perhaps,
from 1900 to 5000 negroes and Pennsyl
vania miners in this valley distributed
along q wild mountainous territory from
five to eight miles, l was told thst thi'
population had come in mostly last spring
perhaps there were O few p~rospectort
crossed over the mountain and got int
this valley late last fall.
"Yes. In ether words, a great majority
of those people have not been in that part
of the country long enough to have &C
quired a legal residence"
Scarcely anyone lived in this entire
valley before the Flat Top tunnel was com
meoced. I was informed that all, or very
nearly ell, had come in since last winter
and I take it il any Of thrss negroes voted
n regard to which / am rot Informed, o
course they were not legally entitled Il
vote"
"Then the r pablican claim that th'i
largely decreased vote is due to the grea
improvements being made there is no
tenable, according to your observations
TT is not, according 10 what saw ant
helrd. as applied TO Mcdowell county"
"Will the same thing apply to Merter?'
1.-THE same will hold true in Mercer, ex
cept at the town of Bramwell. There
understood that the coke works had bCei
in operation o year or two"
"Ato1t what number OF hand did thos'
works EMPLOY!
II was not informed; but those cox
companies generally employ from tw'
hundred to three hundred bauds."
"Were there any other manufactures o
works Of public improvement in the coun
ty which could give employment 70 an!
considerable number of wenP"
None. outside CT the little town {
BramwelI, that l know Of. ThetDWn {
Blredeld, whnh 7nw taI q population {
about l, 800 persons, was lid out eth;
last March or April think it wss i
ApIil-and before that date there wasn't
house, except the cid farm house Of Nj
H~iGginbottom, who owned the farm upo
wtich Blusfield is located"
The town has bsen built up entirel
since them"
THE first house was erected some tim
in April"
Then none of the inhabitants Of tha
town could havs q legal vote. unlsss the
had previously bean residents of tn
State?"
Certainly rot"
"Where i, the population Of that tow
from?"
MOSTLY from Old Virginia and til
Northern Ssatee. Very few Of them, I
my know ledge, are from West Virgins
Perhaps two or three merchants and the
families"
What legal vote would there be at this
town."
81 would take II that there would b
not mora than q dozsn legal voters In tbs
town. Bluefeld is at the end Of one Q
the divisions Of the Norfolk and Wester
railroad, and nearly all the population ar
railroad men, with the exception Of th
merchants, and all have come there sine
last April
SIS it true that this population is YER
largely Of q shifting nsturt?"
eyes, and that is particularly trus as {
the miners and all poo ole, VII t, m
colored, engaged in the mining ADD colin
business. The railroad men are generall
more settled, eJpec' ally those who work il
the shops, or st the eud Of divisions"
" suppose in anew country, euch a
that Is, not more than one. half Of au,
given ruuber Of men would remain in on
place long enough 10 acquire o legal res
dencs?"
II take that to be tru', SIS they seldom
own property, brt 70 from one mipir q di.
tIict 10 another, perhaps half o doze
times q year. NJ impression Ia that unii
the Norfolk and Western railroad con
menced building in Mcdowell con atty las
fall or winter that th. re- vaH'nt n coInys,