The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-02-20
AN UNEVHNTFUI DAY.
Agricultural Experiment Station
for coIored People
LOCATED AT CHARLESTON
Instead OF Hsrpcr's Ferry..A Lively
Debate and Good Reasons Given
for the Northumberland
ings of the Legislature.
sSeetal Dt.paleA % he 1a.eQgelosr.

CHARLESTON, W. Va, Feb. 19.-To.da!
has been one OF the most uneyentful o
the session. Scarcely anything of gen
eral public interest has been done ant
little has been talked about. The ban
quet last night, with the consequent los
ofsleep, seems to have been too much
for most OF the members, and they have
been satisfied to cit quietly in their seatl
and let somebody else do all the talking
There was little discussion in the
House this afternoon, however, the sub
iect being the bill providing for estab.
fishing an agricultural experimental
station for colored pupils at stoEer Col,
lege. It met with decided opposition
from cambridge, who claimed that the
people Of Jefferson county were opposed
to It, and it should not be forced upon
them.
Judge Ferguson moved TO amend by
striking out the clause locating It at Storer
College, stating that it should be located
In KAnawha county for numerous rea.
sons. He thought an appropriation OF
from four to five thousand dollars would
be amply sufficient To furnish the build
ing aud grounds and the National Gov
ernment would take it in charge aud It
would be Of no further expense to the
State.
Mr.. Thomas, OF Putnam, opposed an
amendment. The State already had q
building, and the expense Of erecting q
new one would be unnecessary. He
asked II the State must sacrifice her in.
teresls because the people Of Jefferson
county are untriendly to the colored
race. He said: "Fhe question whether
the people OF Jefferson county are op.
posed to colored people shall never be
taken into consideration, 80 far as I am
concerned. 1t is as much our duty to
look alter the interests OF that race as
the interests Of our own"
Judge Ferguson replied: "Ths great
State Of West Virginia, for It is great
little State and is getting to be. q great,
big State, should be ashamed not 10 act
decently in the matter. When the
National Government proposes to give
the money and only asks US to put up
building in which to conduct the
school, It certainly seems that we ought
to be willing to accept the proposition. l
want 10 see this school located in Kama
wha county SO that these people will be
surrounded by friends instead Of
enemies. It is their good l have in
view"
MIR. Pugh, Of Hancock county, said he
had Eve reasons for iavoring the location
Of the station in Kanawha county. First
The people Of Jefferson county did not
want It there. Second-What costs
nothing is usually something in which
no interest is taken and proves OF little
value. Thfrd-Harper's Ferry is right
on the Maryland line, and q more CEN
trail location is necessary. Fourth-The
statesmen Of the country are all anxious
about the welfare Of the colored people
and the school should be located near
where the statesmen most congregate--
the State Capitol. Judge Ferguson is
their friend and the Republican party Is
their friend, consequently IL 1t is located
IN Kanawha they will be in the midst OF
their friends. Fifth-The school should
be located in Kanawha because it would
make the county all right politically,
while Jefferson county Is beyond re-
demption and it will be wasted sweet.
ness to send 1t there.
Col. Freer made o forcible, eloquent
and timely address in behalf OF the
amendment, in which he said economy
as well as friendship to the colored peo.
Pile demanded that the school should
not be located in Jefferson. Messrs.
Shaw and Lynch also discussed the
matter briefly, Mr.. Shaw saying he
doubted whether the people Of Jefferson
were opposed TO having the school in
their county. Petitions for it had been
sent in signed by over 500 people while
the petition against 1t had only 40
names. The amendment was carried by
a large majority and the bill was sent
back TO the Judiciary Committee on
motion Of Judge Ferguson, to be put in
proper shape. 1t will be reported back
with an amendment locating the station
in Kanawha county, which amendment
will probably prevail in the House,
although It Is said Mr. Young will offer
an amendment to substitute BuCkhannon
as the location. The Cabell farm six
miles below Charleston, which Is admir-
ably adapted for the purpose, is pro.
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