Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-12-10
THE IRREGULARITIES
IN PRESTON COUNTY.
Continued from First Page.

and FlemlnS l,4Vb, leaving majority
of 1857 for Golf.
In 1892, in the esi1ential election
between Harrison and Cleveland, there
were cast 4.189 votes, of which Har-
rison received 2,S66 aid Cleveland
1928, leaving to Harrison a majority
of 1,543.
Up to this time, you will see that
the greatest majority ever at any time
returned for Republican candidate
was 1897, which Golf received over
Fleming in 1888.
Between 1892, when Harrison's ma
jority was 1913, and the election of
1896, when Mckinley and Bryan were
the respective candidates for President,
and Dayton and Brown the Congress
sional candidates there were cast 1853
votes, of which Mckinley received 1926
and Bryan 1881, leaving a majority to
Mckinley over Bryan of 2,197. So that
the Republican majority in Preston
county increased from 1,543 for Harri-
son, to 2,197 for Mckinley. A signifi-
cant fact in this connection is that
between the periods within which Pres
ton county increased her majority 654
votes, the Australian ballot system had
been inaugurated. These figures tell
their own story and are taken from the
record. Now, this increase Of votes be-
tween Harrison and Mckinley, repre-
senting four years, could be accounted
for if Preston county had increased in
population within that time. Mr..
Brown
is CERTAINLY IN ERROR
when he denies the statement that the
county is decreasing in population.
The evidence of this fact is found in
the simple statement that to-day there
IS not a town in Preston county which
Is holding its own in the way of popula-
ton, with the exception of Terra Alta
and the town of Tunnelton. Terra
Atlas increase in population has been
q natural one, growing out Of the ac-
tivity and energy of some people who
live there, and the increase at Tunnel
ton is caused by the coal works which
are located at that point. The fact is
the census returns for 1880 and 1890
show that the county only increased
its population during this census de-
cade 1,264-the former census showing
a population of 1901 and the latter
20,355.
During the period indicated, when
Preston's majority ranged about 1,500,
the county had in operation the IRON
dale Furnace, then the home of an
iron industry with not less than 206 to
800 voters on its pay roll; the Newburg
Orrel Coal Company had an extensive
coal plant with large number of peo-
pie living in the town and working in
the mines, while the irontown Furnaces,
loca - this county, j'ast across the
line, lad many employees who lived
Y and were entitled to vote in Preston
: county. These three industries are to-
day dismantled and have not single
man employed at either place.
IN ADDITION TO THIS,
for the past four years there has not
been established or in existence a single
industry in Preston county except d
saw mill near Rowlesburg (the Austin
coal works having been in existence
for the past twenty years., the Tunnel
ton mines and small mine between
Tunnelton and Kingwood. The Tun-
Melton mines feed the Baltimore d
Ohio railroad engines with the fuel
used on that division, sell no coal in
the open market and have probably
in their mines as many as so men.
These mines are owned by Democrats,
the superintendent is Democrat and
the mine boss a Democrat; therefore,
instead of these mines increasing the
Republican votes, there should be
corresponding increase of Democratic
NObtSs nc iilllc ullnC ioNoeOu oSe'SSA-
Tunnelton and Kingwood has not been
In operation year, because l was one
of the owners of the property before
its sale to it's present owners, and 1
know that they have but a few men
employed in the coal industry there.
| present these facts simply to show
that there is no reason why Preston
county's vote should increase when
there had been no reason for an in
crease in the population of the county.
A further evidence of a decrease in
Preston county's industrial develop
ments will be found in the official re-
port of the bank examiner, published
by the Preston County Journal two
weeks ago, which shows that there are
but two banks in the county, one at
Kingwood and the other at Terra Alta,
and that the aggregate amount Of the
deposits of both banks for the whole
of the county does not exceed 100000.
THE BANKING BUSINESS
of community is fair test of the ex-
tent and character of the business Of
the community.
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