Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-03-06
aRCaDEACON sPURR EXPLAINS.

In communication Archdeacon
SPUR. of Moundsville, explains his re
cent remarks before a New York
church society on the subject of "The
Poor Whites in the South.
The reverend gentleman says he did
not refer to his own congregation nor
to the people Of West Virginia as
whole. but rather to the entire south
srn states. where we have two and one
half millions of people going by the
four following general names Poor
white trash. Dirty Dozen Georgia
cracker and Florida clay-eaters.
Dir. Spur adds:
Then again referring to the poor
whites / said that they could be divided
into three classes, J. G., those found ~
the mountains. those on the hills, and
those on the fiat lands. who lived prncl-
pally on the border of the rivers. then
stated that these last named people lived
IA boat houses that the conditions of life
found in these hoVe,s was such as TO rem
der IL impossible that the average boy or
the average girl brought up in their midst
could either be honest or virtuous. 1t
was in this connection of the boat house
population that ] made statement tAal
there was no chance for the boy being
honest or the girl knowing what II was to
be vrtuous. This maintain % ~ strict
IN true and can he corroborated by any
police officer whose duty lies upon the
banks Of the river. or by any Christian
worker who systematically works among
the people and who seeks 10 rescue the
Going on with my subject. ! then spoke
of my experience as chaplain IN the state
n,,iitentiary | stated that the prisoners
,,,ainlvs come from these conditions of life:
that fully fifty per cent. OF those commit
ted to the penitenfiaIE Were Sullerlug
arbie maintain TO be true OF the State
penitentiary located AZ Moundsville, West
Nire~inia and that the warden and physi-
elan in charge Of the PRISON VIII lulY con-
firm what ] have satu -
Furthermore, in conversation with
the physician o. ne p, of ftv ' par CEN,
rsas very conservative, ana mai as mayor
az The lawn in which the penltentlarN IS
Iocatpd he can assert the same 70 ." true
,,,,y.rnins rho boat house population,
The reverend gentleman here evil
dently refers specifically to the boat
house population along the OHIO river.
What this class of people who live
along the rivers further South may be
VIC are not prepared TO state, but there
is no doubt of the truth of DR.. Spurs
estimate of them as we know them to
exist along the Ohio's banks. This, OF
course. does not include the numerous
fishing clubs and vacation parties
owning. or hiring, lighthouses, who
every year devote themselves to this
i.,nocent and healthful method of rec
reation and sport, but. simply to the
regular boathouse jewellers, who know
no other home.
Rut why. in speaking on this subject,
should DR.. Spur make special refer
ence 70 the people of the South? The
Ohio. to which stream he evidently
has special reference, is largely the
dividing line between the North and
south. These boathouse dwellers cam
not be said to come from the Southern
states Of West Virginia, Kentucky and
Tennessee i'm greater numbers than
they come from the Northern States
of Pennsylvania, Ohio. Indiana and