Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1900-09-24
NOVEL CONTEST.
Won His Bride Fairly With Pick And
Shovel.

shovel.
Willis V. Hill, accompanied by his
bride and his father-in-law, passed
through the Relay depot in East St.
Louis yesterday en- route to the east
for a bridal tour. The father-in-laW is
Robert Smith, one of the wealthiest
men in the southern part of st. Clair
county; the bride was the prize that
Hill won as the victor in contest w.
pick and shovel in an Illinois coal
mine.
Hill is a graduate of the University
Scranton, Pa, where his family has
large mining interests. AS boy and
youth he dug coal for sport and be-
came proficient A few months ago
his interests took him into the south
ern part of ST. Clair county. where he
met Miss Nony Smith. In short
while the two young people were
sweethearts, and soon afterward Miss
Nony told her father that Mr.. Hill had
asked her to become his wife.
''That dude?" he stormed. "Why q
dozen Of him would not be worth as
much as one of old Big jim Andrews!
Now, if he could do what Big jim
does-work for living and work like
a man ought to work-why, then, may
be I would think about it. But"
And the irate father ceased for the
lack of words.
Miss Nony told Hill Sadly what her
father had said Hill laughed.
$50 he thinks I can't work, does he?
All right. Well fool him." and he
sought Mr.. Smith. i
What would you think of match
coal-digging contest between Big jim
Andrews and MYSELF" he asked. eff
I win will you give me your daughter"
"You-you dig more coal than Big
Jim?' Well. if you can, you can have
Nony."
The contest was set for six weeks
! later. It was to be seven days race.
Hill quietly went to a coal mine near
Belleville and spent more than five
weeks in careful training.
On the first day of the contest Hill
and "Big Jim," who was to get $500 if
he won. met at one of Mr. Smith S
mines. They stripped and went to
work in the same pit, but in opposite
shafts. big JIM tried for a squirt,
hoping to so discourage his antagonist
that he would quit. Hill plodded
along. At noon big jim" had twice
the amount Of coal that Hill had.
At night he had two loads ahead. The
second day he gained another carload.
Then he felt sure OF winning and be-
gan a celebration in advance. 1t cost
him heavily, for the third day Hill
wiped out the three carloads adVan-
tage and was on even terms with him
at nightfall.
A note Of congratulation from his
sweetheart and Une news that her
father was already proud of him be-
cause of his grit was a good tonic for
HILL He continued to dig until the
sixth day found him one carload ahead.
Both men spurted on the seventh and
last day, and when the whistle sound
ed the end of the race Hill fell to the
ground exhausted But he was slight
ly less than quarter of a carload
ahead of big jim" and the prize was
his.
Hill recovered in a few days and the
marriage was celebrated. Mr.. Smith
was thoroughly in love with him and
made him a wedding present of the
mine in which the contest was waged
and also some valuable farm lands.
Then a bridal trip to Hills old home
was decided on. And it, was on this
trip that the trio departed yesterday,
each Of them happy and proud Of the
other two.-St. Louis Republic.