West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1900-09-20
rHE TROUBLE ATT WEST END.
A Citizen Writes Up the Pull situation
in Reply to an Article In the
Journal.

! WEST END, september fzth. 1000.
Editor of The Argus:
We wish to reply TO an article in the
Journal under date OF September 9th. 1000.
written BY Justice" of Iunnelton. in re-
gard to the postofhce at West Ind. He
says the German Coal Co. asked to have a
postoiiice established at West End and
the Government decided to put the Office
in. He says work was good ana the men
were happy and contented and there was
no quarrel between them and the COMPANY.
He says r. $. LaRue Prohibitionist and
VIM Ramsey, a Republican. applied for
the Office. He says LaRue. who owns a
store At the West End. and the German
Company were al war and they did not
want Lakue TO have the Office az which
they would have to transact business and
he says VIM Ramsey got up a petition
ana had about as many miners sign his
petition as LaRue had on his.
Justice goes on to say that az that time
there was no trouble at the mine Now
let us see. Mr.. r. s. LaRue. who has
lived In Preston county for "a years and
has proved himself to be more true TO the
principles OF RepublIcanism than Justice,
or A. G. Dayton have ever been. was asked
keep the postofice in his store II thev
secured il for him.
Mr. LaRue hesitated at first. but finally
said he would serve il he was appointed.
SO in March. 1900. the citizens to the mum
Der OF about 90 voters who reside al West
End signed petition to the Fourth A..
sistant Postmaster General at Washing.
ton. ID. c, asking that postofice be
established at West End and r. :. LaRue
be appointed postmaster
This petition was sent to Mr.. lanes
flynn chairman OF the Republican commit.
tee oil Preston county. and he signed il
and recommended the appointment r. S.
Lakue Alter the petition had been cir.
cuiated for Mr.. LaRue. VIM. Ramsey who
mad Just came in from Mexico got up pe
tition and dated ii in January, making IL
appear II had been circulated one month
before Mr.. LaRue's petition. He got few
signers. some by falsehood and some by
deception. Mr.. Dayton was notified of the
| these facts but did not answer the comm.
nication but later on recommended the an.
pointment of Ramsey as postmaster NJ
West End. as soon as il was learned that
Ramsey had received his commission as
started TO circulate a petition asking for
ms removal and the appointment of r. S.
l.aK"e IN his stead. This petition was
signed by 2o7 voters who live in West End
and vicinity. over 400 of these voters are
Republicans but their request has been
stubbornly refused by Mr.. Dayton SO far
Later on the organized Coal Miners to the
number OF about 400 men took the matter
| up and notified Mr.. Dayton that thew
would not support him at the polls in No.
vember il he did not remove Ramsey from
the office. They also appointed a commit
tee 10 secure the return of the two neti.
tions OF LaRue and Ramsey or a duplicate
oil them. This committee wrote 10 Mr.
Dayton to secure them copy of the two
petitions filed at Washington ID. c. This
ne promised TO do later on but has not
oone So knowing IL he does his postmas.
'er from Mexico would most likely get into
trouble Will Justice" or Mr.. A. G. Day.
ton please secure copy OF these two peti.
tons Justice" says the men at West
End were all working and happy. when the
tact rs as every one in this community
knows the miners had to hire cbeck
weighman at their own expense and keen
they refused to do without the cbeck
weighman sign ironclad agreement to deal
a' me company store, sign one dollar per
month Tor company doctor. and one dollar
per month TO relief association, Vim.
Ramsey ordered them out of the mine
locked the mine up tor a time, tore down
the scales where their coal had been
weighed for twelve years cursed the laws
oil West Virginia. and sworc he would
have them changed. fenced ND the com.
panJ property, posted notices for all DER
sons to stay OFF the company's propertv
thus declaring them from getting to tbe
postoi1ce without trespassing. He also
placed Polander with winchester on
guard and people have been halted not
only on the company's property bur In the
county road at night. as they went to and
ITO about their business. Since our men
nave Deen locked out of the mine Ramsey
mas shipped some two or three hundred
Poianders and Italians to the West End IN
take the places of our American citizens.
We ask that the postohice be placed where
It is wanted by % per cent of the voters Of
this vicinity so our children and wives can
go for our mail without being halted bv a
winchester
his hands These are few of the facts
concerning the treatment OF the citizens AZ
West End. and IL the postofHce is not re.
moved from the pen It is now in the full
facts in the matter including Mr.. Dayton s
letters will be published
In regard to the war between Mr.. r. &
LaRuc and the German Coal companv the
statement is all false Mr.. LaRuc has
lived at the West End for six year. owns
land and three dwellings and one store.
house and is as anxious for the devotion
ment Of West End as the German Coal
company and has Informed us that their is
not the least III feeling between him and
the said company Mr.. LaRue has spept
80 years OF active life in the coal shines Of
West Virginia. has had charge of several
mines IN that time and holds 6rst.ciase
re concentrations from all the companv.s
he ever bosscd for. He tells as he csn
can the names OF two thousand coal mi.
ners in West Virginia and Is personally
acquainted with more coal miners than
any miner in Preston county
CITIZENS on WEST End
~ ~ - eWZDZrs "A A-A