The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-29
STRIKERS TOWN OF REFUGE,
STAMFORD CyTy'. ~. Va. 4 COW.
MUNiTY UNLIKE ANY OTHER.



the rioting coal strikers and the deputy
narshals and the Sheriff's posse is a UNIQUE
community.
II Is hot mining town, as might be SUD.
posed from it's situation and the fact that
1t was the scene Of such conflict. In fact.
It was especially built for those who NJ.
fuse to mine. and is the city OF refuge. a.
II were, for those who cannot find lodge.
ment In the mining towns of the upper
Fayette and Raleigh coal field.
Sincethe strikers have adopted the policv
Of gathering In large numbers. camp
Ing and marching. with a view TO intim,
dating those who have remained at wori
the operators have pursued the policy Of
securing all the. ground about their mines
either by lease or purchase, until IL has be-
come almost Impossible to set foot in the
mining region without pressing soil ooh3
trolled by the mine owners and covered
by the injunctions Issued at one time or
smother at their suit. In this way the
strikers have been crowded out .durins
the past year. They have been evictd
from the houaee in which they lived when
at work to make room for those who wanted
TO dig coal. and when they have sought to
set UP their camps to intimidate the miners
they have found It difficult TO secure sites.
When the coal men OF this region attacked
the great veins lying hidden in the precipi-
tous sides Of the Piney gorge, old Temp
Queeenberry (called "Cushenberry' by the
natives) was one OF the first to cell his
property. running back on the mountain
for considerable distance and bounded
on one side by Stamford Creek. A ooun-
try road crosses Stamford Creek and runs
through the old Quesenberry property,
and he got the idea that he had good sits
for q town. Therefore when he sold his
land to the coal men be reserved q con.
siderable part Of the surface at that par.
ticulsr point. ~
The men who purchased his land did
not appreciate at the time the necessity
of controlling all the surface near their
mines. and possibly IL they had they would
not have regarded this old-time farmer.
crossroads storekeeper and sawmll man
as an undesirable adjoining owner. Be
that a. IL may, they allowed him to keep
the surface he wanted.
He had q part OF his property laid out
In town lots, and Immediately began to
Stamford City as a coming town,
where. desirable city property could b
bought cheap.
When the strike came on and the walking
delegates formed their army Of intimida.
ton and were being driven from tentins
ground to tenting ground by the operators
who wanted TO conduct their business In
peace. Stamford City's time seemed to
have arrived. Here was q place In which
real estate could be secured cheap. and
L.
for the owner Of the land was also the owner
Of Q sawmill, and II would be much moro
profitable for him to work up the cut Of his
mill into houses right on the ground than
to transport it down through the gorge
and on to market by railway.
The location was desirable. because Q
large number OF mines were within essy
reach Of the town. The mincs at Lanark.
Stonewali, Wright. Stamford. Royal are
within three miles, while not far away on
The other side Of the river are the Big q
and sCloremont mines and the mines on
laurel. Even Glen Jean. Sun. whipple,
Red Star. White Oak. Turkey Knob ano
he full line Of mines on Big Loup, are easily
reached from this spot
So, backed by the United Mine Workers
IF America. Quesenberry went to work to
build houses for the strikers. A commits
,sry was set up at his store. where the sup
plies furnished the members OF the union
N strike were stored, and where they
we're issued at stated intervals. In all
'ome twenty-five residences Of the Jenny
ind variety were erected. to be quickly
lied by the families Of striking union men,
md soon on each ration day men could be
zen coming to town from every direction
md returning home laden with supplies
The town soon became the abode Of an
dement, that had long been regarded
throughout the countryside with sus-
,icion. Every, ne'er-do-w well ~ thu noun
ain district became a frequenter Of tho
lace. where. by calling himself a member
q the United Mine Workt ~, he could draw
rec rations. In the list Of those who were
Irresied at Stamford City are the NAMES
or many years furnished work for tho
riminal side OF the Federal court that
neets In this city. and have served
erms 10 Federal prisons for Illicit tail.
nc al liquors. for producing whlskey OF
he mountain dew variety, ard occasion-
'hsss men have never been milers, hey
ave never dug coal or don. any other
ind OF manual labor Bur they made
- Of the opportunity Offered by th" stlike
10 thoroughly unsavoTy had the r.pula-
Ion OF the town become among the honest
arIners and working pc PIE W. that region
hat bore no other nan.a with ibt M Ian
hat Of sbuEzArds' Roosi'
When u bssAIne known that q number
Z thoee people had dlsobeyed Judge ksl.
ere blanks injunc ion by goiIs 20 the
'rop@rty Of ysrlOu- coal op1atoT- aid
rytnG 10 iniimidAls workman, attach
nsnts seSe issusd by judo JAGkson, In
hs absenoe ~ Juds. sllsr' and Dan Gun.
inshsm and rpinb z ~ otlrr ID pli.s
Iere sent "a sspe thsn u lound
oms " tbs nsn wanted 81 AIhinsNille,
our ot nye Mii-s frCip baIsiuTu tly.
nd told tho NilAi Nss "aiii'd Tic
lriksis onisr,d usm Ia hsFs, aLd Ia
les ~ ths " nfeTlof Hunt - ~ nnio"is
bsysd, " iuInh.s hsre uiiili Efain o.
eisod lAsi f1sa lellf "a nass % slfssis
o mai ~ Los mani m,h irgull'd
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h<Ai.sfuid nv sss tls nsuli ~ hsa
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