The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-09-27

the rnte OF twenty-five cents a room per
week. The rental OF four dollars month
for four.room house would appear to be
reasonable.
All the business houses Of the town are
controlled by the company. Among these
Ia the largest general store i have ever
secu In Virginia.
The town is governed by mayor and
Town Council chosen by the people.
though there are no landlords among the
citizens There is jail as well as as
courthouse, and there has been no com
plaint that the calaboose Is too little oc-
cuped There is police force, and the
best order imaginable Is maintained.
There Is no liquor sold in the town. and
1t is the fixed Intention OF the company
TO prohibit its sale forever. This deter
minaton largely explains the policy Of
the management In holding all the land,
as In this way only can II be made GER
tain that IL will always be prohibition
town. There is a Methodist Church In
the town, but the other sects have not
vet appeared.
THE SCHOOL.
The people of Fries are proud OF the
public school. which they claim Is the
best in this section OF the country. The
town lew for the support of tile school
would maintain II but few months
every year. but the amount needed to
keep the school open ten months is sup
piled by tile company. As there are no
other industries to keep children under
twelve years employed. even were 1t not
for the State law which keeps children
from working in factories. the attendance
Is large and general l observe there Is
no lack of children In Fries.
MIR. a. T. Mckinney, who Is the super
intcndent OF the cotton mill. told me to-
day the output of the factory this year
would reach the enormous total Of 220O0.-
OK, yeards. The amount Of cotton con-
sumed this year will aggregate 1900 bales.
The cotton used comes from all over the
South. 1t is hauled by the Southern to
Bristol, thence east by way OF the Nor
felix and Western to Pulaski, and thence
south over the Cripple Creek extension
to Fries. Less than fifty miles to the
south is the line OF the Southern at Mt.
AIRY. The hint indicates tho tend OF
mind Of every man familiar with the
conditions and the locality at Fries with
reference to railroad facilities. and the
need of Improvement. I predict that It
will not be very long until the Southern
has branch limo to the town and the
cotton will be brought more directly to
the mills.
GOOD WAGES
But this is all by the way. was talk
ing Of the people of Fries. Mr.. Mckinney,
who Is from South Carolina. and an old
cotton mill man. told me that the wages
paid here are better than are paid in any
mill of the South Of which ne knows.
The people give every evidence OF being
we'll paid for their services There Is an
air OF prosperity everywhere Some OF
the houses have gardens attached and
all OF these are worked most carefully,
FOR, as may be imagined, the price Of veg
etables brought by train for fifty or sixty
miles is very high. But the fact that
there are few gardens. the gardens so
neatly tended, lends an air of thrift to
the town that Is most noticeable. It was
most significant to me that In a great
many Instances part OF the precious gar
Gen space was devoted to the culture OF
ho ,,' 1t is to the credit Of the cotton
MIL company that nothing additional is
charged the renter who happens to get
a house with garden attached
iHeIe is not manufacturing town IN
1, ,ste'lca SO wildly located as is Fries,
. :. ,, as there Is none which was built
~ quickiy. have not yet fully realized
me MOVIES OF the company in locating
80 far from the world The water power
:. fnagni,i ,l but the same is true OF
are much closer to the outside world
Almost the only evidences Of the presence
or man In tho world which are to be
f comndr, IN TINS locality is the town. The
any have seen in Virginia, and about
the most rugged portion was selected for
me site OF the mill and town. The noun
IAN comes down to the bank of the
river opposite the town, and the town It.
sen IS putt on a mountain side that
extends to the waters edge. The mill is
al me upper end of the town. and the
!airoad runs along the lower edge to
the mill. The dam Is above the mill
OF course, and as one stands at tho mill
and looks up the river he cannot help
feeling surprise at seeing people coming
n no 5nyr, r
appears that the country above is i'm
penetrable. much less inhabitable. Its
wildness and picturesque beauty cannot
be described any more than it can be
imagined by the man who has never
looked On IT. But the cotton mill COM
pany is not trying to make money out
OF the scenic beauties Of the place, how
ever valuable these may be TO proprietors
OF mountain hotels. These men are here
for the money that IS to be made here.
They are making money, and they will
stay Just so long as they can keep 1t
up. That was about the way in which
one of the management expressed 1t to
me to-day.
AN EXCURSION.
A large excursion, under the auspices
of the LODGES of odd Fellows and the
Mystic Chair, was run to Fries from
East Radford this week The party
came came here first and after inspecting
Spring, seven miles distant, where there
was picnic, dinner and speeches by
several gentlemen. including Ex-Governor
Tyler, two or three ministers Of East
Radford and Mr., Frank Cassell, Of that
place. the grand master OF the Grand
Lodge of Odd-Felows in Virginia. The
speeches were heartily enjoyed, and
that of Governor Tyler, which dealt
largely with the wonderful development
OF the resources of the New River vel
ley, was interesting In the highest de-
gree.
The most striking feature of the az
ternoon was the adoption OF q resolution
thanking the Norfolk and Western for Its
courtesies in connection with the trip.
I learned that the train was furnished
the lodge-men al a nominal cost, and
etforfs which the brakcmen and CON
ductors made TO answer every question
and to point out every point OF natural
beauty or Industrial activity We're equally
strong evidences of the wish OF the com