The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-08-03

he looked around and decided TO go into
the mining business in earnest. He sunk
a shaft down near what is now known
as KeIlyville, and was soon full
fiedged miner.
Has Big Holdings.
Nike" Kelly. as he is known far and
wide, refused S35O0.OO0 for HIS holdings
in WestviIle and Kellyville recently. He
has six big mines. a big general store,
and supplies a vast amount Of coal 10
big Chicago firms each year.
KeIlyville. near this place, has about
two thousand population It's for
saken looking place. built up with dull
red cottages for miners and overgrown
with weeds It is fast losing its identity
and becoming a suburb Of this city,
which is growing rapidly.
Westville has borne an unenviable
reputation for so long that the citizens
are rather proud Of IL. Said one promi-
nent merchant:
The town has a bad name. and comes
by it rightly. The population is made
up Of a reckless class Of people In the
main. Hot headed, reckless and devil
may-care, the men work here today and
may be far away tomorrow.
There is a lawless element here, and
I have a gun loaded and handy all the
time. never know what minute there
will be a row, for the people are excit-
able and they hy into a passion quickly.
! had some trouble with a man in here
last night. ! went and got my gun
ready. and I would shoot him down in q
minute If / saw him coming in here to-
day 70 make trouble. That is the only
way TO get along with them"
WestvilIe gave a big street fair this
year. the first in the history OF the
town. and it was a very famous affair
One big brewing firm alone shipped in
and sold ten carloads of beer during the
week OF the fair.
The shows displayed in the tents along
the midway We're Of a most salacious
character and one in particular, where
a dozen nude girls danced. was crowded
from morning TO night by the sooty
faced miners
After the street fair was over the
managers donated $3.50 10 the New
Chistian Church and Young Mems
Christian Association that Is being
built on the main street
Free With Their Money.
The miners as a class are free with
their money. They spend 1t like water
when they have it. and on payday
night the town IS wide open. The thirty
one saloons are crowded 10 the doors
and fights are very frequent. About
10000 Is paid out every two weeks,
and the miners have big time when
the pay car comes in.
II is a town OF small houses, but each
house swarms with people. Families
crowd into little cottages and take eight
or ten bOardeTs. Some rooms contain four
nd frya beds and Tho unouTa F,uET1. %,
gether in cramped spaces.
Lithuanians predominant. and they are
fond OF show, dress, and religious pro-
cessiOns. They make much over we'd
dlngs and funerals, and are very faith
ful in attendance upon all church ser
vices. The men get from $40 10 $45 every
two weeks. and the money is spent free
~ A good many miners live in Danville
and go out each morning on what is call
ed the grounding" train. This consists
OF eleven box cars fitted up 10 carry
passengers.
Mr. Kelly is the whole thing In West
Vile. as he formerly was IN KellyviIle.
He owns all the mines. and the men
work for him He recently put up a
brick school, which is called the Kelly
Institute. and IS interested in everything
that builds Up the town. He builds cot
tages FOR the miners, and assists IN i'm
proving the town.
Runs a Big Business.
"Kelly's Patch" somebody called It
when Kelly began operations there. and
stin IL grew until KellyviIle took shape
and name, and shaft No. / was added 10
in shafts Nos. ?. 3. and T. and the vii
lage Of Westville. a half mile south Of
the original patch" touched lines with
Kellyville until today the two are iden-
teal on the map, with the Postoffice at