The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-09-10

| Ill .ulSCDItt tllc YOlI''l lllS LAAs' W. -
came and sat beside US. She looked OF
so nttentivey, sail why don't so,
| study algebra With your husband nnt
breaking out IN laughter, she said: rha
Is just what / am doing. AZ he had U
commence at he beginning, thought
could learn, too" After the explanation
was given he showed mo set Of tel
volumes OH mechanics md civil engineer
ing, which he had lately purchased nnt
priced very highly. His wife and children
are about him, and whlo earning money
ut digging coal, lie is digging away AT MS
books couple Of hours at night ana pc
coming Vii intelligent man, far above the
average.
said to myself This man Will surely
be found out some day by the mine OPP
era tors, who are seeking to rnlse the
standard of competency among mine boss
cs. engineers and others holding positions
where the knowledge Of higher mathe-
mates IS of daily use for successful work.
Advancing Under Difficulties.
a young man, nineteen years Of age
who works ut digging coal Is bound to
go to college and graduate from some uni
verslty. 1t must be n difficult task to
make the required preparatlon1bys study
ing nj night alone, under the disadvantage
OF having worked hard during tho day,
and having no liep except by correspond
encc, but the disadvantage does not seem
insurmountable to him, and / believe he
will In time place himself where he
wants to be. lie earns good wages and
LAYS a,,p money This keeps him l)ttoyant,
|. and he likes to cultivate the independent
spirit
In point OF character there arc us fine
examples In the lives of some OF these
,stalwart, strong miners as are found any
where While they generally do not have
n zeal for improvements they do not sink.
They take the banjo and violin; they en-
JOY the rest which they need and seek
recreation with their fellows in the fra
ternitics.
Most every miners home has an organ
or piano. Whether any one can play or
not an organ and often very Sre cos. ~
sometimes found in families utterly II
iteral They seem to think that BY own
ing an organ they can make music ny
making noise with IT. ana 40 liot t =.
ing which music teacher can give. = Ct
these families are proud and happy. JUS.
the same, In having as fine an orsuh VI
piano as their nelghbors own.
In these -the-way places III inc
mountains, where the miners would be
supposed to be law unto themseivesiss
and 10 lead reckless lie. II VII VII
be surprise to learn that one OF me
largest mining camps. If not the largest
in t1hc country, IS without saloon. and
there is none within a mile OF It's Dorders.
This is quite an anomaly, but sllch q pace
is the mine of tho Bluncr Coal and Coke
Company, at Lookout. This prohipltioh
measure is not n forced one made py the
principal owner Of the mine-Mr. DaViu
w. Boone-or there We're saioTn ~ ,'ur Is
had been circulated every month Tor y
long time previous, and temperance prln-
ciples had been kept before the peopIe'
Boonc's hearty cooperation and ms lea "a
ing men were all on the right side OF the
question. In April petition was CIR
culatcd to refuse license to any o saloo ,ll
every miner could sign II or not, as ne
wishcd-and an opportunity was gwen
10 all, each to decide for himself. 3S an
Overwhelming majority or the ncariS tMo
dred souls, It was voted to have no license
and the county court complied with the
request. II was brought about wlthou.
any strife and without o,lter'i ss ns'''t''.
the saloon keepers and their lEleEus'
The Difference.
The moral Of this Is there Is big
difference between a coul-mining, camp
With mission churches and no saloons
and camp with saloons and no churches.
Everything goes on peaceably as before;
and 1t looks nov as IL hhe s t,oe ~ou'"
The prosperity of tho miners In Fay
cite county is noticeable even by a
stranger. The miners themselves are
contenIcd. because they are doing well;
1'ha rowing class are ever coming and
going, moving every few months. Their
condition is incident to all mining towns
and. gives no view of the real stability
that exists But in spite of this quiet,
order and prosperity agitators from r.
other States, and often from great dis
,ances. are in the vicinity, having their
head offices in cities nearby and are
trying to stir UP a discomfort, SO that
a strike may be precpltnted II the need
of such n measure Is felt by the miners
1t should start among themselves, and
their wants should be made known. But
instead of this the nsitntors from outside
are trying to foment an issue--somc time
in the future, next year, on when they
can get it---nnd for what reason the
miners themselves do not know.
One thing Is certain--the common sense
of the miners as a mass and hundreds
OF families who have grievously suffered
heretofore, hope most earnestly that the
present prosperity may not be disturbed
The public opinion Is such that tho move
ment Is not likely to make much head
way, or last long time at most,
A. b. BROWN.