Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-09-01
SOME FACTS About MDowEid.


Mcdowell county. West Virginia.
stands today an isolated example Of
continuation OF the old Recon
struction' regime. Probably no
section OF the south suffers more
from the 1isgraces of such a CON
dit.on. both socially and politically.
Yet 1t would be unjust TO the Re
publican party as whole to accuse
1t OF the responsibility: this is to
be placed on local OF anders.
1t would be wrong. too. to over
look those men who strive to better
the conditions; there are many up
right men, both Democrats and Re
publicans who arr working for the
common greed but the shame OF the
county ann the state is i'm the weak
ness of the state government. The
Republican party is unfortunately
pledged to keep up the negro equal
ity. No matter how they attempt to
evade this assumed duty. it is ever
to b. burden to them. Hence the
republican administration will ever
be weak.
We must remember that the Po-
cahontas coal field is comparative
ly newly settled, the masses being
natives of many sections. AS is
usually the case in such sections.
the first corners had no very strong
ties to KEEP them at home; often be
ing fugitives from justice. When
we see the country from which this
territory would naturally draw its
working classes. we need not be sur
prised at the large percentage 4.
negroes. Nor do we marvel at the
result
The coal operators find the negro
labor more satisfactory than any
other for various reasons. They
lack the unity which characteriZes
the Italians; they are more easily
driven than native Americans; more
codicil in many respects than any
other class Of labor. Moreover
they are instructive spendthrifts ana
large percentag, Of their earnings
comes back to the company store"
All in all the negro laborer is a
profitable acquisition.
The operators are not actively
aiding the negro in the work of cor
ruption, but are too often passively
ignoring the true state of affairs.
There are exceptions, some of our
best men being high officials in coal
companies. In fact, there can be
no doubt that the conditions are
much better than a few years ago
1t is indisputable. too, that there are
are many respectable negroes in Nc
Dowell county. But the immoral
minority, by devilish methods have
grown wealthy and insolent The
laws of the state either do not pre-
vent such conditions or they are not
enforced.
Keystone, small town, is the
center of the Mcdowell county hor-
ror: to describe it truthfuny this
place would require language too
filthy for publication. A. l.. Cal
houn, the negro millionaire, as he
is termed, is the largest property
holder there, and no decent Ian
guage can tell how he accumulates
wealth. The marvellous thing is,
how the respectable people in Key
stone can live in such conditions.
Northfork, a newer ana smaller
town, about one nile east o. Key
stone, has a good nam. and is rap
idly becoming a strong factor in fl
nancial and political influence. T. IS
only fair to name some of the men
who have helped to accomplish
these results. Among thcm are:
DR.. l.. II Clarke, nominee for con
gress on the Democratic ticket: Col.
l.. h. Tierney, one Of the wealthlest
coal operators and one who has tn
interest of his country above his
own; Mr.. Lester G.. Toney, mayor.
and an energetic successful bus,-
ness man, and many others who
have used their influence for good
We can say that Keystone mark
the eastern limit of the worst con
ditions, which extend westward TO
WEIGH, varying in Intensity, Kim
ball. four miles west of Keystone.
being almost as bad as that place.
while Vivian, one mile east of Kim
ball, is quite respectable. Land
graf one mile east OF Vivian. is q
strong negro headquarters. While
the next place. Eckman. is rather
mixed in its population. From Key
stone east Is much better. and as
we leave NorthfOrk we hn1 the b Pc
ter element much more in evidence.
The powhatan and Elkhorn pro
cincts are strongly Democratic even
the negroes often voting Democrat
ic East OF Elkhorn we find varied
conditions. until we reach Coaldalc.
which is in Mercer county. 70 IS
noticeable that where Dcmocra
are predominant the people are uui.
eter, more law-abiding and lack
much of the coarsenoss. brutality
and immortality so apparent fin 9th
er uIgcGg