The Washington herald., 1908-09-06

Hinton, W Va, sent 5-Scarcely thir-
ty-fve years ago the city Of Hinton was
founded The completion Of the Chesa-
peake and Ohio Railroad in February
1S13. necessItated the establishment OF a
division point. yards. shops. and head
quarters oa the main line. and Hinton
was chosen as that point The town has
grown Up around the railroad. and IS in
every sense Of The word a railroad man
town, with a railroad conductor for may
or, and hardly a city Official. a business
OF professional man within its borders
that IS not now OF has not been a rail
roader.~
Hinton is the county seat Of Summers
County. W Va. and as such was arbi-
trarily established in ISL when the c0un-
y OF Summers ives created out Of CON-
bined segments Of Greenbrier. Mercer
Monroe, ana Fayette counties
At first II was the intention. as speci-
FED in the articles OF Incorporation. for
the county % establish the actual county
seat az the junction Of the New and
Greenbrier rivers. but after a year or so
OF argument the railroad company gen
erously donated the lands now occupied
by the court buildings. and the present
center Of Hinton became the political
center OF the new county
Farm Land Forty Years Ago.
Two old farms prior 70 the building
Of the Chesapeake and Ohio occupied the
site Of the present city Of Hinton and
the sister municipality Of Avis. The land
now covered by Hinton was the farm
Of old Isaac Bauengee. while the present
city OF AVIS vas owned by one JACK
Hinton The town was laid out by Ben
nett P Dunn, a civil engineer Of the
early days Of West Virginia
The growth Of Hinton from two farms
into q busy. modern Industrial city has
been gradual and certain To-day the
combined towns Of Hinton and Avis have
a population Of about 1C1o. the majority
Of which-at least the bread-winners-are
railway people The city occupies a To-
cation which well 5ustifes the establish
ment Of an industrial community. paral-
leling in size the railway community al
ready on the ground
The body polite CT Hinton Is composed
almost exclusively II Americau-born citi-
zens- The inroads Of foreign immiEra-
ZION here have been so slight that the
city presents as nearly q purely American
community as woGld be possible 20 find
IN the United States As q result Of this
the labor situation in Hinton is superior
70 that Of the average American indus
trial town The politics OF q purely rail-
way city such as this has been dominated
by railway men from the date OF the
ciry's foundation. not necessarily by the
railway interests but by the actual rail-
readers themselves. and Hinton and the
county Of Summers stand to-day on a
hrmer financial basis than any other city
or county IN West Virginia The admin
istration Of the city from its founding
has been above reproach- The two na-
tional parties have received equal prefer
ment in the town suffrage. and this has
also dons much 10 preserve the absolute
cleanliness Of municipal control
Hold Respect of Public.
It Is well known the railway labor or
CARNATIONS have ever held the respect
Of the public and their employers. The
allied railroad mea Of the United States
constitute what is certainly the cleanest
best. and most conservative OF all labor
organizations The presence Of four strong
orders such as the Brotherhood OF LOCO
motive Engineers, Order Of Railroad Con
ductors. Brotherhood OF Locomotive Fire
men. and Brotherhood Of Railway Train
men. in city Of the size Of Hinton tends
10 preserve a balance between capital and
labor mat would take a strenuous cam
paign By agitat0rs or abuses Of an IN
usual nature by employers 10 disturb.
The chief Industrial advantage Of Hin
ton as a business center lies IN its water
power. Within eight OF nine miles Of the
city in either direction are natural water
powers which would furnish an aggregate
OF Is3a10 horsepower without the erection
OF a dam Of any sort.
BY series OF dams. none Of them
greater than SIX feet IN height. an addi-
I5onal water power experimenting 10000
horsepower Is obtainable. The principal
one OF these great powers is that al
Sandstone Falls. about nine miles from
the city. which is capable Of developing
500 horsepower. F'1rtner I'D the New
River. about equal distance from Hinton.
is a second power OF about 20.000 horse
power. and AT Brooks. four miles below.
there is opportunity for 20000 horsepower.
The natural declivity OF the stream right
at the city would furnish a power Of
1900 horsepower With such power with
IN immediate access of the town il IS
remarkable that advantage has not been
sooner taken Of il by manufacturers.
millers. and others
Timber Lands Near BY.
Another advantage Of Hfntin-s location
is its close proximity 70 the richest timber
lands o. West Virginia The Meadow