The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-11-11
4 MOUNTAIN TOWN.
simple and Homogeneous Settlement In
Let cher County, Kentucky.

Letchef County, ke0tuchy.
To THE EDITOR or TIE SrS-Sir: Whites
burg. Letchsr county. Ky. 10 purely
American town. or was when I was ther'
some years ago. as it remains unchanged
| from year 10 year " is situated some
forty-hve miles or such a matter from Z
railroad. and these miles are traversed over
mountain and creek roads on which IL two
miles and half an hour can he maintain
for more than one hour the traveller may
consider that he 10 likely to make record
speed II there ia any place on earth where
he aeroplans could M a long felt want IL
is through this and contiguous sections Of
kentucky
Whmesburg. the county seat OF Letcher.
IL situated on the north fork Of the Ken
tncky River and contains a population OF
about a-venfy-rve people. These are all
Of unmixed American stock. and there was
not IN the town when was there German,
frenchman. Italian, Irishman or other for
eign nationality. and not one negro. A
-virRinny Niger had struck the town
few weeks before my arrival. but the curl
osity he excited got on his nerves and he
moved on toward the Bluegrass. There
was neither Jew nor Catholic in tho place,
nor any representative Of any religion save
the usual prevailing ants Of the
mountains There was no church house.
but frame structure used part Of the time
a. q school house answered the purpose
during OF hours
The court house was ar Imprinted brick
building with q wooden Jail a. the rear.
This Jail Was eighteen feet square and built
Of eighteen inch plank. two inches rhick.
set on edge for floor and ceiling and fat wise
for aides. the plsnks being nailed together
ny innumerabie large nails 10 prevent pris-
onsrs from cutting or saving their way out
This frame work was built around n steel
cage about fourteen feet square There
" a. one brick residence owned and occu-
pied nv the most prominent citizen who
though not q piutocrat had since the
civil war .oId $3.50. oco worth Of sang gin
s~ng, out of The county as a side line 70 his
other enterprises. There was no hotel, and
he Ine expected visitor took shelter where
he could find II. vas not unexpected l
should never have gone theye otherwise.
stopped at The brick house and may say !
hat " good eating WAS all a man wanted |
N this world he need not have gone further
There we're four stores but no black
smith or carpenter shop. nor shoe shop |
lor q butcher shop. nor a bake shop. nor !
fruit stand. nor a laundry. nor a saloon /
lot even n blind tiger nothing TO drink ,
Iui water There had never been a circus
lear the town. nor a travelling show IN II.
Tor had ever . hand PLAYED there or SYM
,hOnS concert haen heard The main street
vas grassy from -ide to side. ana one day !
ss passing t-amsref unhiiCh hi= mules
n the very midst and give them their mid
Law meal Those who lived on that street
mixed their cows al their front gs'es. and
hose " ho lacked space in their back Yards
sd the street for their woodpies The
ny time OF The day wnen the street pos
? sedan air OF activity v as jus, before dusk
hen the omen we're milking and the men
hopping stove wood. The houses were