West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1916-01-06
Tunnelton Boy Seeing ~
Barberton. ~

bafDcftOn,
Editor Argus
Today will try to write n few lines
to Preston's leading paper. being a
SNAKE" as wo West Virginia people
are commonly known. My native town
is Tunnelton, although for the past IL
years since last October, have beon
absent. Nevertheless my mind is still
there In those dear old West Virginia
hills.
Akron boasts OF something like CO.,
900 or 10000 West Virginia people. so
you see we are not alone. Barberton
is suburb OF the Rubber City. All
one has to do in either city is to say
1 am from West Virginia and prove Il
and the position is HIS or hers for the
asking.
At present am spending the holi-
days and perhaps the winter with my
sister, Mrs. r. w. TrowbrIdge. Dur
ing my l2 years OF absence have been
travelling extensively through all the
states and territories except North
and South Carolina. or course 1 pre-
sumo from my opinion OF the South /
did not miss n great deal.
I spent most OF the past summer in
the New England states, mostly in the
White Mountains. One place In par
ticular l liked best OF all was my two
months stop at what is known as the
Hurricane Ranch and summer resort
overlooking White river valley and
Connecticut river valley in the Green
mountains of Vermont; also I'm the
distance was Hanover. N. H., with
Dartmouth College, then 10 South Cor
nish, N. H., President Wilson's sum-
mer home. Those mountains are
beautiful in summer time. / certainly
do not understand why people insist
on visiting foreign countries in search
OF scenery when we have plenty at
home.
Niagara Falls are something all
Prestonians should see. have been
there several times and expect to go
again. One certainly can enjoy a trip
over the Great Lakes and any one
wishing a trip any place in the u. s..
A. would be pleased to give them
my heartlest support I'm regard to
routes and so forth
The Yellowstone Park, also Glacier
or National Park. at Hanff, B. c., and
Alberta, In Canada, are grand, not to
mention the beautiful Puget Sound
country which i called home for Ave
years while l was In the government
service. transport service and I'm the
merchant marine service In nearly ali
principal ports OF the Pacific.
II happened we were lying at Gin
choo, or quarantine station at San
Francisco the morning of the great
earthquake and our ship, the Unatilla,
did good turn In caring for number
OF homeless people and on our trip
up to Seattle we certainly disregard
ed the u. s. marine laws as our pas
senger list was extended beyond our
license capacity but the weather was
good and we landed our refugees all
right.
But TO be In San Francisco during
the holidays one would hardly suspect
so great calamity had ever befallen
the city. The celebration Is wonder
full, with the Orientals always coming
off the prize winners. One will never
regret a trip to the Hawaiian Islands.
I always hated to leave them for
rather liked the native hula hula
dance.
But believe the United States is
big enough for me in the future. I
just came from Chicago, Kansas City
and ST. Louis. also was down in Okla
homa. The west Certainly has a sur
plus OF men while in my opinion the
east Is in better condition for pros
perity than ever before and my one
desire would be TO see West Virginia
strongly organized by union labor,
then the boys would get better work
ing conditions and as the West Vir-
ginia people sll over the state wish
the same thing and desire TO reside in
their native Mountain state, here's
hoping that West Virginia has a pros
porous year, for she has the natural
resources that other states have not.
Why shouldn't the working class OF
which she Is made up have better con-
ditions and their rights npheld. I
hope the boys will think this over
Something over 30 per cent Of the
hard coal miners Of Pennsylvania are
organized now. The average pay, I
think, Of the Tunnelton district is
about $1,000 a pay Why shouldn't Il
be s35 TO $4,000. ~ m a union district
Prices FOR living IN West Virginia
have not been reduced, see, 80 here's
hoping again that Wost Virginia
comes to the front IN regard to the
working class
A. this Is the frat letter I've tried
to write for The Argus J hope It will
be Of some interest to all who may
read Il and n possible wish 10 write
later.
Yours for a proepefoua New Yeart
also wish same 60 aii prestoulaz
GILBERT HofFsAy