The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-02-11
Evening Chat

Thefs maybe moral IN httIe
tale about Josiah Thompson ana the
1ailfte which has meant 30 iueh for
paopie in Marion county which was
pfinted The other day I'D ashtngsi
TON Obseryer under d JJniontoWn date.
line and then again there may not
be- H probably d depends largely upon
the mental habit OF the reader. How
vef. here SIS the story and each one
can draw his own dednctions as to
Tie lesgionS or lessons 81 teaches:
An innate dislike for Thomas
Lynch, former presid lent of the ~. O..
Effck Coal and Coke company turn,
ca success from Josiah W Thompso
Mi followers declare. Thompson adj.
uiits that it was his ntfpathys for
Lynch that forced him to turn on his!
heel and walk out of the latter's Of;
fce Since that day Thompson has
found that travelling on the financial:
and gpecuIati Ting road very rocky:
live years ago the SFTickl Coal and
Coke company was In the field TO purs
chase additional coal land. Two,
months ago the Ericka Coal and Coke
company refused to buy at greatly
reduced price, some of these very
coal Hands! Five years ago when the
Trick company was in the market, fori
more land Thompson was invited 70!
NeWyYork to negotiate with officers
OF the Frfck company for the sale OF
some Of the property. On reaching
New York he wass shown into Me-
Frick's office. The coke king directed
Thompson TO Presid lent Lynch 5othce:l
When the Unionto town coal land opers5i
atorg faced President Lynch he said to
Lynch: 81.
II came here to do business with MT.
Prick and not you.
..Mr. Frick is in the adjoining OF.
dce,. said Lynch,
Thompson said he went to Mr.
i Frick's office and the coke and steel.
manufacturer said to, him: Z
aJoe come and have lunch with me.
Atiluncheon Thompson related what
Mr.. Erick said to him:
/" Joe; i look, after my other inter.
ests and Lynch looks, after the coke
and coal properties, but, regardless of
your dislike for Lynch, II want your.
price for those coal properties. 4
Thompson said he Offered the prop
critics to Frick for $500, 600.
According to Thompson; Frick said:
f.Joe, cut OF that 100000 and will
take the properties"
...My price Is $500, 000, said Thomp-
SON.
Mr.. Frick excused himself and left.
Thompson often said that his dislike
for Lynch inspired him to be- Short"
and ATTEMPTED a hard bargain with
F,rick which caused him to lose sale
that would at that time probably pre-.
vented subsequent financial diffcul=
ties.
Articles from the battlefield Of Eu-
rope that tell their silent, grim tale
ofithe carnage wrought, form inter:
esting display in the window of y. s.
Popleg G. Sons on Merchant street.
A Prussian helmet with the spike
missing; OF solid metal and leather lin
ing, that was left by a dead Prussian
artilIerist at Chauteau-Sa lin is one of
the most interesting of the relics win
itss label, For God; For King, For
Fatherland." others are IA French
knapsack; with gray coat ola Prus;
san Sinfantryman with the holes
Sthroughwhich the sFranch bullets pen.
etrated; the cap OF a Franch infantry
man; an exploded shell that us fat
tened out I'M the shape into which IT
was torn when the explosion dealt
death and destruction, part of a
German she'll "a French bullet, q
French officers, bayonet, q steel-heeledt
Prussian shoe; q wicker receptacle to
hold three of the heavy shells a rifle
belt, French artillery Jacket, bugle,
cartridge box; military book German
knRpsack, bayonet sheath, three car
tridges of Lebel gun, epaulete, Ger.
man cap, part Of shell, small leather
BELT, Mauser rife, covering of flask.
coat OF Colonel D. two fragments OF
shells; basket for protecting she'll COW
aringa for spade, Uhlan's helmet. piece!
Orient holder, cloth cap, French IN:
antry;ssmall belt, coat. Franch guard;
exploded, French field gun, covering
OF helmet, sword belt, cap 70 cover
German shell, cartridge box, canteen.
Many OF the relics were gathered
ffomtthei battlefield Of the Marne where
fheIa retreat from Paris in the
early stages of the war turned to meet
fhefFrench in pursuit. Each article
bearsSa card which gives the battle.
held on whichi It was found. Some are
FAMILIAR names and others that were
lost sight of in the many battles that
extended along the 400 mile front.
t-4 - NRhRNRN ,yE