Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1916-10-25
THE 'CL|FTY SPIRIT
What It Has Done and Is Doing at the
Mines Of the CIifty Consolidated
Coal Company Along Lines
of Better Citizenship,

The "Clifty Spirit. To those VIII
have not visited the little mining tow
of Clifty, just over the White count.
line, and who have not learned what i
being done there, that expression
means little. To those who understand
it's meaning, there are volumes in it
The Chronicle editor and wife wer'
recently motored there by Frank Lem
ert and all learned what the "Clift!
Spirit means.
: 1t is the general custom IN mining
camps for the operators to offer little
encouragement towards thrift on the
part of their men. On that point the
manager Of the Clifty Consolidated
Coal Company. DR.. W. B. Young. de
parts abruptly from the usual custom.
It is the purpose OF this article to tel
briefly of some of the things DIR. Young
has put on foot to help the men to be-
come better citizens, to have more OF
the comforts and retinements of lite
and to become food producers.
CLUB ROOM.
Y The first move was to establish a
club room where they now have sixteen
monthly and weekly magazines, three
daily papers and several weekly pa
pers, all of which are free to club
members. This club room IS situated
near the center of tine village of about
200 people and answers as a town hall.
Amusement hall and reading room. 1t
is built ell shaped and could seat close
to 300 people. 1t was built in one day
by the men. When building day ar
rived more men were on hand to offer
free aid than could be used. The first
meeting night officers were chosen and
ss6 was raised to support it.
In this room there are several long
tables with chairs where boys or men
may read and play games. The night
the writer was there ABOUT twenty five
men and boys were present. No more
pleasant, quiet and orderly gathering
meets anywhere.
During the summer months Ice cream
is served Friday and Saturday nights
and the profits 60 to meet club ex-
penses.
The women and children are not for
gotten, for frequently an evening is
devoted to a spelling match, recita-
tions, ETC., in which the women and
children take part and royal good
time ia had by all.
THE CLUB OFFICERS.
At present L. S. Bumgardner is
President and K. d. Holt, Secretary.
The benefits OF the Club Room are not
confined to the people of Clifty. Any
person in that section who chooses to,
may frequent the club room, enjoy the
reading matter and partake OF its ben
efits generally. As result J. l.. An
derson, M. L. Taylor, }. l.. Lowe and
other good citizens of that section are
often at the meetings and frequent the
reading room.
One may think there are no churches
or secret orders there and for that rea-
son the reading SOON 10 . necessity.
There are three established church or
CARNATIONS and . Masonic lodge.
There lie not CHURCH house in town.
All the church organizations use the
school house, waieb Is q eommodious
building. where Prof. J. E. Brandon
and his two assistants conduct sue
cessfui school nine menths each year.
So harmon,ovsly do these churches
get along that members OF all the
churches attend all services. Any
church denomination 10 welcome to use
the building and all services are we'll
attended.
The people are 20 Jealous about the
''Clifty Spirit" that church, politics
md all organizations must yield to the
we'll being of the community as q
whole. |,
TO meet the Chfty people and feel
that large and kindly spirit they ex-
tend to strangers awakens ones keen
Det admiration.
We were entertained at the hotel
conducted by Mrs. +. h. Moore. The