Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1921-12-02
POCAHONTAS IN OLDEN DAYS
INTRODUCTION OF SALOONS.

Pocahontas, Va, Nov. 29.-The in
PRODUCTION of the licensed saloon in
to the life of the town was consider
cd by some as Il triumph of right
eousness, in view of the demoraliA-
ing conditions that had prevailed for
some time. Blind tigers had been n
common rs grocery stores, and II
there is in reality such thing as
good whiskey it was not to be found
in these blind tigers. 1t was full of
a connection that stupcfed. nullified
and kililied. Homecides were fire.
uucnt. Sometimes two or three day
ut payday times. 1t was common
saying that these blind tigers open
ed out at Blucstonc Junction, j. e.,
one would go down into dug out
ut Pocahontas and CONE out at Blue
stone Junction. OF course there was
no truth in such IL statement, but
, there is no denying that some of
them were clcvcrly constructed, as
regards security or immunity from
being reached by an officer 1t is
said that in some OF them all that
": necessary was to place quartet
of u dollar in the SLOT 1T certain
place nd the machine would slide to
one side or slide back and almost i'll
stantly return with the size of bot
tic wanted, ithout the customer
Getting even IL distant view of the
dispenser OF the beverage. In other
Instances t was said to be arranged
so that the customer would press II
button t, get what his appetite call
ed Tor. But certain it is that there
was no trouble to get it. And in view
Of the fact that every such purchase
was then as now. direct violation
pf the law. the effect was very de-
norallzlng. Lawlessness begcts law
lcsSncss, and conditions became sol
bad that the people almost well
coined the saloons, in the hope that
they would be relief from existing
conditions.
When whiskcy with its attendant
Evil gets foOthold III community
it is like the proverbial Gait has
many lives and dies hard 1t was
allowed TO flourish like the green
bay tree, in Pocahontas for many
years The people of the town be-
came SO accustomed to the saloons
that they almost lost sight of tn,
moral side of the question, until
their eyes would be opened now and
then by the effects of some shockin.:
tragedy. Still those who were oppos-
ed to the saloons and opposed tol
whiskey in any form were largely
in minority until the evils grew III
cnormity and influence, although
curbed by the hand of the law, until
the people rose up in their indigna-
ton. called an election and under
the inspiring leadership of such menj
Ss Rev. A. X. Kennedy and Rev. 5. |
w. Moore, booked by the Saloon
League of Virginia voted to drive out
the saloons. At this time there were
about IL saloons and two or three
Wholesale beer houses. all paying to J
the town the sum of $500 each Tor
license, and about an equal amount
to the state The amount for town
license was doubled in later wears,
but while this caused n protest on
the part of the dealers it did not de-
ter them i'll asking for and obtaining
license.
The local option election, as stat
ID, was II distinct victory in favor
IF dry town. Christian people VIM
ere living i'll the town at the time
will never forget tho morning the
election was held during the month
IF Nov. At 6 O'Clock n. m. n PRAYER
meeting was held ut the Methodist
church. Numbers of Christian people
attended. All day long the temper
'nce workers and their leaders were
songs that were heard all over town.
IN the streets. frequently singing
they served hot coffee and sandwiches
Judges and workers of the election
Wen were touched, and made to
hlnk. The vets had not left II stone
lnturned They had taken nothing
FOR granted. They had list of vot-
ers they thought they could count
on But the people were aroused and
determined. And they wa the cleo
ton.
But there is another story to tell.
Col. Campbell Slemp, representative
IN congress from the 9th district,
had died some time before this, and
Governor Swanson had ordered n
special election to be held to fill the
vacancy. The dry leaders, not will
ing to take any risk, had written 10
the attorney general of Virginia. ask
ing his opinion of the statute which
provides that local option election
should not be held within thirty days
| OF state of federal election would
render the election invalid. He ALI
sswered in the negative giving it as
his opinion that this was a special
election and did not come within the
meaning of the statute. SO the drys
| did not change the date of the cleo
ton but went on and held it Mt the
time first agreed upon.
| After the election there was quiet
for time. No one suspected but
what the saloons would 20 out at
the time provided for. Even the So
loon keepers thought the law would
take it's course. But they quietly
went to work and raised large sum
| T money, running up into thousands
81 dollars, from among the salooL
*ccpers, the object of which was to
have the election upset.
Something took place before tn.
time for the saloons to cloce. TIL,
Judge of this district gave decision
4 that in his opinion the called nln.