The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-08-01

While on a trip through Europe
ten years ago, friend, OF mine IN
London introduced me to his broth
er with the remark: "Robert Con
lev is from West Virginia" Robert,
a. portIy English gentleman. OF the
John Bull type, rolled back IN his
chair and said: You could nave
told me he came from hell, and
would have known just as much
This statement is not true today.
Eyerybody. knows where West Viz
einia,s is. II has recently become
the Ireland Of America in the
minds OF many people. They are
purchasing maps of West Virginia
in a manner sim liar to the way they
bought maps of Europe in the early
days of August, 1914. Everybody
wants to know where Mingo, the
Tug River, Matewan and Logan
are located. ] presume in the neal
future we Will have an "Over the
Top Empey book which will be-
come "best seller
When native West Virginian
straySS TO zone of the outside states.
people gaze at him with wonder
mingled with half fear. They look
closely at his coat to see If they can
discern the imprint of six shooter
in his hip pocket. They regard
him as an exhibit, and one Of the
questions they ask is: do you live
near-w where all (this word empha-
sized) that fighting has been going
on2.
If the West Virginian has sense
OF humor, and most people from
this state have, he will probably an
swer: Yes I have six notches on
my gun" He will probably add for
effect that Sid Hatfield was his
boon companion before he lost his
life Thento make his story reals
tic he will tell of many battles IN
which he has engaged where hun
dreds of people lost theirlives.
a Wrong Impression Created.
Many people do not know the rea,
Yves. Virginia: the state that has
some of the most hospitable people
in the world; the state that can
boast of the purest bloodin A1neri-
ca Outsiders frequently think of
1t as a place where fueds exist,
tate to kill anyone who gets in their
way. where mining towns are armed
| camps with coal operators and mine
guards in trench facing armed
miners in an opposite trench with
Emo mans land between, and
where life is generally held cheap.
~ They arch their eyebrows and
say: Eyes, but how about your
armed march ~ When You explain
that in weeks fighting there was
one deputy sheriff killed, two vol
unteers and four miners, they think
you do not know what you are talk.
+, ing about. The Herrin massacre
the bomb explosion in Wall street
and even daylight robbery in
New York take precedence over
/; anyth1ng that has ever happened in
west Virginia.
Those OF u.s. at all familiar with
i the facts know that wrong i'm,
preston has been created about
J West Virginia We know that there
are no horrible conditions here such
as Investigators have reported
The West Virginia we know has
been hid behind the screen of. sen
1sational newspaper g stories pre-.
pared by prejudiced correspondents
and printed in yellow journals
Then too, :people, who have Interior
motives have taken advantage OF
4 the situation in order to gain their
lends. Il 81
Facts About West Virginia..
Area, square miles-24. O22;; IS,
374,0s0 acres.
Population. native white .s15,
s21.
Population. foreign born-e1, zoe
a per cent.
Population, colored- SO, a45.
Population, Indians and others
l121. 81
Total population. AS, FOL s..
Deepest we'll in. the world near
\ :Fairmont.
Largest stogie factory in the
gworid at Wheeling.
Largestgpa me icine factory
Il In the world atsyNhe cling.
Charleston has more wealthEpef