A double grave dug at Fort Gay in Wayne County last week received the bodies of Norma May, age 3, and Natalie, age 1, daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Liceasay Branch, Huntington negro family. The two children were burned to death Wednesday of last week, Jan. 15, 1930, when their home was destroyed by fire.

The bodies of the two were brought to Fort Gay, this county, for burial following funeral services in Huntington. The mother, Helen Branch, had a baby less than two weeks old and was unable to attend the funeral and burial services of her children. The parents and four brothers and sisters survive.

The children were trapped behind flames when their home caught fire.

Mrs. Helen Branch, the mother of the tots, both of them girls, who was ill in her bed in an adjoining room with a two-weeks-old baby, narrowly escaped the fate of her two children, when she, clutching the infant to her breast, was forced to climb through a window to a narrow roof to escape the licking flames.

The bodies of the children, Natilie, 2, and Norma May, 3, were found half-way under their bed, where they had sought to escape the flames and terrific heat.
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Two men were killed and several others severely shaken up in one of the worst explosions that ever happened in Wayne County on last Friday, Jan. 24, 1930, when a settling tank of crude oil at the Tri State Gasoline Refining Company's plant at Kenova exploded. $15,000 damage was done to the plant. The exact cause of the explosion is not known. The plant employed thirty people.

Buddy Robinson, 23, still operator, and Floyd McCracken, 28 still fireman, were killed, and Roger Caldwell, 24, mechanic was burned about the face and neck and was suffering from shock. Caldwell was later removed to his home from the Rife-Ferguson Hospital.

The concussion of the blast was felt by people in Huntington and a ten-mile radius of Kenova.

The concussion was so great in Catlettsburg, directly west of the Refinery across Big Sandy River, that one of the windows was broken out of the offices of County Clerk John S. Secrest in the Boyd County court house. Many homes in Hampton City were badly shaken when the blast let go.

Hurled Hundred Feet

Caught beneath sheets of flaming oil which splattered a distance of a hundred feet an instant after the explosion, Robinson was burned almost beyond recognition.

McCracken, who died two hours later in the Rife-Ferguson hospital at Kenova from injuries, and Caldwell were both working a short distance from the settling tank, in which the residue of the large cracking plant is pumped, they being hurled a distance of approximately 100 feet by the force. McCracken covered with burns was picked up after his body had been blown over a railroad sidetrack in the plant and lodged against an automobile parked near the offices of the refinery.

Woman Is Shaken Up

Miss Gretus Jordon, an office employe, was more seriously injured than others who were in the office building when the blast occurred. Miss Jordon, it is reported, was thrown across a table in the office against a wall of the building. She was removed to her home in Westmoreland, where her condition was reported favorable.

W. D. Manz, assistant Superintendent, who was cut about the face by flying glass and burned by the spray of oil, and Miss Jordan were treated in the offices of Dr. Roscoe Stotts in Kenova. Mr. Manz collapsed from shock in the offices of the physician. J. H. Lambert, mechanic, was hurled to the ground but not injured.

With the exact cause of the explosion still a mystery, preparations are being made to install an entirely new process of refining gasoline to eliminate the possibility of the recurrence of such an explosion, Commander C. G. Davidson, president announced this week.

Mr. Davidson said that the explosion was similar to others which have occurred in other parts of the country, caused by chemical reactions from the temperature of the crude oil. Technically the accident remains a mystery, Mr. Davidson explained, stating that "all we know is that it happened."
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Under this heading Wayne County News is publishing from time to time interesting bits of local history. We shall appreciate accurate contributions for this column from ore loaders.

SOME INTERESTING FACTS

A number of interesting facts are contained in the following historical sketch about Wayne County which appears in the newest edition of the West Virginia Bluebook. The following sketch is particularly enlightening about some of the things of interest in the life of General Anthony Wayne, the man for whom our county was named:

Wayne County takes its name from General Anthony Wayne, who won fame in the Revolution and glory at the battle of Fallen Timbers, where he broke the Indian Confederacy and saved the Virginia border from hostile incursions of the red tribesmen. His service to the western settlers was recognized and rewarded by the bestowal of his name upon this important county.

Anthony Wayne was born in the township of Eastown, Chester County Pennsylvania, on January 1, 1745. He was educated in Philadelphia, and later opened a surveyor's office in his native town. He was sent to Nova Scotia in 1765 to locate a grant of land from the crown to a company of Pennsylvanians, and was made superintendent of this settlement. He held this place two years, when he returned and resumed his profession. In 1773 he was appointed a representative to the general assembly of his state, and quitted the council for the field in 1775, when he was appointed a colonel in the Continental Army. His first duty was service in Canada with General Thomas, and at the close of the campaign there, in 1776, he was appointed a brigadier general. He was the commander in chief at Germantown, Brandywine and Monmouth, in all of which engagements he was distinguished for his valor. The storming and capture of Stoney Point raised him to the highest mark in the admiration of his countrymen. He went to the south with the Pennsylvania line in 1781 and cooperated with Lafayette in the Virginia campaign, culminating in the surrender of General Cornwallis and his army at Yorktown. After this campaign he operated in Georgia with his troops and with such success that the Legislature of Georgia paid him the compliment of endowing him with a valuable farm. He served in the Pennsylvania convention that ratified the Federated Constitution then removed to his Georgia farm and was honored by that state by election to Congress and served from March 4, 1791 to March 21, 1792. He again entered the service of the United States Army as a major general, and general-in-chief of the army, and personally took command of the troops sent against the western Indians, who had destroyed the army of St. Clair and other troops sent against them. "Mad Anthony" was not a name given in jest, and General Wayne immediately determined that he would justify the popular name given him. He set about his campaign slowly but surely, and in the battle of Fallen Timbers, fought in August, 1794, he completely overwhelmed and crushed the hostile tribes. The frontier was relieved from ever-present dread of the recurring Indian raids, and a great empire was open to the settlement of the Whites. General Wayne concluded a treaty with the Indians one year later, and while engaged in public service, returning from a trip to the west, fell ill and died in a hut at Presque Isle on December 15, 1790. General Wayne was one of the outstanding military leaders of the Revolution, he led his troops against odds when others feared to move. He it was who remarked to the commander-in-chief that "he would storm hades if you (Washington) will only plan it.''

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CONGRESSMAN JAMES A. HUGHES

The death of Congressman James A. Hughes last Sunday afternoon, Mar. 2, 1930, has removed from public life in West Virginia one of its most widely known and best loved citizens.

The citizens of Wayne County have particular reason to mourn the passing of this illustrious man as the loss of a loyal friend. For many years the life of Mr. Hughes has been closely identified with Wayne County interests. He had ably represented this county in Congress; much of the campaigning of his early years was on Wayne County soil; he had lived in Wayne County and at his death was an extensive property owner here; his widow, Mrs. Belle Vinson Hughes, is a native Wayne County woman. All of which causes our people to keenly share the wide-spread bereavement which the news of his death has brought.

As a public official Mr. Hughes was unselfish and public-spirited to a high degree; as a citizen and a business man he was progressive, energetic, broadminded; as a friend to thousands, regardless of race, religion or politics, he was loyal, sympathetic, thoughtful, always possessing a rare capacity for friendship for the man or woman who needed his assistance.

Mr. Hughes was one of the most dependable and aggressive supporters of the Republican party in the State, yet he was never partisan to the extent that he would not befriend a man of opposite political beliefs quite as readily as one of his own political faith. Indeed he lived that virtue in a remarkable manner.

Those whose privilege it was to know him intimately, and that number is legion, knew Mr. Hughes to be a Christian gentleman, a faithful and honorable public servant and a man who valued his personal friendship as his greatest asset in life. And no better eulogy could be paid to any man than that. His career of nearly throe score and ten years is crowded with noteworthy achievements and kindnesses which cause him to be highly respected and affectionately remembered by a great army of people in every walk of life.

In the last conversation which the writer enjoyed with Mr. Hughes he expressed a sentiment revealing his fine character by saying that after all man's only excuse for existence in the world is the good he can do for his fellowman.

In the room of the writer hangs a framed expression of this same philosophy under the title "The Love of Friends." It reads:

"Man strives for Glory, Honor, Fame,
That all the world may know his name,
Amasses wealth by brain or hand,
Becomes a power in the land.

But when he nears the end of life
And looks back o'er the years of strife,
He finds that Happiness depends
On none of these,—but love of friends."

* To the friends and relatives of Mr. Hughes comfort and solace may be had in this sad hour by reflection upon the life he lived and the friends he made. Truly, he found his happiness in life in the love of friends and in their hearts he still lives m loving memory.
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One of the most welcomed items of Wayne County good roads news that has been received here in a long time is the following official notice from the State Road Commission which provides for the immediate grading and gravel surfacing of the road between Wayne and East Lynn, a distance of approximately seven miles. The road is already well graded except for a few minor changes.

It will be recalled by our readers that in our issue of January 30th we published a news story telling of the State Road Commission designating as a State Highway the road from Wayne by way of East Lynn, Stiltner, Kiahsville, Cove Gap and Lincoln county, affording direct connection between Wayne county and the Logan county coal fields. The information was received from the commission following a conference in which members of the State Road Commission and Members of the Wayne County Court and County Road Engineer H. O. Wiles participated.

Sam W. Perry, East Lynn coal operator, has been one of the moving spirits behind the project to surface the road between Wayne and East Lynn and when appraised of the fact that the project is to be let to contract on April 1st, Mr. Perry expressed much satisfaction and again pointed out the advantages that the people of Stonewall and Grant districts will gain from this section by the State Road Commission.

Following is a copy of the official Notice to Contractors as issued by the Road Commission this week, in which it is announced that the East Lynn road will be let April 1st:

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Sealed proposals will be received by the State Road Commission of West Virginia at its office in Charleston W. Va., until ten o'clock A. M., Tuesday, April 1, 1930, and said proposals will be publicly opened and read immediately thereafter for the construction of the following section of State Road.

Projects 51 and 2218 -- Wayne County -- 7.0 miles of Wayne-East Lynn Road for Grading and Gravel Surfacing. Certified Check $2800.00.

Proposals will be received only upon State standard forms, in accordance with plans, specifications and estimates of quantities therefor, which forms, specifications and estimates may be obtained from the office of the State Road Commission in Charleston or from the office of Senior Assistant Engineer S. E. Bradley in Huntington, at both of which place plans for projects may be examined.

Each proposal must be accompanied by a certified check for the amount above noted.

The right is reserved to reject any and all proposals.

STATE ROAD COMMISSION

OF WEST VIRGINIA GEORGE E. WHITE, Secretary.

Other Projects to be Let

Five other road projects are to be awarded in the Huntington division on the same date, 2 in Mingo, 1 each in Putnam, Mercer and Mason counties. The first Mingo project provides for placing a bituminous retread on six miles of State Route 8 between Kermit and Naugatuck. The second Mingo project calls for the stone surfacing of six and one-fifth miles of State Route 8, commencing at the eastern corporation lines of the city of Williamson.
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Under this heading Wayne County News is publishing from time to time interesting bits of local history. We shall appreciate accurate contributions for this column from our readers.

INTOXICANTS OF LONG AGO

Under the heading "Memories of an Octogenarian" in our neighboring newspaper, The Mingo Republican of Williamson, we find the following reminiscent article dealing with life in this section of West Virginia 85 years ago. This particular installment of the series deals with the use of intoxicants in the pioneer days:

The use of intoxicants by the people of those days was quite general. Everyone who wished had a barrel or two stored away in his cellar or wareroom. A stillhouse could usually be found within a radius of eight or ten miles where the farmers could have their grain and fruit distilled into whiskey or brandy, gallon for gallon. Others would take their jugs to a store and have them filled when desired. There were no saloons because every man who desired to drink had his supply in his own home. The price of whiskey and brandy was very low because the supply always exceeded the demand. The prevailing price was usually 50 cents per gallon, and if purchased by the barrel, 35 cents. Those distilleries were on a small scale and were unlicensed. Anyone could engage in the business who chose, the same as in any other enterprise; but it was not a lucrative business and was maintained more for the accommodation of the public than for gain. Their product was pure and unadulterated; usually 90 per cent proof. Consequently, if a man happened to drink enough to make him drunk he would get up the next morning with out any bad effect and go to work as usual. It was a universal custom in those days, when receiveing visitors or guests, after the first salutations were said, to get out the decanter and offer the drinks. This was done as a token of hearty welcome to the hospitality of the host. With a few exceptions, all drank—members of the church and even the ministers would take a drink on occasions of marriages or births because it was not considered an evil. Of course we had a few old topers mostly of the lower class, but they did not beat their wives or starve their children, as was evidenced by the fact that there were never anv divorce suits instituted, nor action for non-support. Our women, as a rule were very abstemious and never would take a drink in public, because it was considered indelicate or immodest , and our young ladies were noted for their modesty. Men did not congregate in those days to drink; but at corn-huskings, log rollings, etc., as heretofore mentioned also on Muster Days, at barbecues and conventions, there was always a supply of liquor on hand to satisfy the thirst of all. On the last named occasions, some were apt to get full; but there was seldom any drunken brawls or fights, for as a general rule, a man was better humored when drunk than when sober.

The liquor drunk in those days seemed to have a soothing effect, rather than to excite passion of animus or belligerence. Men seldom fought; and when they did they fought with their fists. No weapon was carried other than a pocket knife; and that was never thought of or used; and these fights more often took place when sober rather than when drunk. There was but one murder committed in our county from the time I could first remember until I left it in the year 1870. And that was not committed in a drunken brawl, but by a man who had become infatuated with another man's wife and thought to remove him as the main obstacle in his way to a consummation of his illicit designs. He accordingly waylaid and shot him dead as he passed along the road. When the murder was reported it struck the entire community with horror and amazement at the thought that so horrid a crime should have been committed in our midst. The murderer was apprehended, tried, convicted and executed by hanging upon a gallows erected for the purpose in a field just outside the town limits near the public road. That gallows was allowed to stand until a few years after the close of the Civil War, as a silent monitor to the passerby against the commission of capital crime.
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The initial meeting of the Wayne Lions Club, recently organized by Otis L. Gilmore, of Huntington, was held Saturday noon in the dining hall of of the M. E. Church.

There are now thirty-four members enrolled in the local club, most of whom were present. Following is the present membership, and some six or seven more are expected to join later:

C. W. Ferguson, Max Lester, Fisher F. Scaggs, Clyde S. Scaggs, J. Clyde Matthews, Claude Newman, R. F. Booton, R. J. Thompson, W. H. Wayman, G. H. Farmer, Herman P. Dean, W. Earl Burgess, J. M. Thompson, E. D. Bunn, Jess Hammock, R. A. Ramey, C. F. Allen, E. M. White, M. E. Ketchum, M. J. Ferguson, J. Floyd Harrison, C. J. McMahon, Benton Mosser, H. M. Shafer, Glen Johnson, J. T. Lambert, R. L. Drown, E. B. Drown, C. Frank Millender, G. W. Hampton, D. P. Plymale, George M. Burgess, Hardin Workman and William F. Taylor.

Officers were elected as follows at Saturday's meeting: President, Max Lester.

First Vice-President, C. W. Ferguson.

Second Vice-President, Herman P. Dean.

Third Vice-President, C. J. MeMahon.

Secretary, William F. Taylor.

Treasurer, Glen Johnson.

Lion Tamer, G. H. Farmer.

Tail Twister, C. F. Millender.

The Board of Directors is composed of the president, three vice presidents, secretary and the following four men who were elected: C. F. Allen, J. M. Thompson, J. Floyd Harrison and H. M. Shafer.

The next meeting of the club will be on next Monday, March 17th, at noon at the M. E. Church dining hall. At that meeting it will be determined how often, what time of day and where the subsequent meetings of the organization will be held. The president, Mr. Lester, requests an attendance of the full membership next Monday noon.

Mr. Gilmore, in calling the initial meeting to order explained that the objects of the Lions Club included the following aims:

To create and foster a spirit of "generous consideration, among the peoples of the world through a study of the problems of international relationships from the standpoint of business and professional ethics.

To promote the theory and practice of the principles of good government and good citizenship.

To take an active interest in the civic, commercial, social and moral welfare of the community.

To unite the members in the bonds of friendship, good fellowship and mutual understanding.

To provide a forum for the full and free discussion of all matters of public interest, partisan politics and sectarian religion alone excepted.

To encourage efficiency and promote high ethical standards in business and professions; provided that, no club shall hold out as one of its objects financial benefits to its members.
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I. He was the father of about twenty-five children and probably more, according to information given this paper by his relative this week. Eighteen of these children survive him.

2. Uncle Andy had a casket made three or four years ago painted it red, white and blue. He was buried in that this week.

3. The deceased was one of seven brothers and sisters, all of whom were seventy years old or older at the time of Uncle Andy's death Sunday.

Uncle Andy was 84 years of age and was nearing his 85th birthday. He was a man of unusual constitution and enjoyed good health practically throughout his life. He was born and reared in Wayne County and it will be recalled by readers of this newspaper that he was awarded a prize at the Wayne County Fair last year for having lived in Wayne County longer than any other person among the thousands in attendance at the Fair. He spent Sunday in his usual manner about the home and about nine o'clock Sunday evening he complained of a pain around his heart and within about forty five minutes he was dead. If was buried Tuesday afternoon of this week in the Sol Perry Cemetery on McComas Creek with elders of The United Baptist Church in charge of the service. He had united with this church a few years ago. He was a Union soldier in the Civil war with Company ....?... Kentucky Mounted Infantry and was in service for twenty months. Uncle Andy had been married only twice and six children by his first wife and twelve children by his second wife survive. His second wife was before marriage Miss Laura Webb and she survives him. His first wife was Emaline Maynard and she has been dead for many years. Following are the names of the twelve children by his second marriage who are still living: Emaline Doss of Portsmouth, Ohio; Jesse Perry, of Huntington and Polly Dempsey of Huntington; the following nine who live in the McComas Creek section of this county: Frank Perry, Ella Spaulding, Della Perry, Georgia Perry, Sula Acord, Chapman Perry, Glen Perry, Sherman Perry and Romaine Perry. The following six children by his first wife survive: Jim Perry, McComas; former assessor, Tim Perry; Dock Perry, Portsmouth; Lindsey Perry of Milum; Steve Perry, Genoa; and Mrs. Sherman Maynard of Stiltner. There are also a number of children by both marriages who preceded their father in death. About four years ago, Johnny Dutchman, a Swede carpenter who lives In the upper section of this county, made Uncle Andy's casket for him. Uncle Andy had the casket made from the best of Black Walnut lumber and he had Johnny Dutchman to do the work because he had high regard for his ability as a carpenter. After the casket was made Uncle Andy painted it Red, White and Blue and put it away in his barn loft where it remained to await his death. On Monday of this week the coffin was taken from the barn and Tuesday Uncle Andy was buried in it. The patriotic colors of Red, White and Blue on the casket recalled the days when the deceased saw service in the Union army. In Uncle Andy's immediate family there were up until his death seven children, four brothers and three sisters and of the seven Uncle Andy was the oldest. And it is a remarkable fact that at the time of his death last Sunday all of the seven brothers and sisters were seventy years old or over. This is believed to establish a family record for Wayne County. Following are the names of the brothers and sisters that survive Uncle Andy: Kelly Perry, of East Lynn; Milton Perry, of South Point, Ohio; Sol Perry of McComas; Lucinda Ramey, of Stiltner; Mrs. Richard Nelson, of McComas; Chloe Maynard, of Doane. Uncle Andy was a frequent attendent of the court sessions at Wayne and was frequently seen at other public gatherings in the county and his presence will be missed by a large number of friends and acquaintences. He looked thirty years younger than his actual age at the time of his death, and he was one of the few remaining pioneers who connected the past and present in Wayne County history.
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WHO HAD FIRST CAR HERE?

Who had the first automobile in Wayne County? That's a question we would like to have some of you folks with long memories to help us answer. As I recall Dr. J. R. Keesee, now of Huntington but then living in Wayne, was among the first automobile owner in the Wayne community. It was a wheezing Model T Ford. But it somehow occurs to the writer that about the first car we ever saw in the County was an automobile driven by Lucian Lloyd, formerly of East Lynn now of Kenova. I think this was the first car ever driven from Wayne to East Lynn and I believe that the heavy sand in the road was the chief difficulty. I may be wrong but I think that car was an early model Studebaker and I remember that it had a lot of shiny brass trimmings. We will appreciate it if Dr. Keesee and Lucian and others of the early car owners in this county will write a letter for this column, telling something of what they know about the first automobiles to travel over Wayne County roads.

Beginning Of The Telephone

The excellent sevivce that is being given by the Wayne Telephone Company was a topic of a conversation in which the writer engaged the other day. There are now nearly one hundred phones in Wayne. In that conversation it was recalled that the first telephone exchange was erected in New Haven, Conn., in 1878. In other words this newspaper you are reading was a healthy youngster four years old when the first telephone exchange was built. The telephone was invented in 1876 two years previous to the installation of the first exchange. Today there are between fifteen and twenty million telephone stations in the U. S. A. And telephone conversation may he had with European countries via the Alantic telephone cables.

Pioneer Crime Waves

Sure there is a crime wave today. And for that matter there has been a crime wave going every year since the dim dark past. In the year 1878 masked burglars took $2,757,700.00 from the Manhatten Savings Institution in New York City. Even in this modern 1930, with all our specialized crime, we seldom hear of a robbery of this size.

One of the most unusual families of widows not only in Wayne County or West Virginia but in all these United States lives in the town of Ceredo in this county.

There are ten widows, all of them married Wright brothers, all of the Wright brothers have died and all of their widows still remain single and all of them continue to make the town of Ceredo their home.

We nominate this unusual circumstance as a fact worthy of prominent mention in Ripley's national cartoon feature, "Believe It or Not". And incidentally we might add here that this news story has heen forwarded to Mr. Ripley.

The story of the Wright family of Ceredo is certainly one of the most interesting and unusual of any family histories ever told.

Ancestors From Scotland

Robert and Agnes Wright were the parents of the Wright family of Ceredo. They were born in Paisley, Scotland. Robert Wright being born in March 1828 and his wife in December 1829. They emigrated from Scotland to Massachusetts in 1848 and from there came to Ceredo. The town of Ceredo was incorporated February 23, 1856 and Robert Wright was one of the first councilmen to serve the munincipality.

Robert and Agnes Wright had twelve children , ten sons and two daughters. The family has long been prominent in the affairs of Ceredo and Wayne County. The ten sons have all died, leaving their widows as follows all of whom make Ceredo their home and none of whom have married again:

Names Of Ten Widows

Mrs, Robert Wright, Jr., who was before marriage Mrs. Belle Ferguson, daughter of Uncle Sam J. Ferguson. Mrs. Wright is the mother of Hugh Wright of Wayne. She still keeps her home at Ceredo but spends some of her time with her daughter, Lilly, in Roanoke.

Mrs. Daniel Wright, formerly Lottie Allen.

Mrs. William Wright, formerly Miss Louie Allen, sister of Lottie Allen.

Mrs. George Wright, before marriage Miss Nannie Hycel.

Mrs. Jesse Wright, formerly Leah Burks.

Mrs. Maxwelton Wright, who was Miss Emily Jenkins.

Mrs. Henry Wright, who came from Catlettsburg.

Mrs. Allen Wright who was Miss Maggie Kelly before her marriage.

Mrs. Albert Wright who before marriage was Miss Ida Lyons.

Mrs. Jim Wright, formerly Miss Eliza Beckelheimer.

James Collier married Lizzie Wright one or the two Wright sisters, and his wife is dead and Mr. Collier remains a widower and still lives in Ceredo.

The last member of the family is Miss Agnes Wright who was never married and who lives with Mrs. Jim Wright in Ceredo.

Ten sisters-in-law, all widows, and all living in the same community as small as Ceredo is certainly a record that is probably not equaled anywhere else in the country.

The ancestors of the Wright family, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Wright, were identified with the Parsons Saw Mill when they first came to Ceredo. The Wright family later dsposed of their interest in the mill to J. H. Millender and company and then engaged the merchandise business. Wright Brothers Store was one of the pioneer business enterprises in Ceredo, and the store continued business up until last year when it was closed out by the heirs of the late Maxwellton Wright.

Some Ferguson Family History

And there is another interesting twist to the Wright family history and it has to do with the ancestry of Mrs. Belle Ferguson who married Robert Wright, Jr.

Mrs. Ferguson is the daughter of Uncle Samuel J. Ferguson, one of the pioneers of Wayne County history. Uncle Sam Ferguson had twelve children and nine of these children still survive. Below we give a list of the nine, together with the dates of their births:

Mrs. Victoria Vinson, of Ferguson, born September 2, 1853.

James Ferguson, of Ferguson, April 6, 1855.

Mrs. Belle Vadoria Wright, of Ceredo, February 12, 1857.

Mrs. Virginia Vinson, of Louisa, Kentucky, December 8, 1860.

Mrs. Georgia Dillon, of Holden, Missouri, February 21, 1863.

John C. Ferguson, of Lavalette, July 29, 1865.

Mrs. John G. Lambert, of Kenova, April 25, 1868.

Wayne B. Ferguson, of Ferguson, July 19, 1870.

Mrs L. B. Ferguson, of Wayne, September 15, 1872.

Story of Uncle Samuel J.

Samuel J. Ferguson, the father of the above group of children, was a great-grandson of Samuel Ferguson who in 1803 came from Virginia and settled on Twelve Pole, just below the present site of the town of Wayne. John Ferguson, grandfather of Samuel J., was a famous hunter in his day, and raised a family of five boys and four girls, their descendants being numerous in Wayne County. James Ferguson, the father of Samuel J. Ferguson, had eight sons and two daughters. Their son, Samuel J., was born January 27, 1832 in Pike County, Kentucky, and married Lourissa Ratcliff who was born in Pike County July 26, 1833.

Samuel J. Ferguson was a magistrate in Wayne County; in June, 1861 he entered the Confederate army and served until the end of the Civil War in Company K Eighth Virginia Cavalry. He was in he battles of Jonesville, Carnifex Ferry, Dry Creek, Wytheville, Rogersville, Scary, Martinsburg, Winchester, Cedar Creek, Lewisburg, Lynchburg, Manassas Junction, Middletown and others. His brother was mortally wounded in the battle of Gettysburg and another brother, Harvey, died in service at Harrisonburg, Virginia.
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Team driving and timbering were two of the most prominent occupations in Wayne County sixty years ago. And we know of no Wayne Countian more capable of recalling these pioneer industries than Rev. Lawrence Dickerson, a native Wayne County man widely known here who now lives in Prospect, Ohio. Rev. Dickerson has contributed numerous interesting articles to Wayne County News from time to time concerning early days in Wayne County, and those of our readers who are old enough to recall the ox teams that once traveled Wayne County roads will find the following article of unusual interest .... Editor's Note.

Prospect, Ohio
March 24, 1930.

Wayne County News
Wayne, W. Va.

Gentlemen:

Having seen a number of good articles in Wayne County News this winter concerning things of interest fifty years ago, I have decided to offer a few things concerning "teaming and timbering" sixty odd years ago.

For many years just after the close of the Civil War the timber business on Twelve Pole was the leading business along the creek from Ceredo to John Henry Queen's Mill on the left fork and to Ferguson on the right fork. The fall work, after crops were gathered, was cutting, scoring and hewing timber. But the most interesting thing was the hauling. Seven yokes of cattle was the greatest thing I ever saw when I was a boy. They hauled any time from early fall until late Spring. I distinctly remember many of the teams and names of many of the oxen. I judged them all by the length of their horns. If they were long horns and wide apart, their standing in the team was forever established so far as my opinion was concerned.

Just after the Civil War there were very few men able to own a team of their own. A few neighbors would go together and form what they called a "splice" team. About 1866, Uncle Bob Napier, Uncle Sam Osburn and my father had a "splice" team. I remember some of the names of the oxen but strange to say I can not remember who the driver was. In my estimation to be a team driver was the greatest thing on earth. That was the disire of my heart, School teachers and preachers were not to be considered with the same high standing as a team driver.

I will now mention a few teams and their drivers. Most all teams were composed of seven yokes of cattle. The "leaders" and wheel yokes held prominent places. To have good leaders was a matter of great importance. From my standpoint, if they had nice long slick horns, they would pass muster. But with the driver they must be quick to obey and stand steady and pull. The wheel steers were low stout ones, stags were preferred.

About 1867 Uncle Sam Ferguson (Big Sam) had a good little team, good pullers and well trained. "Uncle Wade" was the driver and was called a good one. My estimate of a good driver was one one who could "pop the whip" and be loud. I never thought of the quality of getting good pulling and doing good work and keeping the team in good shape. That I never thought of until as late as 1884.

Morgan Garrett was a team owner and a man by the name of Lem Hatten and a good timberman was his general manager. There were teams and timbermen on most all the larger creeks that fowed into Twelve Pole.

In the neighborhood of Wilsons Creek, Calve Adkins and the Spurlocks owned teams. I think Mr. Adkins drove his own team and they said he usually got good pulling by stamping his feet on the ground. Uncle Charley Ferguson had a team and Uncle Jim Dickerson was his driver a part of the time. It was said that Uncle Charley said once "if I ever find a better driver than Jim, I'll hire him" Uncle Jim became angry and threw down his whip and then Uncle Charley said, "but I never expect to find him." Jim picked up his whip and drove on.

In the Two Mile neighborhood different men owned teams at different times. Back in the early seventies uncle "Kill" Davis owned a team. P.S. Walker and Lon Toney owned a splice team and Pearlie's cousin Will was one of their drivers and was the quietest drivers I ever saw. I think he never "popped" the whip, never spoke loud and always went to his leaders to turn them, never swore at them and kept them in good condition and got the pulling.

Alderson Walker also drove for them. He was not so quiet, but was kind to his team. You never saw the mark of a whip on ony of his team.

The "rool-overs" were interesting places. I think Two Mile had about the best "rool-over" of any place. They could bank a lot of timber there.

Later in the same community, Asbury Jackson and Wayne Ferguson owned a "splice" team and Hiram Jackson was their driver and Hiram was one quiet driver and got good pulling out of them and did not use the whip on them.

The East Lynn community was a kind of a team center. Among the first was a "splice" team owned by Noah and Jarrett Peters and my uncle Robert Osburn. John Lloyd was their driver and of course he never made any fuss, and seldom used the whip, not even to "pop" it, but got good work. When he came to our house to haul a little job, he wore a pair of hip boots and carried a long whip. His boots and whip caught my eyes and held them from start to finish. As our dusky brethern sing, I would rather have been John Lloyd then than to have "walked all over God's heaven."
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Under this heading Wayne County News is publishing from time to time interesting bits of history. We shall appreciate accurate contributions for this column, especially those concerning Wayne County historical facts.

More About First Car Here

Mrs. Ellen Frazier, of Stiltner, writes into this column to give the following information regarding the first automobile in Wayne County. She writes as follows in response to our request last week for information about the first car:

"I saw the article in Wayne County News about the first automobile brought to this section. The first car that ever came up Twelve Pole above East Lynn was driven by Henry Tabor. He drove from Cincinnati to the home of William Napier on Lick Creek and that was in the year of 1914. I know several people who say that was the first automobile they ever saw."

Discovery Of Coal

A school girl writes in to tell us that she has to write an essay on Coal and that she wants to know something about when it was discovered in West Virginia.

In 1742, John Peter Salley, explorer, found a seam of coal on Coal River.

Almost 30 years later, George Washington recorded his discovery of coal near what is now West Columbia, Mason County, while on his journey down the Ohio River.

In 1817, coal was first discovered in Kanawha valley and had its first commercial use in taking the place of wood in the reduction of brine by salt makers near Maiden at Kanawha Salines, one of the most productive salt regions in America at the time.

A small mine was opened in 1819 near Mason City and another in 1832. By 1835 coal was mined in eight counties, Harrison, Monongalia, Taylor, Fayette, Mineral, Grant, Preston and Kanawha.

By 1840, nearly 300,000 tons were produced annually, 200,000 tons being used at Kanawha salt furnaces and nearly all the remainder was consumed in the factories and dwelling houses at Wheeling.

Local Hidden Treasures

I suppose that every section of these United States has legends and rumors of hidden treasures left by the Indians or Cave Men. Wayne County is no exception to this rule.

There is a legend that there exists a valuable deposit of lead in the vicinity of East Lynn, which is said to have once been mined for making bullets. The exact location of the lead is not known of course, but it was supposed to have been somewhere in the vicinity of the farms of W. R. Osburn and Julia Anne Napier, a mile or so from East Lynn.

Over in the Big Hurricane section it is said there is silver that was once mined. The writer has seen various letters, reports and supposed maps of this hidden treasure but somehow no one is cashing in on it. As a matter of fact it does seem that there is a strata of shiny ore of some sort on this section that does resemble silver in its appearance, but it is not silver. This ore is said to be located some thirty feet or so beneath the surface and is said to have been encountered from time to time by those who have dug water wells. Some think that this was the source of the famous Swift Silver mine which is one of the most interesting historical legends of the Big Sandy valley.

The third mystery of wealth in Wayne County is great quantities of gold that is supposed to have been buried on Kraut's Creek, back of Kellogg in Westmoreland District. I recall that several years ago I went out on this story with Dick Benton who was then Sunday feature man on the Huntington Advertiser and who has since died. Incidentally, Dick was a true blue newspaper man and had a heart of gold. On this story he got hold of some sort of an ancient map that was supposed to give the approximate location of the gold which was supposed to have been left there by the Indians or Pirates or someone else. At any rate Dick got a full page feature for the Advertiser and his story created so much local interest in that section that a lot of folks got spades and picks and started prospecting on Kraut's Creek. But none of the gold was ever found!

Speaking Of Speed

There's a good article in the Alantic on speed. We learn that the fastest man can run only fourteen and one half miles an hour; a racing automobile can make over two hundred and a plane over three hundred. And some birds can make more than a hundred miles an hour. And most of this speed in production and transportation etc. has come about within the life time of the average person. Now a skyscraper can be built in six months. But back in 1883 it took 13 years to build the Brooklyn suspension bridge.

The First Movie

The first motion picture was produced in 1894, only 36 years ago by C. Francis Jenkins, who was awarded a medal by the Franklin Institute. The machine with improvements, was first marketed by representatives of Thomas A. Edison in 1896 as the Edison vitascope. The invention has revolutionized commercial entertainment, the theatrical profession and theatre property in the United States and elsewhere.

The Statue Of Liberty

It was also in this same year of 1894 that the colossal Statue of Liberty, which greets every eye entering New York Harbor was presented by the French people to the U. S. A.

The cost, $600,000, was supplied by popular subscription. The statue was unveiled in its permanent position two years later, after $100,000 had been given by American people through the New York World to provide the pedestal. The symbolic figure is prized as a bond of international friendship but is commonly alluded to with cynicism by opponents of sumptuary legislation.
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The high schools in Wayne County are now looking forward to the Commencement season and plans are being made for the annual graduation ceremonies.

Following is a summary of the Commencement activities planned for Wayne County High, Ceredo-Kenova and Ceredo District High:

Wayne County High

There will probably be about fifty graduates at Wayne County High at the Commencement to be held Friday, May 23rd. However, only twenty-six of this number are fully eligible, and the others will be required to make up some extra work in order to receive their diplomas. This is the largest Senior class in the history of the school. Principal H. M. Shafer announces that Rev. John Beddow, D. D., pastor of the Huntington Highlawn Methodist Church will deliver the annual sermon on May 18th. The Commencement address will be delivered Friday May 23rd at 8 o'clock p. m. by Rev. George West Diehl, president of Morris-Harvey College at Barboursville. The Senior Class program will be on the evening of May 22nd.

Following is a list of the 26 W. C. H. S. Seniors who are now fully eligible for graduation if the work for the year is completed:

Walker Booth, Thomas Billups, Paul Boswell, Ella Booton, Pearl Crockett, Opal Crockett, Mamie Ferguson, Waitman Gill, William Gill, Oral Hay, Roberta Hoosier, Nell Jackson, Dorcas Kelley, Frank McKinster, Nancy May, Evalee Mullens, Horace Tabor, Omer Rigg, Ethel Shelton, Madeline Smith, Paul Tabor, Edgar White, Keiffer Wellman, Ruth Walker, Ruby Christian, Elizabeth Dickerson. Other students will be added to this list when work is made up and all conditions removed.

Ceredo-Kenova High

It has not yet been decided who will be the Commencement speaker at Ceredo-Kenova, according to announcement by the principal, Max Wright.

The following 46 Seniors will be graduated at the annual Commencement to be held in June:

Myrtle Adkins, Ellen Burnett, Evelyn Carpenter, Roberta Chapman, Agnes Galloway, Anna Virginia Hawks, Evelyn Jordan, Mary Lett, Elizabeth Lewis, Madeline McFann, Julia Payne, Ruth Preston, Dexter Rife, Evelyn Rowe, Hernia See, Lois Shumaker, Carrie Smith, Naomi Swartz, Helen Wallace, Frances Waring, Sterl Clarkson, Manley Diamond, Arthur de Vries, Fred Hoyt, James Jeffers, John Jones, George Keyser, Harold Keyser, Charles Now, Orion Parsley, Clyde Pinson, Joe Porter, Edward Shrewsbury, Delbert Smith, Berthal Ward, Walter Riggs, Reuben Osborn, Charles Smith, Roy Preston, Jack Preston, Katherine Rogers, Percy Galloway, Raymond Lett, Stuart Way, Robert Plymale, Wayne Frasher.

Ceredo District High School

The annual Commencement at Ceredo District High School will be held on Tuesday, May 20th, at 3 o'clock p. m., according to announcement by the Principal, E. R. Dorsey. Dr. George West Diehl, president of Morris-Harvey College will deliver the baccalaureate sermon and the commencement address will be delivered by Professor W. N. Beetham, Registrar of Marshall College. The Junior Class Play, "Home Ties," well be May 2 and the Senior Class Play, "Step On It ,Stan," will be May 16th. Dr. Diehl will preach the annual sermon May 18th at eight o'clock p. m.

There will be twelve graduates at Ceredo District High School this year who are as follows:

Homer Childers, Joseph Cyrus, Pauline Drown, Blanch Hutchinson, Evalyna Merricks, Floyd Merricks, Cleo Merricks, Margaret McCoy, Evangeline McQuinn, Elva Moran, Louise Wilson and Lynn Skean.

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When Wayne County News raised the question of who owned the first automobile in Wayne County in these columns recently, this paper started an interesting discussion judging from the number of times we have since heard this as a topic of conversation.

We have not yet definitely learned who owned the first automobile in Wayne County, but we have assembled some other interesting facts.

M. E. Ketchum, who is now sheriff of Wayne County, was the first automobile dealer in Wayne County. Sheriff Ketchum was running a livery stable in Wayne and in the year 1915 he started in the automobile business and received the first consignment of automobiles ever shipped into Wayne County. The car load consisted of six Ford cars. Mr. Ketchum kept one of the six car's himself, sold one to Walter McComas, one to B. A. Burgess, another to O. J. Rife and he does not recall who purchased the other two. That was in the year 1915 and these were 1914 model Fords. Dr. J. R. Kesee, now of West Huntington and who then lived in Wayne, had bought a car the year previous, in 1914, and he was the first car owner in the Wayne community.

Sheriff Ketchum recalls that he displayed his first car on the first floor of the old K. of P. Building at Wayne. He dug a hole in the ground in front of the Lodge building preparatory to putting in a gasoline filling station tank. But automobiles and gasoline were new in those days and the Wayne Town Council passed an ordinance forbidding him to put the gas station on the main street of town because of the probable danger from fire or explosion. He then put in a filling station near the livery stable he owned here on a back street. There was considerable objection to this as many citizens were afraid to have a gasoline filling station within the corporate limits. But he weathered the opposition and the gas station continued to function on the old livery stable site. Mr. Ketchum ran the first garage in Wayne also.

Lucian Lloyd's Experience

Lucian Lloyd, formerly of East Lynn and who now lives near Kenova, drove the first car from Kenova to Wayne and East Lynn a score of years ago, according to information we have been able to obtain. Mr. Lloyd was living in Kenova at that time and incidentally the car he drove to East Lynn was the second car owned in the city of Kenova. It was a used car, a Buick, which he had purchased in Catlettsburg for $400. He bought the car one day learned to drive the next and started out on the trip to East Lynn only a a day or so later.

In the following interesting letter Mr. Lloyd tells of some of his experiences on this memorable trip twenty years ago:

Kenova, W. Va.
April 8, 1930.

Wayne County News
Wayne, W. Va.

Gentlemen:

I took the first car to Wayne and East Lynn in the Spring of 1910 or 1911, and I am not exactly positive which of the two years it was.

I started from my home in Kenova early in the day. I was not long on the road until I had a tire blowout, and I also had other delays such as always accompanied driving in the pioneer days of the automobile.

The route I followed was from Kenova up Big Sandy river to the mouth of Whites Creek, and then up Whites Creek to the head of that stream and down Toms Creek into Wayne. The car created much excitement all along the way, as it was the first "horseless carriage" that most of the folks who lived along the route had seen. People ran from the fields and houses to watch us go by. And at Wayne I was surrounded by an interested group of people, many of whom had never before seen a car.

The roads were not good, of course. Looking back on the experience now. I don't see how I made it at all. The deep sand in the Wayne-East Lynn road just above Uncle Charley Ferguson's place at Elmwood proved too much for the car and I burned up my bearings trying in vain to get through this sand. So I finished my trip to East Lynn behind Uncle Steve Staley's mule team. I sent back from there to a Catlettsburg garage for a mechanic and the necessary parts to make repairs for the journey back home.

My car was a Buick model painted white, with a considerable quantity of brass trimmings. The gear shift was on the outside of the car and worked something like the brakes on the present day types of automobiles. There were no doors of any kind on the car, just a "cut out" opening in the body something like the buggies and carriages of that day. It is truly wonderful the progress that has been made in automobiles in these past twenty years.

Very truly yours,

L. LLOYD
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One Wayne County man was among the 319 prisoners who were burned to death and suffocated when the most tragic prison fire of modern times swept through the Ohio State penitentiary at Columbus.

The Wayne County man who lost his life was Jay Marshall, 39 year old, who formerly lived at Wayne. He was the son of the late Mrs. Isabelle Marshall who was a sister of Mrs. C. W. Tabor of East Lynn.

Marshall was serving a sentence for non-support when he lost his life in the big fire. He is survived by his widow, who is the daughter of Thomas Muncy, well known Wayne County man; three children, one brother, Earl Marshall, of Detroit; and the following sisters, Mrs. S. A. McVeigh, of Huntington, Mrs. Ed V. Wilkinson, of Wayne, Mrs. Laura Bradshaw of Cleveland, and Mrs. Maggie Cramer, of Covington, Kentucky.

The deceased had been living at Burlington, Ohio, across from Huntington, before he was sent to the penitentiary. The body was returned to Wayne County for burial and interment was made last Thursday on Wilsons Creek, with Rev. S. S. Booth in charge of the funeral services.

Mingo Man Escapes

John James, well known Williamson colored man, was among the 4,000 prisoners in the Ohio State prison at the time of the fire, but escaped injury.

Scenes Of Horror

Scenes of horror were in evidence on every hand when the fire swept through the prison. Most of the 319 men who perished in the flames and the many who were injured were located in one of the cell blocks which had been locked up for the night, and the men went to their death helpless behind locked doors. There has been an investigation to determine the ones responsible for not unlocking the cells and saving the lives of the 319 men and much criticism has been directed against the warden of the institution. The origin of the fire is not definitely known, but it is believed to have been started by long-term convicts in an effort to effect their escape.
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A Civil War Veteran married at the circuit clerk's office in Wayne Monday morning of this week.

Sounds like one of Robert Ripley's "Believe It Or Not" cartoons,----but it is a fact nevertheless.

The bridegroom in Monday's ceremony was Rev. Mathison Smith, age 84 years, of Dunlow this county.

The bride was Mrs. Daisy B. Stepp, age 43 years, of the same community.

Rev. Smith is the father of Luke Smith, former rural mail carrier of Dunlow who now lives in Kenova, and represents a well known Wayne County family.

The bride and groom came into Wayne early Monday morning of this week and secured their marriage license from the County Clerk. Rev. G. H. Farmer, pastor of the Wayne M. E. Church, was called to perform the ceremony, which was witnessed by a dozen people who happened to be around the court house at the time.

Rev. Smith fought in the Union army during the Civil War and he is one of the few remaining survivors of that conflict in this county. He receives a pension of $75 a month and owns one farm near Dunlow and another near Buffalo High School in Ceredo District.

The groom was married twice before, and both of his former wives are dead. The bride has been divorced from her former husband. Rev. Smith and his bride have known each other for thirty years and they were as happy as any young couple when the nuptial rites were said by Rev. Farmer. A smile beamed across the face of each as they answered, "I do." They will make their home at Dunlow.
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In view of the Literary Digest and other magazine and newspaper straw polls on the prohibition question, one's mind naturally turns to the history of prohibition during its ten years existence.

So following we pass on for the information our readers some interesting facts concerning prohibition here in West Virginia from the founding of the Stale up to the present.

In 1863 the first constitution of West Virginia declared that "laws may be passed regulating or prohibiting the sale of indicating liquors within the limit of the State." Under this provision was begun the experiment of "local option.''

In 1872 the second constitution of West Virginia embodied the exact language of the first in respect to intoxicating liquors. The process of "regulating" the liquor traffic went on at almost every session of the Legislature. Persons selling liquors were required to secure license, to be of temperate habits, and sales were forbidden to minors, habitual drunkards, and persons intoxicated, sales were not allowed on Sunday, nor within two miles of a municipality refusing license. And still the evils of the liquor traffic grew.

In 1886 a prohibition amendment was submitted at the general election and was decisively defeated. In this election the proposed amendment carried in only three of the fifty-five counties.

In 1889 the statute requiring the effects of alcohol and narcotics upon the human system to be taught in our public schools was put into effect. This subject was thoroughly taught in all the schools of the state.

In 1912, the prohibition amendment was again submitted to the voters and was adopted by a majority of 92,342 votes. The "Yost Law" was enacted and prohibition became effective July 1, 1914.

On January 8, 1919, the Senate of West Virginia by a vote of 26 to 1 adopted joint resolution number one ratifying the 18th amendment of the Constitution of the United States , and on January 9, 1919, the House of Delegates by a vote of 87 to 3 concurred in the adoption of the resolution. West Virginia thus became the 21st state to ratify the federal prohibition amendment.

In 1908 chapter 45 of the Code was rewritten and the compulsory teaching of the effects of al alcohol and narcotics was omitted.

In 1927 thislaw was re-enacted and under the direction at State Superintendent of Free Schools W. C. Cook, this subject is again taking its place in our course of study.

Present Law Allows

1. The manufacture from fruit grown exclusively in this state of vinegar and non intoxicating cider for use or sale.

2. The manufacture from fruit grown exclusively in this state of non-intoxicating wine for one's own domestic consumption.

3. The sale under permit by druggists of non-beverage alcohol for external use.

4. The sale of wine by manufacturers or druggist under permit for sacramental purposes.

5. The sale of alcohol, and alcoholic preparations under permit to physicians, dentists and veterinarians for use in the practice of their professions.

6. The sale under permit of pure grain alcohol, at wholesale, to druggists, hospitals, sanitariums, laboratories and manufacturers, for medical scientific and mechanical purposes.

7. The sale under permit by druggists, through pharmacists, of pure grain alcohol for medicinal, scientific, pharmaceutical and mechanical purposes.

8. The sale under permit by druggist of U. S. Pharmaecopoeia or National Formulary preparations in conformity with the West Virginia pharmacy law.

9. The sale under permit by druggists of any alcoholic preparation which is exempted by the national pure food law.

10. The purchase and use under permit in the manufacture of medicinal preparations by wholesale druggists of cherry wine in quantities not exceeding twenty-five wine gallons during any period of ninety days.

Permits

Manufacturers and wholesale dealers in liquors as defined by section one of the prohibition law pay a fee of $50.00 for permit.

Users of ethyl alcohol in any form, whether pure, medicated or denatured pay a fee of $10.00 for permit.

All retail dealers pay a fee of $2.00 for permit.

Druggists, physicians, dentists, and veterinarians are charged no fees.

The annual collection of fees from permits is about $37,000. ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

(From left, top to bottom)

Edgar White, Dorcas Kelley, Waymer Newman, Pearl Crockett, Luther Endicott.

Roberta Hoosier, Arlie Queen, Elizabeth Gillette, Frank McKinster, Pearl Ferguson.

Ella Booton, Thomas Billups, Ruth Walker, Lowell Sellards, Haney May.

Dallas Queen, Opal Bing, Welcie Matthews, Nell Jackson, McDonald McKinster.

Lorella Pearson, Omer Rigg, Waitman Gill, Ruby Christian, Frank Robinette.

William Gill, Talitha Carter, Evalee Mullens, Walker Booth, Mamie Ferguson.

Elizabeth Dickerson, Wetzel Brumfield, Opal Crockett, James Atkins, Oral Hay

Keiffer Wellman, Madeline Smith, Jennings Cyrus, Jennie Belle Beaire, Billie Louise Asbury.

Oscar Watts, Brooke Damron, Charles Edgar Smith, Mary Jane Clarke, Edgar Finley.

Paul Tabor, Horace Jabor, Bertha Wellman, Paul Boswell, John Sansom.
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A total of eighty-three Wayne County boys and girls have been in attendance at Marshall College in Huntington during the year which is just now closing.

In fact there is in reality more than 83 Wayne Countians at Marshall, students living in Westmoreland section of Wayne County are not included in this count. This would make the representation in the popular Huntington school considerably more than one hundred.

Marshall's total enrollment this year has passed the thirteen hundred mark, and prospects for the future of the college are bright. Vice President of the United States Charles Curtis will be Marshall's commencement speaker at Keith-Albee Theatre on June 2nd.

Following is the roll call of Wayne County students in Marshall, exclusive of Wayne Countians who live within the corporate limits of the city of Huntington:

Ceredo: Julia Adkins, Viola Burcham, Dollie W. Davis, George W. Ellis, Leola D. Frazier, Glenna Hutchinson, Atha J. Mayo, Anagene Plymale, Ted Smith, James Donald Clark.

Shoals: Millard Brumfield, Delbert M. Plymale.

East Lynn: Newman Newhouse, Hester Osburn.

Fort Gay: Paul R. Bartram, Carl D. Billups, Lillian Pansy Dean, Margaret Virginia Frasher, James H. Frazier, Lois E. Frazier, Milton S. Lycan, Isabelle Lycan, Mary Pelfrey, Roy Wellman, Betty Jane McClure, Lotus Retta Brown, Nora Patterson Coleman, Violet Mae Lakin.

Lavalette: Julia Davis.

Wayne: Wylie Adkins, Lew Wallace Ferguson, Rutherford Gillette, Julia Lambert, Garnet Lester, Mildred Plymale, Pauline Salmons, Cecil W. Shafer, Hannah M. Smith, Opal Ward, Lizzie Marie Adkins, Ruth Priscilla Laster, Mary C. Queen, Fay Jean Stewart, George Edwin Todd.

Kenova: Lois G. Christian, Mason G. Cyrus, Sona E. Hamilton, Clyde Hensley, Nellie Jordan, Eva May Martin, Armilda Mills, Byron T. Morris, Drexel Plymale, Julia Plymale, Frank W. Porter, Wallace Rife, Anna E. Rost, Ruby Spurlock, Kenneth Stratton, Sadie Thacker, Blair Wilson, Ruth Workman, Arthur Crabtree, Fern M. Dishman, Samuel Haney, Hazel Virginia Jones, Evangeline McQuinn, Lloyd Q. Mautz, Woodrow W. Mills, Jeanette Morris, Francis Plymale, Malcolm Plymale, Violet Puckett, Clarence Rutherford, Mary Caroline Staton, Susan P. Strother, Minne Pearl Thompson, Alma Workman, Thelma Jean Akers, Samuel Lee Haynie.

Genoa: Marie Watts.

Whites Creek: Caroline L. Cyrus.
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Under this heading Wayne County News is publishing from time to time interesting bits of history. We shall appreciate accurate contributions for this column, especially those concerning Wayne County historical facts.

The following article should be of especial interest to every Wayne Countian and of particular interest to the hundreds of Smiths and relatives of Smiths who live in this county. William L. Mansfield, who was for many years owner and editor of this newspaper, knew much interesting Wayne County history. Unfortunately too little of this has been preserved in a permanent form. Mr. Mansfield, who died some several years ago, wrote extensively about pioneer life here. One of the tales he used to tell with interest was the story of Captain Bill and Captain Jim Smith, two interesting Wayne County characters. This story has never before been published in a Wayne County newspaper . . . . Editor's Note.

TWO CAPTAIN SMITHS

Story Of Civil War Days In Wayne County As Related By William L. Mansfield, Deceased, Former Editor Of This Paper.

This is a Wayne County story of Civil War days, . . . . a story of two Wayne Countians who were in the forefront of local affairs in the days of '61 to '65.

Two men who lead opposing forces during the Civil War and engaged in many sharp clashes in irregular border warfare, bore the same family name. One was known as Captain "Rebel Bill" Smith and the other as "Yankee Jim" Smith. The men were not related and except for their activites in border warfare, their intense hatred of each other growing out of their opposing leadership and the resolute design of each for the capture or death of the other, they had little in common. "Bill's father came to Wayne County some years before the war and acquired a farm one mile below Wayne Court House. He was a quiet and respectable citizen and rather exclusive in his associations. He had a large family of grown up children and was well advanced in years when the war came on. He came from Pennsylvania, and because of different temperaments and habits of living did not at first mix readily with the free and open manners of the pioneer Virginia families of that community. The family had lived in Virginia long enough to catch the dominant Southern spirit and several of his sons volunteered in the Confederate army at the very onset of the war.

"Bill" Smith being of a daring and adventurous spirit preferred the more exciting and active duties of the scout and soon organized an independent company which was assigned to scout duty along the border. His company was made up of men, who like himself, were skilled in woodscraft, were expert marksmen at the country shooting matches and knew all the roads, by-ways and bridlepaths throughout the border section. Their srevice and activities were given large to repelling the raids of irregular soldiers, bandits and roving bands of freebooters operating principally in stealing horses, looting the homes and harassing the families of absent Confederate soldiers and carrying away their substance. The abuses and outrages committed by the marauderers was bad enough but would have been infinitely worse but fear of retaliation and punishment that would be inflicted by "Rebel Bill" and his intrepid company of scouts. Many a designed foray across the border along the Big Sandy and Ohio Rivers was abandoned because of the rumor that "Bill" Smith's company were concealed over in the Virginia hills "watching and waiting" for them. If the rumor were true it meant a redhot reception and a brisk chase back across the line.

Captain Jim Smith as is stated else where, led the first scouts of Federals back into the interior from the Ohio River in which he exhibited more traits of the scout than he did courage of a soldier. When the regiment was assigned to regular service in the field, Captain "Jim" threw up his commission and became the leader of a band of scouts and nondescripts whose service was more or less mysterious and questionable. He became a familiar figure to the few superannuated of noncombatants and the families of the Confederate soldiers. Many times and often was the Southern woman aroused from her sleep before the break of day by the rude knock of "Yankee Jim's" musket on the door and she unceremoniously ordered to get up and cook or make coffee for his squad. He was rude, facetious, insolent and inclined to be waggish. While the impressed cooks were busy with their unpleasant work he would taunt them with the death or capture of some relative or friend, or frighten them with his threats of the dire punishment that would soon be meted out to the "Rebels." His greed for money and lust for gain taken in connection with his other qualities rendered him a very dangerous character to be unrestrained in time of war. He was feared and distrusted by both sides. That he had extorted money from a number of quiet citizens of Southern predilections was known. That in disguise he had tapped the till of a few citizens of strong Union sympathies was strongly suspected. Report said he had accumulated a considerable sum of money and a lot of valuables which he kept secreted about his headquarters at Ceredo.

Naturally, a spirit of intense hatred and deadly rivalry grew up between the two Captain Smiths. Their companies had numerous clashes and skirmishes. They waylaid and bushwhacked and fought by all the irregular methods and tactics known to border warfare. The two men were as dissimiliar in character as they were different in their methods of fighting. "Captain Bill" was fearless, bold, defiant, vindictive and implacable. "Captain Jim" was a coward in the open, secretive obsequious and treacherous. Because of his damaging forays across the line into Union territory and the punishment he inflicted upon raiders into Southern territory and still more on account of the fear and hatred of "Home Guards" whose activities he held in check, a price had been offered for the capture or "head" of Captain Bill. Goaded by the many scouragings he had endured and lured by visions of the "blood money", in prospect, "Yankee Jim" devised a scheme for the annihilation of his antagonist and securing the reward. Knowing that he could not capture "Bill" he designed to betray and murder him. Not having the courage to attack him on equal footing or in open fight, he schemed to get an advantage through treachery and assassinate him.

In the summer of '63 it was reported that Captain "Jim" had deserted the Union cause and would cast his lot with the Confederacy. It was said by those near to him that just prior to his announced desertion that he placed his money and valuables in a tin box which he carried out in the night time into the hills back of Ceredo to secrete in the rocks or bury in the earth. He sent a message to Captain 'Bill' that he wanted to join his company but the wary scout had received warning to beware of treachery. He appointed a conference with captain "Jim" at a farm house one mile South-West of Wayne Court House, on Toms Creek. The writer, a mere boy happened that day to be at the farm house and saw the two captains Smith in close talk sitting on the logs hauled in for firewood, while a score of Captain "Bill's" company were lounging around close by. Captain "Jim" had no gun and pretending good faith, had evidently come unarmed. At the close of the talk Captain "Bill" conferred apart with one of his lieutenants and then all left together in broken order. They climbed the steep hill facing the farm house and disappeared in the woods going in a western direction. Excepting by the members of the company that was the last seen of "Yankee Jim" in the flesh. It was afterwards ascertained that when the company reached the top of the ridge and at a point about two miles west of Wayne Court House, a halt was called for a rest. The two Smiths sat down together on the trunk of an upturned tree and BILL informed JIM that his treacherous designs were known and he would be dealt with as a spy. "Jim" jumped to his feet and started to run and the company opened fire on him and killed him. The body was buried in the hole made by the upturned tree. Some years after the war the skeleton was exhumed for demonstration use by a physician and the inner office of the doctor was long embellished with the grinning skull of "Yankee Jim", though few knew the identity of the skeleton.

Immediately after the tragedy, diligent search was made for the hidden treasure and from time to time was kept up for many years. A few people still living firmly believe that the tin box lies buried in some secret spot or is hidden in the crevice of some rock cliff near Ceredo. Others suspect that the box was found soon after the death of its owner and the finding kept secret.

Captain Bill Smith died some years after the war and is buried in the Confederate lot in Springhill cemetery.
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Three young men of the East Lynn community were arrested Tuesday afternoon of this week on a charge of possessing and operating a moonshine still.

The men arrested were Pearley Ramey, Leonard Ramey and Edgar Clay. The arrest was made by Constable Taylor Carey who walked in on the boys and arrested them single handed.

The trio are alleged to have been making liquor in a house located on the hill just back of the Robert Vaughan place a short distance below East Lynn. Officers report that the still was in operation when the arrests were made and that three pints of finished liquor and a quantity of mash was confiscated. Following the arrest Constable Carey summoned Sheriff M. E. Ketchum and the three men were taken before Squire Harmon Fry at East Lynn where they were placed under bond of one thousand dollars each to answer indictment at September grand jury.
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Excavation of two mounds near Morgansville, in Doddridge County 12 miles West of Salem, has revealed what Professor Ernest Sutton, head of the history department of Salem College, believes is valuable evidence of a race of giants who inhabited sections of West Virginia more than 1,000 years ago.

This find should be of particular interest in Wayne County in view of the fact that there are numerous evidences that the mound builders once lived on what is now Wayne County soil. Some few years ago Wayne County News published a store describing some of the mounds located in the Buffalo Creek section of this County. Some pre-historic implements have been taken from mounds in this county, but these have never yet been fully explored.

Professor Sutton has been excavating the two mounds in Doddridge County for the past several months.

Skeletons of four mound builders indicating they were from seven to nine feet tall, have been uncovered. Prof. Sutton believes they were members of a race known in anthropology as Sicuan Indians.

The best preserved skeleton was found enclosed in a casting of clay. All of the vertebrae and other bones excepting the skull were intact. Careful measurement of the specimen indicated it was a man seven and a half feet tall.

Prof. Sutton attached great importance to the type of implements utensils and weapons found in the mounds. Further exploration is being made by the professor, assisted by Otis Stutter, of Salem. Data on the discovery will be submitted to the Smithsonian Institution.

The two mounds from which the skeletons, implements and weapons were taken are located on the farm of Benjamin Zahn. Sutton had believed that the wooded hill might contain graves of the mound builders and last fall, with the aid of Hurley Zahn, of Clarksburg, the farm owner's son began excavating.

In one mound was a lone skeleton, believed by Sutton to be a tribal chief or ruler, while in the other larger mound three skeletons were found together. Absence of other clay than that found in the casing about the remains of the "chief" were found led the excavators to believe that the clay about the body had been transported from some distance.
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The town of Fort Gay in Wayne County was visited by a disastrous fire Sunday night which did dam age that is estimated at $25,000.00. A comparatively small amount of insurance is carried to cover the loss.

The fire destroyed the hotel building of W. H. Kirkpatrick and also burned the residence of Mrs. Kirkpatrick as well. The residence of Nancy Dotson and the residence of C. H. Steel were also completely destroyed.

The cause of the fire is not known. It was first discovered in the Dotson residence. A group of volunteer fighters were assisted by the fire department of Louisa, (just across the river), water being obtained from the tank of an N. & W. Engine. But the fire gained headway rapidly due to the frame structure of the building and it was with extreme difficulty that other buildings in the vicinity were saved. This is one of the most disastrous fires that has occurred in Wayne County in a long time.
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Harrison Bradshaw, son of Hiram Bradshaw, was seriously cut in a dozen places across his face, neck, arms and chest in an affray which occurred Saturday night, July 5, 1930, near Bradshaw's home on Millers Fork, this County.

Sewell Gilkerson, son of John Gilkerson, was arrested and given a preliminary hearing Monday before Justice of the Peace Boyd Adkins at Wayne and was bound over to answer indictment before the September grand jury under $10,000.00 bond.

Immediately following the cutting scrape Deputy Sheriff T. J. Maynard and Constable Stan Buskirk went to the scene of the trouble and arrested Gilkerson together with five others, namely, Clarence Adkins, Leslie Lester, Clyde Adkins, Calvin Lucas and Ted Adkins. The latter five were placed under one hundred dollars bond each in Squire Adkins' court to appear before the next grand jury as material witnesses of the cutting.

Dr. Glen Johnson, of Wayne, attended the injured man and the doctor described him as the worst cut up individual he had ever seen. Bradshaw was rushed to St. Marys hospital in Huntington where Dr. Johnson and an interne from the C. & O. hospital in Huntington spent over two hours sewing up his wounds. More than one hundred stitches were required. The cutting, which had been done presumably, with a sharp pocket knife, came close to severing Bradshaw's jugular vein. Deep gashes were cut across his face, neck and shoulders. Barring complications and infection attending physicians believe the injured man will recover.

The cutting scrape is said to have come about as the result of a grudge or hard feeling that has been existing between the two principals in the fray for some several years.
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Tolbee Marshall, age 35, son of William Marshall who lives on Twelve Pole a mile north of Wayne was seriously injured, three other men were killed and five more injured in a premature explosion of dynamite and black powder on a State Road construction job near Pliny, Putnam County on last Friday, July 4, 1930.

Marshall is well known in the Wayne community. His wife as the daughter of Ed Wilkinson, mail carrier on Wayne Rural Route No. Two.

The three men killed in the explosion were V. C. Moulse, 55, Mingo County who was foreman on the job; Frank Bills, 60, blacksmith, of Hamlin, Lincoln County; and Conrad Cain, 42, of Winfield, Putnam County. In addition to Marshall the five injured were Roy Carter, 24, of Pliny; Howard Cain, 25, of Buffalo; Ephriam Collier, of Pliny; John H. Williams, 14, of Pliny; Burrel Fewel, age 16 of St. Albans.

Marshall is in a hospital at Charleston where he is suffering from an injury to his spine, broken leg, and burns on his face and body. His condition is regarded as serious and he complains most of his spine injury. He has been placed in a cast.

Employees of Cain Company

The men, except Fewel, were employees of J. M. Cain and Co., Inc.. Huntington contractors. In the course of building a new state road and bridge from Winfield to a point beyond Pliny, they were engaged in turning a creek by blowing a way through a knoll.

The men were preparing for one of the blasts by means of which they are tearing a hole through the hillside. Ten holes had been drilled and tamped. There were 20 boxes of powder in each hole. The victims and seven other workmen were grouped about the place.

Wife Sees Tragedy

The wife of "Baldy" Moulse, foreman, had delivered his lunch to him a few minutes before.

"Stand up there on the bank," he is quoted as having told her, "and watch the blast."

The woman moved away. She had not grone more than 50 feet when the tcriffic blast shook the earth. She was stunned but recovered soon enough to see workmen dig the mangled body of her husband from the earth and debris that covered him.

Bills, the blacksmith, was hurled high in the air. A tape measure from his pocket was hanging in the limbs of a tree about 40 feet from the ground. His torn and charred remains were found across the highway, more than 100 feet away.

Cain was still living after the explosion but he failed to regain consciousness and died shortly after he was admitted to the hospital.

G. Webb of Spencer, a powder man, walked away from the charge a few seconds before the blast. With others who stood about the operation, he was thrown to the ground by the concussion, but uninjured. Webb said the blast could not be definitely explained. The tamping may have caused a spark or one of the men may have been careless in opening a box of powder.
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Mrs. Daisy Clarkson, age 50, of Fort Gay, is being held in the Wayne County jail as this is written on a charge of arson in connection with the fire which burned up $25,000 worth of property ten days ago. This was one of the most disastrous fires in the county for some time. Three residences and a hotel were destroyed.

Mrs. Clarkson resided at the residence of J. B. Dotson which was one of the buildings destroyed. A warrant was sworn out for her arrest for arson and she was given a hearing in Squire P. J. Webb's court last week and her bond was set at $5,000, but up to this time she has not given bond.

The fire which started in the Dotson home, soon enveloped the hotel and restaurant of W. H. Kirkpatrick and also the dwelling of C. A. Steel.

According to testimony at the examining trial of Mrs. Clarkson, she had gone up stairs to look for some magazines with a small boy. They dropped some money and struck matches to look for it. This is believed to have caused the fire. State Fire Marshal and Prosecuting Attorney Jesse Hammock, preferred the charges against Mrs Clarkson.

The Louisa fire department made a heroic effort to save the dwellings but they were too near gone when the alarm was sounded. Due to their efforts, however, other dwellings were saved. Timely arrival of an N. & W. engine provided water for the fire engine.

It is understood that insurance was carried only by Mr. Dotson which helps lessen the damage to his property.
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An echo of the days that were is sounded in the following article by L. W. Osburn, of East Lynn, in which the writer tells of a recent interview with two pioneer Wayne Countians who recall events in the days when Wayne County's hills and valleys were covered by virgin forests and these forests were populated by thousands of game animals most of which are now extinct. The equipment of a Wayne County School three-quarters of a century ago is described in the following article and is in striking contrast with the efficiency standards maintained in our modern educational system. We are sure our readers will enjoy reading this article, and it will doubtless inspire some of you to write a letter to these columns telling some of your interesting experiences and memories. --- Editor's Note.

By Lucian W. Osburn

As the time is at hand for our schools to begin again I thought a few words about the early schools of Wayne County would be appreciated by your readers. So I paid a visit to two of our pioneer citizens last week to get some statistics. Will also give a few words of information about these aged and respected citizens.

My first visit was with "Uncle" James E. Hobbs, who lives on the left fork of Beech Fork. He is eighty-seven years old and gets around remarkably well and wants to attend the Lawrence Dickerson school reunion this year. He was a Confederate soldier and did service in the three days fight at Gettysburg. He can give many interesting details of the Civil War. He relates that he and a companion were once compelled to separate themselves from the cavalry in which they were serving on account of their horses being lame. They stopped at a farm house where there was a number of staff officers and a man dressed in citizen's clothes. Uncle Jim talked some little time with the plain clothes man who seemed to be well posted about the Southern armies and told Uncle Jim where to fall in with the army again. Finally one of the staff officers asked Uncle Jim if he knew the man to whom he was talking. He said he did not. "That", said he "is General Robert E. Lee."

Uncle Jim describes his early school days as follows: One of his teachers was William Kendrick, grandfather of C. H. Kendrick and the other was William Nixon. The time was about 77 years ago. The school house stood on the head of Camp Creek about a mile above the present graded school building and about 4 1/2 miles above East Lynn. The house was built of split logs with one log left out the entire length for a window. The seats were made of hewed poplar logs with legs placed therein. There was no blockboard nor lead pencils used but the ciphering was done on slates and writing was done with goose quill pens. The text books were Smiley's Arithmetic, McGuffey's Readers, Elementary (blue back) spelling book and the New Testament. When the teacher pronounced words to spell the whole class spelled at once. Harrison Watts and Alderson Watts were pupils of these schools.

My next visit was with "Aunt Nancy" Clay, widow of E. B. Clay, and mother of T. H. Clay of Huntington and J. M. Clay of Kentucky and L. T. Clay of French Lick, Ind. She lives on a small branch of Beech Fork near Gilkerson. She is ninety three years old and remembers things that happened ninety years ago. Her home is with her grandson, Lucian Clay. She says she has lived much of her life out of doors. She still works in the garden. When I handed her a copy of the West Virginia Worker she could read the headlines without glasses. She with her husband and Mrs. Matilda Kendrick were the first persons baptized into the Camp Creek Church of Christ when it was organized 56 years ago.

The school she attended was taught in a private house which stood on Camp Creek about a half mile below the other school house I have described. The year 1848. The school was taught by Rev. William Napier, son of the venerable Thomas Napier, who taught the first school in Wayne County. The school was conducted similar to the other I have described.

She says that Mrs. Sarah A. Sellards and Mrs. Harriet Preston were pupils in that school and that about forty pupils were in attendance. Do you wonder where they all came from. The houses were few and far between in those days but there were ten or twelve children to the family and they went four or five miles to school. Their journey was along the foot paths through the forests and they were not entertained while en route by victrolas and radios. Neither did they see any automobiles, air planes or railroad trains. But the monotony of the journey was sometime broken by the sight of wild animals such as deer, bears and wild cats. I am told that pupils carried milk to school in jugs with a tin cup for each pupil of a family tied to the jug. These pupils enjoyed themselves and made useful men and women. They look back to that period of life with a great deal of satisfaction as "fond memory paints the scenes of other days."

What an advantage the youth of today has over those of three-quarters of a century ago in the way of schools and how thankful they ought to be!

I would be pleased to hear thru Wayne County News from some one who went to school to Thomas Napier, with a description of the the school.
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The regular September term of Wayne County Circuit Court at Wayne continues this week, with a number of important cases already disposed of 12 men have been given a total of thirty years in the penitentiary on guilty pleas at this term.

Following is a summary of the outstanding cases that have been heard up to Wednesday of this week:

State Vs. Mrs. Belle Jarrell and R. L. Jarrell, Non-support, judgment taken for $280.00

State Vs. Bruns Runyon and Charles Gabbart, breaking and entering and larceny, on plea of guilty to petit, larceny they were given ninety days in jail.

State Vs. John Watkins, grand larceny, on plea of guilty he was given two years in the penitentiary

State Vs. Chester Spradling, entered plea of guilty to grand larceny and was given two years in the penitentiary.

George Spence (Spears), Emory Damron and Woodrow Crum each entered a plea of guilty to grand larceny charges and were sentenced to two years in the penitentiary.

Clifford Dillon, Amos Johnson and Pearl Waller each entered plea of guilty to angle-cocking railroad trains and they were sentenced to five years in the state penitentiary.

Pearley Ramey was given one year in the state prison on a moonshine still charge. He pleaded guilty.

Edgar Clay likewise entered a plea of guilty to a moonshine still charge and was given a year in Moundsville.

Andrew Preston plead guilty to a grand larceny charge and was sentenced to two years in the penitentiary.

Sam Spaulding entered a guilty plea to a moonshine still charge and was given one year in the penitentiary and fined $200.00.

The case of Flora Rakes Vs. the County Court was continued.

Joshua Stephens plead guilty to a charge of obstructing an officer and was fined $25.00 and costs and put on probation for one year.

W. L. Snodgrass was found guilty of having moonshine liquor in his possession and given 30 days in jail and fined $100.00 and put on probation for five years.

Emanuel Moore was fined $5.00 and costs on an assault and battery count.

Hiram Ferguson was fined $25.00 on an assault and battery charge.

Teat Adkins was fined $20.00 and costs on a misdemeanor charge. And an indictment against Austin Adkins, son of Teat Adkins, was nolled.

Other Cases Set

Felony cases against Cline McKee and Garland McKee have been set for Monday, September 15th.

A felony charge against Corbet Cauliflower is docketed for Wednesday of next week.

Thursday of next week, September 18th, the following felony case will come up: John Baker, Alma Cyrus, Charley Hodge, Brady Jackson and L. F. Jetter.

The murder trial of Chancellor Ferguson, charged with killing Uncle George Crockett of near Wayne is set for next Friday, the 19 th.

Felony cases against John Plybon, Martha Parsley and John Thompson have been docketed for Monday September 22nd.

The murder trial of John Wallace for the killing of Erastus Finley has been set for Tuesday, September 23rd.
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Butler District High School at Fort Gay opened Monday, September 8, 1930, with an enrollment of 147. The students are classified as follows:

NINTH GRADE; Lucian Workman, Don Peters, Lindsey Thompson, Ishmael Ratcliffe, Janice Montgomery, Elizabeth Porter, Elsie Castle, Taylor See, M. B. See, Kyle Dawson, Virginia Bartram, Fontella Preston, Nancy Bartram, Charlotte See, Virginia Smith, Elmer Picklesimer, Beatrice Pieklesimer, Bettie Perry, Eloise Webb, Viola Copley, Marguerite Webb, Alberta Ferguson, Roberta Peters, James Workman, Paule Knode, Maxine Weddington, Edna Harlowe, Mellie Newcomb, Walter Ferguson, Susie Thompson, Grace Sword, Augusta Smith, Sylvia Webb, Woodrow Sword, Lucille Perry, Ethel Thompson, Lotus Harless, Alice Lambert, Zea E. Perry, Clifford Thompson, Earl J. O'Neill, Emmett Harlowe, James Sword, John Sipple, Jack Wells, Jack Peters, all of Fort Gay; Jocie Hampton, Mary Belle Smith, Lotus Hampton, Rosa Smith, Cecil Porter, of Grassy; Paul Belcher, Ben Burke, Walter Johnson, Hazel Smith, Elbert Smith, Nellie Burke, Maude Hooser, of Prichard; James W. Johnson, Wayne Johnson, Mabel Kidd, Howard Northern of Glenhayes; Jim Billups of Hubbardstown.

TENTH GRADE: Thelma Easley, Kathlyn Bailey, Frances Bartram, Nancy L. Wheeler, Elizabeth Wheeler, Lexie Dean, Lorita Boyes, Rebecca Wellman, Lelah Wheeler, Eugie Christian, Mildred Borders, Alice Lycan, Lucille Spencer, Nell Taylor Peters, Oma Lovely, Blanch C. Artrip, Ruth Robinette, Juanita Hoosier, Grant Raines, Josephine Ferguson, Ralph Peters, Fred Price, Kenneth Ratcliffe, Tim Copley, Roberda Jean Vanhoose, Alta M. Robertson, Nancy M. Frasher, Oden Ball, Ralph Hall, Herman Borders, Lucille Frasher, Homer J. Reid, Arlen Cyrus, George Raines, Herbert Hill, Arthur Webb, John Hill, Audra N. Lester, Merlin Thompson, Geneva Hall, Russell Webb, Burke Ball, Betty Frasher, Billie Rife, Robert Bailey, Dorothy Branham, Dorene Ferguson, Mildred Montgomery, Mamie Smith, Lucille Thompson, Arthur Wheeler, Anna Mounts of Fort Gay; Rupert Collinsworth, Hoyt Belcher, Harold Collinsworth, Wallace Collins of Prichard; Willard Kidd of Glenhayes.

ELEVENTH GRADE: Homer Dean, Eugene Edwards, Elizabeth Blair, Thursie Bartram, George Rowe, Gordon Bartram, Frank Burnette, Mildred McClure, Amy Lycan, Hubert Ferguson, Ernest McClure, Frank Robinette, Carrie Freguson, Bromley Raines, Erma J. Carr, Janie Bartram, Carnas Bartram, Maggie Hamilton, Violet Artrip, Madge Wellman, Paul F. Wellman, Lorene Robinette, Eliott Ferguson of Fort Gay; Georgia Bartram, Sunnyside, W. Va.; Maxie Baker, Sidney; Gladys Vinson, Salt Petre.
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840 Lafayette Avenue
McMinnville, Oregon.

Wayne County News
Wayne, W. Va.

Gentlemen:

This letter is written to my many friends in Wayne County and elsewhere, who read Wayne County News.

We enjoy every bit of our old home paper, especially the news items. I see that many of my old friends have moved to different parts of the United States and I enjoy reading their letters very much. I have taken the paper ever since it was called the Wayne Advocate. Every copy I read, my mind goes back to boyhood days and to my people and many friends who are ranked the highest in my estimation of any people on earth.

I moved from Wayne County on April 7, 1911 - - - 19 years ago and landed in Oregon on April 11. I farmed for five years, then I moved to the city of McMinnville. I am working for a milk company as night watchman, have been with them over eleven years.

Our only daughter died seven years ago. Our boys are both married. The oldest, Tolbert, lives in Portland, Oregon and is getting along fine. Grant the youngest boy lives at Kings City, California. He is superintendent of a milk plant and is doing well.

I want to say to all my people and friends, we would like to see you all. We would come on a visit but my wife is not able to stand the trip at this time. Hope she will be able to come next summer.

We have a fine country and the finest climate I ever saw. Fine paved highways, fine scenery, good for all kinds of farming, fruit growing of all kinds and berries of all kinds and all kinds of vegetables. There are many people coming from the Eastern States and settling in Oregon and there is room for a million more. About one-third of the population of Oreson live in the city of Portland. This valley where I live is 125 miles long and 50 miles wide and is 40 miles from the Pacific Coast.

I have been here for 19 years and we have never had a crop failure. Oregon has 3,489 miles of paved, oiled and rocked highways. 440 mills cut 4,371,924,000 feet of lumber last year.

Cases of canned fruits and vegetables packed in 1929, 4,342,837, besides 65,000 barrels of frozen strawberries, 35,000 barrels of frozen raspberries, blackberries, cherries, etc.; value of packed fruit and vegetables in Oregon, 1929, $21,500,000.

Oregon produces one-half the nation's packed strawberries. One-half of the canned prunes of the United States come from Oregon. The Reid-Murdock company at Salem plans to operate throughout the year, since installing refrigerators to have available fresh fruits and berries for canning operations.

Dairy animals, number 220,000 produced $25,500,000 in new wealth. Oregon developed the first hen to lay 300 eggs in a year. Oregon developed the first hen to lay 1000 eggs in a lifetime. Oregon shipped 453 carloads of eggs to outside markets in 1929, mostly Eastern. J. A. Hanson of Corvallis, with ten hens, won the international egg-laying contest held at Storrs, Conn., in 1925 and 1929. His sales for 1927 were $75,000.

Two million baby chicks will be shipped from Corvallis this season. The Haley Chicken Canning Company, two years old, canned 40,000 hens in 1929, the output going to eight states, Canada and England; The Mione Packing Company, of McMinnville employes 26 people canning chickens.

Oregon produces over 50 percent of the nations hops on 17,606 acres, the crop totaled 18,445,000 pounds, worth $2,213,000 in 1929.

The Rogue River Valley is the fastest growing part of Oregon; doubled in the last eight years. Over 12,000 carloads of agricultural and industrial products were shipped in 1929; total shipments worth $12,250,000; $2600 income for each 45,000 population. Land ownership is so extended in the Grants Pass, Medford and Talent irrigation districts that the average farm now contains but eight acres.

Oregon's 1929 wheat acreage was 1,058,000, yielding 23,114,000 bushels, the value of which was $25,554,000. The state average is 22 bushels per acre against 10 to 17 bushels in the Middle States. Ninety-five bushels per acre was produced near Scappoose in 1929. Many Yamhill county farms produce 60 to 70 bushels per acre.

There are 2,501,000 head of sheep in Oregon in 1930, worth $22,531,000; $6,187,000 is the value of the wool and mohair clip - - - 18,149,000 pounds of wool, 500,000 pounds of mohair. Oregon sheep lead the nation in wool production with an average of nine pounds each.

Oregon has 480,000 head of beef cattle, worth $20,927,000. Total livestock sales were about $30,000,000 in 1929.

Total agricultural production for 1929 in Oregon was $179,895,000.

You will find enclosed money order to pay for the Wayne County News, as we can't do without it.

I am sending you by Parcel Post some samples of the kind of string beans that we raise in Oregon.

We wish the Wayne County Nr\ews and all its readers the greatest of success.

Yours truly,

E. OSBURN

Editor's Note—Mr. Osburn sent us a sample of some of the beans raised in Oregon. They were the largest we have ever seen. Some of the box of beans sent measured more than a foot in length.
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Bids for the grading, draining and culvert construction of the first section of the newly adopted location of U. S. Route No. 60 between Huntington and Ceredo-Kenova will be awarded to contract on October 13, 1930, by the Huntington City Commission. Work on the project will be underway within the next few weeks.

The project is the first step in a program of road improvement at the western entrance to the city agreed upon in conference among governing bodies of Huntington and Wayne County and the State Road Commission.

As its share of the cost of the first unit of the improvement, the city included a $19,000 item in its budget to pay for grading and drainage on the new road location which lies within the city limits.

Appropriations for paving the highway will be made next year.

The projects upon which bids will be received October 13 provides for a right of way eighty feet in width and not quite a mile long. It extends from Camden crossing to Twelve Pole Creek, the city's western limits, paralleling the right of way of the Ohio Valley Electric Railway Co.

Right-Of-Way Problem

Wayne County is required to provide rights-of-way for this road and Prosecuting Attorney Jess Hammock and County Road Engineer H. O. Wiles have been busy on this Work this week. According to first estimates more than $60,000.00 will be required to purchase the necessary rights-of-way.
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Interesting and heretofore unpublished facts about the settlement of the Big Sandy Valley is contained in an article written by Dr. W. L. Jayne, a native of Flat Gap, Ky., who is now deceased. We are indebted to the Paintsville (Ky.) Herald for this most readable account of the early days in the Big Sandy Valley: - - - Editor's Note.

The history and traditions of the hill country of the Big Sandy Valley in Kentucky and West Virginia forms one of the most interesting chapters in the story of pioneer days in the United States.

Much material is to be found in old records, but some of the most interesting stories are purely traditional but with ear marks and attendant circumstances which seem to indicate the truth.

The Shawnee Indians occupied the territory north of the Ohio River now Ohio and Indiana and the Cherokees occupied that territory south of the Cumberland Mountains now Tennessee and part of North Carolina. Before the coming of the white men a war had been carried on between these two great Indian tribes for many years. There is an Indian tradition of a raid made by the Cherokees coming down the Chaterwa river as they called the Big Sandy, and crossing into what is now Ohio, where they were defeated by the Shawnees and came back by what is now known as Portsmouth, following the old Indian trail up Tygart Creek, crossing on to the headwater of Cherokee, thence by way of Mud Lick Creek near the present site of Paintsville.

From there they went up the Big Sandy closely pursued by a great army of Shawnees. In the Breaks of Sandy the Cherokees thought they had them hemmed, but in the night the Cherokees went into a cave which the Shawnees are said to have guarded for several days. But the Cherokees found a passage through the cave and escaped south of the mountain.

The first white man who ever saw the Big Sandy Valley was Gabriel Arthur who was a prisonei of the Cherokees and was carried down the river on an expedition against the Shawnees. He escaped near the Mouth of the Big Sandy River, went back up the river, and is supposed to have gone across the mountain to the white settlement in Virginia.

In 1750 Dr. Walker came thru the Cumberland Gap and followed the Big Sandy to its mouth. He named the river the Louisa river, but the traders who followed him called it the Sandy Creek, which was later changed to Sandy River.

The first settlement made in Kentucky was made by the French traders on the south side of the Ohio river about one mile below the present city of Portsmouth. This was built in 1763. About twenty Frenchmen were there in 1765 when a great flood washed the whole town away. They moved their settlement to a higher site on the northern side of the river.

When Boone came to Kentucky his brother Squire Boone returned to Virginia while Daniel spent a winter in Beaver Creek Valley which is now Floyd County. He found the country full of bear but discovered that Indians were in the habit of passing up and down Beaver Creek, and several times had narrow escapes from them. One night he found a party following the old trail who turned off to make camp at the foot of a cliff. There was a hole at which a hissing noise could be heard. The Indians lighted this and danced around and then bowed their heads on the ground to worship the breath of the Great Spirit. Boone nor the Indians knew that they had discovered a gas field, but in that region now are a great many wells producing a heavy flow of gas.

The Big Sandy Valley, while attractive was rendered very dangerous because of the Shawnee and Cherokee Indians. There was a number of attempts at settlements but these settlers were always driven out by the Indians.

The Vancouver brothers built a fort at the forks of Sandy, probably only a year or two after the settlement of Boonesboro, but this fort was destroyed by the Indians and all the occupants killed. Another of the Vancouvers rebuilt the fort the next year and brought a considerable party from Virginia, but they in turn were all killed by the Indians.

John Spurlock built a trading post which came to be known as Preston Station, located not far from what is now known as Prestonsburg. This was maintained for jeveral years and the Indians drove the settlers away.

In 1767 a man named Frey secured a patent from Virginia for two thousand three hundred acres of land, including the present site of Louisa. This was surveyed by George Washington sometime between 1767 and 1770. Some years ago, F. T. D. Wallace, a citizen ol Louisa, found a stone on the hill overlooking Louisa, which had "G. W." and one side and "V. A." on the other. This was said to be the beginning corner of the survey.

The traditions of the time tell many stories of the adventures of the settlers who accompanied Dad Owens and Gene Ratliff in 1785. The Sandy Fork expedition is one of the picturesque events of that early time. In reprisal for raids made by the Shawnees on the Roanoke settlement in Virginia, Coy Lewis with four hundred and fifty men, came down the Great Kanawa river thence to the mouth of Sandy where he met the Shawnees in great force. He was defeated here by the Shawnees and came up the Big Sandy where they again engaged the Indians near the present site of Louisa.

Being again defeated, they were unable to go back by the route which they had followed and traversed the Eastern Fork of Big Sandy River. At one camp they had no food and cut up their belts and moccasins into strips which they called "tugs" and boiled them in a kettle. The "tug soup" gave name to the Tug River. This expedition was not successful, and only about one-third of the force returned. By the close of the Revolution Indian raids became less frequent and a trading post was established at Catlettsburg in 1807. At that time bear skins were in great demand to make the caps which Napoleons Grenadier wore. French traders are said to have bought in one year at this trading post eight thousand bear skins which were shipped to France. The stories told of the numbers of bears in the Big Sandy Valley are almost past belief.

Settlers at Paintsville coming down the river in their canoes loaded with bear skins heard a sound of someone crying and ventured to climb the cliff up from the river, where they found an abandoned camp fire with a white child beside it. This fire had no doubt been made by a party of Indians who had been on a raid against the Virginia settlers. The child was taken care of and was never able to establish his identity. He went by the name of John Cavern. At the present time a number of families of Caverns trace their ancestry to this child.

Another story of the time is that some Paintsville settlers who had never seen any other light but tallow candles and pine torches saw a new fangled lamp at the trading post at Catlettsburg. They bought it and took it home with a jug of oil. At night all the settlers gathered in one cabin and tried the light. They did not know what to do with the little ratchet which manipulates the wick and the flames were going to the roof of the cabin. In order to extinguish the light they carried it out and turned a big kettle over it.

Another adventure story of the time is that of Jennie Wiley, who was captured by the Indians in a raid on the Virginia settlements. She was taken to Shawnee town where she was kept a prisoner more than a year. The Indians took her with them on a hunting expedition and while they were encamped at the Mouth of Mud Lick a favorite camp ground of their, she escaped in the night and by wading the icy waters of Mud Lick and Paints Creek for several miles threw the Indians off her trail. At last finding refuge at Harmon Station near the mouth of George's Creek, she is said to have escaped from the dogs with which the Indians were tracking her by crawling into a log which lay across the creek, which is now called Jennie's Creek. The Wiley family of Eastern Kentucky are descendants of this intrepid woman.

When George Rogers Clark made his campaign in the Northwest he had in his command a company from the Big Sandy Valley. These men are said to have been a great company of adventures. They had reason to hate the British and Indians. After this campaign peace came to Eastern Kentucky and what is now Southern West Virginia.
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Of the ten officers who first served the Wayne Chapter Royal Arch Masons No. 18 when this lodge was founded at Wayne 36 years ago, only three are still living.

This information was made known this week by P. P. Lester, of Wayne, who is secretary of the Wayne R. A. M. Mr. Lester referred to the passing of seven out of ten of the original roster of officers as a striking example of the way that death can thin the ranks of mankind in a comparatively short time.

We give below the first officers of the Wayne Chapter, who were installed when the chapter began on February 24, 1894:

B. King Dawson, High Priest.

W. T. Workman, Ex. King.

Chas. F. Smith, Ex. Scribe.

B. J. Prichard, Treas. Pro Tern.

Dr. Everett Walker, Secretary.

B. J. Prichard, Capt. of the Host.

E. D. Crum, Prin. Sojourner.

J. H. Thornbury, Royal Arch Captain.

P. P. Lester, G. M. 3rd Veil.

W. C. Walker, G. M. 2nd Veil

Everett Walker, G. M. 1st Veil.

Samuel Farmer, Tyler.

All of the above original officers have since died with the exception of P. P. Lester, of Wayne; B. J. Prichard, of Wayne; and Dr. Everett Walker, of Adrian, W. Va.

451 In 36 Years

A review of the accomplishments of Wayne Chapter No. 18 by Secretary Lester reveals the interesting fact that a grand total of 451 men have been made chapter Masons during the 36 years that the local lodge has been in existence.

Local Men Honored

The 60th annual convention of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of West Virginia held in Wheeling recently, Carney M. Layne, of Huntington, was elected Grand High Priest.

P. P. Lester, Wayne man who is widely known in Masonic circles in the State, was elected Grand Lecturer. The other officers were from different parts of the State.

At the 66th annual communication of the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free & Accepted Masons held in Wheeling Lawson D. Willis, of Kenova, was elected Junior Grand Warden.

A number of prominent Masons from this section of the State attended the sessions in Wheeling recently.
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6547 Woodlawn Ave.
Chicago, Illinois

Wayne County News
Wayne, W. Va.

Gentlemen:

I was born on the waters of Buffalo Creek, Wayne County. I grew up partly toward manhood and attended the public schools in the neighborhood where we lived. I had my "ups and downs". (Mostly downs). My first teacher was one stern master who bore the name of Wesley Merricks. He was a very intelligent man with a goodly crop of whiskers which were no drawback as those were the days of whiskers.

Other teachers I remember were one R. D. Phillips a man supposedly of great mental attainments. Quite a pompous gentleman from the mother state, Virginia , and one, Horace Fuller, a man of humble mein though a conscientious man. He was one of those old-timers who taught for so much cash per and boarded "around". You probably know what I mean. He would board and sleep free at the homes of the pupils' parents, though I think teacher Fuller spent most of his time at the home of William Wirt Brumfield. I remember one great attainment of his. He could manipulate the marbles in most wonderful manner in the games in which we participated and also he could wield the beech limb handsomely. If any of his old pupils should read this I am sure they will bear out my statements.

Also there was one, Sylvester Drummond, quite a youthful teacher, though a good one and he was an expert ball player - - - very handy with the bat. I think he could equal Babe Ruth as a "home run king."

Another teacher was Sanford Smith. At that time he was a mere youth, tho I am told he is an old man now living in the Westmoreland section of Huntington.

Also one J. E. M. Bing taught a short term. He was a very brainy man. I think he taught just one month at this place, it being the remaining part of a term of a certain teacher who failed to finish his term. One small incident in regard to this very intelligent teacher: He lived over at the old Buffalo Shoals and was a stranger in our district. He made his cheerful appearance on a bright balmy Monday morning dressed in a nice summer suit, consisting of coat, vest and trousers made of gingham such as women sometimes used to make their dresses, a straw hat and shirt, nothing more, no shoes just simply nice clean feet and legs, which was thought all right though a little unusual. He was an unusually good teacher. I sometimes fear our present day teachers are his inferiors.

A few of the pupils whom I remember as attending these schools were: Ned Erby, Chas. Erby, Bob Erby, Sallie and Alice Erby these are mostly gone to the great beyond I am told; Henry Rutherford, Henry Jones, Bob Davis, Jess Fuller, John Bryan, Sherman Bryan,

Mary (Sis) Bryan, Millard and Minnie Johnson, George, Ira and Arnold Fuller, George and Lum Watts, Ewell, Lee, Dollie and Sallie Perdue, Jimmerson, Vella and John Brumfield, Dick, Tom and Blackhead Hutchinson, Link and Bob Lowe, Cyntha Johnson, Milton Ward, Genevie Ward, John and Mattie Watts, Wayne and Harvey Osburn, Bill, Josephine and Hugh Rowe, Joe and Anthony Malcolm, the Staley's, Perdue's, the Decker girls, Mary and Martha McCallister, Mary Ellen, Mag Pendleton, and Babe Brumfield.

At a later date we moved to the west, leaving Huntington on the 12th day of April, 1880. We shipped aboard the noble steamer "Granite State" a carrier of passengers and freight. She nosed her way down the beautiful Ohio river stopping at different parts, picking up much freight and passengers. I remember her stop at Ashland, Ironton, Louisville and many other parts. After a safe, though somewhat threatening journey down to Cairo and up the broad and muddy father of waters to St. Louis, we disembarked, taking the railroad train and landing at Chanute, Kansas, on April 20. Then after 36 years of pilgrimage in Kansas and Colorado I retraced my steps back Eastward as far as Chicago, where I have ever since dwelt in the windy, city, the city of smoke, hustle, hurry, bustle and gangsters with many mighty fine people as well as some not so good.

On September 29, this year, I embarked on a Grey Hound Bus, headed for Huntington, the city from which I had departed fifty years before, when I was a carefree lad. I have grown to a rather advanced age. I stopped at my lifelong friend's home, Millard Johnson, where I was entertained so nicely. I also visited other friends and relatives in Huntington, among whom was my beloved cousin, Louisa Fuller Ward and Mr. and Mrs. Lafe Hatten. I also visited at Wayne Court House and among the old friends I met there were Boss Brumfield, who though they say is past four score years, looks about sixty and steps about like a man of twenty-one. I also saw Pendleton Brumfield, a friend of my youth, Ord Porter, Tom Porter, George McCoy, Geo. Brumfield, all of whom I was much pleased to meet again. Two or three things which impressed me most were the hills seem so much larger than they did when I was a boy. And the valleys seem so much smaller that there is not much left of them, I used to think Twelve Pole was quite a river, but now it seems so small. I visited at the Shoals and on Newcomb. I could not recognize either as being the same. I visited my old friends and schoolmates there, among them, Lizzie Lather, Geo. and Annie Copley, Lon Luther, Jim Luther and some others. I had a wonderful visit. I renewed my acquaintances of my youth. Now I am back in Chicago, refreshed and renewed and at my daily labors, much benefitted.

I am
Yours truly,

LLOYD H. BRYAN
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Early history of State Route No. 8, from the time it was originally an Indian trail and used by the early settlers in their forages westward, is being traced in date and records now being compiled by the Williamson Chamber of Commerce in the interest of having the route made a Federal highway. Going back to the era of the Redskin and the Virginia Colonies, when the line followed by Route 8 was a path beaten across the State by the moccasins of many a warrior, a complete history of the highway will be woven into the brief to be filed in behalf of the Federal road proposal before the National Highway Association when the Association meets in Pittsburgh November 17.

This route runs through the entire length of Wayne County from North to South and is otherwise known as the Tug River Highway.

The plan to have the route made a Federal highway, thus creating a new and shorter east and west link to connect with southern points, has been pending for some time. It was originally proposed early this Spring by the Williamson Chamber of Commerce and met with prompt assurance of support from other localites along the State Route.

Briefs in favor of making Route 8 a Federal road will be submitted to the National Highway Association through the West Virginia road commission, it is understood. The date will include a series of maps which have been prepared by S. D. Hutchins, secretary of the Williamson Chamber, showing all connecting points involved in the project.

When the early Virginia settlers looked Westward for new worlds to conquer they considered an old Indian trail extending through this State from Virginia. Following this trail beaten by the Redskins they ventured to the Land of the Sunset, where a new civilization was set up. Later, when the railroad came, the Norfolk & Western began looking about for a suitable route from the Virginias to the Ohio Valley. The N. & W. selected the original old Indian trail and built its line through the State accordingly.

When the State of West Virginia decided to build a through route, the Indian trail was selected to follow. The result today is an all-weather surfaced, improved automobile route from one end of the State to the other that has opened up quick connection with hitherto mote or less isolated territory.
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Heroic action by Charles Perry, of Crum, this county, last week saved the two small daughters of Mingo County Prosecuting Attorney J. Walter Copley and Attorney Leonard Copley from being crushed to death beneath the wheels of N. & W. passenger train No. 16 as it was passing through Crum.

Both the Copley boys are native Wayne Countians, having been reared at Dunlow, but both of them are now located in Williamson.

Narrowly escaping death, Perry, who is 55 years old, dashed upon the tracks in the face of the oncoming train and caught the children from the tracks in the very nick of time. The children are Joan, daughter of Prosecutor Copley and June, daughter of Leonard Copley. Both are little more than two years of age.

The two Copley families were visiting Mrs. J. B. Crum, Sr., sister of the Copley brothers, at Crum, Sunday afternoon. The three children of Walter Copley and the two children of Attorney Leonard Copley were thought by their parents to be playing in the rear yard of the Crum residence. First attention to the narrow escape was attracted by the sudden stopping of Train 16, which is not scheduled to halt at Crum on its run.

The train came to a stop about 20 feet above the Crum residence. It was then learned that the engineer, Andy Nelson, had halted because he believed he had run over the two Copley babies and their rescuer, Perry. Much to the relief of all, Perry was found lying beside the tracks, holding both children clutched to his breast.

Perry, it apears, was sitting on his porch near Mr. Crum's residence when his sister-in-law, Mrs. Tivious Crum suddenly called his attention to two children on the tracks in front of the approaching train. Perry ran a distance of approximately three hundred feet and, in the face of the oncoming train, caught up both babies and rolled with them over the rails into a hole between the east and west-bound tracks.

Spectators said they felt certain Perry and the children had been crushed beneath the train wheels, until the cars had passed and disclosed Perry lying beside the rails with both children safely clasped, all unhurt. A building stood between the Crum residence and the railroad where the babies had wandered.

Parents of the two children declared that too much praise cannot be given Perry, who almost lost his own life by throwing himself in front of the fast mail train.

Those who witnessed the action remarked that the veteran engineer, Andy Nelson, failed to wave his arm in friendly salute or smile in his usual manner in passing Crum, but that instead he tightly closed his lips in a grim expression and put all his attention to applying the brakes of his train. The train came to a stop not far from where Perry rescued the children.
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Accompanying is a new picture of Coach Friel Cassell's "Pioneer" varsity eleven that will meet Ceredo-Kenova at Wayne Saturday afternoon of this week.

The players in tne picture are:

Top row: Virgil Thompson, full back; Gorman Salmons, tackle; Chadwick Ketchum, center; John Hardwick, guard; and Everett Adkins, who plays at end and also in the backfield.

Center row: Roy Booth, halfback; Hycel Houchins, halfback; Bennie Bunn, guard; and Augustus Fry, end.

Bottom row: Charlie Ross, end; Herbert Perdue, quarterback; and Woodrow Osburn, tackle.

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Above is a good picture of Mrs. W. W. McComas of Wayne County at the grave of her son Claude Rader, in France, taken on her recent pilgrimage to the World War battlefields and cemeteries. She tells the story of her trip in the accompanying interesting story which she has written exclusively for Wayne County News. The wreath and flag in the picture are leaning against the marker of Mrs. McComas' son's grave.

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In the latter part of the year 1860, the first fleecy clouds of war began to show above the Virginian horizon. Though small and scattered they were sufficiently ominous to forecast a storm coming on apace. The atmosphere was charged with a spirit that oppressed and evidences of restlessness and disquietude were seen on every side. On the Ohio and Kentucky borders where the population was more cosmopolitan than in the interior and personal interests differently affected lifelong friendships were estranged by heated controversies and family harmonies were disturbed by spirited discussions. Political sentiment was as yet in a state of embryo and the average citizen not knowing just whom to trust, trusted nobody. Mysterious conferences were held in the nighttime and in the dark and conversations were carried on in undertones and whispers. "Wise were the kings who never chose a friend until they had unmasked his soul" and the rule will apply with equal wisdom to the common yeomen in times of great internal disturbances. So that in 1860-61 the more discreet man limited his communications to "yea" and "nay" except under conditions where mutual confidences had been firmly established.

By the first of the year 1861 the war clouds were rising a little faster, were growing darker and had begun to gather slowly like butter on the surface of milk on a hot day. The sympathies of a large majority of the people of Wayne County were with the South and this sentiment was reinforced by the unwavering devotion of the native citizen to the honor and traditions of Virginia. Yet there was quite a diversity of opinion about the best way to meet the issue and solve the problem. The impetuous Secessionist argued that every reasonable proposition for a settlement had been rejected and the South could no longer hope that a decent respect would be paid to its rights under the constitution. The devoted son of the "Old Commonwealth" relented the wrongs done the honored mother and was ready to follow where she led, even out of the Union, not that he loved the Union less but because he loved Virginia more. The ardent Unionist was to be found who placed loyalty to country above his love for State, individual rights or sectional interests and he was for the preservation of the Union, first, last and all the time. Another class there was then as there is today who were in favor of "peace-at-any-price" if some one else pays the price. They were the craven hearts who would submit to any wrong and yield to any indignity rather than resent it. Here also is found the skulker who listlessly moves in the direction from whence comes the least resistance because it takes less of effort and initiative to drift than to propel. These two classes were reinforced by a third species who are opposed to any policy that will disturb their worldly interests or interfere with their opportunities for gain.

In April, 1861, Governor Letcher issued a call for a convention to assemble at an early date, to define the attitude of Virginia on the question of Secession and determine a course of the state in the impending struggle. Sentiment then began to crystalize and even men came out from cover to allign themselves. In the election of a delegate to represent Wayne County at Richmond, the several elements, except the avowed Unionists and the "peace-at-any-price" contingent, pooled their issues and interests. They supported Rev. Burwell Spurlock, a man noted for his conservatism, trusted for a high order of personal integrity and honored for his great native intellectuality. Rev. Spurlock was near 70 years of age, and because of his advanced years has retired from the laborious duties of a mountain Methodist circuit rider. In the ministry he had acquired a fame reaching far beyond the confines of his conference for soul-stiring eloquence, profound thought and deep spirituality. Reared in the backwoods without the advantage of schools or technical education, he had attained an intimate knowledge of the best books; could quote Homer and other classics by the hour; could pluck a blade of grass and hold tirelessly the interest of his listener while he disclosed the delicate processes of the development of vegetation or simplified some abtruse principle of natural science. When too old to leave his home and too infirm to even stand on his feet, men sought him to pay homage to his unostentatious abilities or sit at his feet and learn wisdom. So distinguished authority as the late Judge James H. Ferguson, declared that Rev. Burwell Spurlock was naturally the greatest character he had ever known and with the advantages of a technical education he would have been forced out from the solitude of the forests and the obscurity of the native hills into the foremost ranks of the bishops.

This picture may seem to be overdrawn and while the admiration and reverence of the writer for this great man may have led him unto the verge of fulsomeness the delineation does not approach hyperbole.

The Union candidate was William Ratcliff, also an aged citizen of recognized probity of mind and character, a man of strong native abilities and sterling integrity. While the greater number of the prominent families with which he was connected by ties of consanguinity and affinity, were identified with the other side, Mr. Ratcliff, who was noted as a man of original thought and independent action, remained a staunch adherent to the Union.

Seldom have two such strong and vigorous native characters been pitted against each other as in this memorable contest. Both were able, both were sincere and, each had the respect of all parties and the full confidence of his adherents. The issue, however, was not one of men and Rev. Spurlock was elected. As a proof that the public faith in Mr. Ratcliff was not diminished by the attitude he assumed in 1861, some years after the war and when the influences which defeated him for the Virginia convention came back in to the ascendency, he was elected president of the county court. For six years he administered the police and fiscal affairs of the county with judicious judgment and punctilious fidelity to the interests of the people.

Because of the remoteness of his county and the lack of any facilities for travel, except horseback riding, Mr. Spurlock was delayed and did not reach Richmond until after the convention had organized. He arrived and took his seat however, in time to vote against the Ordinance of Secession as it was expected that he would do to avert war, if possible. After the convention voted for Secession he accepted the situation as a loyal Virginian and participated in its deliberations until its close. A large majority of the members from west of the mountains withdrew from the convention even before the final vote was taken on the Ordinance. Realizing that his course had been such that even a man of his age could not hope to reside on the border undisturbed he remained in Virginia during the war. When peace was restored he returned in time to be made party defendant, with numerous other Wayne citizens of Southern predilections, in suits seeking to recover large property damages for property alleged to have been lost during the war and for personal indignities and restraints by Confederate soldiers.

Rev. Spurlock died in 1878, at the advanced age of 88 years.

Soon after Virginia had voted to withdraw from the Union, a Secession flag was erected on the public square at Wayne C. H. which action aroused the Unionists in the Northern end of the county to a high state of indignation. So long as the local company of Virginia troops remained there on the ground, there was no overt act toward the removal of the flag but on the 28th day of May the soldiers went to the front and then the Ceredo influences became active and bold. A committee was sent to submit an ultimatum to the effect that if the obnoxious flag was not taken down by a certain day when a session of court was to be held, a sufficient force would from the border to tear down the flag and would also lay the town in ashes. Colonel Mansfield, speaking in defense of the flag, declined to honor the ultimatum and declared it to be the purpose to defend the flag unto the shedding of the last drop of true Virginia blood. On Saturday afternoon, the last day but one of grace left, several prominent citizens on the Sandy side of the county and of suspected sympathies at least for neutrality, had been induced to appear and make a last appeal. By this time nearly all of the more active citizens had gone to the front to join the army and the old men and the women were frightened into submission. A few were found who more through fear than choice assisted the committee in cutting down the flagpole and removing it from the public square and the town of Wayne C. H. was saved from the torch. During the indignity inflicted upon the emblem of Virginia, Colonel Mansfield who was well in years, shut himself ujp in his home, drew the blinds and walked the floor in impotent rage, denouncing and bemoaning the cowardice as well as the disloyalty to Virginia, shown by the men who were responsible for the surrender of the flag.

And by this time the war clouds had gathered and formed into a solid black canopy and the storm was ready to burst with terrific fury for war, relentless war had already come.
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In the picture above is shown Mrs. Belle Napier, of Kenova and formerly of East Lynn, Wayne County, at the grave of her son, Dick Napier, who died in a hospital while serving in the U. S. Army in France during the World War. The two flags and the wreath are placed against the grave of the former Wayne County soldier.

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Brinkley, who lives on the Big Sandy side of Wayne County, below Fort Gay, was discovered for the public exclusively by Wayne County News when we published the story of his refusal of a fortune for his violin in our issue of December 11th. The Wayne County News story started the ball rolling. Newspapers over the state of West Virginia picked the story up, and then it got on the national press association wires this week for distribution throughout the country.

When Wayne County News first secured the story referred to above, Mr. Brinkley requested us not to reveal his identity at the time, but since then he has agreed to have his picture taken, and he also played two tunes on the famous violin on the Palace Theatre hour at WSAZ radio broadcasting station in Huntington at ten o'clock last Sunday night. Hundreds of Wayne County people heard this radio program and they were amazed at the wonderful tone of the famous violin. Brinkley plays mountain ballads and he played "Arkansas Traveler" Sunday night on the radio and played "Fisher's Hornpipe" as an encore.

Brinkley is a man of moderate means, but he loves his famous violin more than he does $40,000.00 in cash and so he refused to consider the recent offer to sell the violin made 214 years ago by the famed Italian master, Antinius Stradavarius.