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Sequatchie

Sequachee Valley News – November 8, 1900

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THE MILLS AT PETER CAVE.

Interesting Trip Made by Two Local Young Men to That Famous Lumber Camp.

Sunday morning the writer received an invitation from Mr. W. C. Roberson to accompany him to Peter Cave where the two saw mills of Messrs Milbrandt and Karris, respectively, are located. Much time did not pass ere we were on our winding way through the rocky coves of Cumberland.

The day was just such a beautiful fall day as you read about. The sky clear, the air cool, the trees ablaze with red and gold and the forest aisles strewn with fallen leaves. Our horses trotted briskly along snuffing the keen air and dodging the mud-holes, of which there seemed to be an abundance. It is said that lumber teams have mysteriously disappeared in these holes, that Austin Coppinger says so, and looking at them, it would seem passing strange if something did not get lost in them occasionally. However we will let that pass, or rather pass the mud holes as best we can.

At Austin Coppinger’s we saw a large sign “Do not talk to me on politics, A. Coppinger” and at Jesse Coppinger’s Switch noted that he had made great improvement to his residence making a comfortable home.

Passing on up the cove the way became more tortuous and the sides of the mountains closer, and finally the road took the bed of the river and pretty nearly stayed there.

After several miles of travelling over rocks and boulders, through fords, through mudholes, up hill, down hill, etc., we began to feel like the Fairy in Shakespeare’s comedy of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” who sings:

“Over hill, over dale,
Thorough [sic] bush, thorough [sic] briar,
Over park, over pale,
Thorough [sic] flood, thorough [sic] fire,
I do wander everywhere.”

As we journeyed we saw a corn field that looked like Bill Nye’s 40-acre farm of cliff and, accosting a passer-by, asked him how they cultivated it. “Well,” he said “When they get ready to plant it they get a maul and some iron wedges and drill the holes. If they use fertilizer they tamp it into the bottom of the hole with a tamping bar and everything is lovely.”

“Indeed” we said and passed on.

Arena, tho only postoffice in the Cove, is prettily situated facing the western sun, and the whole city as one looks up the principal street and only thoroughfare, would make a capital subject for the artist’s pencil.

Above Arena, the scene grows wilder and the spruce pines, which cluster along the side of the road, which is nearly always the bed of the creek, present a cold, gloomy and forbidding appearance. It is a splendid place in which to play that noble game of cards entitled “solitaire.”

Arriving at the saw mills the eye was gladdened, the heart cheered, and the appetite enhanced, the first by the sight of the yellow lumber piles glittering in the sunlight, the second by the thought of human companionship and kind feeling among the sturdy woodsmen and the third by the desire to gratify the inner man.

We were met by Ingersoll Jones, the polite bookkeeper for Farris & Co., who received us hospitably and soon we were engaged in the beauties of dissecting canned salmon, sardines and crackers, the regulation diet of all who arrive after dinner hour, which is strictly from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. at the Peter Cave Restaurant.

We inspected the Farris Mill first and concluding that everything was in good order there went over to the Milbrandt Mill and made a critical examination of it. This mill stands there just as if it had taken wings from its site up near the county bridge and flown over the mountains and landed In the cove. The shingles have been replaced by boards, put on with that reckless disregard for appearances which characterizes a lumber camp; but even they, the shingles of course might have been knocked off in taking that tremendous flight.

Everything was just the same even to the location of the grindstone and the file room. The water pipe, however was hors de combat, no water coming through it, and in reply to a question some one said that he guessed a saw log had run over it and broke the connection.

Among the familiar faces we saw were those of Dan Ferguson and Toll Burnett, those distinguished fox hunters and coon catchers. Fox hunting is a great pastime and after night many an exciting race has been run in that cove, healthy for the dogs and unhealthy for the fox.

The small-pox scare has not reached here yet. One old lady who is terribly afraid of it, when told by a certain person that he had been to South Pittsburg hollered out “Good God, and you’ve been right where the small-pox is” and bolted up the mountain side as fast as she could go. And this is the nearest to a case of small-pox in that vicinity. With plenty of fine water, pure air, bright sunshine, joke and jest, free life in the woods and plain but wholesome food, these manipulators of the canthook and axe have nothing to fear and Dan Furguson says If Mr. Small-pox comes up there darned if be don t get his dogs after him and make him hunt his bole.

Uncle Bob Jones, R. P., Governor or “kernel” whichever you want, was one of the familiar faces seen and his first query was “How is Bryan a-running?” Uncle Bob has tremendous arguments with his particular friend and crony, Austin Coppinger and their wordy combats are celebrated from Peter Cave to Sequachee and thence no one knows.

These two mills of Farris and Milbrandt cut respectively 12,000 and 23,000 feet of lumber per day of ten hours and a regular wagon train is kept busy hauling it ten miles to Sequachee for shipment. It is now under consideration to move the Farris mill two miles further up the cove, closer to the timber.

After many pressing invitations to stay, at what appeared to be four o’clock in the afternoon owing to the height of the mountains around us, we started on the return trip arriving at Sequachee soon after sunset, or as Mr. Roberson remarked “only a few minutes after the time we had started.”

Inman.

Special to the News.

A. O. and Clint Kelly went squirrel hunting the other day and had a great time, killing one squirrel. Clint was here visiting friends and relatives.

A man passed through here the other day with his head tied up. A large crowd was standing around the stores. Some one shouted smallpox and you never saw such a lively crowd.

R. Pitman went to Chattanooga Sunday on business.

Bob Elliot is slowly improving.

H. Coppinger arrived in Inman Sunday to spend a few days.

Jesse Coppinger and Lee Turner were in our little town the other day.

Defetchit got hurt in the mines week before last and had to miss the game between Inman and Sequachee, and also not able to write to the good paper although it was chuck full of good news.

Henry Mitchell and family moved to Inman last week.

I broke my axe handle last week.

Myself, Henry Mitchell, Joe Layne, Joe Kelly, Lon Lane, Will Kelly, and Russ Byers went coon hunting Saturday and caught one pitiful little slick tail. It’s face was all broke out. I think it had the smallpox.

Mrs. Dr. Gott has returned after a week’s visit to relatives at Oak Grove.

Joe Vasey addressed the public here behalf of the Federation of Labor.

I dont like for any one to write to me now for they might seal the smallpox up and send it to me.

Some people are moving to the mountain. That’s no good. Smallpox can climb a hill same as it can walk in the valley, so stay at home and keep the door shut.

I want to say a few words about the smallpox. I had the smallpox in New Orleans five years ago, and while I was lying at the point of death I could see others some struggling and gasping for breath and some dying. I as well as the others were tied hands and feet to our beds, and all I wanted was to scratch, and if I could have got to myself no doubt I would have put myself to death with my finger nails as some others did. I did not need any guard to keep me in doors, and I didn’t jump up and run to the table and eat a pone of corn bread and a pound of meat. I was seasick on the waters once and that was awful, but nothing to compare with smallpox. All I ate was rice, a little soup and a small slice of moonshine and I didn’t want anything. The yellow fever used to be one of the most contagious diseases in America and the small-pox today is harder to control than the yellow jack and I venture to say that if that was the small-pox that they had here in the summer when the small-pox does set in it will kill everybody. I never heard of small-pox before in August. Now the people in Mississippi have what they call the Cuban itch and the variolid and when anyone has the variolid he thinks it is the very ____l. Its so now that when anyone goes across the Sequachee river they are afraid to let him come back “for day air afeared ob de small-pox.” My wife had a fever blister on her lip and she asked if I didn’t think it was the small-pox. I saw a pig with a sore head the other day. I expect its got the small-pox. Bye bye.

Dofetchit.

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Sequatchie

The Sequachee News – January 30, 1896

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FULLERTON’S BLUFF.

By William C. Hill.

In the early part of the present century there settled in this country of East Tennessee, a gentleman of moderate means whose only desire was to escape the crowded town and enjoy the delights of a primeval existence.

His fortune was not excessive as we have said before. On the contrary it was comparatively meagre, but still he had invested it in funds of such a nature as brought him a sure yearly income, and one that was ever welcome. He was the proud possessor of four promising children, two boys and two girls, and had a helpmate whose knowledge of housewifery was only equaled by her close attention to their very intricate details. By her influence, her husband’s capital had been invested in a banking house, of which her brother was cashier, and for several years the interest realized from the investment was sufficient for their wants. Contented with their pecuniary gains they only desired to found for themselves an earthly Elsium [sic], in which to bring up their young children, and spend their own declining years.

With this determination in view, husband and father had traveled on horseback through various parts of Tennessee seeking a locality which would suit his purpose.

Tennessee at the time was covered with vast forests of gigantic trees, oak, poplar and chestnut. The densest timber lands were of course along the river bottoms and the low valley lands, while those that covered the mountain tops and plateaus were of a more stunted character.

The deer without dread of the hunter’s rifle herded in the dim recesses of the forests; ungainly bears prowled over the fallen logs and made their dens in the caverns under the cliffs; catamounts shrieked defiance to one another, and sharpened their claws upon the standing trunks in their mad wrath, and foxes, squirrels, turkeys, pheasants, and other smaller game, lived and preyed upon each other in the greatest numbers. Snakes were plentiful, too—they always are in a new country. Rattlesnakes sunned themselves upon the rugged cliffs, and copperheads peered sinisterly from the bushes in the vicinity of the few trails that crossed the country. The Indians were peaceable, and had their own villages, and were more or less associated with the whites. Trading posts had been established, and the mighty monarch of the forest was bowed before the heavy strokes of the axe. Such were the characteristics of the epoch. The people were rude and hardy, endowed with sterling qualities for a backwoods life, self reliant and vigorous. They were keen of vision, and constant of hearing through their continual attention to the various sights and sounds of forest life. They had their dances and social gatherings, where buxom girls tread the mazes of their favorite measures with great strapping lumbermen, with violent exertions and mad festivity. Then they had corn-hustings and log rollings, and occasionally a wedding at which all officiated.

Such was the backwoods life at the time when Mr. Fullerton first made his appearance in the vicinity of the place which was afterwards to become his home.

A few months later and there might have been seen a wagon train slowly crossing the Cumberland plateau. There were two covered wagons drawn by mules, an extra team slowly hauled by two yokes of oxen, followed in the rear by several cows, while other domestic animals were stowed away in various parts of the caravan.

As there were no roads in that section and the trails were poor at the best, progress was necessarily slow and it was some time before they arrived on the spot which Mr. Fullerton had fixed upon as the one most suited to his desires. It was on the edge of the mountain, on a gently rolling descent, which rather abruptly ended in a precipice of many hundred feet, strewn at the bottom with enormous boulders, and tangled and thorny vines. The land was mostly covered with cedar and chestnut, and with the exception of occasional pines that soon fell beneath the sturdy strokes of the two black servants who had accompanied Mr. Fullerton, and served, when fallen, as walls for a log house. There was also a fine spring, which after wandering through laurel beds for some distance, fell over the grey cliff in a thin veil of spray, which soon gave it the name of the “Bridal Veil.” In the winter season it was more than a bridal veil, it was demoniac in action, twisting and turning, churning itself into greater fury and greater action at every successive leap until it paused in a wide circular basin in the rocks, where it disappeared as if for ever.

It is needless to relate the first clearing of this charming spot; how the logs were piled in great heaps and fired; how the land was first broken in amid the constant urging and herculean efforts of the laboring oxen; how the the first crops were sown, worked and harvested; how one of their most valued horses fell over the cliff one night in the darkness—a gallant grey, which they had brought with them from old Virginia, one of a pair; or what were their conflicts with bears and catamounts that preyed unceasingly upon their stock and crops, or their expeditions for the more harmless deer. Each succeeding year saw more improvements upon their mountain farm and blessed by sun and rain, it grew in beauty and abundance with every season.

Mr. Fullerton was a passionate admirer of flowers. He came from a paternal line of florists, one of whom had been chief gardener to Evelyn, that lover of all things pertaining to floriculture, whose parks had often been enriched by the fertile imaginings of his brain. As we have said, Mr. Fullerton was an enthusiast in his way. A choice variety of lily or a collection of cacti was of greater value to him than a whole mint full of precious stones. His flowers were his pride. Early and late he watched for their first opening, or even for the first tiny leaf that pierced the rich mold of his garden. He loved them with that earnest attention that admits of no waverings, no distractions. There are things in flowers which are well worth study. Mr. Fullerton appreciated that in its broadest development. His earliest desire was to know more of their qualities and peculiarities, and to understand the reasons thereof. Of course there were an infinitude of difficulties in his path, but after all, what such to a man of his mold.

So with an enthusiast’s eagerness, almost before the ground had been laid out, he had sent for all the flowers that were the prime favorites of his heart—dahlias, peonys [sic], fuschias [sic], flaunting gladioli, and a host of others.

It was a great hour when they arrived, carefully packed, and in good condition from their long and difficult journey from older civilization. The minute it took to unwrap the bundles seemed an age to his impatient fingers, and when the leafless treasures were exposed to view his eye fairly gloated upon them. Nor had he forgotten those fruits which delight the taste as well as the eye.

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Sequatchie

The Sequachee News – July 18, 1895

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The Story of Naomi.

By Clarence H. Pearson.

She had lived all her life in a log cabin on the side of one of the Cumberland mountain in eastern Tennessee. To her the little towns in the Sequachee Valley represented the great centres of manufacture and commerce. She had once visited South Pittsburg, which was said to have a population of something over four thousand, and the strange and wonderful things she saw there furnished her with food for many days of reflection. Her daily life was extremely uneventful, She kept house for her father who was her sole surviving relative and her only companion. He was a grave, unostentatious man who pursued his chosen occupation quietly and industriously, but never tried to extend his business beyond certain limits, and never advertised. He was a moonshiner.

One day late in August, a party of campers from Chattanooga came and pitched their tents on the mountainside not far from the little cabin. The company consisted of a married of thirty-five or thereabout, several lively and exceedingly noisy young people, who have nothing in particular to do with this story, and little Dot, the baby, aged four. They disported themselves very much after the manner of campers in general, exploring every nook and cranny of the mountain, and singing, laughing and shouting until they awakened the echoes for miles around.

“Game’ll be powerful sca’ce this fall ef this yer pack o’ yellin’ lunatics don’t shove out soon,” grumbled Naomi’s father one, day, “for I ‘low they’ll skeer every livin’ thing outen the kentry.”

One afternoon, when, everyone thought she was asleep in one of the tents, little Dot started on a tour of discovery. About the first object of interest she found was a long, slender, graceful, golden-brown creature with beautiful, seal-brown markings, and a queer little rattle on the tip of its tail. Its eyes shone like diamonds, and little Dot thought he had never seen anything quite so lovely and attractive in her whole life.

Naomi came upon the child and her new acquaintance at a very opportune moment. The reptile irritated by the too close approach of the little one had struck, fortunately burying its deadly fangs in the folds of the brightly colored dress instead of the white, delicate flesh. Without a moment’s hesitation, the girl caught the squirming reptile by the neck so close to tie terrible, gaping jaws that it could not turn to bite her. It coiled so tightly around her arm as to almost paralyze it, but she held it in a firm grasp, and taking a stone in her left hand, laid the ugly triangular head on a boulder and pounded it to a shapeless mass. Then, contrary to all precedant [sic], she refrained from fainting.

Little Dot’s parents were profuse in their expressions of gratitude, and the rest of the party were so loud in their praises of her courage that at first they made Naomi very uncomfortable. They came to the house frequently and little Dot followed her about like a shadow. It was very easy to learn to love the beautiful little creature whose life she had saved, and to conceive a strong friendship for the parents whose kindly feeling toward their child’s preserver was so manifest.

About this time Naomi’s father met with a serious reverse in business. Two strangers who were ostensibly prospecting for coal discovered the the cave where he kept all the tools and implements of his occupation and carried them away. They also took the owner before the Federal Court to answer to the charge of violating the United States revenue laws. In a few days, for justice is not always leaden-footed, especially when dealing with illicit distillers, word came back that the old man had been sentenced to imprisonment for two years.

And so it happened that Naomi, having nowhere else to go, accompanied her new friends to Chattanooga. Two years amid new scenes and surroundings make a great change in the life of a simple mountain maid. At the end of that time one would hardly have known her; indeed the moonshiner’s daughter scarcely knew herself. At last came the day to which, in spite of herself, she had been looking forward for a long time with a secret dread. With a sinking heart, she read the scrawling, ill-spelled epistle notifying her that her father was once more a free man. She knew that she ought to be glad. She was glad that the long, weary days of her father’s imprisonment were over, but how could she return to the dull, staring monotonous existence which she had known before ? She slept little and wept much that night, for she had decided after a sharp struggle with her inclinations that the path of duty led her to the lone cabin on the mountain. She thought how sadly she should miss little Dot and her parents to whose kindness she owed so much ; and then with a sharp twinge of pain she thought of the handsome, manly, young mechanic who had sought her society so frequently during the past few months.

He had made no spoken declaration of love, but she was very sure that a certain very important question had trembled upon his lips at their last meeting, and that only a chance interruption had prevented its utterance. And she must leave the city the next day without an opportunity to bid him good-bye, for he was away on a visit and would not return for nearly a week.

One bright afternoon six weeks later Naomi was far up on the side of the mountain gathering nuts. Chancing to glance up from her work she saw a man standing on a high knoll a few hundred yards below her father’s cabin. His form looked strangely familiar and she watched him curiously. Presently a clump of bushes near him seemed to emit a little puff of white smoke and simultaneously the man threw up his hands and staggering forward fell to the ground. A second or two later the report of a rifle reached her ear. She turned cold with horror as the awful truth dawned upon her. A murder had been committed and worse still she felt sure that her own father was the assassin. Probably the victim was some prowling revenue officer, and yet the figure had been so like that of some one she had known. A terrible thought arose in her mind a possibility that filled her with sickening fear, and she rushed down the mountain’s steep side like some mad creature. Heeding no obstacle in her wild haste she dashed on, tearing through bushes, leaping over fallen logs, dashing her feet against the sharp stones, until breathless and panting she arrived at the spot where she had last seen the stranger. Merciful God, what a sight met her gaze! There prone on the ground lay her handsome lover with the blood still slowly oozing from a wound in his chest, and the terrible, glassy glare of death in his blue eyes. His features were distorted, his limbs were drawn up, and in his right hand was a flowering shrub which he had clutched and uprooted in his strong death agony. Naomi stood there staring with a strange, dazed look on her face. Could this poor, pitiful, helpless object be the strong, self-reliant man she had known and loved? Yes, it must be—it was, and she did not, could not weep or cry out. It was so odd, she thought, that she should stand looking at him, realizing that he was dead, and yet manifesting no grief. She wondered if she really had a heart. She could feel something beating and throbbing in her bosom, but it seemed like a great lump of ice. For a long time she remained apparently as unmoved by the ghastly spectacle as the rocks around her. Then slowly, very slowly a sense of her great loss came upon her. A numb pain unlike anything she had ever before experienced crept into her bosom and became more and more intense until she could hardly refrain from shrieking aloud in her anguish. She leaned against a small tree, covered her face with her lands to shut out that horrible stare and moaned piteously. Presently she was aroused by a light touch on her shoulder. Looking up she saw her father beside her with a world of pity in his usually cold, grey eyes. The old man had divined the whole sad truth, and the strange emotions which struggled within him flooded the wrinkled, old face with tender feeling.

“Come, little gal,” he whispered softly, “come home.”

“O pap !” she broke forth in a wail of agony, “how could you?—how could you?”

“God help me !” he murmured huskily, “I done ‘lowed ’twas a revenue man.”

Granite Monthly.


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Sequatchie, Social Progress

Sequatchie Valley News – September 24, 1903

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GOOD ROADS.

Written for the News.
The Sequatchie Valley is beautiful provided one had wings to view it by, but you positively cannot see the county for the dreadful roads.

A go-cart, a carriage, a wagon or an automobile are out of the question. Only a mule and a man who has lost all sense of feeling, physical, moral, political and religious, can travel such roads, I was going to say, but I will change it and say only a man who has infinite patience, unending endurance, and who has vowed never to break the second commandment should risk his life or his reputation upon them.

Nature gave to the valley beautiful scenery, a fertile yielding soil, and such environments should produce progressive, public-spirited men. Every man in the county who opposes any measure whatsoever that assures us good roads should be buried alive to the tune of Tom Hood’s

“Rattle his bones over the stones,
Only a poor pauper whom nobody
owns”

When Rome of old conquered the then known world, she hewed her way into every country by the building of the famous Roman roads, and civilization followed fast in the way of every Roman road.

There is nothing else under the sun so civilizing as well kept roads wherever you find them tor you can count on good schools, thritty [sic] churches, and prosperous people. The man who hauls his produce to market over a fine road holds his head more erect, carries himself more proudly than the man who has all the style thumped out of him jolting over the stones and in to the ruts. Progress and prosperity go hand in hand with good roads. Let us all join bands and girdle the county with a system of fine roads.

A WOMAN.

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Sequatchie, Social Progress

Sequachee Valley News – August 19, 1920

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Ninety per cent. of the woman colored voters of California vote while the white woman vote is only 20 per cent. Two points are involved. California went democratic and gave us a peace president, and the colored woman voter appreciates a good thing.

Why American Women Want the Ballot

LOWEST INFANT DEATH RATE IN FULL SUFFRAGE COUNTRIES; BALLOT SAFEGUARDS THE HOME

New Zealand, First Country to Grant Suffrage to Women, Has Lowest Infant Mortality Rate in the World—Women Use Ballot to Further Legislation for Home and State.

In days gone by dire accusations were brought against women who dared nurse an ambition to have voice in the government of their country. Every unlovely epithet in the English dictionary—and there are several-was bestowed upon them. They were home-wreckers, child-haters, family destroyers. But year by year woman suffrage was tried out, country by country, state by state, and lo! it was discovered that woman was using her vote, not to wreck the home, to protect it; not to the hurt of children, to their great good; not to destroy the family, to strengthen and secure it. So widespread has been the discovery that opponents of woman suffrage no longer dare make these charges save in backwoods places or places that they consider backwoodsy. In view of the facts, It is to flout the intelligence of a community to tell it that to give a woman the right to protect her home and her children by a vote is to make her hate home and children. Every time and everywhere that woman gets a chance to vote she proceeds to use that vote for the benefit of home and children. Consider the record:

  • Over 300,000 babies die every year in the United States before they are one year old. The National Conservation Commission estimates that an individual is worth $2,900 to society. At this rate the 300,000 babies represent a yearly loss of $870,000,000 to the United States.
  • Five countries have a lower infant death rate than the United States. They are New Zealand, with an infant death rate of 50 per 1,000 births; Norway, 68 per 1,000; Australia, 72 per 1,000; Sweden, 72 per 1,000, and France, 78 per 1,000. The women In all five countries leading the list now have full or municipal suffrage. Women have had the vote in New Zealand for twenty years and New Zealand has the lowest Infant death rate in the world.
  • In the United States, California, a full suffrage state, is the banner Baby State. It has the highest birth rate in the Union, and a very low death rate. One of the lowest infant death rates In the United States, 47.7, is in Berkeley, California.
  • In Portland, Oregon, the infant death rate is 55.1 per 1,000 births; In Spokane, Washington, 57.7. Kansas has reduced its rate from 120 to 70 since it adopted a Public Nursing Association In 1913. Washington gave women the vote in 1910, California in 1911, Kansas and Oregon in 1912.

When, of all the civilized world, the country that has had woman suffrage the longest has the lowest death rate, and the countries with the next lowest rate all have woman suffrage, can there be a doubt that woman suffrage helps to bring about healthier living conditions for all the people?

Isn’t it evident that when mothers are represented in government and their opinions and interests are consulted, babies have a better chance? Isn’t it proved that women with the ballot do not neglect their homes and babies?

Giving the ballot to women not only helps them to do their own work more effectively, but actually increases the wealth of the nation, both in man power and in dollars and cents.

  • The lowest death rate recorded in the 1920 World Almanac figures was in equal suffrage Seattle, Wash., where In 1917 it was 6.9 per 1,000 population. The nest lowest was 7.0 per 1,000 in Boise, Idaho, in 1018, and the next was 7.3 In Berkeley, Cal., in 1917.
  • Full suffrage Colorado pays $1.43 per capita for charities, hospitals and corrections as against Florida’s $1.61.
  • Colorado has 610 prisoners per 100,000 population committed in 1910 as against Florida’s 1,307 per 100,000 population—less than half as many.
  • According to the United States census for 1910, the number of paupers in almshouses in full suffrage Kansas was 735 as against Connecticut’s 2,244.
  • According to the same census, Connecticut has the second largest number of paupers of any state in the Union, 201.3 per 100,000, the largest number being In New Hampshire, 230.2 per 100,000. Both of these are male suffrage states. Kansas has 43.5 paupers per 100,000 population. Oklahoma, another full suffrage state, has the lowest record of all, 2.9 per 100,000.

A little injustice has been done A. F. Shockley, the principal of the colored school in this district. He was teaching for $80, but asked for $10 more per month, so as to equalize his salary with that of other colored teachers of the county who have less scholars in attendance. He was denied this raise, which is equivolent [sic] to only $3.33 buying capacity, and disgusted, resigned his school. He is a teacher of ability and the difference should be paid him.

FAST DRIVER INJURES CHILD

Chas. Webb, driving a Ford car at a rapid rate at Jasper last Thursday, struck the eight year-old daughter of Mrs. D. A. Lawson, the child running into the street before the automobile. She was badly bruised and a leg broken. A touching incident in connection with the affair is that the child on recovering from the anesthetic given her in setting the broken leg, asked for her father, who has been dead about a year, saying, “Where’s pappy?”

Marionville

Special to the News.

  • Rain seems to be the order of the day.
  • Red Campbell was seen going down the road this morning.
  • Myrtle Pittman is going to school every day.
  • School at Marionville is progressing very fast. Have about twenty in roll now.
  • Mr. Hoback and Pete Tate went to Sequatchie to day.
  • Faster Hrice still enjoys going to the Valley on Saturday and Sunday.
  • Bill Foster and Foster Price returned to Marionville Sunday night about nine o’clock in their Ford.
  • Mr. Bill Lee went to South Pittsburg Saturday night.
  • Miss Myrtle Barker had a rainy day for coming back to Marionville Sunday.
  • Mr. Bill Tate was seen in Whitwell Friday afternoon.
  • Hugh Lewis still calls to see Miss Myrtle Pittman.
  • Wonder why Miss Maud Holoway looked so sad Sunday afternoon.
  • Mr. Norwood Dykes and Bud Hooper were out riding Friday afternoon.
  • Wonder why Arther Campbell enjoys coming to the store every afternoon. He visited the school at Marionville Monday.
  • Mr. Gilliam Barker was out here Friday.
  • Foster Bryant went to Jasper Monday.
  • Mrs. Hoback is liking the mountain fine.
  • John and Dave Barker called on the girls Saturday night.
  • They are planning to have a Box Supper at Hicks Chapel Saturday night.
  • School started at New Hope last Monday.
  • Mr. Raymond Barber called on Miss Mabel Barker.

X

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Sequatchie

Sequachee Valley News – May 5, 1898

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Whitwell.

  • A. W. Crockett has headed for Indian Territory.
  • B. L. Arledge took a trip down the Valley Monday.
  • Rev. E. G. H. Pryor is making an addition to his barn.
  • Mr. W. B. Hilliard kindly renews his subscription to the News.
  • Mr. J. J. Maguire, the traveling optician, is in town this week.
  • Bright Eyes J. M. Price, Jr., is clerking for C. C. Shirley this week.
  • J. B. Martin will open his harness shop in the premises vacated by O. W. Eakin.
  • Ask Mesdames T. N. Graham and O. H. Crozier about that secret and watch them smile.
  • W. C. Adams and wife went to Chattanooga to attend the Spring Festival.
  • Landlord Graham of the Graham House, harvested his first crop of bees for this year Monday afternoon.
  • W. C. Adams proudly claims to have doubled his business the last pay day, which we are very glad to know.
  • Wm. Hoots has bought out Geo. W. Eakin’s barber shop and will run the same in connection with his own.
  • A Mr. Knight has taken charge of Mr. T. N. Graham’s photograph business and is doing some excellent work.
  • Cal Adkins has a boil, which has shifted from his arm to his neck and he is not correspondingly happy thereat.
  • The T. C., I. & R. R. Co. have the gasoline engine at work and the boys feel happy as it means work and pay for them.
  • Hon. John H. Dykes renews his subscription for the News. He also has it sent to his grandmother, Mrs. Nellie Dykes, of Beersheba Springs.
  • Mr. C. C. Shirley has added agricultural implements and machinery to his hitherto crowded stock and the space in front of his store looks like an artillery park.
  • The members of the band are practicing every day and have now a repertoire of five or six pieces. They will probably make their debut at Sequachee on May 30, Memorial Day.
  • Deputy Organizer Geo. F. Harris of the Regents of the White Shield has organised a lodge at Victoria Saturday night and conducted fifteen through the mysteries.
  • The school is getting up an elaborate program for the closing exercises. If they will send it to the News we shall be glad to publish it free of charge. We are always with the schools.
  • Col. Gaines, superintendent, was in town last week and left orders with Capt. Crozier to get out all the coal they could as the Company has a large order for coal from the Government, consequently the men are doubling on shifts.
  • Mr. Smith, of Smith & Poe’s Pound Store is actively and energetically pushing his business. His partner, Mr. Poe, has charge of their Dunlap store but at present is near Chattanooga looking after a strawberry farm in which he is interested.
  • Mr. W. B. Hilliard says his wheat is looking fairly well with the exception of some places, the reason of which be cannot understand. He wishes a flour and grist mill could be built In the Valley on the line of railroad in which we heartily concur.
  • Rev. J. M. Wooten will leave Whitwell for Chicago next week, and his many friends will hear from him from time to lime through the columns of the News. Everyone wishes Mr. Wooten unqualified success in the new field in which be is to enter.
  • Geo. W. Eakin is overseer of the roads and is getting in some good work. He has had many bad places filled with cinders and his territory extends from Lon Smith’s half way to Victoria and he has the benediction of the cyclists as well as others for good roads.
  • Miss Maud Harlson of Etna is visiting in the city.
  • A concert was given Thursday evening at Red Men’s Hall by a traveling band.
  • Dol Teague was killed Saturday by coal falling on him. He was one of the older miners in Whitwell.
  • B. E. Tatom, Esq., of Jasper, was in the city on legal business, Thursday and Friday.
  • Mr. J. H. Harris has purchased a lot in the eastern part of the town and will erect a residence on it soon.
  • Mrs. Hudson, wife of John Hudson, Sr., died last Thursday night of consumption. She had been a valetudinarian for several years.
  • The third quarterly meeting for Dunlap and Whitwell circuit was held at Red Hill last Saturday and Sunday. the preaching was done by L. M. Cartwright, Presiding Elder, and the venerable John Alley, of Dunlap. Alley preached the funeral of Jesse Shirley deceased on Sunday morning.
  • An entertainment was given last Friday evening at the Red Men’s ball, by Miss Mattie Vincent’s school. It was a success in every particular. The large hall was crowded to overflowing. The music rendered by Mrs. E. A. Ashburn was super excellent. The girls and boys, mostly girls, acquitted them selves with credit to themselves and honor to their teachers, showing that they bad been properly and well trained.

-Clio.

  • J. E. Dyer went to Chattanooga Wednesday.
  • The Monroe Conclave here has about seventy-two members and is making ready to start the work of erecting the combination building, school house, and R. W. S. Hall. Notices are out for the bids here and the work on the building will be started next week, and will be pushed with rapidity until completed. The building will add greatly to the looks of things on the top of the mountain, besides the convenience to schools and churches that it will afford these necessities that should be more strongly encouraged at this place.
  • Last Saturday night the R. W. S. organized at Victoria with a goodly number of members from nearly all parts of the country around Victoria.
  • We will note the sad accident that occurred here last Saturday morning. Mr. Doll Teague left home very early that morning to get to the mines to load some cars that were standing at his room and the shot that he had fired the night before had left the coal standing and he went to mine the coal out, and after be had mined two or three feet under the coal the coal broke and fell on him holding him for some time while his partner was using all possible means to get the large piece of coal off of him, but had to dig him out after all. This occurred about 5 o’clock in the morning and shortly after seven they succeeded in getting him to the mouth of the mines, and then to the foot of the mountain to his home where he could talk with his family till about one o’clock when the dark hour came and be passed quietly away leaving a wife and four children to mourn his loss. The entire community tender their heart-felt sympathy to the bereaved widow and the fatherless children.
  • Last Thursday was rather an unlucky day in the mines. Three boys narrowly escaped death. Thomas Henson’s little son was sitting in the mines watching his father work and a piece of slate fell from the top of the room and broke one of his legs. Then Willie Doss a trapper was thrown from a trip in No. 1 Bank, and barely escaped with his life. And Bennie Adkins was coming out of No. 3 Bunk on a trip of coal when the mule became excited and and ran away hurling the boy between two of the loaded cars head first and was being badly jammed when Harry Eckert caught him and pulled him from between the rapidly moving cars and saved his life. We hope all will be more on the lookout after such serious accidents.
  • Wishing the News may extend all over the land I remain.

-Oliver Bolivar.

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Sequatchie

Sequachee Valley News – July 25, 1901

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Wheeler’s Cavalry Raid.

Rev. Geo. W. White, son of Robert N. White, deceased, who was a scout for the Union Army, gives us some interesting data in connection with the famous raid of Gen. Wheeler. He says that at Burnett’s school house and on his father’s farm he has picked up bolts and other parts of the train destroyed. At McLean’s Ford where the ammunition train was destroyed, which is about four miles further up, he says that the remnants of ammunition in the shape of parts of bullets can be found there to-day. An episode in connection with the destruction of supply train is that Mr. White, his father, managed to secure a bag of salt from the burning train and salt was very valuable then. Still more interesting he tells us his father has told him repeatedly that he as a scout warned Gen. Rosecrans, which warning if heeded would have saved his train.

The following letter from Mr. White is self-explanatory.

After my return from Jasper I consulted my mother in regard to Wheeler’s cavalry raid in Sequachee Valley. She says Wheeler’s men did no shooting at my father at the time, and that he procurred [sic] that bag of salt from the wagon train, and made his lucky escape for refuge to the side of Walden’s Ridge, a distance of about 400 yards from where the ammunition wagons were burned.

In my statement to you about the ford I was mistaken but after reflecting and consulting my mother who lived at the Longly ford at the time of the surrender, and it was at the Longly ford instead of the McLean. There are two fords in that section of country, the Longly and the McLean. They are only about a mile and a half apart and therefore I got confused about them.

I have picked up particles of lead and bursted shell and cartridge balls there years ago and others can now be found there. All the other statements I gave are correct.

At that time my father lived on Walden’s Ridge on the old Haley Road in Hamilton County near the Suck, and had been sent to this valley on a scout by Gen. Rosecrans. Father afterwards bought a farm on Looney’ Creek of John G. Kelley, our present county judge and moved to this valley, but he afterward sold it to John Hudson.

While living there he had some trouble with bush whackers and narrowly escaped death. He afterwards moved to the Longly Ford and was there when he was mustered out of service of the U. S. at Nashville. Sometime after he was mustered out of the service he purchased of P. H. Grayson a farm at Burnett’s school house, in this county and moved on it and was living there at the time of his death, Sept. 24th, 1895.

On this farm at Burnett’s school house four miles south of the Longly Ford, Wheeler burnt a wagon and 2-horse hack up. When I was a little boy have often heard my father say that he told Gen. Rosecrans that Wheeler would destroy his train for him in this valley. Had Rosecrans listened in time to my father and sent aid Wheeler would never have destroyed his train.

I am pleased to make tho above correction to my mistake as I want nothing but facts to appear.

Very Respectfully,
Rev. GEORGE W. WHITE.

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Sequatchie

Sequachee Valley News – November 27, 1902

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WAGE SCALE

For Day Labor and Mining Coal at Tracy City and Whitwell.

Tracy City, 42 1/2c and 50c per ton.

Price of dead work to remain as last week.

Mule drivers, $1.40; 2 mules $1.50, 3 mules $1.60, 4 mules $1.70; boss driver, $1.97 3/4; trapper, 58c; pumpers, $1.58; water bailers, $1.58; boiler fireman, $1.43; general company work in mines, $1.43; miner on company work, $2.28; helper, $1.43; rock work with hammer and steel, $2.28; engine man and repairer, $2.48; furnace man, $l.43; magazine and office man, $1.74; assistant, $1.43; boss track man, $2.28; tracklayer $1.72; helper, $1.43; gripman, $1.78; trip rider $1.30; brattice man, !2.28; slate dumper, $1.43; incline track man, 1.44; helper, $1.21; signal and coupler man, $1.30; screen feeder, $1.15; weignman at foot, $1.80; car loaders and movers at Whitwell, $1.43; car loaders at Tracy, $1.86 1/2; helpers, $1.43; head carpenter, $2.37; helper, $1.78; blacksmith, $2.28; helper, $1.43; pick sharpener, $2.00; oven charger, $1.75; boy helper, 70c, man helper, $1.28 3/4 ; yard men and runtenders, $1.28 3/4; watchmen, $1.70; head watchman at Tracy, $2.14; helper, $1.28 3/4; mason on ovens, $2.57 1/2; helper, $1.28 3/4; drum man, $2.00; weigh boss, $2.17; tip men, 1.29; car greaser, 89 1/4c; car builder, $2.28; helper, $1.78; timber man, $2.28; helper, $1.43; coupler boy, 71c; washer man, $2.14; levelers on ovens, $1.98; elevator boy, 58c; draft man on ovens, $1.43; machine shop blacksmith, $2.57; floating gang, $1.13; stable man shall receive $84.75. out of which he shall pay his helper $30 per month; Entry coal yardage, per yd, 76c; slate yardage, 51c; air course. $1.01; all slate fallen in rooms to be paid the same as entry slate per yard.

THANS.

Special to the News.
Autumn has come and day by day we are nearing the end of another year. As we look around us at the beauties of art and of nature we all must stop in our career and gaze upon this lovely earth which God in his wisdom has set apart for man. Just stand behold this lovely Sequachee Valley in all of its grandeur. The mountains are clad in nature’s loveliest dress of green, red, yellow and white. It seems as though these mountains are nothing but beds of flowers. The angels of heaven can not help but play around and about this beautiful valley. Thankful we all ought to be for this plentiful land of ours. We cannot appreciate it as much as we ought for we have never experienced what real want is.

There is not much sickness in our vicinity at this time.

It seems that everything is moving on in our valley. They are shipping coal from Dunlap every day. We got good prices for everything we make and goods are cheap. We are having good times and will have just as long as we live under good republican administration. I hope we never will see such times as we did in Cleveland times.

N. Deakins and wife will visit our uncle at Inman, Preston Mitchell, and family, and George D. Smith and family.

Mrs. Mary Walker of Whitwell, is up visiting her father, old Uncle Daniel Deakins, and sister, Mrs. Barker.

Frank Barker is improving after a bad spell of typhoid fever. His many friends will be glad to hear that he is better.

Success to the News and all its correspondents and editor.

M. E. Graham.

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Sequatchie

Sequachee Valley News – March 3, 1904

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THANS.

Special to the News.

The welcome News comes every Saturday morning, full of news from every place. We read it with such interest and delight so much in reading all of our correspondents letters. It don’t make me frown to read any letters in the News, for I enjoy reading them all. I wish the News great success this year and all its writers. I wish I had some thing more interesting to write about than I have been writing about.

Was sorry to hear of cousin Dr. Hall of Pikeville, being so low with the grip. We fear we shall hear of his death in the next issue of the News.

Mrs. Addio Ridge is still the guest of her mother. Mrs. Smith is somewhat improved at this time. Hope she will soon recover.

M. E. Deakins is somewhat better from a fall he got while in Chattanooga a few days ago. He received severe injuries.

Measles are still raging around here.

James Hartman is recovering from the measles. They did not hurt him much.

O how glad I will be to see sweet spring come again.

Am glad to say that Mr. Cunningham is some better this week.

Mrs. Janey Hartman will give her friends a birthday dinner Friday. She gave ye writer a welcome invitation to take dinner with her that day. She will be 38 years old on that day.

Frank Barker of Dunlap, has had to leave his store on account of an attack of the measles. His brothers, Flayius and Floyd, have not had them yet.

Cousin David Deakins, of Looney’s Creek, gave us a pleasant call Thursday. We are always glad to see him.

I note that several are hitting at me sharply. I am a woman and don’t want to hurt any one’s feelings. Whatever I have said in my correspondence to the News was said in a friendly way not thinking that some smart Elic would try to insult me about the matter, or otherwise take my correspondence in any other spirit that what it was intended.

M. E. G.

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Sequatchie

Sequachee Valley News – November 16, 1905 – Selected Items

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WHITWELL SITUATION

COURT OF INQUIRY HELD—FOUR UNION MINERS TO APPEAR BEFORE GRAND JURY—DEPUTIES APPOINTED—MINERS CALM.

The situation at Whitwell, as near as we can make out from the many reports prevalent and the multiplicity of dispatches sent to the dailies, is this:

A court of inquiry has been instituted, presided over by S. L. Havron, and composed of jurors J. R. Pickett, John Moore, John Andees, John Bailer, M. C. Pryor, W. L. Beaver and J. L. Beech, and citizens have been summoned to testify before the court. In the testimony it was asserted that high pressure (steel jacket) rifles had been received by Pat Cary, a District Board Member, U. M. W. of A. and the whole effort of the court has been to find out the whereabouts of those rifles if sent, and what the parties in whose possession they were said to be were doing on the night of the murder of Clark Roberson. Various testimony was received, and Saturday, J. W. Morrison, deputy sheriff and Lieut. Bass arrested Mat Griffith, President of the local organization; Pat Cary, J. W. Arledge, John Looney, Taylor Shadrick, Geo. Young, Sam Queer, Eugene Henson, Jno. Henson, Ash Rawlings, J. W. Mosier, J. H. Hooper, Dan Farmer, Bud Smith, Geo. Bailey, Ben Farmer and Rollie Coppinger, all white and Richard Pryor, Willie Wade and Ed Walker, colored.

They were taken to the camp under guard, and subjected to searching examination, which ended in the releasing of all except Cary, Coppinger, Ben Farmer, and Shadrick, who are held for examination before the grand jury. The mixed testimony of Shadrick and Farmer in regard to going to Gary’s home on the night of the shooting is the ground for holding them as well as the fact that Coppinger was with them at Walker’s store on the same night.

Monday Sheriff Harris appointed Col. Fyffe, chief deputy, and J. W. Morrison and G. W. Jordan, assistant deputies, which greatly assisted in restoring quiet, for the union miners were beginning to feel that an attack as being made on their organization alone, and they are just as eager to have the blame laid on the guilty parties as anyone.

SOLDIERS WILL GO AFTER WITNESSES

Latter Will Be Taken Before Coroner To Testify Relative to Whitwell Trouble.

WHITWELL, Tenn., Nov. 14.—A detail of soldiers will be sent to Tracy City to-morrow after witnesses to testify before Coronor’s [sic] jury, evidence before the jury tending to corroborate the rumor that armed miners from Tracy City were in Whitwell at the time of the shooting of Robertson [sic].

The jury held no session to-day. Pat Carey, Ben Farmer, Taylor Shadrick and Rollie Coppinger, who have been held for examination have been released on bonds of $500 each.

The soldiers continue to bring in witnesses from the mountains, five being brought in to-day. The detail ordered to Tracy City will go across the mountains, the distance being eighteen miles.

HICKS CHAPEL

Special to the News.

  • Sunday school is progressing nicely.
  • We are having fine weather now.
  • J. H. Hudson is through sowing wheat.
  • A. B. Holland attended Sunday school Sunday.
  • The party given by Miss Josie Ridge Saturday night in honor of Miss Stella Vandergriff, was highly enjoyed.
    Dr. Geo. Brock and Miss May Ridge were out driving Sunday eve.
  • Warner Brimer spent Saturday night at Whitwell.
  • Early Barker passed through this vicinity Sunday on the sick list.
  • Miss Martha Easterly spent Saturday night with Miss Charlcie Brimer.
  • The singing at Hick’s Chapel was well attended Sunday eve.
  • Jim Deakins and Miss Ella Hudson took a flying trip to Whitwell Saturday. Likewise A. B. Holland.
  • Miss Bertha Burnett looked sad Sunday.
  • L. B. Brimer and Lucretia Pickett were out driving Sunday.
  • John Barker’s barn was burned Sunday night.
  • A. B. Holland is painting his buggy. Lookout, he is fixing to take drives.
  • Lee Smith is drumming for the Bonds-Powell Fertilizer Co. He will deliver one sack to anybody who wants a sample.
  • We are glad to note that Charlie Bridges is the finest workman around this place. Wash Holland had him put in a grate which was well done.
  • Miss Alice Davidson of Cedar Spring is spending a few wees [sic] with her cousin, Miss Charlcie Brimer.
  • Misses Hallie and Lou Hudson took dinner with Miss Charlcie Brimer Sunday.
  • W. H. Higgins, of Hollow Pole, Tenn., spent Saturday night with L. B. Brimer.
  • I guess if Peter Haunch, of New Hope, still wants to give that widow a bunch of peach tree blossoms he can find them at Joe Teague’s.
  • Ask Geo. Thorp how he likes to talk to the girls.
  • Andy Holloway, of Looney’s Creek passed through this vicinity Sunday en route to W. H. White’s.
  • Harrison Pickett made googoo eyes at Hick’s Chapel Sunday.
  • Jackson Brimer and Frank Hudson were distributing circulars for the fertilizer company Saturday of last week.
  • Hello, Red Bird, just come over and get a square meal. We have bacon and beans and cabbage three times a day and that is hard to beat.
  • Ben Thorp is anticipating moving to Whitwell.
  • Joe Hackworth and his best girl passed through this vicinity Sunday.
  • Hope this will be interesting to the readers for I don’t know of anything to write but hope to hear from all the good writers through the News this week.

Owl.

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