PARJ.TISAN REVIEW
During the months between the time when the farmers of
Paradise Valley were put out of their homes so the mill could
be built, and the time, months later, when the mill was finished
and they had work in the new factory, some of the farmers,
having no close friends or relatives were unable to find a way
of getting food for themselves and their children.
One of these families, the McIvers, went to live in an
abandoned freight car near the railroad. They had furniture
from the farmhouse. When a Negro family moved out of the
freight car next door, they took possession of that, too, so they
had more room for the furniture. In one of the cars was their
stove and table and dishes and one bed, and in the other freight
car were two more beds, a washstand and a dresser.
There were four children in the family. Flora, who was
fourteen, was the oldest. The children picked coal from the
railroad tracks, and the family got a little in relief from the
city. They did not get this very often because, since the bank
had failed and all the county officers were indicted, there was
no money either in the county or city treasury. Only people like
Mrs. Killian giving money helped to keep the relief fund going
at all. And there were so many who needed it, there was not
nearly enough for all, because the rich were holding on to their
money.
Flora MeT ver's father was out every day, looking for
work, so the girl and her mother went into town for the relief
that was given them. Sometimes it was only a bag of flour,
and sometimes it was a little more, some fat back bacon and
corn meal.
It
has been told before how the county officers who were
part of the Jackson crowd, built many roads in the county.
Flora and her mother had to cross several of these on their
shortcut from the city out to the place where they lived by the
side of the railroad.
Often, because they had to wait in line, it was after dark
when they started toward home.
8
