The Blount County News and Dispatch, 3 Apr 1890 A Trip to Compton Mines. We (that is "Great Scott" and the senior editor), took dinner last Sunday at the hospitable residence of Mr. Elijah M. Cowden, and were royally entertained by mine host, his charming wife and venerable mother. Little James Wilson Cowden, the lineal descendant and namesake of the far-famed signer of the Declaration of Independence, assiduously tried to entertain us by crowing for us and pulling our whiskers. May he grow up to be as great a man as his illustrious namesake. After dinner our clever host drove us over to Compton Mines, a distance of three or four miles. The roads are not, nor have they ever been macadamized, yet the soil or dirt is mostly iron; they are composed of good material, and environed by majestic hills, containing vast deposits of iron, limestone, sandstone; valuable springs of the clearest water come forth from the earth unbidden, and the scenery on all sides is awe inspiring and grand. Compton is the most populous town in Blount, although only three or four years old, and the sons of Ham are as numerous as bees in a hive, and all appear to be fat, well taken care of and well clad. Upon inquiry, we learned that there are about three hundred colored employees at the mines and quarries. They have a colored church and school, and same the ordinary vices common to the race, are well behaved. Mr. A.C. Posey, who farms in the vicinity, says that they never interfere with his chickens or farm truck, a remarkable coincidence. The most prominent building in the village is the community store where the employees get their supplies; on its front may be seen in large letters J.W. Worthington & Co., the same firm that runs the quarries and mines of which Mr. Henry F. DeBardeleben is a part. Learning that Mr. Laurence J. O'Brien, a "broth of a boy" from Tipperary, had charge of the quarry, we called to see him, and found him as genial and hospitable as most of his countrymen. He had been married three days before, and was enjoying his honeymoon. He and Mrs. O'Brien gave us such a cordial greeting that it reminded us of what the poet said: His hand is cold, his heart is warm, And principle is still his guide; None more regrets a deed of harm, And non forgives with nobler pride. He may be duped, but can't be dared, More ready to practise that to plan, He bravely earns his small reward, And spends it like an Irishman." At the residence of Mr. O'Brien we had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Bolling, the Superintendent of the mines, and found him to be a clever, courteous young gentleman from Old Kentucky, whose acquaintance we were glad to make. He, too, has been recently married, and appears to be like President Taylor was when he wrote his inaugural address "At peace with the whole world and the rest of mankind." We also met Mr. Campbell, a gentleman who is distantly related to the Marquis of Lorne, late Governor General of Canada, and son-in-law to Queen Victoria, one of the most economical old ladies in Europe. Mr. C. is an intelligent, polite young gentleman, independent of his European relations for we believe with Robert Burns: "The gold is but the guinea's stamp, A man's a man for a' that." As we were leaving we chanced to hear that a Mr. King, who ineffectually attempted to resolve us out of the Democratic ranks about two years ago, was employed as foreman in the stone quarry. Had we met him, we would give him "a charge to keep" in the person of a clever Irishman, who admires, honors and almost idolizes the Maine statesman. "We hope Mr. King will try to impregnate this countryman of ours with some political sense ere we visit Compton again. We enjoyed the trip and return many and sincere thanks to our friend Elijah M. Cowden for giving us so much pleasure. The Blount County News and Dispatch, 15 May 1890 Champion Mines, Ala. We spent Friday, the 9th inst., at Champion Mines where we were the guest of Superintendent Wall and his accomplished wife. In the forenoon we visited Washer No. 2 and the adjoining mines, saw the ore excavated, loaded on the trams and taken to the washer, where after undergoing a cleansing process it went through a chute to the cars underneath, and was from thence conveyed to the furnaces and made into pig iron. These mines are called Champion because of the superior quality of the ore. Mr. Tom Worthington, one of the proprietors informed us that it was the company's best mine. At noon we proceeded to the village in close proximity, where the officers reside, and proceeded to the residence of Mr. W.A. Wall where we partook of a sumptuous repast, prepared by Mrs. Wall and Miss Stieger, (the cook having taken holiday the day before). After dinner, we talked to the ladies for an hour and then proceeded to the mud dams, the huge pump that supplies the washers with water. Here the company is setting new boilers and laying down larger pipes for the new washers that will soon be put in operation. At present only ninety person are employed, but when the new washers are working the force will be increased to two hundred. At Washer No. 1, which is off the main track of the Mineral, the same process of cleansing takes place, and the ore is deposited on the cars at No. 2. Mr. Wall is ably assisted by Messrs. Lay and Wall who are in charge of the washers, and Mr. Tompkins, who runs the commissary. The village is cozily nestled in a beautiful little valley, well supplied with pure water, and there appears to be strict harmony in the community. We enjoyed the trip to Champion, and the hospitalities of Mr. and Mrs. Wall, and regret not taking notes so as to give a more extended notice of this great enterprise.