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Centralia Pictures Eugene Barnett

Centralia Massacre and the trial in Montesano - For more information, click here.

"'I was born," he said, "In the hills of Carolina, And the schooling I got In this great free land Of compulsory schools Was very simple; My MOTHER taught me Reading and writing And I went to school For a three-months' term, And a five-months' term! Then I was eight years old And my father went as a STRIKE-BREAKER to the West Virginia mines. I remember the TENTS Of the UNION miners, Driven from their homes CAMPING Over the river. They put me to work at once UNDERGROUND And when the inspectors came I had to HIDE In the old workings, For the legal age in the mines was FOURTEEN years. But neither the BOSS Nor my FATHER Cared about LAW! I was caught In the Papoose explosion At the age of eleven, And I ran away from home At thirteen. I followed MINING All over the country Joining the UNION In Shadyside, Ohio. I was SIXTEEN then And had worked EIGHT years, And in all those years My only chance for schooling Was a short time After a FEVER, When I was TOO WEAK To WORK! But somehow I managed to get A good-looking wife Who encouraged me To improve myself! We had a little girl that died And a boy that lived, He's two years now And a BRIGHT KID; Can't keep still. We took a homestead Over in Idaho Till the government called For MINERS, So I came to Centralia At the country's call And after the Armstice There wasn't much work! I saw the raid on the hall And the starting Of the MAN-HUNT, And I rode home For my GUN To get some law and order In Centralia! When they arrested me I didn't tell all I knew, For I was afraid if I did I mightn't live to see A court-room trial!"