Zinc Plant in Spelter PROJECT

[Ken Menendez]

Amy Miller, I enjoyed reading your script. I believe you captured the emotions that one feels for Spelter, Clarksburg and West Virginia after they have left the state for over 40 years (me!). My father, his father and two brothers worked in the Spelter zinc works. My father was fortunate in that he had an office job. DuPont gave my father lots of opportunities to grow as an individual. He did not graduate from high school, but managed to provide for mom and myself including a college education, through the money he earned with DuPont and then M&H Zinc. My father was very fond of DuPont and I still have his years of service pins with the DuPont logo. I have "tons" of pictures of my father and other DuPont managers during their meetings at the old Stonewall Jackson Hotel in Clarksburg. My material grandfather also came from the same village in Asturias. With the encouragement of DuPont, Joe Alvarez opened a recreation center that later became a grocery store,etc., in Spelter.

Anyway, I totally disagree with the lawsuit that was filed against DuPont. DuPont came back to that area to clean up the mess, although they had left the area in 1952 having sold the smelter to M&H of LaSalle, IL. M&H no longer exists as a corporation having closed the doors of the Spelter smelter in 1972 (or 1971). After M&H part of the smelter was managed by T.L. Diamond (I believe that is correct name). So 50 years later DuPont is blamed.

On another note, you mentioned your family was from or worked in Spelter. Howard Miller by chance was he a relative? How about Eleanor Miller? Went to school with her.

Any thumbs up on the project.

Ken Menendez

[Barbara Alonso Novellino]

e'The American Dream...

I feel that the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren that came after my Faternal Grandparents, for the most part, are living the American Dream.

Some of my Uncles decided to stay in Moundsville and Donora and continued to work in the Smelter and Coal Mine until they were closed. My father chose to go to Bliss Electrical School and he became an electrician and worked for Con Edison until his retirement. He moved to New York. He couldn't see himsef doing that kind of work. If he stayed in Spain he couldn't have done that.

I was asked why did they return to Spain leaving their children behind. I have been thinking about that and trying to remember if my Dad ever said anything about this. I think he did...my Uncle Ramon, who returned with them and stayed, was mentally challenged and I think my Grandparents thought that life would be better for him in Spain...he was able to help on the farm, etc. I don't think there were any programs in the USA, at the time, for someone like my Uncle Ramon...Reading another passage in my father's journal, he went to Spain at that time too. He was about 14 years old and stayed for 4 years and then returned to the USA...In that passage he wrote...which might explain why some went to Cuba.

'For many years I have wanted to record the history of the Asturianos in the US. They are a people that came from the Province of Asturias in Spain and settled mostly in those states having zinc smelter plans. They came here in the early part of the 20th Century. Pedro Menendez, the founder of St Augustine, Florida came from Aviles, a seaport of Asturias, 60 years before the Mayflower landed a Plymouth Rock. My father came from Luanco, another small seaport, not many miles from Aviles. I had many happy days there going to the Instituto del Santisimo Socorro, from 1919 to 1921.

At the time, most graduates of the commercial school went to seek their fortunes in Cuba. I did not go there on my own volition, as I had been raised in the USA (from the age of 9 months to 14) and wanted to return. but a friend of my father's who had been a general store owner in Santiago de Las Vegas, convinced Father that my mark would be made in Cuba. This was far from the truth. After working very hard for a year, I was informed by the owner of the hat factory where I worked that I had $13 and 48 cents in the firm. And it being mine, I cold draw them out or hold them for the next year's balance. After much thought, I knew my future as a Commercial Tycoon in Cuba was extremely limited. So, I wrote to my brother to send me passage money to come to America. This was arranged and to my surprise, when I was ready to land in New York, I found out in talkng to the immigration inspector that I could think as an American, but that the words came out with a deep Spanish accent. As the immigration laws were very severe. I thought sure that I would be sent back to Havana. The inspector, being a wise man in these matters, realized, as he had probably done in many cases prior to mine, that I had been away from the USA so long I had lost my fluency in English. he asked me to sit down awhile, presumably to calm me. and on the second try an hour later, I came out with flying colors answering all questions as a true West Virginian."

I thought this was very interesting.

Barbara

[dage0507]

Hi Ken,

Thank you for your praise! I must say, that I have been discouraged and afraid that I've stepped on some toes! So, once again, thank you!

Miller is my married name; my husband is from Virginia. My grandmother...Faye Palmer worked in the office for 14 years...Then my mom Betsy (Montgomery Dutchess) Straley worked there for the final two years...Sandra Gonzalez (Ronnie's wife) was nice enough to take on the task of making my senior prom dress for me and both attended my wedding; they are wonderful family friends!!!

I'm putting the video together now, and my mom is going to take video of Spelter so that I can put it into my video...

Once again, thanks!

[dage0507]

Barbara,

Your post was very interesting...I am fascinated by your rich history and culture.

Amy

[dage0507]

Barbara,

Is the correct way to give you credit as follows: Barbara Alonso Novellino

Is--I'm not sure how to give you credit...I think your name is Paul?

And, Bob...I'm not sure what your last name is...

Also, I want to give this site...as a whole credit...any suggestions on how?

Thanks,
Amy

[is]

I am confused...I thought that WV was a lot like Asturia....Now, were the people traditionally farmers, but then the factories sprung up in Asturia? So the people changed their careers?
Then the factories sprung up in WV so the Asturians came to WV? (I know they were leaving a draft of sorts) I thought that they were used to working in the factories...I also thought the climate and landscape was similar?

I think Art answered your question about the Asturians who left Arnao for WV, how they often kept a few cattle at home, chickens, pigs and may have worked in the fields after factory work. Even if industrialization took hold in Asturias in the late 19th century, the mentality and collective ethos was profoundly rural. So, yes, the factories literally sprung up around them. And because they paid better, they turned to industry to make money.

As for the climate and physical landscape, the Asturians probably felt quite at home in Spelter. More so than if they had migrated to other parts of Spain where climate conditions are almost diametrically opposed, as along the Mediterranean or Spains torrid central plateau. Both WV and Asturias are very green and mountainous and rainy. Although summers are more mild in Asturias (in the 80s F) and the mountains are much higher, the overall feel is similar. I wouldn't say the same thing of states like Iowa, Florida or Texas.

Good luck with the project, been there before and understand you may be overwhelmed. But just keep asking and you'll get it right!

[Bob]

Bob Martinez (Moderator, AsturianUS.org)

As for the website itself as a source, or for information about form of citation, the Chicago Style Manual is always a valuable resource.

[is]

Is--I'm not sure how to give you credit...I think your name is Paul?

hi Amy, You don't need to quote me at all. I'm half Asturian and half American, living in Paris, France, currently. But because I have no ties to WV other than my Uncle Carl Murrell, just use the general info I gave you to help flesh out your story. Thanks agan for your interest and time. -Paul

[Barbara Alonso Novellino]

Barbara Alonso Novellino is fine.

Good Luck! It really reads well.

Barbara

[Art]

Hi, Amy,

I don't think you've stepped on anyone's toes, not mine, at least. We're all passionate about this topic... as if you haven't noticed! And some of us have different perspectives on it. That variety of perspectives is healthy.

[Ken Menendez]

Amy, I am always trying to figure out folks from the area when names are mentioned and looking for ties to my days there. So, you mentioned your grandmother, Faye Palmer, working in the office at the smelter. I guess that was under TL Diamond and not M&H Zinc. My great-grandmother was a Palmer from Spelter and Harrison County. She married Charles Hickman (Quiet Dell/Clarksburg-North View family). Susanna Mae Palmer Hickman's parents were George and Cecelia McCready Palmer. The Palmer family at one time owned a farm with a lake called Palmer Lake, which today is part of the Bridgeport Country Club. Ask your mom if there is any relationship.

Look luck with the project.

Ken

[dage0507]

Hi Ken,

As far as I know, there is no relation...There a a couple Palmer families in the area, but they aren't related...

My project...well, it is finished for the moment...I presented it today at the conclusion of the conference...

I learned MANY lessons, and I will post the lessons I learned soon...For now, I'd like to not look at a computer for a while! (At least a few hours!) I almost lost my entire project two hours before it was due....There was a corrupt file.

I will get back online soon, and once I get a copy of my finished project, I will post it. (That's another story...I didn't save it correctly to my thumb drive.)

Also, my mom took some recent pictures of the Spelter area, and I will post them too...If you're interested in seeing what the area looks like now...She just took the photos yesterday.

Thanks again, EVERYONE, for all your help!

[Xose]

My family avoided the Spanish Civil War by moving here (with the exception that Barbara mentioned), and were Republicans, not Fascists, so it's probably fair to say that they gained quite a bit (very conceivably, their lives) by being in the U.S. during the '30s.

[dage0507]

Hello my friends!

I have finished my video and uploaded it to my facebook page and to my myspace page.

My facebook page is probably the easiest to access, but if you have a myspace page, I'd be happy to add you as a friend.

Send me a private message if you'd like to know my e-mail address because you'll need it for me to add you as a friend on myspace.

My myspace address is www.myspace.com/dutchessmiller.

Thanks again for all your help!!!

Amy

[Bob]

Maybe it's a generational thing, but I don't do myspace or facebook.