Interview with W. P. Morton, July 30, 1987

Project: Appalachia: Roving Pickets Oral History Project

Interview Summary

W.P. (Bill) Morton, owner of the Hazard Home Lumber Company in Hazard, Kentucky, recalls the roving pickets' movement of the early 1960s. He believes that the movement occurred because miners wanted to improve their conditions. They wanted better wages and safer mines. Morton explains that things got out of hand when the strikers paralyzed everything in the Hazard area and businesses were severely hurt. Morton states that Hazard businessmen then joined together to form the Citizen's Committee for Law and Order. This organization was dedicated to fighting the Roving Pickets including defeating politicians who supported them. Morton describes the Citizen's Committee's campaign against Judge Courtney C. Wells in his bid for election for circuit court judge. Morton maintains that Wells was tough on criminals, but that he was too lenient on labor. Wells lost the election by one vote and sued Morton for libel. Morton states that the case was dismissed, but still accuses Wells of hand-picking his juries.

Morton also discusses industrial development in Appalachia. Morton explains that he is chairman of a group of businessmen who are attempting to bring more industry to Appalachia. Morton explains that he believes that the reason mountain communities do not have more industry is because they never seriously tried to attract it.

Interview Accession

1987oh170_app093

Interviewee Name

W. P. Morton

Interviewer Name

Doug Cantrell

Interview Date

1987-07-30

Interview Rights

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Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.

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Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.

All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

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Morton, W. P. Interview by Doug Cantrell. 30 Jul. 1987. Lexington, KY: Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.

Morton, W.P. (1987, July 30). Interview by D. Cantrell. Appalachia: Roving Pickets Oral History Project. Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries, Lexington.

Morton, W. P., interview by Doug Cantrell. July 30, 1987, Appalachia: Roving Pickets Oral History Project, Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.





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