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This water supply was installed when Jones Laughlin Steel-Blairton Quarry signed a lease in 1909 on acreage outside Martinsburg, West Virgina for the purpose of mining. In the 1950's, the homes built on this acreage were sold by the Quarry to individuals. This sale did not include any land as the home owners became sub-lessees. The water supply remained intact to all homeowners. In 1976 the lease was sold to the Riverton Corporation in Winchester, Virginia. After the new Corporation took over operations, they made leases for new home buyers in the Blairton Community. In 1995, Riverton issued notice of their intent to terminate the water supply to all Blairton Residents. Since this area is not serviced by Public Water, this appears to be a gesture to get the homeowners off the land. The Blairton Residents have pooled and secured Martinsburg Attorney Michael Scales to represent them. The matter is scheduled for Court on December 15, 1998, Judge David Sanders presiding. Click here to view Riverton's water termination notice. Click here to link to the Herald-Mail 12-08-97 news article. Click here to link to the Herald-Mail 10-29-98 news article. Click here to link to the Herald-Mail 11-5-98 news article. Click here to link to the Herald-Mail 11-20-98 news article. Click here to link to the Herald-Mail 4-14-1999 news article. Click here to link to the Herald-Mail 4-22-1999 news article. Click here to link to the Herald-Mail 8-23-1999 news article. Click here to link to the Herald-Mail 11-14-1999 news article. Click here to link to the Herald-Mail 1-22-2000 news article. Click here to link to the Herald-Mail 2-10-2000 news article. Click here to link to the Herald-Mail 4-20-2000 news article.
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Blairton's Welcome sign. One down. Click here to view some of the Blairton residents. The Blairton community includes working families, retired indivuals, handicapped persons, black and whites and school aged children. The water termination will also affect one Church and a home for the handicapped. If you can help us in ANY way, such as notifying professional or political figures or national organizations, the residents of Blairton, West Virginia would appreciate your efforts. The Court date is scheduled for December 15, 1998, so time is of the essence! Can you imagine going without water? Can you imagine losing your home? Please help us so our families will have a Merry Christmas!
Live music was provided by the band 'Victory'. Thanks to the local merchants who donated merchandise to our cause and the large traffic of people who attended. All proceeds from this event will go to our legal fees in the Riverton water court case.
Acknowledgement section
There was a PRESS CONFERENCE held 7pm EST Wednesday, October 28, 1998 at the Blairton United Methodist Church.
Present were Delegate John Overington, Delegate Larry Faircloth, Delegate Vickie Douglas, County Clerk John Small, Clerk of Circuit Court Virginia Sine, County Commissioner Bob Burkhart, candidates Laura Rose, Butch Pennington and John Unger. News coverage was made by NBC25 television, The Martinsburg Journal and the Mill Creek Peddler. It was unanimous that there was a serious problem with Riverton threatening water termination to the residents and furthermore by Riverton not allowing long term leases, that public water will never be obtained. Motion was made by candidate Laura Rose to approach Berkeley County Commissioners on October 29, 1998, at 9am, and seek their governmental power in working out a resolution between the Riverton Corporation and the residents of Blairton.
ATTENTION! Get the May, 2002 issue of "FAMILY CIRCLE" magazine! There is a story about Blairton! Read about us!
E-Mail the Blairton WebMaster at :
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