Flashback: What Happened on March 11, ....

•  1834 - The Virginia General Assembly passed an act authorizing the following counties to erect gates across public highways: Kanawha County, Mason County, Wood County, Jackson County, and Cabell County.

•  1834 - The Virginia General Assembly passed an act requiring the owners of dams to also construct locks on the Little Kanawha River from its confluence with the Ohio River to Bulltown.

•  1856 - The Virginia General Assembly passed an act creating Roane County from parts of Kanawha County, Jackson County, and Gilmer County, with an election scheduled to determine whether the county seat would be at California (present-day Spencer) or the farm of Robert Luney.

•  1881 - The West Virginia Legislature passed an act appropriating $1,339.23 to pay the first batallion of West Virginia volunteers for their service in “preserving the peace” during the coal strike in Fayette County in January 1880. It was approved by the governor on March 12.

•  1889 - The New Mala Noche Mining Company was incorporated in West Virginia by the following: John Allan Mackinon, John Allan Mackinon, Jr., James M. Chapin, Oscar T. Earle, and James Gilmer, all of New York city. The company’s purpose was to operate mines in Mexico, with its main offices in New York city and Zactecas, Mexico.

•  1891 - The West Virginia Legislature passed an act regulating elections and determining those offices for which the people could vote. It became law without the approval of the governor on March 18.

•  1902 - An electric light plant opened in Shepherdstown, Jefferson County, establishing electric light in that town for the first time.

•  1939 - The West Virginia Legislature passed an act requiring strip mine operators to acuire a permit from the Department of Mines and to post $50 in bonds for each acre of land disturbed for its reclamation.

•  1956 - The West Virginia NAACP filed suit in the United States District Court in Charleston to force the Logan County Board of Education to integrate its schools more quickly. State NAACP President T. G. Nutter indicated at this time that similar suits were being considered against boards of education in Berkeley County, Jefferson County, Hardy County, and Boone County.

•  1965 - A Chicao Daily News article reported that former West Virginia governor Marland was working as a cab driver in Chicago. The following month, Marland returned to Charleston as an associate director of James F. Edward Enterprises, headquartered in Chester (Hancock County). Presumably, Marland was considering another run for political office when he learned of his terminal illness later that year.

•  1969 - Governor Arch Moore “fired” 2,627 striking road maintenance workers (the total was originally announced as 3,600).

•  1983 - The Consolidation Coal Company and Eastern Associated Coal Company announced the layoff of 369 employees in Mercer County and Monongalia County. That same day, Eastern recalled 195 employees in Raleigh County.

•  1995 - West Virginia legislative session ends.