inyati13
Well-known member
Cleon Begley was Chief of Police in Hazard, KY during the 1930s. He was retired when I met him in 1975. He had a post-retirement job at the City Water Treatment Plant. I was the Director of the Regional Soil and Water Laboratory at the KY Division of Reclamation (not as big as it sounds, I made $640 per month and since I was the only employee in the lab, I was not directing anyone except myself). Cleon called because he wanted help testing the city water. In those days there were no concerns about liability like there would be today, so my boss told me to go down and help. I went down and walked into the plant. Cleon met me. On his side he openly carried a S&W air weight bodyguard, nickel plated. I told him who I was. He said come back to the lab. We walked into the lab and I looked around quickly. I said, does anyone use this equipment. He replied, No. Half the stuff was not even set up. There was dust covering everything. I looked at Cleon. He looked at me. He said, I am not a chemist and the other guys are worse off then me. I said what test do you run. He said, none, that is why I called you. I said, my God, how do you know how much chlorine you are getting in the water. He said the other guys say the chlorine tank is adjusted the way it has been for years and not to mess with it. I said, Cleon, you have to do tests to confirm that. He said, no one else is interested, will you help me.
Here is a guy who worked his whole life in law enforcement. After being Chief of Police of Hazard, he became a railroad detective for the Louisville and Nashville RR. He worked through all of the United Mine Worker strikes that killed hundreds of people. (Read the book, “We Be Here When the Mornin Come”). He wants to run chemistry analysis.
To make a long story short. I worked with Cleon every day for almost a year. We got all the lab equipment running. He started testing the water to ensure it was safe. The City Manager gave him an Award for his contributions to providing safe drinking water to Hazard, KY.
Most people knew I was helping because they saw my car there every day after work. I was very proud of Cleon. Never went to college a day in his life. He did repay me in a way that I will never forget, but that is another chapter
Here is a guy who worked his whole life in law enforcement. After being Chief of Police of Hazard, he became a railroad detective for the Louisville and Nashville RR. He worked through all of the United Mine Worker strikes that killed hundreds of people. (Read the book, “We Be Here When the Mornin Come”). He wants to run chemistry analysis.
To make a long story short. I worked with Cleon every day for almost a year. We got all the lab equipment running. He started testing the water to ensure it was safe. The City Manager gave him an Award for his contributions to providing safe drinking water to Hazard, KY.
Most people knew I was helping because they saw my car there every day after work. I was very proud of Cleon. Never went to college a day in his life. He did repay me in a way that I will never forget, but that is another chapter
