It's No Honor to Be Hizzoner

The hill folks of Coalton, W. Va. (pop. 234), have had a little problem finding a mayor. Last June the town had to cancel its regular election because no candidate came forward. One reason: candidates must pay a filing fee of $50, but the job itself pays only $100 annually. West Virginia's secretary of state, A. James Manchin, ordered a write-in vote, but the winner resigned two weeks after his election. Then Manchin instructed the town council to appoint a mayor, but the man it picked was thought to be too bossy, and the council pressured him into resigning. Recently Coalton got yet another mayor when the council appointed Businessman Michael Ross, 40, who had served in the post for a few months back in 1969. Nobody is willing to predict just how long he will last this time. Says Manchin: "I've never seen a town like it. It's constant cacophony--just pure hate. And a lot of them are related." Maybe there is some connection.

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