John knows that I am respectfully skeptical of his cautiously phrased conclusion that a steam-drill battle may have taken place in Alabama. Of course this is conjecture, but much historical writing is conjecture. The significant point is that this particular conjecture (unlike so many in ballad studies)is backed with some genuine research. It provides fresh food for thought about the "John Henry" ballad. Whether the conjecture can be confirmed is another story.

John Garst's work is also of value because it shows that the Big Bend evidence, which has been widely accepted as fact for decades, is in reality extremely weak. John has shown there is no serious evidentiary basis for insisting, as so many have done, that "John Henry fought the steam-drill at the Big Bend tunnel in West Virginia."

That result may sound trivial to amateurs, but it demonstrates once again the value of sound research (which John has carried out, even if his primary conclusion remains doubtful).

Unfortunately, John's evidence is not strong enough to prove that the contest took place in Alabama either. That's bad news mainly for C&O boosters. And the PR follies described in a related thread have little to do with the substance or presentation of John Garst's article in "Tributaries."