N&W in 1909--Excursion report

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Bluefield Daily Telegraph
July 25, 1909

EXCURSION BRINGS EIGHT HUNDRED TO BLUEFIELD
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Smiles of Faces of Visitors Indicated Enjoyment of Day of Most Pleasing Diversion
    About 800 people journeyed to Bluefield yesterday on the special train from Norton up the Clinch.
    The train was composed of eleven coaches loaded to their utmost capacity, in fact, they were so crowded that many were forced to stand upon the platform.
    The excursion train left Norton with a fair sized crowd which was greatly increased at every station along the line.  From the time the train left Honaker, which is about the half way point, the standing room only sign was out.  Many came with the unquenchable thirst and were made glad, while others whose inclinations were toward the national sport left for the tower grounds to enjoy their favorite pastime of rooting. The Tazewell team came up with a liberal number of fans to play the game with the Bluefield aggregation.
    Mingling  with the crowd of excursionists were many "country cousins" who had never seen a city the size of Bluefield, a street car or an automobile, and the wisdom they gained on the trip will doubtless furnish them food for thought during the balance of their natural lives.  While strictly honest and conscientious, they nevertheless furnished many amusing scenes to the close observer.  That they are out of their element is distinctly manifest.  
Speak to one of the latest news event or some important happening and his mind does not grasp your meaning--such does not enter into his brain and increase his worry, but say something of the growth of crops, how the corn is looking, how wheat is turning out, the price of livestock, then he essays the role of wisdom disseminator and can tell you more than you know or could even guess at.  This wonderful individual of brawn and muscle is the "salt of the earth," and while he is not possessed of polished manners and city style, honesty is written all over his rugged countenance and he is the mainstay of civilization.
    Many of these mountaineers left the trodden paths of duty for a day and took a ride on the "Kyars to see Bluefield."  From the smile which illuminated their countenances it was plain to be seen that they were enjoying a day of most pleasing diversion.
    The running of this excursion train was a most successful venture for the railroad company and will doubtless cause renewed activity along this line in the future.
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Gordon Hamilton
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