"Takin' Twenty with the Virginian Brethren" by Skip Salmon

[NW Mailing List]

Last night I had the pleasure of "Takin' Twenty with nine of the Brethren 
and Friends of the Virginian Railway. I started off the meeting by asking 
the Brethren if they remember a famous wedding that took place 77 years ago 
on February 17,1933 of one of the most famous couples in the world. They 
have been in the newspapers for years. He was the son of a railroad magnate 
and she was the daughter of a famous financier. Her maiden name was 
"Boopadoop". After many clues Scotty Scott finally got it. Answer at the 
end of this report.

I announced to the Brethren that this web site now has over 1,000 members, 
who I hope read about them every week!

I got a response from Greg Harrod from Fredericksburg, VA about his 
Granddad, VGN engineer W. R. Bloyd's gold pocket watch, bought in 1923, 
when he went to work on the VGN. Mr. Bloyd, who Rufus Wingfield remembered 
calling for trains many times, traded the watch to Victoria jeweler J. A. 
Keeton for a 1945 vintage Longines military style, 24 hour watch. Landon 
Gregory said that everybody in Victoria knew Joe Keeton and he was a watch 
inspector for the railroad. Greg has a watch inspection card from the 
1930's that lists the serial number of his Granddad's Elgin BWR, 21 jewel, 
as serial number 26529327. Greg would like to find this watch. If anybody 
out there has any information that would help find it, please respond.

Passed around was a copy of a deed that I found at the N&W Historical 
Society Archives work session last week, while entering Right of Way 
purchases of the Deepwater Railway from 1903. It was written on stationary 
from the "HOTEL TOY" in Lester, WV, and had on the letterhead "J. H. Toy, 
proprietor on C&O and Virginian Railways, rates: $2.00 per day". Also 
passed around were emails from Michael Napoli, the new owner of the former 
Virginian Railway Tugboat, the "W. R. Coe". Mr. Napoli changed her name to 
the "Deborah Quinn" after his wife's maiden name. He added "The tug is 
currently being used to tow dump scows by the Breakwater Marine Company in 
Oyster Bay, NY. The boat's namesake, W. R. Coe, is buried just miles from 
my house and Planting Field, his home that he donated to NY State, is 2 
miles from my house. We have been going there since I was a kid, never 
knowing I would own this boat. I will try to send you some pictures; the 
boat is in mint condition and is one of the cleanest boats I own." If we 
could only find the old VGN 44-tonner #6...

Also sent around were copies of pages from a book I found at the N&WHS 
Archives last week, "The Virginian Railway Company Pass Rules, effective 
July 1, 1948". Rule 21 outlined transportation of corpses: "The remains of 
a person eligible to receive passes may be transported free, either on a 
trip pass issue for "Remains of _______" or on a pass held at time of 
death. Rule 23 covers "unlawful use of passes" with a penalty of dismissal 
from service as well as prosecution under Federal law, which provides a 
maximum penalty of $2,000 fine for misuse of free transportation".

The "Jewel from the Past" is like one in Jeff Sander's Hamilton 992B 23 
jewel watch having a Montgomery Dial with two hour hands, that he purchased 
while working for the N&W near Indianapolis,IN and had to cross the Central 
Time Zone, is from May 13, 2004: Jimmy Whittaker, VGN clerk, told of a 1935 
Ford Station Wagon that VGN Superintendents Garrett and Strickland used for 
track inspections. "It had been modified to run on the rails. It ran on 
rubber tires with a metal bracket welded on the side of the car to keep it 
on the tracks."

Also passed around was a photo I took last week of the clock that was 
donated by VGN Superintendent Hank Kinzel to the N&WHS. One day I hope it 
will be displayed in the restored VGN Station in Roanoke. This clock, a 
large pendulum style clock leased from the Western Union by the VGN for 
trainmen to set their watches, was in the Yard Office in Roanoke for many 
years. I have posted a photo of it on this site at "Skip's Photos". It has 
been repaired and keeps perfect time.

Now about the famous wedding: His name is Dagwood Bumstead and you all know 
the former Ms. Boopadoop as "Blondie".

Time to pull the pin on this one!

Departing Now from V248,

Skip Salmon


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