N&W in 1910--Telegrapher's meeting

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Bluefield Daily Telegraph
December 31, 1910

MATZ HOTEL TURNED OVER TO TELEGRAPHERS
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Estimated That From  300 to 350 Will Attend Business Meeting and Banquet Tonight
    C. R. Layman, of Troutville, Va., was [sic, should be "and"] E. B. Spedden, of Shepardstown, arrived in the city last night and are stopping at the Matz.  Mr. Layman is general chairman of the O. R. T. and Mr. Spedden is general secretary of the Norfolk and Western committee.  The gentlemen are here for annual meeting of the order which takes place in this city tonight.  A big banquet will follow the business session, the festivities to take place at the Matz hotel.  Telegraphers with their wives and lady friends from all divisions of the Norfolk and Western system will be here for the occasion and the city will be flooded with the brass pounders and their ladies by 6 o'clock this evening.  These occasions are looked forward to with much interest by the Norfolk and Western's telegraph force and they will make the most of it tonight.  It is estimated that from 300 to 350 operators will be here for the occasion.  The big Matz hotel has been practically turned over to the knights of the key tonight and a magnificent spread will be provided by Manager Barnes, of the hostelry.  J. B. Saunders, of Graham, has been designated as toastmaster and Henry Callaway will deliver the address of welcome in the banquet hall on behalf of the general committee.
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[Unlike the unpleasant memories that some railroaders have of the latter-day Matz Hotel, it was brand new in 1910, and was probably Bluefield's largest hotel then.  Abandoned for several years, a portion of it collapsed in February 2009, blocking Princeton Avenue in front of it.  With 300 to 350 telegraphers at the meeting, who was running the railroad?]

Gordon Hamilton
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