N&W in 1907 -- Station (Part 2)

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Bluefield Daily Telegraph
October 2, 1907

THINKS ENLARGED STATION WILL BE BIG ENOUGH
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Chief Engineer Churchill, of Norfolk and Western, Interviewed by Telegraph Representative
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TWO-STORY STRUCTURE IMPRACTICABLE, HE SAYS
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    Mr. C. S. Churchill, chief engineer of the Norfolk and Western railway passed through Bluefield last evening in his special car, No. 5, which was attached to train No. 16.  He was going to Roanoke from Welch.
    While his car was waiting he was interviewed by a Daily Telegraph representative regarding the proposed addition to the depot.  Mr. Churchill said that he had read the article which appeared in yesterday's Telegraph and thought that the people of this city did not recognize the fact that the new addition to the depot would give them all the room that was needed.  He spoke about the amount of room that would be added to both waiting rooms and said that, with the increased amount of platform space which is being provided, he thought the enlarged depot would be big enough.  The Telegraph man spoke to him about the large crowds that take the trains from this point, and while Me. Churchill admitted this fact, he said that a great many of the people who went to the train did not go there with the intention of boarding trains, but simply to watch the trains come and go.  The Telegraph man showed him the names of over a hundred people who were taking No. 16 last night, but he said that these people were only taking advantage of the cheap rates which are being offered on Tuesdays to those who care to visit the exposition.
    The Telegraph representative then called Mr. Churchill's attention to the fact that the time of arrival and departure of the trains was so arranged that all people going both east and west were forced to arrive at the station at the same time and argued that this was the cause of the crowds at the station at train time.  Mr. Churchill said that he did not care to argue that point.
    He then spoke of the size of this depot and the size of this city in comparison with he size of Roanoke and their old depot.  He said that when the proposed enlargement has been made, Bluefield will have a depot lager than the one which formerly accommodated the city of Roanoke with its 25,000 people.
    Mr. Churchill was very pleasant and agreeable, but did not care to talk at length about the new addition to the station.  He said that the work would be commenced as soon as the material arrived, which would be in a short time.  Mr. Churchill when asked about a two story depot said that it was impracticable on account of the fact that the depot is on a level with the street and the tracks nearly so.  When asked about a depot that might be erected on the opposed side of the street he said that he did not care to talk about that topic now.

[I don't understand what the reporter had in mind when he asked about erecting the depot on the opposite side of the street.]

Gordon Hamilton
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