N&W in 1910--Office building

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I think that was a home for tuberculosis patients.

 

Bob McKell

 

From: nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org
[mailto:nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org] On Behalf Of NW Mailing List
Sent: Tuesday, January 26, 2010 7:23 AM
To: Norfolk Western Mailing List
Subject: RE: N&W in 1910--Office building

 

Anyone know what a "home for consumptives" is?
 
Thanks,
Dave Willis
(blt 1962, c/n 4)
 

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To: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org
Subject: N&W in 1910--Office building
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:34:48 -0500
From: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org

Bluefield Daily Telegraph
August 13, 1910

 

BLUEFIELD IS LOSING ONE OF ITS LANDMARKS

------

Terminal Trainmaster Relates History of Old Division Office Now Being Torn
Down

    Bluefield is losing one of its oldest landmarks, the old division
office, which is being torn down.  A nice lawn will take its place.  The
building has been standing since July, 1888, and is almost a part of the
town.  Within its walls the preliminary plans of the great Pocahontas
Division were carried out and each room has such a history connected with it
that old railroad men stand and watch it coming apart without even daring to
walk inside of it, so great is their respect for the old site of their
former battles to make the road a success.

    J. M. MeIlhaney, terminal trainmaster, gave the Daily Telegraph a short
history of the building last night.  He easily remembers it from the days
when this most wealthy division of the Norfolk and Western was only the
Pocahontas branch.

    Mr. McIlhaney says the first offices were maintained in the present
freight depot.  This was in July, 1888.  About this time twenty-two years
ago the offices were moved in the building that is now being torn down.  The
division at that time was called the Radford and Pocahontas division and
John A. Hardy was superintendent.  The road at that time went to Powhatan,
while branches ran to Pocahontas, Goodwill and Simmons.  The Clinch Valley
division was not in operation at that time.

    The official family at that time was John A. Hardy, superintendent,
Captain D. H. Barger, trainmaster, R. E. Winters, chief dispatcher.

    The yard office was located in the northwest room on the first floor
while the trainmaster's office was overhead on the second floor.  The
dispatcher's office was in the north bay station.  The waiting room for
trainmen was on the first floor in the northeast room, while the timekeeper
occupied the room above.

    The supervisor, or roadmaster, as he is known occupied the southwest
room on the second floor while the reading room for trainmen, out of which
grew the Railroad Y. M. C. A., which now has a large building of its own,
recently erected on Pulaski street, occupied the southeast room in the old
building now being torn down.  The yard master, who was either a man named
Wright or Joe Collins, occupied the other room on the south side.  The attic
at that time was used as a bed room by the trainmaster and other men, the
dispatchers many times turning in to sleep there at that time, which was
long before the present regulations as to hours of work went into effect.

    It was hard at that time to get a house in this city and the first house
completed by the railroad was the building on Princeton avenue, recently
owned by Weslie Wilkes, which was first occupied by J. M. McIlhaney, who was
at that time a train dispatcher.

    Since July, 1888, many changes have taken place in the Norfolk and
Western but the old building was occupied as an office until about a year
ago when the offices were moved to the old Bluefield Inn building, which was
remodeled for office purposes.  This building is one of the most imposing
structures in the city and at one time Thomas F. Ryan wanted to purchase it
as a home for consumptives.  The Norfolk and Western, however, would not
consent to the bringing to this city of a home for consumptives.

    The destruction of the building removes another of this city's landmarks
and for years to come the few men who are left on the road who were here in
1888 will look to where the building now is and feel that something is
lacking.

[I wonder if the wooden building in the attached picture from Neg. 21413 in
the Virginia Tech image database isn't the division office described in the
article.  It has a bay on the north side as described for the location of
the dispatcher's office.  Also, the article states that the building will be
replaced by a "nice lawn," and vintage photos show a lawn east of the
passenger depot where the parking lot was in later years and about where the
building in question is in this picture.]

------

Gordon Hamilton

 

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