William C. Walstrum, N&W Superintendent of Telegraph

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Seeking information on William C. Walstrum.

The 1894 Proceedings of the Telegraph Historical Society of America show him as "Superintendent of Telegraph, N&W, Roanoke."  That was a glitzy organization of heavy hitters... Alonzo Cornell (founder of Cornell University) was President.

The 1898 thru 1913 editions of Biographical Directory of Railroad Officials of North America all contain this unchanging simple bio (curiously simple, because most men chosen for listing in that publication gave complete details of their career history and some even listed their club affiliations) :

WALSTRUM, WILLIAM C. , Superintendent Telegraph, Norfolk & Western Ry.  Office Roanoke, Va.   Born at Charlottesville, Va.  Entered railway service 1889 as Superintent Telegraph Norfolk &  Western, which position he stll holds;  from 1870 to 1889, was with Western Union Telegraph Co. in various capacities."

C.D. Potts, "When Signals Were New," N&W Magazine, February 1932, mentions that Walstrum was associated with D.W. Richards (a signal engineer hired away from Union Switch & Signal) in setting up the N&W Signal Department in 1900.

Does anyone have more information on Walstrum ?

-- abram burnett

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