Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1892-07-15
TELEPHONISTS BANQUET
DEI.IGHTFUL. AFFAIR All THE
BATrEieX PARK

The visitors Conclude Their Tsus.
iness and at Night Enjoy One
of the incest Affairs AsheyIIlc
HAS Ever KNOWN.
The convention Of stipcrintcnicnts and
managers OF the Southern Bell telephone
company finished its business before
noon Yesterday, and the resul, has been
very Satisfactory to oallconccrned. About
sixty delegates were present represent
ing every city in the states of Virginia,
West Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, North
Carolina, South Carolina and Florida.
No doubt the general public will be benc-
fited by the matters which have been dis.
cussed, as these gentlemen operate all
the telephone exchanges and private
lines in the states named.
Lunch was'served at II O'Clock yes
terday, after which the party were
driven over the city, and shown the
many beautiful points of interest. To
say that the ladies and gentlemen were
delighted does not half express their en-
loyment. Ats p. m. dinner was served
in the ballroom of the Battery Park hotel
and the good cheer and witty speeches
lasted until midnight. An elegant menu
was served without wine, nearly every
delegate present being total abstainer
from alcoholic drinks of any kind. Rev.
{. w. Byrd aud w. E. Breese, of Ashe-
vile, were invited guests. T, D. Lock
wood, of Boston, one of the most cclc-
brated electricians of his country, and
Geo. K. Thompson, another noted
electrician, of Boston, were present.
d. |. Carson. general superintendent of
the company, presided at the banquet.
The table was arranged in the shape of
a large "T," standing for "Tclephone. !"
c. E. McCucr sat at the end of the ta-
bic to Mr.. Carson's left, John d. Easter
lin sat at the end to the right and w. I.
Gentry at the extreme end. A number of
ladies were present. During the evening
toasts were proposed and responded
to as follows: Boston" 7. d. Lock-
wood; Virginia" r. b. Rood; North
Carolina" Rev. c. w. Byrd; South
Carolina" John d. Easterlin;" Georgia, :"
W. 7. Gentry; "Alabama." II. p. Wat
son; "Florida." B. F. Dillon; "Birming-
ham, r. L. West; "a subscriber" W..
+. Breese; "The Telegraph" c. Z. Nc
Cluer, all of which were highly interest
ing, and some of them full of fun and
amusement.
The ladies and gentlemen left the city
on the different trains during today.
Those from Atlanta were furnished with
a special parlor car. d. |. Carson, gen
eral superintendent, d. G. Black, and T.
d. Lockwood went to Atlanta for / day
or two before returning rorth.
c. W. Thornburg, manager of the Ashe-
vile exchange, covered himself with
glory in the arrangement of everything
necessary for the business and pleasure
of the convention, and neglected no op-
portunity to see that everyone had a
delightful time.
THE CITIZEN hopes these gentlemen
will decide to hold their next convention
in this city. The ladies in the party were
Mrs. ]. ID. Eastcrlin, Atlanta Mrs. W..
Crews, Norfolk, Va; Mrs. ]. A. Wotton,
Atlanta; Mrs. w. T. Gentry, Atlanta,
and Miss Matte Thomas, Eufaula, Ala,
the latter being the efficient manager of
! the telephone exchange ut that place.
Every one spoke in the highest praise
of Manager L. =. Mckissick of the Bat
tery Park. His efforts were untlring
and eminently successful.
The list of the banquctcrs follows: r..
L. West, Z. L. McCluer, IL. l.. Parry, J.
A. Wotton, Mis-. Wottou. W. ii. NJ.