The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1893-11-02
[From the Cincinnati Times-Star.l
Mr.. INGALLS, SPEECH THEY. M.
c. A..O7ENiNC.

Mr.. INGALLS, SPEECH At THEY. M.
c. A.O7EMiNC.
| He Never Had Much Of an Opinion of Such
Christian Work Until it Was Tried on
The Chesapeake Ohio Railroad.
Has found it what was Needed.
at the opening of the railroad branch
of the Y. NJ G. A. Friday evening last at
Clifton Forge, Va, President M E. In
gals of the Chesapeake & Ohio railroad
made as usual very interesting address.
The new building is perfect palace in
all it's appointments, and is as comforta-
BILE and coy as the average 'swell'' club.
Through the untiring efforts of Mr. In
gals similar buildings have been erected
at Hanley. Hinton and Gladston In
these buildings nothing has been left
undone which would. in any way, add
to the comfort of the members in the
there are over 1000 in the best books of
the day, the gymnasium is fitted up mag
Ilnificently; the reception rooms are fur
nished in antique oak; and in fact every
thing is as compact as it could possibly
be. The hall was packed to suffocation
when Mr.. Ingalls, arose to formally open
the institution. If he ever doubted his
popularity, the rousing reception ac-
corded him would satisfy him ON that
point. The audience fairly rose to its
clx %oI I,
was fairly FIVE minutes before the speak
err could make himself heard. When Mr.
Ingalls, concluded his speech cheer after
cheer nearly raised the roof, and the
boys seemed unable to do enough to do
show their love and regard for him. Mr..
ingalls, spoke as follows
II never had very much of an opinion
Of the Young Mems Christian Aassocia-
ton until we tried it on the Chesapeake
& Ohio. Itseemed to me, as watched it
in Cincinnati and New York and Boston,
that it was got up for lot of men who
couldn't do anything else and wanted to
go around the country, drawing salary
and making speeches and keeping them
selves prominent before the public, and
they built very nice buildings. 1t did not
seem to me there was any chance for the
| poor working fellow to get any show at
it. Nevertheless, we started building
at Hinton, and it was a great success.
Then we built one at Handley; then one
| at Gladstone, or helped to, and now we
are here, and from doubters we have
become great believers. The question is,
why is it that it has been such great
success here 1t may be that it has been
a success at other places, and that was
mistaken, but know that it has been
a great success with us. The reason is.
it has filled a want among the people
and the employees of this railway, and the
men themselves and the people in the
villages and cities where it was located,
and all have taken an interest in it.
What people and the world are hunting
after is not the sublime, or something
that no man can use, but they are look
ing after something practical, whether
ii is in Christianity or in rairoading, or
in anything else something that the
everyday Woodworking toilers of the
world can use Now, that is exactly what
we have found in these buildings and in
the Y. M. G. A. The men on the railroad
can use them; they are not only for show;
they are not for Sunday alone. / don't
mean to imply that they will not be good
on Sundays | do not mean to make
q diaa i,,ctt how tlov
are under the influences of this Christian
Association; that is one of the good
things.
The Young Mems Christian Associa-
tion is non-sectarian and as broad as any
thing can be in this world that bears the
stamp of Christianity, and there is no
man or woman or child in this city or on
the Chesapeake & Ohio railway who is
certainly all of us hope to be better in
this world, and we all oh erish a hope of
a better place somewhere in the here
after; therefore, the Christianity of the
association is entirely in it's favor, so that
it is non sectarian and is open to all.
Now, what has it furnished? And you
will excuse me tonight if l speak more
in reference to the Chesak cake q Ohio
and it's railways than in regard to the
people of this city and villages who are
largely interested and who hope will
use it; there are others who will speak
for them; but let us look at it for its eff
feet upon the railway. | will give you
an instance; | stopped the other night
at Handley; we have established there
with the help of the employees build
ing to which the members of this Asso-
citation can go; they obtain fair meal
for nominal sum- they get a lunch for
a very moderate sum a cup of coffee for
| FIVE cents: they have as | looked over
| the table the other night nearly all the
| literature of the country to read; good
books and sleeping roolAs. stopped
there the other night, as | said; about
as bad night as you find in the sums
mer 1t was raining hard. and as | went
into the building it was lighted up and
it looked cheerful and comfortable. 1t
. looked a little brighter than my own
club, where occasionally go at Cfncin-
baltimore homelike and pleasant. Now
that is exactly what that building
is. 1t is club-room for the men who
stop there There are not many OF our
men who live at Handley, and the Y. M.
G. A. there is more for men who lay over
at Handy ON their runs.
|
An engineer, or conductor, or brake
man, who went there in old times, used
to get nap in the cab Of an engine OF
on the soft side of a board, just as it hap
pened, and when they started to come
back they might not be fresh and well
rested, and you were liable perhaps to
have trouble with them; they might get
sleepy on the road. Today our men
when they go there get good bath, a
good meal and good bed, and at the
end of their four, five, six or eight hours
they are ready to make their return try
rested and refreshed, and the Company
saves by it because there is less liability
of accident. AT Hinton, think wheI