The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-05-19
THE n
The Fourteenth nnua Session OF
!. Hallway Telegraph superintendent
Election of Ofieers-Wfreless Teieg-
raphy-Trlp to the Ocean To-day.

Hallway
Election of Omeers-WfreIess Teles-
raphy-TrIp to the Ocean To-day.
The Association of Railway Telegraph
Superintendents, the members of which
arrived in Wilmington Tuesday
night. met in it's eighteenth annual ses-
sion yesterday at $50 a. m, at the
rooms of the Wilmington Merchants
Association, In the Seaboard Air Line
building n North front street. There
were in attendance besides the MEM
beers of the association, the ladies Oh
their party n quite a number OF WAL
mington ladies and citizens. MI.
Thomas A. Edison, of Orange, n. j"
the famous electrician and inventor,
was present as one of the
President w. w. Ryder, of Chicago,
presided. Vice President L. q. Foley,
OF New York, was present, n Mr.. +.
w. Drew, of Milwaukee, the secretary
and treasurer, was at his post.
After President Ryder had called the
convention to order, the Hon. Alfred
M mayor of Wilmington, de-
]ivered the welcome address in behalf
of Wilmington. He spoke in his Gus
tomary happy vein and gave the visitors
a most cordial welcome. He specially
gave a warm welcome to Mr.. Edison,
and congratulated the city upon hav-
ing the honor of his presence. He also
particularly and very CALAMITY well
coined the visiting ladies. He closed
amid very hearty applause.
President Ryder responded to Colonel
Waddell, thanking him for his kind
words of welcome, and expressing n
pleasure OF the members at being in
w n NJ N 0tnn 10 no tho rnninianfG of the
well known hospitality of the south.
His mar also called forth the most
generous applause.
The convention then proceeded to
business. The secretary read the fol-
lowing invitation:
Wilmington, N. c., May 16.
To the Members of the Association Of
Railroad Telegraph superintendent,
Wilmington, N. c.:
Gentlemen: We hope you may find
time during your session in this city
to visit Wrightsville Beach. We shall
be glad to place a special train at your
disposal for the trip.
If you can arrange to max this ex->
c%urSiOn, and will be kind enough to ad-
wise us of the date and hour you wish
to start, we will be pleased to ave a
train in readiness at the Front street
station Of the Atlantic Goa Line, in
this city.
The ladies of your party are also
cordially invited.
Respectfully,
GEORGE r. FRENCH,
President Wilmington Sea-Coast Rail
way Company.
J. r. KENNY
General Manager, Atlantic Coast Line.
On motion the invitation to take the
trip to Wrightsville Beach vas accept
ed, and it was arranged to leave The
Orton today at 2 p. m. for Front street
station to take the special train for the
beach. Mr.. A. B. Ekelding, general
manager of the Wilmington Street
Railway Company, cleverly offered
street cars free Of charge to convey the
party to the depot n back up town
on their return. The cars will be at
The Orion at 2 o'clock to take on the
party.
Invitations were also extended to the
members of the convention and the Ia
dies to visit the club houses Of the Car
DINA Yacht Club and he Atlantic
Yacht Club, on Wrightsville Beach,
which will be open to them as a cOur-
tesy. Arrangements have been made
to let the visitors have a surf bath
Captain T. D. MeareS, on behalf of
Captain John w. Harper, general man.
ager of the New Hanover Transit Com
pany, offered the convention and the
ladies the cOurtesies of the steamer
Wilmington for a trip down the Cape
rear ana out 10 sea.
On motion, the secretary was re-
quested to write to Captain Harper and
express their high appreciation of his
kim offer, but regreting that the invi-
tation could not be accepted, owing to
the rae that the convention would not
be in h city long enough to avail it
self Of the trip which Captain Harper
so generously offered.
An invitation was extended to the
visitors to attend a musicale which had
been prepared for their benefit ait the
parlors Of The Orton asst night.
The election of officers was then de-
clared in order.
Mr.. w. F. Williams, of Portsmouth,
was placed in nomination for president,
but he unselfishly declined in favor of
Vice President LIB. Foley, who deserved
to be promoted to president. He there
upon nominated Mr.. Foley for presi-
dent and he was unanimously elected.
Mr.. Williams was then unanimously
elected vice president, and Secretary
and Treasurer p. w. Drew, was re-
elected to that position.
President Foley is superintendent of
telegraph for the Delaware, Lacawana
and Western Railroad, New York city,
Vice President Williams, of Ports
mouth, Va, is superintendent of tele-
graph on the Seaboard Air Line. Sec
rotary and Treasurer Drew is superin-
tendent of telegraph of the Wisconsin
Central Line.
The following were elected members
of the association: w. j. Holmes, of
Erie, N. Y; G. NJ. French, of NATION.
ILL.,; j. H. Jacoby, of Bethlehem, Pa
6. S. Groce, of ~Cincinnati; w. l.. Bis
bee, of Houston, Texas; w. J. Stone
burner, of Pittsburg, Pa, and E. Bor-
den, of Wilmington.
MI. Charles Mclaughlin was elected
a member to succeed Mr.. Jesse Bun
nell, of New York, deceased.
The report of the secretary and treas
urer was read, and it made the best
showing for the association since it's
organization. The reading of the report
was a~pplauded and the president con-
grattl&ted the association upon it.
On motion, of Mr.. W. T. Williams,
the members were allowed six copies
of the printed minutes of the associaz
ton instead of two as heretofore.
After the officers had been elected
President Ryder requested Mr.. Annett,
OF Chicago, to escort the newly elected
president to the chair. Mr.. Annett did