The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-07-19
Echoes Of the Big Convention
Held Last Night.
REVIEW OF BIG MEETING
Banquet, Trolly Rides, Surf Bathing
and Other Forms Of Amusement
Kept the Scribes Busy but
They All Kept Sober.

IN OCEAN VIEW, VA, July s-lhe VIZ
yinia Press Association wound up Its
meetinglof 1908 with delightful BANQUET,
whi6h was rendered by Colonel j. Hull
Davidson, manager of the Ocean View
Hotel. The ladies' and children were
present, and it was a sort of family
dinner party. with few of the formalties
u Of the conventional banquet.
Colonel Davidson is Kentuckian and
has added to his art of entertaining by
bis schooling in Virginia. The only
trouble with his is that he never knows
when his guests have been sufficiently
stuffed, and his memory sometimes does
stunts the morning after a banquet
But he's an all-round host. and he has
the finest corps of assistants ever seen
at Ocean view-at least that Is the ver-
dict of the editors, and they paid THIS
tine tribute to the Colonel and his staff:
Resolved, That the members Of the
Virginia Press Association hereby ten
der to the Weems Steamboat line, the
Norfolk and Western Railway. the
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway. the
Southern, and the Richmond and
way our sincere thanks for continued
evidences of interest in our organza-
ton, as shown by their generous trans
portation courtesieS to the member
to the Norfolk Railway and Light Com.
pany and the Chesapeake Transit Com
pany for delightful excursions; to the
4 Casino management for compliment
tary theatre party; to manager of the
Ocean View Hotel for his liberal and
hospitable treatment during our stay
ut his splendid resort; and in this con-
nection we desire to include his assist
ants and all employees OF the hotel who
have, with the greatest success, COM
bined their endeavors to render our stay
at Ocean View one Of the most peaas-
y ant OF all our outings.
81 Even after the banquet this Kentucky
s Colonel fired a voley Of champagne
corks at some Of the struggling editors
but they withstood the attack CALAMITY
and were on the field next morning be-
fore the Colonel had entirely recovered
,from his self-inflicted wounds
Il The meeting OF the association this
year is said 10 have been one Of the
most enjoyable ever held, and 1t is con.
coded that one of the most entertaining
and enjoyable papers ever read before the
association was that OF Rev. DR.. r. II.
Pitt, Of the Religious Herald DR.. Pitts
anecdotes abou. the smelling bottle
and the ground squirrel" made tho asso
citation laugh in double leads. and his
friends in Richmond should make him
tell 'em over again at the first oppor-
tunity. The association Is gratlfied to
have added to the rolls this year four
representatives of the religious press:
DR.. Pitt, Mr.. Moseley, of the Danville
Methodist; Mr.. Baker, Of the Southern
Churchman, and Mr.. Waddill, of the
Danvile Baptist Union. all of whom were
present at the meeting.
The association paid noble tribute
S to the memory of w. P. Johnson. the
brilliant young editor Of the Newport
News Press. who died suddenly during
Z the past year. The resolutions were pre-
pared by Messrs. E. r. Chesterman, j. II.
Lindsay and w. Mcdonald Lee. and had
4 the true ring of sincerity and affection
4 One OF the most delightful incidents
Of the meeting was the excursion given
by the Norfolk Railway and Light Com
pany "around the loop" including rides
( by trolley and ferry boats. Agent Camp
3 bell personally conducted" the excur-
sion and won the good Will of the asso.
citation by his courteous consideration.
on Friday. through the courtesy OF the
Chesapeake Traisft Company. the asso-
citation had a,.flne. trip by trolley car to
Cape Henry and Virginia Beach. This
10 a new line running from Norfolk to-
9 Chesapeake Bay: thence along the shore
X and across Lynnhaven Inlet to Cape
Henry and thence alonG the Atlantic
coast to Virginia Beach. General Mana
ger Robinson had the party In charge
and did all that Kindness could suggest
< for the pleasure of his guests. He was
ably assisted by Waddy Novell, Rich
nnond boy who is one of the most ac-
completed entertainers In the land, he
missed his Gaming by not going into the
diplomatic service.
III At Virginia Beach the party enjoyed
/ Abs hospitality of the Gulf Stream Hotel,
which has recently been overhauled and
put in ship-shape. They We're entertained
at lunch by ahe proprietor and his charm
ing wife, and some of them had dip
in the surf.
s1 cannot close this review without say
q word about the personal conduct of the
editors during this meeting. There was
not single case of ntoxcation or any
thing approaching It, Even at the BAN
n Quet, where wine was served in album
dance, there was no excessive drinking,
and Colonel Davidson. who is himself a
very temperate man, was deeply I'M
Il pressed with the fact, and said he never