Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-03-22
ALL KINDS Of DATA COLLECTED
Mr.. George q. West, the Original Pic.
ueer. Writes Article for The Daily
Press, in Which objects and pur.
poses Of the Organization arc sEx-
plained--Informstlon Wanted.

the most important rs well as one
of the most interesting organizations
In the city.
Mr.. George H. West, president OF
the Citizens & Marine bank. ana tho"
pioneer citizen OF Newport News. mas
written for The Daily Press the fol
lowing article, which explains what
many Probably will be glad to learn
about the society:
l"First Pleneors."
THE PionecIs of Newport News.
an association of those who have been
residents for mt least 20 years. was
organized primarily on account of the
social features. but We expect also TO
be the means of collecting and pre-
serving the history of our city. We
have n chroniclcr. who at our annual
meetings In January. makes n written
report of all events of interest that
have TRANSFERRED In the city during the
previous year These reports nrc
iiled with our secretary for future use.
we have thus provided for the col
iccting of the future history. We wish
also to preserve the history Of the
past "a yeats: and can only do SO by
'hosc familiar with them writing out
whnt they know and filing these M
pers also with the secretary: and wo
nave adopted this plan. Our meetings
nave been very enjoyable In telling
ana listening to incidents and events
'Wat happened in the early times Nof
our city's history. We have decided
TO ask all who are familiar with eycnta
OF general interest to write them ont
10 as to be flcd. Our secretary Mr..
John G. bivczey. has collected some.
ana asked to be authorized to pur-
chase suitable box to keen them in.
and nave 1t placed In n fircproof vault.
III this way We will be able TO keen
our records safely anu to preserve
them for future historian.
VIII relate n little history which
is not perhaps known by 80 of our
PEOPLE. we obtained this from the
postonice department nj Washington.
me first postomce established he.e
was October 10, 1851, Robert e. Ben
mott postmaster; name New Port
News. December 6. 1880. Milton II.
Croweil was appointed postmaster of
ahnnetta, and on January Of 1881.
changed 10 Newport News.
We wish to commemorate some
historical days of the city ut our reg
ular meetings. We meet on the 18Th
OF october. not because of the sur
render Mt Yorktown. but because on
mat date in 1881 the first passenger
tram went out of Newport News. ~
carry passengers to the centennial at
yorktown. The main line To Rich
mond was not complctcd; n ,empor-
airy track was laid from just beyond
The Lee Hall house TO the National
Cemetery Mt Yorktown.
Wc meet again January 10th. the
Gay on which the city charter was
granted.
We have not vet selected the date
OF our meeting IN May. we would
Dc Obliged for suggestions from any
ono, of n suitable day.
AT GU, last meeting CAPT. James
iiaughton filed with the secretary
statement OF the name Of tho steam.
Snip and date OF the first load OF grain
takcn out Of elevator Mr.. J. Il
Swincrton gave us five copies of old
papers, Volume |, No. of the
fWedgc.' the first newspaper ever
published ut. Newport. News. date
april Il. 1889. This had an account OF
the opening of Hotel Warwick
AZ copy OF lhc Commercial. Aprii
~. 1883. Peninsula Democrat. SEN
tcmber 10, 1888. Newport News Ad-
vance, Volume |. No. /. August
1889, and The sun Volume |. No
May II, 1892. Al OF these papers are
OF value and contain pieces of inter
est and will b. more ami more val |
uapie as the Years 30 by. M SWIM
erton had sketch OF Newport News
taken in 1861 which has been mis-.
laid: IL he finds II he will present IL
10 us.
I am writing this In the hope that
We may secure from parties some pa
pers. or cuttings from papers of events
that have occurred In or around our
q. J so as TO keep them for future use.
we woul'l like also to have any picture
or sketch OF any house. church or
place about the city, feel sure there |
are many things held by our people |
That IN the future will be of grea, in i
forest and value. All who have such /
things please lei us have them for
safe keeping or AT least TO get copies
OF them.
mfr. c. u. Doegs who was The last
secretary of tho trustees of the old ,
Union Chapel. wrote me that he left |