Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1911-07-15
JENNIE SMITH PICNIC
Miss Jennie Smiths Picnic TO Be Held
at island Park July ~ For
Thirtieth Time.

Miss Jennie Cmith and her rail-
road boys" OF the Baltimore and Ohio
system are to hold their goth annual
reunion at Island Park, Harper's Fer
ry on Thursday, July q. The en-
ployes committee In charge an
nounces that arrangements have been
made for the largest gathering of the
railroad men that ever met at Har-
per's Ferry, and 1t is expected that
the attendance will exceed 5000. SDe-
cal trains will be run by the Balti-
more and Ohio from all parts of the
system within a days ride OF Har-
per's Ferry to carry the railroad men
and their families to the reunion. A
train will leave Parkersburg early in
the morning for the accommodation
of those between that city and Cum
berland. A special will also run from
Connellsville, and another will make
the local stops between Cumberland
and Harper's Ferry. The railroad men
from Baltimore, Washington, Freder-
lex, Winchester and intermediate
on SPECIAL trains.
Miss Jennie Smith will make the
address Of welcome to the railroad
men, which will be followed by re-
marks from several other prominent
speakers, including James NJ. Rice,
former Secretary CT Riverside Branch
Of the Baltimore and Ohio Y. NJ. G. A,
Baltimore, now in charge of the Y. M.
c. A. in the Pennsylvania Railroad
Terminal, New York; Rev S. NJ. Al
ford and T. e. Stacy, Secretary of
Riverside Branch Y. NJ. G. A.. Balti-
more; q. r. Brantner, Martinsburg.
and w C. Montignani, Secretary OF
the Railroad Y. M. c. A., Cumberland.
A band concert will be given du ing
the reunion by Zimmerman Concert
band, Of Baltimore. Miss Minnie
Lempkuhl, cf Baltimore, who has TAX
en- a prominent part in the reunions
Of recent years, will sing several solos
for the railroad men. The committee
Iii charge of the reunion is headed by
G. G. Spurrier, chairman, ]. L. Haw
sex and w. c. Alexander, assistant
chairmen. and 50 other railroad men.
Miss Jennie Smiths annual reunion
at Harper's Ferry is unique to the
Baltimore and Ohio System and the
railroad men lock forward to it with
unusual interest. Jennie Smith is
known in railroad circles throughout
the United States as the Little Moth
er Of the Railroad Men" and in her
mission of carrying the Gospel into
the roundhouses, rest houses, tele-
graph towers, shops and other places
OF employment she has made many
acquantances among the rank and
file. Her first annual gathering of the
B. & o. men was held in the summer
of 1881, at Harper's Ferry. and each
succeeding year she has held brought
them together in a renewal OF friend
ship. A feature CT the reunion this
yeart will be the presence OF many
veteran employees who attended the
first meeting in 1881 and are now on
the retired list.
Miss Smiths evangelistic work
among the railroad men was began c1
the B. & O. as young girl and she
stated recently that wherever she
sees "B. & o." under the window of a
locomotive cab she feels mere at
home than at any other time.
Made an invalid in childhood as the
result Of an accident, Miss Smith
spent several years belfast, with no
Improvement in her condition. Spe-
cialists were consulted in various
parts of the country from time TO
time, and while making one of these
Journeys on a B. & o. baggage car on
a cot the grayhaired baggagemaster
suggested to the young girl that she
might find some relief through prayer.
Miss Smith prayed with the railroad
man in the baggage car, promising to
devote her lifework, if restored to the
use OF her limbs. spiritual work among
railroad mn. For nearly forty years
she has been fulfilling her promise.