Thursday, May 21, 1925
Last week, the smooth-running machinery of the Greenbrier Division was interrupted for some days. For 25 years the keen faced railroad men have been running trains on this 100-mile stretch exposed to all the fury of the elements. “Rain, hail and snow that, praise the Lord he’s seen them at their work, and wished he had another run, or they another kirk.”
High winds, floods and avalanches are all to be counted in a day’s work. But the railroad men get the train through. I never talked to a railroad man but what I have a faint sense of dual personality. He carries on the conversation, but his mind visualizes the track, and his mind is on his business. This is the silver anniversary of the Greenbrier Division – 25 years successfully combatting the forces of nature in the mountains. It is great work, managing trains in the flat country, but until he has served his time in the mountains, a railroad man knows not bad from good…
Monday, the 4th of May, the current Manifest, with 62 cars and two engines in front, went roaring up the river. And in railroading as in ordinary life, things can happen with great suddenness. The train came to the Watoga bridge, and just as the 19th car was about to take the bridge, it had the perversity to leave the rails. The bridge is in two long spans upheld by two superstructures. The car caught the beginning of the arch, and the superstructure was torn apart, and the bridge went down leaving a solution in the continuity of the line of about 150 feet…
The wreck, however unfortunate, had the effect of bringing a few days feverish activity to the vicinity with great bands of workman from great railroad systems building up and restoring the damage done.
COUNTRY LIFE CONFERENCES
Two of the Country Life Conferences scheduled for Pocahontas County have been held. The one at Greenbank was fairly well attended. The community score was increased from 741 points in 1924 to 758. This is the third conference held at Greenbank, and a material gain in score has been made each year… Improvements were especially apparent in community spirit and activity. On last Fourth of July, a community picnic was held; a truck load of exhibits was sent to the County Fair, and many premiums won; clean-up days; a community flower was adopted – the rose; and many of the householders improved and beautified their residences by painting, fencing and planting shrubbery, flowers and shade trees; there was a decided increase in church membership. A community dipping vat was completed and used. A comprehensive program for community betterment was adopted for next year.
The third annual Country Life Conference for the Hillsboro community was held. The attendance was large, and in many respects, this was the best Country Life Conference ever held in the State. The score was increased from 802 points to 822. This probably makes Hillsboro Community the second best in all of West Virginia. A like improvement for another year will put this community ahead of all. It is now only four points behind Berlin community in Lewis County which scores 826 points.
Under every department of community work, Hillsboro showed improvement, except in the matter of health. Henry W. Beard presented the plan of work for the coming year…
