As a housemaid at the hotel in 1900, Jessie Mason would have help an enviable position for a female of that era.  A Southland local, Jessie grew up a farmer’s daughter and began work at the hotel not long after her family immigrated from Scotland.  In September of that year, a fire destroyed part of the original Royal Mail Hotel and Jessie courageously was the star witness at the trial giving evidence before the jury.  The speculated cause of the fire…sparked from a locomotive.