The times dispatch. [volume], June 17, 1912, Page 3, Image 3

About The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914

Image provided by: Library of Virginia; Richmond, VA

                
ROOSEVELT TRIES
TO BUY NEGRO VOTE
?Louisiana Delegate Says He
Was Offered $1,000 to
Desert Taft.
MAKES SWORN CHARGE
Senator Dixon Pronounces His
Affidavit "All a Pure
Fake."
Chicago. III.. Juno 16?An affidavit
charging an attempt to bribo F. H.
Cook, a. negro delegate to the Ropuo
llcan National Convention from Louis?
iana, for (1,000 to desert tho Taft forces
and vote for Roosevelt, executed by
Cook hlmsof. was made publlo to-night
by Director McKinley, of the Taft head?
quarters. Tho sworn churgc culmi?
nated a day of bitter verbal conflict
between the Taft and Roosevelt forces.
Tho Taft headquartors asserted that
Cook, who Is a Baptist minister and a
bunk cashier In Vtdalla, Concordla Par?
ish, Louisiana, made his statement be?
fore a notary of his own volition The
affidavit read as follows:
"State of Illinois. County of Cook:
"1. F. II. Cook, being llrst duly sworn,
make oath and say:
"That on Thursday night, the 13th
.<jt June, 1912, a gentleman who claimed
to be a Mr. Thompson, from Colorado, |
? after being Introduced to each other'
(he. and I), after finding out from me
that I was a delegate from the Fifth
.'Congressional District of Louisiana,
said to me: "If you will romo over with
jthe T. R. crowd here is a thousand <Iol-.
liars,' of which, of course, I refused, and
'at the same time he had the money in
his hand and attempted to count it out
? to me I malte this sworn statement
'because It has been going the rounds
by some Irresponsible person that 1 had
agreed to sell out. all of Which Is ut
(terly false upon Its face. There are
*ny friends on each side, and we are
friendly toward each other, not because
1 am on one side and they on the other
makes us enemies. All such report1'
vhlch como out saying that 1 have or
urn coming over are untrue. I came
from my district to vote for Mr. Taft,
land the first and last thing I'll do will
Xc to caat my vote for tho renomlnatlon
of Mr. Taft. I make this affidavit of
my own free will and accord.
"F. H. COOK.
' "Personally appeared, subscribed and
? worn to before me this 16th day of
Cune, 1012.
"IC BELLT C ARN AH AN,
"Notary l*ubllc.
"Witnesses:
"GEORGE H. JEFFRIES,
"FRED MOORE."
Senator Dixr.n commented upon the
affidavit as follow?: "I never heard of
Cook and I never heard of T.-. ji.ipson.
1 think It is all a pure fake."
ROOSEVEET SURE
TO BE'A NOMINEE'
? Continued From Flrat Page.)
floor leader to conduct the Roosevelt
tight during the convention.
Bound to tie "a Nominee."
Chicago, June 16.?Out of a cnaos of |
claims and counterclaims, reports of
a "break" to Roosevelt from the Taft
tanks and a declaration by the Taft
managers that Colonel Roosevelt's at
tempts to "steal" their delegates had
met with failure, there came to-night
the frank statement by Roosevelt
leaders that regardless of what the
llnal round-up of delegates may show,
?Colonel Roosevelt will leave Chicago
'?u nominee for President.
There will be no bolt, they Say, but
If there Is an attempt to mfke per?
manent the temporary roll reported
'by the national committee tho Roose?
velt delegates, believing they have n
'Tight to act as "representatives of the
(people," may tako matters in their
'.own hands, nominate Mr. Roosevelt lr.
(the Coliseum and claim tor him the
/regularity of the Republican party.
"If an attempt Is made to adopt
,the temporary report made by the
? national committee, which denied prac?
tically all of our contests, t"e con?
tention will never get beyond that."
declared ono of the Roosevelt lead?
ers to-night.
Dlsconnts Talk of Bolt.
Senator Borah, talked of as the
Roosevelt candidate for temporary
jfchaJrman, discounted all talk of a bolt.
Other Roosevelt supporters declared
-.there would be no occasion for a
??'rump" conv*^tlon, or for a "conven?
tion wlthl? a convention." In the Co?
liseum. They base^l their claim upon
reported desertions among the Taft
delegates nnd tho belief that the Col?
onel would control tho situation In
?tho convention proper.
The Taft leaders, however, were
? equally confident that the President
^wou'd be the regular nomi..eo of his
pnrty, and that their delegates would
"stick."
The situation continues to hinge
Upon the action of some Southern del?
egates. They appear to hold the bal?
ance of power, and conflicting claims
? re made of their support. Both sides
Jilainly were anxious over the situa?
tion to-night, and neither knew Just
/what could be depended upon. The
Don't Forget to
Take a
and a Lot of
Records
When you go away for the summer.
Fine to take with you on a day's
picnic, too.
Lots of fun. Dance music as
well as any sort of concert, vaude?
ville, etc.
Let us supply you.
j Therprieiirflmpanii
Successors Cable I'l. Co.
?Ji.'t Kant Ilroai] Street.
solution apparently will have to come.
In the convention itbeif.
It was said to-nlghl that the Roose?
velt forces would make, their stand in
'the convention aa ioon as It meetsI
and Is called to order 11 y Chairman'
? lioscwatcr. of the national commit?
tee. Somo of the Roosevelt leaders
were In favor of deferring the ngfti
I until the, question of adopting the
: temporary roll should arise. Thls|
! plan was abandoned, it Is said, when
j It became apparent that Senator Root1
was likely to be chosen as tt mporary
chairman. The Roosevelt adherents
ftankly admitted that they feared Ben*
utor Root's prestige, in the conven?
tion, and proposed to-make their light
over his selection, which In Itself will
involve, the question of the temporary
roll.
Fight Will Be On.
As soon as Mr. Rosewater presents
tho name of Mr. Root fo? temporary
chairman, the Roosevelt delegates will
place another narr.<j in nomination.
When tho California delegation is
1,-ached, Governor Hiram Johnson, ac?
cording to the report, will attempt to
cast tho entire twenty-six votes of
the delegation against the New York
Senator. His right to do this will be
contested by the Taft delegates from
the Fourth California District, seated
by the national committee. Tho vote
on the temporary chairmanship usual?
ly is cast according to the temporary
roll. The Roosevelt adherents do not
propose to submit to any such arrange?
ment this year, claiming the national
committee Is attempting to deliver
"stolen goods."
The lines will be drawn at once and
the fight will be on.
What the outcome will be, what
the Roosevelt leaders will eventually
do. remains a matter of conjecture.
The prediction was made to-night
Ir some quarters that the convention
never would be organized. Scrgeant
at-Arms Stone. In the meantime. Is
making evci y preparation to quell a
disturbance. Tho police arrangements
for the convention are said to have
been perfected: In addition to the
hiue-coaied force insldo the Coliseum.
It Is said a cordon of police v. Ill be
thrown about the entire building.
WOULD HAVESI6HT
OF STEAM ROLLER
I Chicago. June IS.?William J.Bryan
was a centre of attraction in the|
pre-convcntlon scene to-day, and.,
though appearing at the headquarters
of leaders of a rival party es a news?
paper reporter, was given a demon?
stration by the throng of visitors and
delegates.
Mr. Bryan had a personal chat with
Theodore Roosevelt late <n the day
after he had interviewed Senator Dlx
on, the Roosevelt campaign director,
and Managing Director .'icKinley, of
tho Taft bureau.
As ho entered the hotel lobby, el?
bowing his way through tho crowd,
some one shouted: "Hurrah for
Bryan." and the Nebraskan was giv?
en a demonstrative welcome. He was
cheered for several minutes, and con?
tinuous cries for "speech, spcecn,"
came from all parts of the lobby.
Mr. Bryan waved his hand to tne
crowd and remarked to those near
him that he had come "merely as a
newspaper reporter" and not seeking
presidential nomination from a Re?
publican convention.
: "I came to see your steam roller."
said Mr. Bryan as he shorjk hands
[ with Congressman McKinley. "Is ?t
anywhere in sight?"
"No, wc have laid it aside." said
Mr. McKinley, "but would be glad to
lend It to you If you would like to
have 't at Baltimore."
"Oh. no. we Democrats do not need
?it," Mr. Bryan laughingly responded. ?
"We are going to hold a model con-1
ventlon."
The Power Behind the Dough
BAKING POWDER.
Unequalled in leavening quality?makes lightest, most
wholesome and delicious biscuits, cakes and pastry.
% lb. 5c?% lb. 10c?1 lb. 20c. r
AO good Grocer* seO it or will get it (or you.
MEN WANTED
On Friday, .Tum? 7, a num/her of employes of the Boton ElovaVM Railway
.Company left th.e.ir positions -without not.lce aavd -went on a strHto, -Which now
iiexists. These represented almost entirely ithw newer, younger, mor? Inexpe?
rienced men. A large majority of the men. Including ne-arly aill of the older,
jresponi.'ftle ntin, remained with the oompany, and h<avo Calth.ful.ly ?svned It
?n operating Its car service, which has heen -well maintained over its entire
risystem.
1 The company .wants at once sui-tanle, experienced motorrrtin and conductors
fill the places of men who have loft the servloo, and offers attractive, por
fcnanentii mployment not only to these, hut to other -worthy pea-sons -who can
jBttallify.
I Pot ifull iwfwxnaitlon -wriNe or apply to Superintendent c*f Employment, 15$
tP*mc^ S tree t\J^q?^p^_CdA?)?v- ^
SOME ONE WILL WIN,
BUT WHAT 'SOMEONE'
CANT BE FORETOLD.
_(Contir?ue<t From First Pajre. 1 '
burdens of tho campaign over to tho"
Colonel, hoping he w.il pull thern
through.
\cur-Trensou Association Iii Nervous.
The Near-Treason Association, hav?
ing completed its labors at a lute !
hour Saturday night by standing by
[??.Sammle- Perkins In the State ,of
Washington contests, took an excur?
sion to a country club, but they were
a worried set. They had perform?
ed according to plans anvi speci?
fications, and now they are wondering
If the actors they have selected will
t-peak u?.e lines assigned to them or
v. ill d.cide to do a litllu Impromptu
acting of their own when they get In
the limelight. They do not know. Nor
did it cheer them up any lo have a
Montana man tell th?m the story of
thfc late Wilbur F. Sar.ders. of thai
State, who rode Into a town yeais ago
where the citizens were about to have
a lynching. Sanders Mrode into th?
rrowd. "Stop this." he shouted. "Stop
this. There has been too much of this
high-handed business in this State. 1
'protest. This must not go on. This
1 man must not be hanged hi this sum.
j mary manner. Give h'.m a fair and.
Impartlul trial and then hang him. *
1 The Taft men .stuck sturdily to their
figures They said at the least Taft
I has 545 votes. wPil be named on th*
[ l.rst ballot and that Ron will be mads
temporary chairman by tully 600 votes
I It being held that some of the Roose?
velt delegates will vote for him. Mr.
I Hoot arrived, bringlr.g with him his
well known refrigerating machine
tnd making his own !co whenever ap-!
j ptoached for his opinion of the situa
l tion. Mr. Root was held to contain
i certain views of President Taft to
be presented to the Taft leaders at the
proper time. He saw many leaders.
I They also saw h!n>. That was about
, the sum total of the meetings, so far
j as. settling anything Is fnc?rnefl Mr.
I Root has a speech w'ith him that 1*
expected to make the welkin ring on
Tuesday, a commodious welkin hav?
ing been provided for tnat purpose by
the committee on arrangements. How
I ever. Subbosa William Kllnn. of the
i Roosevelt forces. Whllo appreciating
'.highly Mr. Roofs abilities as a wel
? kin-rtnger. was not so sure it would
I be well to employ R iot's talents In
' that direction. It Is th? idea of Mr.
, I'"l!nn to start something In the con?
vention at the time Mr. Roofs name
Is submitted to the assemblage by Vic?
tor Roscwatcr as the national com?
mittee's conception of an Ideal tem?
porary chairman, and suggest, la a
' clarion voice. It would be well to
have a tried and true Roosevelt man In
that Job. precipitating thereby a
struggle that should have definite in
i formation In It as to the strength of
thn two leading candidates Mr.
l'linn's idea has not -net with full ap?
proval of the other Roosevelt leadeis.
There is a feeling It might be well to
i postpone the clash until later In tho
' Compromise People 'Wont Postpone?
ment.
Advocates of a compromise candi?
date favor postponement. They say
! the thing to do Is to select Mr. Root,
? listen to Ms speech and then take, an
adjournment, hoping by that tJme or?
der may r,egin to shove its well
combed head up through chaos, and
;that there may be found a way to
' save the Grand Old Party. Several
eminent persons on the ground favor
, this plan, having adjusted lightning
i rods and placed themselves In the
i most conspicuous and lightning-Infest
' <d Spots they can fino. One silver
tongued young orator is rehearsing a
speech, by which he hopes to '"cross
of gold and crown of thorn the con?
vention." If the opportunity is offer?
ed. Politics, as has been remarked.
Is an unselfish and genial pursuit,
j The situation Is not without Its
pathos. Consider the dire straits of
, the Ofnceholder.=' Un'on and the Hand
Wagon Boys. They are pacing back
and forth, wringing their hands and
! heating their fevered brows. Origin?
ally the officeholders and the men who
want to hold offlce wore with Taft
Then, from purely patriotic motives,
and because they desired to be on the
ticket with Roosevelt, thinking it
might help them subsequently to get
on tho pay roll, they shifted to Roose?
velt. Now they are torn with con
tlicting emotions, not knowing wheth?
er to Jump back to Ta'i, who may
win. or stick to Roosevelt, who may
i lose. ,
But, sad as Is their dilemma, they
are enjoying a holy calm when com?
pared to the band wagon boys. They
THE WEATHER.
Forecast) For Virginia?Sbower*
Monday and probably Tuesday.
For North Carolina?Local thunder
showers Monday nail Tuesday.
Special Local Data for Yesterday.
I 12 noon temperature-. S51
a P. M. temperature .
Maximum temperature up to S
P. M. 91;
Minimum temperature up to 8
P. M.
Mean temperature. TS
-Normal temperature .
Excess In temperature .
Deficiency In temperature since
March 1 .
Accum, deficiency in temperature
since January 1 . 5031
Rainfall last twenty-four hours.. .43
i:\cefs in rainfall since March 1. 3.651
Accum, excess in rainfall since
January l . 3.62
I.oral Observation S F. M. Yesterday.
Temperature . 75
Humidity . TU I
Wind, direction .North
Wind, velocity . 24
Weather .Heavy rain
Rainfall last twelve hours.411
CONDITIONS IN IMPORTAXT CITIES.I
(At S P. M. Kastern Standard Time.)
Place. Ther. H. T. L T. "Weather.
Ashevllle _7s 86 64 Cloudy
Atlanta . S2 86 78 Clear
Atlantlo City. 64 66 04 Cloudy
Boston . G4 68 60 Ratn
Buffalo . 81 72 64 Cloudy
Calgary . 68 70 54 P. cloudy I
Charleston .. 80 86 80 Clear
Chicago . 60 78 60 Clear
Denver .- BO 62 4G Rain
Duluth . 68 BS 34 Clear
Galveston ... 86 94 80 Cloudy
Hatteras .... 76 82 78 Clear
Havre . 64 66 44 Clear
Jacksonville.. 86' 94 80 Cloudv
Kansas CUy.. 74 78 68 Cloudy
Louisville ... 84 88 80 Rain
Montgomery.. S6 92 78 Clear
New Orleans. 82 SS S2 Clear
New York ... 64 66 62 Cloudy
Norfolk . 84 90 72 Cloudv
Oklahoma ... 92 96 78 Cloudy
Pittsburgh .. 68 S2 68 Cloudy
Raleigh . ?4 90 76 Clean
St. T.ouls .... 68 7? 68 Rain
St. Paul . 58 60 50 P. cloudy
Kan Francisco 64 80 fit Clear
Savannah ... 8i 94 SO Clear
Spokane . 72 72 44 Clear
Tampa . 84 92 84 /P. cloudy |
?Washington.-. 70 86 68. Cloudy
Winnipeg ... SO 56 46 Cloudy
Wythovlllo .. 72 82 72 P. cloudy I
MINIATURE ALMANAC.
June 17. 1912.
HTTJH' TlTTO.
6un rises.... 4:49 Morning.... 5:56 I
want to Jump. They in :st Jump soon. I
They do not know where to Jump. They I
buttonhole every newcomer and harass !
every man who nas been on the ground J
u day. They clamor tor Information. ?
and they are met with the statement
there la none. It they do i..,t laud they
jre lost, and they may ue lost anyhow.
Time 1? pretty nearly up with them. |
They are about to he-ir the ringing of
the last bell. No sadder spcctaclu lias
ever been seen at a I:-;, ibllcan con?
vention than this concourse of patri?
otic American citizens, unable to decide
as to what particular candiuatoriai
Plant their patriotism shall take.
There Is much talk of compromise,
but It Is only talk, largely piomoted
by three or four citizens, ?ach of whom
thinks he would be the perfect solution
of all these pressing difficulties. Un
doubtedly, if there could be a frank
expression of opinion from the Taft
leaders and the liooscv. ;t leaders, aside
from the principals, It would be found
that 00 or TO per cent, of them favor
'. ? i'jandonmont of the two leading
candidates and the selection of another
matt f"r the sake of the party. There
might be fewer Roosevelt men who
would talk this way than Ta:t men,
but there would be a considerable show?
ing on both sides. So it may fall out
that on Monday night or on Tuesday
nisht, If the Roosevelt forces lose their
temporary chairman right and do ?tot
bolt In consequence, there may be a
gathering away down in the engino
r'T,m of the Congress Hotel, where the
subject will bo discuspcd openly, ln
Etcad of whispered us It is now. The
.'let is growing. Nothing may come of
It. of course, but there are a Urge num.
i sr of Republicans who think more of
the Republican party than they thin'.':
of any individual or set of individuals,
and some of this kind are In Cnicago.
Constant Realignment.
But that Is In the future The facts
Of the present have not chanje.l since
Saturday. Colonel Roosevelt is lead
I !ng in person. <wid the Taft leadeis
h.r.e stiffened in COllSeqUetlCe of. his
coming. Both sides ;.i?ik?j glowing
claims, and neither side ran tell what
win happen. There 's a constant
realignment. Roosevelt men nip out a
Tseft n.an now and then, and the Tall
men have ways of their own for get
I tins oven When night came on Sun
!dny neither side had gamed nor lost
much. It Is still n speculative star.il
oft an open proposition Nobody need
t< surprised If Taft wins by a h-'.r.d
i fu| of votes. No'jo.1 .? need be sur
pti*er] If Roosevelt bolts in that case.
Nobody need be surprised if Roose
v'-lt wins. In which case the Taft men
'< will do their bolting at the polls.
[ There may be two conventions In
' the same hall. There may be an
inconclusive ballot or two. and a
third mail proposed and select
C.'. Anything Is possible, for con?
ditions defy analysis. They are
not subject to the usual tests. The
human paradox has projected himself
into the tight, and he has created a
situation as paradoxical as he 's.
Wherefore. It Is up to everybody to be
perfectly calm and await the march
; of events.
HENEY STIRS IRE
OF VIRGINIA MEN
In Voting to Seat XegToes in
Their Places Loses Ground
for Westerners.
[ Special to The Times-Dispatch. ]
Chicago, III.. June 1G.?The Virginia
delegation to the Republican Na?
tional Convention has established hoad
! quarters at the Auditorium Hotel, on
[ Michigan Avenue, Just north of the
Congress Hotel, where are located
Taft and Roosevelt headquarters, as
well as the quarters of many of the i
State delegations. The location places
the delegation from the Old Dominion
In the mitist of the seething political
act'vlty, which promises to becomo
more seethir.c before the week is many
, hours older.
j The Virginians have commodious
I quarters on the second floor of the
Auditorium, which affords a fine view
! of the lake. New York. Massachusetts,
Connecticut and othor Eastern delega?
tions have quarters on this floor. All
the members of the Virginia delega?
tion had not arrived at 6 o'clock this
evening, but were expected before bed?
time. L. P. Simmers, who arrived
last Thursday, was on hand to greet
the callers whu came to sound the
delegates on dark horses and other
things.
The delegation stands twenty-two
for Taft, with the two votes from the
Fifth District in doubt, but probably
for Roosevelt. Mr. Summers and Col.
James F. Browning had an enlivening
discussion on the advisability of nomi?
nating Taft or Roosevelt. Mr. Brown?
ing taking the Roosevelt side. D.
Lawrence Groner Is one of the lead?
ers of the Taft delegation saying the
Fresident is the strongest man the
party could nominate.
Senator Catron and Dr. Dougherty,
of Scott county, nrr'ved this after?
noon. They are Roosevelt adherents.
Lively Tilt.
The. Virginians had a lively tilt this
afternoon with delegates from South?
ern California over the Taft-Roose
velt Issue, the Pacific coast men being
radical partisans of the Colonel. The
Westerners made no headway In plead?
ing the cause of T. R., as Francis J.
Honey, of Pan Francisco, who held a
proxy, embittered the Virginia men by
toting to unseat them and seat negroes
In their places. This action by Honey
stirred tho Ire of the Vlrgtnlt crowd,
which is not In a mood to accept any
such proposition. The discussion
waxed, and the California crowd final?
ly left with the statement that under
no circumstances would they vote fir
Taft.
The Virginia delegation will meet at
Its headquarters at 10 o'clock to-mor?
row morning to make arrangements
for convention committees and trans?
act otner business preliminary to the
opening of the convention on Tuesday.
Burglary I? Reported.
W. Henry Smith & Sons yesterday
reported to tho police of tho Second
District that their shop at 1210 St.
John Street was entered Saturday
night and a large quantity of tools
stolen.
CASTORT?
Po; Infants and Children.
The Kind You Have Always Bought
Bears the y/~>
SignatureM^gg*
_ - v - 11 ' *
"MISSTATEMENTS I
CORRECTED" f
The Truth About the Electric Light |
and Power Situation in
Fredericksburg. J
An Editorial Leader From The Fredericksburg j
*' Daily Star" of June 6. 1912. j
MISSTATEMENTS CORRECTED. J
I Richmond seems to be having something of a contest anent \\
the application of the Richmond and Henrico Railway Company for J
a franchise to do a heating, lighting and power business in that city | ?
I in competition with the Richmond Railway and Power Company. I I
We are not concerned with this fight or its outcome. But in the | 1
I columns of our esteemed contemporary, The Times-Dispatch, we | j
find statements in reference to Fredericksburg which are not in ac- v
' cord with the facts, and we feel that we should not be doing justice J J
to our city to let these statements go unchallenged. I
These statements were probably made without sufficient infor- ?
mation on the part of those who made them, and do injustice to
Fredericksburg. One of these statements is as follows:
Competitloa U not good for Richmond, says tho Virginia. Railway and
Power Company. But the tame Interests have asked for. and secured, a
I franchise to sell light and power Ln Frederlcksburg in competition with a
company already doing' business. i
And again:
In FrederlckStrurg a, widow woman furnished electricity to the city. The
Virginia Railway and Power Company bought tho water rights of the Rap?
pahannock Rlvor and entered into competition with this widow, with the
refult that they have put her out of business. J
Prior to 1900 a small electric plant was built in Frederieksburg
under a contract with the cit}' and to light the streets of the city. J
Jn the year 1900 this plant was sold under foreclosure proceedings,
and was purchased by Charles R. Sickles, of New York, and con?
veyed the same in trust to secure Mrs. E. C. L. Ficklen a debt. In *
1901 this last trust was foreclosed, and Mrs. Ficklen became the
I purchaser of the electric property at a public sale. Mrs. Ficklen
! afterwards organized the Rappahannock Electric Light and Power
Company, which conducted the electric business. The city built its
own plant to light the streets.
IThe Rappahannock Electric Light and Power Company ex
tended its business from time to time in a moderate way. This
company has never had a franchise from the city of Fredericksburg,
and has none now, although an application for a franchise is at
J present pending before the City Council. Its water rights are
limited, and any great plant development is impossible unless by I
J an addition of an auxiliary steam plant. I
I About 1905 Mr. Joseph Swift, of Wilmington, Del., bought the 1
j Fredericksburg Water Power Company, which owns practically 1
the entire flow of the river above Fredericksburg, except the limited )
power owned by the Bridgewater Flour Mills, and Mr. Swift organ?
ized the Fredericksburg Power Company and made extensive sur
' veys, but no development. In 1907 the stock of the Fredericksburg j
Power Company, owned then by Mr. Swift, was acquired, not by
the Richmond Railway and Power Company, but by the Richmond
and Chesapeake Bay Railway Company, and the new interests ap?
plied to the Council of Fredericksburg for a charter, and secured 1
a charter to do a general heat, light and power business in the qity. I
The Fredericksburg Power Company then purchased additional
rights above the city ; it replaced the old wooden dam at Fredericks
burg by a new concrete and steel structure i.ioo feet long. It has
constructed within the city of Fredericksbtirg a concrete flume, and J
I is completing now a modern, up-to-date power-house, second to
none in Virginia in its stability and in its appointments, and has
just distributed through the city poles to be erected, and will
shortly complete its system.
It has spent in this community a very large sum of money and
as yet it has received no return on its expenditure, because it has
sold no current, fixed no rates, and has offered no service to the pub?
lic. So, therefore, it is impossible that the statement aboye quoted
from the esteemed Times-Dispatch could be true. .
Again, in seeking its franchise from the Council it neither asked
for nor received any rights or privileges to use the lines, poles or
other appliances of the Rappahannock Electric L^ht and Power
Company, nor has it in any way entered into compe/tion with the
older company, which has been operating without a franchise. i
The Frederick'sburg Power Company's franchise permits and
requires it to do a general light, heat and power business over the
entire city, serving every one within the city who desires its service,
and concurrently with its franchise the Council approved its pole
and wire plan, which practically covers the entire city.
The new company was both organized and built with the pur?
pose in view of building up the industrial life of the city, bringing
new factories to the community and as a motive power for an elec?
tric railroad, and it is the declared policy of the new company to
give Frcdericksburg and this section of Virginia a service second to
none in the State, or, indeed, second to none on the^Atlantic Sea?
board.
The people of this city and section are looking tor the comple?
tion of this company's work as the realization of the city's dream of
the past, of Fredericksburg's being a great manufacturing centre,
with its superior climate, its fine water, its intelligent native labor,
its cheap power and its unrivaled power and transportation service,
enjoying as it does its location on the splendid lines of railroads
passing through the city and its location on the Rappahannock
River, with' its water transportation and connection with all the
cities of the Atlantic Seaboard.