Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-01-29
RICHMOND'S CHANCE.
We NAY GET A $500. 600 GOVERNMENT
CONTRACT.
The Meaning Of the Visit Of the Congress
men and The commodores
10 Richmond.

Some time ago Governor Lee visited
washington aud had very interesting
interview with President Cleveland and
Secretary Whitney, Of the navy, IN
which he represented TO them that so lar
rs anv Government work was concerned
the South had been entirely ignored ;
that We lin Richmond) were now IL a
condition to do SoEe, at least OF the
work that the Government annually
ordered. and upon terms as salts
factory. so far os Che price and
finish so. rs it could be done IN
any other part OF the Union; that
the Government had recently ordered
the construction of cruiser ut the
Portsmouth hayward, and be saw no
reason why If upon bid as low as
others should make and also if in con-
formity with regular Government IN
speclion) proprietors Of iroD-works here
should not have an equal chance with
propnCtors of similar works North
that with all the vast expenditures oil
money in this direction since 1860 he
was not aware that the manufactures IN
the southern States had been taken into
consideration at all that il they were
part and parcel OF the American Union
and could do such work as cheaply and
AS well as other sections they ought to
have portion OF it. =,
The Governor added that he thought
II would bo beneficial to tho South, not
merely in q financial way to those in
terested. but to classes who would thus
be made to feel that they were once
more in accord with the national Gov
eminent. in that they would be reaplng
some of the benefits to be conferred by
il. as well as bearing some OF It's burdens.
HECOGSITIoN.
The Governor says that both the Pre-
sident and Secretary of the Navy were
very kind and at once recognized all the
points which he presented in the matter.
The result has been, through the help
of the Hon. George ID. Wise, that Mr..
Whitney requested certain members Of
Congress aud chiefs OF bureaus TO visit
Richmond for the purpose of inspecting
our facilities for doing machine contract
work for the Government, and the party
whose names were yesterday published
came here and carefully examined the
Richmond Locomotive and Machine
Works.
ACCOMPLISHMENT.
OF course they were all ostonlshed.
Without knowing what their precon
ceiyed opinions Of this city were, 1t car
be safely asserted that none ofthem sup
posed Richmond possessed such extern
sive works.
"APPRoBATIoN FROM SIR HUBERT IS
PRAISE INDEED.
Commander Charles Il. DeValin, chic
engineer of the navy, told DiSpatc'
reporter yesterday morning that he wa
much impressed with the extent and ca
pacitv OF the works that with small
outlay spent in the purchase OF a few
larger tools the company would be abb
10 build any of the Neutrality-suspicious. Is
engines aud boilers required IN the con
struction OF large vessels, such as are nov
being built for the United States navy
He further SAID he was much surprised
10 find such large and wcll-eqmppet
establishment, having had no idea sucl
extensive works existed south OF Phlla
delphia.
This view was concurred IN by Com
modores Wilson and Melville and the
party generally.
ARCTIC EXPERIENCE.
While at dinner at Mr.. Trigg's hous'
night before last some of the geRtlemel
by ingeniously piled questions brough