The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-04-09
PORTER INTERVIEWED,
TALKS ABOUT PLANS OF THE NEW
COMPANY.
A Great Industrial City to be Bulltin
East Tennessee.

The above is verbatum quotation
from Hon. Robt 2. Porter in con-
versation held with Il Tribune re.
porter in the Vendome dining-room
last night.
Hon. r. P. Porter is a prominent
member Of the distinguished party
that arrived in the city Sunday to at
tend directory meeting of the Co
operative Land Co., yesterday. A
Tribune reporter found the party
seated at the table in the dining'room
OF the Vendome last night, The re
porter was invited to a seat by Mr..
Porter's side, and at once engaged
that pleasant, and distinguished gem
tleman, in conversation regarding the
objects of his party's visit in Knoxville.
"0ur visit in the South and in Knox
vile is exclusively OF business ma
ture. We came down to attend the di-
rectors meeting OF the Cooperative
Land Company, of which Mr.. Car
Isle, Senator Harris, myself, the other
gentlemen are interested in; in fact
we are the promoters of the scheme.
"What business did you transact in
your directory meetingP"
ave simply ratified what has al
ready been done. was elected presi
dent of the company, or at least my
previous election was ratified"
"What did you do in regard to locat-
ing the site of your future city,"
1--WE only discussed different loca.
tions and their respective merits and
advantages. The location will be
finally agreed upon in about two
months and We will then commence
active operation"
"You will probably be- back in the
South again soon, tnenP"
eyes, sir; we will all come back tC
Knoxville in about six weeks and ex
pect to spend some time here"
"You think East Tennessee is the
place Of all others to build your fu
ture great city hen, do your"
! Undoubtedly sir. There is grea
influx of people and money streaming
southwark, the movements OF this
| have watched and studied very close
ly, and l assure you that it is an easie
matter to induce northern, eastern
and English capitalists to invest thei
money in East Tennessee than an,
other portion in the United States.
Mr.. Porter continued: We are goinI
9 into the development Of East Tennes
g see. We are going to build one Of tn
largest cities right here in East Ter
nessee in the South. This is a bon
y fide business enterprise we are goin
into with our time, money and Unfit
v ence. We are no. going simply
t run down here and attend a stocr
holders directors meeting, lend gu
. name TO the enterprise, and go mort
aud never come back, as is the cas-
with some of the land companies. W
u have "come to stay" to start tn
!. building OF great industrial city 0
+. the cooperative plan, on the stricte'
q and safest BUSINESS and financial b
= sis, and we are going to see it through
There will be no speculative dividen
paying and high officers salaries, bt
each stockholders interest will |
l. identical with our own.
y "Who is the Tribune's industri
Ie writer?" Asked Mr.. Porter OF the pei
\ cll-pusher.
/. "Capt. J. ]. WINS does the majoril
b. OF that work for the Tribune, sir"
ayes, that was the signature to tt
r. article | had reference to, In SnI
re- days paper he had an article aboI
,e starting and conducting newspaper
He said: "Any fellow with a shin
tail full Of stud horse type, Was
Is ington had-press and quart OF swan
II mud can start a newspaper, but
ID keep it going is what makes him hu
IN tie early and late"
TX 81 haven't read greater truth this
er that paragraph in newspaper for
81 long time. I read the paragraph
OF our directors meeting to-day, al
Sc told them the same rule applied
n starting and building towns. stal
- ed newspaper once and made
i, Ego" Pm going to assist in startil
80 a town now and with the assistance
: my associates ! am going to make
"A go, We are not only going to pla
- our own money in this nature favor
i. section, but when our plans are N
u tured and we get into active opei
=, ton we are going to bring millions
~ dollar, OF English capital to E,
Tennessee to further facilitate the {
velopment we are now inauguratir
We are in earnest about this bu
ness, said Mr. Porter, very much
W. earnest. In fact, so much so, That
ril have said our own me ms, time a
r. influence supplemented with milio
- OF English capital is going to be
y vested in the enterprise.
IN
an Work Commenced.