The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-04-18

eState aSentS OIL virginia. Tho guests
were met by the reception committee of
the Real Estate Exchange and escorted
to the rooms of the exchange, where
they were met at three o'clock by the
committee on grounds and vehicles and
driven over the property of the River
mont Company.
About 9 o'clock the guests of the
company to the number of 200 assembled
in the opera house.
After discussing an elegant repast
Capt. c. M. Black ford, president of tho
Rlvermont Company, opened the speech
making with warm address of well
come. He was an ideal toast master,
showed the speakers out on the thin ice
of conversation with a spirit and
happy inspiration that won half the
volley of applause. He outlined the
birth of tho Rivcrmont enterprise and
paid high tribute to the sagacity of
Major r. S. lIuttcr, in whose brain the
enterprise was born, and the energy
of Peter j. Otey, whose industry and
perseverance carried it out to success
The following toasts were responded
to as follows:
First. Virginia: Our Beloved Mother,
her sons bring to her the first fruits of
their renewed energies as an olive offer
ing of their love and pledge that their
industry shall be devoted to her alone.
JAS S. Simmons, Roanoke.
Second. The City of Lynchburg: The
first great cause of our enterprise soon
to be part and parcel of our being. Hon.
Robt. ID. Yancy, mayor of Lynchburg.
Third. Our Guests, The Real Estate
Merchants Of Virginia: Their sagacity
has developed the true resources of the
State and their energy has aroused to
action its dormant powers. We welcome
them amongst us as harborers Of as
sured success. Capt. M. M. Rogers, of
Roanoke.
Fourth. Our Sister Land Companies,
Our Rivals in tho Common Cause of
building up Our Home: We greet them
without envy and hail their success
without jealousy; there is work enough
for us all. John ii. Lewis, of Lynch
burg.
Fifth. The Hustlers of Virginia:
They have added new word to the
vocabulary of our tongue and made the
now South the wonder of the nation;
honor to whom honor is due. Judge
George B. McLane, of Roanoke.
Sixth. The Rivermont Bridge, the
Marriage Tie Which Makes Two Cities
One: What it has joined together man
cannot put asunder. Hen. John w.
Daniel. of Lynchburg.
Seventh. Ourselves, tho Rivcrmont
Company: To thine own self be true, and
itmust follow as the night the day, thou
canst not be false to any stakeholder.
Major Peter j. OLey, vice president and
general manager.
In roSDODdiDu IN tho fooct Virr;p;o
Mr. James S. Simmons, of Roanoke,
gave utterance to the following little
gem: 'Who could do justice TO such a
subject? Can any man say enough in
sounding tho praises of this grand old
commonwealth or forecasting her magni-
ficent possibilities? l would say nav,
and least of all ono of my humble pre-
tcntionS. 1t would have been far more
fitting to have assigned this pleasing
duty TO one who first saw the light of
heaven from her sacred soil, and yet
had it been so ordered that a favored
son could not have felt more proud of
tho honor than whose youthful feet first
pressed her bosom some ten years ago
when as but boy he came seeking his
fortune among her nospitable people.
81 further appreciate and thank you
for the distinguished honor of being
called upon in representative assem-
blage like this to say word in behalf
of the State of my adoption, and of the
State whose grand and rapid industrial
developments is now commanding and
exciting the wonder and admiration of
not only the various States Of our Union,
blu. may almost say of the entire
world.
"As you arc all aware, the history of
Virginia is the history of almost our
entire country. In our grand galaxy OF
States none bear moro worthy or have
moro honorable position. She is
justly styled the 'mother of States"
"the mother of Presidents" and the
achievements of her sons, both in the
field and the councils of tho nation
when battling for the rights of our COM
mon country, have ever been of a char
acter to surround her with halo of
glory. But we are not here to refer to
her accomplishments in the line of
political history. We desire simply on
this occasion to speak word on the
subject of the marvellous industrial de-
velopment that has characterized the
history of the State within the past ten
years.
"You are we'll aware that for many
years it was known, or at least believed,
that in our forests and in our mountains
lay stored treasurers of inexhanstible
riches. These riches were permitted to
lie dormant, however, until it became
the good fortune of the energetic, en-
terprising and sagacious men of to-day
to uncover them and to make known to
the world the universal advantage and
opportunities they offered in connection
with other material interests, agricul-
tural and otherwise, for immigration
and profitable investment.
II think can truthfully say that the
initial movement in the work OF de-