Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-08-28
Nae LANG Ass.ssMeNr coMMIr1gs.
The Trip Through Mineral Sections Made
and a Report 60 BE Formulated

ana n Report ~ AS'
Senator Conway r. Sands, member OF
the special committee appointed py the
last Legislature TO investigate ths assess-
ment OF mineral lands OF virginia, nas re.
turned to the city, sitter having been out
with that body about week On has trip
homeward he stopped over for few days
In Albemarle, where his wife is spending
the summer. The legislative party nave
completed their labors in so lar as the
matter of visiting the principal minerh
sections and examining into the assess
ments IS concerned.
Their trip TO Southwest virginia I'M
pressed each member with the importance
of establishing o board of equalization,
such az EXISTS IN the States of West Viz
e1nia and Ohio. The information Whlch
the committee has obtained is thorough
and exhaustive of this question:, ana the
report which they will make 10 tne Legs
Iature will no doubt be an exceedingly IN
teresting one. The members OF the COM
mittee are Senators Henry Fairfax, OF
Loudoun; Conway Il. Sands, OF hehrlco,
and James w. Marshall, ot oralg' anu
Delegates A. +. WithrOw. OF Bath ). T..
Mason. of King George; II. /. Anderson, OF
PIttsyIvania NJ b. Franklin, OF Buehanan.
and Mr.. w. A. Fentress, OF Portsmouth.
Mr.. Ber. =. Owens, Jr.. OF Manchester
was steuographic clerk OF the COMMITTEE.
Senator Marshall, owing 10 other press,
ing engagements, was unable 10 attenu
and Senator &. A. Mushback, OF Alexan-
dria. was requested to NIL the vacancy
caused by Mr.. MarshalPs absence.
THE VISIT TO WISE COURTHOUSE.
An interesting feature of the commit
tees trip was their visit 10 WISE Court
house. Wise county. as is well known, mas
LARGE coal and timber interests, and 70 in
ouire into this the body found IL necessary
TO visit Wise Courthouse and examine the
records. This place is six miles from Nor
ton. the nearest railroad station, and the
marty had to 20 oyer-some on horseback
and others in vehicles. Senator Mushback
and Delegate Fentress started of in a
mountain wagon and the road was SO
rough that the former concluded that
walking would be preferable and went
five and one-half miles on foot, arriving at
the courthouse forty minutes ahead of
the member from Portsmouth. The Alex
andria Senator was exceedingly impressed
with the mineral aud tim Der lands of Wise,
especially the former, as he had to do some
heavy sprinting over 1t on very hot day.
CONFRONTED BY ARHHD MEs.
When the committee reached Wise
Courthouse they were confronted by
thirty-fve men with Winchester rifles and
pistols who were guarding Ialt Hall. the
noted desperate who IS under sentence OF
death and whose execution will occur next
Friday.
When the body made known the purpose
OF their visit they were granted the use OF
the courthouse and remained there eeye-
raj hours. During this timo they had an
opportunity of seeing these guards 90
through regular course Of drilling.
The cause of this was the report circu-
lated throughout Southwest Virginia and
published in all the newspapers that a
number of Northumberland OF Hall
would attempt TO rescue hun. At one
time there was great excitement over this
report, and the legislative committee
reached WISE Courthouse about the time
the excitement was at its height. The
committee were unknown 10 the people Of
Wise, but il did not take them long 20 ex-
plain that not a single one hailed from the
great State of Kentucky, but all were
from Virginia, and not one had been ac-
corded either the pleasure or displcasure
Of an acquaintance with the notorious
Talt. This somewhat relieved the thirty
five guards. who thereupon looked with a
more friendly eve upon the legislative
party and gave the legislators the priyi-
lege of seeing Hall and having n talk with
him.
Some time this winter the committee
will meet in Richmond and frame their re-
mort.