Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-27
ASK FOR A FRANCHISE
AN IMPORTANT ENTERPRISE SEEK
ING TO ENTER MANCHESTER.
IS CONSIDERED In SECRET SESSION.
The Proposition Made Before the
Light Committee, Bat the Details
Not Given Out-sudden Death of
Mrs. Owens-Personal Notes.

as yet. Is seeking TO come TO Manchester
and the Light Committee was engaged for
nearly three hours last night considering
the matter Of granting the privilege which
its promoters have asked.
A prominent Richmond lawyer met with
the committee and mentioned among
those whom he represented some Of the
most responsible people in Manchester
and in Richmond. A company has al
ready been organized, which desire their
plant to be located in this city. They say
that the plant itself will cost more than
$4,000. and will employ a large number of
workmen.
In order that the business may come
here. the city is asked to grant certain
privileges. The committee took the mat
ter under advisement. and adjourned over
until Friday evening at o'clock, when
the discussion Of granting these privi-
leges will again be taken up.
Ii seems assured that this committee
will act wisely, as it comprises some of
the best men in the Council. Mr.. j. 4.
Green is chairman, and numbers among
its other members Messrs. NJ. a. Camp
bell, r. l.. Patram w. T. Hart, and
others.
There was also brief session of the
Finance Committee prior to the meeting
Of the Light Committee.
QUITE A SUDDEN DEATH.
Mrs Martha Owens, who had just pass
ed middle life and made Manchester her
home about three years. died very sud-
denly last night at her residence, on
Seventh street uear McDOuough.
Mrs Owens had been sick just one day,
and her death, coming i'm the very midst
Of health. is one of peculiar sadness. She
was well, perfectly, so far she could
tell Tuesday night. and nj the same time
last night she was q corpse. AT supper
Tuesday evening she ate quite heartily
OF some vegetables which she much liked.
During the night she was taken i'll. and
early yesterday morning DR.. Edgar Arch
er was sent for, and. responding promptly
remained I'm the sick room for more than
two hours, when he was obliged to make
other calls. Realizing however, that
she was exceedingly i'll, he hurried back.
TO find her no better. and scarcely left
her till death came to relieve her great
sufferings. The physician ascribes her
death to congestion OF the bowels and
the end while beyond expression painful,
was none the less speedy and irremedia-
BILE.
Mrs. owens came to Manchester from
North Carolina, coming to Virginia a
widow with four small children dependent
upon her for support She opened a
clearinghouse on Seventh street. and
has been succeeding well since first she
came within the city gates Her children
have been sent to school. and regularly
70 bnc duo
her.
Two Of the little flock. which are this
morning motheress and fatherless in a
strange city, are girls. or these two one
is dangerously i'll. and has been under the
care Of a physician and the tender care
Of her mother for weeks.
The family has many friends in the
city, which they have drawn about them
since their stay in Manchester, but no
near relatives, and the true position of
these orphans Is one deserving the sin
cerest sympathy from all thoughtful peo-
pie. a relative in North Carolina has
been wired, and will come Immediately
to Virginia, and till his arrival this morn
ing no arrangements will be made for the
burial.
\ COLORED MAN ROBBED.
a colored man. who gave his name as
Cosby, and said he was on his way from
Newport News TO his home In South
Boston, Halifax county, was assaulted
in Manchester Tuesday night about IL
o'clock by two negroes, and robbed or
everything he had, including his money
and his Sunday clothes" which he
carried in valise.
Cosby passed through Richmond during
the day Tuesday, and met i'm that city
who no nf
to the town of the shipbuilders and that
he was tramping back to the place OF
bis birth. He left the men after awhile,
but remembers now that they were very
much interested when he told them how
he was going TO set out that night and
take free passage up the Southern
railroad TO his destination.
About IL o'clock Tuesday night, in
pursuance Of his plan, he started from
Manchester on the Southern road, and
then il was he met his colored friends
again. They doomed up again before him
without the slightest warning. one III
troduced himself by pounding Cosby on
the head while the other grabbed the
mans valise. There are some things
that Cosby could not have done; there
are some things which he could have
done which he did not do, but yelling
''Firel MURDER with emphasis do not
come in this latter class.
4 young man coming from visiting IN
the neghborhood heard the mans yells,
and. I'm fact, Cosby ran right up TO hlm'
but the assailants had left him then,
and this young knight almost wished
he had stayed at home. He said he ana
not know what was the matter, ana
thought the man must be crazy. cosby
told this young man he wanted a police
man. and so taking up the refrain
.Policel Policev the two made for the
station-house. They found Officers Jones
and Smith. and soon the policemen were
searching for the desperadoes. They NJ
last found the valise. which had Deen
broken into and robbed OF $3.50 and
sniff of clothes. so Cosby says, which was
all the money he had and his sood
duds."
No other trace was seen Of the men
who made the assault. and no clue 10
their location was found. Cosby left for
the home city yesterday morning, carry
inc a yalise that looked like war car
uet-bag and seeming altogether ior-
Torn man.
WORK BEGINS IN EARNEST.
Nessrs Ambrecht K Mttendorf had
force OF hands at work yesterday pulling
Nm the stone on Hull street. They have
commenced at Eighth street, ana are
working toward the upper part OF the
civ. The Railroad Company are placing
tbefr rails along Hull street to be reauy
Tor their mart OF the work. The ties tor
This work arrived yesterday.
Mr.. Mittendorf called on the CITY En-
o,neer at his office Tuesday and asked
him for the names OF Manchester men
Who ,,'t wanted employment. Mr.. Mittendorf
sid that he had given his foreman or
dars not TO employ elsewhere as long
as Manchester men could be gotten.
II now looks as II the work has be-
gun in real and dead earnest.