The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-10-15
LONG DISTANCE TALK.
sEcRETARY l.. y. GAGE CONGRdTU-
LArBs MANCHESTER
On the Opening oftbe American Telephone
and Telegraph Company in This
City-Other News
MAycarsrEs DonrAc RIcaIoyD TINES

men, including many prominent people
from Richmond as wen as this city, were
the guests Of the American Telephone and
Telegraph Company at its formal opening
Of the Manchester Offices from 10 r..
n. yesterday.
Tor four hours and more the lines OF
the company. reaching points In tho far
notrh, east and west. were az the service
OF the guests assembled in tho handsome
~ furnished offices, No 1901 Hull street.
\ private apartment furnished FOR pa
irons OF the company was entered by one
az time. These parties conversed with
friends and business acQuaintances IN
New Yor. Baltimore. Washington, thi-
c4So, 81 Louis and many other places
large and small, near and far.
Many persons expressed surprise az the
case with which conversations were car
ried on over hundreds Of mile OF wire. In
several Instances dear friends, who had
not seen or heard one another speak for a
score Of years were allowed The pleasure
OF minging their voices together
SIR. CAGES CONGRATULATIONS
The interior OF the office had been so ar
ranged that forty persons could listen 10
the conversation at the same time.
Promptly at ten minutes past four
call came in from Washington and Hon.
Lyman j. Gage, Secretary of the Treas
ury. formally opened the line 10 the pub
lie
Secretary Gage was introduced TO Mayor
Maurice. and after exchanging compli-
ments the Secretary congratulated lne
city on having the ng-distancc lclC-
phone. whereby her citizens could tax an
over the Union. Mr.. Gage said that when
the citizens Of Manchester could say good
morning TO their friends in Minneapolis
and send their greetings % the hltal
commercial and financial centres OF Now
York Chicago and Boston, NJ was M
deed an indication Of progress and pros
perity. both OF which ne sent 90 Man
chester I'm the new enterprise OF the long
distance telephone. feeling confident that
other enterprises would follow.
Mr.. Cages speech was clear and dis
tinct and at its conclusion he was hearth
" applauded by those VINO had been ils-
tening at the phones.
Mayor Maurice responded I'm pleasant
speech. and said that he was happy tnat
the time had come when the people or INC
South could talk with the people OF the
North. Iic folt sure they would under
stand one another better. and hc shared
the opinion OF the Secretary that inter
course between tho peoples OF the Sec
tions would result IN progress ana pros
perity.
a cordial invitation 10 visit MANCHESTER,
with the assurance that he would have
a cordial welcome. and that the keys Of
the town would be turned over TO nm
during HIS visit.
that he would bc happy to accept the
invitation whom he visited the southern
country. and would be pleased TO visit a
stv with So much enterprise.
Mayor Maurice afterwards called mn q
friend In q distant city. whom ne ha9
not seen for twenty years His friend
lrnmediatclv recognized his voice.
IL
Mr. J. A. Powers. Of Chesterfield. was
severely bitten by "a dog yesterday AMER
noon owned by Mr. *. L. Brown. MI.
Powers who is a farmer Of Chesterfield
was passing along Eleventh street. i'm the
direction of Hull when. without any
warning tho dog rushed from the yard
10 Mr. Powers and bit him severely ON the
thigh also tearing his wearing apparel
I'm a frightful manner. The iact was re-
ported 10 Captain Lipscomb. VINO SUM-
moned Mr. Brown down 10 the Mayor
Court this morning to show cause why
be should moi be fined for having "a VICIOUS
uOs "'' a CLEAN SWEEP.
Mr.. Ben Weisiger. the newly appointed
postmaster. received his commission
and will take charge of the office TO-
night after business hours. MI Welrl-
ger announced this fact 10 MT. ~ -.
T0ney at ] O'Clock wednesday and "a the
same time gave notice TO the clerks I'D
the office that their services would De
dispensed with on his taking possession.
1T rs NIINfInLNNW AAdN AnAs DWAA W. 4 +''ttNt
will be the assistant postmaster.
The old clerks in the office Will not leave
except under protest. They claim lhat
this Office is classified, and they VIII ape
peal to the civil Service Commission.
Mr.. T0ney in talking 20 the reporter yes
tcrday morning said his commission read
that he was appointed FOR -FOUR years.
His time would not expire until next May.
When hc left he would enter a claim for
his salary for the fun term, inasmuch as
no charge has been brought against him
except that he is a Democrat
Mr.. Toney has made "a most efficient OF
ficer and he viii surrender the control
OF the office 90 the regret of large NUM-
Der Of the citizens Of this place.
During the thirty-nine months OF his
incumbency the gross receipts amounted
10 S3l.39.2l. The gross receipts previous
10 his taking charge was SlHl2.CO, oil-
ference I'm favor OF the Toncy manage
ment OF Sl61S6.6l. The number of money
orders issued was 5.ll5. a difference OF o.
2l0 more than issued for the same time
previously. The Office reached second
grade as we'll as the free delivery grade I'm
thirteen months after Mr. Toncy took
charge. The salary Of tho postmaster
then was $500, and only 500 allowed for
clerk hire. In thirteen months the sal-
airy was raised 90 5000 and 81 500 allowed
for clerk hire. and AN stationery, ETC.,
furnished by the department.
10 was kept IN this grade but tho second
year the salary was reduced TO 81 100 on
account of the receipts being about ST.
under the required amount This year
salary was made $500 on account of busi-
ness done.
Upon taking charge Of the office Mr.. To-
ney equipped IL with the latest imprOv-
ga fixtures. which az that time had 10 be
paid for by the postmaster. After being
postmaster little more than pne year
the Office was made an international mon
ey order office. BY this change money or
ders could be purchased TO any parts
Of the world. Prior TO this the people OF
this city had 10 80 10 Richmond TO buy
foreign orders.
CLAY WORKS SOLD.
Messrs. A. Royal Co.. of this city. sold
the Chester Clay works at Chester We'd
nesday by public auction, The property
brought 5000. The purchasers were
Messrs. Howard SwincfOrd. James r.
Worth, II. G. Cabel and G.. T. l.. BUR-
ing bricks and tile on large scale. 10
understood that the new purchasers
win continue 10 run the works with fun
force.
THE COUNTY COURT.
Judge VIM. i. CloptOn adjourned the
County Court OF Chesterfield for the term
Wednesday. AZ the September term he
cleared the criminal docket and mo the
October term the civil docket was cleared.
In the suit Of Hicks VS. Wiiston How
lett. IL was thrown out Of court This
case was about a horse trade in which
Hicks thought be had been badly treat
ca by Hewlett. The case was tried before
Squire r. j. Jackson. Of Midlothian, and
as his decision did not SUIT Hicks am APP
peal Was taken 90 The county court We'd
nesday was The day set for the trial. and
the court and about "a half dozen law
ycrs were ready 60 so into hc trial