Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-21
NEW MAIL SERVICE.
POSSIBILITY OF IMPROVEMENT
FOR RICHMOND.
CAPT. E. LESLIE SPENCE AN ORATOR.
He Is Being Heartily Congratulated
ON n speech He Made mt the Cor
federate banquet I'm washington--
Butler Malone n Consul.

WASHINGTON, d. c., January 90
(Special.)-It appears that the fast Florida
special train. which leaves here at 62C
and arrives in Richmond at $50 p. NJ,
carries what is known In the POST Office
Department as "closed mail'-that is,
mail in pouches for certain designated
points. II appears, also, that Richmond
is not included in the arrangement. and
that so far no effort has been made to
secure this extra mail facility for your
city. II has been suggested, however.
that IL application Is made to the Superin-
tendent of the Railway Mail Service. a
pouch for Richmond can be sent from thV
Pennsylvania depot here, which can re-
ceive mail up to 6:10 p. NJ. which will
arrive In Richmond at $3.50. and can easily
be delivered shortly after 10. This would
be great convenience to the Richmond
newspaper correspondents, who could. IL
the arrangement were in effect, send mat
ter almost up to the leaving time Of the
Florida special.
CAPTAIN SPENCE AN ORATOR.
The Confederate banquet in honor Of
the birthday of Robert r. Lee las. eve
ming will long be remembered by those
who were present Perhaps the most
interesting feature of IL consisted in the
witty satires, short, humorous speeches,
and gay. old war songs that followed
after the banquet, when the regular
order was past. and nobody present felt
under any restraint. 1t was during this
delightful period that Captain +. Leslie
Spence was called upon for "A speech
and responded in a manner that called
forth an outburst Of applause unsurpassed
by that given any one Of the chosen ora
tors of the evening.
Captain Spence was cheered again and
again, and was not only congratulated,
but nearly all the comrades who shook
hands with him felt that they grasped the
hand of true and gallant Confederate
soldier.
Captain Spence's reputation as an after
dinner Confederate speaker is as well es-
tablshed as is that of Captain Frank
Cunningham as a sweet war-song singer.
A reunion in Room A. at the Metropol-
tan, following the banquet, was most
charming affair.
Mr. r. Butler Mahone's appointment as
Consul at Laredo-Nuevo, Mexico, was
sent to the Senate to-day, and Mr.. Ma
hone will probably be confirmed at the
first executive session. He expects to
leave for his post next week.
PERSONAL.
Mr.. w. H. Sands, Captain Frank
Cunningham, and Captain f. Leslie
Spence left for home by the early morn
ing train.
Mr.. w. II. Osborn, of North Carolina,
is in the city.
S. p. Thomas. Virginia. and w. s.
Burke and L. L. Edmundson, of Staun-
ton, are at the Metropolitan.
f. Gray. Jr.. Richmond Va; e. W.
Sayler and wife, Virginia-St. James.
A. S. Rixey, Culpeper, Va; H. E. Ewar:
and WIFE North Carolna-National.
Mr. Isaac Hutzler and bride. of Rich
mond are spending a portion of their
honeymoon here, and are stopping at the
Raleigh.
Mr.. Walter Beville, of the Norfolk and
Western railroad is at the same hotel
Representative c. A. Swanson left for
Richmond this evening.
Senator Daniel is in Philadelphia.
POSTAL.
Among the fourth-class postmasters
commissioned January the 18th, were the
following: Joseph G. Braswel. Havana,
n. c.: Horace G.. Gass, OcOna Lufty n.
c.; Charles f. Sandridge. Indian Rock.
Va; Richard A. Blake. Montgomery
Springs, Va; Isaac B. Mason. Port Nor
folk Va.-not money-order offices.
new Office has been established at
Dispatch, Powhatan county. Va. with
John f.. Maxey as postmaster-special
frtm Elbow.