Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1899-07-27
THAT RAILROAD DEAL
Statement Made by a Stockhol.
der of the Peninsula Co.
JOURNALISTIC LEGERDEMAIN
Some Remarkable Statements Made in
Connection with the Transact,On.
Peculiar and MIslendlng sophis-
try The Light Deal.

The Daily Press yesterday gave II
The public its first intmllion that there
was a deal being considered betty
the Peninsula Railway Company ana
Alexander Brown & Son Of baltimore
1t was reported lhat the Browns wcr,.
after the enlrc system ana had been
made proposition which they now
had under adNiSrmcnt.
The article created Widespread com
merit. ana was very cons!era bly, dis
cusscl yesterday III business; and nu
nicipll circles. The information con-
tanned in it was obtained from What
must be considered Il reliable ANA all-
1horitativc source. though there is Il
disposition in some quarters 10 deny il
in part
Tn fact. on" of the stockholders nj the
Peninsula Railway Company stated
yesterday that il any such negotiations
wer. going on, he knew nothing about
them. though he did understand that
the Browns desired 10 take par, OF the
stock IF The Peninsula Railway Com
pany. bur not enough to hold n control
ing interest.
The Evening Journal. BY :, sorhstry
as misleading as it is peculiar. under
takes 10 throw 4 slur On the report.
Al makes tho following remarkable
statements:
1T is not :iuc that the Newport
News and Ola Point Railway Company
is negotiating for the purchase Of tho
franchise ana railing stock of the Pc
ninsula hallway Company, reports Ia
the contrary Notwithstanding. '\,.3o-
tiationS of som" peculiar character arc
in progress. hut tllcHtEcwpGlt News and
Old Point Railway and Electric Conn
panE has no part in them. The Even
ing Journal makes this statement on re-
liable authority.
sit is understood that Alexander
Brown X Son. Of ltaltlnnrr. Md. who
hold stock in the Newport News and
Old Point Railway ana Electric Gem
pany. arc negotiating for the pllr, 'haSr
OF the property .: the Peninsula Rail
way Company. ana il the deal goes
through he Peninsula; road Will ne con
s,nct,l according IL the ,.!:1panyS
franchise"
NJ one has ever intmnlcd. until the
Journal ala itself that Inc Newport
News ana Ola Ir"Gl Railway ana E.!cr-
trio Company WAS trying IL BUY any
thin. that belonged to The other com
pany. II was stated however. tina; th,.
owners Of tnc bonds issued by the for
mer company We're trying IL purchase
the property Of the latter. The Jour
nal makes practically the s:tmc state
mcnt ana in attempting to discrc,it the
report published in the Daily T'rcss
discounts III: own story
Should lnc deal be contaminated. the
public may draw its own conclusions rs
To Wheeler the owners cf the iWo rail-
roads ara going Ia run them rs COM
petinE properties.
The same sncet INDUCES in some
journalistic slciGht of hand regarding
the transfer Of the Electric Light plant
to the Newport News and Old Point
Railway ana Electric Company
1t says:
notwithstanding The stories TIA,
have Seen appearing in the morning
paper To the effect thai the Peninsula.
Electric Light Company would tnmnr-
row transfer its property to the New
port News and Old Point Railway and
Electric Light Company. il can be stat
cd tina: no transfer will he made
There will not "ycn he Il meeting Of
The directors IF either company Mr.
w J. Payne. president Of the railway
company. Will not be in the city tomor-
row. rs he will leave tonight on !, bus
mess rir 70 New York to be absent
several days
II has been stated in these columns
that the transfer alluded to had been
practically made ami that the said
meetings were for INC purpose If going
through with certain fnrmalitirs The
meetings We're advertised in accnrianc
with the law. the advert iscment seitin g
forth their purpose
II has been found that it will not be
necessary to hold these meetings at
present for reasons best known to the
respective parties. hui it is unrcast,na-
hl" 10 suppose that his inspired paper
did not know what the Peninsula Iclcc-
tfic Light ard Power Comrany's plant
is now and has been for some time un-
der the control of Mr.. payncs cnrlpa-
ny. Whatever the arrangement by
Which such n condition of affairs exists