Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-02-15
Discusses Action of Legislature In
Delaying Air Line Charter.
QUITE a DISTURBANCE
The CInns Gather 10 Fight vireinln
Telephone a"d Telegraph compa>
ny's Application for charter y
Keen Eyed Reporters D,.eovor &c.
Remarkable Provssions-D,scre
stable Work snspectcd-A Finger
in tho Pie suru,t-od,
Especial to virglnian-Pnot.)


Richmond, Va, Feb. 14.-Refeyring to
the temporary delay by the Virginia
Legislature to grant the charter to the
Seaboard Air Line TO extend its line all
the way TO Washington, the bill having
once passed the Committee on Roads
and later having been re-referred for
unknown reasons, to the Committee on
Finance. MIR. John Shelton Williams,
president Of the Seaboard Air Line.
said tonight in the midst of an in
terview on the subject:
"The only possible value that this
charter could be to us would be for tho
purpose of constructing the road, since
we have shown that we had no inten-
tlon of coercng the Richmond, F'rede-
rcksburg and Potomac into agreeing to
an amendment which will absolutely
prevent us from making with that COM
pany any traffic arrangement more fav-
Orablc than that we now have.
In buying the Richmond, Fredericks-
burg and Potomac stock at 5000 per
share we are paying for that road on
basis of about $4,000 per mile, or
about three times what it would cost
us to build an entirely new road from
Richmond TO Washington. In other
words. we are paying for this piece of
property at a higher rate than any
other piece of railroad in the Southern
States Is now selling for. based upon
the market value of hts securities. We
are unwilling to go any further.
we are fully aware of the schemes
which are being contrived by the enc
mics OF the Richmond and Washington
road to Kill the charter by delay or by
lacking an amendment which no rea-
6onable man, or set of men, would be
llHelV to consent shall
very soon whether these plans to throt-
lie an enterprise for which the people
of Virginia, indeed the whole South,
are now crying aloud, will succeed"
QUITE A DISTURBANCE.
The disturbance which the bill to
charter the Virginia Telephone and
Telegraph Company has aroused in the
State In a short time is most remark
able.
There was n gathering here to-day of
the clans from every section, and n
most determined effort will be made to
defeat 1t. Among those who reached
the city this morning were the City
Attorney and Mayor OF Newport News,
Mr.. George Mason, City Attorney OF
City Attorney of Lynchburg and q
number of others.
The bill, as heretofore stated, gives
the incorporates the right TO enter the
streets OF any city without the consent
OF the counsel thereof.
This bill passed the Senate without
any member, except the gentleman who
offered II, Mr.. Conway r. Sands, OF
Richmond, or the member who advo-
Gated it, Mr. II. d. Flood, OF Appomat-
tox. being aware of Its provisions.
DETECTED BY REPORTERS.
The kccn-eyed reporters, who note
every bill presented, have no recollec-
ton or record of this particular BILL
md an ugly rlmor. which has scarce
yet found expression in words, is cur
rent here.
The Senate this morning had a warm
time over the bill.
Mr.. Glass. of Lynchburg introduced
resolution reciting the facts in the
case. and asking that the House re-
turn the measure. This resolution was
finally adopted by unanimous vote
MIR. FOSTERS ATTITUDE.
Mr.. Foster, of Norfolk, in discussing
the matter on the floor made n strong
speech. declaring that he knew nothing
of the provisions OF the bill when r
went through and that his people were
opposed TO it.
DISCREDITABLE WORK SUS-
PECTED.
The general impression seems to he
that there has been some very discred-
liable work, and that the job was nc-
complished by collision between par
ties. the Identity OF whom, while not
made known, is not hard to guess.
GENERAL NIEANEY ON HAND.
The presence in the city of Gen. e.
P. Meaney, of New York, one OF the
heads of the American Telephone and
Telegraph Company, and the fact that
he has been in consultation with mem
bers OF the Legislature. renders most
probable the surmise that his company.
with Its millions of capital, has finger