The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-06-03

As a fitting climax to the exercises OF
the week, attending the opening OF the
Greater Seaboard Air Line-the new ave
hue of commerce between nortn and
south-was the magnificent banquet at the
jefferson last night. The banquet was one
OF the most elaborate known in the his
tory of the railroad world. Covers for
three hundred were laid, and the decora-
tons were magnificent
The Railroad was the dominant idea
in the banquet preparations, and the ices
were modelled in shapes Of engines, ten
ders and coaches. At the conclusion lit
tie travelling bags were presented each
guest, containing cigars and a box of Gig
arettes
One hundred loving cups were present.
ed-ono to each OF the directors of the
railroad companies embraced in the Sea-
board consolidation These were present.
ed in a speech by Governor Tyler, and
Judge Lcgh r. Watts, Of Portsmouth, re-
sponded-
The distribution occurred during the
banquet at the time Of Distribution Oh lhe
Soryei boxes which III themselves are rare
souvenirs. On the top Of these boxes there
is a miniature Of Engine 62J, the fastest
on the Seaboard system
AT the banquet Governor Tyler acted as
,oastmaster and presented the handsome
loving cups. The response Was iiiaue .,' ps
1ndps# Leigh r. Watts of Portsmouth, the
rantral counsel for the Seaboard tAir Line.
PRESIDENT WILLIAMS ADDRESS.
rha 4irst toast TO be responded TO was
."Tbe Seaboard Air Line, py SEes!oeHt
John Skelton Williams.
MIR. Williams said in part:
MY ToastInaster and Gentlemen:
1t is my pleasant task ~ 'Siaia lli'.ia,ti,.tIv
Seaboard Air Line system specs!icaiis,
sn5 of the peop.c Of seven southern
Statas generally, 10 bid you heaf5s,It wei
come here and to thank you pecarT I 80, 80
nave come to rejoice Matn US. Li lni9
event would be beltticd by any asteli't' i!
to make it mark inc HiuiiPis is ,.ntla-
yid,,als or communities Is,
,ne,, the triumph OF an empire-lhe Mlue @
ava wonderful empire Of the South. ohe
rises. reioc cling in her new loutiu 4ti'
uer;al strength, 10 proclaim 10 aii ~
.a15 tho notrs of eXultation, stirrlhG,
Mo. "a Ia far-reachine as the blast Of
some gigantic trumpet, ina. iiti oai i,o.,15 -.
aar,e THAT she is, and OF right shooia
commercially and financially Tree anu
;ndependent and viii ever De ,2tie
abiot Ia stand in her own strength anu
vet hold her own. She Is "a nc ms '-''
1pCt =
iiiS So, sa.finas almost of awe. / quote
,-o,, the prophetic words OF one OF 'ne
;bt;es, men of history, sent 10 me III
Vaars ago. and which have kept III ny llis
Sea-t eyer since. which come no" sotei'ii'
and weighty, as ii SPOKEN .l,,;a,,, ny q - :,
80, ,he grave In 1889 Wliham L,
Hsnn.+,,,o =, a i1.. the honor 10 write me-
.,rr,, ,;,,a may come when Souf Medt'h
LII ,vardow into other lands, na' iof
H. present your vast powers o. li ioouo, 'l,
ton which the South seems liheis - ~
10, t.ol inrrease. will not disdaln eS-
traneous aid. -, ,o,,,o when our
,,.oai.h &c oyeraowing into other lahua.
~,.,-t movers of productloh iiaNe
hrn,,eht the result sooner ,ii3ii i-1t57 ''-'1 =
yrapf statesman hoped lol ,ir
{. o,sga,,ization OF the Seahoaro an
me So, ., demanded the spending OF
Lane ss s.s,.;a,,s of dollars, and Southern
iilahs - ,i,eir friends furnished them
,a,, We went into the great money
,,ar,rets of the North we iouho We -, -
,.allinp on nuicksands ana III i,1,, ait'pa,..,
MaiN.aS s.a,,, Ground beneath us treashefo@u7' @
the very 60 in every shadowed place
-aafiy TO strike at us , me-. ',r..,iyss
1eaus ea>nerience 10 trust ourselves,
'ausi. resources, our own fr4enos ana ana
80. ,,an,,le and the results arc sptet'N.,s 'I,I
evidenced. They are ',,,a 10, ,,a,-t+,l,lv
Snt the promise Of 1ne 1"'u,e ,a,dIls
IN be fulfilled. Is see - .pD
cn,o,,rrH of THE SEABoAho-
eiso yvsl,iams then spoke of the
~.o1,,h of the Seaboard All - ,,+s5
gro"an the first charter was granted
!ea-, yYt,ssinia Legislature INTO SSs-
pS 'iis ,,ors than 800 miles, 1,Sop iii.les
,eh;cl1 has been adoe0 Nt''-'+'
noe. eighteen monlhs. .,.4,,,,,;s,,s. the
pas s,tIr,ei; c>otwithst>llaaiie .,io
He S,,-th ,yj,ich has taken place IN lae
great N..a.ian :. facilities OF the Sou,n IN
1faitsl'o 60. wears we haze peeif ti-'iost ~
t~5 ~ in Uhat direction eo'iiiSsts .,.,., ,;,a
a,,r development IN certaih certa..-.s Ilz0
Southern nils iltss .se -. -, 1900
is6 900 bales; in isss' 4ie,svv ~ ,,,-e thai;
,n5 an bales: this IS a gam " u,,tt
l.si''s.V -,t in twenty years IN 'iae oo"1'i'
.ee -. s.,,,,a~e with a gain OF lo' peg sl eeit.
sn- tive -est of the country III .t.so. ~
sau,h Carolina has outstrippeu i'a'ae is.-
- anS has become tne sst','hi No''ot'
ana a.,,.,,e. an I. state of this Union.
1., 1ssa the United States oroaueeo TWO
-. .,,,ea-o,,ar:er million IONS oi pig ,Eoi,
:1.bis year the South alone pFoancss my
,riiiien tons. or more ihati Wy - ,1
country produced Just t"etliS So. 60
II ,eSa me South brought 10 tls SUI iiaee
Al a., isy on ,s,,,. of coal. last year she mined
fortr-tvn million tons, a gam OF 'c pel
cen, in twenty wears Seven nuIla1ea anu
Sf+,- -,sr cen; gained in cotioh manu1ac-
turing. and 1oo gained IN s...I. eoli l.15sS.'
SOME Elstlt.SN'
=, ,cSe the sortn made :. .I50, ,0fD bales OF
co,.o, and s3aea0.ooa bushels OF gram IN
1889 she made more than 1l0e,oto haies OF
cotton and 7Soo9 900 bushels OF grain;
gain of more thsx one 1anafei per esli :,
which has been felt throughout the world
AS cur mines and factories are driving
competition back step by step, our farmers
are keeping pace with them. The export
OF raw cotton from Egypt. one of our
competitors. has been practically at a
stansstfil for ten years, while ours has
Increased ny tremendous leaps. IN India,
our only other competitor. the cotton acre