The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-05-11
BUSINESS uEu'S UEETING.
Two important Commit
tees Report.
A Stock Company to Be Organized to
Operate River Boat

\ called meeting of the business Men :
Association was held Thursday night,
President Henry Warden presiding, and
Mr.. r. l.. RscOe was elected temporary
secretary.
The Electric Railroad committee sub
mitted the following report:
we. the undersigned committee, beng
requested to ascertain the probable cost
pcr mile and equipment Ofan electric road
to run from the county Of Culpeper To the
town of fredericksburg, beg To report ~
follows: The cost OF grading, laying
track. the right of way and rolling stock
will be from 5000 To $1,000 per mile
the cost for each power plant, estimated
from $1,000 to 100000; speed, esti-
mated. from - to 30 miles per hour.
Much heavier grades can be used Success
fully ON an electric road than upon roads
using steam. The electric roads can he
successfully and much more economically
opcrated than steam railroads. The pay
inc advantages of the road will depend
entirely upon the amount OF travel and
freight which it would command. The
above is about all the general iniorma-
ton obtainable ut this time. and tx re-
specially submitted. Signed. CIV Shep-
herd. J. NJ Griffin. +. T. Baker, \. Ran
dolph Howard, committee.
The River Boat committee submitted
it's report. rs follows:
The undersigned. To whom was re-
fcrred the matter of investigating the de
STABILITY and practicahility Of securing
a boat line to run the Rappahannock
river between this city and lrbanna. and
TO report thereon. and, also, in ease they
reported favorably. To report some plan
for establishing and operating such n
line rs would promote the business inter
ests OF the people along the river. beg
leave to offer the following: Cd The husi-
ness interests of the people along the
Rappahannock river imperatively de
mand quicker means OF communication
with the markets in which they sell their
products. (2) Quicker communication
means ability to reach other markets,
and is practical way of increasing de-
mand and obtaining higher prices Tor the
products CD 1t is matter OF vital I'M
nortance to the business Oi Fredericks-
burg to have close and frequent communi-
cation with points along therlyer (ll 1t
isentirely practicable 10 establish such n
line,of communication by boat M VIII Ell
feet the purpose desired and be OF immense
advantage To the commerce Of the entire
Rappahannock Valley. % The line can
he successfully operated, and can he read
ilv made n financial success with the aid
and cooperation OF the people along the
river and that Of the business men Of this
city. 90 Your committee recommend
that n stock company he organized and
chartered with acapital stock Oi ST, Ooo,
of which - per cent. should he paid IN
cash the shares To be SO each and to
be distributed IA widely a. possible
throughout the section OF country To no
served by the proposed line. Signed, e..
W. Jones. \. Randolph Howard, W. D..
Carter. II. Dannehl, T. \. Brent, Isaac
Hirsh. committee.
On motion of Mr.. Rowlett this report
was adopted and the committee contin-
ned with instructions to organize n stock
company a. outlined in the report, and
the sum of 500 was appropriated to de
fray the necessary expenses oil Orgahza-
ton.
RI. Biscoe. of Committee OF Conference
with Street Committee in regard To water
and gas mains. said that he had conferred
with Chairman Embrey, OF Street com
mittee and at his request action had been
deferred on account of illness OF Col. Cole,
of said committee. The committee was
continued.
The proposition ofMr. {. 0'ConorGool-
rick for advertising fredericksburg as a
manufacturing and residential city was
read. On motion Of Mr.. Rowlett the
Printing committee was instructed toget
the manuscript in proper shapetor publ
cation and present the same to the City
Council with a request that, il satisiac-
tory. it appropriate 800 for printing
900 copies for distribution