The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-08-03
COMMUNICATED
The JAMES RIVER IMPROVEMENT
A Letter From Chairman w. n. Curtis
to Hon. John Lamb With Reverence
Thereto
Richmond Va INV 9th 1oos

Richmond Va. July oath, 1902.
Hon. John Lamb City.
My Dear Sir:-I have noticed with great
surprise that an effort is being made to
deny to you the credit which is SO Justly
your due for you'd splendid and effective
work in aid Of the appropriation oy Con-
gress for the James River Improvement
have been chairman of that commit
tee during the last two terms of your
service in Congress, and as such I have
been in constant touch and conference
with you, and can therefore speak Of
the matter with the fullest KNOWLEDGE
| do not hesitate to say that nobody
could have been more active, dilieeot
and untiring than you have been. and.
as the results have shown, nobody could
have been more successful under all the
circumstances | remember the effective
and satisfactory way in which you helped
our committee when we visited Washing
ton to invite the Congressional Commit
tee on Rivers and Harhors to visit us
and go down the river on the tour OF
inspection. Our success in that effort
was undoubtedly due in large measure
to your intelligent and tactfuI work and
management.
The point for which the James River
ing for years was to secure from Con-
gress the recognition of the harbor al
Richmond as proper object of its ap-
preparations; In other words, we wanted
the work for which appropriations were
made to include Improvements within the
limits of the city and up to the head of
navigation When the last bill was be-
fore the House of Representa- tives the
question of the advisabiity OF your Of
fl).iY,r
feature (harbor improvements was
matter Of discussion and consideration
between US. You were of opinion that you
could succeed in having such an amend
ment passed by the House, but. after
going over the whole ground, it was de-
termined for reasons which need not be
repeated here) that ultimate success
would be more likely if that amendment
were made by the Senate: we thought
that our chances would be better in the
conference committee if the matter came
upin that way. The amendment was
offered in the Senate by Senate Martin
and was adopted, and we Won subse-
quently in the conference committee.
where again your efforts and influence
were CONSPICUOUS.
Under the circumstances. the effort to
deprive you Of your pare OF the credit
for untiring and successful work for
indignation. as am sure it will that of
all fair and just men.
In saying this to you. do not forget,
nor in the least undervalue. the excel
lent and effective work Of Senator Mar
tin in this same matter; both you and
I know how well he worked and neither
of us could be induced to take from him
any credit to which he is entitled, Tor
that would be as grossly unjust and
wror, az Is the effort to take from yoI,
what is justly yours.
I heartily and earnestly wish to see you
returned to Congress. and I am doing all
in my power to help you In my judg-
ment. the district has never been more
ably and efficiently represented and
every thoughtful man knows that your
success in a Congress politically opposed
to YOU has been really remarka bic.
81 am, yours YER. truly
" *Hgc CURTIS
Chairman Of Commit tee James River.