Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-05

last under existing conditions for tour or
five days and when the five CARLOADS
were in the bins everything would be SAFE
for about ten days. This fact quleteo the
anxious officials somewhat because they
realized that there was ample time 10
resort to the courts If necessary pelore
the fuel was an absolute necessity. IL
the Coast-Line delivers the coal consigned
to the agent of the Passenger and Power
COMPANY, there will be no trouble. Be
fore Superintendent Riddle secured per
mission to release the five cars things
looked dark for the Passenger and Power
People.
TT would be thousand times worse
than strike" declared President Pat
ton, and Mr.. Trafford agreed with him.
He did not want TO think of the condl-
tons that would prevail If no coal could
be gotten for steaInins purposes by MS
company. He said he had no idea OF the
hundreds of men, women, and children
that would be thrown out of employment
temporarily if his company could not de-
liver the power which turned the big ma
chimes in the Locomotive Works, Trigg's
ship-yard, the Southern Stove Works, and
hundreds of smaller plants which depend
absolutely upon the operation of the two
power houses for power, without Which
every wheel would be silent. forcing
condition that would mean no worti for
thousands.
Would Tie Up Car Lines.
Mr.. Trafford thought a moment. and re-
membered that every piece OF machinery
in the Dispatch building, including the
big press and Inc typesetting machines OF
the Dispatch and News, as well as street
lights for both Richmond and Manches-
ter, and Barton Heights, are depending
upon the ability to keep the ponderons
machines all at work in both of the power
houses.
Mr.. Trafford thought again and he re-
membered that the electric car systems in
Richmond and Manchester. as we'll as the
line to Petersburg, would also suffer.
Then his fingers ran through his hair
and he calculated, My
The scribe asked the question whether
the water power at the new power house
could not be utilized if the other one
could not be operated. The answer was
in the affirmative, and Mr.. Trafford show
ed that nearly so per cent. of the power
generated in the two plants was made at
the new one. The systems are now con-
nected so that the power can be divided
as though there was but single estab
lishment. He said the first consideration
in any event would be the contracts WITH
Richmond and Manchester and then
would come the moving OF tne tTOl!ey
cars If there were no coal it would be
impossible to operate all Of the cars.
Kept Reserve on Hand.
When Mr.. Patton was told that the
Coast Line people denied that they had
confiscated the coal he said that for
some days the company had kept in re-
serve at least five cars Of coal consigned
TO his company and would noi place it for
delivery until another lot had arrived.
He thought that this indicated that the
railway people were fearing a scarcity
of coal and were preparing for the emer-
gency at the expense of the Passenger
and Power Company.
1t is evident that the Passenger and
Power Company is expecting trouble in
the near future from this source, even
| If the present trouble blows over. In that
event 1t is believed that they will be pre-
pared almost on a moments warning tc
seek the aid OF an injunction and pre-
vent the further .confscation'' or hold
| ing up. of their fuel. The rights OF one
great corporation against another will al
| least be settled in event OF such litiga.
ton.
It's Daily Consumntfon