Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-10-14
THE KING Is DEAD: LONG LIVE
THE KING"


the Weems Line of steamers and the
advent of another with different
name and strangers at the head.
The people of this section will IN
doubtedly open their arms to the
new Corners, and cooperate with them
to the fullest for the best interests
of all concerned-certainly so long
as our individual and sectional rights
and conveniences are respected; but
the passing of old friends is not to
be so lightly weighed as nations do
the demise of a ruler and change of
regime. When, on Tuesday at the
hour of midnight, Henry Williams
delivered up the keys of the great
Weems transportation company, and
walked out, this section of Virginia
lost its ablest friend. We say this
in all soberness and thoughtfulness.
No man in generation ever did so
much to accommodate, build up and
enrich this people as did the late Pres
ldent of the Weems Steamboat Com
pany. 1t does in no sense modify
this assertion to Offset it with the
claim that Mr.. Williams and his in
terests have, too, been beneficial
ries, even enriched by returns from
the people from the Northern Neck,
fredericksburg and the Southside.
Surprisingly endowed by Nature,
this section needed only the cultiva-
ton of trade at mans hand to return
ample compensation. That cultiva-
ton has been more from the hand of
the Weems people than any other
agencies-singly or collectively
and both have been mutual gather
ere Of the harvest. This same Guilt
walton might have been done by
other hands, and development en-
gendered, but who will say that any
other would have given us as great
returns? As the head of genuine
monopoly that could have gathered
the crop and left only the gleanings
Mr.. Williams has studiously and mag
unanimously avoided expressing this
people. 1t was in his power to ex-
act rates which compared with the
present would have been exorbitant,
thereby enriching his company to a
far greater extent than it stands to-
day. 1t can be truly said of him
that in his dealings with this people
he has been imbued with the spirit
of olive and let live" Nothing hu-
man can always run smoothly, and
at times patron would feel ag-
grieved, but We have never yet
known just claim dispassionately
presented to be ignored by the
Weems management, and to-day we
believe 50 per cent, at least, of his
patrons are deeply sorry that Henry
Williams has severed his connec-
tions with the people.
As to his reasons for selling we
have no private information. Pre-
sumably in the beginning of negotia-
tions-for weeks pending, maybe
months-Mr. Williams set his price,
and that option was finally met.
Certainly it could not have been
altogether question of money, for
his people are in opulence, and his
line was a paying institution. In
our heart We believe that the worries
of city office and, more than anything
else, the petty annoyances that some
few of our people and lawyers were
continually subjecting him to lad
more to do with his selling the line
than any other thing. 1t is hardly
strange that one with a good paying
Office and ample means to "keep the
wolf from the door" should seek to
flee from the continual nagging that
the public almost invariably subjects
public man to. However, the deal
which We have long feared has been
contaminated, and as We said in the
beginning while we shall welcome
the new management it is with deep
regret We give up the old.
More than week ago in a private
letter from Mr.. Williams to the
CITIZENS editor were embodied these
words:
81 should dislike exceedingly to sever
business relations with you and a num-
Der Of friends, who have always treated
Us with courtesy and consideration.
You and your people have certainly al
ways been considerate of us, and if we
sell, / shall feel like parting with old
friends In leaving you and Others"
In another this week, informing
US of the sale, Mr..Williams says this
among other nice things:
ave haYe sold the line. and wish TO
say that sever the business relations
with you and our many friends on the
Rappahannock river with very sincere
regret. / started in the steamboat bust
ness thirty years ago on that river.
Then we had two boats week and half
the wharves We have now. During these
thirty years the business has increased
four times what 1t was and the whole
appearance of the country has changed.
After this long connection with your
people / feel sincere interest in their
welfare and hope the new company will
!,