The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-02-16
I.R|EP:'.U||.B||::|||.|I||.|CA||INSI|H'.'IN'.
'E 1 !. {: ! | J | MOOD.
Leaders Declare Pee: e tt Have
J a Good Chance t. to- Elect
Governor. s55l
WOULD BRING BRING; . OUT \. LEWIS S
Colonel Browning Formerly
8 .t-' ls I, Csa;'f11icroi,s Secretary
Talks $. o # Prospects. II
WOULD v III . BRING {: B Il OUT LEWIS

q Colonel " s. Browning ana family 81
| Ioca hotitas w, Bnro spending d week II,
this this city,, Ell rolitc to Florida for III fow
weeks n tata " They aro at N Murphy's
" ote Colonel Browning IL well Known
TO older Richnondors by reason OF Ills
four years residence hero from 1882 10
1856 during which time lie 4 served n Is
private secretary to- Governor ca n,cron.
After leaving Richmond, Mr.. Irowiiing
Went TO sI'o cahontas In the enrly days OF
& tho coal fields tllero and sought his sfor-
tune In this field b Of dusky diamonds
From TINT time until now l,e has been
successful ''s ct every turn, and is now
probably one OF tho wealthlest men iii thai
great section Of tho State. IIc Is tho
solo owner OF the Browning mines. which
have an output Of about 51oO, 200 tons an,
#nually. IS5E 4 59s i
IS. Co @ Browning states that that Soc
ton was rich In IMMORAL & woathEand
was destined to be tho greatest portion
{ OF this Stat He stuffed TINT the world
ut largo had no ADEQUATE iden or tho OK
tent and vast 5weultli.in tho coal fields
Is Virginia md West Virginia, and es-ss
ireclally the latter. Almost the entire
\ Stntc Of West Virginia Is underlald by
coal, and this bitumiiious or soft coal as
at IS popu larry known Is OF the finest
duality In the world "a for steam pl,r-5
poses. Colonel Browning estimated that.
there was now under development about
ono hundred square miles OF coal in
5Tnzewell4 unity, Va, I; Mercer. Wingo and
adjoining counties OF West virg min. The
output Of these coal fields 4 Is many MIL,
lions OF tons annually Although coal
has. been mined In hut region now for
more than twenty years, the surface Of
this almost inexlaustlble Ii supply has
merely been scratched. New mines nrn
being opened up almost every day, ana
vast beds are yet undeveloped for lack
OF railway facilities. 3.s
IL Supporting Slennp.
" Mr.. Browning stated that he and thirty
odd other operators sold their ntlrc OUT.
put OF coal at the 3tipples Is Cashier. Cur.5
ran & Bullitt nts Norfolk. who handled
from six to eight million tons OF this coal
every year. III fS 81 8sg
q Colonel Browning Is an ardent Repub-
.llcan, and an enthusiastic supporter OF
Colonel Campbell slenlp, politically. He
expressed satisfaction at the change in
the management of the party In his
Stnte, and was hopeful thnt the Repub-
,licans would make a strong showing and
develop q potent minority in tho next
General Assembly that would act as u
curb on the maj ority. s Such q result, he
regarded n as K advan tngeous to tho X State
In every way is
Asked who would probably be the Re-
publican candidate FOR the governorship,
hefreplied : ..I am for Judge ~, ~. Lewis.
IL he Will accept the nomination. and I
have heard no other mans name mem
ton lii this connection. Practically all the
Republicans Of the Southwest are for
him, and wherever i go 7 find the sentl-
lrent about the same. We snrea going 10
him whether he accepts or not v
\ Speaking Of the political situation
Colonel Browning expressed the !. pcsicf
that the Republicans had the brightest
in Virginia this yea + they NJ ~ Ye
had for many years. ! t was too great q
handicap to expect I he party to carry
| he state, though oven tha twas not 4im- !,
potossftlc. he thought. The Democrats are
going to divide the Democrat tic party and
thought Colonel Browning rs
d result OF the operation Of the prl-
mary plan. lie expressed the &bel l1nSf that
this plan Of making nominations was was
going to divide the Dem ocrats party ana
would have tho effect Of Keeping many 4
from taking an interest In the election
who would otherwise be active. AZ least
this disaffection would serve ~ TO eilaDle 4
the Republicans to make large gains IN I
the General Assembly and give them q |
minority SO formidable that itwo III PC /
m snnct I'd. and mi ght have great influence.