The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-02-17
THE RICHMOND IRON WORKS.

The Virgtnt0H pi ints below q communication
from w. H. Woody. late manager of the Rich
mond Iron Works Corporation. taking excep-
tions to an article printed in this paper on
Wednesday with reference to that companys
filing petition In bankruptcy The article,
which was nippant In tone and disagreeable
in It's nature. was the product Of the haste and
multiplicity Of duties which some times permit
to appear in the news columns Of paper mat
ter which is repugnant to the desires and opin-
ions of its editors. That II was printed the vir-
9inidn very deeply regrets.
The Vir0intda has felt an interest In the Iron
Works an ambitious enterprise and yet hopes
to see the company reorganized with ample
capital to push to success its worthy undertake
ing Of building automobiles in this city Some
months ago when this paper was preparing to
put big circulation campaign negotiations
were opened with the Richmond Iron Works
for as the first premium. but the car
too expensive and the purchase was not
made
The letter OF Mr.. Woody is not couched in
polite terms, but he feels aggrieved, and as the
VHginian has had no thought or purpose TO
do him or his associates Injustice and desires,
under all circumstances to be fair, his COM
municaton is printed Just as 1t was written.
1t follows:
Editor of The Richmond Vrginian:
Sir-I wish to thank you for the gratuitous
lnis-lnformation published In your news col
umns under date of the 14th instant. and the
evident careless statements made therein. II
your reporter had been sufficiently energetic
to have called personally at Mr. Mccurdy,s Of
flee instead of using the telephone the
rect status OF the receivership of the Richmond
Iron Works Corporation would have been given
out gladly The writer and other was pres
ent in Mr. McCurdys Office at the time the
telephone conversation took place. The publica-
ton of the article as written by your reporter
showed very poor Journalism in the opinion of
many who have commented upon your article.
The Richmond Iron Works Corporation
ma'aged by an executive board COMPOSED Of the
f., companys president. Mr.. NJ. A. Finn. Vice
President Mr.. II. A. McCurdy. Secretary Vim. p.
| pe saussure. The plant operation was under
! the management OF its manager W. Fl. Woody,
with the assistance of the assistant secretary
ard treasurer, MIR. r. NJ. Noting The board
| erred In their attempt to build automobiles and
| carry other contracts on a very limited cap
| ta, and the present process of reorganization
| is brought about by the fact of their limited
| capital
| Your statement that the Richmond Iron Works
| Corporation has announced repeatedly that 1t
was the sole maker OF automobiles in the south
| is an absolute untruth Then again, 1t NAV
| be to you. but nevertheless true, that
| there are a- number of points north Of Wash
ngton where the Virginian automobile has
| ceeded in making most enviahla name for
| itself. this good reputation being the result Of
| its merits without the use OF much printers
ink. The industry Is better known In several
| Northern States than in its own home city. 1t
| lis on record, notwithstanding your statement
! to the contrary that out Of town manufacturers
| have called to see the methods used. not only
! In the automobile department but also In one
! instance concern located at Buffalo, ~ r..
! sent their chief engineer here to ascertain GER
ia in details in the manufacture OF practice shells
for the larger guns of the War Department
/ Coast Defense. after that same concern had
for year failed to make deliveries.
The few vIrginian automobiles sold locally
! furnishes no criterion of the demand e'sew here
as 1t is the old story of the 'phophet Is nor
without honor except in his own country Your
| reporter showed peculiar ignorance In stating
sistinx chiefly OF hood and chassis made Its
! appearances. The fact of the matter is he either
saw a chassis out for road test or the shops
work Demonstrating In automobile par
lance Is term used to denote that the sales
department OF a sales company iS showing on
| and proving their car to a pos4tpie purchaser.
| and not to denote a naked chassis out for road
While in the opinion of local automobile men
/ Richmond Virgnian, through one OF Its editors.
when 1t wanted an automobile to give away
in their late voting contest expressed "a pre-
| ference for the mule car. mentioning the pc.
| culiar antagonism toward both yourselves and
ourselves stating in your letter that such exist
| ed. We refused your proposal as we could SEQ
1 no good result to from that kind OF ad-
| vertisng.
| You also make a libeous statement In quot
! ing the receiver as having said that the petit
1 toners did not have confidence In the man
| agennent OF affairs as. 1t goes without saying
! they never expressed lack OF confidence In them
selves The other libeous statements and
| references regarding the management will not
| he commented upon here.
| Very respectfully.
| ''.W ". IL WOODY
Late Manager, Richmond IRON Works Corpora
| ton.
Richmond Va February 10.
| taxicab robbery at the Waldorf netted the
robbers $4,000 Evidently. the victims were
| preparing to dine.
| The Florida Everglades begin to look like
| ouagrnire of scandal.
$66o,0oo.oo
IL 1t is gratifying that our shareholders
III with almost entire unanimity should
Ill tnkE Nhatr