The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-01-24
CAPTAIN WRIGHT
GETSEEDERALJO JOB
Confederate Sea Dog Forsakes
Briny Deep for Post as
Government Guager.
VISITED QUEEN VICTORIA
Was Member of Athletic Club,
and Gave Shakespeare in
German Dialect.
QUEEN VICTORIA

Captain Robert Wright, known to
Richmonders of two generations as
Captain Bob" sea dog, veteran OF the
Confederate States Navy. and more re-
Gently expert steam engineer In the
employ of the Old Dominion Steamship
Company, has been appointed distii-
Jery guager by Collector NJ X Lowry,
and is now watchdog for Uncle sam at
the Old Dominion Distilling Company.
in Chesterfield County.
The appointment took place last
Tuesday under the provisions authoriz-
ing the collector to make emergency
appointments whenever the certified
civil service list is exhausted Captain
Bob" as may be inferred from his ser
vice in the Confederate Navy. has
been lifelong Democrat and has no
political utilization. therefore. to thank
for his appointment
Collector Lowry said yesterday that
a number of the most prominent cI1-
zens of Richmond recommended Cap
tain Wright for the position. and that
the appointment was made after con-
s,,ltation with Chief Deputy Collector
Thomas F.. Meany. largely on the
strength of these Recommendations
Mr. Meany who has direct supervision
over distillery reports for this district,
said yesterday that those turned IN oy
Captain Wright for the first three days
of his service were models of accuracy
and completeness
Fought at Hampton Roads
CAPTAIN Wright Is one OF the rev
survivors to-day of the battle IN
I4ampton Roads between the Monitor
and the Merrimac- He was on board
the Confederate gunboat jamestown
al the time of the engagement, anc was
in the thickest of the fight on the
Saturday preceding the Sunday when
the iron clads locked horns.
21f<f - .f.sx -ed
on the lapel of his coat yesterday.
cross of honor which he said had been
mined there last Friday night by Mrs
Andrew jackson Montague. He was
one of the large number OF war veterans
Who received this distinction last week
at the hands of the two local chapters
of the Daughters of the Confectionery
In recent years the captain was best
known as engineer for the Old Domin-
ion Steamship Company lie was been
nm and down the James more times
perhaps than any man in Richmond
and knows the crooks and turns OF the
river like a book His technical know
ledge of steam engines fits him pecu-
IiarIv for his new position in which this
training is often called into demand
This kind of work is new to me.
aid Captain Wright. yesterday after
noon. but I like it FIRST rate. have
lived most of my life on the water. and
I guess it's about time to come back to
land.
The Old Dominion DistilIing Com
pany. to which Captain Wright has
been assigned. Is the largest in the dis
tricf George J.. Snyder Is the gov
erament storekeeper in charge. and
CAPTAIN Wright ofhc:stes as gusger.
Visited Queen Victoria
Among the incidents which Captain
Wright preserves in Lavender - a visit
=. Queen Victoria which the old salt
paid when the grandmother of the
present king vas in the heyday OF
her glory. The particulars OF the visit
have long since faded from tho Cap
fafn's memory but he preserves a clear
recollection Of the big setting room
of Buckingham Palace and OF tho
queens graciousness.
There u stiii another reason for in
scribing Captain Wright's name on
inc roll os those who should not be
foreo.ten lie was member of
1rudernann's Athletic Association
when that organization. domiciied IN
Sorfolk. was the premier athletic
ri,b OF the state. That was back IN
me sixties. said Captain Bob" but
she records made by the members OF
that club have never since been topped
Trudermaan's. ~ appears. went in
fo- athletics Of the higher type. Its
greatest single coup. according TO the
~sn.afn was q performance Of Shakes-
rscre given In the German dialect
Tnev we're athletes then. ~ Truder-
mann we're alive. said Captain Bob.
he could prove u.