The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-07-31
PETERSBURG
MUST REMAIN FOURTH
CLASS OFFICE YEAR
Congressman Watson VIII Lay Hope
well Situation Before De-
partment Soon.
GREAT CONGESTION EXISTS
Police In Petersburg Arrest Two
Negroes Suspected of Highway
Observation-Disclosures of Battle Of
Crater.

Negroes Suspected OF Highway
Observation-Disclosures of Battle oi
! Crater.
/ Petersburg, Va. July s0.--Hon. Wal
Z ter A. Watson. member OF Congress
! from the Fourth District of Virginia.
was in the city today on his return
! from Hope well. where ne has been
spending the past two days. Just be-
! fore he left for Richmond this after
noon the Congressman was interviewed
as 10 what he thought of conditions
at Hopewell and what recommenda-
lions he would make to the govern
ment relative TO the establishment OF
postofFice at that place,
| Congressman Watson stated that the
vicinity OF Hopewell contains at pres
ent 1880 men on the payroll or the
I DUPONT Company. In addition to these
I there has been attracted to Hopewell
a congregation Of 1000 to 5000 peo-
pie engaged in commercial enter
priscs TO supply the demands of the
! DUPONT employees. This, said Con-
gresham Watson, constitutes com
munity of 10000 souls. At present a
large proportion OF these people have
to walk a mile to City Point to obtain
! their mail. consequently the congestion
/ at the city Point postoffice, which is
only one of the fourth-class has be-
come inevitable. Notwithstanding the
earnest and faithful efforts of MIR,
Munt, the postmaster In charge, to re-
lieve the situation. Congressman Wat
son said that being satisfied himself
that even after the work of construc-
! ton at the DuPontis finished. there
will still be at Hopewell and vicinity
IF frnu7 & l00 % 0N0
male population: that after careful
consideration of all the facts in the
case, he had come TO the conclusion
that Hopewell is entitled TO have bet
/ ter mail facilities from the govern
ment and he would, therefore. recon
mend to the postoffice department the
establishment of a postoffice at that
place az early Az practicable.
WIZ Re Fourth Class.
i Congressman Watson stated that un-
der the postal laws and regulations the
ONCE when first established would have
to be fourth class and will have TO
remain so for period of twelve
months Therefore, the appointment
of a postmaster temporarily will be
under the civil service laws and an
inspection or an examination held by
an inspector of the Postoffice Depart
ment.
Congressman Watson said that he
had no doubt that at the expiration OF
! twelve months the receipts of the
office would show that 1t is entitled tc
be placed in the presidential class AMI
the appointment of a postmaster will
devolve on the president. He also said
that in view of the fact that the post.
Office at City Point Ia an old one, thai
it's old patrons still reside in the com
munity and many additional patrons
are coming to the place to reside. he
thought the Office should be retained
and he should advise the Postoffice De.
partment to retain the Office at City
Point.
Congressman Watson hoped a post
office inspector would be detailed by
the 'Postoffice Department to make d
speedy report upon the situation al
Hopewell that he had every reason &c
believe that within the next few weeks
the Government will provide more sat
isfactory mail facilities for that com.
munity
VIII Lay Matter Before Department.
Congressman Watson will go 70
Washington in a few days and lay
the whole matter before the Postoffict
Department as it appears to him. lie
was favorably impressed with Hope
well. He had no doubts that there
had been incidents of disorder and
law violations in a community so large
| and with such mixed population, but
thought there had been exaggerated
| reports of conditions.
Two Arrests ON swspieion.
/ The police yesterday arrested tive
negroes, Pearly Coleman and Walter
Cook, alias High Brow" on suspicion
OF being the men, who night before
last, shot and robbed J. T. Lyon. g
colored citizen of Crewe. The arrest
was not made until a careful invesfi-
CATION of the case had been made. With
the developments all pointing TO these
/ two suspects as the parties who COM
mitted the crime. Both have unsavory
records in police circles. Lyon was
passing through River Street to catch
! the 1910 train for Crewe when he waa
shot After receiving attention at the
hospital he was allowed to go home
yesterday. The case is set for hear
| ing in the Police Court on Tuesday
next.
Charged With Burglary.
/ In the Police Court this morning
Jack Shields, colored, was charged
with breaking into the storehouse OF
/ Edward Richie, on the corner of Mon
! roe and Franklin Streets. on the night
of July 25. and stealing therefrom two
suits of clothes of the value of $40
and two pairs OF pants ,o1 the Vdiue OF
! $3.50 The accused was sent on 10
the Hastings Court for trial.
Elsie Helen Young.
/ Following an Illness of Ave days
duration, Elsie Helen Young. aged sew
en- years. the Oldest child of Mr.. and
Mrs. o. e. Young. died this morning
about s:s5 o'clock at her parents home
on Youngs Road. Dinwiddie County.
The funeral service will take place
tomorrow afternoon at $40 o'clock
I from the residence. Rev. J. H. Hollo-
way pastor of Wesley NJ f. Church
will officiate and the interment will be
made in Blandford Cemetery.
4 Anniversary of Crater.
Today, July 30. is the fifty-frst an
| niverssry of the Battle of the Crater
which was fought on the morning OF
/ July 30. 1854
Colonel f, NJ Field, who died a week
ago, commanded the Twelfth Virginia
I Regiment in the charge of Malone
Brigade, which took place some hours
after the Union forces had exploded
/ the mine fCrater) under the salient
| occupied by Peerann's. battalion. 49,
I The State of South Carolina a short
( time ago unveiled a tablet in Old
Biandford Church, now Confederate