Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-09-14
BIDS ALSO PRESENTED
BY 125 OTHER CITIES
John Kerr Branch and S. T. Nor
gan Act as Spokesman for
Capital Delegation.
Action on Selection of Site Not Prob.
able Until After Novcm-
Der Election.
Specialize The Timcs-pispatch. ]

Special TO The Times Dispatch.1
WASHINGTON September l3.--Rich-
mond To-day laid its claim to the
S1laoo.o0o government armor plate
plant before Secretary of Navy Jo-
serhus Daniels in a presentation of fact
and argument as conclusive as any OF
tho forty odd cities which arc regarded
as seriously competing for this great
enterprise though the claims Of iOi
cities will be placed before the sccrc-
tary.
The Virginia capital sent delcga-
tion rcprcscntiur the best interests in
the city and state 10 ashington. and
for more than half an hour the spokes-
mon of the committee re-enforccd the
statements made in the formal brief
submitted to the secretary
The secretary announced at the out
set that hc would call the roll OF States
alphabetically TO prevent confusion, hut
at 1880 he stated that by an earlier
arrangement he had agreed to hear
Richmond out OF order. Thercupon
John Kerr Branch, chairman of the
Richmond committee and S. T. Morgan
president of the NirI Iinia Carolina
Chemical Company. stated Richmonds
case. the former reading Richmond's
| brief
| Surrounding these two spokcsmcn
were the other members OF tho COM
mittcc. Senators Martin and Swanson
! Representative Montague and represen-
tatives of the other Virginia cities
| which have entered tho contest for tho
plant. The greater body of the Rich
monders arrived In WASHINGTON shortly
| before IL o'clock aboard special train
They went straight TO tho Office of Sec
rotary Daniels. stopping for few
minutes Ell route at the Hotel willard.
MAYOR AINsLIE AND OTHERS
ALSO JOIN COMMITTEE
Al Mr.. Daniels's office the COMMITTEES
WAS Joined by Mayor Ainslie, w. T.
Dabney, Ohm c. Freeman. Augustine
Royall and w. II. Adams. who came
over from Philadelphia. where they
have been in attendance upon the meet.
+, ing Of the Atlantic Deeper Waterways
/ Association.
That Richmonds brief made a pro-
tund impression upon Secretary Daniels
and the staff OF rear-admirals who par,
'icipatcd in the hearing was evident
TO anybody. Clearly and forccfully it
pointed out tho strategic advantages
Of Richmond for this plant It
pointed 10 that city's proximity to
cheap fuel on the one hand and to tho
great naval-construction ccnters or
the other. II showed that the city
was absolutely immune from hostile
attack and was protected against hert
attacks by the very same fortiGcatlous
! that stand guard over the national
capital itself.
| Tho whole hearing room. though in
| a state OF confusion most OF the time,
I fk,a -
tho Richmond brief representatives oS
other cities near and remote, realizing
that an unanswerahle case was b>ing,
made in behalf of the Virginia capit,l.
MORGAN CITES OTHER
RICHMOND ADV ANTtGEs
/ Mr. Morgan cited still other advan-
/ taCcs In favor of Richmond His ad-
| dress was brief. hut he ably supported
! the brief lie spoke OF satisfactory
labor conditions, of unpara lleled health
conditions and OF shipping facilities
! 'ncNceiled by any city. North or
( South.
When the Richmonders arrived IN
J Washington to-day they found that
ten other Virginia cities and conmuni-
ties had made application for the
armcr plant. Some OF them will be
given but passing consideration hut in
/ Norfolk and Petersburg the capital
| found rivals which later in the day
pressed their claims with great vigor.
! The Richmond delegation, numbering
thirty five returned home YESTERDAY
afternoon confident that its brief had
made profound impression on Secre-
/ tary Daniels and the naval board
i'N previous arrangement with the
secretary Richmond was heard at