GEO. S. POWELL
Investments
TIMBER LAND A SPECIALTY
ASHEVILLE, N.C.

May 21st 1913.

Hon. Locke Craig,
Raleigh, N.C.

Dear Gov; Craig;

We are enclosing you herewith copy of a letter mailed to Colonel Johnson to-day, copies of which have also been sent to Mr. Plummer, Judge Jones, and Mr. Fisher.

The committee requests that you see Col. Johnson personally as soon as possible after receipt of this letter, and urge him in the interests of all concerned, to accept this proposition.

A strong point brought out in the discussion yesterday, and which was not embodied in the letter to Col. Johnson, was that someone asked you if there was any possibility of a misunderstanding in regard to this settlement, and suggested that the agreement had better be signed up, and you stated that the matter had been gone over thoroughly between the subcommittee and Col. Johnson, and that these were all honorable men, and would stand by this verbal agreement.

The committee feels that it has exhausted all its resources in order to bring about a settlement, and we feel that the company, to say the least, would be acting in bad faith towards the people of Asheville if it refused to accept this proposition.

Some of the committee were disposed to resent in the strongest manner Col. Jonson’s insinuation that the committee was not acting in good faith in this matter. We want to reinterate the statement contained in the letter to Colonel Johnson, that we assume our full share of the responsibility for any mistakes made in this matter, and we think that it is unfair for the company to say in so many words that they could not have been mistaken, and that the mistake rests entirely with this committee, but even if this were true, the people of Asheville, from whom they have received such valuable monetary gifts in the way of franchises, as well as public support, are entitled to fairer consideration than demanding the last pound of flesh.

We are sorry to have to trouble you again in this matter, but we know that you feel the same interest in it that we do.

Please wire us as soon as you have had an interview with Col. Johnson, and with best wishes, we are

Yours very sincerely,

Geo S Powell
Chairman.

Enclosures: 1913, May 21. Powell to Johnson.
1913, May 21. Powell to Plummer.