The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-10-03
LOCAL. MATTERS.

u
Thursday evening. the Especial Committee, ap-
pointed TO consider the prnpriety of asking the
demnai ion of certain lands the margin of James
rver tor wharf purposes presented the following
port, through their Chairman, THos. w. MCAKcE.
Esq. which was read, laid the table and ordered
TO be printed for the use of members aud made the
special business of the council at meeting to be held
next Tuesday afternoon. That readers may Judge
OF ITS we give the entire report reseryng
comment for another time.
sAt called meeting of the rauucI of the Cjfv of
Richmond, held Thursday, September 18th, 1858, Mr.
MCance presented the following report, which was
laid on the table, and ordered to be printed:
THE committee. to whom was referred the petition
of many citizens to the Council to acquire the right
to the land between the dock and the river, from
near Mayo's bridge to the end of the embankuent
forming the entrance the dock for the purpose of
increasing the wharf accommodation for shipping en-
gagged IN me commerce of the city, respectfully sub
init the following report
''The committee impressed with the great import
met on the ground on the 7th December, 1852, and
after careful examination, concurred III the opinion
that the city ought to acquire the right to all the land
between the dock and the river, from Mayos bridge
to the end of the uttee forming the entrance to the
dock.
''On the 9Th December, the city Surveyor was re-
quested to furnish the committee with plat of all
the land between the points designated, but high
ter and other prevented him from completing
the plat to low water mark along the margin of the
river rs early as desired.
''The necessity for works of improvement to deve-
op the resources of Richmo nd have been made mani
fest by large subscriptions on the part of the city and
by individual citizens to the James River aud Kama
wha Canal, the Richmond and Denvie Railroad, the
Virginia and Tennessee Railroad and the Virginia
Central Railroad. All the above great works, with
feeders such canals railroads. plank and
turnpike roads, pressing to completion with
new energy and must long pour into this city
vast of trade unless it is forced other
point by the want Of shipping accommodation here
ted States Coast Survey, confirming several previous
surveys, and rendering certain at small cost the i'm
provement of the river fer vessels of large tonnage
the wharves and in the dock has induced the Council
to assume the cost of powerful dredging machine,
(now in course of construction,) which, when COM
pieted will, under the control of the United States
Engineer with an appropriation already made by the
United States, commence the dredging the bars
that have so long hampered the commerce and re-
tarded the growth of the city.
with the shortest and cheapest route for the vast
trade within the range of the improvements dverg-
ing from this city in every direction your committee
are OF opinion that there is but thing necessary
attract and give your merchants the control of this
trade and that is here at the terminus of all the great
improvements of the State to provide accommoda-
ton for the shipping that viii be necessary to meet
the commercial wants Of the city, not for coastwise
trade only, but for vessels of a capacity to trade
economically with any and all the ports of the world
It'll no longer question: is it necessary for the city
have competent outlet for her trade? She has no
other alternative. She must have it, the large
outlay by corporate and individual subscription to
works of improvement 10 the interior will result in
advantages to otherand more enterprising comnuni
ties
ITO the extent that the City can command naviga-
ton tor large vessels to the wharves, that
movement OF merchandise only is necessary from the
vessel to the warehouses depots, and vice versa
with the fact that ship OF thousand tons can be
towed TO Hampton Roads, and vice versa in about Is
hours. at cost of about hundred dollars each
way, the commerce of this City, with the attauable
improvement of the river, will have, beyond ques
ton, the cheapest and expeditions outlet to the
ocean.
when the trade passing to and fro through the city
is of gnitude to require larger vessels than nav
lgatlon OF about 10 feet will admit to the wharves
then by the construction of railroad about % miles
point is attained on James river, about 60 miles from
the city by water Ill every respect admirably suited
for port for large ships, by its heahiness great
depth of water close in shore, anchorage and
depth of water of more than 90 feet to the ocean.
THE advantages of arailroad to the James, instead
of the York river, to promote the commerce of the
city, are obvious and numerous and have an impor
tant bearing on the question under consideration and
the committee state few of them.
THE capacity of James river present is sufficient
for all and it is believed much tonnage than can
pass over all the improvements now in progress of
construction from the interior to this city.
when the Improvement of the channel of the
river is completed, to admit large vessels to the
wharves the capacity OF the james river will be in
creased hundred fold
A this time for the class of vessels that can load
and discharge their cargoes at the wharves the
OF trelghts as low as from any other port for coast
wise or foreign voyages
THE same state of things will exist when the i'm
provement of the river is completed and large vessels
load and discharge their cargoes at the wharves
construct a railroad to York river, and every ton
OF freight passing it is subject to additional
charge of not less than Sl2 per thant can
be shipped from or received at here, besides the
worse order that every package sustain from the
more frequent handling
a railroad to James river would facilitate the un-
loading larger vessels than can come up to the
wharyes with full cargoes, by discharge ut the de-
pot SO much of the inward cargo will tighten the
vessel to the required depth to be towed up to the
city, >,
ward cargo, by which the charge of railroad trans
rtaton would be saved on four-ffths of the cargo
aud great saving In time be effected, as the single
operation OF discharging from receiving the cargo
at the vessel would supersede the numerous hand
ings that would be necessary if all the inward and
ard cal tO mass nj
Masters will more readily freigh their vessels TO
the James than to the York river, because of the
greater certainty of getting return freight of such
articles will not bear railroad transportation say
coal, iron, granite, &c. If the more valuable freight
paying commodities are not to be had Also, the
fact that all shipping in the James river has the ad
vantage okthe commerce ofthe rapidly growing town
of Petersburg, which advantage would be entirely
lost on the York river.
1.-The ostarce desirable point on James riverfor
port for large ships engaged in the of this
city. being one-thrd less than to similar point on
York river, the difference in the cost of the two
routes should determine it in favor of the former III
dependent of numerous other advantages.
I'm view of the great trade that centres here now
and the inevitable great increase that will be added
to it by the completion of each mile of the improve
ments in progress to the interior lin which the city
is SO largely interested) your committee are OF OPT
mon that timely and ample preparation should be
made to accommodate the shipping necessary for the
com Ell OF the city and are therefore o. op,ned
should be acquired to enable the city to make the
whartng continuous and uniform from the jutee to
grade streets throughout the property which could
not be done to equal advantage If individuals owned
part of the property.
ITO confirm the above position, the committee re-
fer to the condition of the wharves at Rockets since
the closing of the dock, the only point at which yes
sells could discharge receive their eargoes. wharf
owners and every having business in any way con-
neeted with the shipping, cry out at the dsgracefu
condition of the wharves land the streets leading TO
them,) which action of owners of wharves who
desired to improve could effect because OF the want
OF uniform action mongst the various owners.
The Committee were also Influenced to the opln-
ion that the city should the property designated
in order to put it under efficient police supervision
and make part of the city that is now unpleasant
to visit place of recreation for those who love to
look on the busy mart of trade, and by bringing
the shppingS the centre of business create IN
merchants and others interest that will ultimately
give the city great commercial Importance. The me-
cessty for increased wharf room is obvious and
the growth and permanent prosperity of the city 10
SO vally connected with the shipping interest," thatt
is only requisite to allude to the delays and conse-
quent increased expense in all shipping operations IN
the present contracted condition of the port to Inn
press all with the necessity once. TO sccomo
date our present trade as well to provide for GER
tain large increase
1.-THE committee, in forming their opinion OF the
necessity TO increase the wharf room of the port have
duly considered the increased accommodation that
will be afforded TO shipping by the completion OF the
Dock but believe that the increased trade over the
works leading from the city TO the interior OF the
State in their present incomplete condition, viii re-
auire shipping equal to the capacity of the dock and
part of the whaes giving TO vessels berths for the
prompt delivery and receiving their cargoes.