The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-07-25
WEST POINT.
Its Wharf Facilities and Railroad and
Steamboat Business-The Fertilizer Trade
Protection Against Fire-Impreyements.
Baltimore Americana


facilities there. Along the riyer-front. ME,
after pier, shed after she'd, are seen. IN Al
fully $500 feet Of waterfront wharfage
and with the sheds and platforms. thou
sands upon thousands Of square feet q
floor space. Three steamers nj one tim,
can load and unload on the new Baltimor,
pier alone; three or four at the Fertilizer
pier, and probably SIX or eight at the lone
compress piers. In fact, the landing ca
pacity Is equal TO that Of the Light
street wharvcs. The wharf at which
the boat landed on Saturday consists o.
one solid pier 1,l00 feet long by $50 wide
not counting the outside platforms. anC
which. with the exception Of about 30(
feet, left open as one OF the securitie,
against fire, is all under roof. From tn,
lower end OF this pier runs another-th,
cotton-compress picr-400 feet i'm length
and 100 in width. Here is located the i'm
mense cotton compress, OF the Morse pat
tern, which has capacity OF turning
out sixty bales Of cotton per hour
bale minute. Passing again 10 th,
upper end Of the pier first named
another and entirely new pier and
shed Is seen. which was built for and will
be exclusively used by the Baltimore trade
This pier and she'd is probably one of the
largest and finest in the country. II ends on
the shore, and is in dimensions 405x155
feet. containing 62,17j square feet Of foo,
space. The she'd, which Is thirty feet I'm.
der the caves. is built with monitor roof.
and resembles the great Boston Coliseum
OF Peace Jubilee times in appearance.
Down the centre for almost the entire
length extends a double track, thus en-
aiding two trains OF cars to load It the
same time. one from either side. These
buildings and wharycs, SO far named, are
NIL for the general business Of the Rich
mond and Danyillc system. About them
all. and enabling cars TO be loaded from
any point. are lines Of track extending in
all directions, and connecting a short dis
lance away with the main track. The
usual buildings for offices, etc, are conye-
niently located.
TIE FERTILIZER WHARF.
Continuing the tour Of inspection, the
next place visited, and the most interest
Ing. perhaps. to Baltimoreans, was the fer
tilizer pier, where, ii is claimed, exists the
most perfect system known for handling
fertilizers. The pier itself is 600 feet in
length by $50 feet in width. Upon il Is
built the fertilizer shed, or storchouse,
which is $50 feet in length by - feet in
width, and probably - feet under the
caves. Extending over the wharf, from
the water end to and within the shed for
its entire length, i an elevated platform ana
railway. similar TO the coal elevators now III
Use on the waterfront, for the unloading
Of fertilizers in bulk. In unloading,
buckets handled bv steam are used, which
elcvatcs the fertilizer 10 the platform and
dumps il into ears OF twO-tOns capacity
fi.. ara RVhirlpI
along the elevator track into the storehouse
and there dumped into the proper recepta-
Gle. The she'd is divided into cOmpart-
ments Of about 1000 tons capacity each,
the large manufacturers having one or more
COMMITMENTS, rs their trade demand. 1t
was found that all the Baltimore firms were
represented. The elevated road i used eN-
cusiyelv for fertilizers in bulk. When
shipped in bags the vessels can lie alongside
the Wharf and unload directly into the cars,
which can run up 10 and alongside OF the
entire length Of the pier on both sides Of the
she'd. \ feature OF the handling in bulk ana
an excellent provision for the manuiac-
turer, is that he can send along cargo OF
fertilizer, which the company stores In one
OF the compartments, and on receipt OF an
order for so many tons 10 such point the
companv bags the material and forwards 1t
IN lis destination. The total capacity OF
tbe storehouse i from 10000 to $4,000 tons
al one time. Last year the Richmond ana
Danyille handled about $4,000 tons, ana eN-
poets TO double it the present season. Inc
company is now talking OF erecting TWO
more piers and storehouse, similar 10 the
one above described for the fertilizer trade.
PROTECTION AGAINST FIRE.
An important improvement made at
West Point since the last disastrous frc, III
1SSO. i the introduction Of a fire service
and a system Of electric lighting. both OF
which are models i'm their way. For light
ine the wharves and other property thirty
one electric lights are now In Use, Which
are run by rty-fNe-horse-poWef ell
zine. For the fire service they nave Il
powerful WorthingtOn forcc-pump capaDle
OF throwing an immense stream OF water
and also numerous hydrantS and els
terms. scattered here and there, where
deemed necessary. There Is an alarm
whistle connected with the engine-hou>e,
which can be blO"n by an electric sys-
TEN similar 10 that used IN hotels, from
different points on the piers. The en-
plove. Of the line at West Point-aDoul
four hundred in number-are drilled as .
fire brigade, IA are also the boat hands OF
the York-Riyer steamers. 10 snow Tue
efficiency OF the latter. Captain Jones on
Saturday called them without warning TO
a test-alarm In less than half minute
the deck-hose was in readiness throwing
water, and in less than one minute three
boat, were lowered from the davits, the
crews in, and ready for service in saving
life.
THE CITY OF WEST POINT.
Since West Point aspires TO the dignity
81 MAYOR and council, it Is not, perhaps
ont Of place 10 call it city-althougn nS
poDulation is less than thousand: Inc
location Is pleasant one. lying a. IL doe'
between the Pamunkey and Mattaponi pro
nounced Mat-ta-p o-nigh) rivers, which, mere
uniting. form the York river. There Is
the one principal street and several cross
streets. the plan OF the town being very
regular. one thing in particular was ITO,
ticed i'm passing through the city, ana Una.
xyas the unusual air Of comfort-and, al
times. even luXury-peryading Tue ehtll'
Mace. Not a sign OF poverty was anywhere
noticeable. There are quite n'inDer %
new buildings now being put up, anu aiso
a new Protestant Episcopal church: " neu
this is finished there will be three churche'
in the place.
- The DanyiIIc Railroad Bonds.
New York Herald of suniay.l
The stir i'm Richmond and Danville no.