Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-05-23
RICHMOND HARB0R.
A CTATsMENT As TO ITS PRESENT CON-
DITI0R.
water in the Channel for Vessels Drawing
at Least Fifteen Feet Of
Water.

The Committee on the Improvement OF
James River held a meeting in the Council
chamber yesterday afternoon AZ O'Clock.
There were present Me,srs. Crenshaw
tcharman), BeNln, Capers, BodeEer, Curtis,
Glover, Allen, Noting, sarke, Hawes,
Purcell. Tower, and ChTi.tian.
TIE UABBoR.
The meeting was principally taken mp
with the consideration Of n resolution sdOpl-
ed by the Council asking the committee TO
make q report concerning the improvement
q the lamcs-riYer channel within the limits
OF the city.
The resolution was introduced into the
Common Council by the president Oi thai
body, Thomas =. Campbell, Esq. " IN u
was read n communication signed hv Ia.
venpOrt a. Morris, james G.. smith, John L.
Gordon q Co., :. ". IravcI' Co.' Charles
II. PAGE. and a number oi other gentlemen
largely interested In RichmOud's shipping
Interests setting forth that on account OF OBJ
siructI0ns in the harbOr theV had been uul-
able 10 get their freight 10 the wharycs with
dispatch and urged somo immediate action
on the part OF the city government.
INFORMATION WANTED.
The resolution which was the outcome Of
this petition was adopted by both branches
Oi the Council. lt simply directed tue Com
mitiee on Jlmes- River improvement 10 re-
port What contract. II any. exists between
tho committee aod the United states En-
Cineer IN regard 10 the tu2hOais, sco0s'
dredgcs. &C., owned 10y the city.
TWO C0NPLAINAVTs PRESENT.
The committee had requested the pres.
cnce OF an the persons who signed the com
muncttion, but only Messrs. IraYers and
Psge were on hand.
Blr. TraVers stated 10 the committee that
he himsClf bad experienced 20 Inconvenience
Whatever in getting his freight - the
wharves. as he had not had any heavy ship
mcnts during the spring, but he bad CHAR
tered some large vessels that viii come IN
two or three weeks. When the paper w9s
presented 10 bin the condition of The harbor
was rourcscuie-l as beng inaccessible 10 large
vessels and it vas looking to the future tnat
be signed 10.
TIE PROSPECT.
Nr. PAGES position was idcntically the
same as tbst Of Xr. Traycrs. lle had not
had any large vessels TO come in during the
spriuE, but expected some in few weeks.
He had not been Inconvenience At sIl and
signed the paper FOR the same reasons Us did
Dir. Traycrs.
Mr.. Hlwcs said he had heard Of but ore
vessel that wls delayed in coming mp 10 the
whasves during the spring and that was
directly sfiera freshet in the river, and those
distractions have since been removed. He
thought the object Of the petition 70 tGe
Council was more TO preycnt any difficulty
in the future than anything else.
40 DELAY ~ GETTING rEElGHTs.
Mr.. Capers called attention TO the fact that
The paper presented alleged the signers had
been unable 10 get their irelghts rs soon as
they would have liked. We said from the
testimony Of the two gentlemen present
who mad signed the petition 1t appeared
there had been no delay Whatever IN re-
ceiying ireights, and be would like 10 see
these Two gentlemen sign q paper for the
committee TO present TO the Council show
ing that in their knowledge no inconye'
ntence had been experienced.
Mcssrs. Page and Irayers expressed their
willingness to DO 50.
SIZE CAPTAINS SIDE.
CAPTAIN Thomas Cunningham, Of the tug
boat Craighil, submitted n report showing
the work done OF late. and I'm 1t he stated
that lbcre had been only one vessel which
had experienced any difficulty m coming
up 10 the wbaryes, and the Instructions
which caused mat delay have been removed.
Vessels drawing fifteen feet OK water can
come up 20 the WharYrs without difficulty.
lie named several argc vessels which have
recently landed their ireights here.
TIE CONTRACTS.
The Chairman of the committee was in'
structed to give the Council the desired IN
formation ~ regard TO the contracts be-
tween the committee and the United States