The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-12-24
THOUGHTS OF TIMES" READERS.
virginia Pilots Observation-Disclosures
ces OF Virginia Journalism.

A member of the firm Of Z. l. Con-
quest & Co. said yesterday to a reporter
If The TIMES. I'VE are large shippers
from Virginia of railroad ties. POI lar
aud pine wood, aud all other forest pro-
ducts.
with a house in this city and a branch
house in Norfolk. Virginia, we are IN
daily want of tonnage, and find greet
difficulty in obtaining sufficien vessels
- "A high rate OF freight, which Is daily
increasing. and even at these high rates
3e find it impossible to get enough
vessels to supply Il wants. and we 40
rot cOnfine ourselves To the vessel
agents in Richmond and Norfolk. but
daily write to Philadelphia INC New
York and other Northern ports TO CHAR
ter YES. els, aud yet have at this lime as
many as ten cargoes waiting shipment
attribute this state OF affairs largely
TO the State law authorizing the Virgil
uia pilots to collect a tonnage tax on
very c0astiDg vessel over seventy tons
burden. 10 which every master aud
owner objects. as there Is no service
rendered or required for the same.
This keeps many vessels away from
Virginia waters. as the captains look
mon this law as a most unjust burden.
1t certain seasons of the year there IL
4 much larger demand for these coast
wise vessels. particularly to transport
our forest products from the Virgiola
waters to the Northern ports, and spe-
cialiy at these seasons DO the shippers
eel the need Of additional tonnage.
The only way to obtain this tonnage IL
- brisg to our ports vessels that trade
10 other ports. both North and South.
these vessels may not make but n
nip TO our waters. and then they have
% paw this tax OF ten cents per ton,
being the ann tax per ton that the ves-
3els that regularly trade in our waters
nave to pay for the privilege Of running
D our ports for a year. TIE vessels
list mentioned Ct course have the
So m right. but they rarely come more
han once or twice ID a year, and then
G. relieve ports of accumulated materla &,
nese cost the shippers a good deal
of money t. hold and hamper
ne shippers IN many ways. This all
aas a tendency to make the freight high.
md as the material. particularly lum-
Der and timber of all kinds, are gener-
illg contracted for st stated prices. any
Sc consequently in the freight falls
~lirectly upon The Virginia shipper and
lessons his profits. Our trade is entire
iy in timber and lumber. but | am
brought daily in contact with shippers
If every kind OF material. and / state
most positively aud that | know il to be
% the interest of them all that the cap
am and owners Of vessels be relieved
u a tax Of vhich the State does not de-
I'VE one cent. Tue coal interest of
this State is rapidly increasing.
md every Inducement is offered
oy the Norfolk ard Western and
he Chesapeake and Onio Rlilroad to
bring vessels to their whaTves at Lam
cert's Point and Newport News TO
carry this coal away. They are all
subject TO Til. tax. lam willing at any
time 10 give ali the Information on ibis
subject | can. not only on account OF
my personal interest, but because |
want TO see the commerce Of my native
state put on the level footing with the
more progressive States OF the North. y