The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-04-12
OUR COASTWISE SHIPPING.
Removal Of the Ocean Line Steamers
from this City is lmnllGln.
THE RESULT OF Such AN EVENT.
A Number of Men Would be Thrc"" ""'
of Employment. Truckers hume" """
Worst of All the Railroads "is"'
Increase Their Freight hater

of tho nroposea steel viaduct by tho Ches-
areako and Ohio Railway Company LOT
which an application was then Deihs 'N"-
s,dcrcd. he stated that this cons~uot'o"
across the dock and along seveh'e'n'n
stree, would remove tho last Vesuse Oh
eoaawise shipping from this city MT.
pccafur Axteii. scconl vice-pFesldeit %
ire railroad company, natly oehleu wy
correctness Of The assertion, ana tooN
the ground that the dock would "o' oo
crossed ry the proposed structure q. al
and that only TIE goods would nave W &c
carried comparatively snort uls'"i0'
further from ABOARD the vessel on 'No
dock into the Warehouses or Messl",
Davenport a Morris lie also contender
that the removal of the present ti,sue
OF his company in that locailty' Wh.C"
would he the natural consequence OF the
erection Of the steel Viaduct would ohtr
additional wharf facilities In that NlcihlE'
Be that as il may one thing IS certain
that ly the htcnuCd Improvements on
the part Of The railroad company we
present dock facilities of the Ola DOMINION
steamship Company and OF the Ciyue H'e
viii be in no wise intcriered Win. NEST
two lines are the only ones when az
rresert represent the ocean commerce OF
known fact that that line Of its trade
has been Ictrograding gradually Tor years
vast Whether il will be possible 10 ma
some means by which the former condition
OF affairs might be restored and additional
lines Of steamers might be induced TO
make Richmond one OF their regular ports
Tor loading and unloading If freight is OF
no little concern for the merchants OF
this city. On the other hand, there seems
10 be cause for grave apprehension That
the removal OF the two remaining lines OF
steamers from this city will be only
question Of time.
A SERIOUS RESULT.
From time 70 time the rumor has been
afioat in the past that the Clyde line peo-
pie intended to transfer their terminus
from this city 10 some other more convon-
lent place on the James river. This
rumor has been permitted to circulate
for a certain period only TO be set at rest
every time by a denial on the part OF the
local officials Of the company that any such
removal was intended
The Old Dominion Steamship Company
used to have three ocean steamers come
to this CITY every week. Recently two or
them have been taken off and there re-
mains only one through steamer per week.
The other two have been supplauted nv
canal boats that used 10 ply from Norfolk
on the Alhemarle and Chesapeake canal.
They now carry a portion Of the Rich
mond freight. This innovation on the part
of the Old Dominion people might perhaps
be taken az an indication that that line
is contemplating "A Withdrawal Of its
steamers from this city.
Should both steamboat lines come 10
the conclusion 20 occupy terminus facili-
ties elsewhere. then the question naturally
arises. how this would affect the city Of
Richmond und what would become OF the
iatter's trade with Philadelphia ana New
York; Neither the steamboat lines nor
the railroad companies would be the losers.
The Southern Railway Company has al
ready very good terminus facilities at Pin
ner's Point and the Chesapeake and Ohio
Railway Company certainly has the very
best facilities at Newport News Both
steamboat companies would not only save
a great deal OF time on each trip but
its reduction Of expenses for coal, etc.
would also amount 10 a good deal in the
course of year. Besides, they would
avoid the danger OF having their vessels
run aground or their bulls injured while
making the trip up and down the James
river.
RAILROADS MAY INCREASE RATES.
The Clyde line. as well as the Old DO
'ninicn Steamship Company. pay out i'm
this city from $1,000 to $1,000 n month.
cash, 10 the help used I'm loading and
unloading their vessels. Should they re-
move from here, from rs to $50 men
would be thrown out Of employment. NOT
TO speak Of the number OF truckmU
duced
Tho presence Of the terminus OF these
Two mes IN this city has been the cause
OF a wholesome competition in freight rates
between Richmond. Philadelphia. ana |
-NeW ork on the part of the steamboat
and railroad companies.
II the steamboat companies once leave
US cry then there Will be no telling |
VIII the rates for freight to Philadel- |
phla ana New York will be for Tho rou |
ROADS would practically have evervtbine, |
,helr own way The dock properly now,
ou'upieu by the two steamboat companies |
"ouid largely be reduced I'm its ,.,lro |
AZ present. the dock property OF the Clvdo |
''.o - valued on the books of the C,,, |
missioner OF the Revenue at SO. GO ana |
90. r,,a u OF the Old Dominion company nj |
90, vi "il'h taxes arc paid by the |
,,oo 'paiI'eS AT the rate OF 81 40 per |
sio 20 the city, and 40 cents 10 the stato |
should a removal of the two eto.,,,.oo,
companies from this city take placc then |
another grave question would he as ~ |
"he'her congress would be willing. in |
We" or the fact, 10 make in the future |
.he usuai appropriation for the improve /
'neht Of the channel Of the river. The |
city OF Richmond. also. has spent a good /
deal OF money annually fer the imnrovo- |
ment OF its harbor. chiefly i'm the interest
OF the steamship lines whose vessels come |
M the James river. and it would certainly |
be hard blow for its commerce II the |
steamship communications with the
North should cease.
THE CLYDE line
The Clyde Steamship Company operates |
NJ present between Philadelphia ana Rich
nond. and connects with the Chesapeake
md Ohio and Southern railway for all
points South. Southwest. and West. II
also operates lines between Philadelphia
and New York, and from those points
10 Wilmington. Charleston and Jackson
iille. Also TO Santo Domingo and other
West India ports. II was founded bv
Thomas Clyde. who built. I'm is43 and 1874
he steamship "McKim." that vessel be-
ne the first propeller steamship ever
built In this country for commercial pur-
,oses
Mr.. Thomas Clyde was also largely in
'uumental In having Captain Ericson's
application Of the screw propeller adopted
nj this country. This FRA steamship
Nckim. had an interesting history. She
'arried Jefferson Davis and his Nfsglesin- 1
d regiment from New Orleans TO Texas
o take part In the Mexican war. She
was one Of the first ships 10 reach the
'acinc coast In 1873. She was not OILY |
ne hrst propeller steamer OF any size
'uiIt In this country, hut was Of the twin
crew type, type which has been rein
reduced after n lapse Of fifty wears IN
he transatlantic greyhornds OF the pres
mt day