The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-12-16
THE COMMITTEE
MAY VISIT US.
The congressman Talk of
Coming Here.
INVITED TO RICHMOND
Members of the Council and Chamber
of Commerce are Heard.
A PLAIN STATEMENT OF FACTS.
City Engineer Cutshaw, Mr.. Travers
and Mr.. Trigg Tell of the Advanta-
ges This City Oners-Nayal YES
seIs May be Ordered to
Rendezvous i'm James
River.


committees appointed by the Richmond
| Council and Chamber Of Commerce TO APP
pear before the House Committee on
Rivers and Harbors were given hearing
this morning. Those in the delegation
were City Engineer W. f.. Cutshaw, Cap
tain William II. Curtis, Captain John A.
| Curtis, Messrs. n. T. Mosby. S. w.
Travers, r. A. Dunlop, w. o. SHELTON,
James n. Boyd, W. X. Trigg, Charles
| Selden and George &. Ruskel.
They were introduced by Representa-
| tive Lamb, who said in presenting Colo
| ne, Cutshaw, that he would extend an
| invitation TO the committee TO visit Rich
mond and they would find access to the
! city as easy as IL had been diflicult some
years ago.
COL CUTSHAWS REMARKS
Colonel Cutshaw said the object Of the1
| delegation was to ask the committee TO
| so frame that part Of the River and Har-
Dor bill as referred to James river that
the original plan Of the government
should be carried out, that is that the
harbor be improved as well as the river
below the city limits. At the falls Of
James river the tide was three anu one
half feet and this was the head Of tide
water. II had been the purpose OF the
government to extend navigation to that
point.
The delegation came to ask two things:
That the improvements be made to in
clude the part Of the river in the city linn
its, and that the sum Of 100000 be made
available as soon as possible for perma-
nently increasing the depth Of the river
20 twenty-five feet. The original scheme
OF the government contemplated the ex-
penditure Of &J000O OF which $500 900
or One-third had been spent The city
or Richmond had eXpendg about 100000
ON the river not all Of which was used
within the city lii.4.s. Some was used
on Dutch Gap canal and some for the
purchase OF dredging machinery which
was used for a long time by the govern
ment. About 10000 OF the city's money
had been used for the purpose named.
HARBOR DESCRIBED.
In reply to questions propoundel by
members Of the committee. Colonel Cut
shaw said the harbor was about one mile
long. and a thousand yards wide. The
depth nearly TO Richmond was now about
eighteen feet at mean low tide The
Improvements extended from City Point
to the wharf at Rockets The commerce
requiring over eighteen feet of water. he
said. was that Of the Old Dominion
Steamship Company the largest chemical
company I'm the world. the Cedar Works,
the Tredgar Works. -four mills. ship
building plant, and the Locomotive
Works Eighteen feet was insufficient
for many reasons. The commercial and
other conditions required more depth.
Colnel Cutshaw concluded with cor
dial invitation for the committee 10 come
down to Richmond and look over the
ground or rather the water.
Chairman Burton SAID he feared very
much that on account OF the pressure Of
duties and the shortness Of the session
The committee would be unable e. accent
the invitation but. If possible the MEM
hers would certainly do so. He made
Inquiries as to the length Of notice OF
acceptance Of the committee in case they
could come and was told three or four
hours would suffice
MIR. TRANERS SPEAKS.
Mr.. Travers was next introduced as
president Of tho Chamber OF Commerce.
He sail the delegation did not come ask
ing for any new thing They came simply
as representatives OF business organiza-
ton asking the government TO do the
work in a business-like way At the
would be required 10 complete the work
which would not keep pace with the
growth Of commerce. As an instance,
he said that IN his own business large
portion Of supplies had 10 be loaded on
the cars az Newport News because ships |
could not come up 10 the city.
Mr. Trayers spoke of the recent or !
ganization of a company TO utilize the |
power of the falls Of James river and |
the reasonable expectation that in time !
Richmond would be a great manufac-
turing centre.
Speaking OF the advantages offered for !
a shipyard. he said that Richmond was |
further inland than any other Atlantic |
coast city.
Mr.. Travers added in conclusion the in
vitation of the Chamber OF Commerce 20 |
the committee.
MR.. TRIGG HEARD.
Mr.. W. r. Trgg spoke briefly Of the |
progress and advantages Of Richmond, |
and as an instance OK the need OF deep |
water facilities spoke OF the necessity
recently for shipping locomotives des-
lined for Finland 10 New York at cost
IF Sl0Coo more than IL would have been
n they could have been loaded in Rich
mond.
He said the delegation would go this
afternoon 10 see Secretary Long and
lrge that some Of the ships now crowdins
League Island yard at Philadelphia. be
sent 70 Richmond Mr. Trigg said II the
,ommittee would come down no notice
gould be required There was no latch
univ portieres-just push them aside and
walk in.
7, WAS % o'clock when Mr.. Trigg finish
NJ r-n6.r the rules the committee should
.iso AZ that hour. but all seemed so much
>, ,erested that Chairman Burton said II
,.rors wishing to speak would DO so
,-ieav. he would irespass on the time OF
be House for little while.
MIR. BoYD's VIEWS.
,rha marked courtesy was. Of course.
cnch appreciated and Mr.. Boyd spoke
'rieav referring 10 our navy and the ne
essarv increased and 10 the advantages
yhich Richmond would offer as a place
. retreat for injured vessels and for
In time or war IL the i'm
Movements should be made IN the river.
20 garrison would be needed to defend