Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-08-02

as an outrage by every citizen OF the
port who was advised as to the facts
in the case. Subsequent experience
has abundantly justified this first opin-
ion. The piers have been an obstruc-
ton to navigation and have hindered
and hampercd the traffic of the port.
| The letter OF former President of the
| Board of Harbor Commissioners, V. ID.
| Groner, published in this newspaper
| yesterday, showed that in 1883 the Port
| Warden's Line was EXTENDED out
nearly quarter of mile beyond
where the Advisory Board originally
recommended" in order to extend the
property of the Norfolk and Western
Now. what is the bland proposition
before the Board of Harbor Commits
sioners? 1t is to permit the building
OF another pier out to the Port
Wardens line, to be followed, accord
ing TO President Dobie, by another mi
grafton oil that line toward deep water
in the main channel of the river The
statement made to the board that the
proposed pier will be 75 feet shorter
than the present pier is utterly mis-
leading, The Port Warden's line at
AutS l'CItlt IL SIdID curve III con-
formity With the shore and channel.
and while the new pier may stop 10
feet short of the old pier, 1t does not
follow that it will not be quite as much
in the way Of navigation. And where
may we inquire, is the Port Wardcn's
line to be permitted to rest? Is it
to be moved out into the channel to
oblige pecpe With lttoraI rights and
a thirst for deep water? If the new
pier is To he shorter than the old. what
dill Mr.. Chas. r.. Churchill mean by
saying in his formal application to
the board for permission to build the
pier: "SinCc we undertook the design
ing of this large pier we found that
large steamers are now so long that
It is impracticable to get two steamers
alongside this new pier on the same
side unless ,co make il fully as long us
our present coal picr?" Why was Mr..
Churchill a little doubtful whether or
not to show the proposed new Port
, Wavdcn's line, on the plan to be sub
mitted. to the Board of Harbor Com
misSioners?
# it were n less serious matter, the
proposition of the Board of Harbor
Commissioners to grant permission to
the Norfolk and Western to build to
the ICrt Warden's line. and then to
exact q written promise" not to so
further, would be amusing AS n bus
mess proposition its only parallel is to
be found in those transactions by
which. from time to time. sundry con-
filling persons find themselves in pos
session of gold-bricts. How do the
commissioners propose to enforce an
observance Of this written promise?"
How do they know that before another
year the Norfolk and Western will not
lose its identity in some of the larger
systems, and what then would be the
value of this promise? Let the proposed
pier be once built out to the Port
Warden's line and there is absolutely
no assurance that it will not 20 TO
the edge of the channel, il permission
can he had from the Secretary OF War
Any so-called promise 10 the contrary
will not be worth the paper on which
il is written.
The Virginian- Pilot is anxious 10 see
the Norfolk and Western railway pros
per. but not ut the expense of the sea-,
horne traffic of this port. Deep water
for vessels loading coal at its piers
r,ay be had by the simple cxpedient of
dredging and without blocking traffic
on Elizabeth river. AS this matter is
not to be finally disposed OF until Fri
day, the Board should so carefully into
every detail of 1t. 1t is the business Of
that Board to safeguard the interests
OF this port. not to forward the intcr-
csts of any particular enterprise at the
expense of this port.