Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-08-10
PEOPLES FORUM.

NoTE.-The Peoples Forum being
freely open to all parties. classes. per-
sons. views and capabilities. the Vir-
ginian-Pilot Is responsible for none
OF the statements nor opinions ex-
pressed therein. nor for the style in
which they are set forth. The ignorant
and uneducated shall be heard here
equally with the learned.
Lambert's Point, Va, Aug. 9. 1900.
Editor Yirginian-Pilot:
AS Lambert's Point has not been
heard from on the Norfolk and West
ern railway pier question, beg leave
to submit my views on the subject
Every individual property owner at
Lambert's Point is interested In the
property of the Norfolk and Western
Railway Company. Every Improvement
In the terminal facilities here is a
direct benefit to the adjacent property.
Mr.. Barton Myers never could have in
duced capitalists to locate their mills
and factories here If there had been no
railroad. The Norfolk and Western
railway Is the cause of the rapid build
Ing up of the Tanners Creek district.
Property owners residing here are alive
TO That fact. and all that have seen
are III favor of the new pier. A word
OF warning may not be amiss: Should
inc railroad be refused permission to
nave such pier facilities as are neces-
sary for their business, the time is not
far distant when there will be q great
oreakwater in Lynnhaven Bay and
Norfolk Will be sidetracked as way
station: and Lynnhaven will be the
great seaport of Virginia.
AS TO the damage to the harbor that
YOU claim Is caused by the pier, I don't
agree with you. The present piers are
a great benefit to the harbor. as the
Norfolk and Western Railway Com
pany have drcdged n large basin from
the piers to the channel. where ships
OF twety-siN feet draft go in and out
to the piers. This basin extends the
whole length along the river abreast
the piers to 100 feet above and below
them. The river channel at this point
is double the width of any other place
between Hospital and Sewall's Point.
The main benefit TO the credit of the
piers is the fact that the flats. which
extend 1000 feet beyond the piers and
above and below the piers. are being
cut away. 1t don't take n skilled en-
Gineer to know that hole dug under n
running stream of water will, by the
force of attrition. fill up. That is just
what has been going on ever since the
rierS were built. The proof of ii is the
constant dredging done by the Norfolk
and Western Railway Company to keep
the basin open. The flats above anu
natural channel.
Last winter. when the large fleet of
coasters was here. several of the largest
schooncrs afloat were moored on the
east side of the channel above the piers.
one In particular. II 4.400-ton three
master. lay waiting turn to load where
ten years ago there was not more than
three feet of water. I have been sail
ing from here for the last ten years as
master and never before seen any large
vessels lay on the eastern side of the
channel. ] don't think the Harbor
commissioners themselves knew that
the flats were cutting away at such n
great rate.
take for granted that your valuable
paper is sincere and working for the
best interest of the port of Norfolk. I
think you have been badly Informed
and most of the opinions you publish
are from people who, while honest in
their opinions. are necessarily more or
less ignorant of nautical matters The
eHnerts you Quote are not reliable. One
instane ] will call your attention to:
that is OF the licensed master and pilot
who Is now on the police force. He is
quoted as saying. among other things,
that vessels going down the river in
the night have to hug the port side of
The channel. as they can't see Lam
berts Point light, as II is hidden by
the piers. What is such testimony
worth in view OF the fact that Lam
hcrt's Point light has been dscon-
tinued by the government for four or
five years, the electric light on the piers
being all that is needed.
am in favor of the proposed pier. as
1t will cut away n good part Of the sand
bar below or north OF the piers. The
more piers the better the harbor, and
the less number of vessels waiting TO
load. as the railway company has not
the room TO handle by one-third the
number of vessels coming here 10 load.
EDWIN COBB.