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

The Board OF Harbor Commissioners
will meet again at noon to-day to re-
sumo consideration of the application of
the Norfolk and Western Railway Com
pany to build another long pier north OF
it's present piers at Lamberts Point.
The Virginian- Pilot has. during the
past few days, interviewed the leading
citizens of Norfolk. Portsmouth and
Berkeley in order to ascertain their
views on this subject These views
have been published for the benefit of
the Harbor Commissioners and this
port The interviews developed not
only the fact that the grant of the pres
ent pier privileges was a mistake il not
an outrage, but that many far-sighted
citizens favor and suggest a movement
looking to the shortening of the exist
ing piers and the refusal of the pend
ing and all similar applications that
contemplate the erection of piers OF
this nature and extent
MIR. EDWARD CAMP.
Mr. Edward Camp, member of the
City Councils from Atlantic City Ward,
said that he is not willing to allow the
Norfolk and Western railway TO go to
the Port Warden's line with the pro-
posed new pier. If the piers are once
get them away. 1t is much wiser to
stop them now If they once get the
Port Warden's line they will never let
CO. Speaking generally, Mr.. Camp said
that the true policy of the city is to
preserve the harbor with the most jeal-
Gus care. He is not willing to concede
that the railway has any right to keen
the coal piers where they are, much less
appear to assist to establish a vested
right for the road by conceding that the
road should have the privilege of build
ing another pier. The question is not,
Will another pier obstruct navigation?
for II Is conceded that the piers already
built are too far out. He said he is
radically opposed to the proposition of
allowing a pier to be built to the Port
Warden's line. The railway should ex-
tend on land. not on water.
HOPKINS OYSTER co.
No trade in the city is more affected
or more earnestly opposed to the pro-
posed pier extension of the Norfolk and
western railway at Lambert's Point
than the oyster trade. Few of the oys-
ter packing houses are open. None of
them is doing any business and most
or the owners are out of town. But
those whom the reporter for the Vir-
ginian- Pilot met yesterday were en-
phatic in dcnouncing the claims of the
Norfolk and Western railway. This is
true of all OF the allied trades connected
with the oyster trade by mutual inter
ests.
A member of the Hopkins Oyster CO.
said the Lambert's Point piers are
great distractions to oyster boats. The
piers cause a contraction OF the channel
and produce n strong current When
the tide is out and the current Is rush
ing by the piers with an increased force
and speed, 1t is impossible for sail boats
to pass. BY contracting the channel
the traffic about the piers is congested
so as to be dangerous to small boats
Now the trade in small boats here is
tremendous. 1t is the great factor In
making Norfolk the important port she
is. The oyster trade alone brings a
great amount of money here and gives
employment 10 large number of men,
II stopped it will be disastrous to the
owners of the boats and of the oyster
houses. and great loss to the city.
Greater obstruction of the Norfolk and
Western will stop the trade of small
boats. One of our bugeyes was run
down at the piers last season and in
iured so that she was out of seyvice
for three weeks. Nearly all of the ac-
cidents of the harbor happen about
those piers. The Norfolk and Western
should not be allowed to put another
pier there. Those which are there
should be cut off.
MIR. w. F. MOORE.
Mr.. w. r. Moore has a ship-yard in
Atlantic City Ward. He does work
chiefly for the men engaged In the oys-
ter packing trade. He said nobody
knows better than I know the harm
that those Norfolk and Western piers
do to shipping. Nobody knows better
than I know the loss the shipping in
terest suffers because of them. know
1t from experience.
MIR. a. L. MCCLELLAN.
Mr.. A. L. Mcclellan. OF the promi-
nent stock firm OF McCleary & McClel-
Ian, took q similar view to Mr.. Ro-
per'S that the petition Is not strong
enough, and that the present pier priv
ilege as asked for should not be grant
ed at all, even If the Norfolk and
Western Company would give a bond.
as suggested. He is utterly opposed to
these long piers. and believes that the
advantages derived by the port are far
outweighed by the resultant damage.
MIR. D. l.. ROPER.
Mr.. D. l.. Roper. of Boykin & Roper.
stated that the petition presented TO
him for his nignature was not strong
enough in that IL seemed to consent 70
the granting of the privilege sought
for new pier providing u bond for it's
removal was given when the space is
needed for harbor purposes. MIR. Ro-
per is strongly impressed with the in
jury to navigation already perpetrated
at Lambert's Point, and strongly op-