Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1900-07-13
Communicated
THE CUSTOM HOUSE.


very much concerned about the agi-
tation of the question of removing
the Custom House from Tappahan-
mock to Reedville. lie says that
"Urbanna or Irvington would be
more accessible to a larger number
of vessel owners than Reedyille."
Urbanna is about third Of the
way from Windmill Light to Tappa-
hammock, and if vessel is compelled
TO enter the Rappahannock it is but
very little more trouble to keep on
to Tappahannock instead of enter
ing Urbanna Creek. OF course Iry-
ington is better than Urbanna, be-
cause of its being nearer the mouth
of the river and to Reedville. AS
the distance from Tappahannock in
creases TO points nearer and nearer
Reedville the advantages to be gained
increase in proportion until the latter
point is reached. Reedyille has
more natural advantages than any
other place in the Customs district.
1t has deep water aud a plenty of it.
The Custom House is the only favor
ever asked of Congress by the people.
UrbanEa and other points are eLer-
naily seeking an appropriation for
digging out the various shallow
creeks on which they are situated.
ReedVille does none of this. 1t does
not ask the custom house as favor
to help bolster its industries, nor as a
"plum" for its politicians, for it does
not need it. But it does ask, and it
is the only thing, that its many ad-
vantages over all other places in the
customs district shall be impartially
Investigated, and that the almost OBJ
solete customs office be removed there
if it shall be found chat it is the
most suitable and convenient place
for 1T. Aud that is all. Reedville
has no hustling politicians (they live
in other parts of the county,, but it
is straight business, and makes. this
custom house removal as plain
businesslike proposal, because of the
peculiar fitness of the place for the
accommodation of the vessels owned
in the district.
The Sentinel says further: "Not
a vessel owner on the Rappahannock
favors the change, and we can sit at
our desk and count more than one
hundred such gentlemen"
The Sentinel must have exception
al facilities for counting, and most
extended acquaintance among the
salts of the Rappahannock, to be
able to count more than one hundred
vessel owners on that river; but then
the owners may be ten or dozen to
one vessel, on an average, and not
one man to each vessel. One hun
dred vessels and one hundred owners
of vessels are different things alto
gether.
This writer is not so familiar with
the number of vessel owners, and nec-
essarily his counting rowers are
somewhat limited when he depends
on his acquaintance or imagina-
ton. So he has only to rely upon
the triiling facts Of an official record
of the custom house at Tappahan-
mock for his figures.
In the list OF vessels and steamers
registered at Tappahannock, copy
Of which is before the writer, Urban
ma is credited with being the resi-
dence of the owners of fourteen ves-
sells. The game list gives to Reed
vile and Fairport and vicinity about
one-fourth of the entire number reg
istered in the district. and to Nor
thumberland county alone about
one-half of the whole number.
Then the Potomac side of Westmore-
land bobs up with more than thirty
to its credit. SO, you see, the Senti-
mel will please excuse us for prefer
ring the official record to the
editorial returning board, unless. In
deed, the Rappahannock vessels are
each owned by separate syndicate;
then, of course, we are ready to apol-
ogize. GEORGE II. SMITH.
Sunny bank. Va.