Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-08-05

vigation and also to all navigation on
account of the hiding of Lambert's
Folnt hight by the piers. when leaving
port gong out. He states that at
hlsnt plots are compelled 20 hug the
port side OF the channel in order to
see the light.
;, no regards the suggested cutting off of
uospi,dt Foint as Of far less importance
1edl me shortening of the Ldmborfs Point
piers. He states that there is now far
more room between Hospital Point and
Fort Norfolk than between Lambert's
FONT and the anchorage ground on
Craney Island flats. :
Mr.. Spedden has been sailing on
these waters for the past twenty four
years and thus should be competent
TO Judge OF past and present conditions
anu the erect OF the present piers and
ADDED piers on general navigation.
FIGURES VS.. FACTS.
"A citizen who is inclined to nnalyze
figures and their bearing on facts has
peen pondering on the question wheth-
er the Norfolk and Westerns coal ex-
ports are of such value to this port as
TO counterbalance the damages result
ing to other local interests by reason
or the construction of the proposed
pier and other piers that may be built
with this pier privilege as a precedent.
IL Is true that Thousands of tons of
coal seek the sea at this point. This
coal industry supports thousands of
miners at the coal fields and the
freights from mines to sea pour thou
sands OF dollars into the Golfers of the
norfolk and Western Railway Com
pany. This profit is one in which Nor
iolk seems to have little If any share
When the coal reaches this port it is
unioaded' mechanically from the piers
into the vessels, and the local labor
employed in this operation is small
Again, 1t may be stated that the Nor
ioik and Western pays large taxes on
us piers. This does not go to Norfolk
or Portsmouth. but. in the main, to the
STATE. SO the local benefit in this direc-
ton is small.
The opinion of Mr.. Henry kim, for
twenty-five years a member OF the
Board OF Harbor Commissioners, and
gentleman whose opinion carries
weight in. any matter on which he
speaks. as we'll as many other careful
business men, is that the building of
piers out to the Port Warden's line
VIII convert what Is yet grand ma
rine avenue of approach to the city
INTO narrow, tortuous canal.
Mr.. Geo. Dawes and others regard
this as blow at our mosquito fleet =,
the value of which to this entire sec
tion OF the State can hardly be over
estimated.
In days past this fleet sailed over an
unobstructed. broad area of water up
to the wharves with it's burden of
truck, fish aud oysters and then away
again.
The Lambert's Point pier was built
out 500 or more feet, and this. over the
protest of far seeing citizens, seems
to have been the beginning of the end.
unless a halt is called
All trust and executive power must
be lodged somewhere. In matters con-
Sernlng our harbor 1t Is lodged In the
Board of Harbor Commissioners. That
this trust was abused seems to be the
opinion OF many citizens who have ex-
pressed themselves on the subject.
coming back to our subject. are the
| statistical figures of coal exports from
this port (Which are very nice to look
| at, and fiatter our vanity worth the
cost in damages to the solid business
interests of this section?