The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-01-22
(Oommunicated)
A Plan For Better Boat Service on the
Upper Rappahanncck.
To The Free Lance :


Upper Rappahanncck.
To The Free Lance:
The problem Of quick transportation
in the day time and on something like
schedule time for the upper Rappahan-
mock lie q question in which every man,
woman and child near the river from
Tsppahannock to Fredericksburg, in.
cluded, lie deeply interested. The writer
has studied the question for long time
and had correspondence and talk with
Mr. Williams. Of the Weems Lire, on
the subject. with nothing definite ex'
cept Mr. Williams says he is willing to
favor any plan that will develop the
upper Rappahannock and willing to
put boat on If the business will pay
expenses and keep his boat 10 repair
This Is as fair proposition as the PEG.
die could ask for. Now for a practical
plan Of running this boat to come as
near cutting all interested as lie posi-
BILE The people Of fredericksburg. the
people between Fredericksburg and
TsppahAnnock, and the Weems Line Of
steamers, the people below Pappahan'
mock. have boat every day to Balti-
more, or all the facilities they need.
After thinking Of many schemes, lan6
working them ont only 10 be discarded,
il has occurred 20 the writer that the
proposition stated below would come
nearer filling a long-felt want Of long
suffering people than anything that
can be done. The plan lie simply this !:
Have a special boat to ply between the
wharves from Fredericksburg to Tap.
pahanuock, and go and return direct
from Tspp shamrock to Baltimore. with
out touching at any wharves below
rsppahannock. going or coming Say,
for example. this boat leaves Ffeder-
icksburg at II O'Clock q m. Mondays,
touching at all wharves, gets 70 Tappa.
hammock at p. m. and leaves direct
for Baltimore (not stopping at any
wharves below Tappahannock) arriving
there Tuesdays at, say. 8 a. m. Leave
Baltimore at p m Tuesday direct for
TappAhAnnock where 1t should arrive at
OF s q. m. Wednesday, and on to Fred.
ericksburg, reaching shere at, say p
m. Leaving Fredericksburg at II q.
m. Thursday, Tappahsnnock. as before.
at 2 p. m, arrive In Baltimore, s q NJ.
Friday, leave at 4 p m. Friday. arrive
Tappahannook, 8 a. m. Saturday, and
Fredericksburg 4 p m. that evening,
laying over there Sunday and leave II
q. m. Monday as before, and 80 on.
This would give q service on the up.
per river exclusively in the day time,
whereas now IL is almost entirely In
the night. Il world be Of inoalculable
advantage to shippers Of live stock.
poultry, fish and trucks, getting them
Into Baltimore In 10 hours less time
than now-in fact it would give the
upper Rappahannock as quick transpor.
tation to Baltimore as the people at the
mouth Of the river now enjoy. People
from Tappahannock up could go to
Fredericksburg to shop and return, only
one night away from home. and while
the time in Fredericksburg would be
limited, IL the Business Mems Associa-
tion there would get q permanent round.
trip Communication rate for their patrons
on the river. IL, under this plan. would
do more to build up trade than all the
excursions in lifetime. The route is
too long TO run as IL is done now. An
independent route for the upper river
to Baltimore and an independent one
to spit the lower river Is q feasible,
practical plan. The people must move
in this matter. and Mr.. Williams Is
ready and obliging and knows that
what will develop this section will be
of mutual benefit to his line. We can
apply to him through petition gotten
up along the river and In Fredericks-
burg, or by committee selected by con-
ference Of representative men along the
river with Frederioksburg's Business
Mems Association. There has been no
developments on the upper Rappahan-
mock In % years and no one will come
here to locate as long as we have the
abominable service we now have. Peo-
pie living down the river are turned
out Of all hours Of the night. in every
kind Of weather; IL is barbsrous and
inhumau and must not be tolerated in
these progressive times. BY not having
10 touch at the wharves below Tappa-
hammock we could have something like
schedule time on the upper river.
We have stood this backwoods system
already too lOng;a new century has
come, our service lie 30 years behind the
times. let Us get together and effect a
change so we can at least feel as II we
were IN the United States again and
not in South America. These reforms
must come aud such an one 80 this,
while not all we could wish for, will
make She upper Rsppahannock more
will develop this section,
and from every fiEeside It win be said
Of the change, II is good.
Robert Beverley.
Oaret Essex o.. Va, Jan. 10, 1901.