The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-28

VIEWS Of BUSINESS MEN
Colonel Purcell, Ned Parrish, Of
Cedar Works, and Others
/ Express Opinions.

Commerce, is attracting a. great deal, Of
attention.
In response to an inquiry yesterday as
to his position in the matter Colonel John
u. Purcell expressed himself as follows:
II am In full accord with the move
ncnt on foot to have the Richmond dock
owned ana controlled by the city. as,
apart from the question Of the direct re-
turns upon the Investment. which, IT is
generally believed. will be adequate. !
cannot see why the city should not CO.
operate In building UP It's commercial m
tcrcsts, which so materially contribute
to It's revenue. The enhancement OF tho
value Of tile property in the lower sec
ton OF the city would reimburse 1t FOR
tho outlay which Is advocated ana "
now and ornate schools, public Libraries.
statues monuments, music In the parks,
f etc, are justified and desirable. lh's eS
pcnditure for public utility which would
accomplish great benefits for the people
ana afford many of them Il means OF
livelihood Is to say the least, quite as
important to than az the pleasures ana
(, cnioymcnts of life resulting from the
city improvements referred to-
lanes River a Rate-Maker.
..'rhat the commerce Of James River.
both ii, It's actual and potential effect IN
the controlling influence II has upon rail-
IA tes Is cssc: al to Rchmonds position
ms a commerce. and ma nufacturlng CEN
ter. has been clearly demonstrated al
III. ready by the publications Of the Cham
Der III Commerce and by the Interviews
which have recently appeared IN the city
press. This has also been fully rccog-
nizcd by the large expenditures In the
Improvement of the river and Its harhor
made by the national government ana
the city government y
That its harbor facilities are imperfect
and inadequate by reason of@neglcct and
hbi,se, is equally true. and the only log
ica conclusion IL that the dock. which
Is the largest the best and the safest
part of the harbor. should be rescued
and preserved by the city. which, from
the direct and Indirect revenues which
II may derive. Is most interested In hnv-
Ing this property utilized to the greatest
extent possible.
Municipal Ownership.
"Another important consideration is
that under municipal ownership and
control for which there Is ample prece-
dent IN some OF the most importan ports
OF this country and Of Europe. 1t can DO
brought to It's highest state Of efficiency,
handled most impartlally for the benefit
of the public. and In any arrangements
which may be necessary to bring It in close
touch with the railroad system entering
Richmond, the citySitsclf Is in. H.; position
10 grant franchises and TO secure facili-
tics. which. IL not Impossible. would be
exceedingly difficult In the case. Of pri-
vate ownership
7. Scott Parrish Favors Purchase.
Mr. j. Scott Parrish, of the Richmond
Cedar Works, In answer to a question
as to the Importance OF the city acHulr-
Ing the dock property. said:
ssr e,tir, tsn1 thDf
mittee has reported on this matter adj
versely, for In my opinion there is no
way in which icity can expend s125 900
that will do it as much good. a dock
with the proper facilities for unloading
vessels can be made q very important
economic factor Of the city, and, speak
ing for the Richmond Cedar Works. were
we to- day cut off from river transporta-
ton. our plant would have to close In
two weeks, and moreover. If we did not
enjoy. water ties to all OF the important
cities along tho Atlantic coast, we would
dry up in Il year, and what Is true with
us Is true with a large number OF Hlcn-
mond industries.
"Whilc the dock could never be Of
my use to us, owing to It's distance from
our plant. We feel that to the large job
ping trade and a large number of Rich
mond manufacturers. that It can become
n very important factor In the develop
ment of Richmond, owing to the fact
that a vessel can unload much nearer
the center of the city than Is possn'e
ut present wharves along the James
River nearly all OF which are now
owned by private parties and are too far
removed to handle economically such
freight Tho dock also has very I'M
portant value over the James River
wharvcs, on account of Its being above
the freshet line.
"With the sharp competition that now
.t-fc hntw ptipS for trade or al
kinds. Richmond should offer every In
duccment and facility for lowering
freight rates. for only by maintaining
these natural advantages can she hope
10 maintain and increase her manufac-
turing and idhbing business
How Coal Business is Interested.
Mr.. r. C. Harris, secretary and treas
urcr of the Crllmp and West Coal Conn
many, was questioned at some length
and readily responded to every nterro-
cation point
"Does the traffic of the James River
have any material influence upon RAJ.
rates and upon he cost of articles OF
consumption? was first asked. Mr.. llnr-
ris replied: Enthusiastically 1t does, Ihe
coal dealers of Richmond could not pos
sibly sell anthracite coal at the prices
they do but for n large majority OF u'a
tonnage Of this kind of coal being trans
ported by water The difference betWeeh
''ull rail- freight rates and water rates
on coal is considerable. and. OF course
II there was no competition the rnil rates
would very likely be increased
"Whnt, in your opinion, Is tho relative
Importance of the Richmond dock to this
river traffic?'
"In our opinion, the very life of tho
river traffic depends upon The lpante-
nance of the dock, and If the dock is not
maintained and some sllcl, plan is adopt
ed as is now contemplated, we believe it
will only be n question of time when the
river traffic will amount to very llttle
"What advantage has tho dock as n
harbor for vessels over tho whnrves out
slde?''
''l'he advantages In this respect would
be very great, especially as regards the
freslets in the river, It Is not unusual
for three or four freshes to come In q
year. which submerges the wharves out