The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-05
WILL BUY DOCKS,
SAYS MIR. FREEMAN.
Chairman of Committee is Not
Downcast BY Action of FL
nance Committee.
WHARF FACILITIES NEEDED
Says Dock Would Be Factor in
Proper Regulation OF
Rates
WHARF FACILITIES NEEDED

When asked last night regarding the
action OF the Finance Committee of the
City Council in voting against the prop
osttion to purchase the Richmond dock,
Mr.. John c. Freeman said that the com
nittec of which lie Is chairman feels
u that tho plan will yet be adopted by
TIE Council.
The following extracts are taken from
statement prepared by Mr.. Freeman:
The dock from, the head of navigation
ut Seventeenth Street to the inner gate
of the ship-lock is in length about $3.50
feet. OF the wharf frontage on the north
side of the dock some 40 feet, Is the
property Of private owners: the remain
ing 5000 feet is the property of the dock
and can now it is said, accommodate
about ten vessels of $50 feet in length
Tor proportionately greater number of
smaller crafp. those of $50 feet in length
being Noout the largest size sailing YES
sci that can be safely received in the
Fhip-lock. At a moderate expenditure,
however, it is believed that the capacity
of the dock can be more than doubled
by preparing the south bank to accom-
rnodate vessels, and this would rebound
TO the advantage and convenience Of q
number OF shippers. 1t would also render
available for use in various ways the
strip Of land about 80 feet wide on the
south side of the dock, extending from
n point opposite Eighteenth Street to the
ship-lock. about 300 feet frontage. which
goes with the dock property
Only Harbor Available. :
From the foregoing. 1t will be seen that
the dock is now practically the only part
of the harbor available for the general
use of water-borne commerce to and
from Richmond. and that 1t affords by
far the most important and extensive
frontage available for berthing vessels.
81 the entire harbor facilities We're i'm
proved presenting. as 1t does. total.
frontage Of 6+50 feet for that purpose.
as against $3.50 feet on the river front.
only 1000 feet dncuding 200 feet of the
Clyde Line). OF which is unoccupied and
consequently represents the frontage
available for general use outside of the
dock
Should the dock. therefore. for any
reason become unavailable, the business
of the port. outside of that transacted
by the few parties named. located be-
tween the ship lock and Gilles Creek.
and the shipping on the south bank of
the river. and that of certain enterprises
below the city limits. would be COM
pletely suspended for the want of wharf
facilities.
Protection of Rates.
The Indirect benefits to the city of
Richmond which can be expected from
preserving the Richmond dock in an eff
cient condition, and with facilities to in
vite commerce. would, 1t is believed. JUS
tify its acquisition by the city. For it
appears absolutely necessary to afford
such facilities TO foster and develop the
river traffic. upon which traffic the man
ufacturing and commercial interests Of
tho city greatly depend for the proper
regulation of rail rates. Therefore. IL
for the regulation of rail rates its water
borne commerce is necessary. and If to
foster this commerce. adequate facili-
ties are now badly needed-a proposition
which no one will deny-the failure of
this community to preserve the dock.
which is not only essential to the accom-
modation of any additional commerce,
but 10 Its present commerce. would in
evitably affect most injuriously the man
ufacturing and commercial interests.
those great producers of wealth and
taxable values upon which the city must
largely depend for its revenue.
Prospective Value.
AS late as 1900 the receipts were $4,000
lie
shows n revenue of $500, or 4-7.1o per
cent. and there are many ways in which
the revenue of the dock could be con-
siderably increased.
a singh case ..may be cited for illus
tration.' A. large lumber dealer informs
your committee that lumber now shipped
from Bermuda Hundred, city Point and
Petersburg. handled by Richmond deal
crs would be largely by preference ship
trhv, n fct,n
afforded for storing cargoes and load
Ing them. The dockage paid by these
shipments at the three points named Is
now stated to be about $4,000, and the
dealer referred to estimates that at least
pne-half of them could be diverted to
Richmond. under favorable conditions.
Immense Growth.
Again city whose manufactured pro-
ducts in 1884 amounted to s24 697.5o7, and
whose jobbing trade the same year
amounted to about s1sOiC0,loo, but in 1904
whose manufacturing establishments pro-
duced an output Of over 10000, 600, and
whose iobbing trade amounted to over
s3l 10000 showing an increase of over
14l per cent. in its manufactures and over
1s3 per cent. in Its jobbing trade. and
whose general wealth and banking ia
ctlities have Increased as has Richmond
can certainly expect that its river trat-
nc may be to n considerable extent in
creased II suitable facilities are afford
ed; and that number of important
manufacturing and commercial enter
prises would locate themselves convent
entity to the dock, with view of util-
izfng that desirable harbor for shipments
by water, in order that they might not
De entirely dependent upon the railroads
FOR reasonable rates
|H.tt.