Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1907-10-18
THAT RAPPAHAENOCK TRADE.
lNorfolk Virgtnian-Pilotl

Norfolk Virginian-Pilot.)
The Virginian-Pilot has on more than
one occasion called attention to the
magnificent trade possibilities which
Norfolk is neglecting by failure to cul
tivate the Rappahannock river terri
tory. There are few, if any, richer
sections in the State than the Kappa
hammock river valley, nor one which
offers more fertile field for the trade
development. The five counties COM
prising the Northern Neck and the four
on the South side of the Rappahannock
together contain an area of nearly
nineteen hundred square miles and
havea an aggregate population of approx
imately eighty thousand. Within this
territory are about eight thousand
farms, which annually yield products to
the value of three million dollars, while
its fisheries, principally oysters, bring
In gross revenue of something like
million and half dollars a year. In
addition to this, the lumber output of
the section amounts to about three
quarters of million dollars year,
making the total outgoing trade of the
territory total in excess of five millions
in value annually.
Naturally this trade should be han
died through Norfolk. which, because of
its nearness and other advantages, is
the logical distributing point for the
products of the section. Instead of
this being the case, however, the great
bulk of the RappahanDock river trade
goes to Baltimore, which is at least
four hours further away. From this
rich and populous territory lying al
most at its very doors Norfolk gets
practically nothing either in the way of
outgoing orin-coming trade; for natur-
ally the latter follows the same chan
nels as the former.
The reason for this, as has often been
pointed out, lies in the absence of any
thing like adequate means of communi-
| cation between this port and the Rap
pahannock river territory. All the
transportation facilities of that section
| are in the hands of the MARYLAND.
Delaware and Virginia Railway Com
pany, whose interests are more closely
allied with Baltimore than with Nor
folk and which uses its monopoly to
divert trade to the former port as far
as possible. The Norfolk service con-
sisting of a weekly or semi-weekly
boat, seems to be operated for the
purpose of preventing rather than en-
couraging the upbuilding of trade with
this port. While some improvements
have been made in the character of
the boats on this line within the last
year or SO, the schedule of sailings is so
arranged as to consult neither the con-
veniance of shippers nor the needs of
the trade on either end. The sole OBJ
lect OF the company in operating this
line seems to be to give the minimum
service which will serve to keep out
an opposition line and so enable it to
monopolize the Rappahannock river
trade and to handle and divert it as it
pleases. Manifestly, so long as this
condition obtains, it is not to be hoped
that more than a mere modicum of that
trade will come to Norfolk, to which it
naturally and logically belongs.
If this condition is to be remedied
and the Rappahannock river trade
brought to this port, it is distinctly up
to the business and commercial interests
of Norfolk to act. And the present
seems to be an especially opportune
time for action. We are informed that
the people of the Rappahannock river
territory are greatly dissatisfied with
the transportation facilities furnished
them by the Maryland, Delaware and
Virginia Railway Company, even the
Baltimore service, and would welcome
and support any effort to provide ade-
quate means of communication with
Norfolk. Their natural preference is
for this port, but, in addition, they re-
alize that Norfolk offers advantages as
distributing point for their products.
especially oysters, not possessed by its
rival at the head of the Patapsco, in
the handling of this product, espec-
tally. quickness of delivery is an essen
tial factor, and in this respect Norfolk
has an advantage over Baltimore of
four hours from Rappahannock and two
hours from Potomac river points, while
its unexcelled transportation facilities,
both rail and water, guarantee minimum
delay in forwarding to points of desti-
nation.
| The opportunity is one which Norfolk
should not hesitate to embrace and make
the most of. The establishment of a
line of steamers between this port and
the Rappahannock river points, operat-
ing boats suited to the needs of the
trade and accommodating the schedule of
j sailings to the convenience of shippers,
would, it is safe to say. meet with sue
cess and prove a profitable investment
from the very start. The people of the
territory which it is proposed to serve
would not only welcome and support
such a line by giving it their trade,
but would, we believe, even cooperate
with Norfolk in furnishing the capital
with which to inaugurate it. In NO
other way than by the establishment OF
such line can Norfolk ever hope to
secure the trade of that territory. Or
this poinf thara ic No ,-o,,,o Co.. 5;eyo-oro<