The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-08-14
WANT fLATBOATS
ON JAMES RIVER
Upper Valley League Inquiries
Into Feasibility Of Restoring
Bateau Service.
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CALL ON conaREssMEn
Bateau Transportation from
Lynchburg to Deep Water i
Is Desired.

The executive committee or tha ~.
per James River Valley League bcI6
a meeting In the office of the secro.
tary at Tenth and Main Streets on Mon.
day, and for an hour or mora consn,.
ered various matters looking to in
aug uratlns the active work of advanc-
Ing the interests of .thc Upper Valley.
All the members of the committee wero
pres save , one, Messrs w. L. Grant,
Wickham and Rev. Martin johnson an
sWering TO roll call.
Rcnching for ConErcssmcn.
This was the first session of the com.
nittee since the general meeting NJ
me league last week. and the proceed
ings We're somewhat Informal WaS,.s
and mans to bring the attention or t,,,.
outside world to the advantages of ihe
valley of the Upper James were dis
cussed, aud line of procedure waa
mapped out. The following resol,,tin,,
was adopted: -
"Rcsoivcd, Tint the president of
Tue league he requested 10 COM
nnnic"te with our senators, and
Glass, Lnssiter nnd Hay, nnd re,
quest them TO use their influence
with the national government 10
have rs. soon IN practicable n sur
Vcy made by i-x engineers, of tie
upper james. with n view Of as-
pertaining the feasibility Of sccur.
Ing bntenu transportation from
l.ynchhurg to deep water and the
probable cost of the undertaking.,
1t has been so long since hateaus
transportation has been fashionable in
Virginia that an explanation may be
necessary. A bateau Is n big hatboat
that Is propelled by muscular pow 81,
long poles being used by le-bodiei
men TO both steer and propel the loaded
Ma Ma boat. It t. in fact. a canal boat in
the river with the mule power on tna
towpath missing. In olden times many
OF the Virginia rivers were lined with
bateau boats and immense quantities
Of goods were hauled on them. 1t is n
SLOW Inc at best but it is cheap and
safe. n such a rapid current as the
upper James We're the stream cleaned
out and improved, and the channcl
deepened, n basean could make fairly
way the big loads would be haule,l
Going up stream with n load would be
a more difficult matter, but by no means
an impossibility If the water were
| deep enough.
Getting In Touch.
| In accordance with this resolution
| Secretary Charles M. Robinson last
night mailed letters to Congressman
Lamb. Glass, Hay and Lassiter. These
| letters read as follows.
| Denr Sir,-At II meeting Of tile
executive committee of the Upper
james River valley League, held In
! the city Of ftlchlnOnd on the 18TH
] inst, the resolution attached to this
| letter was passed. AS II part Of
your diNtrict IL In the Upper james
| River Valley, I hope we are going
! to have your active and hearty CO.
| OIcrntIon In building M and im-
! proving this section TO the end
| that the whole State Will be, bcnc-
| fitted.
PlcnEe let me know In advance of
| Your visit to Richmond, nv / would
1 Ike to have your advice in regard
| to the best mode of procedure to
| obtain III. Legislation we VIII re-
Huirc. Yours truly,
w. r.. GRANT, President.
1 1t Is quite evident that the Uppal
James River Valley League means bust.
1 ness.