The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-08-30
THE JAMES MUST Be
|. A GREAT WATERWAY
Five Million Dollars Will
Do the Work; Ocean
Liners to- Come.
CONGRESS WILL
BE APPEALED TO
Subcommittee Holds Preliminary
Meeting and Lays Foundation
for Greater Work-All Rich
nond and All the People
OF Virginia Interested
in Movement.



The proposition to deepen the waters
of the James River from Richmond to
Hampton Roads, or as far in that di-
rection as may be necessary to make
Richmond deep water port. capable
Of holding ships of almost any size, is
not in the slightest degree far
fetched. The thing can be done. and
1t is going TO be done. The James
River Improvement Committee, made
up OF members of the two branches of
the city legislature and of members
of the Chamber of Commerce and other
interests, have given the matter a vast
deal of study, and the conclusion is
that the plan Is entirely feasible.
or course, 1t Will require great
deal of money to make this inlprovc-
ment, but 1t is believed that the money
can be had from the United states
government and other sources.
More Money Wanted.
It is believed that the James River
has been too long neglected. and
that the small appropriations that
have been allowed 1t by the Congress
sional Harbors and Rivers Committee
from time to time have been ridicu-
lously Inadequate: and inasmuch as
the sums SO far allowed have not been
sufficient to do more than to keep the
provement Committee end the Chamber
OF Commerce have decided to make a
greater demand on the government
than ever before, and try to get an
appropriation from the next Congress
that will be large enough to accom-
plish something that Is really worth
the while.
Getting Down to business.
Mr.. w. w. Morton. who is the chair
man of the James River Improvement
Committee, also a prominent member
os the Chamber of Commerce, and the
Virginia vice-president of the National
Rivers and Harbors Congress. has re-
Gently appointed a. s,nbcqmnlittee to
look into the whole Nd .teT aad formu-
I late a program for future procedure
| looking to the obtaining from the gov
ernment of an appropriation of So
100000 for the proper improvement OF
the James River. The following are
the members of the subcommittee: L. H..
Morris, chairman; w. NJ. Turpin and
Robert Lee Peters When the commit
of the full committee. Mr.. Morton was
added to the subcommittee.
Laying the Foundation.
The first meeting of the subcommit-
tee was held at noon yesterday in the
office of the City Engineer. in the City
Hall. The meeting was somewhat In
the nature of conference with the
City Engineer with the view of obtain
| ing necessary information for future
guidance. Colonel William T.. Cutshaw,
the City Engineer, was prepared to-.
and did. furnish the committee with a
vast deal of interesting data as to 1he
work already accomplished. and that
which may be accomplished, and also
as to how it may be done. Facts and
| figures as to the present depth of
water fn3the harbor and down the river,
| the character of the river banks. the
Icharacter of the distractions to be re-
moved. and. the sand bars and mud
banks to be worked upon, We're given
| In intelligent detail.
Whence Comes the Revenue.
The committee requested the City
Engineer to obtain from tho revenue
books of the United States government
figures pertaining to the revenue Rich
mand and the James River country
pay into the Treasury of the United
States. These figures may be neces-
sary In the Forthcoming application
Ito Congress for the needed money to
make the ames a Jreal deep water
route.
These werc but preliminary steps
the committee deems necessary before
going further into the very important
subject.
1t is likely that this subcommittee
will have frequent meetings from now
on, and in due time report to the
| full committee will be made, and then
that committee will be in a position
/ to make the wishes of Richmond and
i the people of the lower James clear
before the Congressional Committee
on Rivers and Harbors
/ i