The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-08-17
WILL sTANO BY
PETERSBURG LINE
ACTION ON WHARFAGE
MATTER
LIGHT ON SITUATION
RICHMOND DoCk OWNERS SAID TO
BE WILLING TO REPAIR DOCK
II SAME WILL DE REASON
ABLY PERMANENT.

trade committee of the Chamber of
Commerce held yesterday afternoon
in the rooms of the chamber in the
Mutual building, at which q number
OF the leading merchants of the city
and representatives of the f'urman
steamboat line, of Petersburg. were
present
In the absence of Chairman Laird,
OF the committee Mr.. r. II. Caring
ton presided.
After setting out the objects OF the
meeting and giving an outline of con-
ditions at the Richmond dock, Mr.
Carringon called on Assistant city
Attorney Colonel George Wayne An
derson for information.
He asked the eity's legal represen-
tative il there was any possible ar
der that could be issued by any city
court 10 compel action on the part Of
the representatives Of the owners OF
the dock To put IT in such shape that
II could be used.
Colonel Anderson explained that
such power WAS only IN the State
Corporation Commission. lie further
explained that the commission had
set an early date. August g. for the
ming OF thu answ cr by the owners
Of the dock to the city's petition re-
Gently made u the commission
Owners Line of Defense.
Colonel Anderson was Of the opin-
ion that If quorum ri the commits
sion were present on the 22d. IL would
doubtless be possible TO get an early
hearing of the case tte stHrsd that
the probable line OF defense of the
owners of the dock would he that
they did not constitute "A public ser
Vice corporation, ana consequently
were not within the jurisdiction OF
the Corporation Commission.
When asked whether or not ne
thought il would lee the policy OF the
owners 10 fight FOR a DELAY. and should
the case go against them. ta take
an appeal and lie up the matter az
the repairs of the dock indefinitely
Colonel Anderson gave an affirmative
reply He thought that tho owners
had no desire or intention ia keep 4p
the dock and had M organization en-
ahling them 50 ~ do a. THIS time
Must Look Fl@e-y, here
What We have get 10 consider"
said Mr.. Darlington, under these cir
cumstances is TO take other steps tn
relieve the situation. and II ii can
be done to make temporary use ~
the Philadelphia or city dock until
such time 81 the Richmond dock may
be repaired"
Secretary Dunlop. of the Chamber
OF Commerce. then made a statement
81 the wharf situation and II inter
views with ctte officials aud the own
ers of the clyde ine wharf
President Horace Farnum. Of the
Petersburg linz. inquired as II the
cost or repairing the broken gate. af
the Richmond dock Secretary Dun
lop stated that. from the best infaT-
nation at hand. he understood that
me cost would he from s25o0 to
$4,000. that repairs had been made
last May al a cost Of Sizes,
Captain Curtis speaks.
Captain John y. Curtis. probably
tn. best informed man in thu, city
an water front conditions. then nIade
an instructive talk on the situation.
He said that the right hand lower
gate tfT1 tf0CE WIS thu deFCcjIVe
one and that both Of the lower gates
wfr" quite ola. lie explained the
preeess 81 bringing ships into thu
dock and showed that. after the ship
vas in. the whole strain Of yhe water
vas on these weakened gates
He thought that Underline circam-
stances. even We're the city 20 wan it's
contention before me state CORPORA
tlon Commission and procure the is
s9ance 20 an order tn compel the
owners 10 repair the dock xould
Il he possible To get the matter closed
aud tho work dt.re so that use could
b" made II the dock for nso months
and II the city lost In it's contention
there was no telling what the result
weA4ia lse,Sa
He referred to The case where a
contractor had ordered the shipment
Of half million of bricks to the
city, having figured on delivery AT
the Richmond dock. but was com
PEELED to have the largo discharged
nj Nicholson street at a much greater
hauling cost lie said that. with
Mr. Dunlop ana Mr., Goodman he had
interviewed the old Dominion pa.
velopment Company officials relative
to the use Of the clyde line wharf
which has been condemned, but a
part Of which may be arranged for
use. He. however. favored the use
Of the city wharf by the Petersburg
linz. recommending that fierrieks ba
used for the handling of the heavy
freight on account of the height Of
the stru tute-
A Worth While Fact
Captain Curtis brought out the fact
that the dock had sl.647 to It's credit
IN the hands OF the committee of the
Landowners Gnd that MIR Lloyd of
this committee, had said that IL he
i7iif MS associate could he reason
ably assured that If they repaired the
dock now AMI would not be called on
again AT an early date for another
such eNnense they were willing to
advance the remainder OF the money
necessary for the purpose
Captain Curtis said that Mr. Bur
cwynns report as TO the cost Of re-
pairing the dock had gone To Mr. Lloyd
but that such report was not satisfac-
tory For eight years said the
speaker, Il have worked hard 10 put
Richmond dock in the hands OF people
who could and would keep the dock
VI repair. THIS was no new CUES =
lion. said he. II was a question rorsy
years old whether or. not Richmond
shall provide for it's water front com
merce.
Expensive to Coal Dealers.
Mr.. Harrison, representing the coal
firm of Crump and West, said that
his firm now had to unload its coal at
the Chesapeake and Ohio wharf ana
have IL transferred by cars He esti-
ne that twelve thousand tons OF
coal would have to be rehandled by
dealers which had heretofore used the
Richmond dock. at Very much in :
creased cost.
Considerable discussion was fndti1e
ed in at this point along the line OF
patrons of the dock, who handled a
large tonnage. making proposal to
the owners Of the dock to pay ton
mere In advance condition that ish-
mediate relief be given, but no action
was taken on the suggestion.
S25.O00 Wharf i'm Prospect.
A message was received from Presi-
, dent Peters, of the common council,
. that he was endeavoring to get
Ia. tXtf