The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-02-07
HOLD WHIP HAND
OVER RAILROADS
Council Refuses to He e d
Warning From Advocates
for City Wharf
MILLIONS In RATES
MAY BE AFFECTED
So Declares Marshall Ward
Members in Pleading for
Construction of New
Municipal Dock

six millions OF dollars In freight
rates are at stake" said Councilman
George w. Rogers. or Marshall ward.
In the course of argument Monday
night when the Common Council re-
jected the resolution calling for the
appropriation of S33.7so for the
award Of q contract for erection OF a
concrete buikhead wharf for the city.
with an amednment providing for the
blasting cut OF ledge of rock In
front OF the proposed wharf at cost
Of 5.400.
And it's nigh time" he added.
that we were taking proper steps
ito hold whip over the heads of the
railroads. The Council Is committed
to q concrete wharf, and there Is no
use sending the measure back to the
Committee on James River Improve
ment. which has been considering 1t
for more than year already"
Traces Wharf History.
Mr.. Rogers spoke as chairman OF
this committee. and traced the his
tory OF the movement for better
wharfage facilities.
ITS the prettiest whip imaginable
TO hold over the railroads" declared
Councilman Fred II. Powell. of Hen
ry ward. no led of In the debate
on behalf of the wharf.
Mr.. Powell took occasion to point
out that when the James River Navi-
cation Company sold out To the Old
Dominion Steamship Company freight
rates jumped SO per cent
THAT SHOWS the importance OF our
providing facilities for shipping to
keep UP competition" he insisted.
Mr.. Powell also declared that the
railroads own every piece OF prop
erty on the river front. with the ex-
ception OF the slip In possession OF
the city.
Business Being Diverted.
He was followed by Councilman
Radcliffe. ~ Lee ward. who said that
shipping business was already being
diverted from Richmond because OF
the lack Of adequate wharfage faciii-
Ties.
ITS a matter Of business policy
and absolutely essential that We have
a dock declared Councilman Blake.
OF Monroe ward. For instance. her
rings have gone up So barrel within
the last year and higher rates are
largely responsible for the raise.
How many dollars in freight rates
do you pay out every year, he ask
ed of Councilman Paliock. who took
the lead in opposing the building OF
q concrete wharf at this time.
None" replied the Madison ward
member. Il buy my herrings by the
dozen and not by the barrel"
Suggesss Timber Wharf.
Mr.. Pollock insisted that II the city
was going to maintain wharf &c
could be built more cheaply with
timber and would be just as service
able. He suggested that the length
of the proposed dock be cut down at
least ene~haff '''
but shA8 would hardly allow fsr
two schoonsrA" put in Chairman Pol
lard, of the finance committee. which
had reported favorably on tho resolu-
ton.
THE space would be ample for two
of the kind Of sehooners I've been ac-
customod to-" rejoined Mr.. Pollock
without thinking AZ TO how his re-
mark might be interpreted.
The council laughed as Mr.. Pol
lock resumed his seat and Council
man Jones. from Washington ward.
remarked that Mr.. Poliock's schoon-
ers perhaps measured only six inches
In Lengthy
Yields TO Others.
Mr.. Pollard. commenting first upon
the measure after the report from
his committee had been read. said
that while he was unable 10 see the
urgent necessity OF city wharf. he
had yielded to the views OF leading
business men Of Richmond. who took
the opposite stand.
The fnal vote stood rs to IL. and
the resolution was declared rejected.
not having received q two-thirds vote
necessary for an appropriation
The vote stood IA follows:
Ayes--Messrs. Batkins. Blake, Bos-
chen. Bradley. Brown. Burke. Cease,