The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-06-16
AZ to West Point.

Il Richmond man. ore who IS in.
close touch with RichEonds financial
and business interests, nut one VINO !s
modest and hates to So. his name in
print. sends the Industrial GATOR the
views below. While he goes beyond
the limit IS TO words ana sentences a.
required at the head OF This co!umn. /
guess L VIII have to give MIN the
space required lie letter. addressed
70 the editor. is a follows:
1t Is interesting to note the late
comments and suggestions for i'm
provcment OF Richmond's water facI!i-
Ties since the new Port Richmond idea
WAS advanced by the Industrial Editor
of Tho Times Dispatch.
The editorial in a late issue of the
News Leader was especially interest
ing and rather amusing in its efforts
10 set forth the superior advantages
o! the James River. The mention OF
ship canal from West Point 10 R!ch-
mono wac wholly irrelevant TO the
discussion OF the real idea OF max
ing the York River serve Richmond.
II Richmond believes she must
bring the water inside her corporate
limits in order to become q port she
is not as broad in her vision of fu-
ture greatness as she ought TO be. In
stead OF wasting her energies la an
erdeavor to bring the seat TO her. let
Ter rather stretch out her hand and
grasp an arm OF the sea and call it
her own. making II serve her purpose,
according TO the original suggestion
OF the Industrial Editor.
Within five years the city OF New
York will have millions invested in
terminal property along the shores or
Long Island. over 100 miles from the
city itself Los Angeles. over nifty
miles from the sea, uses the port OF
a padr I1.f+ Il oil h.. l.a
self that she would have If the deep
water came within her city limits
Surely Richmond will not allow a
matter OF thirty-eight miles of rail-
way to keep her an inland city. nor
will she foolishly waste her own and
Uncle Sans money in an endeavor to
accomplish the subsection or the
james River.
Excellent port" the News Leader
says, and in the same breath an
ncunces that the contractors for the
government have about finished the
tUrping basin. How many ships will
that turning basin hold? If the whole
James River for FIVE miles around
Richmond were full of turning basins
there would not be room for one-half
of the ships that used to handle cotton
out ot West Point.
Why is it that Richmond should be
blind to the immense advantages she
could gain by utilizing West Point as
her harbor? 1t is willful blindness.
too. for q half day spent In investi-
cation will satisfy the most skeptical.
tina: harbor facilities already exist
a: West Point. such as could not be
duplicated by work on the James
River at Richmond not If the Rivers
and Harbors Committee would appro-
pirate $20.0O0.000.
Richmond should profit by the en-
perience of all the great seaport cities
OF the country and not allow the rail-
road and steamship companies to get
control of all the water fronts A
. terminal company should be formed
right here In Richmond with Rich
mond capital and railway tracks De
laid to terminal docks at West Point
These tracks could be leased to all
the roads entering Richmond. Ships
from all ports Of the world would
land their cargocs at new Port Rich
mond. and from Richmond they would
be. distributed throughout the Interior
of the country to greater advantage
than from any other point Look at a
map of the United. States and see IL
this Is not reasonable. a ship will enter
the capes and pass up the York River
and dock at West Point within two
hours of the time she can dock at