Evening journal., 1913-03-13
NORFOLK
FIGHTS
FOR DOCKS
President Of Commission Gives
Reasons Why Thriving Vir-
Ginia Seaport Should
Have Public Piers
DISCUSSES THEIR RELATION
TO HIGH FREIGHT RATES

NORFOLK. Va. March 13--After a
two-hour executive session OF the |
Dock and Belt Line Commission, W. I
f. r. Griffith, president gave out a
three-page typewriter brief, signed
by himself. The brief is a general
argument in favor OF public docks and
terminals for Norfolk. This paper
was prepared by Mr. Griffith and given
out for publication by him as presi-
dert of the commission.
Those at the meeting were W. F. r.
Griffith, Thurmer Hoggard, A. Christie,
J. c. Prince and j. r. Whitehurst G.
NJ. Barnett, vice president, and e. c.
Hathaway were not present.
The statement given out by Presi-
dent Griffith is as follows
Should Docks Be Builtl
Possibly you have not heard it
but hear it every day. We have
enough docks in Norfolk, why should
we build more?
1T is true Norfolk harbor seems
to be full of docks, but stop to con-
slider for "a moment by whom they are
owned and controlled.
After going over the situation very
carefully you find there is not one
single dock owned or controlled by
the City of Norfolk but every dock
is owned or controlled by the several
railroads which enter Norfolk or their
affiliated steamship lines. Under these
conditions is it not time that the
citizens of Norfolk we're demanding
municipal owned docks, terminals and
belt lines?
"If municipal docks we're built, a
terminal constructed, having adequate
re-enforced concrete warehouses, fac
tory loft buildings, equipped with
cheap power, a sprinkling system,
reducing the insurance rate, and
equipped with the latest mechanical
appliances for handling freight, the
whole system being connected by a
belt line giving equal facilities both
for water and rail shipment then the
people of Norfolk would realize the
power they would thus be able to eX-
ercise upon transportation rates
throughout the country, in their sole
possession of an independent highway
for the free transportation of freight
and at the very minimum of cost
1T must be remembered that what
ever charges are imposed by the rail-
roads for the transportation OF
freight, are borne by the people who
either use or consume the products
carried upon them in the one case, or
the cost of their carriage is added to
the things they sell to others by
whatever amount the railroads charge
for their carriage
Why are Rates Hight
III railroad rates are high, then
there is a necessary abridgement in
the quantities of things that the great
bulk Of the people are able to con-
sumo, because the cost becomes pro-
hibitive. Vice versa, If railroad rates
are high, there is a limit placed upon
the area within which the people
may dispose at a profit of the things
they produce when carried by the
railroads. While, therefore, the rail-
road stock and bondholders. in the
first place, pay for the construction
and equipment of their roads, their
cost ultimately falls upon the people
who pay the rates, either upon the
freight or passenger carriage, that
the railroads impose. No less Is
this true of terminals, depots and sta
tions that the railroads are forced e
acquire for the proper conduct OF
their business While their first cos
Is paid for by the railroads, their ulti
mate cost is paid for by the people
for whose use and convenience the,
are established.
when the city shall have estab
! Mshed an adequate terminal giving
equal facilities both for rail and wa
ter shipments, then the people vii
, begin to realize the advantages o
1 lower rates of transportation upon
much larger number and much larg
er quantity OF different commoditioe
than now. and this will serve to stim
, lulate more general consumption be
cause of the lower cost Of the ar
tcles thus more cheaply car
ried. II should be plain, there
fore. that the creation OF munici
pal terminals will accrue wholly Z
the advantages of the people. Tn
railroads, 10 the extent that commodi
= ties are then carried upon the waite
that have previously been forced upo
the railroads because of the lack O
municipal terminals, will no longer b
d.. able to so completely dominate tn
= business OF Interpretations, at leas
!. within this seahoard, as they hav
hitherto been able to do
For Municipal Terminal.
"A municipal terminal therefor'
2 should not appear to the people as a
= additional expense laid upon them, a
y additional burden for them to beal
u but. on the contrary. they shoul
clearly see that the terminal wi
mean a tightening of many heavy buI
~ dens now imposed upon them by I'll
e high rates railroads are able TO chare
a. for the transportation of freight ths
e will then be more cheaply carried b
p the waterways.
8 III the primary cost seems to
~ large. the ultimate Dement'S in lowe
~ freight rates thus assured will offsi
a, the primary cost. many time owe
~ and this Is a fact that cannot be 70
" strongly emphasized. II is one thS
the people should have brought vividl
OF TO their attention. because the inev
~ table tendency viii be TO magnii
IA the ost and to minimize the benefits
II, Statistics show that municipi
rs owned docks IN no way tends TO dimil
ish the revenue OF a railroad syster
ip but on the other hand has tendenc
n to relieve the railroads OF the bul
I'd freight. which congests their lines ar
o. Increases the short haul packa.
". freight and passenger surface, upC
I'D which most railroads depend to r
T. turn the interest on the moneys i
vested.