The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-02-11

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rates by obtaining contributions from
those directly interested. That method
was proved inadequate and very OBJ
jectionable and II Is time for us to
realize that the whole membership of
the chamber is Interested in general
traffic affecting our commerce as IA
whole, l am opposed to the chamber
calling on Its members tor contri-
buttons to any special cause. and
therefore recommend that at the first
meeting of the board an Appropriation
for the above purpose be made. that
the Inland Trade Committee will not
p be embarrassed in handling these mat
tiers in future.
Union Depot.
In my report last year I discussed
a union depot for Richmond, and
stated that / hoped that in the course
of the year concrete pfaus would be
arranged which would be satisfactory
both to the railroads and to Rich
mond. l. had in mind at that tit"e a
compromise proposition; that OF bring
ing the local trains of the Norfolk ard
Western and Coast Line into Fifteenth
Street Station, and the building of
station at the Belt Line and Broad
Streets, for the fast through trains.
to take care of the needs of Rich
mond for fifty or a hundred years to
, station, and insurlng to Richmond that
all trains north and south would stcD
at Richmond. / am pleased to report
that the sentiment has crystaltized in
favor of this proposition, and fev
-daYs ago Mas much GraLiaed- tn-IlnGt
by appointment, Mr.. Walters. of the
Coast Line, and Mr.. White, of the r.,
F. and p r, r.. and to have present
advocating this plan officers Of the
ri y, bar he al m I'm a
of the retail dealers. the president OF
the Board of Aldermen. the chairman
of the Street Committee. the CttT Ar
torney and two leading bankers. |
am not able at this time definitely TO
predict what tt1r results WRIT be, Init
l feel that the day is not far distant
when this plan Will be adopted.
Improvement of James River.
In my report q year ago. ] called the
attention of the chamber to the a.
important question of deepening and
strengthening James River, for the pur-
pose OF restoring the transportation
Of water borne commerce on that river
to meet modern requirements ana the
development of transportation ta'lL
ties al rates which inevitably follow
the utilization of adequate water
routes Few. If any. outside of those
who have studied the problem Of water
transportation have any idea of ITS
actual benefits l urged az that time
that the body stand as Unit in de-
handing at the hands of Congress the
proper execution of the project o. inn
proving James River, according to the
commitments of the governments it
having been allowed to dra@ aI9nE
and almost cease for the lack II .'ic-
quate appropriations.
am pleased TO report that Senators
Martin and Swanson and Congress
man Montague have become deeply
interested and enthusiastic over this
project. At the request II Senator
Martin and through him. a conference
was arranged with observation-disclosures
=. r. Jervey. United States engineer ~
charge of this district, which con-
ference was held in the auditorium OF
the chamber on September I. In adj
ditton to those already mentioned,
there were present Captain ;. II.
Yonge assistant United States engi-
neer. and about 100 Of the most rep
resentative citizens Of Richmond The
object of the conference was thor
ouEhly discussed by our senator's and
congressman. Colonel Jervey. Mr. 8.
d. Crenshaw. Mr.. Frank u. Williams,
MIR John c. Freeman and number
Of others. Two arguments which can
not be too frequently insisted upon
were impressed upon that meeting
One was that the decrease of the
water-borne commerce of James
River was not responsible for the fall-
ure of the government properly 10
nrovide for its Improvement, but thar,
on the other hand, the failure of the
government properly TO provide for
its Improvement was responsible Tor
the decrease of the water-borne conf
uerce Of the river. The other premise
was that the Improvement of James
River cannot and shall not be mini
mized by the oft-repeated, but empty
argument, that, because the water
rates from New York TO Richmond
are no higher than the water rates
from New York to Norfolk, therefore,
we had all that We rould reasonably
Nope FOR from u further Improvement
of James River. There was never
greater fallacy than this. The i'm
provement of James River stands for
communication by direct steamers
with the outside world. whereby our
manufacturers can obtain their raw
material on equal terms with other
open ports whereby our merchants
with unrestricted capital can bring 10
this port commodities in volume. The
volume OF property transported be-
tween Richmond and New York Is a
mere fraction Of the volume which
will enter the port of Richmond from
the outside world and leave the port
of Richmond for the outside worie
when our river is deepened and
Strengthened.
The meeting was most enthusiast
tic one. and Colonel jervey expressed
himself as being convinced that this
work should be continued and finished
as speedily as possible l am reliably
informed that the recommendations OF
the Engineering Department for an
adequate appropriation for James
River in the present rivers and Har-
bors bill is a satisfactory one.
Congressman Montague recently
telegraphed requesting that a COM
mittee from the chamber be sent
TO Washington to present the James
River matter TO the Rivers and Har-
hors Committee OF the House of Rep
resentatives Accordingly, special
committee, composed of Mr.. 5, T.
Morgan, Mr. Frank D. Williams. MI
George Bryan, Mr.. John c. Freeman
Mr. ]. F. Ryland, Mr.. William II
Adams and Mr.. w. I, Da bney, appear
ed before that committee. In a con-
versadon with Mr.. Montague few