Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-08
TILE PROTEST AGAINST
WITHDRAWAL OF SERVICE
Patrons Of Virginia Navigation COM
SSi pany Ask Corporation COM
mission to Act.
MEANS BIG LOSS OF PRODUCE
The Nearest Railway Is Twenty-Five
Miles Away, and Valuable River
Farm Lands May Have to Be
Abandoned.

Patrons OF the Virginia Navigation
Company at Sandy Point, one OF the
principal wharves along the James
River for receiving and shipping farm,
produce Of all kinds. advised the State
Corporation Commission yesterday that
cancellation Of freight and passenger
rates for the steamer Pocahontas.
scheduled to take effect on next Fri
day. would mean virtual ruination Of
Transportation facilities for that entire
section of country.
The petitioners, comprising some Of
the best known and most substantial
farmers in one of the richest farming
areas Of Virginia, protest earnestly
against the proposed stoppage Of SER
vice, and suggests TO the commission
that it grant the navigation company
a 20 per cent increase in rates. to meet
whatsoever additional financial burden It
may have to bear.
= The cancellation OF steamship ser
vice on the James River would leave
the farmers of Sandy Point dependent
upon the Chesapeake and Ohio Rail
way. whose nearest station is twenty
two miles away. Roads TO this sta
tion are never in the best condition.
and during six months in the year are
pSRIICA4fS iiupdSSSitic.
II the service is discontinued under
present conditions" the petitioners say.
when the farmers OF the James River
section have. in answer to the urgent
request Of the President OF the United
States, greatly increased the usual
acreage oe cultivated crops II will
cause great loss and damage to US
aznounttng % such s. hsure as to de-
strcy our investments in land and
crop&-
LETTER OF PROTEST
FROM RIVER FARMERS
Tho letter. in FULL reads as follows:
TettinGrcn, Va, July 5. 1917.
The State Corporation Commission.
Richmond, Va.
lemen-We. the uade rsigned
farmers at Sandy Point James River.
Va, do most earnestly protest against
the Virginia Navigation Company be-
ing allowed to discontinue its service
on the James River. between Rich
boat service is the only means that
this section has of shipping its pro-
ducts to market or shipping in neces-
sary supplies. This landing. Sandy
Point wharf. supplies about twenty-five
square miles Of territory. Our near
est shipping point on a railroad Is
Providence Forge. which is on the
ty-two miles. over very undesirable
roads that are. absolutely impossible
six months Of the year. Below Is given
the acreage in cultivation on farms
shipping from Sandy Point:
DR.. Kirkland Ruffin. $50 acres; e. A.
Saunders, Jr.. 300 acres: A. l.. Smith,
$50 acres; p. J. Rennolds. $50 acres
Clayton Armistead. 800 acres; G. T,
Potts. 100 acres: W. T. Maddrea. sc
acres: Mrs. b. n. Harrison. 100 acres
l.. S. Ferris, 100 acres; w. l.. Wilker
SOM 90 acres; w. T. Haynes, so acres
Total, 1850 acres.
Smith & Haynes and 4. e. Blanks
merchants. also buy $4,000 worth OF
goods annually, which the Virginia
Navigation Company handles.
The products shipped are corn. wheat,
oats. peanuts and potatoes and a large
number OF hogs, sheep and few cat
tie. poultry, butter eggs and cream are
shipped. and the usual supplies of gro
ceries. fertilizers and implements and
supplies are shipped in.
And we pray you that the rates OF
freight on the James River be adj
vanced 20 per cent, and tina: the Viz
Etnia Navigation Company be com
PEELED to supply us with transports
ton for freight and passengers. If the
service is discontinued under the pres
ent conditions wn>n the farmers OF
the James Rivcr section hav., In an
swer to the urgent request of the
President OF the United States. greatly
increased the usual acreage OF Guilt
waited crops. II will cause great loss
and damage 20 us amounting To such
hgureAsas to destroy our investments
in land and crops.
No such conditions has ever con :
fronted our section. or anywhere else.
The Virginia Navigation Company ts
indeed ungrateful now In attempting
TO withdraw and desert people who
have patronized il through fat and
lean times.
1t is the consensus Of opinion the
poor management is the cause Of loss
in operation to the Virginia Navtea
ton Company.
We firth ermore name W. L. viii
kerson as our representative at the
nnesttng.of the State Corporation Com
mission at which the above named
conpanys case will be tried, who will
be present upon notice Of the day said
case win be tried
(Signed) c. G. Schachtler, for E. A.
Saunders: W. T. Madeira, A. L. Smith
NJ. r. Harrison. w T. Haynes. l. q,
Ferris. Kirkland Rufhn. Jr., W. L. VII
kinson, George T. Potts