Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-04-22
SERVICE ON RIVER
MUST Be RESTORED
Corporation Commission Acts on
Withdrawal of Virginia Navi-
CATION Company Boats.
WERE NOT REQUISITIONED
Merely Rented to Norfolk Navy
Yard at Profit, Says Chair
man Garnett.
WERE NOT REQUISITIONED

f"iniing out that there is at this tirnc
no statui" authorizing The covernmcn,
TO rcputsition steamers engaged in such
service as has been performed by the
Virginia Navigation Company on the
James River. the state Corporation
Commission yesterday entered AN order
directing that company within two days
10 restore its day servic. 10 James
River landings wHich WAS discon,in-
ucd on April ls
The entering OF the order followed
tho return Of Chairman CHRISTOPHER r..
Garnctt. Of the state Corporation Com
mission. from Washington. where he
went Friday 10 inquire into tho rea-
sons for disseminating the James River
day service. An examination of the
statutes brought TO light the fact that
the only measure under which the vir-
Einia Navigation Companyis steamers
could he re1uisitioncd was introduced
by Senator Swanson on April !6. and
has not yet even passed the Senate
WITHDREW SERVICE
REFORE BILL WAS OFFERED
ON April II. two days before SEN
ator Swanson's bill was introduced the
Virginia Navigation Company publish
cd notice. signed by f. +: Palm. as
sisian, general manager. and approved
.: Il. 4 Walker. president. reading
as follows:
owing to the fact that the govern
meut has rcnuisitioned both the steam
crs Pocahontas and Smithhcld. tho ser
vice heretofore performed by the Vir-
Einta Navigation Company TO and from
James River landings. Will he with
drawn At once. No freight or passen
gers viii he handled by this company
after Monday. April Is. lal'."
ON Monday the service was discon-
tinucd and hard on the heels Of il came
bitter complaints from james River
landings between here and Norfolk and
Norfolk and Smithfield. For the most
part. these landings are without rail-
road facilities and wholly dependent
on the steamers for the marketing Of
their products and for their mails. The
night steamers do not stop at the land
ings. and these points were left sud-
denly without transportation facilities
GAUNE:T'r DENIES BOATS
HAVE BEEN REQuISITIONED
Chairman Garnett wrote at once TO
II. Il. Walker. pres ident OF the steam
ship company. in New York demand
ing An explanation Of the diScontin-
uancc Of the service and suggesting
that steps he taken at once 10 put
other steamers in the service TO replace
the iwo tina, had been withdrawn. Mr..
Walker replied by letter that the
steamers Pocahontas and SmithheId
have been rcuuisi;ioncd by the govern
mcnt, and that the company has 10
other craft with which to replace them.
According 10 MIR. Garnctt there is
nothing. as far as he can learn. 10
Indicate that the government has re-
QUESTIONED the two James River steam
ers. ON the contrary, he said yestcr-
day, everything points 10 voluntary
offering OF the craft by the Virginia
Navigation Company to the command
ant OF tho Norfolk Navy Yard i'm order
that the steamers might he Withdrawn
from the James River service ard put
to more lucrative use. The boats are
now engaged in hauling supplies for the
navy-yard.
Senate bill No. l7a7. which would au-
thorizc the government TO rcuusition
river craft. was reported on Apri Is
and stll awaits the action Of the sen
ate. NJ the instance OF Mr.. Garnett
senator swanson. the patron. has
agreed to qualify his bill with AN
amendment reading as follows:
no vessel. steamboat, tug or other
water craft which is engaged in pub
lie service on the inland waters Of the
United states shall he leased. charter
cd or taken over for use or operation
by the government under the provisions
OF paragraphs "a and IN" Of this act
unless and until all other vessels. tugs.
lighters. barEcs and other water craft
which are available for The same pur-
pose shall have been exhausted"
DISCoNTINUANCE or SERVICE
DISASTROUS 'rO LOCALITIES
Mr.. Garuett went over the situation
with Senator Swanson in detail. and the
latter agreed that the discontinuancc
of the river service would bc disastrous
10 the communities which arc depend
cnt on il and are without railway scr
vice TO fall back upon. Representatives
Carter Glass. T.. T.. Holland. w. a.
Jones and \. i. Montague took the
same view, aud agreed to support the
amendment.
The old Dominion Steamship Com
pany owns and operates a line of
steamers from Norfolk to the Mobjack
Fay section. having wharves on the
East. North. Ware and Severn Rivers,
as well as or Mobjack Bay. and is the
sole means Of transportation of this
section. II also owns the NirEi inia Nav
igation Company. which owns the Poe
ahontas and Smithfcld. Prior 10 last
Monday. steamers We're operated daily
from Norfolk to Smithhcld and return.
and three times week each way be-
tween Norfolk and Richmond and in
n at In nd