Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-02-26
TRY TO AVERT LOSS
OF RIVER BOAT LINE
Richmond Business Men, City
and State Officials Deplore
Suggested Move.
SEE DANGER TO COMMERCE
Chamber Of Commerce Urged to
Take Action to Prevent Re-
moval Of Ships.
SEE DANGER TO COMMERCE

inoval Of Old Dominion Line steamers
from James River traffic will be taken
BY Richmond business interests as
soon as 1t can be asccrtaincd that the
hc~ owners contemplate disseminating
the service. State and city officials
am. ana men engaged in every line Of in
nnd nd''S jSes.enuay voiced their protest.
combat the attempt TO stranr!e the
competitive rates now received By rca-
son OF the Waterbornc traffic
rirst steps 10 discontinue the ser
vice on the James River must come
IN tne iorm Of formal application TO
permssien per s oIIIboration IIsnr,no commission FOR
ucIeo' at which time business organ-
HationS "a, "iil have an opportunity to
remoVai rem niS oF protest 3bs but TO prevent the
show that the company is not operat
Ing at a loss.
,1H That the removal of the boat ser
richmond is generally agreed. Not
only VIII the city be directly affected
IN IN freight rates. but a wide marke, Tor
its goods Will be lost. Farms along
the James River. which now depend or,
boats 10 bring their products TO Rich
mono, VIII he unable to continue ship
inents. ani the high cost Of living he:e
VIII receive another boost upward.
Norfolk rakes Action.
Without waiting to see what the
company intcndeo to do. Norfolk bust
ness interests Immediately on the news
that the Old Dominion Line had been
ycguired by Mallory and Clyde Line
.hierests' arranged for delegation To
naii on II. H. Walker. president OF the
/ old Dominion Line, and a conference
"iIl be @ heid today in New York.
Inc Richmond Chamber Of Com
mcrcc. while deploring any attempt to
cut off the river traffic. took no action
other than to send a telegram TO Mr..
Walker asking for confirmation OF the
i report that service was to be discon-
tinned. and notifying members OF the
traffic committee TO hold themselves in
readiness TO meet to discuss steps II
Tho company plans such action. No
reply 10 the se!cgraHi was received
yesterday.
William I. Dabney. business man
aScr OF the Chamber OF Commerce,
took an Optimistic view OF the situa-
ton. lie declared that the report oc
the Intentions OF the new company
was to probably withdraw" service
between Richmond and Norfolk. No
official Information has yet been re-
.ceivcd by the Chamber. OF Commerce
that such action Is really contemplat-
cd. Mr. Dabncy said. he added:
The Richmond Chamber Of Com
,rerce will do everything possible to
avert the calamity.
Cannot Force Company.
-"Of course IL Is Impossible TO force
the company TO continue It's Richmond
service II the freight service here is
tinuance. II is impossible 10 force
company TO continue business when i,
il losing money. Many shippers have
turned their business TO the railroads
and express ciipanies. because OF the
quicker service received. / Judge that
the reason the company is considering
the discont!nuance OF the Richmond
| Norfolk boat line Is because II doesn't
BAY. II we stiil want the line. We must
make II pay the company to continue
giving service.
| Governor WeS rnoreland Davis. speak
ins as citizen. was emPnatically
against the dlscontnuance of river ser
"As citizen" said the Governor, ~
would deplors anything that would
Tend to cripple Co.,, or lnc9nyenience fser the
that our State Corporation Commission
wili do everything IN is power TO serIe
the best interests of the state.
Il hope the river steamers will not
said G last night. Iii is our interest and
With the business interests Of the city
Means HIo,v TO I'rnde
folk boat line VIII ~ be @ terrific blow
president. Of the smith Courtney Com:
n~anyi ~h a. and for many many year, years president OF
"Other effects OF this action can also
be seen. 1t will mean the abolition OF
competitive freight rates here; 1t would
take advantage of the withdrawal OF
the = boat line 10 raise freigh, rates out
,. Mr. Smith also declared that the
Hiscontinuancc of the boat line would
disorganize trade between Isichmond
Ben ". Wilson. president of the u.
". Wilson Paper Company and the
also .deplored the proposed removal OF
the boat line limo. fIe declared tha;
lhe s,nr withdrawal ,n Of the line looked to be
Kiehmend -Norfois night In Inc WAS st bis big
night. n would be dcpiorable thing
TO lose this advantage"
Further La he he stated that it was prob
able that the company was unable to
make the rnS pay bccaus" Of the small
OF mg5t ss hi9Gre And that
, The 4 Richmo1d thn %a,as and Norfolk aelcga-
Hrongiy opposed to the discontinuinr
- industries VIII suGcr.
Our industry, exports and acricul
Freight rates, sar,oa said senator Julien
l.iver farms viii be practicalfy cut df off
from this market. which will be a
should have ali means Of 'uT trnnsbcrtae n,Sy; we
'ion possible. and ! am opposed to the
discontinuance Of river IieI, transportation.'
himself business man and shipper,
saids; i!some nromnt and vipo-o,, ,,,,o.
should be taken to induce the COM
pany to continue the service. The line
is a great convenience and a necessity
as il affords cheap, quick service
10 New York as we'll as Norfolk"
"It would he great misfortunte to
Facilities. said Senator James f. Can
|tnon, Of Richmond. 1T would be par
iicularly unfortunate to have any
| watcrbornc transportation discon-
,inued. as 1t tends to keep rail rates
"smch action. it seems to me, would
nrovc to be most unfortunate for
i:icbmonds interests" Il. f. Fuller.
member OF the House from Richmond
city, said yesterday 1T would climi-
railroads now existing, whereby Rich
,nond has an outlet for it's soaboard
nsicsatc James II. Price. Of Rich
mond city. deprecated even the re-
hottest suggestion that boat traffic be-
he withdrawn, and declared that he
was in favor Of any effort that may be
IContinucd on Second Pagc.)