The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-08-19
MILLION IS
LOST DAILY
ATONEPORT'
800 Ships Idle at Hampton
Roads; Cargoes Caught
in Railroad lam
ny HARRY H. HUNT

quilting In tho loss of more than
81 600. 900 each day at this one port.
The total Of losses due 20 this un-
balanced condition In the country as
= whole amounts TO STAGGERING
sum. Here at Norfolk II is possible
20 size up the local losses and thus
10 sense a glimmerinE of what the
national loss is-
FAIL TO KEEP PACE WITH
PRODUCTION AND SHIPPING
The situation here at Norfolk and
~ Newport News. Just across the
James river. their waters forming
practically common port for the
whole Hampton Roads district. EN-.
phasires the extent TO which the raii.
road and the coal producing factors
In our commerce have failed 20 keep
pace with our Industrial production
and the development Of our export
shipping.
More than 80 vessels lie Idle at
anchor at Hampton Roads today
because the coal and rail facilities
are not equal TO the Industrial and
export shipping demand.
Lack Of Goa, is nominaiiy respcns-
ible. but lack of transportation Is
back even Of the lack OF coal.
Inland Industrial cities. needing
coal to keep their factories going.
protest every diversion Of coal 10
tidewafer. whether for export or
bunker purposes But n IN sup
plying fun coal requirements to
manufacturing establishments coal
u withheld from vessels which car
~ the products Of those factories
20 the markets Of the world. the
situation has not been helped II
- useless 10 work factories fun
speed n the products OF the fac.
tories cannot be transported after
they are made
ORDERS.
CURE FAILS
At present the interstate com
merce commission Is the sole body
with authority to regulate this bal.
anca But despite priority orders.
embargoes and other measures. ex.
port terminals are clogged with mer.
ehandiss while boats wait for days
and weeks for carEoes or for sael
w4icA Win enable them TO transport
eheso shtpmenu to their dcatina-
lt1naA
OF a. 80 cd vessels nov i1s IN
Hampton RoadA approximately one
IN four = loaded. awaiting simply
bunkaP coal before putting % sea.
Ths other thrse-fourths ars ilghs
awaiting the carroes that the ran
roads have not been able to place
On The pterA sa#
They are Of an sorts. aisno prob
ably nine out Of 10 are steel steam
err OF 5000 tons or upward All
The flAss Of the seven seas are dis.
played. the Stars and Stripes lead
Ing. altho By . small margin. fol-
lowed By the British. French. Dutch,
Danish and Swedish flags.
Picturesque among these modern
steel vessels h . sprinkiing OF sail.
ing schoouers. barkentines and a
few big full riggera masters and
crew. swearing In strange tongues
~ the obstacles that prevent them
putting to sea-
gOAGE SAT
&1Soo ~
With actual expenses still running
at wartime levels, and with lost
profits and interest charges mount.
Ing with every hour in port. ship
ping men here estimate the loss 70
shipping tied up at well above 81
100000 daily-some place IL at as
high ~ $500 900.
OFF the C.. q o. piers at Nevport
News alone boats aggreeating more
than 100000 tons cargo Capacity are
lying Awaiting coal. The Norfolk
4 Western and virginian Railways
terminals are similarly surrounded
BY boats waiting. with more or less
patience. for the delivery Of cargoes
long assigned.
Coal. coal. coal--that n the de.
mand Of every skipper in port. II
he Isn't waiting for a cargo Of coal
he's waiting for coal with which 10
fire his boilers
In July alone 2.127.7s7 tons OF coal
were dumped over Hampton Roads
piers. but the number OF vessels
held In harbor because Of coal short.
age steadily increased.
The number lying In the Roads
August ! awaiting either carroes
or bunkers or both. was 33s. with a
cargo capacity of close to 1000 600
tons.
As the number cleared during the
month was only 444. IL is apparent
tnat some OF the vessels now here
win not get away Till well toward
September.
And somewhere along the way all
tne expense Of this delay and lost
motion Is going to be unIoaded on
the ultimate consumer.