Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-07-11
ASK CONSIDERATION OF
WEST POINT PORT PLAN
Richmond Business Men Will Put
Matter Of York River Project
Up TO Commerce Chamber.

fachmond VIII be asked by a nun-
Der OF representative citizens TO con
slider the YORK River as the proper
outlet TO the sea FOR the c!ty's com
inerce and 20 adopt il owe the pres
cnt James River scheme. according
10 information received here last
night. Leo L. GreeEtrcc. Of Meyer
Grcentrce, is the leading spirit IN the
movement. and viii! present the plan
10 the Chamber Of Commerce at the
next meeting of that body.
Prominent among the exhibits
which Mr.. Grcentree viii present to
tae chamber in his argument .or the
York River route plan vii! be a let
ter from Mayor Il. Lanc Cooke. OF
West Point. which he received yes
terday. The letter. which sets forth
all or the principal arguments for the
adoption oi>thc YORK river. line, III
part follows:
Mayor Cookies Letter.
"fou probably have read several
articles setting forth my views as 10
l~tlchmond's becoming u great mari
time c:ty. We must begin somewhere
a big vision and grow 70 tina, poin,
or ADOPT q narrow, small objective
and ma later that we have begun to
build in the wrong location ana then
- nv eAA va Jul Siollo MiSlcu
and begin over again.
The establishment OF this Rich
mond.New York line is the beginning
OF what. il properly located. will
start Richmond on her way TO be-
coming a great inland seaport town.
Ma ask that You Try and forget
that West Point is in existence.
fuses the issue. If you adopt the
York River you will not he adopting
West Point. because you Will Ne
no way interfere with your port. We
wil be entirely separate and dis
t!nct.
q. d.. Gave II Up.
NOW, just why is your Chamber OF
commerce considering. the establish
ing OF a steamship line from Rich
mond to New York! Is 1t because YOU
have so inuCh freight originating in
Richmond that you are in need OF
additional transportation facilities, or
IS II because you think it will be a
Dominion steamship Company gave
IL up because IL did not pay. The
Interstate Commerce Commission has
ruled that the fac, OF a city being on
navigable water does not cntitle 1t
10 preferential freight rates unless
there is ACTUAL water competition
of Commerce is not successful in
maintaining this water competition,
o will lose the advantageous freight
rates you now enjoy and not only
80 AAo 'aN
every citizen will suffer accordingly.
1t ia a very important problem they
are trying TO solve. 1t must be over
come even Ii you have to operate a
steamcr line nj a loss and o bust
ness men. instead Of receiving divi-
dends from your investment, sustain
Il loss to keep IL going. The York
River is the only cute that YOU could
expect to receive onnagc from the
rail lines.
Southern In Sympathy.
Tho SnptInrn Ibnf lNIar amman
would be in sympathy and thorough
accord with such a proposition, ana
they would lend effective co-opera-
ton. You could expect n great guam
tity of tonnage from the South and
West can reach New York from
twelve to eighteen hours sooner than
from other points. You would secure
the New York tonnage while the
York Kivcr-Baltimorc line would re-
ceivc freight destined to Baltimore.
You can obtain ten times as much
tonnage originating outside Of Rich
you would receive over the James
River route.
Richmond has an opportunity that
she will never have again. If she
avails herself OF the York River
while the whole country is looking
for a solution of It's transportation
problem and will advertise to the
her growth will exceed even that OF
Los Angeles or Houston. The in
crease In these cities has been over
IS per cent since the last census
What Is Richmond's increase and why
have these other cities so far out
nothing but that they have deveioped
QecDM WAIeT sOOTS8 .N-tegtNl