Evening star., 1948-11-28
CAPITALS Steamboat Era Ends
As Norfolk Line Closes Down

The Norfolk and the Washington
were sold to the Colonial Line. They
were renamed the Lexington and
Concord and put into service be-
tween New York and Providence.
Up to the recent war they were a
familiar sight to New Workers. One
steamed up the East River each
evening.
There was no interruption OF
service during World War I, but
there was excitement. The Newport
News burned at its Washington
wharf in 1918. 1t was rebuilt and
renamed the Midland. In 1920 the
wharf caught fire when the Mid
land was along side. They got her
out in the channel just in time to
save her. In 1924 the Midland
burned again. This time she was
sold to the Colonial Line. The hulk
was moored below Alexandria for
five or six years and finally was
scrapped.
Troops Travelled by Boat.
"The automobile would have put
us out of business" Mr.. Norment
said, but we decided to carry auto
mobiles to build passenger business.
At one time we would take an auto
mobile either way free with the pur-
chase of two tickets. At one time
during the depression our tickets
were $3.50 one way and S. a round
trip. Inside stateroons were 81.
You could get an outside stateroom
with twin beds and private bath
for S."
The boats used to bring regiments
of soldiers from Fortress Munroe
to march in the inaugural parades.
Mrs. Herbert Hoover once, took the
night boat to Norfolk to launch an
aircraft carrier there. but neither
Mr.. Norment nor Mr.. Riordan could
remember a President having taken
the trip.
After Pearl Harbor the Govern
ment took the Northland and the
Southland and turned them over to
the British. They were in a convoy
that cleared st. Johns, Newfound-
land, September 81 as decoys. On
the fourth and fifth day out they
were attacked by submarines. The
Southland's gun crew got IA shots
at a periscope and was credited
with probable. While the
U-boats were attacking this convoy
of river steamers, one of which was
sunk another convoy of ships
crowded with soldiers made safe
crossing.
Served I'm Invasion.
DISTRICT and Maryland men of the
29th Division who landed on Omaha
Beach on D-day wrote home of their
excitement at seeing the Northland
and the Southland in the great in
vasion armada. go ..
Capt. Frederick Posey and Capt.
George NOVEL;, who were masters
of the Northland and the South
land on their river runs are dead.
Capt. Edward Eaton Of the District
of Columbia is with his crippled ship
at Norfolk. One of the things the
stockholders will vote on December
% is q plan for separation pay for
the company's employees.
For time it was thought that
the company might buy the North
land and the Southland back if they
survived the war. But the state
rooms had all been ripped out for
hammocks and it was considered
that the cost of reha abilitating them
would be prohibitive. The ships
were sold to Chinese interests.
Company Has Money.
81 don't know whether the Nat
ionalists or the Communists have
them now" said Mr.. Norment.
The 1886, ,275 the Government paid
the company for the ships was
funded for q time for the purchase
of new equipment and is now part
Of the company's sizeable fund held
In Government shcrt-term notes
The company Is not going out OF
business broke. 1t is capitalized at
$500, 900. It's 500 par value stock
has recently sold for $170.
According to its last financial
statement it has 1904 900 in Govern
ment securities in its treasury. The
book values of its physical assets
are carried as floating equipment
Qargely the steamer District of Co.
lumbia), $269, 900; Norfolk terminal
$108 900; Alexandria wharf, $1,000
and the Maine avenue Office build
ing, $4,000.