Minutes 10/23/1923 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

October Z3~ 1923 is so important, the trifling possible saving wcul~ not justify us in m~king the delay. I believe it is essential that this muthority be given me at this meeting of the Council.~ N~. ~nite movedtthat the City Manager be authorized to contract for this work, and appro- prlation of $15~000.00 be referred to the Finance Committee. The motion was adopted. 5th. "I mm forwarding herewith resolution relative to the purchase of the Lake Drummon~ Canal by the Federal Government. The City 8ouncil has hitherto supported this project and h&s aided in obtaining a favorable report on it from the Board of Engineers, by the Chief Engineer, by the Secreta~y of Wsm and the passage of the bill by the Senate, I believe that the purchmse of this can~l by the Federal Government and its conversion into a sea level canal is a matter of importance to this City and recommend that the Council pass the resolution ms ~abmitted and that copies of it be sent to our Senators and Representatives in Congress, to the Secretary of War, the Chief of Engineers and to the Chairman of the River and H~vbor Committees of the Senate a~d House, and to J. Hampton ~oore, Eayo= of Philadelphia and President of the Atlantic Deeper Waterways Conve~tion." "~HEREAS, The Lake Drummond Canal, more f~m~lis~ly known as the Dismal Swmmp Canal, has been for more than m century operated as a toll canal, and during all this period hms been an important highway for the exchange of products between Portsmouth and Norfolk and the Sounds and rivers of North Carolina, and s,lso for through traffic between more distant points; and WHEREAS, the government of the United States has reconstructed another canal between sub- stanti~lly the same termini, which is open for p~blic use without charge or tolls, and has thereby indirectly seriously impaired the earning power of the Dismal Swamp Canal and imperilled its future operation; and WH~AS, Congress, recognizing the ~esulting injustice, directed the Chief of Engineers to investigate and report as to the desirability of the United States purchasing the said canal and m~king it a free waterway; a~d WP~HEAS, the~Chief of Engineers hms submitted a report reviewing all of the facts and recommending its auqumsmtzon at a price fixed by the Engineers of less than one-third of the sum invested in s~me, and said report is pending before Congress; NOW, THEREFORE, RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Portsmouth: Tha~ we recognize the necessity of said canal both for past and prospective commerce; That while we commend the action of the Congress in enlarging and reconstructing a canal along the route of the old Albemarle and Chesapeake canal and making the saa~e a free waterway, yet nevertheless such action has impaired and m~y u~timately destroy the large sum which has legitimately been invested in the Dismal Swamp Ca~al and will at the same time ~ork an irrepar- able injury to th~seotion of country intersected by the dismal S~mp Canal~ along which are located farms, villages, ind~stries, churches and schools and other activities of a fertile and progressive section; That we unreservedly commend the action of the Chief of Engineers in recommending to 0~ng~ess the purchase of this canal at a modest sum and maintaining the same as a highway of commerce; That we urge our Representatives and Senators in the Congress of the United States to sup- port in good ~aith and with diligence, legilation which will carry into effect the recommenda- tion of the Chief of Engineers. We further submit that the government of the United States, even in the pursuance of a rightful policy, ought not to destroy vested interest and should preserve the rights of the people and territory intersected by this oanml in this highway of com~nerce, upon which they have built their homes and established their industrial and social life." On motion of ~. Stewart (R~E~B~), the recommendation of the Manager was adopted and the resolution adopted, the Clerk to forward copies of it as reoonm%ended. 6th. "I am forwarding herewith letter from Mr. Alexander Forward, member of the State Corpormtion Commission c~lling attention t~ an important conference to be held in the oou~t room of the State Corporation Commission in Richmond on Thurs,day, November let, 1923, at 10:00 o'clock. This meeting is with reference to freight rates between Virginia points and North ~arolin~ tsr~itory~ Mr. Forward re~rds this as one o£ the most important meetings ever held in Virginia and asks that a full representation of shippers, etc. be present. I am sending a copy of his letter to our business organizations. I would suggest that either some representative of the Council or I be directed to attend this meeting." Mr. Brooks moved t~t the Ci~' Nanager be authorized to attend said meeting. ~doDted~-~ 7th. "I am forwarding herewith resolution relative to the Buy at Home Campaign to be started in the City of Portsmouth and suggest ~ts passmge by the Council. "WHEP~AS, the growth of a city depends both on its natural advantages and on the patriotic and unselfish spirit of its citizens, and W~REAS, the prosperity and exoel2ence of ou~ places of business depend in a large measure on the financial support and patronage given them by the citizens o£ the City, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Council of the City of Portsmouth, in regular session as- sembled, that we urge our fellow citizens, both men and women, to aid in the approaching Bt~Y AT HO~ CA~AiGN in the ~ity of Portsmouth, by m~king all possible purchases in this City a~d by urgzng their relatives, friends and neighbors to follow the same course."