The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-03-09
ONCE, BUT NOT NOW.
What the Harbor Of Providence
Could Be Made.
100000 EXPENDED ALREADY.
Will the Citizens Take n Hand In the
Matter and supplement the Work oil
the United states Government and
the Railroads.

The great metropolis had been changed
from New Amsterdam to New York,
cutter sailed from Newport to that town,
and before its return her master made
number OF purchases for his friends.
When the ship touched the dock on her
return voyage the captain was received
rovallv by his townsmen and questioned
as TO his voyage. One OF the bystaniers
said to him: ,. .,
"Wnat do think Of iti Well, I'll tell
YOU. / think IL il keeps on growing some
day 1t will be as big as Newport"
The opinion proved true one, and its
fulfillment depended solely upon the fact
that New Amsterdam retained and buiit
up her commerce. while Newport uIa
not. What New port did, or rather failed
to do. Providence has also done. and to-
day. because of this negligence. the
finest barbor on the eastern coast OF the
Atlantic north of Philadelphia is prac-
rically deserted.
And yet this condition OF our baroor
has not always existed. There was
time when our barbor was full OF ship
ping. Capitalists have, however, put
their money aud brains into manufactur,
ing enterprises, and the compass ana
commerce has gone To other centers.
where its importance is recognized.
This truth has been realized frequently
by merchants but the realization has
never produced practical results. Men
have met and consulted. They have de-
vised large plans for a foreign stea mship
line which never got beyond the heads or
its planners Once few years ago the
Board of Trade took the matter up. dis
cussed it and appointed "a committee.
The committee investigated the mat
- L.. ~ nj
There was no difficulty in establishing
such line that was easy. said they.
There is plenty of capital here and 1t can
be secured Another thing: the cargo
from England here will be easy TO secure,
but it didn't end there. The ships must
be sent back, and sent back loaded. How
10 get a return cargo was the question.
The meat packers were call d on. Yes;
they would ship large quantities OF meat
and pork. Grain dealers were ques-
tioned. Yes, said they, it would not be
dif1cult to get grain here from the West.
The freight should not be as great as TO
Boston. Whyp Well, such ars the facts,
and they are curious as well as generally
unknown.
Steep Grades are Nuisance.
How many persons are aware that 1t
requires two engines to haul train load
of grain from the Hoosac Tunnel to Bos'
ton because of the steep grades at fire.
ouent intervals? How many are also
aware that the same load OF grain can be
brought to Providence by one enginef 7
Such facts are worry OF study. They
mean the saving of the fuel, labor and
wear and tear on one engine for one hun
dred and fifty miles. That saving can
be deducted from the cost OF the grain
landed In Providence.
To return TO the committees: Other mer-
chants were called in and 1t was found
that about half Of regular cargo could
be secured. Finally q man appeared who
stated that he would guarantee 80 fur
nish the rest of tie cargo, and his freight
consisted OF raw cotton. what" said
the chairman, ''bring cotton from the
South here to transshiD 1t to EnglandV
Certainly" replied the other. perhaps
YOU are not aware that cargo after cargo
OF cotton is shipped from the South, via
the Norfolk line. cartcd across to Ea st
Boston aud there reloaded into foreign
vessels Perhaps also YOU are not aware
that quite recently 5000 bales OF cotton
were shipped by the same line to Provi-
dence, were sent by freight TO Bosl on.
carted across Boston In drays and finally
loaded on board one OF the Liverpool
steamers."
The chairman confessed his ignorance
but was SO overjoyed TO learn the fact
that he then ana there said, We'll have
foreign line and that. TOO, soon."
This incident happened not long ago
hut no one ever heard more abou, the
line. 1t died right there and there are
numerous similar instances OF Just such
meetings that one could relate, but they
all ended the same way.
And yet there has been something done
for the harbor through the determined
effort of some of the citizeus who have
not money but who have energy and
brains It's astonishing how much these
two qualities will accomplish and how
they Iney will sieze the opportunities
while capital lies idle or breads -activity
The harbor has been wonderfully inn
proved. Its channels were dug out anC
navigation made possible for vessel.
drawing % or % feet of water. There are
by the way. twenty-five feet Of water in
our channel all the time, while on the
bar at Sandy Hook there are only twenty
four feet, and transatlantic steamers al
ways nave to wait outside until nigl
water before they can enter port.
How the Channel was Deepened.
Ten years ago there were only eighteen
feet of water in the channel A sugges
tion was made that Congress might b
induced to make an appropriation TO
the harbor, but the great majority O
capitalists sat around in the usual wa
ana SAUL lmpOesiDlcl I1OWtNe
Mayor Doyle didn't agree and lie ap
pointed a committee. Other organiza
tions also appointed delegates, an
among the men who fiually started {
washin qton were Henry " Wellman, Cit
Engineer Shedd, Gen. Shaw, Nelson w
Aldrich, the president OF the board o
trade, Arthur Dexter. Nicholas Var
Slyck and T. II. Rockwell. The commit
tee were met by Senators Anthony an,
Burnside and Congressman Ballou an
Eames. They were informed that thei
orrand would be fruitless because tn
river and harbor committee had its hand
full already. One of the committe
turned TO his friends and said:
"Have we come all the way to Wash
ington only to learn thisi Gentlemei
we came to get some money and for on,
am going TO stay aud get it."
A thirty minutes audience with tn,
committee was secured. Engineer Shed,
had his diagrams and plans. and ex
planned them. Our congressman spok
in favor OF the Improvements. The cnair
man. Mr.. Reagan, thought at first moth
ing could be done. but that nignt one OF
the committee told the Providence mer
that they would probably get S36 .OOC
They finally secured $500 The mex
year they secured $4,000. and .
IL went year after year unit
now approximately $4,000 ha
been spent In improving the harDor, an