Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-01-18

the address of welcome.
CHIEF JUSTICE LoRE's ADDRESS.
Gentlemen Of the Committee OH Riyers ana
Hdr6ors; The Board of Trade which Is
the embodiment of the commercial life
ana enterprise of our city, through ME
extend to you most hearty welcome. In
TINS all our people unite. We are glad tu
see you, and thank you, that listening Ia
the Board Of Trade and our honored Con
gresham, Mr.. Callsey, You haye come to
see our thrift and inquire into our needs.
| Perhaps no committee of Congress gives
relief to such a large number of our
| country as you do. You have literally
made the crooked Waterways straight.
| deepened and widened their channels, and
| protected their banks. levees and harbors.
and have been wise helpers in these, Gods
| great commercial highways. Doubtless
some money has been improvidently used,
yet, in the main, no government expendi-
lures have resulted better than yours in
the interest of the general good, the
preservation of human life, and the pro-
motion of national prosperity.
We wanted you to come and see our
beautiful CITY that came within one vote
OF becoming the seat of the national
government at the time it was located at
Washington.
We wanted you to sail up and down the
waters of the Christana river. To note its
condition and possibilities, and then to
ask you for moderate outlay of money
to make this river the American Clyde.
On the northern shores are located three
OF the best equipped and most reliable
shipbnilding aud manufacturing firms Of
this country; The Harlan and Holings-
To-, the PuSey IL Jones Co. and the Jack
son Il sharp Co. These plants in value
run well up into the millions of dollars.
They employ thousands of thrifty work
men and skilled mechanics. These are
backed in this city of 65, 900 inhabitants by
industrial establishments OF every charac-
ter, and of variety and extent not ex-
celled by any like city in the United States.
Our customs duties now exceed 81, 900, uOU
3y rail we are 80 minutes from Phila-
delphia, 90 minutes from Baltimore, $50
minutes from New York and Washington
each. Although surrounded and over
shadowed by these great cities, Whining
ton, because of her skilled workmen,
manufactures, location and advantages,
has fought an heroic battle, and is ham.
pered only by the want of deeper and
better channel for the Christiana river.
Congress has wisely aided in the past.
BY successive stages the channel has been
deepened from to 10 feet, then to IL and
is now completing to 10. We need depth
of "a feet; the outlay for this short stretch
of waterway will be small for the good
realized.
With this channel Wilmington will give
to the government ut least one more bid
der for the construction of her warships.
Bidders whose word alone will be ample
security for the fuliilment of any contract
that may be made, and who will build as
swift and fateful iron cruisers as human
skill and integrity can produce.
We lie at the foothills of the coal, iron,
limestone and mineral regions Of the At
lantic coast. Skilled ana brainy work
men abound, as do also immense manu-
featuring establishments and plants.
Eighty years ago the Scottish Clyde was
a stream four feet deep and 400 feet wide
BY dredging, blasting and securing, the
channel is now "a feet deepand wide enough
to float Eugland's great warships. The
banks are lined with ship-yards, docks and
plants that make England the envy of the
maritime world. Then they could only
build and launch the first steam vessel, tine
Comet, which was AZ feet long IL feet WIDE,
8 feet 6 inches draft, horse power engine.
Now they build and launch such steamships
as the City of Paris, 56O feet long, 63t feet
broad, AZ feet deep, with an engine of
20,000 horse power
In the Crimean war 30 gunboats were
needed at once. A Clyde firm took the CON
tract to furnish them in 50 days. Within
that time these 80 gunboaLs were built
possible TO no other nation. Engiand's
greatness lies in this, that she sees and APP
propriates every opening for future sue
cess, and wisely provides for every emer-
gency.
Open our harbor at cost of less than q
tithe spent in dredging the Clyde, and the
industry and thrift of our people will
make the banks of the Christiana rival
those of the Scottish river. This is no
dream, hut the promise of verify.
We urge this Improvement with self
interest, IL is true, but also in broad patriot
ism, based, as we think, on the nations
highest interests.
You would thus enable us, it is true, to
build and launch iron cruisers to crush
the foe in our hour of need; but remember,
you would make possible the grander tri-
umphs of peace. in that the merchant
liners from the same yards will aid in re-
storing the prestige of our commercial
marine, and make us again largely the car
riers of the worlds product.
Gentlemen, you will see and note with
the skill of competent critics, all these DOS
sibilities, as you shall inspect our city, her
homes, her Industries aud her river and
harbor,
Permit us to hope that YOU may be
moved to do what we so modestly ask, and
that thereby your visit here may be
pleasing memory both oyouand us in after
life. For in SO doing we honestly believe
that you will be promoting the nations
best welfare.
Remembering that Congressman like
short speeches., coupled with unlimited
leave to print, | now commend you to the
tender mcrcies OF the Board of Trade.
JUDGE BLANcHARp's ADDRESS.
There was then an incessant call for
Judge Blanchard" This is the Wash.
ington appellation of the distinguished
looking chairman of the House commit
tee on rivers and harbors. MIR. Blanchard
is quiet, deliberate speaker with
very attractive manner. He has quite a
clerical stamp of face. He said in effect:
On behalf OF the rivers and harbors
committee Of the House l extend you
my thanks for this courteousness and
hospitality from the good people of the
city of Wilmington.
We have long been desirous to take
look and find out as an object lesson for
ourselves what is needed here in the
way of harbor facilities.
Chairman Blanchard then went on
giving figures IN regard to expenditures
on the Clyde river Improvements. Eng |
land, he said, has spent the sum of
$5O,0O0,0O0 upon it, Over $S2,000,000 |
have been expended ON the Mersey at
Liverpool. And yet the Clyde was but u |
runlet and the Mcrsey no larger than a
spring brook.
MUST NOT BE TOO sANGUINE.
While We are here to inspect the |
future needs for harbor improvement | |
would say to you that aid in this direc-
ton must not be too sauguinely ex-
pected. The present depleted condition
of the United States treasury is not re-
assuring. There is not money enough |
In inSiiIn unM La rrn q y M nIit itnrns ut thin |