The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-12-29
]. H. SMALL THE
LEADING SPIRIT
Inland Waterways Asso-
citation Organized.
OFFICERS ARE CHOSEN
]. H. ChadbOurn of Wilmington is EIec.
ted President. Delegates Are
Present From Five Of the At
IantiC States. Mr.. SmaII's
Ahdrncc
Address.
(By the Associated Press !


Columbia, S. c., Dec. 28.-A move
ment was inaugurated in this eitv TO-
day, which is conceded to be of great
interest and Importance to the entire
country.
Permanent organization of the m
land Waterways Association, was per-
fected and officers elected. w A.
clark, president of the Columbia
Chamber of Commerce acted as tenn
pofary chairman. Rev. S. NJ. Smith
pastor of the First PRESBYTERIAN
church, delivered the invocation.
j. n. Chadbourn, CT the Whining
ton, n. c., Chamber of Commerce
was elected president, and z. p. Clark.
OF the Columbia Chamber of Com
merce, was secretary.
wee Presidents We're elected from
eacn State represented, and tn presI-
dent was authorizd to appoint a per
manent executive committee. Ar
raIgements We're made for holding an
nual meetings of the association at
such time and place as may be fixed
Dy the executive committee.
Deiegates were presnt Tpresentin1s
IN commercial organizations from I'VE
States on the Atlantic seaboard from
as far North as Baltimore. and lso
Congressional representatives from
several States
Congressman J. H Small. Of the
First North Carolina District, who is
the father of the movement, was a
leading spirit in the convention and
addressed the body outlining the pro
ect of inland waterways. He said
among other things that Transports
ton was The essential factor in the
development of commerce and what
ever contributed to the cheapening Of
traffic rates was 30 be commended and
was worthy of the support of the
people and of Congress-
He referred to- the movement in
the State of New York, which had re-
suited in the issuance of bonds to the
extent of ole hundred million dol
lars TO be expended in the relocation
and enlargement of the Erie Canal
thereby affordfng an interior water
way conn Getting the eastern end of
the Great Lakes with the Atlantic
Ocean via the Hudson River.
He cited the great project now In
contemplation and under survey by
che corps Of engineers by which it is
proposed to connect the western end
OF the Great Lakes from the interior
metrolopis of Chicago with the Gulf
of Mexico by the Illinois and Missis-
Sippi rivers. He then pointed out
along the Atlantic seaboard from
Maine TO Florida, had advocated d
continuous chain of inland waterways
for the promotion of our coastw1sa
trade and among others, referred to
the proposed canal across Cape Cod,
which would develop protected way
from the City of Boston and Maine
coast to New York City via Long
island Sound, and also the proposal
to connect the Raritan River with the
Delaware River by having the gov
ernment purchase the present canal
or construct a canal by independent
route, thereby atfording safe naViga-
ton from New York City to the Della
ware River and Philadelphia, also the
construction of waterway from the
Delaware River to the head uf the
Chesa peake Bay, a route for which
has already been surveyed and located
by the government, which would give
an entrance into Chesapeake Bay,
and the cities and territory tributary
thereto, also the project for a water
way connecting chesapeake Bay with
the ocean at Beaufort Inlet, n. c.
avoiding Cape Hatteras and Cape
Lookout, the most dangerous menaces
to navigation on the Atlantic coast
also how nature had provided an al
most continuous protected route from
Beaufort Harbor, n c.. along the en-
tire Southern coast to Fernandina and
Jacksonville, Fla, and also how a
canal could be projected across the
peIllIlSuid Oh HlOl1Qa dIIOrQlng the
Gulf cities making of safe navigation
and vaoiding the strain Of Florida
He pointed out that coastwise nayi-
cation between the South Atlantic and
North Atlantic ports was seriously re-
stricted by the dangers of Cape Hat
teras and Diamond Shoals on the
North Carolina coast, which prohibit
I'd navigation by small steamers and
particlarly by barges.
1t must be recognized, said he, that
he government will not undertake at
he same time the construction of all
IF these waterways in the tidewater
states, but that the most important
)na should be selected. If the pro-
ected inland waterway connecting
Chesapeake Bay with Beaufort Inlet,
North Carolina, should be construct.
sd both Cape Hatteras and Cape
Lookout would be avoided and thus
make possible the Introduction OF
mall vessels and barges in the coast
wise trade between the North and
south.
The association, after full discus
ion, adopted the project for a pro-
-ected Naterway from Chesapeake
Say to Beaufort Inlet as the most inn
'Crtant and the one which would be
lrst pressed upon the attention Of
congress and the country.
The convention adjourned subject
o the call of the executive committee.
The visiting delegates were enter
aimed during the evening by the Co
1mbia Chamber of Commerce at the
nnual banquet.