The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-12-29
THEY WILL WORK
FOR INSIDE ROUTE
AN ASSOCIATION FORMED
by DELEGATES WHO HELD A CON-
vENTION IN COLUMBIA.

vote Its Energies TO Having an In
side Route from the Chesapeake
Bay to Beaufort Inlet, n. Coon
Columbia, S. c., Dec. ga move
ment was inaugurated in this city to-
day which is conceded to be of great
interest and Importance to the entire
country. Permanent organization of
the Inland Waterways Association was
perfected and officers elected. Mr.. w.
A. Clark, president of the Columbia
Chamber of Commerce, acted as tenn
porary chairman. Rev. S. NJ. Smith,
pastor of the First Presbyterian
Church, delivered the invocation.
Permanent organization was effected
by the election of ]. H. Chadbourn, of
the Wilmington, N. c., Chamber of
Commerce, as president; E. B. Clark.
of the Columbia Chamber of Com
merce, as secretary.
Vice presidents were elected from
each state represented, and the presi-
dent was authorized to appoint a per-
manent Executive Committee. Ar
rangements were made for holding an
nual meetings of the association at
such time and place as may be fixed
by the Executive Committee.
Delegates from Five States.
Delegates were present representing
the commercial organizations from five
states on the Atlantic seaboard, from
as far north as Baltimore. and also
Congressional representatives from
several states.
Congressman ]. H. Small of the First
North Carolina district. who is the
father of the movement, was a lead
iI1cp frif IN fho ton, Cd
dressed the body outlining the pro-
ject of inland waterways. He said,
among other things, that transporta-
ton was the essential factor in the
development of commerce, and what
ever contributed to the cheapening of
traffic rates was to be commended and
was worthy of the support of the peo-
pie and of Congress.
He referred to the movement in the
state of New York which had result
ed in the issuance of bonds to the ex-
tent of 500. 100000 to be expended in
the relocation and enlargement of the
Erie canal, thereby affording an in
terror waterway connecting the east
ern end of the Great Lakes with the
Atlantic ocean via the Hudson river.
Projects That Are Proposed.
He cited the great project now in
contemplation and under survey by
the corps of engineers by which 1t is
proposed to connect the western end
of the Great Lakes from the interior
metropolis of Chicago with the gulf of
Mexico by the Illinois and Mississippi
rivers. He then pointed out how for
years the different states along the
Atlantic seaboard from Maine to Flori-
da had advocated a continuous chain
of inland waterways for the promotion
of our coastwise trade, and among
others, referred to the proposed canal
across Cape Cod, which would give
protected way from the city of Bos-
ton and the Maine coast to New York
city, via. Long Island sound, also the
proposal to connect the Raritan river
with the Delaware river by having the
government purchase the present canal
or construct a canal by independent
route, thereby affording safe naviga-
ton from New York city to the Della
ware river and Philadelphia; also the
construction of a waterway from the
Delaware to the head of the Chesapeake
bay, a route for which has already
been surveyed and located by the gov
eminent, which would give an entrance
into Chesapeake bay and the cities and
territory tributary thereto; also the
project for waterway 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 almost continuous pro-
tected route from Beaufort harbor,
North Carolina, along the entire south
ern coast to Fernandina and Jackson
vile, Fla, and also how a canal had
been projected across the peninsula of
Florida, affording the gulf cities the
advantages of safe navigation and
avoiding the straits of Florida.
To Cut on the Capes.
He pointed out that coastwise nava-
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
ed navigation by small steamers and
particularly by barges. 1t must be rec
ognized, said he, that the govern
ment will not undertake at the same
time the construction of all of these
waterways in the tidewater states, but
that the most important one should be
selected. If the projected inland
waterway connecting Chesapeake bay
with Beaufort Inlet, N. c., should be
constructed, both Cape Hatteras and
Cape Lookout would be avoided and
thus make possible the introduction Of
small vessels and barges in the coast
wise trade between the North and the
South.
The association. after full discus
sion. adopted the project for a protect
ed waterway from Chesapeake bay to
Beaufort inlet as the most important
and the one which would he first press
ed upon the attention of Congress and
the country.
The convention adjourned subject to
the call of the executive committee.
The visiting delegates were enter
tanned during the evening by the CO.
lumbla Chamber of Commerce at their
annual banquet.