Evening journal., 1905-09-22
CANAL PROJECT
WAS DISCUSSED.
Board of Trade Held Special
Meeting to Consider the
Subject

For the purpose OF discussing the pros
posed ship canal project, special
netting OF the Board Of Directors o1
the Board Of Trade was held last night
President Thomas II. Savery, presided
over the meeting and the following
directors were present: William D.
Mullen,A ID. Warner, Jerome 3. Bell
A. S. Reed. Horace G.. Knowles,
Thomas +. Bayard, Senator George w.
Sparks, John S. Rossen and William
Lawton.
After much discussion the directors
adopted a motion to name COMMITTEES
OF six members whose duties It will bo
TO draft a suitable resolution to be
presented to the various commercial
bodies Interested In the canal project.
The committee whom President Savery
was empowered to appoint will -
divided into committees OF three each.
One committee VIII have as their duty
the arousing OF interest among the
commercial organizations of the north
and the other three those OF the south.
The object OF the committee Is to place
these bodies on record as being either
in favor of the movement Of being OPP
posed to IT,
a. d. Warner made the motion to
appoint The committee Mr.. Warner
said he believed II would be the most
effective way to bring the matter "a
the attention OF Congress.
He said he was favorable to the, COM
mittee Of the Board OF Trade when
seeking the indoraement OF other
bodies TO keep the present route of the
canal before them but did not think
1t would be policy to attempt to COM
init Congress to any specified route
William ID. Mullen Jr., said the bin
which was reported favorable at tho
last session OF Congress called for a.
preliminary survey and an appropria-
tion OF $4,000 Is provided for the work.
John s. Rossell said that his under
standing Of the position OF the Board OF
Trade was that it favored the purchase
by the Federal Government OF the Dela-
ware and Chesapeake Canal and the Wild
ening and deepening Of that canal 80 as
to accommodate ocean traffic. This great
Improvement was sought TO be provided
for by a magnificent banquet given by
tho Board Of Trade about two years ago
and II seemed TO him an abandonment
OF the real object of an tho efforts OF the
board 20 content itself Gow with the
mere advocacy Of a joint resolution pro-
vidiug Tor survey that might or mixRi
not result IN the adoption OF the Delawa..
and Chesapeake route.
Mr.. Mullen and Horace c. Knowles con-
tended that the last survey made by the
government OF tho Chesapeake and Della
ware Canal was IN the early nineties and
that Il would be necessary TO make an
other survey as the one taken so long
ago would not be avRiable now
Mr.. Mullen further contended that for
coast defense the present route was the
only available one. In other cities. he
said, commercial bodies hire an attorney
whose special work is TO look after ma
tional legislation asked for by them.
Mr. Lawton thought It would be ad-
visable In the present case 70 hire an
attorney and that something should ba
done quickly.
Mr. Rossell In replying said that he was
Of tho opinion that the requirement for a
survey before appropriations would be
made by congress related to river and
harbor improvements and not to the ex-
lceptonal proposal 10 acquire canal prop-
erty already in existence. He stated that
the action Of congress with the respect
TO the Panama canal showed that great
projects were not deferred pending sur
veys. All the preliminary information
canal subject was already in the possess
sion Of the Navy Department and had
been set out in fun In an able report
made by the commission headed by Cap
tain, now Admiral Dewey. Mr.. Rossefr
favored the preparation OF a bill to be
submitted to congress that would au-
thorize the purchase OF the Delaware and
Chesapeake Canal by the Federal Cow
| ernment
President savery in naming the COM
mittee viii pick out six men who can
give considerable time to the work