The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-11-08
CSpecial to The Messenger.)

to attend a conference to be held in
philadelphia on November 10 and 20
when a permanent association to ad-
vocate development of a chain Of
deep waterways the length of the At
lantic coast will be organized.
This movement had its inception at
a ~tri-State conference, held at Tren-
ton, New Jersey, on October 1st. Penn
s~ylvaia. Delaware and New Jersey
were represented and the original
purpose was to join the delegates in
congress from these three states in
an effort to secure recognition in the
rivers and harbOrs appropriation bill
Of projects to improve waterway
facilities of Delaware Bay and River
and Raritan Bay and River togethe'
with a more adequate canal connect
ing these two systems of inland water
thus linking New York Bay with other
great arms Of the Atlantic, southwark
for the convenience of deep draugh.
vessels now barred.
President Roosevelt, in the meantime
was traVersing the Mississippi Valley
NH'IN ~ y Nii1AO . ~ ktiN
WATERWAYS projects which representa-
tives Of 4 score of Central states are
vigorously advocating in Washington.
1t was pointed out at the trenton
gathering that while these western in
terests were nus strongly organized
and backed by a tremendous weight
of public opinion and executive en-
enlargement, equally important and
practicable eastern enterprises, knock
ing at the dOOrs Of congress were like
ly to be ignored. At the suggestion
of J. Hampton Moore, a congressman
from PENNSYLVANIA and long a well
informed and earnest champion of
waterway improvements, it was dec1d-
ed to call a conference OF representa-
tiveS of states and cities, commercial
and maritime organizations of the
whole territory from Maine to Florida
to effect a permanent organization; to
conduct a propaganda of education in
the Importance of adequate deep water
facilities. inland; to affiliate the new
organization with the National Rivers
and Harbors Congress, and, in con-
gresS, to rally the votes of all of the
seventeen states in interest in an eff
fort to advance Atlantic seaboard pro-
jects. The states included in this
latest waterways movement, the first
comprehensive proposal in the inter
est Of general eastern waterways de-
VelOpment, are as follows: Vermont.
Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut.
New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New
York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsyl-
vania, Maryland, Virginia, West Vir-
ginia, North Carolina, South Carolina,
Georgia, and Florida.
Immediate response followed invita-
tions; Philadelphia business men as
sumed responsibility for the entertain
ment of as many as might come: dates
were chosen as above; a program of
yreat interest and Importance has
been prepared and among other ener-
getic committees actively engaged In
assuring the success Of the event, me,
named by the mayor of Philadelphia,
will visit Washington, see the presi-
dent and urge that he attend, thus
placing eastern and western projects
on an equal footing, so far as execu-
tive Endorsement is concerned.
The local projects included in the
scope of this new waterways move
ment are: The Cape Cod ship canal;
Raritan bay; the Delaware and Rar-
itan canal; the Delaware river; the
Chesapeake and Delaware canal, con-
Meeting bays of the same Names; the
canal system piercing Virginia to the
Carolina coast drought deep water
channels and excavations in Dismal
Swamp and the Charleston to Beau
fort waterway.
In addition to the commercial I'M
p%ortance of this chain of waterways
extening from Cape Cod to Florida II
is claimed that they would have vast
strategic Importance. An American
feet might readily traverse these pro-
tected channels to any section of the
coast threatened by a hostile force.
An impregnable Atlantic seaboard.
capable of perfect defense by a COM
p%aratively light mosquito fleet would
be the practical return to government
and nation for the vast expenditures
involved. The program as mapped GU.
professionally gives morning and after
noon sessions of the first day and the
morning of the second day to the dis
cussion of local projects. On the after
noon of the second day, permanent or
ganiZation with election of officers and
committees, will be effected. On the
first evening a reception, or other
social feature will be arranged and
the conference will close on the sec
ond evening with a banquet at the
BeIIevue-Stratford, Philadelphla's fin
est hotel. The president, governors
and national leaders in the movement
for improved waterways, it is planned
will deliver addresses and the event
promises to be memorable.
Two unaue forms of entertainment