Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-11-20
DEEP WATERWAY
Permanent Organization Formed al Philspelphla to Agitate
 an Inland Water Route
GREAT THINGS COMING

Philadelphia, Nov 20.-After a
 two days discussion of the project
 for an inland waterway along the
 Atlantic coast from New England to
 the Carolinas, the Atlantic deep
 waterways conference will this after
 noon form a permanent organization
 and begin an aggressive campaign to
 accomplish the great undertaking.
 At the same time resolutions will be
 adopted asking the assistance af the
 national government and the cooper
 ation of all states interested in in
 land waterways. The delegates from
 the several Atlantic coast states at
 tending the conference are highly
 gratified at the interest taken by the authorities and commercial organ
 izations of the states interested. The
 attendance at the conference has
 greatly exceeded their expectations, and the unanimity of the delegates for the proposed waterway is Gratify- ing to the various state delegations.
 Yesterdays sessions having been
 devoted to a discussion of the water
 routes from Philadelphia north to Boston, to-day's sessions were large ly taken up with addresses on the waterways that are proposed to form part of the great inland route from Philadelphia south to Beaufort, N. c. The speakers at the morning ses- sion included General Felix Agnus of Baltimore, who spoke on the Chesa- peake bay and it's connection with the Delaware; Hugh R. Garden of New York, formerly of South Caro- lima, who described conditions in Hampton Roads and the Chesapeake approaches to Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina; Congressman Small of North Carolina, who took for his subject Behind Hatteras- The Norfolk-Beaufort Route"; and Major c. A. F. Flagler, U. s. A., on "The Engineering Outlook-Chesa- peake and Delaware and Norfolk Beaufort Routes"
 General Agnus, who heads the del egation appointed by Governor War field of Maryland, said that in his opinion the present conference is one of the most important things in the history of American trade and trans portation. He referred to the Chesa- peake and Delaware canal link in the great waterways scheme and said:
 naI ho .xrfn rA at ha VI of the efforts and public spirit of many years; that we are no longer | dealing in theories and paper plans, | but are considering plain business and assured advantages | and profits. This scheme of safe | for our domestic com merce means more for our country | and more for our wealth and happi- ness than Panama.
 There are three vital facts in the work we propose to begin here this week:
 First, transportation by water is far cheaper than transportation by land.
 Second, the conditions of traffic between the north and south have been acute and unsatisfactory for several years. The lines of railroad we now possess are not equal to the demands and it is not likely that they will be increased for years to come, nor is it probable that their present rates will ever be lower. Here we have the absolute necessity 'or relief made so manifest that not even railroad man can dispute it.
 Third, the growth of the country S not only proceeding at an aston shing rate in the numbers of the but is expanding almost in the ration of trade to the population itself.
 Undoubtedly much of our recent financial trouble was due to the fact hat transportation had not been able o give that quick exchange of ma erials and products which would 'nable us to make the freest use oI he money. In other words, slow means the tying up of !. 'ur currency, which under the most : ayorable circumstances is hardly dequate to the needs of the coun- ry.
 Here on the eastern seabord. where the biggest work of the world B being done and where the neces- ity for quick transportation is larg- st, we face situation that calls for '. rompt relief. and the only possible ray out of the difficulties is to pro- ide these water facilities.
 Tt seems to me a most sxtraor- mary thing that we should divert z lillions of the national wealth fin ir- lgation plans when here along our astern seaboard we have all the acts of a high civilization demand lg recognition and encouragement.
 More benefit is to be obtained rom million dollars spent on these ]. lterrioT waterways than would ' ome from five or ten times that nm invested in the Mississippi or st anama or in desert lands" ?