The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-03-13

The future development OF Atlantic
City. particularly with reference to
transportation by water and the i'm
provement of Absecon Harbor, are the
topics treated In documents transmitted
by the Secretary of War TO the Speaker
of the House and referred to the Com
nittee on Rivers and Harbors These
documents. including the reports of en-
gineers. are here made public for the
first time They are Of great interest
to both Washington and New York.
Both the district officer and the division
engineer believe that there should be an
expenditure OF $500 a year for surveys,
pending the construction OF a bridge.
with a wharf and supply depot within
the inlet
In an elaborate report Capt l. Il
Rand, of the Engineer Corps, points out
that Atlantic City ''as a point OF con
sumption per capita of imported produce
probably has no equal It caters TO
every class from the one-day excursion
list 10 the occupants OF luxurious cot
tages and hotels. There is probably no
point In the United States where the
economies resulting from cheaper trans
portation would be distributed directly
to a larger portion of the citizens OF the
United States. as it is not purely local
resort
Saving I'm Freight.
An estimate is made that the present
annual consumption Of commodities.
/ about $4,000 tons. offers opportunity of
saving nearly s5O0,OO0 a year in freight
charges on articles that could be brought
to Atlantic City as well by water as by
rail-
It is pointed out that several features
Of Atlantic City serve as a reasonable
guaranty of its popularity" These in
clude:
First. the success in catering to all
classes instead of only one or a few,
whether of the exclusive or popular type;
second. the relative convenience and &C.
feasibility TO the two large Eastern cities.
and through them TO the whole country.
without such dangerous proximity as 10
threaten development into q mere resi-
Dental suburb; third, the freedom from
danger of beach pollution. and. fourth,
the heavy investment in through trans
portation lines thither. insuring the MAIN
tenanee OF continuous efforts Of very
thorough organizations in its behalf"
High Rates Charged.
It is pointed out that freight cars COM
ing to Atlantic City full must be returned
empty. This accounts for high freight
rates for the short haul over easy grades.
But il is considered that with deep water
| a shipping port for coastwise traffic
could be developed on the meadows back
OF Atlantic City" But this does not
affect the fact noted that the railroads
into Atlantic City win in the near future
need all or most OF their present freight
terminal facilities for passenger pur-
poses" Conditions do not lend them
selves 10 extensions OF rail terminals. and
1t IS noted Already It Is necessary to
use the streets Of the town for both pas
senger and freight traffic in a way so
highly dangerous as to be justified OILY
by the imperative necessity thereof Any
thing which tends to reduce the freight
traffic In the town directly benefits the
town by such reduction, and, indirectly,
also the railroad by decrease Of traffic
at congested point"
Would Mean Profit.
The report recites that the operation of
one vessel experimentalIy between At
lantic City and New York has already
shown that the demand for such trans
portation was sufficient to guarantee a
profitable business from the day Of start
ing. II has received assurances Of sup
port and patronage from many Of the
largest interests. and these interests are
eagerly awaiting the time when they can
depend upon the boat for the prompt
regular service which the rail lines can
not give between these two cities. The
vessel owners project a line TO carry
both passengers and freight, and have
fixed their freight rates at 50 per cent
Of the railroad rates. The round-trip
passenger rate from New York to At
lsntic City is TO be s250, instead Of the S
rail rate. and If the depth Of water at
the Inlet permits the development (there
is no other bar to IT'D Of such lines as.
for example. ply on the Hudson River.
they will carry passengers in enormous
numbers and effect considerable savings
in the passenger fares paid, as well as in
freight charges.
Owing to the roundabout rail connee-
ton with New York, the boat lines could
approximate to the railroad passenger
time and exceed its comforts and con-
veniences. 1t is understood that the COM
pany now has under way the construc-
ton of a vessel particularly adapted to
its traffic under present conditions. Could
assurances be given that the entrance
channel would be deepened and MAIN
tanned, there is little doubt that ade-
quate capital for the construction and
operation Of the necessary vessels would
be promptly available"
Need Plainly shown.
The report points out that the excellent
fisheries now ship to New York a catch
OF about 1000 tons per season. by rail at
an express rate. But If there were deeper
water over the bar. larger vessels would
make the harbor their headquarters and
could have the advantage of cheaper
water freights to New York, as direct
boat line would make the trip in sufi-
Gent time to handle the fish without fear
of deterioration. The twofold saving. ex-
pense of fishing boats travel to and from
New York and freight on fish shipped.
would in itself justify the undertaking,
at any reasonable cost, OF the improve
ment."
Capt. Rand further declares that since
the commerce to be developed is so ex-
tensive and could effect savings par
ticipated In by such a large proportion OF
the population of the United States, the
inlet is worthy of improvement by the