Norwich bulletin., 1911-03-11

general assembly Of 1909 to lnVeSt1- gate and report concerning the inn provement of rivers and harbors with in the state, made it's report Thurs day to the legislature. The commits sion appointed by the governor under the act creating it consisted of Ed ward H. Warner of Hartford chair man; Oliver Gildersleeve of Portland, Richard T. Crane, 3d, of Bridgeport, Frank V. Chappell of New London and H. T. Parme1ee of New Haven, all of whom sign the report except MT. Parmelee, who could not be reach ed,' owing to his being in Europe. The commission reports the results of it's investigations and makes important recommendations, favoring the crea- ton of the office of state engineer, recommending=a permanent rivers and harbors commission. and defining it's duties, and declaring its opinion that a municipality desiring to establish public wharves should have the right of condemnation for such purpose. The report, in part, follows:
 Introductory.
 The rivers and harbors commission created primarily to investigate and report upon the condition of Connec- ticut waterways, and to make such recommendations as seem advisable. was not limited to the discussion of that one subject; hence, after dealing with those subjects 1t has been deemed advisable-after due deliberation-to append to this report a sub-report, well illustrated, dealing with the man. ner in which European waterways are developed, hoping to show the made quacy of our present system in an interesting and instructive manner.
 That Connecticut is bountifully en- dowed with water courses will at once be recognized by everyone, yet to those who have given close attention to the matter 1t is obvious that we little realize of what immense advantage our waterways may become, not only to our coastwise but internal commerce if 1ntelligently improved, wisely oper- ated and judiciously administered. Our intent is to enlighten the people of Connecticut on this tremendously im- portant subject to the best of our abll- ity, and as well as possible with the small means we have at hand.
 While Connecticut is one of the na- t1on's smallest states, yet her posi- ton in the manufacturing realm is one of great importance, which is con- clusively shown by the value of her manufactured product which reached the enormous sum of $215,1o6,15O dur ing the year 1900, thus making the state rank eighth among the states of the Union. In that year the popula- ton of Connecticut was 90S.420; hence when it is realized that the state ranks thirty eighth in point of agricul- ture, we are at once face to face with the fact that we are essentially a manufacturing community; but again remembering our area to be but 4,845 square miles, we sea conclusively that our destinieS are to associated with the art of creation and that the ma- jority oe our people are to draw their sustenance through the medium of the that we shall hold the position accord ed us by our industry, it is eminently fitting for us to begin to conserve our natural resources, to adopt a policy to be pursued in future years that will give us that opportunity which we shall surely need, of maintaining our prominence as home for manufac- turers.
 While the capital invested and the manufactured product increased during the first half of the past decade. yet in eight of our leading industries we de- equaled. and passed Connecticut in these same industries. At least one large Connecticut manufacturing con- cern has located plant in the west within the last few years and others contemplating such move are known to this commission. It is obvious that these manufacturers would not seek new locations if they could market their product satisfactorily from Con- necticut so as to compete with the western manufacturer who is nearer the raw material and has better ship ping facilities at hand.
 Having noted the changes wrought in the period used for example, is it not conclusive that the time has ar- rived when we must make use of the waterways with which nature has so bountiful1y endowed us, to their fullest extent and make it possible to offer every inducement within our power to the manufacturer that is here, to stay. and to induce others come within our bounds?
 Thames River.
 Connecticut has water area of 145 square miles. It has three well-known rivers, all of which are navigable to a greater or less extent These rivers, flowing southerly into Long Island sound, almost divide the state into four equal parts. and from east to west are the Thames, Connecticut and Hous- atomic. The Thames is a tidal river to Norwich and has depth of twenty feet for ten miles to A1lynS Point (the Thames is formed by the confluence of the Yantic and Shetucket rivers, whose tributary watersheds extend in- to Massachusetts; these streams have many developed water powers which are of great benefit to the industries of the immediate section) thence to Norwich, five miles further, the depth IS fourteen rect. 4Hc rlVGr ranges ITOIQ four hundred to three thousand feet in width. The commerce is princi- pa11y coal, lumber. cotton, wool and steamboat freight and amounted to 497,725 tons for the year 1909. valued at $7619,010.
 The work done by the federal gov ernment on the river has reduced the cost of transportation in that it now permits vessels of sixteen to eighteen feet draft to navigate it instead of eight feet, as heretofore. and channel conditions are maintained at smaller expense, owing to the absence of ex- treme high water. Unquestionably this river is in the best condition of any of the states waterways. It is more a tidal estuary than a river, and as ii broadens out it also increases in depth At New London, joining with the Sound, it forms magnificent harbor, which has few equals, If any, on the