Evening journal., 1912-06-17
A TIMELY LETTER.

n HARLEs s. GAWTHRoP district manager for the
~ American Car and Foundry Company. has writ
ten to the Wilmington Board Of Trade very sensible
letter on the imperative for the construction of
wharf on the Delaware river opposite city We
take pleasure in laying it before readers. There
Is question that Wilmington needs wharf on the
Delaware river waterfront In fact It needs several
wharves attract the waterborne TO which
IT is entitled But when IL gets them It must get them
right and not as part Of scheme to permit the VII
mington Terminal Company and It's associates to
plot citys waterfront by the use Of Federal and
city funds The letter which Mr. Gawthrop has sent to
the Board Of Trade. as follows, and commend
It 70 the careful perusal Of all readers
with reference to the water facilities Of this port
we are very much hampered by reason Of the limit
of draught OF the vessels that get to wharf
and I anticipate the present difficulty s going to be
most considerably increased as soon as the Panama
Canal is opened
AT the present time in bringing our lumber in from
the gulf ports. are continually hampered because
the vessels that offer shippers the low
the larger ones and the larger carrying schooners
many masters object laying their vessels heavily
loaded with timber particularly with deck load the
bottom as is necessary here That is to say, take
vessels drawing % feet Of bring her up
10 our wharf food tide she will rest very heavy
on the bottom al low water, under certain conditions.
With extremely low water, there is risk Of damage
to the vessel; risk that would not the
vessel ahoat at all stages Of the tide
Immediately upon the opening OF the Panama
Canal, this gulf port lumber viii be replaced very
largely by lumber from the Pacific coast and vessels,
ships IN place of schooners for obvious These
steamships being built of steel there would be much
objection TO lying the bottom low water the
difficulty from this would be much more considerable
than In the Of a wooden schooner. do not an
ticpae that will be able attract any Of this
vessel wharf unless have very much more
ter than at present Another serious objection with
the Chrisana for this sort of vessel the that
could not turn around We widely interested
therefore, not only in getting every thing done
TO the Christiana, but in getting, addition wharf
the Delaware river
The foregoing does not consider export trade
Seventyhve TO ninety per cent of the built here
shipped outside the United States by water and
so far this method Of shipment is concerned Will
mineon Is no more seaport than is Harrisburg Pa.
Indeed, the conditions of the two cities is very SINH
lar because the freight on this material from
Harrisburg to New York is quite low from Will
mington TO New York"
Mr. Gawthrop is only Of thousands of persons IN
Wilmington who realize the prime necessity for our
city obtaining the benefit of the complete utilization o
the Delaware riverfront. We have pointed out re-
peatedly that II our city is have its share Of the
coastVise and deepsea commerce passing up down
the Delaware, must have a pier system on the
riverfront That does not mean however that thai
pier system is TO be financed with Federal and city
funds and then turned over to private exploitere
who might put city and It's commerce at the mercy
of a Waterfront Trust There. is better way thar
courts being unconstitutional or repealed by tn,
Legislature. Then city would be in position tt
have real waterfront administered for the benen
Of city and its citizens and not for that of small
group Of spectators