The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-04-17
WILL BENEFIT THE STATE.
Proposed improvements on the Del
aware.
Philadelphia, Pa, April 10.

Philadelphia, Pa, April 10.
In the introduction of an ordin-
ance in Councils to appropriate $50,-
600 for the purpose of employing
engineering experts and the outlining
of a comprehensive plan for develop
ing the port facilities at Philadel-
phia, the first steps have been TAX
en- toward the carrying out of extern
sive improvements which are being
projected on the basis that the Port
of Philadelphia is the port of Penn
sylvania, and should, therefore, be
developed to a capacity for handling
all of this States import and export
trade.
The fund is to be placed at the
disposal of George w. Norris, Direc-
tor of the Department of Wharves
and Docks, and under his direction
systematic program Is to be work
ed out, the most important features
being recommendation as to reclaim
alton and improvement of land for
additional water frontage, types of
new piers, and the best methods for
transferring cargoes from vessels to
the trunk line railroads.
The initiative thus taken by Coun-
ellis to develop the Port of Philadel-
| phia to the almost unlimited com
mercial capacity that it's geographi-
cal advantages make possible is re-
| garded by those interested in the
Port as virtually pledging the muni-
| cipality to the fulfillment of the rec
concentrations that may be made.
Such a systematic plan has been
| followed by other ports in solving
similar problems, and the chief OBJ
| ject of the ordinance is understood
to be to eliminate any haphazard
work which might only partially
meet the needs, and which, if hastily
effected without due regard for fut-
ure developments, might prove later
to have been an almost useless ex-
penditure.
The general recognition now of the
| fact that the improvement of port fa-
cilities at Philadelphia is by no
means a merely local question, but
one which, because of the broad in
| terests it involves, is of equal or even
greater importance to the whole OF
| Pennsylvania, has added the support
of State and national as well as city
officials to the movement.
United States Senator Penrose
plainly indicated his attitude toward
the port when, in a recent address
promising his efforts to have the
Federal appropriation of 81, 1000
for 35-foot channel work increased
to $4,000, 900, he said:
I take it that we all owe loyal
support in the great work of de-
veloping our river facilities. The
Governor of this Commonwealth
could not do a better thing than tC
| in IN hiof IN nrt IF
delphia is, legauy and practically, the
port of Pennsylvania. 1t belongs to
the citizens of the whole Common
wealth and all are directly interested
in it's developments. If, through his
help, the next Legislature could be
induced to make an appropriation
| (and l will not be frightened at the
amount) that will help to bring
about a fruition of the plans which
the Mayor and his Director OF
Wharves and Docks have in mind,
for one will gladly aid toward that
end"
The first steps in this direction
have been toward placing the whole
subject in the hands of a body of eX
perts empowered to outline a definite
program. Vast expenditures abroad
where the development of port facili
ties has been carried out upon g
more extensive scale than in any
American port, with the exception oi
the Port of New York, have, almost
without exception, been under the
guidance of a body of experts who
gave their entire time to the study
of all phases of the problems in
volved.
In Liverpool, where S150,OOO,OOC
has been spent in port improve
ments, and where projected improve.
ments will entail the expenditure oi
$50, 100000 more, the work has
been carried on by the Mersey Docks
and Harbor Board.
In the last decade American ports
have adopted similar methods for &C.
complishing their unprecedented ex,
pansion. A $9,000,000 initial ap,
preparation by the State of Massa.
chusetts for the further develop,
ment of the Port of Boston has been
placed in the hands of a recently.
created Board of Harbor Commits.
sioners. Connecticut has also estab,
lished a State Board to report how
the best results may be had in the
expenditure of a $1,OOO,OO0 State
appropriation for improving the har'
Dor and port of New London.
In Seattle, Wash, where the peo
pie in a special election recently ap
proved an $S,00O,00O bond issue fol
port development, a separate corpor
ate body was created, known as the
Port District, governed by the Por
Commission. And on the Gulf The
Commissioners of the Port of New
Orleans superintended the expendi
ture of $4,250,O00.
Several tentative plans for the
comprehensive development of the
Port of Philadelphia have already
been suggested, and it is in response
to the widespread interest and ac
tivity in behalf of these projects that
Philadelphia Councils have taken the
initiative to secure the earliest posi-
BILE results along a consistent plan
each development of which Is to be
! taken m as raDidlV as money be