The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-05-08
PHILADELPHIA AS A PORT
PHILADELPHIA, Nav z

hAAb'NaPhAoI h"y
We are aware of the advan-
tages of your port, and you may rest
assured that we are prepared to de-
rive as much benefit as we can"
This response, by Funch, Edge &
Company, agent for twenty steam
ship lines, was one of the several
replies that have been received in
answer to a general letter by Mayor
| Blankenburg to fifty-five foreign
steamship companies, calling their
attention to the benefits to accrue
| from making Philadelphia a termin.
| al port for some of their steamers
and suggesting to those that already
have established connections here
the advantages of sending more yes.
sells to this port.
The letter marks the opening of a
vigorous campaign by Mayor Blank.
enburg and Director George W. Nor.
ris, of the Department of Wharves
and Docks, to make Philadelphia
and through it Pennsylvania, a dis.
tributing point for a larger foreign
trade, and at the same time tC
create for this states manufactures
and products a broader and more
profitable market.
Both the Mayor and the Director
regard the replies as extremely en-
couraging, for they indicate a deep
er appreciation of the Port of Phila-
delphia by foreign steamship lines
and reflect the increasing tendency
of foreign trade toward Philadel-
phia as the logical north Atlantic
port for future expansion in inter
national commerce.
f. q. Drake, vice-president of the
Panama Railroad Company, which
maintains a steamship service on
| both oceans, wrote:
have already recommended to
the directors of the company that
they continue the service to this
port inaugurated by the California
Atlantic Steamship Company, which
we were obliged to discontinue, ow-
ing to conditions which in no wise
reflect on the port of Philadelphia. -
Mayor Blankenburg's letter read
Permit me TO call your attention
to the advantages of the city OF
Philadelphia as a seaport. Kindly
give this letter your earnest consid-
Grafton.
philadelphia is distant from the
Miles
New York is distant from the
Antwerp is distant from the ocean So
Hamburg is distant from the
ocean .......... ......... 80
" Freight by water, from foreign
ports, costs no more to Philadelphia
than to New York. On the other
hand, Philadelphia is so miles nearer
by land to the great West, South
west and South than is the city OF
New York, while the rate of freight
from Philadelphia is from 60 cents
to $1.20 per ton less than it is from
New York.
Passenger rates are as follows:
First
class Immi,
passenger. grant
New York to Chicago $4,000 $500
Philadela to Chicago 1875 1876
And to other points in proper
ton.
Another decided advantage in
favor of Philadelphia is that steam.
ers discharge their inward cargoes
of merchandise and also load theiI
outward cargoes at wharves or
which the cars of the trunk line rail
roads are run direct. This avoids
lighterage and furnishes the most
| direct expeditions and economic
transfer and interchange of import
and export traffic possible to obtain
| between ocean carriers and inland
carriers. Water carriage is cheaper
than that by rail, therefore Philadel
phia, being 100 miles farther in.
land than New York, delivers traf
fic intended by the ocean carrier
say, for Chicago, that much nearer
its final destination, and the
through rate is therefore lower
while delivery of shipments takes
less time.
THE channel of the Delaware
River is now being deepened by the
national Government until it shall
be 35 feet deep. The Delaware l!
$500 feet wide and its fresh watel
is of the highest excellence for boil
er purposes; it clears the bottoms O
! steamers from barnacles, thus re
| ducing the number of bookings nee
essary to clear their bottoms.
The city of Philadelphia is now
| building new WharYes and docks
These wharves and docks will be fol
rent, when completed, at figures only
a fraction of what would be charged
for the same facilities in New York
1T would please me and the au
thorities of our city if you would
decide to make Philadelphia a ter,
minal port for at least some of your
steamers or to increase their mum
| Der If you already use this city as q
| terminal. ! have no doubt you
would soon ascertain that this eX
pertinent would prove to be a paying
I n %
/ give me pleasure to hear from you
and to enter into further details anG
to give you further information il
6aSirad -