Evening journal., 1913-02-17
MONDAY. FEB. II. 1918
Why Nor INVITE GAVIN TOMKINsl

- ALVIN TOMKINS. Dock Commissioner Of New
- York. and one OF .Ae foremoSt authorities in the
United States waterfront and port matters, has
written letter the waterfront situation in this city
in which he says:
~ understand you to say that the private interests
seeking special fa,ors have Withdrawn their schemes
for the present and that the United States engineers
viii not counenance the construction aud fiji behind
breaknaer unless for public use That is as II should
be. ! would strongly urge upon you the desirability
OF securing representation both for the city OF VIII
mngton and for the commercial organizations Of your
city in the Conference Of Port Authorities, which
organized here last December. Onicia representation
and associate representation provided for. II you
good official representation Of the city or port
and good representative from the commercial organ
izations aud keep IN touch with what other ports
doing, think you will accomplish for Whining
ION than in any other way With few exceptions all
the seapors of the country alert TO the oppor
iunics confronting them and jealous OF the enter
prising ri,alries other cities. Those cities ports
which provide terminal facilities between the factors
aud carriers are those which will be selected by the
capitalists for industrial development.
"As recall the situation mt Wilmington. IL a0ords
exceptional opportunities for organized public Develop
ment a large scale, and I surprised there did
not Seem TO be general interest taken. Situ-
nted IL is between baltimore and Philadelphia, il
IS highly important from the point OF view OF cnigh-
sef.nteresi that Wilmington should bcsr ITSELF
Anything can do TO assist in proper port develop
ment at Wilmington shall be glad TO undertake. II
invited by the Chamber Of Commerce or by the city
State to participate in dscusson shall be glad TO
take part"
II seems to us that in view Of such letter. from
such man, Il is clearly up 70 LegsIaSure our
City Council and Chamber OF Commerce 10 do
something. Mr.. Tomkins here under the auspices
of the old Board OF Trade. He viewed our waterfront
and, after he had viewed IL said the city should
II, if il had 70 pay stOOOO0O and 10 borrow the
money needed to make the purchase. AZ that time he
did not know that the tiilo TO the 600 acres land
vested in the state and not in private companies.
Here Is an opportunity 70 have the advice of one
OF the distinguished waterfront and port experts
IN the United States lie Is who IL called upon
will express his honest views matter who may be
helped hurt thereby. lie is honest aud practical
and such friend of tho public interest that II he comes
here he cannot be hoodwinked by misrepresentation
BY selfish interests. lie will look at that water
front and the situation Of the city with respect 20 it
scan the plans for thc government bukhead
and fiji; obtain adequate conception Of the prac-
ficai relation which the three railroad lines here could
hold toward such port Development, and then he
VIII gire his verdict sound argument 10 support
II.
He already has said il would pay the city 10 pay
eO00000 for the WATERFRONT and 10 borrow the money
70 pay for IT, What will he say when he learns that
the city get it all and the Federal improvements
added, simply by the passage Of an act by the Legs-
lsturel