Evening journal., 1913-09-25
Remembering the ChrisfIana;
Forgetting the Delaware

JOURNAL.
Sir: One Of Philadelphia's sound.
plain business men. something like
thirty years ago. was walking down
Chestnut street with business
friend when he saw a dashing sporty
looking young man ahead Of them.
Using "a big ID" he said to his friend
'See that fool boy there" and when
his friend replied Eyes" lie said
We'll, that's my SON"
The mental workings OF each indi-
Yidual are wonderful but con
stantly wonderful thing. indeed. is the
composite brain power of the Chamb-
er OF Commerce-or is IL its manlpu-
lation OF certain interests on certain
lines.
In August came to our attention a
remarkable letter from It's recently
adopted department child. the pub
licity manage OF the Chamber of
Commerce. Mr. John S. Hamilton. adj
dressed To "COl. Weller +. Stover. chair
man Councils Finance Committee sug
gestng q 900fcot wharf at the foot Of
Church street, 60 accommodate any Ycs
sels, for wharfage ON the Cbristiana. TO
make Wilmington a sort of call or trade
The publicity manager suggests this for
"any vessels that will use the wider and
deeper Chesapeake and Delaware canal. /"
additional 10 the consideration ito pro-
vide wharf for Jersey produce and the
likc:' "but ! am sure the suggestion to
build wharf which can be also utilized
for q greater Chesapeake and Delaware
canal will appeal 10 YOU, rs it has TO me-
TO be- the proper thing to do at this time
h.. t,ttl.Itntft 80, l.f
Ter.
The Delaware river is absolutely not
mentioned in this remarkable letter
The possibility that the "wider and
deeper Chesapeake and Delaware canal
will probably have TO connect with the
Delaware river is absolutely ignored in
that letter.
II IS 20 wonder, II the publicity de-
partment G. G. forgot entirely, or chose
10 ignore the probability that the ship
ping of the "wder and deeper" canal,
would necessarily use the Delaware
river and would he likely to continue 10
pass on up and down the Delaware river,
/ passing Wilmington Delaware river
! frontage, without q stop. because there
! is there no wharf invitation or terminal
/ facilities, 70 even give the opportunity 10
stop, as the canal shipping and practi-
eally all the Delaware river and hay, and
its foreign shipping, has heretofore
passed.
Truth it is, ignoring the Delaware
river, the headwatcrs of tributary OF
/ the Chrstiana river, flowing through
Beltown run, into and through Batten's
millpond, between our county towns,
| Christine. familiarity so-calcd, aud Glas
/ gov. and through that millpond's outlet
Samples branch. into the Christiana,
has its rise in lower Pencadcr hundred,
not far from the old school house. No.
J 81, and almost reaches and possibly on
/ the same farm. very near to the head
wase Of feeder tributary. Lum's
feeder. or pond, between Glasgow and
Little Jersey. that runs into the (hesa-
peake and Delaware canal; but it IS i'm
possible TO even conceive any possible
connection of the waters Of these two
streams that could send the canal ship
ping pcrforce through The Christiana
river past Wihnington's wharf, (which
can be also utilized for greater Chesa.
peaSe and Delaware canal as Mr.. II
says.
As a Chamber of Commerce pillar
mistakenly aud biasedly said months
AGO. of the Delaware river front
. j mere = HNANlHZ W IT, ~ VI lHA' htiNN
country -Chri-tiana thought, there can
be nothing TO il but backhand remind
er of the Irishmans reply to the Judge
who asked how he got heres And did va
think Oi came over from Orand in a
wagging'
II is a fair guess that # the shipping
doesn't come To Wilmington, by the
Delaware river, il will have TO come b.
"waggin."
But all this river and canal shipping
must, and will 20 past our door on thu
Delaware river unless Wilmington meet
il, and invites it with facilities and ad
vantaecs and inducements, and stops q
on our Delaware river deep waterfront.
The Chamber Of Commerce on Marcl
II last past evidently felt forced. b,
public interest in the waterfront, thei
and since of such agitated interest, &
say something and its special waite
trent committee. Meyers. Warner. Ras
koh and Sparks submitted series o
resolutions, which were adopted by tn
lunch hour meeting of that date. "ius
like a rifle shot. very cutely and yer.
slickly straddling the waterfront inter
est
The first resolution with fair show O
public interest said: "Ihat the city O
Wilmington should own for the beneh
of an people of the city and state sue
portion OF the Delaware river FROM
either north OF south of the Christians
or both, as may be sufficient Tor a
probable future municipal needs, the
with the very frequent sting IN the tai
the last of the sci Of resolutions said
THAT. in view Of the lega uncertain
ties as 10 the rights vested by the bull
head act OF 1901. in the riparian owl
ers and. in view Of the legal an
cortainties that would result In the r.
peal of said act. We are unable to a'
wise as TO the desirabiity Of the repo'
of said act
Then ON April 20 last past. rePol
was submitted 10 the directors of III
Chamber Of Commerce. by. and smpl
signed. according TO the local papers
April 30
Respectfully, River Front Commi
tee which reported "Your commits
would report that Il has made
physical examination of the river iron
- II II Is the desire of the eff
zcns of Wilmington that the city shou
eNpend its own money for port improv
ment feasible plan is possible
the Christiana river. below the r., Il.
w. bridge TO care for vesse
drawing not more than p feet T
vessels Of a deeper draft. the river frol
south If the Christiana Il the mo
available. a. the much shorter distan
from fast land 10 deep water W
A. r,.rt.r,, II >trr.