Evening journal., 1913-10-10
BENEFITS OF
FREE CANAL
MADE CLEAR
]. Hampton Moore Sees Op-
position to c. 6 D. Water
way Project While Opti-
miStiC
ANSWERS OBJECTIONS
OF BALTIMORE BANKERS


optimistic of the eventual purchase by
the Government of the Chesapeake
and Delaware Canal and its full open
ing to commerce.
Mr. Moore says:
with the approach of the Jackson
Vile Convention Of the Atlantic Deep
or Waterways Association, and the
recent inspection of the Chesapeake
and Delaware Canal by representa-
lives from New York, New Jersey
Pennsylvania, Delaware. Maryland
and Virginia, who held an enthusiastic
waterway meeting on the banks of the
canal September 17th interest in the
Atlantic Deeper Waterways Assocl-
atoms project Is increasing. The
favorable reports Of the United States
Army engineers upon both the north
ern and southern links of this con-
tinuous chain have also brought the
whole subject 10 such public notice
as to do Just exactly what ia always
to be expected when the goal is in
sight-arouse opposition.
Thus far the seven years campaign
of the Atlantic Deeper Waterways AS
ISOLATION has been conducted with
- comparative freedom from adverse
comment. The distinguished Delaware
4etatesman, George Gray. when
limited States Senator. said in effect
that the chief danger In the matter OF
free waterway from the Chesapeake
10 the Delaware Bays, which in effect
4means from Florida 10 New England
4lay in the fact that everybody APP
&proved H. The inference was that
tit was nobody's business 70 demand
the removal Of this barrier between
two thriving sections Of the country
because il was everybody's business.
The Atlantic Deeper Waterways As
ISOLATION has undertaken to make the
opening of this passage way a part OF |
It's business in securing a safe inside 1
rpassaee for vessels engaged in com
tmerce along the Atlantic Coast The |
tresolutions Of the Conventions of the /
tAssociation approved the removal of
fthis barrier as the very next step in 4
rfhis important program of commercial |
fdevelopment. The necessity for this |
Improvement. now fully supported by |
the War Department and by COM
mercial bodies, viii be emphasized at
the jacksonville Convention. We are
ready to put the matter squarely up
. 10 Congress and the prospects of
: favorable consideration at this time
are exceedingly bright.
Hence the opposition Is beginning
10 take notice. Baltimore bankers see
Hgeat danger In the opening Of the
p Is miles of waterway from the Della
ware River to the Chesapeake Bay
because the fish and oysters in the
n Chesapeake might be affected by sew
age from the Northern States Hea-
ven ssve the mark They have come
TO 2 sad pass indeed who would retain
tie old canal with its waters all lock
Fcd up within its gates for indefinite /
$ passage way by a flow of clean wa
b ter from one great bay TO another
3 We commend the health preserving /
2 bankers of Baltimore to the Chicago
Drainage Canal and submit that a
sea level waterway, such as we pro-
pose TO have between the Chesapeake /
and Delaware BAYS viii promote |
rather than retard the public health |
and will not destroy a single oyster
y nor disturb a minnow Scratch the
surface OF the ground upon which the
Baltimore bankers stand and II will
doubtless be found that the reduction
Of railroad freights as proposed by
the free waterway is the real cause
of the trouble. Scratch again and II
may be found that a special and to
some extent a private project capital
lzed at a million or thereabouts. TO
cut across the Delmarvia Peninsula
may feel that 1t should be taken in.
Both Of these suggestions are made
and ought to be weighed by bankers
who are so solicitous for the welfare
81 the little fishes in Chesapeake Bay
But sadder than all is the opposition
which is being stirred up by the ledger
& Dispatch, of Norfolk Norfolk, the north
I'm terminus of the southern spur II the
Atlantic deeper waterways protest, now
written in the law for the freeing ui
he North Carolina sounds and cnnols sc
hat Southern business may find
Y Northern outlet The Ledger Dispatch
which has been grouchy upon this sub
iect since the great success Of the Nor
Il folk convention of the Atlantic Deeper
= Waterways Association approving The
X sntire scheme and exulting over South
= ern prospects with Northern oonncc
4 lions, may not be Influenced by the rail-
4 roads and the railroad owned steamships
y which have pretty firm grip on Nor
folk. but il is actuated by the fear that
X Philadelphia and Baltimore, by opening
= trade to Norfolk inland may be put
" ting one over on that enterprising city
b of the South We'll let MS see. Shippers
who know their business tell us that
with q free waterway inland from the
Delaware river 90 Hampton Roads and
Norfolk there will be n saving Of freight
rates on coal of at least % cents n ton.
They tell rs that ON fertilizer. which
comes from the North 20 Norfolk in
large quantities. the rate would be IS
cents per ton, or 80 cents less per tom
than the present rate. and this without
any loss Of profit TO the carrier They
tell us that pig iron can be shipped 20
Norfolk At a saving of from 30 TO IS
cents per ton. That lumber. which comes
up from Norfolk and other Southern
points for consumption in the Northern
States, could be shipped at saving of
at least 50 cents per thousand feet That
4 pulp wood could be shipped for 50 cents
& per cord less than il is today, and that
railroad ties could be forwarded by tn,
Norfolk operators at cents per tie les.
than the present rate.
Virginia and Norfolk are interest
ed in Pocahontas and New Rive
canals They are interested in lum
her all Of which they have 10 sell
The opening of free waterway TO tn
North would mean increased ship
ments from Southern points and low
er rates 10 consumers generally. In
less there IS a determination to stan'
still and put up with existing
freight rates and shipping conditions
+ pray what has Norfolk or any othe
city along the Atlantic coast line. q