Evening journal., 1913-09-04
THURSDAY SEPT. a. 1913.
THE CANAL AND THE WATERFRONT.

TAT ITH the Chamber of Commerce, the Waterfront
W Association and the Mercantile Association. all
Of this city. cooperating with the Atlantic Deeper
Waterways Association in support of the movement to
have the Federal Government purchase improve, ana
throw open as a free waterway the Chesapeake and
Delaware canal this Peninsula, nigh, satis
factory results should be obtained. All Whining
tonians and particularly those who believe in the
commercial future Of city should attend the mass
meeting to be held in Eden Hall in this city Sep
tember 10 to crysalize public sentiment in favor Of
the canal purchase.
There has been a steady growth Of sentiment in this
and other states that no time should be lost in pur-
chasing the canal and making 1t important link in
the grea: chain of inland waterways extending from
Boston North Carolina. The purchase has been re-
commended by the Chief Engineer OF the War De-
partment and also by the Secretary of War, md the
only thing needed Affirmative action by Congress ana
the President It to be taken for granted that
sooner later. such favorable action will be taken
The sooner it and the sooner our city has
municipality and muncipallycontrolled water
front on the Delaware the sooner the people Of this
community will feel the beneficial effect of increased
water-horne commerce.
No time should be lost in purchasing the canal and
establishing the waterfront city is losing good
business every day because of the lack of suitable
facilities for handling that passes and
down the Delaware and that viii not be diverted into
the christena river With the deep-sea and coastwise
traffic already passing doors without stopping
with the boats that pass through the canal, it Is
owned and operated today passing us by and touching
Chester and Philadelphia; with the inland water
way partly completed and the canal be
opened to the commerce of the world. Il
that Wilmington do something obtain It's share of all
that commerce. While there Is no question that the
public ownership and control of the Chesapeake and
Delaware canal will he good thing for the public,
It will do little good TO Wilmington unless it be met
by our city with terminal facilities the Delaware.
The experience of the past and of today shows that
vessels which ply on the Delaware will not come in to
us. Common-sense dictates that our city go out to
them We have plenty of water and plenty of water
front but woefully lacking in piers and ships.
So far Wilmingtonans are concerned. they should
look upon the Chesapeake and Delaware canal acquisi
ton the Delaware river acquisition a.
being linked inseparahly. Unless they be linked and
unless we have piers and terminal facilities on the
Delaware, the public ownership OF that canal will do
little nothing for city, although It will be or
benefit to those sections of Peninsula through
which it passes. At the same time think it is the
duty Of Wilmington and wilmingtonians to assist IN
forwarding the canal purchase movement even though
it will city little good unless it be accompanied
by frontage for this city the Delaware to take
Of traffic that has and never will use tho
christiana to any appreoiable extent Through a
short-sighted moss-back and selfish policy we have
been, SO far big is concerned an inland
city although municipal boundaries run out into
fAorld
Deepsea trafhc passes every day and never stops
coastvise traffic passes every day and seldom
stops.
Chesapeake and Delaware canal traffic is passing ur
and down the Delaware daily and got none of it.
II will be SEEN therefore, that with the mouth of tho
chrstsna river wide open with ships OF all sorts
pas sing up and down the Delaware and never puttns
their into the Chrisana how foolish it is tc
indulge in hot air oratory about great benefit tina
Is to be derived from the purchase unless tha
hot air oraory be backed by a determination tc
60 out on the shore of the Delaware river nercep
and capture that traffic that Philadelphia Chester
Trenton and other places now are getting
The lamp Of experience shows that if ours is to be il
important maritime city It never can COM
through policy that is founded upon the Christian,
and the Brandywine and that loses sight entirely o
the advantages of the Delaware Under the Christian
and Brandywine policy should get no more com
mercc with the Delaware and Chesapeake canal owne
ty he government than get now with it owned b
private interests The thing needed is waterf-on.
the Delaware