Evening journal., 1915-01-18
AFTER Sl.5OO,OOO
FOR THE Delaware
Pennsylvania Legislature
Will be Asked to ApprOpri-
ate Money For Work
GOVERNMENT AID
ALSO IS SOUGHT

WASHINGTON. Jan. 1S.--Pennsyl-
vania Congressman recognize that the
commerce Of the State and expansion
of its vast industries in foreign trade
opened by the Panama Canal will
suffer greatly by the depth Of the Del
aware River channel. which does not
allow all big vessels TO enter Philadel-
phia. In order to accentuate this con-
dition and achieve some permanent
benefits in the next Congress, it has
been proposed to start a movement
here to induce the Pennsylvania Leg
islature and Philadelphia Councils to
appropriate $1,5O0.O00 provided the
Federal Government will duplicate
that amount or the amount necessary
TO complete the 35-foot channel in
1915-16.
Governor-elect Brumbaugh in his
speech here before the Pennsylvania
members and members-elect, more
than a month ago, offered his influ-
ence in the upbuilding of the port.
The Republican State platform is also
pledged to the same end and the
movement for combined State and
Federal aid therefore, has the ap-
prOval of those able to make it sue
cessful.
Representative George w. Edmonds.
of Philadelphia, said today, that the
only way to hasten the completion of
the 35-foot channel was by arousing
the interest of both governments and
the business men in Philadelphia. The
recent action of the Navy Department
in prohibiting. the 19,000-ton colliers
from entering the Delaware, he said,
meant more TO the port in the future
business than any single thing that
has happened in years. He sees a loss
in selling coal to Panama, as the only
way coal can be transported. with
profit, TO Panama, is in the large col
liers.
1T is my opinion that Pennsyl-
vania members of Congress and those
who will serve in the next session
should take up this subject IN eau
GUS" said Mr.. Edmonds, "and get be-
yond well-thought-out plans to be
used in the next Congress. 1t seems
to me that both Philadelphia and the
Pennsylvania Legislature should
make appropriations for the Della
ware River. ghe entire State would
benefit by such an expenditure and
the money could not be expended in
any way that would be more useful
tc the industries of the State.
"I would suggest that if the Penn
sylvania Legislature and Philadel-
phia made an appropriation of $780,
000 on condition that the Federar
Government should duplicate that
a..
complete the 35-foot channel by 1916,
the movement for a Greater Philadel-
phia would be realized quicker by such
action than by many of the other
things proposed for the welfare OF
the city.
While / have not talked in any
definite way with my colleagues,
abelieve that there would be no op-
position to the Pennsylvania delega-
tion going on record and preparing
for a fight TO have the 35-fOot chan
ncl completed by 1916 This is a
suggestion also that ought to be
taken up at once by the city authori-
ties and the Philadelphia members OF
the Pennsylvania Legislature"
The plans of the army engineers
call for the completion of the 35-foot
channel in the next five years. In that
time the other ports will have es-
tablished trade in South America and
Philadelphia fight for trade in Latin
America will be next to impossible.
IG is desirable from ,rade point OF
view to have the channel depend to
80 feet as soon as possible SO that
Philadelphia viii be on an equal foot
ing with other cities.
In the last four years the average an
nual appropriation for the channel hai
been 81 100000 The appropriation ear
ried in this years bill is for 81 100000
with no authority for continuing con
tracts
Representative j. Hampton Moore
who has been investigating thl
condition of the Delaware river as De
veloped by the attitude of the Navy De
partment in prohibiting big colliers com
ing to Philadelphia, will place Inv th
Congressional Record today letters fron
Philadelphia interests refuting th
statement that the channel is unsafe fo
boats drawing % feet of water In thi
connection he said;
81 submit that port which does al
annual business of more than 26O0OOO
tons, valued at 81 100000 600 as port o
/ Philadelphia did on the Delaware rive
] la 1O1g IL entitled 40 opnaronu eonafdof