Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-01-19
BOSTON'S MIRACLE OF
PORT DEVELOPMENT
Harbor Became the Fifth Busiest in the
World in Two Years--Shipping In
creased 5 Per Cent, Passenger Traffic
43 Per Cent.
Bv BURTON KLINE


THREE years ago Boston decided upon the
Il improvement of its port. The long fore
lock of great opportunity having hove in
sight, the forelock was seized. The capacities
Of New York harbor were notoriousy over
taxed. Larger and larger ships were being
built-more than New York could spare the
space to accommodate. A mass Of foreign
trade big enough to divide was growing
steadily to even larger proportions. Alto
gether it was propitous season for Boston
to step in and make an effort to seize some
! of this foreign commerce for herself while
the selling was good.
Does any one truly appreciate what a step
was taken in the mere reaching of this de-
cision? Did you ever improve port?
The dredging of port, the building Of
new docks, the entcing of new trade, calls
| for something more than the expenditure of
money and talk. Immediately it was planned
to build new piers and lay out new railroad
connections, great numbers Of people with
dock lands, or with property that would be
made trebly valuable by the building of adja-
cent docks came forward with offers Of sale.
Some of these public spirited citizens have
pull. Others have property that will be
spoiled by the building OF nearby docks
Their land is entirely too valuable to be
seized for such vulgar purposes. The new
railroad connections to be laid down will cut
through other property that at once assumes
gigantic value in the eyes of its owners.
Harder Than Panama Canal
A Gargantuan welter of conflicting opin-
ion, and interest and argument arises
on all sides Every great public work
I, If be
Panama Canal is simple in comparison.
That public convenience cut through
such soft material as earth and rock. To
improve a port you have to dig through
something solder than that. 1t is a Panama
Canal driven through prejudice, through OBJ
stinacy, through greed through a thousand
and one human wills, beside which granite
Is as putty.
So you gain some notion Of how huge was
the step which Boston took three years ago,
when it reached the point merely of deciding
that the Boston port should be enlarged and
improved. Yet that was only the beginning
of the trouble.
Boston port was formerly under the super
vision of the Harbor and Land Commission. |
Its duties were broad, too broad. The i'm |
provement of port calls for a board Of ex- |
pert zealots, with nothing to do but improve |
a port. Five port directors were accordingly |
appointed, under special law; and, wonder of
wonders n truly capable man was found for
head of them. Even those whose experience
Of employment is restricted to the hire of
household servants, know how scarce a COM
modify is just plain common capabity. So
the Board of Port Directors set to work upon
Boston.
SelEMade Boston
to them. Nature has always frowned upon
Boston. Most people have the fancy that
Boston is the creation of some superhuman
Power Nothing of the sort. The strongest
link Boston has with the rest of Americans
that it is self made. You had better whisper
this in Boston. But it is true Nature never
designed Boston to be a great port fitted for
the navies of the world. Consequently Bos-
ton will one day be such harbor. Bos-
tonians have done everything in their power
to spoil Boston as a port. They have stuck
up grain elevators, freight Sheds railroad
yards at strong strategic points to insure
their failure. From Quincy to Waltham,
across Boston, 1t is a journey Of but a few
miles. If you try to ship crate of lemons
that distance by freight, the distance is well
over hundred miles. Think of it,
Motor anywhere about Boston for some
miles, and you will mark a marvellous aggre-
cation Of beautiful buildings, ornamented in
The highest style of architecture, equipped in
he most scientific manner. There is nothing
ike it in the country. Are these buildings
actorles? Canneries? They are canneries
1nly in the slang sense. They are State Re-
ormatores, State Insane Asylums, State
Hospitals and Refugees and Homes for the
Aged and INDECENT. Boston even pensions
iecrepit horses
Laughed to Scorn
Well, these institutions cost money. High
axes are necessary to provide for their
maintenance They are the reason why there
8 freight tunnel under Boston. No belt
inc. And such laggard port development as
Boston had till three years ago, The first
hing the Boston Port Directors did was to
six for a modest S5O,OOOOOO. Merely by way
f beginning business They were laughed to
corn. The lame, the halt and the blind were
ating up the States money Nothing like
so, 100000 was Forthcoming,
How would you like TO be Port Director
n Boston? But now see what has been
ccomplished with Boston harbor
In themselves, the naked figures that rep
esent Bostons port development thus far
re not imposing With this background of
however, they look stupendous.
If course the war, in stopping trade has
emporarily halted the plans of the board.
his board. created by law in 1911, has built
he Commonwealth Pier the biggest and best
sa aaanper and fraigbf pier fr, tha world II |