Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-04-11
TRADE OyERRUNS
MUNICIPAL PIERS
AS FAST AS BUILT
No. 16, Leased One Week,
Carries 5000 Tons
of Freight
BIG PLANS FOR FUTURE
Director Webster Declares City
Doesn't "Blow" Enough
on Progress
Photographs Illustrating this article on
pictorial page.

Photographs illustrating this article on
pictorial page.
The impetus given to shipping by the
recent leasing of municipal pier No. 16 a
week ago. has indicated in a striking
manner the value of harbor development
for Philadelphia. In seven days after the
pier was leased to the Pennsylvania Rail-
road, 1t carried 5000 tons of merchandise
and was loading 340O-ton steamship
Every indication points to a future activity
which will result in the storage on the
pier being maintained at this maximum
figure.
ut is curiously true" today said D-
rector George S. Webster. of the Depart
ment of Whatves, Dock and Ferries. that
we Philadelphans seem to be unaware Of
the immense value. of the improvements
being made in this city. We do not ap.
pear to realize the Importance Of the lat
est municipal plans for development
Other cities would boast of the same
activity until the whole country heard
OF It's remarkable achievements but Phil.
adelphia has not appeared to grasp the
value of systematic advertising of its ad.
vantages
HAMBURG'S GROWTH CITED
"The development of the river front IL.
1ustrates in striking manner the value
of municipal improvements PHILADELPHIA
has recently leased pier No. 16 to the
Pennsylvania Railroad at a yearly rental
OF 100000. This sum represents approx.
imately 4 per cent of the construction
cost of the pier. That in itself Is worthy
Of notice.
"The city of Hamburg. Germany. in the
year preceding the outbreak Of the Euro.
pean war, with IA foreign commerce of ST.
in bar
ments, S115,000000 The annual port rev.
enues of that city were S1,5OO,O0O, or 1.3
per cent.
"The latest piers constructed by Phila.
delphia, Nos. 16 3S and 80 South, are
bringing into the City Treasury a yearly
return of per cent on the construction
costs. Nor is this all. Since they have
been leased they have constantly been
filed with freight amounting in the case
of the two later piers, of 10000 tons. This
merchandise and food has been contin.
ually moving. What this means to the
greater development of the business of
this port / need hardly mention.
ut is impossible to estimate the value
of these piers as the distributing centre
of freight. Millions of dollars Of all kinds
of commodities are passing through them
yearly This circulation of freight repre-
sents in the civic development very much
what the circulation of blood means to
the development of the human body. It's
value cannot be easily overestimated.
'"rhe necessity for good piers is illus
trated by the rapidity with which pier
No. 16 became a point of great activity.
About n week ago this pier was leased
to the Pennsylvania Railroad. Immedi-
ately Il became active. Today 1t Is loaded
with approximately 5000 tons of freight
awaiting the vessels in which II is to be
transported. Yesterday the Fukoko Maru,
a Japanese steamship of 3i20 net tons,
docked there. and is now loading In the
meantime, every space left vacant by the
removal of the ships cargo is being piled
? high with new freight for future ship
ment.
"Philadelphia's harbor developments
are greatly needed. We could use today
every available space for new piers This
department hopes to obtain sufficient
funds in the new loan bill to erect piers
along the entire river front from South
wark to Bridesburg The locations in
which they will he built are between Race
and Arch sire the Southwark section,
to which one more pier win be added;
KensingtOn by the enlargement of Penn
Treaty Park: Allegheny avenue, Bridge
street, and at another point to be pur-
chased in the central section Of the city.
t5f READY FOR NEW TRADE
EVERY pier erected or to be erected In
q this city VIII De utilized to the maximum.
The recently leased pier, No. l6, is rented
, by the month When conditions become
more nearly normal in shipping and new
lines come to this port. they will find
Philadelphia's municipal piers at their
disposal.
THE erection of municipal piers here
means benefits In every direction. Not
alone are they paying investments. but
they are feeders to commerce, which is
the basis Of national prosperity. For
this reason they are being constructed
and maintained. Philadelphia should feel
proud of her harbor improvements and
should speak TO the world in no uncertain
tones OF her advantages"