Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1916-11-16

After the luncheon at the meeting
Of the Chamber of Commerce of DC
,ober 3. of this year. d member said.
Il came to Wilm ngfon over forty
years ago. and there vas then great
az tation as to the improvement OF
the rivers and the water fronts to Sc
cure the advantages OF water trans
pOrtation.
Before and after this forty years
ago there has been many futile CT
forts to obta public wharves and
docks. There have been waterfront
development associations and mum
erous meetings and resolutions Of
civic bodies all Of VIII ch have come
to naught.
a history oil these efforts to benefit
the city and of the opposing influ-
ences would make exceed ngly 'ntcr-
Cstnc readiug aDd C iq hoped tha-
some one. familiar with the inside
workings. will undertake this work Of
h sior cal value.
In ali these past years. there has
never been time with such wonder
iul possibilities as to tho value OF
marine terminals as today
Tho records show that there are
over 500 0O0 tons OF vessel un1e~
contract in American shipyards over
100000 tons OF vessels have cone
under the American flag as the result
OF the war. The Government sh p
ping h'll calls for an expenditure Of
$50 100000 for vessels
To accommodate the Increased
American shipping there must be
more ports. and correctly equipped
terminals To partially show the con
dt on and situation along the Della
ware and 10 emphasize the Importance
of "Todnv." the follow ng Official
facts and figures Of the neighbor'ne
competitive port OF Philadelphia may
be ~ instructive interest
During the first seven months OF
1916. the import and export trade
amounted TO s21G.29 AS. or $4,000
non moro thon the toto Of tofr
addition there Is the coastwise
traffic equally great From thes
and following figures 80 !. eyiden'
that Tho nor huei~ass along tho Della
ware is continually increasing.
In 1915. tho gross Tonnage OF ves-
sells arriving and o'ear'~~. foreign
and domestic. was 1854. O5S tons.
The activities Of The porr Of Phila
delphia. in its whole history. were
never greater than at present
There IS a constant demand for
SPACE on its nun ciDal pers. The
estimated costs for the purchase Of
land and the new improvements are
oh 90. r,,fT1f,r,e &c I1TTnre
The following from Official reports
emphasizes possible comparative re-
suits. In the lower southeastern ser
ton OF Ph'ladelDhla. along the water
front. during the last week in Au
gust. certain tracts Of land. aggreea-
ting $40 a acres. have been trans
ferred by individual owners TO the
Greenwich Terminal Company.
Eventually this land viii be used as
the site for terminal yards by the
Pennsylvan' Railway Company. and
the Bait more and Ohio COMPANY.
Portions Of It. were formerly farmed.
other portions have been undeveioped
because il is marsh. The total 34077
acres have beep assessed by the CITY
at a value of s106 500. The transfer
of property mentioned involved, val
ned given at approximately s4.500,-
900.
The aggregate cash payments "a
the various owners were Sl.440 4S2,
and the aggregate ground rent en-
cumbrance was $109526 q year, the
pr ncipal of which. on a four Der
cent. basis. amounts 10 s2.73S 100.
This immense increase in valuation
has been brought about by the an
nouncement OF the city's plan to I'M
prove the port facilities. 10 construct
PIERS and Quavs, and to make at the
lower end Of the city fire ght term
inal that will be great in capacity
and sunerior in equ'pment. With pri-
waite Developments. there is not near
" the proportional increase n land
values. only the adjoining properties.
The wrole plan OF development is
progressing steadily. Eventually the
railroad compan'es will acquire this
same land, VIII oh was transferred to
the Greenw en- COMPANY and il is ex-
pected that at least a million and a
half dollars will be expended by these