Evening journal., 1916-10-18
IMPROVED HARBORS
THROUGHOUT COUNTRY
Deeper Waterway Develop
mentS May Leave Viii
mington Far Behind
COMMERCE CHAMBER
TO PUSH PROJECT

Tho project to make Wilmington a
seaport city, with harbor and dockagc
facilities that will place her on a par
with other important commercial cen
ters Of the East, will be the principal
work of the Chamber Of Commerce
until something definite along that line
/. accomplished, according 70 President
William Megear. who spoke thus in pre-
senting wilfred Il. Schod, of Philadel-
phia, secretary Of the Atlantic Deeper
Waterways Convention, who was the
speaker at the bi-monthly luncheon OF
the body at the Hotel DUPONT yesterday
Mr.. Megear declared that the Chamber
ol Commerce viii hammer away until
results arc obtained. and read familiar
poem. st Can BE Done which, he sad
he keeps hanging over his desk and
gives him constant inspiration.
Mr. Schoffs address dealt with the
scheme Of harbor Improvements Tor the
entire country under the subject, "Ihe
Advantages Aocruing from Improved
Waterways and llarbor Facilities and
through HE remarks he sought To
encourage tho business men Of this city
to make start on the water front inn
proyemonts by reciting what has been
done or is in progress in other large
cities OF the country.
lie alluded first to the city Of Boston,
and declared that the vast works under
,Nav there threaten the commerce OF the
cities Of Albany and Troy, in New York
state through the possibility that
much of the freight chat now passes
through those cities will be diverted TO
Boston instead of New York, and be
carried 10 the former port through chan
nels that do not touch Albany or Troy.
The improvements now under way at
Boston, which will include one of the
largest piers In the world. and a dry
dock that will have 10 be used by tho
United States navy when completed
because IL win be the largest on the
Atlantic seahoard Mr. Schoif said arc
only a small part Of what is being done
all along the coast as far south as Key
West. Boston WAS satisfied with the
governments plan for 35.foot channel
i'm her harbor at first, but movement
TO make IL 4O-foot channel has been
started. he said.
The Federal government 10 going
ahead ON the same plan as that IN force
in Germany. France and Belgium, that
fixed basis Of percentage Of co-opera
ton ON the part of the municipalitie
must be established before government
money can BE- spent on river aud harbo
improvements. said Mr.. Scho6. In lint
with that resolution of the government
the state Of Massachusetts, appropriated
s0.O0000O for Boston harbor improve
mcuts
Mr.. Schoff spoke OF the work 60
ing forward at Providence. r. l.. New
York Trenton, Philadelphia, Balti-
more. Richmond. Norfolk. Savannah,
Jacksonville aud New Orleans. In
Jacksonville harbor improvements are
being made destined 10 make that city
a port of entry for ocean-going YES
els instead OF being a mere port of
call for coasting stG2mers. New Or
leans has spent SS.0O0,000 Mr.. Schof
said. In building wharves and deepen
ing the harbor. and as a result has
probably kept the cotton export trade
preventing the bulk OF the Mississippi
Valley produce finding an oute'
through Galveston or even cities OF
the Atlantic coast.
you have the 35-foot channel a
your door, Mr.. Schof said. "Yol
have your harbor which will hav'
been left behind when the channel Il
completed. can think OF no othe
place IN the United States where Their
arc greater opportunities ready 4
seize than YOU have here. Wilmington
on the forks Of the Christiana Is
thing Of the past. and Wilmington Of
the Delaware faces us today. n
make Wilmington a great seaport j
the most important problem facin
the people OF your city. have no
come here as an engineer nor as
lawyer. but rather "a voice crying on
in the Wilderness TO urge you to opel
up your city as a port"
Mr.. Megear stated that John Meigs
former director of docks, wharves an
ferries. OF Philadelphia, and forme
assistant engineer in the Unite
States army. a big man in the engi
neering world would be the speake
two weeks from yesterday. He urge
every man present yesterday to be a
the next luncheon and TO bring
friend or two with him.