Evening journal., 1916-12-07
ORGAEIZB HARBOR
IMPROVEMENT BOARD
Body Will Urge Legislation
for River Front De-
velOpment
II. c. DOWNWARD IS
CHOSEN PRESIDENT

Council last night, the Harbor I'm
provement Board. composed OF the
members Of City Council and a com
mttee from the Chamber OF Com
merce, met in the Council chambers
expecting to meet John Meigs, of Phil
adelphia. the engineer who has been
selected to make the necessary sur
vey preliminary 10 city harbOr inn
provements. Mr. Meigs was not pres
ent, having been called to New Eng
land on imperative business. but the
opportunity was taken by the men
present to get better acquainted with
the project and to AFFECT an organiza-
tion
City Engineer Edgar NJ Hoopes,
Jr.. urged organizing the board by
electing officers and making its life
for definite period After discus
sion il was voted TO make the organi
zation temporary only, but to proceed
to the election of officers The fol
lowing were chosen: President, Henry
G. Downward. president of City Coun-
ell vice-president, William B. Megear,
president of the Chamber Of Com
merce; secretary, Clarence G. Killen,
secretary Of the Chamber Of Com
mefce, and treasurer, Councilman Os-
car c. Draper.
william T. Budd said they would
need some legislation in connection
with the project, and as the Leg.sla-
ture meets in January. he thought Il
time 10 get a start along this line. Il
was upon his motion that II was de-
cided to have a committee Of three
prepare an amendment to the law
giving tie city the right to condemn
river rvrt lard on the Delaware
withas the city limits for harbor i'm
provement purposes. The amendment
as suggested is to give the city the
right to condemn land for harbor i'm
provements on all navigable streams
within or beyond the city limits.
Mr.. Downward told the members Il
was time TO stop talking about the
river front project and to get busy
and get a barbor. He said il could
be done II they are patient.
President Megear said one OF the
things the Chamber OF Commerce set
out to accomplish this year was the
development Of the city's harbor i'm
movements. He said the organization
has the harhor spirit as has been
demonstrated by their having some
of the best experts in the country on
such subjects address their regular
luncheons. He thought Mr.. Me.gs
would be able to report in a short
time and from his report they viii
be able to determine upon some deil-
mite plan on which they can work.
Mr.. Megear referred to a letter he
had received from G.. p. Day, pro
prietor OF the Marine News and pro
ceeded 20 read the letter, which was
as follows:
Baltimore. Nd. Dec. 5, 1915.
VIM. B. Megear. Esq,
President Chamber Of Commerce,
Wilmington. Del
Dear Mr.. Megear-My attention has
lust been called to your intervieT IN
Wilmington Morning News OF Novem-
ber % and ! desire TO congratulate
YOU on your foresight in recognizing
the needs and wonderful opportunity
now within the grasp of your munici-
pality.
since the visit OF the Deeper Water
wavs Convention to Wilmington last
September. when some members who
had never arrived at this port by
boat recognized the vast possibilities
and natural advantages Of your unde-
Veloped harbor entrance, have dis
cussed this very interesting subject
with n. Mel. Harding and other hhr-
Dor engineers and terminal experts
who unhesitatingly declared II 10 De
one Of the greatest natural ports Tor
scientific and practical development
on the Atlantic seaboard.
might jot down few OF these
conclusions for your consideration and
use. II you are prepared to champion
this very worthy movement In the I'll
rection Of a modern city-owned ter
minal and industrial section aions
the available water fronts of youI
CITY which fortunately have been con
served TO make possible great in
dustral and shipping point with ad
tantages over larger cities.
Wilmington. Delaware can be a city
Of 500 600 by utilizing her undeyel
oDed water frout.
Many less-fortunately situated cities
than Wilmington are now investing
millions in city-owued quays, piers
terminals and modern port improve
ments
There is today in America a grea
c1cvinp need o. more and modern ter
minals. equipped with the latest la
inr-saving machinery and laborsaN
ing utAlttSt anu Nlhi'S tNi''i i'h 'N'N
terminal facilities need have no fearl
As to demand" II will be man,
wears before supply will meet the in
sistrnt demand for more and bctte
water terminals. and general indus
wa. development invariably follow
harbOr and terminal development. a
stated by MIR. Alexander r. Smith, a
the last Chamber Of Commerce lunch
con. Wilmington, bel, could lead el
The nOrts Of the country il It woSl
euuip ample terminals with the mos
a6 ,anced most efficient and mos
economical mechanical facilities. su
as are seen in some foreign ports
The natural advantages Of the poT
OF Wilmington loom greater than Il
many other American ports, which az
dominated by railway and industria
interests. which preclude the possibil
ity of municipal ownership and de
velopment. Surely. in your city ar
enough business men OF vision an
courage to climb out of the rut an
start new era OF growth and per
manent prosperity. by developing tn
city's greatest asset, the water from
on both the Delaware and Christian
riyers acquiring as much land as
possi0le then adopt n comprehensive
and Drc ctical plan for the whole--o
-vstem Of units-so that each uni
will pay its way, in dividends or II
fe csI on the cost without being
l,,,rtTet, fhp taN nQEpFe