Evening journal., 1916-01-28
ASK WHAT CITY HAS
Done TO AID HARBOR
Continued from First Page.

Continued from First Page.
fculties which knew would be placed
in .hc way of Wilmington harbor re-
ceiving the consideration that IL
should in the next rivers and harbors
bill. had advance information that
the War Department and the chief en-
gineer's Office considered that the city
OF Wilmington was not cooperating as
II should under the act Of tho General
Assembly above referred to. AS one
OF the representatives Of the people
OF my State. at Washington. | felt Il
my duty TO lay the facts before you
because ! knew that II the opinion
OF the officials were not chango1 il
would make exceedingly hard work
for your Senators and Representative
at Washington to succeed in having
the necessary appropriation made for
the Wilmington harbor project.
J appeared this week before a sub
committee Of the Rivers and HarbOrs
Committee in connection with Della
ware projects and the very first ques.
tion asked of me was concerning tho
reported lack OF cooperation on thc
part Of the city Of Wilmington in thi'
harbor project
In other words the very situation
has developed which ! feared becaus,
b The chief OF engineers has reported
to Congress that while the act of the
. General Assembly authorizes the city
OF Wilmington to contribute ten PEI
, cent. OF the amount appropriated b,
E Congress. the figures quoted by th'
chief OF engineers show that in real
Z ity less than two per cent. has beer
contributed mp to the time the repor
e was made which was the fiscal yea
- ending June 80. 1915. I do not de
q sire to be misunderstood by Council
I'm quoting these figures. as | am onl
n giving you the figures In possession
q Of the officials who have reported thi
matter TO Congress In their annua
!, report on rivers and harbOrs mat
ters. The figures arc set forth I'm dc
tail in the letter sent by Major E.
Johnston, the United States Engi
neer. to the Mayor and Council c
D., Wilmington on May %. 1915. Thi
y letter was published in the newspa
u pers Of Wilmington at the time Cour
e eli granted me a hearing on Jun
II 10.
il You will recall that there was cor
u siderable discussion in Council at tl
Is time Of the hearing and the opinio
y was held by some members that III
r city had lived up TO its obligation. I'll
T. Chamber Of Commerce also hecan
T. interested i'm the matter to the e.
tent OF holding a meeting OF the
board of directors. at which Mal'
Johnston and myself were invited
'e be present. The opinion was held
m some people who attend this meeuI
W that the cost. Of the govornme
m dredge provided for the Wilmingt'
is harbor and vicinity should not
" charged in the total sum when es
IS mating the amount Of money the ci
at should contribute.
IS My object in writing you is 10 aga
A call the matter TO your attention, !
OF whatever is going to be done must
re done quickly, because the rivers a
ns harbors bill is now being framed
me- the proper committee. II would
Of great help to me II you would 81
ply me with a written brief or d
presenting your views I'm the case, .
he should YOU deem it OF enough impo
vol anee can arrange for represen
he tive OF your body TO appear with
ds before the committee within the M
sir week. As your representative ] sta
is ready to pass whatever views J
may hold so that the city will !
by sufer through criticism which
do not think is wholly merted.
-. Very truly yours,
NJ THOMAS "a MILLER