Evening journal., 1917-08-17

purpose Of discussing the development
OF Wilmington's river front and the
establishment OF a port terminal al
that point. John Melgs Jr.. a harbor
engineering export, who had been
asked TO investigate the possibilities
OF creating an important terminal az
Wilmington, read a lengthy report on
the subject and submitted recommen-
dations and plans showing how the
terminal could be built He bad made
careful study OF the local situation
for the Chamber OF Commerce and he
illustrated his lecture with lantern
slides giving Views of some OF the
most important harbors in the world.
He also showed on the screen his
plans for the Wilmington develop
ment.
Mr.. Meigs enumerated the follow
ing basic needs OF Wilmington for the
establishment of such a terminal:
Il. Easy accessibility TO an extern
slye tributary region and a consider
able producing and consuming popula-
ton. (rhis is first in order and most
important as without 1t any further
consideration OF the subject would Of
course be futile).
o. Deep and ample channels 20 the
sea and q safe anchorage for ships
awaiting orders.
go Proper mooring and docking IA
cilities ample-sized piers for tho
! handling OF freight. and suitable me-
chanical equipment for the prompt
and economical loading and discharg-
! ing OF vessels.
a. Adequate railroad connections
20 the tributary back country; init
mate physical relations between the
railroads and the waterfront; and
unrestricted facilities for the prompt
! interchange OF freight between tho
piers and warehouses and any and all
OF the railroads tapping the territory
which the port Is to serve.
"5 Sufficient warehouslng accommo-
( datiOns 10 properly take care or over
| flow cargo held for delayed delivery
| into the back country or pending the
arrival of ships
g. In addition 10 these II may be
added that any port expecting 10 de-
velop along rational business lines
must be I'm charge OF an administra-
/ tive organization adequately empow-
cred TO efficiently organize the COM
plete activities of tho pOrt--its chan
nels anchorages, docks, piers. ware
houses. marginal and communicating
streets and It's belt line and other
allied railroad tracks and yards.
Mr.. Meiigs then specified which OF
these facilities the city possesses ana
which should be acquired and how
He described three possible terminal
sites, and recommended the develop
ment OF the westerly bank OF the
Christiana and Delaware rivers eX-
tending between the Lobdell Car
Wheel works and the Pigeon Point
pier OF the Wilmington and Northern
Railroad. There are nearly 400 acres
in this tract, and he stated that tho
space IS ample for the purpose and
| should be developed In an intensive
manner. with proper coordination OF
the various component elements that
60 70 make up an efficient and har'
monious design He showed that the
entrance and exit or vessels into and
out of their docks at this point would
be from bread channels which are
unhampered by obstruction or any
kind
rho essential features OF the pro-
! iect he described as follows:
1.-THE marginal avenue and belt line
railway IS the vertebral column OF any
really efficient port layout. upon which
! the other elements of the plan may
be suspended at convenient and appro-
priate points. From this marginal way,
! feeders in tho shape OF railroad spurs
and wagon ways extend QUE into every
! individual factor OF the plant, and by
means of them absolute freedom OF
movement OF cargo is attained be-
tween all OF the various parts OF the
terminal. 10 the back country through
the railroads. and 70 the city itself
by the wldened and paved Christiana
avenue. the main artery OF the central
district
con the river side OF the marginal
wav are located the piers-of varied
design TO meet the demands OF every
variety az cargo-and on the shore
side are. first. the storage warehouses
for overflow and heldover cargo; ana
behind these I'm turn. rows OF indus
trial buildings, consumers and pro-
ducers OF the goods which pass In
and out OF the port area by ship, by
rail and by dray These latter facll-
ties are among the most important
In anv comprehensive port terminal
and In fact to a manufacturing COM
munitv such as Wilmington, the pos
sibility. OF co-ordinRting the new en-
terpriges which would be drawn 70
sneh a locality. with the waterfront
development proper. Is probably the
most impeliing incentive that could be
held out TO the city to make itself into
a mort Ample railroad yards. locoml,9,-
i've roundhouses, and all the auAiu'
arv equipment necessary for the in
dependent operation Of the port belt
line should. OF course, be provided.
ION the general plan, the area
north OF the Christiana has been
shown improved with concrete quay
wall along the line Of Edge Moor
lbulkhead. at which ships may De
lberthed for the accommodation OF
the Industrial area in the rear or Il.
II il suggested that this area may be
developed into a free port, similar to
those in the high import tarin coun'
tries OF Europe-of which Hamburg
free port Is a notable example. With
IN this area. which would be physic'
ally segregated from its surround
ings and properly guarded, imported
ldutiable raw materials from overseas
that when the lands are ready to be