Evening journal., 1917-01-12
development OF THE
Water front URGED
Chamber of Commerce Pres
ident Points Out Value
of the Improvement
SAYS TERMINAL
WOULD PAY CITY

The need OF % Delaware river water
front and action in the housing prob
lem of the city are emphasized in the
annual reports Of President William b.
Megoar and Secretary @. q. killen. which
were submitted at the annual meeting
of the Chamber of Commerce last night,
In his report, President Megear, with
respect to harbOr development, answers
the question; "Will it payi" as follows
81 do not hesitate to 90 upon record in
saying, properly planned and managed
it will"
Mr. Mcgear declared that the trans
portation terminals ON a new Delaware
river front could be destined so that
they would be not only self supporting
but source of revenue TO the city.
1T has been pointed out to us"
said Mr. Megear. that this work
should be developed in units. Let us
start this work with Unit No / and
when finished let it be in efficiency
as we find many other Wilmington
Observation-Disclosures the world over.
Then it will be that shipping interests
will seek US and our Unit No. 1 will
be crowned with business. Then will
appear the necessity for Unit No. 2,
No. 8. and so on. until the banks OF
the Delaware both north and south of
the Christiana and also the banks OF
the Christiana will be crowded with
commerce"
Attention Is called in the report to
the fact that Wilmington is manifest
ly in the midst of great industrial
growth and material expansion and in
] hn HnsI
by the war. Mr.. Megear says:
Wilmington industries will. when
peace comes, be forced to adjust
themselves to the new conditions
which viii then prevail. Il is not de-
sirable that our industries should give
up participation IN a worldwide
trade. II we are to confne ourselves
to the market OF our own country
alone. necessarily peace will bring a
great restriction and contraction"
The report Of Secretary Killen in
| touching upon harbor development
refers to the employment OF John
Meigs as consulting engineer to pre-
pare harbor plans, and. according ia
the report. his report viii be ready
in a few days The special harboI
committee of the board also is pre-
pairing some special legislation deal
ing with the harbor situation. legisla-
ton which the engineer has pointed
out as being necessary.
Under the head Of Industrial The
report shows that industrially 1915
/ has been Wilmington's most prosper
Gus year, with virtually all plants run
ming at capacity and a shortage o
workmen only preventing furthe
factory building to care for accumu
lated orders.
Announcement is made in the sec
retary's report that negotiations ar
now pending with two large industrial
companies and that the city stands (
fair chance of winning them. The re
port also shows that several medium
sized industries failed TO locate here
because the labor supply was consid
cred insufficient.
Attention is called 10 the city''
population Of 100000, and the repor
/ pointed out that were housing accom-
modations ample, Wilmington. in the
opin on of many, at the present time
could readily support a population o
at least 10000 more. The housing
problem. which has been under con
sideration. as yet has not assumed
definite form.
Activities Of the board in connec