Evening journal., 1918-12-10
ADVISES AGAINST
4O-FT. channel
Taylor Declares Impossi-
bility of Maintaining
Depth in Delaware
CONGRESSMAN MOORE
is NOT ALARMED

impossible 20 maintain a channel OF a
greater depth than hirty-fve feet up
the Delaware river 70 Philadelphia on
account Of the soft bottom and shift
ing sands in the waterway, II was stat
ed by General Harry Taylor before the
House Rivers and HarbOrs Committee
several days ago.
General Harry Taylor engineer corps.
was before the House Rivers and Har-
bors Committee one day last week. II
Is learned, representing the War De-
partment in preparation OF The annual
waterways appropriation bin. The
committee was going over the esti-
mates submitted by the Secretary OF
War and was questioning General Tay-
lor regarding the reasons for fixing the
amounts Of appropriation recommend
ed for the various rivers and harbOrs.
When the item recommending that
$4,000 be spent next year to continue
the Improvement and for maintenance
OF the Delaware river was reached,
General Taylor was questioned closely
regarding the status Of the proposed
Improvement Of this waterway TO give
a thlrty-flve foot channel from deep
water 10 Philadelphia He stated that
work Of gglng this channel to
depths throughout Of thirty-ave feet at
mean low tide was about half COM
pleted.
He was then questioned by Chairman
Small, Of the committee, with regard TO
the possibility Of later giving the Della
ware river a forty-foot channel. in view
OF the agitation In Philadelphia for
such a depth TO put the port OF Phila-
delphia on a par with New York har-
Dor. capable Of accommodating vessels
drawing up 20 forty feet.
III would be impossible TO maintain
a channel Of forty feet In the Delaware
river and Philadelphia harbor on ac-
count Of the soft bottom and shifting
sands" General Taylor is declared by
several members OF the committee who
were present at the executive meeting
TO have said.
There was much more questioning
along this line, but General Taylor
stuck 10 his contention. committee
members say.
The commlttee's high estimate OF the
Importance OF Philadelphia as a port
and Of The Delaware river as the prin-
clpal shipbuilding waterway In the
world is shown. however. by the action
Of the committee in increasing the ap-
for improvement Of the
Delaware river next year from the
100000 estimated by the board OF engi- |
neers TO be necessary 10 s2.5O0,OO0.
r The committee also proposed 70 in
crease the appropriation for the Schuyl- T.
XIII river from the $4,000 estimated by
the engineers TO si,OO0O00.
These Increases are the most liberal
by the committee thus far In
the consideration OF the river and har-
Dor bill for this session.
Congressman J. Hampton Moore, OF
Is not particularly alarmed
over the assertion Of General Taylor,
at this time.
There Is plenty Of time yet 10 con-
;ider and prepare for the dredging OF 1
he channel in Philadelphia to a depth 4
II 40 feet" said Mfr. Moore. who has 1
)een the leader In Congress in advocat-
ng appropriations for improvement OF
he Delaware. when the time arrives :
or a 40-foot channel In the Delaware !
10 doubt we shall be able 10 obtain the
legislation from Congress.
But just now am most interested
q securing the speedy completion OF
he 35-foOt channel. We secured the
hedge OF Congress for the 35-foot chan
lei In the Delaware about six years ago
nd by keeping everlastingly at It in
congress we have obtained apprOpria-
ions annually for the work until nowe
/ is about 50 per cent completed. 4
hall devote myself for the present
10 the task OF obtaining
uflcient appropriations 10 have this 80
DOT project completed as soon as pos
ible.
Then after we have a thlrty-hve foot
hannel we can turn our fun attention
o getting il dug TO a forty-foot level
The channel in the Delaware now is
hiriy-five feet deep right through at
Ugh tide, but we want Il thirty-flve
eet deep right through at mean low
lde.
III we can secure from Congress the
Increase in this years appropriation 70
100000 il will be a great step in the
ight direction Ii
Members OF the Rivers and Harbors
who were asked about fhe
ropOsal for a forty-foot channel In the
delaware inclined to the belief that Il
would be poor tactics 10 bring that agi-
alton before Congress until after the
level is obtained.
The better way, they sad, would be
0 obtain large appropriations annually
ntil the present project is completed !
nd then concentrate on a plan for the
Orty-foot level