Evening journal., 1918-01-05
Peoples Column
OUR HARB0R AND TUE GOVERNMENT
TO the Editor Of THE ENENING
JOURNAL.

To the Editor Of THE EVENING
JOURNAL.
Sir. From the public press
learn that the Harbor Board OF this
city, has skipped some OF It's meetings
while IL is waiting for certain in'orma-
tion from Washington.
Being a humble taxpayer Of this city
and thoroughly interested in the de-
velopment Of It's water front, read the
expert" report recently submitted to
the citizens through the public press.
and was surprised at the many mislead-
ing statements contained therein and
submitted an inquiry TO Washington to
verify my opinion on some 81 the
statements made by the darbor Board
expert.
one Of the statements 10 which ] re-
fer is to be found on page 8 Of the re-
port and is as follows.
when Wilmington, by reason O.
modern docks and terminals. is able %
handle. through its own port. the im-
ports and exports Of its manufacturers
and business men. the Government.
through the War Department, will do
more than its share OF the improve
ments needed TO bring deep water from
the channel TO the docks and piers"
From previous Government reports
and a careful study OF this subject,
thought ] knew lust how the War De-
partment feels toward this subject and
the statement made above. There ar
citizens still In Wilmington who can
give an accurate account OF their re-
ception and dismissal In connection
with this subject when they went he
| fore Congress years ago. Mr.. William
T. Budd tells the story well.
] have q clear idea Of the cost OF
maintenance OF wharves on the Della
ware. II erected In accordance with
either Mr.. Meigs' or with Mr. Richard
sons report, and have blue prints pre-
pared by the Federal Government
showing the deposit section OF the Del
aware river along the entire front o.
! Wilmington.
desired to learn If the Government
had changed rs policy In connection
with maintaining harbors outside O
/ channel lines and I wrote. Decembe
10. 1917, 20 the Chief of Engineers o
the War Department to ascertain ex
actly how far the Government woull
go. This is the reply:
IN reply to your letter Of the iOtl
| instant, / have 10 advise you that, un
der the appropriations made by Con
gress for the improvement OF river
and harbors, il Is not permlssibl
10 do any work not specifically IN
cluded In the project as adopted b.
Congress. Consequently, 1t would no
be permiss ible to dredge. at Govern
ment expense, around OF alongside q
piers or docks outside Of chann'
1 lines. Dredging with Federal apprc
I priations shoreward Of -harbor line
duly established by the Secretary
War, is expressly prohibited by Law
such work being entirely In the intei
est Of private individuals or corpor'
tions, would have TO be performed
their or It's own expense, a permit ic
. which should be obtained before th
work Is undertaken. Application "a
such permission, IL in the vicinity
j Wilmington, Del or any inquiry 10 r,
yard 20 any local work at Wllmlngto
and vicinity, should be taken up wit
, the district engineer in charge, Lieu
Col Mark Brooks Corps Of Engineer
whose ONCE Is in the old Federal Builc
ng. at Sixth and King streets. Yer
respectfully, W. N Black, Major Ger
1 erai. CHIEF or Engineers. BY II.
Newcomer, Colonel, Corps Of Ems
neers."
50 Il would seem that the people {
Wilmington should get down to actui
facts and not deal In a lot Of inaccl
, rate statistics which do not compaI
with the Government reports. befol
they should plunge into the construl
ton work on presumptiOns and therl
by defeat their ultimate aim
81 Il Is a pity that the Chamber {
? / Commerce did not correct the faults
5 the harbor bin which their represel
tatives admitted existed before rushlu
h TO adoption. They should ha'
% avoided the throwing the act into cou
. for repeated Interpretation and estal
p lish q lack Of cooperation which h'
s resulted, so much so that the Counc
4 would be foolish 20 place in the Ho
p bor Commission hands an eXpendltul
p OF three million dollars of the laNpa,
Z ers' money. which could. upon the 70
OF two men. be diverted TO the benel
A of a public utility corporation. sue
!, thlngs have happened by the grantir
Of perpetual franchises in this city
. the past.
have no object in signing a fci
tious name other than to minimize n
own importance and endeayor to arOul
the people Of Wilmington to INTEL
q gently consider the development
I their river front without the embellisl
a ment OF misleading statements.
Respectfully, .o,.
\ Wilmington, Del, Jan. 4. 1918.