Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-20
SEAPORT PIERS
AND OTHER cocks
Continued from rage |

: loading OF all classes of general freight and
merchandise, and provided with open-air
rs well rs terminal storage warehouses,
i, designed TO take care of all classes oi such
freight Plans for such piers to include
rail terminal facilities and storage yards
capable Of handling the inbound and out
bound traffic of the proposed piers, such
railroad facilities to be connected with ail
three railroad systems entering Whining
| ton by necessary belt line tracks. These
plans also include special coal storage
| facilities, for holding and supplying bunker
coal TO steamers
Recommendation is made that two
steps be taken Immediately, viz:
l. The construction of a produce
wharf as outlined under the first division
Of this plan. ),
! .. The immediate purchase OF the
| Lobdcll property as proposed.
With these steps taken by act ot your
] honorable body, the report says, we
| then recommend that the city OF VII
nington proceed with the construction OF
| the proposed seaport PIERS, terminals and
warehouses on the lobdcll property as
] soon rs possible, that Wilmington may
! fully asssme her proper commercial rela-
! tionshlp to the world
SEAPORT PIERS.
| Concerning the proposed seaport piers,
| the report after referring to John Melgs
survey, which was made in cooperation
With Council and the Chamber Of Com
Incrcc. the report says the board has made
/ further Investigations, as result OF which
Il makes the following recommendations:
That the city of Wilmington should
/ ACQUIRE promptly the necessary land tor
seaport piers and terminals FOR thus
purpose, the Board of liarbor Commis-
L sI. ,S,Ft1r lnpa r..
"a on the south side Of the Chrlsuana
rlyer. near lis mouth. now owned by the
! LohIcll Car Wheel Company. IS greatly
I superior "a any other available site This
property comprises approximately lol )
+ a.rc, az high land, carrying with It ap-
nroNimatrlv as much additional acreage
! III marsh lands. with the necessary rights
ol way 10 the railroad lines. The present
purchase price Is approximately S25O.ou0
/ This estimate of property cost has been
arrived nj through negotiations between
| the Board of IIarbor commissioners and
/ the IobdelI Car Wheel Company, faCllI-
4 tatcd bv the views Of an appraisal com
mission composed Of three local real
/ estate experts Charles + kurtz, Ed
mund =. Moody and William II Glib
/ bonsN. The details OF the negotiations are
/ as follows:
4 For the high land, comprising APP
/ proxmately lois acres. as re-
! corded by special survey of the
! city surveyor, At the rate OF
| $1,000 pcr acre ...-.. sos 900
| Tor the low lands, marsh lands
! and riparian rights lying out
/ side he high land banks which
! comprise approximately an ad-
| drtIonal 100 acres needed for
| thr seaport pIcr develop
| ments. .. no charge
For eight buildings. including
houses and barns on the high
Lands. 2l,000
For the rights-of-way from the
proposed property to railroad
connections, approximately six
acres al 81 500 per acre 1900
Total approximate estimate, sub
jcct 10 detailed survey. S2S3. 800
In the above negotiations, the lobdell
ar V heel Company. upon request of the
Board of Harbur Commissions has also
agreed 10 accept bonds Of the city OF Vii
mngton, bearing interest 1t the rate Of
I L per cent to be taken at their market
value at the tame the deed Is made. lh.s
would have to be arranged IN a manner
agreeable to the city solicitor. and the
market price Of such bonds should be
approximately par. The above negotiated
arrangements are subject TO prompt
action on the part of the city, and ii the
city Is 70 acquire the proposed property
on such basis for its seaport pier develop
ment it should require action ton or be
fore December 81 Of this year.
Harry CONSTRUCTION URGED
, That upon acquiring the proposed
property, the Board Of Harbor Commits
aioners recommends that the city Of vii
mington proceed to build. as promptly rs
possible, the first stage development OF
seaport piers and terminals on modern
lines. and Of the best permanent con
Struction To properly and safely finance
the proposed improvements and to con-
struct a completely rounded out first
stage development. including modern
docks, partly shielded and partly open
amply large reinforced concrete terminal
warehouses IN the rear of such docks. rail
road terminals with sufficient switching
and storage yards. all equipped with |
economical and modern machinery for /
charging and dlscharglng seagolng freight /
steamers, viii involve total expenditure |
OF approximately S2.50O000 II the CITY /
Council believes that these seaport piers
should be built - recommended. the i
Board OF Harbor Commissioners would re-
quest q special appropriation Of $4,000, |
70 prepare all the plans, specifications, de- i
talied engineering studies. etc Of stIf- +
hcIent extent 70 secure exact bids on the /
cost oi the proposed piers and terminals.
The Board Of Harbor commissioners Is !
convinced that Wilmington should prompt
IL establish itself with such piers and
terminals suitable for export, import and
coastWise water-borne traffic for upon
the following general reasons.
(aj The new commercial relations that
the United States will bear to the other
countries of the world, beginning with
the new peace era.
ID The enlarged number Of steamships
now IN the new Merchant Marine ot our
country, and TO be completed during the
coming year.
(c1 The admirable natural and geo
graphical opportunities possessed BY VII
mington for such development.
d. The rapid development of the
delaware river district into ono Of the
largest maritime districts ia the world
tel The need for several groups Of sea-
port piers ranging for miles along the
rhore Of the Delaware river which should
be developed at different locations in the
ctE of Philadelphia and between Phlla-
delphla and Wilmington; and the general
opportunities for business for these yari-
Gus groups oi seaport piers under the now
order Of international commerce
- The widespread development which +
will naturally occur within zone each !
and section immediately contiguous to