Evening star., 1918-01-04
ASKS FLEET OF 500
IN U. S. FUEL CRISIS
J. Hampton Moore Urges use
of C. & O. Canal to Trans
port Coal.
RELIANCE IN CIVIL WAR

Plans for breaking up the coal short
age effectively not only for Washing
ton, but as an avenue through which
the needs of the great manufacturing
as well as residential sections along
the Atlantic coast can be supplied eco
uomicaliy. have been made by repre-
sentative j. Hampton Moore of PENN
sylvania, member of the ways ana
means committee.
He proposes to use the old Chesa-
peake and Ohio canal. which was
Washington's main line of transpofta-
ton during the civil war for bringing
to the consumers of Washington ana
the eastern coast more than Two
million tons of coal annually from the
great Cumberland coal fields.
Representative Moore. who as presi-
dent Of the Atlantic Waterways Asso-
citation is thoroughly familiar with con-
ditions of this sort. has appealed d.
rectly to President Wilson. has taken
the matter up with Secretary McAdoo as
director general of railroads and is go
ing to introduce bill in Congress ana
make a speech on the subject just as
soon as he can get recognition
Canal Route 1S4 Miles.
The canal route to Cumberland is 1S4
miles Formerly hundreds of boats
brought coal and other products down
this canal. Last year there we're but
eighty-four boats in operation. and
they brought in 100000 tons of coal
from Cumberland.
The capacity of canal boat is 115
tons of COAL and one boat can make
three round trips each month. So that
one boat can bring in 345 tons of coal
each month.
Now Representative Moore proposes
that the government should bring in
enough canal boats from the Erie canal
and elsewhere to bring the number
plying between washington and Cum
berland up to 500 With this fleet
million tons of coal could be brought to
the capital from Cumberland at mini
mum expense.
The entire output of the Cumberland
field is about 100000 tons. so that one
half of this entire output could be
brought here promptly II the govern
ment authorities act Representative
Moore has called their attention to the
opportunity, intends 10 call the attention
of Congress and the public generally
to it and proposes to keep hammerins
away at the proposition until he gets
action
In statement to The Star today Rep
resentative Moore explained the broad
scheme of canal transportation that he
has in mind. He said he has directed
the attention of President Wilson and
Secretary McAdoo to the service which
the canals and inland waterways of the
east could render to the government and
to the people II properly improved and
co-ordinated with rail transportation.
In q letter to Secretary McAdoo the
day he was appointed director general OF
railroads. Representative Moore spoke OF
the conditions along the Delaware and
Raritan canal, between New York and
Philadelphia. ard the Chesapeake and
Delaware canal, extending from the Della
ware bay into the Chesapeake bay. and
Insisted that if taken over now by the
government these waterways would be
caDable of relieving railroad congestion
OF bulky freight.
Urges New Canal.
He said n new canal should be con-
Structed across the state OF New Jer-
sey as recommended by United States
Army engineers, and declared that if
heed had been given to these projects
there would have been no coal short
age in New England or New York. He
also referred to the Schuylkill naviga-
ton canal. which, like the Delaware and
Raritan. had been practically closed for
coalcarrying purposes by the rail-
roads.
Mr. Moore said these canals ought to
be taken over in the government trans
portatfon scheme. At the same time he
complained that sea going barges la
den with thousands of tons of anthra-
cite coal were tied up in the Delaware
river, because the Navy had comman-
deered the sea-going tugs. These
barges. he said, were still loaded with
coal and are hemmed in by the ice.
Not satisfied with his letter to Direc-
tor General McAdoo, Congressman
Moore also carried his suggestions to
the President. His letter has been ac-
knowledged and will doubtless be con-
sidered along with other suggestions that
,,.e heif made