The Washington herald., 1918-08-03
b. wTLFRED H. scHoFF.
tseeretary Of the Atlantic Deeper
waterways Assscfstiont secre-
tsry Of the Commercial Mu-
scum, etc.)


tary Of the Commercial Mu-
scum, ete.D
The canal system along our East
ern seaboard south OF New Jersey
IL available for immediate utilization
and Is being 50 employed. All Of these
more southern waterways have a d.
rect and most essential relation to
the Cape Cod and New York barge
canals In any plan contemplating the
formation Of complete and effective
system Of inland water transporta-
ton.
A waterway which the Federal gov
ernment has taken over as a rail-
road-controiled enterprise is the
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, which
parallels the Potomac River between
Cumberland and Washington ana is
under the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road through ownership Of a majority
OF one Of its bond issues. The service
OF the canal 10 limited to the car
! rage Of bituminous coal TO the Ma
tional Capital in barges holding about
100 tons. In this case the U. S. Rail-
road Administration has decided not
TO interfere with the existing opera
ton Of the canal; but IL may. 10 some
extent, encourage the enlargement OF
its service.
At the southern end Of Chesapeake
Bay the government Is now about
completing an important link in its
intracoastal waterways connecting
Hampton Roads with the sounds Of
North Carolina at a depth Of twelve
feet, standard with the New York
Barge Canal Through this water
way a large traffic in lumber and
agricultural produce already exists
Shippers are calling for additional
facilities. Whether they will be pro-
vided by existing transportation COM
panies or through government assist
ance Is a question still under dis
cussion before the inland waterways
committee Of the Railroad Admins
tration.
Chesapeake and Delaware Canal
There remains one essential con-
Meeting link in the intracoastal
chain-the Chesapeake and Della
ware Canal. thirteen miles long.
through which a very large traffic
now passes between Philadelphia,
Baltimore, Norfolk and North Caro-
lima points. This is the best of the
old waterways and has been i'm
proved to meet the demands OF COM
company would permit. It is Diff
ferent from the other privately con-
structed canals in that il is free
from railroad control; but. as II
operates under one OF the old toll
road charters and has no trans
portation privileges, the company
has been unable to make the eX-
penditures necessary to enlarge or
L.
larged about 1855. The canal passes
barges of about 200 tons capacity.
but they are limited in beam by
the width Of the locks. twenty-four
feet.
This waterway is under consid-
GRAFTON by the Railroad Administra-
ton. and 1t is anticipated that an
early decision may be made TO take
it over and stimulate trafic through
1t. Not only is some action re-
quired for ordinary freight service,
but, as numerous army and navy
boards have demonstrated, the canal
bears an intimate relation to coast
wise strategy and TO the rapid and
safe handling Of war supplies. such
action. however, as in the case OF
the Cape Cod Canal, would amount
to no more than temporary assump-
ton of control by the government
during the present war emergency.
The great advantage of govern
ment operation OF these waterways
during the war is that for the
FIRST time in their existence they are
under control of a power having
resources sufficient to put them to
the utmost possible service.
The stock argument against water
way improvements, in and out OF Con-
q ess, has been that such improve
ments were not used when made. The
reason generally was thas the water
transportation companies were with
out adequate public terminals and