Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-11-20

canal in New York state aroused the
business interests of Pennsylvania
to the threatened loss of their busi-
ness and commercial supremacy and
an effort was made to combat this
evil by u rival system of canals
reaching from the Delaware to the
Ohio. The difficult topography OF
Pennsylvania as compared with New
York made an all-water route un-
feasible, so that the system as finally
worked out consisted of a railroad
from Philadelphia to Columbia and
across the Allegheny mountains,
thus bringing into existence the
once-famous Portage railroad. The
project came too late to forestall
New Yorks success, although the
system when completed in 1885 rep
resented almost 100 miles of canal
and 120 miles of railroad.
!, France Is Cited
THE question as to whether the
Susquehanna and its branches can be
made navigable should be consider
ed in the light of what other coun-
tries have done. In Europe the two
outstanding countries are France and
Germany. France with almost as
many railroads in proportion to its
area as Pennsylvania has over 5000
miles of river and lake navigation.
Germany as just as much railroad
as Pennsylvania has over 5000 miles
of improved waterways and in recent
years the water-borne traffic has in
creased more than three times as
fast as the railroad traffic, mile for
mile.
The Susquehanna has a drainage
area to the Maryland line of 27,-
44O square miles, and has a mean
low water flow of almost 5000
cubic feet per second, more than
any but two or three of the improved
rivers in Europe. 1t has no greater
fall. and it has on its drainage area
or adjacent thereto 100000 of the
population of Pennsylvania. BY the
completion of the project of the At
lantic Deeper Waterways Association
and the Susquehanna Improvement
| it will be possible to reach directly
| along the Atlantic seaboard over
/ one-thlrd of the entire population
of the United States, but practically
all the principal manufacturing CEN
ters of the country.
Flood Prevention
ANY project for making this great
river navigable should also take into
consideration the other great project
of flood prevention and stream regu.
lation. This, when properly consum,
mated, will solve many, if not all
of the problems as to water sup,
ply for loCkage and other purpose!
and will also render available vas
quantity of power now wasting.
These are the days of big things.
We no longer think in millions bu
in hundred millions, and right here
is Il suggestion for the state and ma
tional committees which are nov
seeking to find means of employment
for times of industrial depression
through the development of public
works of various kinds"
Columbia Interested
1t was stated last night by A. L
Campbell, secretary Af the Wer-
chants and Manufacturers Associa
ton, Columbia, that ii is the inten
ton OF the association to hold {
meeting in Columbia soon for thu
purpose Of discussing and laying
further plans for the deepening o
the Susquehanna. Congressman
Hampton Moore will probably b,
the speaker, and Harrisburg is eX
pected to send n large delegation
Among representatives from Co
lumbia at last nights meeting were
the following:
w. II. Lucas. president Merchant.
and Manufacturers Association; ]
II. Ostertag, chairman of executive
committee II. f. Yergey, manager
Columbia Wagon Works; w. i
Bucher, proprietor Central Drut
Store w. f. Oberlin, jeweler. w
w. Fairer. proprietor Columbii
! Boiler WWks; Horace Detweiler
cashier First National Bank; Cap
tain c. +. Lenig, OF the Daily Spy
Frank Gladfelter, Columbia Trus
Company; A. l.. Campbell, secretar.
Merchants and Manufacturers AS
sociation Dr.. II. V. Pierce. Neter
marian; Frank Kreidler. hardware
Lewis Zarfoss, hardware; ID. i
Lockard, contractor.
CHICAGO 81 FARE 9 CENTS