Evening journal., 1918-04-22
]. 5. IS URGED TO
BUY c. { D. CANAL
Congressman Small Tells OF
Benefits Purchase Would
Bring Government
SAY PRESENT DEPTH
ONE DISADVANTAGE


Delaware Canal by the Federal
Government and It's enlargement toI
a sca-level waterway is urged by Rep
resentaiive John u. Small. Of North
Carolina, chairman OF the House
Rivers and Hsrbors Committee, through
eighteen years association with the
committee, Nr. Small Is regarded as one
OF the foremost experts in the country
Taking over OF the Erie Canal by
W a. NcAdoo, director general OF rail-
roads. has given new life 90 the pro
nosal and lts advocates In Congress are
hopcnil the Government VIII take adj
vantase OF he existing tangle IN the
TRANSFORMATION situation 10 acquire INC
waterway.
Government surveys Of the caual be-
tween the Delaware and Chesapeake Bay
rr,rn made IN 1909, and at that time the
Angus commission recommended ule
waterway to be bought FOR ssaiA,Oo
and improved at cost not 90 exceed
sSO00O0O. This, as Mr.. Small showed,
RELIEVES all necessity FOR any delay end
would enable The Government 50 &C
u,,lre the property Immediately.
chief blame for NE deterioration OF
ne WATERWAYS was placed by Mr.. Small
On public apathy and previous opp0sl-
Hon of he railroads. Win tho GOV
ernment IN control Of tho raiiroads nc
expressed opinion the waterways coulo
be restored 30 their righful place ana
made a co-ordlnsiing factor IN une
TRANSPORTATION system. TO prevent NE
lnte-ferenoe with other war work nc
s,iereSted the construction of concrete
bs-res as traffic carriers. He also
ur~sd The completion q the intre-
coastal system OF canals as an aid to
commercial communication between
Phradelphis. New York ard ne sea
board cities of the south. lie said;
.sTfic Chesapeake and nelavorc Is not
ns acceriahIe waterway. Is is not b.
lrx used 20 full capacity. lt IS ant-
rnisfef IN construction ard is Use Is
rsursily much more restricted. due "a
the fact that e has only tWenty-four'
foot locks ana can therefore accommo'
d.fr only narrow vesscis. lts deph OF
nine faet Is another handicap, but i oar
Be improved 50 as O. carry mucn NOR
t-afnt than a. present.
.-Tnr uee o. the Chcspcake and hels
w--e canal and the Norfolk 80 Beaufort
X rrfe-yxay would mean hat prod
nets could move from philadelphia an
Other Delaware River points 30 Norfon
~.ontrt News. "a all North CSroln
rrfrt- and even on 20 Savannah an
Jacksonville BY barEcs, for there
fftie cf the storm menace along N
e orEia ard Florida coasts. The Souu
ern .Transp sportstion Company, o. Phil'
drirhis. established large commerci'
harrs service between Philadelphia an
southern points prior o. the war an
hid fair 70 be the pioneer o. much NOR
extensive activities along the sam
line. but these barges have now bee
diverted into other service, especian
n meet the demands OF war indusiri'
for transportation between Norfolk an
phlladeiphla. there Is no good reaso
why millions az tons of freight shou
not be carried south from the Delayvai
River througi The Chesapeake and De
rnvsra Canal and then through the No
folk and Beaufort waterways.
"Reeardlng the waterway connccuI
the Delaware River and Chesapeal
Bay, the commission recommended q
existing plant be purchased at ma1
mum cost Of s2.sil00o, and that It
enlarged and reconstructed 30 g
isvci canal with depth Of twelve fc'
a. an additional cost Of SS0Oo,OO0
II Is appropriate 10 inquire why o.
Interior vatesVvsys, including the 90
struouon Of tho intrscoastal projec
have been neglected IN this way. IT
peapie have become accustomed 90
sort Of exclusive dependence upon 4
railroads, although production Is G
banding faster than The railroads c
move Il. Our canals and other watt
Ways have been condemned as archl
and useless for transportation In (
face OF the experience Of other cOu
lries. Each period OF prosperity duri
khe last fifteen or twenty years brOuE
% railroad congestion, and now unC
ne strain Of the present war they hs
broken down.
eWith few exceptions there h'
been adequate water terminals Ct
rlructed with modern transfer fac
lies. The terminals are essential 20 10
kranio and absolutely necessary
fhrough tSfic by rail and water.
federal Government had never sSsun
The function Of constructing termiu
but this activity has been left entir
10 city and State agencies. PhilaC
phla and Trenton and maybe 9th
have recognized this condition
either have or are engaged IN the c
Etruction Of adequate terminals. It q
be generally stated. however. Of all
terror rivers, particularly the Mis-
rippi. no appropriate terminals exis
Another factor that has worked
ward the decadence OF the wateryy
has been there is no interchange
traffic between the waterways and
fa o1 s but this interchange car
b. economically effected without W
" mnals Until recently many OF
rail O1ds discouraged in various y
the proyating system between the r.
and the water carriers. The lnters
Commerce Commission has the pc
10 order such interchange.
"There must be a readjustmenl
railroad rates in competition with
waterways SUFFICIENT TO afford a
ferential favoring the waterways
enabling them to operate at a reason
profit ! believe the director generi
railroads has sufficient power TO 2
sueh a readiustrnent OF railroad
IN this respect. Let US hope the pl
viii recognize tho economic, com
cial and strategic value Of our Il
coastal system and thereby aid a
important instrumentality of tran:
tatlon along the Atlantic seaboart
may be noted. but not here. that
intracoastal project when comp
Viii not only connect every city