Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-05-22
CONGRESSMAN POLK
FOLLOWING Up
CANAL PROJECT
Text of Letters Sent to Mayor
Lawson and Wilmington Com
mercial Bodies.
COOPERATION ASKED FOR
From Every Evenings Washington CORE
spondens.

MON Every Evenings Washington Corrc-
Washington, May 22.-Congressman
Albert +. Polk of Delaware Is sending
letters to Mayor John w. Lawson, the
Chamber of Commerce, tho Manufactur-
ers Association and the Rotary Club OF
Wilmington, asking their cooperation In
the inland deep waterway project before
Congress, with each OF which he is encios-
ing a copy of the letter sent him by Chair-
man Small of the Rivers and HaroorS
Committee Following Is the text oil the
letter to Mayor Lawson;
Honorable John W. Lawson, Mayor oi
Wilmington, wilmington beia"io'
NV dear Mayor:
| am herewith enclosing copy oil letter
receive,d from Honorable John ii: Small,
chairman Of the Rivers ana Hafoors
Committee of the House OF Representa-
t;ves relative to securing additional water
,ransrortation TO relieve railroad conges-
Mr. SmaIl's letter very fully explains
the object and purpose of using the water
xays for barge transportation, ana oeih-
onStrates the practicabilIty OF same.
II would not be a bad idea 10 present
this matter to City Council and nave
them take such action as may oe appIo-
priate-for instance, approving 'ne E'an
nv resolution passed by City Council
tu,st YOU Will lend full cooperation 10
his matter. and to that end have askcd
i;encrol Charles Keller, secretary OF the
Committee on Inland Waterways, TO
advise YOU of the itinerary Of their agent
N that when he reaches wilmington hr
90 h.s shown every courtesy and assured
~ tho active cooperation OF the business
interests Of the city, ss well AS gwen All
information he may desire that may DC
possible.
! am deeply interested IN this matter
because of the great good 1t VIII oc 10 Iic
country at large, and beheve II W,h Al-
vance the business interests Oh i'iiiils
on Very truly yours
Albert +. Polk
The letter 10 the organizations ioiio~s'
Gentlemen:
am herewith enclosing copy OF iet'ff
,.,ce, vrd from Hon John II. Small, chair
man of the Rivers and Harbors Commit
ie,s Of the House Of Representatives, rcla-
tive TO securing additional water trans
nor,at;on to relieve railroad conSr1uoh-
Mr. Smalrs letter very fully explains
the object snd purpose of using the
u.ierwsys for barge transportAnon' anu
de1nonst rates the practa caonity d sAnH
feel sure your ASSOCIATION S1h DC oc'P
Iy interested In this mattcs,, ana sH
therefore ask that you brng the hss&I,
hefofe a meeting of your members ana
tale auh sction SIS msy be appropriate
In the premises
/ trust VOC will lend full cooperation
in this n, stter. and 10 that end have
.skr1 Genersl Charles Keller, secretary
of the C<uanlttee on Inland NatcrWays'
Z. sdvrsf, Won o{ the itinerary OF thelr
serz,f 80 that when he reanhes WHINING
e0n he nav be shown every courtesy, anu
assured Of the active cooperation Oh the
b-rlness interests of the clty, as well as
gwen sill information he may desire thAI
NAV be possible.
i am deeply interested IN tins matter
because Of the great good II VIII De 10 tne
country st large, and because u WIN ~
ysnce the business interests OF " iiihi iS
ton. Very truly yours,
Albert T. Polk
coSGg=ssMax SMALL 5 LETTER
House OF Representatives -,
Washington, D. c., May II. 1918.
Hon Albert F. Polk, House OF Hepre-
sentatIves.
Mar Mr. Polk: Pursuant 70 our recent
conference ] am outlining Dllehy oui
mans for securing additional water trans
poYta1ion
Asvou know, the Law authorizing the
,sl-;nC over hv the Federal government OF
the railroads also gave the oirec'or-
General jurisdiction OF waterways ana
censls and the promoting OF water trans
-~o-,ot;o- thereon. Under this authority
the director-general appointed the com
-,it,ee nm inland waterways, vhlch con-
s,sts Of General ". NJ. Black, Chef OF
Engineers. as chairman; General Charles
Keller. as secretary; and the following
civilian members: Walter ;, Dlckey, "
A. Tomlinson, Calvin Tompkins and M
] Sanders. This committee was ap-
pointed on February l5 and was author
lied to study the interior waterways, TO
ascertain the manner and extent 10 wficn
tbey NAV be put 10 additional use and the
extent 70 which they would be used for
TRANSFORMATION, and TO report from time
TO time TO the director general
We have recently requested the COM
rni.fae on inland waterways 70 investigate
.be nsa of the intra coastal waterway. with
yie,y To recommending the construction
If q sufficient number OF barges and tow
beats IN oo.rate on same. The particular
route tn be followed would be from the
Delaware river through the existing
Chesareake & Delaware canal, thence
through Chesapeake bay, thence through
the Norfolk-Beaufort Inlet waterway 70
Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina, and
thence BY coastwise navigation ar lar
south as jacksonville. These facts are
rertinent in connection herewith. This
route would afford a minimum depth Of
nine feet. this being the minimum depth
through the Chesapeake d. Delaware cana!
and through the Norfolk-Beaufort water
wav. OF course there are much greater
4 oths along the entire route, but the
minimum depth must necessarily control.
The entire passage from the Delaware
river TO Beaufort Inlet would be inland
The Norfolk-Beaufort Inlet waterway lies
behind Cape Hetteras and Cape Lookout
Coaetwise navigation between Beaufort
Inlet and Jacksonville, florida, is com
paxafiveiy free from hazard and there are
no obstacles TO through navigation by
barge between the Delaware river and
Jacksonville, Florida ] may say there is
q minimum depth of seven feet, as !
understand, In the old Delaware d Raritan
canal connecting Delaware river with
Rxritan bay aud New York bay, and this
canal could be navigaLed by a boat Of
slightly less draft, If Il should be deemed
desirable to extend this branch Of the
service TO New York bay.
8. | may say that the entire praeti-
cab,Iitv Of through navigation between
IL. T.aIax.,are river and Jacksonville hes