St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current, 1918-11-01
Vote For the Bonds
Continued from Gst page.

meet the needs of the greatest
maritime commerce of modern
times. This is a case of one
huge enterprise begetting an.
other.
A doubling, and perhaps treb-
ling o. docks, piers, marine rail.
ways and terminal facilities in
general of Atlantic, Gulf and
Pacific ports will probably be
called FOR by the swiftly in.
creasing American merchant
marine. To provide for the
fullest possible service Of ships,
once they are released from war
traffic, even now ports may be.
come necessary.
For the first time in the his.
tory Of the port development
the United States, under the di.
rection of Chairman Garry, n
complete inventory of port fa-
cilities has been undertaken and
is now well along. Every port
used by ocean going traffic has
been requested TO forward TO
the Port Facilities Commission
detailed data concerning It's
docks, marine railways. termin-
nj arrangements In general, re-
pair plants and the entrances
and clearances in its domestic
and foreign trade all this data
covering the past five years.
In addition, every dock and
repair plant has been requested
10 fill out a QUESTIONABLE call.
ing for information concerning
the type OF its facilities. pre-
sent condition. exact location.
whether or not this location is
advantageous for the most eiIi
cient handling Of ships. the
terms. rates and conditions on
which ships are docked, the
number OF ships docked during
the past five years. the average
length OF time each ship was in
dock and for n brief statement
explaining the nature of work
done. All ports where coal and
oil are handled have been asked
10 equip the commission with
full information about their Ia.
cilities for handling the trade in
those first necessities. Here is
perhaps the most important o.
all the cOastwise trades i'm which
past performances were handi
capped by inadequate facilities
"A trade. as revealed during
1917 and the present year, limit
ed only by shipping and port
facilities. One of the immed.
late tasks of the commission is
TO expand these facilities so that
the bulk of coal for New Eng.
land war industries may be eX-
pedited by water.
The survey Of port facilities
undertaken by the commission
shows them taxed Ia capacity
by the present shipping i'm
many instances overtaXed, and
In nearly all instances. unless !
they are speedily expanded, fac. |
ing serious congestion. This is |
especially true of the facilities |
OF New York harbor, the great |
est prob l,m of port development |
In the world today.
All tie Pacific ports, il Brit. |
ish shipping history points TO a |
moral. face notable expansion |
Of trade with the Orient. and |
therefore Of port requirements |
far beyond all pIe-war plans.
And for the first time. with |
both great methods OF trans
portation under Government di-
rection. the studies of what is
needed 10 take care of require.
ments is accompanied by equal. |
ly detailed tabs on what is be.
ing done-on the railroads by
what each ship is doing. So that |
the Portland Harbor Facilities
Commission is equipped 10
measure not only what the port
iaVilllieS are DONG, but what
the ships are doing i'm ports
Their needs can thus be deter.
mined exactly in relation to one
another and so matched. They
can also, of course. be determin.
ed in relation To accurately
measured railroad facilities.
The task assigned To the Port
and Harbor Facilities Commits.
sion of developing the water
fronts TO keep pace with the
expansion of shipping has
aroused tremendous interest ON
all three coasts. and existing
port organizations. State and
local, have offered to cooperate
fully. keenly alive to the peace
time significance of the great
shipbuilding program of the
country. they realize as their
communications to the commits, 7
lion reveal. the prime import
'nce Of the expansion of their
'ort facilities to handle the
prospective commerce adequate.