Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-01-26
HOW WATERWAYS MAY
HELP SOLVE NATIONS
TRANSPORT PROBLEMS
Advocates of improvements to Press Pro-
grams In New Congress-Cite Eco
nomic and Defensive ADVANTAGES.

winter gardens of the south closer to-
/ gether by hundreds OF miles.
Chairman Fletcher Of the Senate COM
merce committee has for years been
strong advocate of intracoastal water
way development. He points out that
nature has provided much the larger
portion of a complete inland waterway
| from the Rio Grande along the gulf to
| the Mississippi river, thence continuing
eastward near the coast TO the west
| coast. of the peninsula OF Florida, then
across the state from the mouth OF tho
Wfthlachoochee river. by way OF Lakes
Apopka, Harris. Griffin, Oklawaha river
and st. Johns to the inland waterway.
near the Atlantic, which extends from
| Key West to Charleston without p
break. or from St. Marks across Florida
| to the st. Marys river and into the same
waterway.
| From Charleston north to Beaufort
Inlet there would have TO be some cut
ting, but north of that the intracoastal
waterway is yiavigable, with very little
improvement. to the Delaware river.
This system could readily be extended
! to Boston. The cost of completing this
water route for the peace-time uses OF
TO minimum depth of eight feet and
| width of 100 feet-would be about one
! fourth the cost Of the Panama canal.
This would give inland waterway
from Boston along the Atlantic, across
Florida to the gulf. along the gulf to the
Rio Grande. connecting with the various
rivers, bays, bayous. lakes and harbors
including the Potomac, Hampton
st. Johns. Apalachicola, Alabama and
Mississippi, with all the tributaries and
feeders. to the Rio Grande.
/ Route for Bulky Freight.
Along such a waterway could move
the heavy, bulky freight. such as coal.
stone. gravel. cross ties. .piling in
frigerating plants would carry fruits
and vegetables and such perishable
freights. especially when the rail lines
are congested. and coastwisa steamers
are not available or easily reached
Each shipper could navigate his own
carrying craft.
Pleasure boats. yachts OF all kinds.
would move from the north to tho
south and east to the southwest. and
vice versa. thus bringing into neigh
borly contact and friendly as well as
business relationship the people of those
widely separated portions of the coun-
try.
In connection with the strengthening
and increasing of means of national de-
Tense in case Of an attack, this develop
ment would be invaluable, Senators
Fletcher and Ransde1l and Representa-
tives Moore of Pennsylvania and Small
of North Carolina and other waterways
leaders in Congress believe. Torpedo
boats, destroyers, chasers and various
naval vessels necessary to resist An
assault by the sea could utilize such a
waterway in a manner that would give
the entire coast absolute protection.
I Avoid High Seas Exposure.
Coastwise commerce could be taken
care of without exposure on the high
seas. The lighter naval craft. in pro-
tected position, could render the very
best service. There would be avenues
for provisioning and supplying the en-
tire Navy hidden. il necessary, in Hsmp-
ton roads.
The Atlantic intracoastal waterway
would obviate the two big danger spots
on the Atlantic coast for mariners
Cape Hatteras, known as the mari
ner's graveyard" and OF Provincetown
ard Nantucket on Cape Cod.
Representative Moore. president OF
the Intracoastal Waterways Association.
points out that cut Of only 13l miles
is necessary to put this entire water
There is foolish notion abroad that
we are seeking to dig canal 1880
miles long. We contemplate prac-
! teal proposition to open up or improve
just 131 miles of existing waterway. ct
inadeouate depth, from Massachusetts
to Florida. There are other exist
ing waterways along the coast from
New England to Key West that would
have to be improved as the business
warranted. but for the present the fol-
lowing lengths of excavation to connect
existing waterways are fairly compre-
hensive:
I Details of Projects.
1.-The New Jersey ship canal cut
of thirty-three miles across New Jersey
from the Delaware river to the Raritan
bay. Already there is a canal doing
some service across the state, but 1t is
Anticipated. having thirteen locks ard q
depth of only seven feet. and its con-
tinuance is not approved by the United
States Army engineers.
The others in this chain are Chesa-
peake and Delaware (existing canal to
be enlarged), 1877 miles: Chesapeake
and Albemarle (project adopted; ex-
listing canal being enlarged). ia miles:
Atbemarle and Pamlico ALLIGATOR river
and Rose bay)-project adopted, 26.;
miles: Beaufort Cut project adopted.
existing canal to be eniarged), miles;
Beaufort to Cape Fear river. n. {. (new
p-oject), 5 miles; Cape Fear river to Lit
tie River. S. c. new projecU. 20 miles:
and Little River to Winyah bay. S. c.
| tnew project. Is miles-total intra-
coastal waterways links. 131 miles.
by linking UP this 131 miles Of exca-
walton the intracoastal system would
! serve no less than 148 rivers. with a
of mil