Evening journal., 1920-10-20
CITY HARBOR
CHANCE AGAIN
PHASIZED
contInued dom FIrst Pase.

Continued from First Paec.
width and depth and the proposed
'sit Is our belief" he said that The
widths Of the channel proposed will
be wholly iustinable and necessary
within a few years 20 accommodate
vessels plying 90 and from tht new
10 be erected by the municipality and
The channel depth suggested Is quite
essential from the Inception OF the
project to accommodate the type or
Ves seis intended 10 bc served by The
new port works"
Turning to ne Christana above
, The mouth OF the Brandywine Mr..
Meigs said. 1t Is believed that for
the time being The present project
depth is satisfactory.
In support Of the proposed enl9rse-
mcnt OF the goVrnment aid asked
/ Mr.. Meigs mafshallcd a strong array
Of facts and figures showing NE
/ leroWth OF Milm ngtoh and lis COM
mcrca also the advantages held by
Wilmington over The ports OF Phila-
ldelnhia and Baltimore. or this latter
phase OF the project he said
"The a stance from Wilmington 70
all ports. cpastwsc and foreign, Is
80 miles less than from philadel lnhia,
and 10 an European, Mediterranean
and East Indian ports IS iully -
miles less than from Baltimore, this
distance being equivalent TO two full
days Of sailing time for each round
trip OF the average tramp or irelshl
steamer resoriing TO these porls.
Mr.. Meigs also pointed out that the
three great trunk line railroad sys-
i tens nat enter The port or Phlladel J.
lphia also serve Wilmington. Prior 10
Mr. Meigs statement, Mr.. Speakn,an
read a letter frem Calvin Tomkins, ~
4. New York. In which he said In part
"The Delaware river Is rapidly be
coming the American Clyde, and in
dustries taking In vast quantities OF
. heavy and bulky raw materials and
sending out finished products OF large
bulk and weight are locating In in
creasing numbers along Us banks
, where land In large areas Is compar-
atively cheap.
u trust the Federal officers having
general supervision OF this matter
/ will give consideration 10 these views
o. especially since in case OF future war
part so planned and located would
be OF inesumable' value to the gov.
ernmenL"
A. d. Warner. Jr.. president OF the
, | Chamber OF Commerce. sited that "a
community develops % per cent. fast
er when 10 has best water facilities.
and declared the Chamber was "i0'
per cent. strong IN support of ~
harbor project" President of Coun.
: ell Lyon said Delaware Is smal
Y state. but wis 90 do big things.
! and gave guarantee that Council
would DO everything 10 further The
port scheme
a Commissioner Bancroft IN reply q
IA query by Colonel Johnston. told %
? large interests that are watching th
Z development OF he harbor with ide
a Of locating industries here. He sai
he was confident the port facllillt
would be used 10 their utmost
"A. r. kaigln, for the Sugar Rein
a cry. estimated that its imports an
e exports would be 200 tons a day. II
expressed hope the plant would be J
+ | oteratiOn In 10 months Charlie
e | Warner emphasized, tlat the port {
D Wilmington was the most ccqnom
Y cal and best located FOR enlargin
u Delaware river shipping.
Colonel Johnston asked whether
the government should build the qua
wall requested the city would mali
tain 10. Mr.. Warner replied ne vi
y certain the municipality would "glat
y ly assume the responsibility
h Frederick J1sperson asslsiai
chief engineer OF the Philadelphia an
- Reading. pledged an assistance In u
IN line OF traffic. he declared the e.
n port business would greatly Increase