Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-01-24
COMPLETED HARBOR
Continued from page I

The Board of Harbor Commissioners
called 10 their assistance technical adj
visory committee, consisting of Calvin
Tomkins, formerly Tirector of Docks:
b. +. CreSson, engineer In charge of New
York harhor and L. w. Hersev, expert.
formerly of the Cunard line, all of New
York. These gentlemen, In connection
with the Board of Harbor Commissioners,
have been making a closeup survey of the
Wilmington port project. Ii is under
stood that the impression of all the con-
fcrees was exceedingly favorable to the
main features of the enterprise. 1t only
remains to settle some minor details.
Agreement on these viii be undoubtedly
reached in the course of two or three
weeks. When asked concerning Will
mingtons opportunities "a he found
them, Mr.. Tomkins said:
wilmington has a great opportunity
FOR port development. / do not under
stand why the city has not gone ahead in
that respect. The opportunity should be
utilized and made the most of, since
manufacturing and exporting viii be
developed so rapidly after the war as to
require every facility of all the ports
along the Atlantic seaboard. Whining
ton s proximity to the sea gives it special
advantage over other Delaware River
ports. All opportunities for manufac-
turing and shipping along the Delaware
from Trenton 10 the capes will undoubted-
ly be taken advantage of in the near
future. Most of the river front from
Philadelphia has been taken for insdutrial
and commercial purposes. have nothing
particular to say about Wilmington before
making further study except that il Is
apparent the city has promising oppor-
tuuity."
Wilmington certainly possesses all the
natural advantages required for the
creation of an ideal port Three great
railway systems serve the city, and three
nver fronts are included within It's
boundaries. With the exception of a few
small wharves along the Christiana and
the Brsndyvine rivers, the water front
is entirely undeveloped. What piers have
been built are old and mis6t affairs, built
without regard &c transportation require
ments. None OF them possess anv facili-
ties Tor the economical handling of freight.
The Harbor Board has secured tract OF
land comprising about los acres at the
junction of the Delaware and ChriStiana
rivers, and it is upon this tract that the
major part of the improvements now
contemplated will be constructed.
Wilmington is 80 miles nearer the sea
than Philadelphia, and is the nearest port
to the northern end Of the Chesapeake &
Delaware Canal. At the opening Of the
new link in the inland waterway system,
the advantages of Wilmington are easily
seen.
1t is also pointed out by officials of the
Board of HaTbor Commissioners that from
Wilmington to the sea there is q natural
channel of ample depth for the passage of
all ocean vessels, and one practically de-
void Of rock obstruction. On the other
hand the channel above Wilmington is
tortuous and, In spite of millions spent
upon its improvement, abounds in danger
ous impedinents to navigation, greatly
dreaded by sll shipping men. The. engi-
neering problems are being carefully
studied with view to starting the work
Of improvement as soon as possible and
OF pushin IT to an early completion.