Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-08-11
wuMINGroN's HARBOR

wILMINGT0N'S HARBOR-
After almost five years OF continu-
Gus effort on the part of certain far
visioned citizens, we are practically
assured that this is to be Greater
Wilmington. with harbor capable of
handling portion OF the worlds
commerce which flows over the Seven
Seas.
The Board OF Engineers of the War
Department realtxing the feasibility Of
this city's claims for harbor which
can accommodate OCEAN going vessels.
has promised the Governments sup
port to our project This support,
however. was not offered until the
community had demonstrated that
n would do its share OF
financing the project Once that as
sanction wa. obtained.
Briefly. this means that the Gov
srnusent win drcdye ,s-fc,t channel
IN the Christiania river from the Del
s~sre - the harbor site, viii dredge
. Msrto~ bassn- VII deepen the channel
10 20 f~et n later conditions require il,
snd win bufld 1.soo-fcot bulkhead
wan on the south SIDE Of the Christi
ana The City viii pay its share of
me work and the Government will do
all that ~ expected of n, unless pres
@t phR should fan.
m 0his connection IL Is well to re-
0smhx- thst few shcrt-sighted poll
raa ns in the Republican party almost
sm~pd Wilmington TO lose the Gov
G2nencs aid. On January Is. 1913.
0A.Eal Basek. then ChScf Of En-
gA~s Of the WIN Department
a0s WUn,su94pn has been asleep
nw many ye~x. regarding IT'S port
m improving the hartor. showing
ehat n means business, If need not
apply m Congress for any appropria-
tion." General Black emphasized the
fact that activity must be shown local
fy before Government assistance could
BE- secured.
IT was not until City Council. two
weeks ago, over Mayor Harvey's veto.
approved bond issue for harbor pur-
pcecs that the War Department en-
9fnecrs would give their approval to
our project. Quite naturally the Gov
ernment FIRST wanted to ascertain II
Wilmington was in earnest on this
matter, or was merely desiring to dip
into q political pork barrel.
wilmington's earnestness was
shown by the manner in which the
Mayors veto was una nimously over
ridden, and BY the spirit with which
public opinion rallied to the side of
the harbor enthusiastic. The business
houses. which win have TO bear their
burden Of taxation, but which also
win reap their eventual profit, strongly
urged the action which demonstrated
this city's faith ih its own future.
Work may start Immediately on the
harbor. or II may be delayed few
weeks. However. we shall not have
cur harbor overnight, nor viii the gold
u the Indies now immediately into our
treasure chests. But this much is
eertain--wiimineton is to become
more than a dot on the map to the
eommercAl interests Of the Nation. It
= IN be eventually one of the Nations
sea ports
No great act which benefits future
generat,ons is accomplished without
nuch effort on the part of enthusiasts
who are big enough to see not only
the possibilities OF today, but the
potential activities Of the morrow.
Our Mayor let his vision become
eiouded when the moment of action
arrived But there were others.
who were determined that success
should not be lost just when IT was in
sight. Every Evsning. which has been
nghting for this harbor in season and
cot. wishes to congratulate these
gentlemen upoa the constructive
vision which they manifested Would
that we had them in places OF power |
n our municipal government.
--
THE DRUNKEN DRIVER