Evening journal., 1921-10-18

ment the products Of factories along
the river and in the Industrial MN
terland. No such modernized port
for handling and shipping cargo III
large quantities at present exists
except at Norfolk and Charleston,
both Of which ports are not within
convenient range of the Industrial
district have mentioned.
Even today, there is consioer-
able flow Of commerce passing IN
and out OF the Christiana. Statis'los
assembled by the Chamber OF COM
merce covering the year 1870 sho"
that approximately 100000 tons OF
cargo valued at about S265,00o,Ooo
entered or left Wilmington by water
during that period, Of when II rs
fair 10 assume that at least 10 per
cent would come in the category OF
foreign commerce. This wouio ap-
proximate 100000 tons.
"only indirectly can this be CON
siderod as a criterion of the future
~ The mort of wilmington, but, with
tho present inadequate and antiquat-
od facilities. no further expansion
seems possible or likely.
Selection OF a Site
"There are several points TO be
considered in connection with the Sc
lection OF a site for a terminal DC
velopment such as is proposed Tor
Wilmington. Ease and safety OF ac-
cess 10 steamers and convenient con-
nection to railroads are OF para
mount importance: convenience OF
truck communication with the CEN
fral CITY district Is Of scarcely less
Importance. Another factor whlch
must be taken into consideration Is
the cost of acquisition OF property
and cost Of construction and opera
ton Of tho terminals.
"In Wilmington's case, the PROB
lem was narrowed down to the Sc
lection Of a site at one Of four places
Tho Month side Of the Christlana, at
its junction with the Delaware; the
Delaware front between the mouth
OF the Christiana and the Pigeon
Point pier OF the Philadelphia and
Reading Railway; the north side OF
tho Christiana at It's intersection
with the Delaware and the Delaware
water front north OF the mouth OF
the Christiana,
'The two latter named sites are
isolated from the benefits OF COM
petitive railroad service. The Penn
svlvania Railroad Is the only one
now available on the north side, and
tho two other trunk lines are shut
out from easy entrance 20 IL by top
ocraphical considerations on the
north. the p. r. r. freight yards on
west. and the Christana river on the
south. The land on this side Is
marshy. to say the least, and con-
struction OF any extensive nature
would be unduly costly. Then, too
the construction Of the Edge Moor
bulkhead by the Government inn
posed a restraint on the designing
OF a terminal which was not desir-
able. For these reasons, the north
side as a possible site was eliminated
from further consideration.
Room for Development
"On the south side a tract OF
nearly 400 acres extends from the
mouth Of the Christiana TO the
Pigeon Point, Pier. and this site is
located, ideally. for terminal devel-
opment. II Is close TO the city, rail-
roads are already in close proximity
TO the site. and the main channel Of
the Delaware is close at hand. This
entire tract should eventually be de-
veloped. When II is. Wilmington Will
possess as fine terminal as may be
found in America.
'In the rear OF the harbor facili'
ties. an Industrial development OF
the fast land should be the natura
result. and it is toward this end tina
the plans for the river front i'm
provements have been made.
1T is evident that tho development
OF this entire area should not be ac'
complished at once. II must pro-
ceed by evolution and the question
al issue was the location OF the first
stages OF the development. Should
the first construction be made on
the Delaware or just within the
mouth OF the Christiana7
zone OF the requisites for sue
cessful terminal is that Il should be