Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-23
GEORGE r. SPRoULE
o. the Port OF PHILADELPHIA

TINllE most important need of the port of
l. Philadelphia is the crystalli2ation Of
sentiment among the business men of the
city in favor of using the port and its
splendid facilities. according to George +.
Sproulc, Director Of Wharvcs, Docks and
Ferries.
mo matter how fine the equipment Of
port may be- said Director Sproulc. this
alone will not solve tho problem. 1t is
necessary for the merchants of the city to
have enough civic pride To use the port.
Facilities alone will not attract business.
There are many vessels which go TO the
most remote parts Of the earth. whore they
load and dischnrgc their cargocs in open
rOadways. II the business is there the mas
ters of ships will find n way to get their
cHrgocs in and out.
"Consdcr the business of the port OF
Philadelphia in the last two ears. In 1921
there arrived and cleared 2%07 foreign vcs-
and 53SG domestic vessels with an aggregate
of 1O,G40.14S registered tons. n total for
the year Of S2S3 vessels Of 1857 400 regis
tered tons. In 1920 there were 3533 for
riSn vessels of 1861 ,73G registered tons
and 4%l7 domestic vessels o. 10, 5,0OS
registered tons, "A total of $3.50 vessels Of
% .0GG, ,S0f registered tons.
1T is fair to ussnmc that every vessel
arriving or departing leaves from $500 to
$4,000 in the port, this sum including
and many other items for which they make
disbursements. Therefore it il easy 70 see
that the actual cash business of tho port
reaches large proportions in the course of
year, ana il business we'll worth not
only maintaining but fostering as much as
possible.
"Durng 1921 the foreign commerce of
tho port of Philadelphia fell of as COM
pared with 1920. but still maintains a sub
stantinl lead over the average pre-war year.
hi
but Is in keeping with the reductions in tho
volume OF merchandise and commodtirs
moving into and out Of other ports OF the
country and the world.
Import and Export Totals Lower
"rhc value Of imports for the year shows
decrease of SlGl, 70l 20 as compared with
1870, and tho export values n decrease Of
1924 ,453, ,O2l. 1t Is difficult to estimate
what proportion of this falling or can be
attributed to price reductions. Drastic cuts
in the prices OF raw materials doubtless
account for a large part of the smaller
volume Of business az measured !" dollars.
Import gains were shown In some lines,
| among them being sugar, bananas. cork
waste, licoricc root and pulp, while crude
oil, ore, mOassesA nitrate OF soda and log
wood show decrease. A feature Of the
export trade was the large quantity of grain
shipped to foreign ports, but there were de-
CrCaScS in flour. coal and oils
In the gOastwise trade increases were
shown in the receipts Of oil. lumber. ties and
nnr props. Pulpwood, cindcrs and rosin
| Increased. and sulphur. sand, phosphate
rock and cotton decreased. In shipments
| out of the port OIL merchandise and steel
were among the commodities showing in
creascs. while coal, acid and asphalt de.
creased in volume.
What Is Needed Here
This is the situation. What the port Of
| Philadelphia needs Is II crystalllHntiOn of
| sentiment among the merchants in favor Of
using the facilities which we have. At
present these facilities are well in advance
| OF any demands which have ever been made
upon them, but this is a condition in which
| all ports should be kept.
| During tho great war. when other ports
were taxed to their utmost and fell down
| under the strain, the port of Philadelphia
| rendered valiant service to the Allies be :
cause we were able to keep up our record
| for the expeditions loading and unloading
Of ships. During that period vessels were
| detained In New York for weeks. loading or
| discharginS, while in Philadelphia we kept
| up our pre-war record for prompt handling
THE change Of sentiment which must
come If Philadelphia is to take her prOpcr
place as a great port is properly the func- :
| ton OF the business organizations of the
| city. They are In position to crystaIllze
bring it to fruition.
Coastwise Lines Needed
The port of Philadelphia needs more
coastwse lines. In years gone by lines were
operated between this city and Charleston,
| Norfolk, Richmond. Washington d. &.
New Orleans, Wilmington, \. c., and to
Troy and Albany. Hartford, Providence and
Fall River. All these lines have now been
withdrawn for lack of patronage.
Notwithstanding this, there IS plenty OF
demand for such service. Today the volume
Of business between Philadelphia and New