Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-15
JOSEPH r. hASSKARL
On the Needs Of the Port

THE greatest need of the port of Phila-
i delphia. to make it take the rank which
Its manifest geographical advantages war
rant, IS more civic pride on the part OF the
to Joseph F.. IIassknrl, formerly Director
Of Wharves, Docks and Ferries, and before
that chief engineer for the Federal Gov
ernment in this district
"We should not overlook Philadelphia, s
great geographical and other natural ad-
vantages." said Chief IIasskarl. '1t is
the logical and most favorably situated
freight distributing point in the entire coun-
try. 1t is ninety miles nearer the Middle
West than is New York and IS $50 miles
nearer Liverpool than is Baltimore, our two
chief shipping competitors. We nave at
the present time thtrty-foot channel at
mean low water in the Delaware River'
and eventually will have n channel thirty
five feet deep AS the range of the tide
is about six feet, this will give at least forty
feet at high water which Is ample for any
freight carrying vessel coming to this city.
"Another point in our favor is that the
city lies one hundred miles from the sea.
This Is distinct advantage to vessels com.
ing from the warm waters or troplcal ana
semi tropical countries ns they can lie III
| the fresh water of the port for fCw weeks
| and cfectually cleanse their bottoms of
| barnncles without the expense of having
| them scrapcd--a very material saving TO
| drop of in salt water and in this case they
must be cleaned off after every southern
| trip. in order TO save the additional Goa
necessary TO drive vessel with several
tons of them clinging to the bottom.
Vast Water Frontage
| "Philadclphia. as a port. has twenty
| miles of deep water frontage on the Della
ware and fourteen miles Of frontage on the
Schuylkill. making a total of thirty -four
| miles deep water fronting" for the port,
which is ample for all needs.
'It is also an ideal land use the word
| ndviscdly) place for Il navy yard, in that
| 1t has an immense reserve basin for laying
up vessels in fresh water, where n ship
may be tied up indefinitely, without any
| deterioration whatever. Vessels may be
laid up in this basin for years and go to
sea at once without having to clean either
barnacles or rust off the bottom. And it
| has other advantages rs naval base. 1t
| has the biggest shipyards in the country
around it, and thus has at hand moro skilled
| labor, either for repairs or for building,
| than any other port IN the country.
'Phladelrha is well supplied with nicrs
| At present there are 10 piers on the Della
ware, of which thirty five are owned by the
| city. These piers are anywhere up TO 1900
feet in length. sufficient to accommodate all
classes Of vessels.
|
"But besides these commercial and goo
| graphical advantages, Philadelphia has an
other great advantage over its chief com.
| peting ports in that no ightcrage is ncces-
| sary from freight car to vessel or from
| vessel to car, as all its piers have direct
| railway connection. This Is n material
| saving as in many instances the lghteragc
| charges in other ports will run from fifty
cents to two dollars q ton. which amounts :
| To n great sum in the case Of large cargo,
and which must be paid in the end by the
| consumer.
'~This Is m immense advantage for the
port of philadelphia, rs lightcragc is neccs-
sary in both New York and Baltimore.
New York is on the wrong side of the river
ever to become an economical distributing
center as every pound of freight must be
carried across the river before starting for
points West, North or South New York
il now, and always will be, the great mas
scnger and express steamer port That we
must concede, for its natural advantages for
This purpose are rs great as those of Pbilo
Ielphia as a freight. distributing port. New
York is 14O miles nearer Livcrpool thon
PHILADELPHIA Is, and 300 miles nearer tbnn
is baltimore. added to which it IL only Ten
miles from the sPa. These are advantages
with which no other port near it can com :
pete for the, passenger and express steamer
trade.
What Philadelphia Needs
"But what Philadelphia needs most Of
all,is more civic pride on the part Of IT.
manufacturers and shippers. so that they.