Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1922-01-30
WILMINGTON'S
HARBOR
BY For mes U. 8. Co ASress MAI
william n. Heald

community.
After fully three years Of prelimi-
nary work in determining tho best
type OF harbor improvement tho Har-
Dor Commissioners adopted COM
prehensive plaf that has met with the
entire approval OF the best marine en-
gincers in the United States, and the
active cooperation OF the engineers
OF the United States army.
This Is solid foundation to build
upon. Council after we'll consider
ing the plan OF Improvement unani-
mously adopted 1t and committed the
city to It's completion.
This plan OF improvement devel-
oped under tho best OF engineering ad-
vice. approved and adopted by the
Council, was laid before the Rivers
and Harbors Committee OF the House
of Representatives last Thursday by
the commissioners. This hearing was
for the purpose OF having Congress
adopt deeper and wider channel for
tho marine tcrmianl. A plan OF har-
Dor Improvement so meritorious as
this ono docs not frequently como be-
| foro n ,,otop,itSnn 80 <,aor.on. -, q.
Is not surprising therefore that the
committee should be 30 fnvorably I'M
pressed az II was In this case.
This Improvement Is a big thing
for Wilmington. II IL "a big undertake
ing and In time II viii bring surpris-
ing changes and additions 20 our
4 business life.
For many years the citizens OF this
community havo permitted the won
derful Delaware river with a channel
thirty feet In depth to now back and
forth past our city boundary line
without attempting 10 mako use OF its
facilities and opportunities to tho ad-
vantage OF our citizens.
Men with enthusiasm and vision
have finally taken hold OF the enter
prise and Wilmington is now taking
steps forward that should have been
taken years ago.
Some one must blaze the way ir
new ventures, some one must have
the courage TO set their face In the
4 direction OF Congress and this W,
think the Board OF Harbor Commits.
sioners have done. They are entitled
to the undivided support OF every citi
zen.
, The hope of many Of our importan
, citizens In about 70 DO realized. tn,
facilities for a wider business life, {
, greater business expansion and
closer and more profitable interchang,
OF commodities with our neighbors i
almost Immediately here.
If the deepening and widening O
q the Chesapeake and Delaware cana
q is of the great Importance that woul,
. justify the government in the ex
penditure OF the great amount @
money now being spent, the reason
4. able amount now being expended b
= the city OF Wilmington is conserva
. tive. The willingness of the railroad
, 10 expend the same they will hav
, TO expend for terminal connections
). is another evidence OF the co-opera
q ton of the railroads that is encour
aging. There is no sufficient reaso
why every manufacturing industr
and wholesale and retail distribute
should not on the completion OF III
u terminal feel it's stimulating infuenc
70 Wilmington's marine developmer
~ is not to be looked upon as rival {
competitor Of the port of PhAadelphi
The Philadelphia port is now owe
. crowded, the storage capacity is il
sufficient and the docking capacity
inadequate for the shipping no
coming 10 that MORT
According to opinion expressed !
all engineers who have examin,
the harbor plans, Wilmington is
have a plant and equipment that w
not be surpassed for efficiency, p
unit, by any port in the United State
At no port will there be found
lower possible rate for handling ca
goes, both those requiring shed ste
age and those that can be stored on
side
80 It is important to remember tn
"A no port development has been u
dertaken which provided modern I
10 cilities, that has not been substa
-. TALLY successful, and added to t
an business of the port itself and II
created closer relation with t
communities from which it drew
90 traffic. .
te Then, too, there are immediat,
ID available direct connections with TIN
nj lines of railroads, the Reading, I