activity will be working at capacity, both steel and oil, using these bigger tankers. Under those circumstances it would be too late. There would not be time to redredge the channel. It took a year for them to dredge the channel when they put it down to a 40-foot depth in 1942. The wise and intelligent thing to do is get that channel down now as a matter of good housekeeping where it is supposed to be. Thank you very much. I would like to submit a statement for the record. Senator YOUNG. That will be included in the record. (The statement referred to follows:) STATEMENT BY THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA IN SUPPORT OF MAINTAINING A 40-FOOT CHANNEL IN THE DELAWARE RIVER FROM THE SEA TO THE PORT OF PHILADELPHIA Early in the morning of December 30, 1953, two oil tankers, the SS. Atlantic Engineer and the SS. Atlantic Dealer, collided in the Delaware River Channel. The tank of the SS. Engineer was ruptured. Crude oil poured into the water, and immediately the channel was engulfed in a holocaust of flames. The smoke and flames swept halfway across the SS. Dealer, mounting to a height of 100 feet. Eleven members of the crew of the Dealer, thinking that their own tank had been ruptured and the cargo set on fire, plunged into the freezing waters of the Delaware. Two of the crew were later rescued, but nine perished in an unbelievable terror of fire and ice. Just short of a million dollars of property damage was sustained by the two vessels. The Marine Board of Inquiry has not yet completed its investigation of this accident, so that we cannot state with final authority the exact causes of this accident. We can say with authority, however, that in this, as all other accidents in the Delaware River Channel, major contributing factors were the narrowness and shallowness of the channel, and inadequate anchorage facilities. This accident highlights several of the results of the neglect of the Delaware River Channel. These are (1) the mounting menace to shipping in the Delaware River, involving the loss of many lives, and many millions of dollars of property; (2) the threatened throttling of the economic jugular vein of Delaware Valley, United States of America, and; (3) a perilous and incalculable risk to our national defense. Unfortunately, another factor is also involved-the good faith of the United States Government. In the past 3 years 27 men have died and many millions of dollars of property have been destroyed in 31 collisions in the Delaware River Channel. In addition, almost 30 ships have been grounded along the silt-filled shoals of the channel, the latest grounding having occurred only several weeks ago. In 1938, the Congress of the United States made a commitment that the Army engineers would maintain a channel 40 feet deep from the sea to Philadelphia. It specified that this channel would be 1,000 feet wide in the bay, and 800 feet wide in the river proper, with increased widths at the channel bends. It also authorized the Army engineers to provide and maintain various anchorage areas. Gentlemen, this promise by the Congress of the United States has not been kept. Instead of 40 feet, the channel is as shallow as 29 feet in places, because the removal of silt has been neglected. Moreover, it is only the center of the channel which has a navigable depth of 35 feet, so that instead of 800 feet, the channel to be navigated by modern tankers is only 400 feet wide. Compare this to New York's channel of 1,500 feet. The Philadelphia area is the largest petroleum refining center on the eastern seaboard, and second only to Houston in the Nation. The oil refining industry is totally dependent on water for the transportation of its raw materials and in its manufacturing process. Since the end of World War II, the oil industry has invested a half billion dollars in the improvement and expansion of its refining facilities in the Philadelphia area. The refineries have committed themselves to spending about $150 million in 1954 for plant improvements and additions. Gentlemen, this industry, totally dependent on the Delaware River Channel for its very existence, made this huge investment because it had faith that the United States Government would keep its pledge to maintain the 40-foot channel But lest you gain the impression that this is a mere sectional matter, let me point out that the petroleum refineries along the Delaware River had a 1953 rated capacity of 612,000 barrels a day, which capacity will reach 707,000 barrels per day when the 1954 expansion is completed. The Delaware Valley, therefore, provides nearly 10 percent of the Nation's crude-oil refining capacity. There is no need for me to labor the point as to the importance of oil to the economic health of our Nation, in lubricating and generating the power of aircraft, locomotives, trucks and automobiles, heating homes and factories, and hundreds of other industrial and household uses. At the same time that the Delaware River Channel has grown narrower and shallower through neglect, the economics of the oil industry have dictated that tankers become larger and faster. Oil tankers scheduled for delivery this year, for use in the Delaware River, will have a length of 736 feet, a beam of 102 feet, and a draft of 37 feet 6 inches. Nor is it only the petroleum industry which is involved. All of you are aware that the United States Steel Co. has completed a vast new integrated steel plant at Morrisville, Pa., with a 1,800,000-ton capacity. The steel plant is bringing in its ore from Venezuela, and ore carriers now under construction for operation in the Delaware River will have a length of 803 feet, a beam of 116 feet and a draft of about 38 feet. These ore carriers will further congest the Delaware River Channel, increasing the danger to human life and property. Moreover, it is obviously impossible for an ore carrier with a draft of 38 feet to negotiate a channel as shallow as 29 feet in places. The two primary concerns of all Americans today are the maintennace of a healthy, productive economy with full employment, and maintaining a strong posture of national defense. In addition to petroleum and steel, a tremendous volume of diversified industry is located along the banks of the Delaware River. A chemical industry thrives in Wilmington, Del. Major shipyards are located at Chester, Pa., Philadelphia, and Camden, N. J. Direct defense installations such as the United States naval base, Frankford Arsenal, Army quartermaster depot, naval aviation depot, Marine Corps depot, and numerous other armed services installations are located here. In January 1954 the Philadelphia Ordnance District had in force in the Delaware Valley area 548 defense contracts of all types, with a dollar value of $1,464,126,917. But the two giants of the Delaware Valley are oil and steel, with petroleum and ore accounting for 75 percent of the water-borne commerce of the Phila delphia port area. Oil and steel constitute the very lifeblood and bone structure of our national economy. They are the vital sinews of our national defense. All of us hope and pray that the United States may never again become embroiled in an all-out global conflict, or even a more limited action on the scale of Korea. But in such an eventuality, the productive power of America is the mightiest weapon in the arsenal of the free world. And, gentlemen, Delaware Valley, U. S. A., is a vital area which teems with industrial might. Indeed we might describe the Delaware Valley, U. S. A., in a paraphrase of the tribute paid to George Washington: "First in war, first in peace ***." I hope that your response to our plea today will indicate that you hold us, if not first, at least high up "in the hearts of our countrymen." Senator YOUNG. Mr. Peterson. STATEMENT OF HENRY W. PETERSON, SECRETARY OF THE SOUTH JERSEY PORT COMMISSION GENERAL STATEMENT Mr. PETERSON. My name is Henry W. Peterson, Secretary of the South Jersey Port Commission, an agency of the State of New Jersey that exercises jurisdiction of that territory in New Jersey from Trenton to the sea. There are seven counties along the Delaware River and Bay. I also am authorized to speak for the Camden County Chamber of Commerce in support of the brief submitted by Mr. Schad and his associates. However, we want to go a bit further than that and request that the presently authorized various sections of the channel from Trenton to the sea be restored to project dimensions. I have no figure available as to what that would be, but however, the projects in the Delaware River provide from 40 feet to the sea from the navy yard, 37 feet from the navy yard to Allegheny Avenue, Philadelphia, and in that area are the wharves wherein general cargo and other shipping take place. Then 28 feet to the Delair Bridge and 25 feet thence to Trenton. Senator ELLENDER. Are they the presently authorized depths? Mr. PETERSON. Yes, sir. They are the projects that require maintenance money, not new money. Senator YOUNG. I would like to ask the Army engineers to place in the record the cost of the project which Mr. Peterson is speaking of from Trenton to the ocean. General ITSCHNER. We will place that in the record. (The material referred to follows:) Estimated cost of restoring authorized project dimensions in the Delaware River from Trenton to the sea Project Delaware River, Philadelphia to the Sea--- Delaware River, Philadelphia to Trenton_. Estimated cost $8,400,000 1,024, 000 Total CHANNEL FROM TRENTON TO PHILADELPHIA 9, 424,000 Senator ELLENDER. How is the chanel there from Trenton to Philadelphia? Is it as bad from Philadelphia south? General ITSCHNER. It is a much shallower channel. It is 25 feet. Senator ELLENDER. Does it silt there as much as in the lower reaches of the river? General ITSCHNER. I would estimate it could not silt as much there. Senator ELLENDER. That is because of greater current velocity? General ITSCHNER. Yes, sir. Mr. PETERSON. Than that section of the river between the Navy yard and channel. That channel is being used by the Fairless plant at Morrisville which requested a 40-foot channel, which is not before the Congress at this time. Those deep-draft vessels have to partially discharge at Philadelphia prior to going to Morrisville now. * The United States Steel Co. anticipates about 380 deep vessels going into Morrisville annually from now on, so we would like to accept the suggestion of you, Senator, that the Army engineers stipulate the amount that is required from Trenton to the sea, supplementing the brief that you have before you of the Navy yard and the sea. Senator ELLENDER. You are not requesting a deeper channel that now authorized? Mr. PETERSEN. No, sir, just the authorized depth to be restored. Senator YOUNG. The committee has received a statement from the Honorable William A. Barrett, Representative in Congress from the First District of Pennsylvania, in support of additional funds for dredging the Delaware River. His statement will be placed in the record at this point. (The statement referred to follows:) STATEMENT OF HON. WILLIAM A. BARRETT, FIRST DISTRICT, PENNSYLVANIA DELAWARE RIVER CHANNEL The persons testifying today regarding the Delaware River Channel are not special-interest groups and they are not seeking legislation for selfish purposes. The Delaware River Channel is a matter of vital concern to the economy and defense of the Nation, and the Congress has already authorized its maintenance at a depth of 40 feet. I shall leave it to the experts on the subject of navigation to furnish technical details in support of our request for the sum of $8,400,000 required to restore the full 40-foot depths in the channel and restore depths in the anchorage areas. My testimony will be primarily concerned with the significance to the Philadelphia-Camden area of maintaining a channel adequate to insure safety of navigation, further the commercial interests of the area, and contribute to the national defense. International significance The Delaware River is very appropriately referred to as an international highway. This sea artery pumps economic lifeblood into the United States in the form of essential materials, and it is an important overseas outlet for war materials for our allies as well as wheat and other commercial exports for more than 50 friendly countries. The Delaware Channel may be compared-if not properly dredged-to a bottleneck impeding the flow of commerce between the United States and our foreign allies. In short, it is in both the regional and national interest to expedite the appropriation of sufficient funds to implement existing legislation for the maintenance of the channel at a depth of 40 feet. Regional significance The Delaware River Channel is not only significant in the Nation's commerce and defense; it is vital for the daily economic well-being of the 21 million Americans along its banks. This year the value of port activities will amount to almost one-half billion dollars, and the port generates an even larger value of railroad, trucking, and other indirect commerce. It is hardly necessary for me to emphasize that the area along this river is a gigantic industrial empire-vital for the building of America's strength. Among the region's 8,000 manufacturing plant is Philadelphia's oil-refining center (the largest along the Atlantic coast), Delaware's chemical industry, Trenton's integrated steel mill, and there are several major shipyards. The channel is also essential for direct defense installations such as Army and Marine Corps quartermaster depots, Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, and the Frankford Arsenal. The Philadelphia-Camden area is a strategic location with respect to sources of material and labor and the market for processed goods. Modernization of this waterway is essential to the demands of defense and civilian needs as well as to increasing the national wealth in this highly industrialized area. In Delaware Valley, United States of America, private industry has already invested its resources in an unprecedented industrial expansion to the benefit of the defense program and the future normal peacetime economy. Increased employment A byproduct of the increase in commerce which will result from channel improvement and maintenance is an increase in employment. (And the current increase in unemployment in this area is a danger which is assuming significance in the Greater Philadelphia area.) This is the reason that this program has the active backing of most civic and private groups. Beyond the interests of the people of the Delaware Valley is the interest of the entire country. Source of revenue United States customs receipts in the port of Philadelphia collected during the lifetime of this project exceed the total costs of the project manyfold. Customs receipts for the year 1953 totaled nearly $1 million a week and internal revenue collections of all kinds in the 3-State area for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1953, amounted to $8,021,277,845. By way of comparison, the amount requested for dredging the Delaware is only one-tenth of 1 percent of this sum. There does not seem to be any justification for delaying the appropriation of sufficient funds to implement the legislation enacted by Congress in 1938 directing that the Delaware River Channel be maintained at a depth of 40 feet. The administration has repeatedly expressed its desire to encourage foreign trade, 42592-54-70 and as a means of accomplishing this objective it is necessary to dredge the Delaware River Channel to permit the passage of larger draft vessels. On behalf of my constituents and in the interests of American commerce and defense I strongly urge that the subcommittee allocate the necessary funds for the dredging of the Delaware River Channel. Senator YOUNG. The committee has also received a letter from Mr. C. G. Cornwell, of the American Marine Hull Insurance Syndicate, in support of funds for dredging the Delaware River Channel. Mr. Cornwell's letter will be incorporated in the record. (The letter referred to follows:) AMERICAN MARINE HULL INSURANCE SYNDICATE, Hon. WILLIAM E. KNOWLAND, Chairman, Senate Appropriations Committee, United States Senate, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: We understand that your committee is holding hearings relating to the possibility of substantial improvements in the Delaware River Channel. This organization of American marine insurance underwriters has initiated an individual study of the congestion and other obstacles in the flow of waterborne commerce in this area and has reached the conclusion that, even with present level of traffic, an unsatisfactory and dangerous situation exists. We are particularly concerned as our studies lead us to believe that the contemplated increase in traffic in the Delaware River will, in the absence of further channel improvements, lead to a critical situation resulting in further disasters with the resultant loss of life and personal injuries as well as property damage. With the thought that the study we have had made will be of assistance to your committee in its deliberations, we are happy to herewith set forth the parts of such study that are pertinent to your considerations: "In the case of deep-draft bulk carriers, they are often obliged on low tide stages to stay nearly in midchannel as the present channel depths in many places are inadequate. These same inadequacies also compel wrong-side meeting and passing when a deep-draft vessel is involved. With the present limited water they must follow the adequate depths from one side of the channel to the other. It follows that when a meeting situation develops with such a vessel on the left side of the channel, she must either stay there or risk going aground or taking a dangerous sheer just when close aboard of the other vessel. Coupled with this same lack of water is the fact that, in order to avoid considerable damage to shore installations and moored vessels along the river, deep-draft ships must so reduce their speed as to seriously limit their maneuverability. "The lack of safe anchorages in the Delaware presents another serious hazard to safe navigation. An examination of present conditions will reveal that after passing Bombay Hook, in upper Delaware Bay, there are no safe anchorages for the large bulk carriers entirely outside the channel limits. In addition to this condition, there is that of congestion. The ever-increasing tonnage entering the Delaware has rendered the existing anchorages totally inadequate in both number and size. A large deep draft vessel proceeding in the Delaware and caught in dense fog is indeed in an unenviable position. The vessel can continue along, with the ever present danger of collision, or can be anchored in the channel. In the present 800-foot channels the ship would almost certainly hang up forward or aft with the danger of considerable damage to the vessel and partial blocking of the ship channel. The danger presented by this condition to other vessels navigating in the channel is all too evident. "The river above Philadelphia is now being used by oceangoing ships to a far greater extent than before, and, as the new Fairless plant of the United States Steel Co. increases its output to the initial capacity of 1.8 million tons of steel annually, this ocean tonnage will become increasingly greater. This initial capacity will require about 6 million tons of iron ore, coal, and limestone annually, and it is estimated that, in the near future, when channel conditions permit the use of large deep draft carriers, a total of 13 million tons of coal and ore will be transported annually to this plant by water. |