Discussion raged for many meetings concerning the materials to be used, objections from the railway company and the unhealthy state of the Crescent but no action was taken. Such lack of action left the way clear to similar proposals later and to one common Wexford story of a local politician supposedly suggesting that the Crescent be dredged and filled with freshwater and a gondola placed thereon to which his colleague is said to have replied "Sure couldn’t we get two and let them breed."
May of 1914 witnessed great celebrations in Wexford with tar barrels and bonfires blazing and all the ships in the harbour festooned with bunting to celebrate the passing of the third reading of the Home Rule Bill in the Westminster Parliament. A chief promoter of the bill was Wexfordman John Redmond who at the time was leader of the Irish Party.
Earlier in the year other Wexfordmen had been made worthy of celebration when the tug "Wexford" had gone out in violent storms to tow the Rosslare Fort lifeboat on a rescue mission off the Keeragh islands.
That was in the famous episode of the "Mexico" which had gone aground and 9 of the 14 crew members of the Fethard lifeboat drowned during a rescue attempt.
As the trade within the port had declined, unemployment, which had been almost unheard of 40 years previously, was then becoming a problem. We find in 1914, men being recruited at the Wexford Labour Exchange and ferried to Fishguard to work on the new pier and docks.
With the outbreak of World War 1 in August 1914, Wexford sailors found themselves once again in the frontline of battle and they became the saviours of many people by their brave efforts to keep supplies moving into and out of the port. Two Wexford boats, "Joseph Fisher" and "Nanny Wignall" owned by J.J. Stafford were sunk by U-boats in the Irish Sea during the conflict.
But war or not the running of Wexford Harbour still produced problems for the Harbour Commissioners.
At one of their meetings a letter was read which ““ a Wexford merchant, showing the increasing problems caused by the “bar”, had received . "Wexford steamers have for some time been leaving here, Liverpool, only half full owing to the difficulty experienced in crossing the Bar at Wexford which is continually shoaling, " said the letter from a Liverpool Trader explaining why he could not ship a whole consignment of sugar in one lot.
At this time, the Harbour Commissioners were still in charge of not only the harbour and quays but also many of the streets and lanes leading onto the quays. With the cost of maintenance rising and the reserves of the board decreasing, Mr. Hore proposed at a meeting on September 6th 1915 that the Corporation be asked to take over the streets leading to the quays and provide the cost of lighting and upkeep of same. A further indication of the financial problems faced by the Harbour Board can be gained from a meeting held on October 5th 1915. This concerned a request for an overdraft of £300 to £500.
In reply the bank enquired "How the Board intended to secure the Joan, for what term it was required and in view of the Commissioners failure to fulfil their promises in connection with former loans approved security would appear to be very desirable. "
Mr. Feely, the bank manager was invited to attend a future meeting to hear of the serious position of the boards finances.
The reality of the ongoing war was reflected in the minutes of the Harbour Commissioners of February 1st., 1916.
"The Board of Trade wrote to say that it has been brought to their notice that foreign seamen though not allowed to land were giving letters to pilots to be posted. It is undesirable that such letters should enter the United Kingdom without being censored. "
Meanwhile the decreasing trade of the port was again made obvious. On Wednesday May 3rd., 1916 the salary of the secretary of the Harbour Commissioners was reduced by £20 per annum.
A letter had also been received from the Wexford Gas Company to say "The Commissioners at the present time owed £71-5-1 for two quarters gas and a third will soon fall due and that we will have to put out the lights on the quay on April 1st., unless payment is received in the meantime. "
The letter was forwarded to the Corporation for payment due to the depleted funds of the Board.
In the meantime, new rates had been set on the following goods passing through Wexford:-
Coal and coke - 3d. per ton;
Oats - 4d. per ton;
Salt - 4d. per ton;
Barley - 4d. per ton;
Pig Iron - 6d per ton;
Malt - 4d. per ton.
Timber - 3d. per ton;
These rates applied from February 1st.
By 1917, the bridge at Carcur (still referred to as the New Bridge 60 years after construction) was giving concern. "Mr. Stafford brought to the notice of the Board the present state of the new bridge as only traffic of a very limited nature was allowed. He had heard that the Admiralty was about to erect a pontoon bridge for the old bridge to Ferry bank in order to facilitate the works about to be carried out and he thought it a favourable opportunity to bring the question forward in the
