Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1870-04-14
WASHINGTON, d. c., March II, 1870.

WAslIINGToN, ID. u, March II, 1870.
GENERAL In compliance with your directions
of the 16lh ultimn, proceeded to Wilmington,
Delaware, for the purpose OF making nn exami- |
nation of the ChristaDa river relative to Its inn
provement, and submitting plan with estimates
of cost, having in view Its NECESSITY and the
amount of commerce to be benefited thereby.
Mr.. Wm. d. Nulen, collector OF the port oil
Wilmington, Messrs. Stone, Head. Febigcr and
Bush, members of the Buard OF Trade Of that
city, Major Alfred +. Sears, chief engineer OF the
Wilmington and Western railroad, were conferred
With upon the subject submitted to me for exam
nations.
The gentlemen laid before me copy Of the
second annual report of the board OF managers TO
tue Wilmington Board OF Trade for 1S69-lS70,
and copy uf the memorial of the Philadelphia
Board of Trade 10 the Senate and House of Rep-
resentatives of the Unitcd States the former uf
which exhibits the magnitude Of the manufacture
iug interests and commercial enterprises of the
city, the population, value Of real estate, aud
personal property, amount OF capital employed
in manufactures and the value Of manufactured
articles in the city and suburbs annually; the
last item aggregating an amount exceediug SIX
teen millions OF dollars onc-fourth sf these
manufactures being of iron, iron ships, machines
and machinery. .
OF the branches of industry, that of iron ship
building stands pre-. eminent. ship OF thou
sand tons burden la now In progress, well ad-
yapcod. A dry dock of large capacity Is under
construction which 1t is proposed to complete
by the first Of June. The establishment engaged
in this enterprise employs eight hundred men
Another establishment engaged In the manuiac-
ture of machinery employs three hundred men.
An Immense piece of machinery tor the m inuiac-
turs OF paper is nearly rendy Tor shipment TO its
destination in the State of Georgia us aspecmen
| of mechanism 1t cannot be exceled.
| OF the other branches OF industry may be
mentioned those OF morocco, paper, powder,and
chemicals.
The memorial of the Board Of Trade of Pha-
| dephia represents the necessity for greater
| hart facilities 4 mauuErriDt OH This
| memorial, with n printed copy OF the report Of
the Board OF Trade OF Wilmington, are herewith
| transmitted.
In the absence of funds for the re examination
| of the channel of the river to ascertain what
changes, If any, had taken place since the survey
made by Major Hartman Bache, United States
Army, in 1885, n tracing OF which accompanied
your letter, requested Major Sears to take crots
sections of the river from its mouth upward at
intervals of about two hundred feet. He has
furnished o tracng showing the result OF his
souudings. A comparison OF this with the survey
OF Major Bache shows that the general depth In
the channel has been maintained. The least
depths aie found on the bar at the mouth, below
| the first bend and below the mouth of the Bran
dywne River, as might be supposed, which al
extreme low water are not over eiyhl ieet. lhs
principal improvements are required at these
points.
| been heretofore confined to dredging alone, fol
which there was appropriated during the YEAR,
1886, 1887, 1888, the aggregate amount ot S32 3o6
No work has been done since the close Oh INT
I season OF 1870.
The method of improvement now proposed L
, meet the wants of navigation and commerce, boil
present aud prospective, Is to dredge channe
Twelve feet in depth and two hundred ieet wld
: from the twelve feet curve at extreme low wate
! in the Delaware River through the bar at tn
mouth, thence upward as far as the mouth Of th
! Brundywine Creek, thence to Market street bridg
: | with the same depth, but win Wiuln OF on
hundred feet.
It Is, however, recommended that at rreser
7 | the Improvement be confined TO the channel Dc
low the mouthof Brandywine Greek, where III
: embarrassment to navigation is apparently create
: Than it / sabove the mouth of Brandywine. Th
!; depth of twelve feet at low water is deemed adt
= quate for the wants OF navigation, indeed, It
4 The greatest depth that could probably be mair
! taned by the. flow OF the tides and currenu
. without u continued use of the dredger.
: The proposed width of two hundred feet wonl
l. not enlarge the cross-section OF the channel :
y much as to affect seusibly the velocltes OF u
l. currents on the contrary, beneficial results ma
. be locked for in admitting to the inner harbt
more freely the hood ideas is usual IN like case
X At the same time the capacity of the rondstea'
u u about one mile In length, would be enlarged !
III width sufficiently to obyate present embarras
-, ments or obstruction to The passage OF steame
y or shipping to the inner harbor or wharves
=, the city.
Y, mouth of the river and 10 the roadstad below q
~ mouth OF the Brandywne is ascertained, 1t W
a. be easier to propose what should be done abo
" the mouth Of the Brandywine The greater VI
" ume of aood tide adDitted,a and consequent long
!. continuance of high water, may obviate the U
n, n cessity for dredging above the mouth Of Brand
no wine Creek.
an Estimate for improring The entrance 10 Me hdro
nj Of Wilmington, Deluwdre.
er For dredging channel over the bar at
m the mouth, below the fret bend,nnd
as below the mouth of the Brandy
a. M H.. IL