The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-02-03
THE ssNECK..
Some Of the Pec%uiiarlties % Of thnt Deiectable
fsarden-spOt of the City.

Some Of the PecalinrIties Of thnt Deiectable
s:@rdenyspot Of the City. '"'
The bill now before Councils making the an
nual appropriations for the Highway Depart
ment contains an item of $50, 900 to be devoted
to the draining of the marshes in the First and
Twenty-sixth wards of the city, otherwise
known as the "Neck." This item was inserted
in response to petition from the owners OF the
meadow land in the 'Neck," upon which Chief
Engineer Strickland Kneass made the report to
the Finance Committee of Councils which is
given below. 1t is of interest, as setting forth
in detail the topography of section of the city
of which great deal is heard, while but little is
known by the great mass of the people concern
ing its present condition and future prospects
Mr.. Kneass report, addressed to the Finance
Committee, and which has just been printed by
order of Councils, reads as follows:-
"Having examined the subject Of complaint, as
presented by the owners OF meadow land in The
leave to say that the entire area southwark Of the
Moyamensing, Rope Ferry, and Point Breeze roads,
lane, and extending to the rivers Della
ware. and scauylkili yli. on on, either side, Is is
about Jour ro c ana %uar
bank extending the entire shore line on the Schuyl-
kill from Point Breeze to Its MOUTH and on the back
channel League Island and the Delaware to near
SThs area is traversed by several streams, such
as Hay creek, Molly Bore and Chickhansing creeks,
all of which empty into Hollanders creek-the latter
being quite large channel Qn 171O large enough for
ships of that date to winter n) connecting the back
channel at League Island with the Delaware
north of the Point House, thus forming
eTn termination of Sixth street; Molly Bore, at or
about nlevehth street; and the Chckhansing, the
largest OF the three having its head-waters cut off
by the Reed street sewer now begins near the
Parade ground, and crossing Broad street near
Moore street and the Passyunk road near Twentieth
street, continues southwark parallel WITH and q
short distance eastward of, the Rope Ferry road,
until it is lost as an open chanuel in the extensive
and alongside of Broad street. The Molly Bore is
also lost In this marsh; but Hay creek has formed
another eastward OF Broad street. Prior TO the filling
upofthe back chaHne-in early days ship thorough
fare, and consequently, the channel OF Hollanders
creekhese creeks delivered freely into the river
but the obstruction thus formed has caused the
drainage to lie upon the meadows, forming deep and
impassable marshes, where, within the memory Of
mddle-aged men, were remunerative pasturages.
The owners OF this ground being taxed for city pur-
poses equally with more favored localities, and
having also the care OF the guard banks, for which
imperfection Of the drainage caused, ~ it us is
thought directly by the improvements upon
the Delaware front, and necessary for the interests
OF the CITY at large, shall in some way be provided
for so that If possible, their land may be restored
to them and thus, while they shall have justice
meted out to them, the city at large shall also be
81 believe this relief as asked for can be attained
by obliterating the old creeks and eXcavating new
channel into the Delaware and guarding It at It's
connection with the river by large suice
gate Although definite location cannot be
fixed without special survey, yet wonld
say that the general lines OF these creeks may be
followed by ditch or bitches having length OF
about five miles, the idea being to occupy, so far as
projected over that area--and as improvements ad
vance to cover it in with arches, or as may at that
time be most advisable. This ditch would suggest
with a width Of twenty or twenty-five feet at low
water line-thus making an excavation on the
me- adOw OF about four feet, the material to be
used for the banks on each side OF height cores
ponding with the river bank The sluice at the
river would prevent the influx beyond say half tide
by which arrangement, with the height OF bank as
originated, there would be storage room TO provide
Tor twelve hours rain OF one inch per hour ovel
the entire area drained. The cost OF this work,
believe, would be between twenty and twenty-five
Thousand dollars. SO soon as the Federal Govern
ment commence their operations at League Island
Tor the formation OF their projected basin or
the pack channel, the present outlet OF Ho
landers creek VIII be cut on. aud as the northern
outlet, owing 10 the extensive accretions the at
below the Navy Yard, ia practically closed it will
become an imperative matter to supply another
otherwise the mats entire will become submerged
and will not only entail serious loss upon the land
owners, but be a cause of complaint from the GOV
ernment as injurious to the naval station
''The result OF constructing this new channel witt
now comparatively useless area into garden spot
consumption, and owing TO its rich alluvia soil rem
der unnecessary that prodigal use OF excrement
and city refuse as fertilizers TO the serious injury ID
the quality OF vegetables produced, and possibly thC
health OF the consumers. The reclamation of low
now being carried out in different sections OF ou
country by private enterprise and SO far with marked
TenpperstjYe resulh."