Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-02-22

THE SHIP CANAL sCHEME-coURr HOUSE
| RRMoHAL-A QUESTION OF INTEREST.
Dover, February 18.-Dover has beer
lively enough to-day, and her hotels and
estaurants have been crowded since early
morning. The Peninsular Peach Growers
Association met here this afternoon, and
was largely attended. Besides those who
came here on this account, quits q larg
dum5er Of persons arrived who are Inter
ssted In measures before the Legislature,
and are looking after the same.
To-day the Senate took no the bill char
tering the Maryland and Delaware Ship
Canal Company, and passed 1t by vote
Of 8 to /. Perhaps you think Senator
Leslie opposed its passage If SO, you are
right. He has worked hard TO kill 1t, but
has sigually failed, and this leads me to
believe that bis influence with the mem
bers of the body over which he presldes
Is on the wane. / trust this Is the case,
aud that bis old .fogyism will be no longer
given hearing. This gentleman is making
for himself a most unenvlable record In
opposing wholesome legislation, and seems
TO be in dead earnest about digging his
political grave, 10 which he will be snugly
laid away after the present session. 50
deep will he be buried that a dozen resur
rections will fail to bring him to the sur
face of politics again, and that trumpet
we are told of every Sunday will to his
ears sound no louder than the noise pro-
duced by a dilapldated penny whistle,
when blown by a slckly utchin, whose
dimnutige lungs barely suffice to perform
their functions and keep the spark of ex-
istenee from going out entirely.
The Ship Canal men have lately proven
that this Is a legitimate enterprise. The
amount of money they have expended IL
surveying routes from shore TO shore has
been large, and they no doubt mean bust
ness. They will perhaps make the canal
four feet deeper than the charter calls for,
and il this Is done but few ships on the
high seas will experience any difficulty
whatever In navigating the stream. Isay
they will perhaps make the canal % feet
deep, they will undoubtedly do this If
quicksand is not encountered; for they
claim that in two years the additional sum
of money required to do this would be
realized by the increase of tolls received
from large vessels.
There Is hardly a reasonable doubt that
the bill will go through the House soon,
and in short time after it becomes a law
one of the most gigantic enterprises ever
Delewareans were interested In, will
assume snupc anu acllNe operations VIII
have been commenced in creating some
thing that will, when completed, be little
less than a Yeritablo river.
The question of removing the Court
House from New Castle to Wilmington is
still to be agitated aud st. Georges noble
band will be re inforced tomorrow night
by the Hon. Thomas F. Bayard and other
gentlemen of your city who are to advance
the claims regarding this matter. They
will address the members of the Legisla-
ture on the subject, and the strong afgu-
ments they have heretofore advanced will
be mere unansweranle than before, for
they have been studying their subject Of
late and have fortified themselves with the
facts and figures.
A bill recently passed the House by a
unanimous vote Incorporating the Brandy
wine Springs Improvement Company.
/ The bill allowed the company to issue
eight per cent. bonds. The Senate to-day
returned it with an amendment, cutting
down the rate of interest to per ceut. A
committee of conference was appointed
consisting of Messrs. Lewis Thompson,
Van Gasken and Martin. This is an excel
lent committee, and probably its members
will argue the Senate committee into the
| Justice of allowing the company to pay
what per centage it desires. l may here
add in his connection that Mr.. Van Gas
ken is bitter opponent Of the usury laws.
W. s. p.