The daily gazette., 1874-12-30
Board. of Trade Meeting.
IMP RovEMENT OF OUR hARAoRa-sTATE
UsURY LAW.

IMP RovEMENT OF OUR hARAoRa-sTATE-
UsURY Law.
At the meeting of the Board Of Trade
on Tuesday evening, Mr.. Hastings, in the
unusually La fumber OF members pres
ent, Senator Bayard made some remarks
on the subject Of our harbor improve.
ments, a full synopsis Of which ia given.
Mr.. Croasdale, as member OF the
Committee on, Harbor improvements
called up the resolution of previous
meeting which was the special order fors
consideration. After few remarks,
referring to Senator Bayards presence,
he gave way to that gentleman.
REMARKS OF HON. T. f. BAYARD.
Mr.. Bayard said II have a great in
terest in the improvement of our harbor.
have endeavored to get at what is re-
CURED. II there has been any specific
plan OF improvement which has taken
shape enough to BIZ deliniated into a
plot, have never seen it. When went
to inquire for the report Of the Chief En-
gineer which should contain the sub
report Of Col. Kurtz, Chief Engineer of
the general works on this Bay and River,
although it had been made, it had not
I L
receive copies and hand you one thiA
evening to see what he says on the SUBJ
lect: There was report made last year
OF the local works in this state-the peir
at Lewes the ice harbor at New Castle
1.-THE harbor at the mouth of the Chris
tiana, which latter comes closer to oNe,-
selves and the matter now talked about
There was last year very great Difficult
lty in obtaininghappropriations of amy
kind. The depEeygion in business caused
by the panic Of 1873 had denuded the
Treasury very mueh stopped commerce
and the receipts of the revenue; besides
We're very large The one obtained for
Wilmington was smaller by 900 than
was promised to me by the chairman Of
the Commftsee on River and Harbor I'm
provements OF the House of Representa-
tives, who told me ii would be $4,000,
but when the bill came into the Senate
there was but $4,000 appropriated. /
found it difficult to increase it. The
question was whether it was not better
I to hold on to that. l said the other day,
!, in speaking to MIR. Croasdale, think the
! proper measure for us would be if we
could obtain an appropriation sufficient
for purchasing good mud machine Of
sufficient capacity and power to thor
oughly make this excavation. Our
Christiana and Brandywine especially
need ID. | believe that more than %
years ago, there was an appropriation OF
$4,000 intended for machine to be
used on the Christiana, but which, after
: being used a little while partially moving
$ the bar at the mouth of the creek, was
, taken TO Philadelphia and never brought
back. ! suggest if we could Obtain from
, the government OF the U. S. ,rh appro
/ ln n
that would bel suppose about S15, ,000-
|, to buy and tit mud machine with scows
that it would be better for ps in the city
;. to pay for the expense of working it our
I selves ana not look to the government
The expense would not exceed 81, 500 {
6 year and with that L believe we coult
e keep our harbor in pretty good condition
, SO far as depth OF water is concerned.
a do not now know what is the effect O.
= extent of the blasting operations in ths
creek. | had the impression that We
l stone. All know that what we want is 8
g good channel. IL We could obtain that
. by keeping the mouths of these creeks
I the whole estuary of the Chrstiana and
| Brandywine free from mud. l shall
3 heartily cooperate with the Board oil
Trade or any delegation from the citi
Izens OF the town or state, in obtaining
any proper appropriation from the gov
eminent OF the U. s. to improve our city
Our delegation in Congress, of course, i:
not very strong in numbers, both House:
| combined
4 But there are other reasons, it is @,
Z course apparent to you, why we have
not the same influence we might have i,
i the Administration were more in politi
n cal accord with our State politics. l dc
a not mean 10 say that I have ever beer
: able to trace anything like injustice te
= :, or State on that account in busines:
q matters. You readily understand how
q matters of that kind-of appropriation.
of money-more or less are effected.
; shall be very much obliged to the Boal
of Trade or any citizens who will give
me such information as will enable me
in the nature OF argument, to show why
we ought to have our fair share of gov
lernment aid in developing the harbor O
the City of Wilmington. The import
lance Of it is recognized very generally
and believe the Importance now Of tn,
commerce OF the Delaware Bay and Riy
er is only beginning to be understood b,
, those in charge OF national affairs. TIL,
Light House Board is taking 3c4i3 yer.
interesting and important steps 70 com
plete system Of lights, which is sadl,
wanted, and in which our Bay and Rive
' quarter its Importance in the Unitet
States, certainly of the northern porto,
of the U. S. do not ,RsnEA that it will
be practicable to obtEn uf# appropria
tion. have suggested for the specific
purpose the purchase of machine t,
. excavate. And yet it has been done, i
am not mistaken, before. If we do it
am sure there are citizens, gentlemen
around me. who would volunteer hearti
ly to subscribe money here that woult
operate that mud machine effectuall,
for the benefit of the harbor.
II this suggestion has anything in il
striking you as favorable shall be glae
E to press it in my place in the Senate O
the U. s, 1 shall be. glad to receive from
you all data. As building centr,
government regarding the Improvement
Of the harbor. Especially have I spo
ken of the ron-ship-building; and of n