The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-24

guns, as il TO show that to be self-sacrncing
was a joy to her.
As accepted n dozen years ago, League
Island was II malarious marsh, situated at
the junction Of the Delaware and Schuyl-
kill, n couple Of miles south Of the built-up
part Of the Quaker City, with which it was
connected 10y low isthmus or neck. Hooded
in times Of freshet. Upward Of 100000 have
been poured into League Island in the effort
TO reclaim part of the marsh and TO put
naval buildings on 1t. When occasional
storms have washed away the labors Of
months, fresh appropriations have done the
work over again
But last autumn came one storm that
made the Ancient Mariner grave. 1t over
flowed the Neck. sweeping away buildings
crops, pigs. cows, and goats while boats
rescued the farmers and lishcrmcn's fami-
lies from sccond-story windows it put the
causoway connecting League Island with
the main land under water for weeks; IL
made two great breaks in the stone-faccd
sea wall ON the Delaware front, four or five
more on the Schuylkill front. and several
more on the line Of the back channel breaks
each from forty to sixty feet long, that
allowed the water to dcluge the island. The
great ship house, transferred from the old
yard Mt much cost, tumblcd to ruins; boats
were smashed, wharvcs strained, and build
ings damaged; the part of the island not
filled in was under water higher than n
mans head; an estimate Of $4,000 for the
damage by this storm was deemed mod
crate. The Ancient Mariner fell to think
ing how much more money Congress would
consent TO sink in this dclectable morass.
The League Island business has been one
of the most extraordinary incidents of the
naval management of the past twenty
years 1t was in 1862 that Congress first
authorized the Navy Department to appoint
board Of experts to examine the expo
diency Of accepting the proilcrcd gift of
League Island rs n Government station.
That board promptly and emphatically re-
ported against il. But the friends of this
great enterprise were not baiiicd-thcy re-
newed their assault: and In 1864 the Naval
Committee of the House went personally to
League Island, and again pronounced the
scheme unit TO be entertained. Yet once
more the attack was renewed with advan-
tages deriVcd from experience. and in 1867,
after five years urgency, it was successful.
But League Island was not acquired with
out warning of what an expensive luxury it
would prove. The board Of 1862 suggested
the enormous sums that must hc expended in
pile driving and halasting before these desc
late flats could be made equal to any one OF
a hundred available sites for naval yard,
needing no such expense, and already high
and dry. Two Of the leading members ofthat
board were Admiral SrRiNGHAM and Prof
BACHE-admitted experts. They examined
the matter in th9s practical way of boring
into the League Island flats, and they re-
ported "a depth of mud and fine sand varying
from % to 60 feet in depth" Commodore
STuDLGNG held that the piling for build
ings, to make them secure, would have Ia
be carried through all this to the solid
foundations, and it became evident that
millions Of cubic feet Of gravel would be To-
quired to fill in this marsh.
with all this done, n yard was tobN pro.
cured, not near the sea. but ilvcscore piles
up tortuous river, with liabilities 70 mock.
ade throughout that distance by torpedocs
Instructions or, in winter, by lee itself. a.
we'll as to injuries hy shifting shoals. The
report made April H. 1867. Of the favorahl,
examining board appointed under the act o
Feb. Is Of that year, expressly admits that
100 out Of 239 acres on the adjacent mail
land. given as n bonus with League Island
We're covered with water at every tide.
Now, after the expenditure NJ vast sums ir
the effort 10 reclaim these flats, so miscra
bly, situated for naval station, losses 10y
storm have caused the Ancient Mariner Z,
mediate whether it Is not better to ccd,
back the island to Philadelphia, with all il.
| improvements, rather than 10 pour NOR,
money through such a sievo. What com
mcntary on the way public interests hav,
been treated at Washington during the pas
! dozen years is this history Of League Island