Daily Republican., 1881-06-10
THE NEW RIVER ROAD.
1--WE, the People," Moving - The
Steamer Betsey Ann Called int
Serv1ce-The Road is now sure to
be Built.
Reported for the REPUBLICAN.

has been moored at her dock, in Shel
pot Bay, since the Ponder and Parke
Fishery Treaty was ConSumated ha
recently been placed in the dry doCl
for entire overhauling and repairs. Sh
has had % new copper bottom place
upon her, new boilers placed therein, ant
her state rooms and cabins have beel
thoroughly re-furniShed and painted
and all OF her apartments placed in frs
class order, including the LATEST approve,
-preservers, &c. She has beeI
thoroughly ofticered, and fitted out will
supplies for the purpose of making ;
thorough inspection of the propose,
route to the Delaware River, by Chris
tiana Avenue, Seventh street, Fourtl
street, Eleventh street, and such other
us may be proposed for extension to tn,
Delaware river. Admiral John Y
Christy, who, for q few years past, ha
been on the retired list, has been order
ed into active service on board lis ole
and favorite steamer Betsey Ann. Th'
officers, in addition to Admiral Christy
consists OF Major Monroe Weldin; Cap
tain, James f. Speaknan; Licuteuants
William Massey and Thomas Groves
| Major Bob Banks has been placed il
charge of the QuartermaSter' Depart
ment and will furnish yellow legged
chickens, and English plum pudding
daily, for the officers, invited guests an,
crew of the steamer. TO thoroughly
test the working Of her new boilers and
machinery, a trial trip was made OF
the Sth inst. By special request Of Pres
idcnt Crozier of eve, the People," the
Betsy Ann left her moorings, in Shell
pot Bay, at 9 a. m., on said occasion
and steamed out this fine bay into the
Christiana River. President CrOzier
having provided q mammoth telescope
for the occasion, took observations when
the steamer came opposite to the streets
leading t. the Delaware River, SO as to
be able to fully comprehend which OF
the proposed routes would be best to
open up for d landing Of ships, on the
Delaware River. He then directed the
Admiral to run the steamer out into the
Delaware until she came to II point OPP
posite where Christiana Avenue would
in Il direct line, reach said river On
arriving at this point the anchor was
cast at the command of Major Banks.
the officers, guests and crew partooB
of u magnificent dinner, such a one us
Mai. Banks and his English and French
cooks only know how to serve up to
epicureS After the cloth had been re-
moved President Crozier fully stated
the object of the fitting upand ord ering
out the Bctsey Ann for service at this
time. He spoke Of the long and Crimi-
nal neglect of not utilizing our magniti-
cent Delaware front for commercial,
mechanical and business purposes, and
that he was rejoiced to know that a.
though he had lived to almost four
score years, he still hoped to be able to
see Wilmington commercial city, with
great wharves on her Delaware front,
the vast marshes on our river front re
claimed and dotted over with shipyardS,
machine shops, iron furnaces and tOrGeS
with their clouds Of curling smoke, and
the hum Of machinery, and the din OF
thousands of hammers and sledges, be-
fore he was called to his fathers. The
old hero concluded his address amidst
great applause. The anchor was then
wound up and the Steamer started i'll a
direct line to the shore by the centre OF
Christiana avenue. After proceeding
q short distance, to the great surprise Ct
the President, as this was his taVorib
routeto the river front, the Betsey Ann
was stuck fast in the mud. \ small
boat was then lowered and manned and
it was found to be nearly four hundred
yards from the steamer to low water
mark. President CroZier looked dis
mayed, as he was deSirOus Of having the
first landing on the Delaware front. On
the farm that bore the name OF one Of
the first Governors of Delaware, and
upon which one of his ancestors still re-
sides, u consultation was held with the
officers and guests, to see, II possible,
how the objections to the great length
of pier could be overcome, and 1t was
soon found that they wereaimoSt un'."-
imouS in the opinion that this route
should be at once abandoned aS utterly
impractiCable.
President CrOzier still thought there
was q way out OF the difficulty of build
ing the long pier. He said as elevated
railways We're coming into general use,
that an elevated railway could be built
out some distance beyond where the
steamer BetSey Ann was lying in the
mud, and that two one hundred thou
sand horse power engines could be
placed at the end of the elevated road
to hoist the steamers with their freight
aud passengers bodily out Of the river
on the elevated tramway ,and by means
of powerful graphing irons tnrown out
with strong cables from the steamer,
propel the steamer overland 10 depot
on fast land to unload passengers and
freight.
Tie President stated that it was true
that the project wasa novel one, mi5 tnat
il was, he was sorry to say, as lrasIple
and reasonable as it would be to at
tempt to build and maintain a pier Il
luarter of a mile out in tue river from
low water mark, and that vi attemH5 10
make n permanent landing Tor large YES !
sells opposite ChriStiana Avenue would |
,ost an enormous amount OF money TO |
erect, and keep in order; amt that II
vonld soon cause the mouth OF the
rlhristiaua River 10 be filled up with |
nud. and soon become unnavlgabI", |
lnless several mud machines were
Kept DuSllV ab "oIh dil bli' y tttL w AZ
move the mud as it formed therein.
He said when he started on his present
course, he felt certain that he could re-
urn with favorable report OF the
Southside route. But he was now fully |
that if he should loan the
,ity all the capital Of the Cum Log
Bank" of which he was elec .ed Presi-
lent in 1853, (and which he has since
etained) said capital stock being S75,-
100, 900, would all be exhausted long be-
ore the Southside route could be made
successful landing for ships, unless
he elevated plan which he had suggecs-
ed was put into operation, which he
links could be accomplished for about
lalf the capital stock of the Cum Log
'ank," or about $36, 900, 900 Chat is to
ay first cost Then it would take The
interest annually on The other $39, 9,Oi'O,--
90, to pay expenses of twisting and
of the steamers in hosting
hem out on the elevated road, lowering
hem down and running the two one
hundred thousand horse power engines,
Sc. Therefore, the President stated,