The daily gazette., 1883-04-06


have Issued specifications to contractors,
and the contract will be given at once. 1t
at last begins to look as though a ship canal
across the Delaware Peninsula was assured
and the positive assertion is made By the
New York capitalists interested in the en-
terprise that the canal is TO be speedily con-
structed. The act Of 1873 names no moor
porators, but the company was organized
soon after the act was passed with Henry B.
Tibbets as president, and other influential
Hllyswell- known IN the com
mercial world as officers and directors. The
act specifies no course to be taken, except
that the canal is to run across the Peninsula.
Some years ago, after careful surveys, the
Sassafras route was chosen. and within the
past few months a careful examination of
the canal has been made. On that ex-
animation Col. c. NJ. Totten, the chief en-
gineer of the company, bases his estimates
and specifications, the first publication of
which are made in the GAZETTE to-day. In
brief the specifications are as follows:
THE SPECIFICATIONS.
The line of this canal will commence at
Georgetown bridge, on the Sassafras River,
and will occupy the bed of that river, ex-
cepting for short distance, to George
KenDedy's mill-dam, distance four miles:
thence 1t will follow the main tributary,
keeping the general course Of the valley, to
the summit or divide between the waters
that flow into the Chesapeake and Delaware
Bays. From the divide, where the waters
of the Blackbird Creek take their rise, the
line will follow the valley of branch of
this creek to near the crossing of the Dela-
ware Railroad bridge over the Blackbird
Greek and valley; thence it will follow this
creek and valley to a point near Taylor's
bridge; and thence, leaving the creek and
valley it will take nearly direct course to
large cove on the Delaware Bay just below
Gull Bar and Liston Point,
The total length of the line of the canal
from Georgetown Bridge to the terminus on
Delaware bay is 20 miles.
The width of the canal shall be 80 feet at
the bottom, excepting the four miles be-
tween Georgetown Bridge and Kennedy's
dam which shall be dredged to a width of
$50 feet with perpendicular sides or its
equivalent.
The depth of the canal shall be 81 feet
below mean low tide ut Georgetown Bridge.
There shall be bernie on each side of the
canal from nine to 10 feet in width accord
ing to the depth of the cuttings, at height
OF 80 feet above the level of the bottom of
the canal.
The sides of the canal and cuttings shall
have one and one-half feet to one foot below
the bermes, ,and of one loot to one foot above
the bermes so that there will be u the sur
face of water In that part of the canal east
of Kennedy's dam a width of III feet at
mean low tide.
The surface of the bermes shall have
covering of concrete one half foot In thick
ness.
The bridging on the canal will consist of
two railway and nine highway or wagon
road bridges and draw at Georgetown
bridge.
All the abutments and piers are to be of
stone and iron. The superstructures are to
be of iron ,and every bridge is to have draw
opening 100 feet.
All the material aud workmanship must
be of the best kind.
In addition to this the contractor shall
procure the right of way and other land
necessary, the whole of which lie estimated
at $50 acres. The canal is to be completed
within three years of the date of contract.
THE OBJECT OF THE CANAL.
The object of the canal aside from bring
ing the West into more direct communica-
tion with the sea, is to complete the chain
of inland navigation commencing in New
York and ending as far south as Charles
town, South Carolina. The idea of those
interested is to widen and deepen the Della
ware and Raritan canal, which will
be a part of the system, to run
ships thence through the Delaware
canal ; on to Norfolk and Albemarle sound
and thence to Charlestown. This would
make the system complete and would give
direct inland passage to a large class of
steamers from New York to Charlestown,
and enable them to avoid the dangerous
coast of Hatteras. Further than this an ad-
ditional benefit would be secured from the
close communication to be established with
the Hdewater system of canals terminating
at Havre de Grace, Nd, at the head of the
Chesapeake bay and not great distance
from the mouth of the SAssafras. This con-
nection would be especially important in the
coal, lime and lumber traffic, and would
render the 1idewater, which is constantly
| losing money and owes the State of Mary
land over 81 100000, valuable. 1t is esti-
mated that the canal will cost s., 900, 900,
but all the money has been raised as stated.
THE WAR OF THE CANALS.
A ship canal across the Peninsula has
been urged for many years. A number of
schemes have been discussed, and at the last
session of the Legislature another company
composed of Baltimore merchants and
backed by the Baltimore & Ohio railroad,
was incorporated. This company, resur-
| rected an old charter which ex-Judge
| Layton of Georgetown had passed many
| years ago, and which authorized the con
struction of a ship canal by the Choptank
| route At the session of 1873, when the
company, which is now making such active
headway, was incorporated great op-
position was offered by the Delaware s
Chesapeake canal, who employed Hon. j
P. Comegys as their counsel. Messrs. Mas
sey and Ridgeley were for the bill, and sue
ceeded in passing 1t after a bitter fight
Since then the new company has had more
bitter opponent-the Baltimore & Ohio rail
road.
The Choptank route is altogether in favol
of Baltimore and the great Maryland
corporation. That by way of the Sassafras Il
in favor more eofPhiladelphia, of New ork, anC
the North generally, while at the same tint
costing much less and affording Baltimor
advantages of short way to the sea equa
to that of the more Southern route
However, when the Government was askeC
for aid, few years ago-the enterprise wa
much delayed by the panic for some tim
after the bill was passed-the Baltimore 4
Ohie influence was found arrayed in opposi
, ton, and with every survey of the Govern
ment engineers, made under the act of Con
gress subsequently passed, the Choptanl
route has been recommended. The Mary
land and Delaware Ship Canal Compan
now proposed to go ahead and construct tn
canal without asking the Government for
cent.
To show the great national Importance c
the work II may be well enough to stat
that in q recent report President Garrei
! said that the canal was OF interest to twenty
one States.
It will be remembered that last Nevembs