The daily gazette., 1883-03-05
.aEPRIMrEp FRoM aarn
rue CANAL Aonoss ~,

Nl hhLAW ARK
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Report Of the SurNayH--A Con,
the Advantages oi the sovera, "','on NO, Of
Ilet~een the ctsaareake ana ~, noal''
Ihys. "elaWars
General Wright, tlirC Tho y.
~ Washington received y,.,erda, "s'Geer,
from Col W. z. Crai.hili. naron,ln letter
the report Of the survevs for ~ ,Sp"utl By
routes proposed fof Delawar. ,,j n anoG
ship canal. or the appropriatIon ~ %SIsFiylaad
for these surveys there remahs w siO@
pended balance 81 800. -" uher
The report contains statement r,.s
Assistant Engineer VI. P. Paret canSl male By
the line OF levels from the head of tSsulg
on tho chester river, across the nen,l,,sef ,tae"sef
the head OF Duck creek. He eavs. ,a'sn q !. s,s 70
lington the Chester river is FORMED hs Az NM
Juucth of two streams called M
branch and SewelPs branch. Tho IlP@
runs rather too far "a the northward 'v,lV ~
made available for ship-caual romts y y
Dead branch runs TO the Cypress h,,.ls aI
near Millingtou; this stream lyiny tuve st.a.
three-quarters Of mile TO the northv'ssu uvpu.
the state road, runs straight and ram,
to It torseveral miles. The Dead branch s.e sasl
dry in summer, which indicates thai n. 'ula ss
ley followed rather high depress,on, ~ n.
main watershed being towards the strs... y.
on either side. The valley of this brsnos !
heavily wooded, and the authorities If n
| present Chesapeake aud Delaware csnsl
one time thought Of locating their linz ~.
and utilizing the Dead branch. Sewa,T
branch 10 TO the southwark of tbe ~.
road, and runs straight from Milllnvtou !.
the boundary line between MARYLAND snS
Delaware. The valley of Seweliis Lrsnss
could be .adyantageously used for n.
location OF this route. The valley eonIs
b. utilized nearly 70 the boundarv M.
ir AZ miles above Mllllnpton
this point IL would be adyi,abls "a
strike across the valley of nu.L
creek at Murphy's, Mil. From the l,tl,,
point 70 tidewater on Duck creek 4 I'M.
miles. This examination was INSIDE bsc,n.,
1t had been alleged Ia quarter deserylnrs
consideration that this line offered sdyss,'
ages for the canal. 1t is now shown M,
the line is not available to the degrs,
claimed.
He then describes the advantages and Al.
advantages ~ the country through ybIrb
the proposed various routes pass, sllgb
preference being given to the ChopsnE
route.
The estimates for constructing canals AN
as follows: Choptank route-For excay,
ting, dredging, building bridges, tide lOSks
LAND damages, ETC., SIS, ,lS4 1906; Sassafr,
route, Sll ,4O9, ,909. The estimate OF the g,t
safras route does not include the cost Of Oh
tanning possession Of any chartered rgbp
now existing over the line. II the opeu.
ing Of the Brewerton channel eastward
OF the cutoff be omitted, nearly half |,
million dollars will be saved on ths
route. Back Creek route, S7,G05,47l. Ia
this estimate no account Ia taken of The cot
of obtaining full possession Of the present
canal and It's property. As in the ease d
the Sassafrds route, nearly q half million
dollars would be saved by omitting .hs
opening of the Brewerton cut-Ofr.
Referring to the facilities canal would
, offer In case of n war, the report says III
Will be doubted by no one that a deepEsH
connection between the two bays would b
, OF vast Importance in the contingency o.
war with n maritime nation. Such connsS
, ton would provide means Of conceniratlbg
the floating defenses of the two bayl
and besides this would render m0E
secure the communication between ihl
naval stations of Philadelphia, Norfolk stl
I | Washington. For the defense of the tn
: boys the Sassafras Is superior to the Chop
j tank In regard TO rapidly. For security
Communication the Sassafras Is also sup
rioT 10 the ChOptank, as the entire rOuu
. from Baltimore 10 Philadelphia eau be pro
tected by shore defenses. The Backcrsi
route Is precisely the same as the Sasssf1
IN this respect. There would be more ID
convenience in winter from Zee IN the Sass
fras approaches up the bay than 10 the Chop
Tank
The report concludes as follows et }
my opinion that the Choptank route Eoai
still offer the least Instructions the Bad
creek route next, and the Sassairps Uaa
last. | desire to state that II eithtr Of lh
routes were chosen / would IN the begin
ming limit my recommendations 10 the COZ
! siruction Of the number Of icehoat,. IS
cost of maintaining each line per year, 10
Guiding icehoats, dredging, maneuyeHnI
locks, lighting canal, contingent expenses
etc, are as follows Back creek Todp
Sl2i, $50; Sassafras route, Sill ,0sOi Choi
tank route, S1l4, $50"
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