Bridgeton pioneer., 1885-09-03
WHERE THE RIVER ENDS

Attorney General of the State of Della
ware, as to the Delaware fishing cues
ton, has been given to the public. 1t
is quite lengthy, and for that reason is
not given in full. The vexed problem
as to where the Delaware river ends
and the Delaware Bay commences is
solved in communication from At
torney- General Paynter. and accepted
by the Attorney of this State.
Appended is aportion ot Mr.. Paynter's
statement and agreement. 1t is pub
lished for the benefit of The fishermen
and watermen, among whom the ques-
tion has been discussed for many
years:
GEORGETOWN, Del, July %, 1885.
Hon. John p. Stockton, AttOrney- Cen
eral of Netr Jersey:
DEAR SIR-''My delay in answering
yours of the 7th inst, is due to a de
sire to acquire all the information
within my reach, as to the question
referred to US, than to any careless
ness on my part. There is considera-
BILE diversity of opinion among the pi-
as to the question in dispute, and such
difference has embarrassed me in COM
ing to a definite conclusion. | sup
posed at first that this class of people
would agree as to the exact spot where
the Delaware river ends, and the Della
ware Bay commences; but in consul
tation with different persons, likely to
know, [ discovered that it was a
mooted question, which could not be
settled in any other way than by scien-
tific research or reference. The sever
al points suggested to me as the head
of the bay and the mouth of the river
are as follows:
1st. A straight line from Ben Davis
Point to Goose Point.
Cd. A straight line from Cohansey
Light to Bombay Hook Point.
Sd. Bombay Hook Light.
4th Liston's tree, now called Liston
| Point.
9Th The lower end of Reedy Island.
9th. Fort Delaware.
The last named place, however, has
not been strenuously urged by any
one making pretentions as an expert.
The lower end of Reedy Island seems
to be the favorite location for the di-
visional line with the people residing
in that vicinity, while Bombay Hook
and Liston's Point have more advo-
Gates among the pilots and river sail
ors. These reasons are not as erudte
as those of Superintendent Hilgard
and Professor Mitchell: but l consider
it due to them as we'll as yourself to
give their most important reasons for
their conclusions. The advocates of
Reedy Island say that has been consid-
| I, h.
the head of the bay from the time
the memory of man runneth not to
the contrary''-that the residents op-
posite have always considered they
lived on the bay shore-that they are
of opinion that the charts so designate
that they have been informed and
believe that the government issues
two sets of licenses to tug-boats, one
for the river as far as Reedy Island.
and the other for the river and bay;
this fact being verified by most of the
vessels being towed to Reedy Island
and then cast loose. That Reedv Is
land is a distinctive point, whilst Bonn
bay Hook is not: the latter not being
an island, but only part of the Della
ware shore with small creek running
behind it from Smyrna Creek to Leip-
sic Creek, the former really being an
island nearly mile from the Delaware
shore, containing about one hundred
acres, with a light house thereon, and
a channel between it and said shore,
besides being the most prominent Har-
Dor on the Delaware between the
breakwater and Philadelphia-tha hat
the bay at this point Immediately
widens to six or seven miles, whilst a
few miles above it is not more than
hall 10
bay at this place being as wide as it is
ten miles below at Bombay Hook
that there is much more to designate
Fort Delaware as the head of the bay
than Bombay Hook; but it is within
the twelve-mile circle, the radius ex-
tending nearly to the lower end of
Reedy Island, and that the language
of our statute defining our SOVEREIGN
ty, jurisdiction and limits, (Revised
Code of Delaware, 1874, Chap. 1, Sec.
2 )after running the lines between this
State and Maryland and Pennsylvania.
in speaking of the line between Della
ware and New Jersey, says ''low water
mark on the eastern side of the River
Delaware within the twelve-mie cir
Gle from New Castle; and the middle of
the bdy belooC said circle,' implying Cif
not saying in expressed Words that all
below said circle is the bay Most of
the pilots are of the opinion that the
river ends at Bombay Hook, as at that
point the bay narrows as we'll as the
channel but some of this class con-
tend that the lower end of Reedv Is
land is the proper divisional line. An
other class of river sailors popularlv
called shallop men, are clear that the
head of the bay is Liston's Tree, that
being the point they were accustomed
to steer to as such, and that they were
informed during boyhood by the sail
ors of former generation that this old
landmark designated the bays head.
None of these opinions are given from
a scientific standpoint, but are formed
more from tradition, custom and i'm
plication than of any knowledge of the
peculiar formation of the bav and
river. | give you the reasons for what
they are worth, but Lave desired in
formation from some %.:ientific source,
that the question migi.5 be placed be-
yond dispute. Like yourself, regard
the charts of the Coast Survey, or the
opinions of officers of the Government
L.