Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-01-31
rHn coasr CANAL.
Greaf EnprO ycnicnt in which Deia-
ware ~ Materially Enterestcds
Raltin,nrn Sun Irhurefinv

Great Empro vcnicnt in which Deia-
ysare H. Materially Interested.
Baltimore Sun Thursday.
Work will be begun in q day or two on
the proposed canal from the Delaware
bay, near Lewes, Dsl., to Ohincoteague
bay, 10 Virginia. Abe canal, when CON-
pleied, will open up to commercs the
eastern part OF Sussex county, Del,
Worcester comfy, Md, and Accomsck
county, Va. II will DO nearly 10 miles
long, 20 feet wide with depth Of 9 feot at
mean low water throughout The work will
be done up der theRup otthe Uaiied
States engineers, and for it $40, COO have
been appropriated by Congress, and IL Is
expected that this aum will be increased
by further appropriations. Tbs Slate OF
Delaware has given 82 500 to buy the
right of way for the cansl from those
owners who cannot afford to donate it.
The route OF the proposed canal begins
near Lswes and proceeds up Lawes creek,
which thirty years ago was navigaole-
The remains of stone wharf are still TO
be ssen more than mile above Lawes,
whers tradition says the bricks used in
building Cape Henlopen lighthouse were
unloaded from brig which brought them
from England. The creek has tilled up,
and the water above the mouth of Broad
kill creek ia only about a foot deep.
The canal follows the bed Of the
stream, diverging at point fonr miles
above Lewes, by n smaller branch, which
continues toward the coast and Rehoboth
bay, finding its head Ia chain OF fresh
water ponds connecting II AMI the
marshes With tho head Of Rshoboth hay,
about eight miles from Lewes. Passing
down the Rehoboth bay for five miles the
route crosses the Indian River bay dis,
lance of three and half miles, ard then
to reach Little Asssgoman bay distance
of five miles, the channel wonld follow
the line OF mafshy ponds and dltcheR,
| passing through what nre called fresh
and "ssltn ponda until Milltf's cretk is
reached, and after passing through Little
| AssswomRn bsy distance Of four aud
a-hsf miles, big" or Assawonln bay
proper, IL reached. The channel, ~ pro.
posed, leads down this bay for q We mites
TO the head OF Ise of Wight buy, and
through this bay to the head OF Sine.
puxent bay, near 0cean Oi,y, the dis
| tahCC bOAHk tthfG huA NtEGpftilAattEL HAAitSs
From the entrance "a ths sipepuS9nt
bay there is already chsnnel nuyi2able
most Of tho distance OF 26 miles TO Gbin.
colleague inlet, Of the entire distance oil
rs miles about so miles are now nayiga
BILE, while Is miles Are to be improved ty
/ dredging and cleaning out the connecting
\ waterways. Az
] The channel of Lewes creek and the
marshes and ponds between ii and Reho
both bay must be dredged Large sand
fiatsS stretch out from the beach side oil
the bay, and are caused By aasierly
storm-tides sweeping across from tbt
ocean and carrying the loose beAeh sand
with them. The smallest vessels are ROW
compelled to lighter over this shoal
three weeks being consumed sometimet
in getting over it, Several attempts have
been made to obliterate this obstruction
or bulkhead, as II is more commenly called
Twenty. five years ago temporary raliei
was secured by closing all the smaller
channels by dykes, but storm swsp
them away. Eight years ago narrow
channel was drsdged through the bulk
head, but it has since filled mp completely
In 1882 Congress appropriated $40 GOO Il
dig channel through the shoals Rnt
maintain ii by dykes, and this, too, hal
nearly closed up.
From the northern end OF Little Asaa
woman hav 70 the head ~ Ghineaseepa'
land the bsyB ara s.rarAtea from III,
ocean by is'T 'snoy gpit sud ia hsay,
gales the waters OF the bay and oosal
meet, but she only outlet OF present i
thai at Ohincoteague.
II the proposed canal IL completed a
nov designed the navigation through tn
bays will increase very much. Abroad
one propeller has been constructed I
ply on the bays, and it is a'ated that te,
steamers viii be on the canal within
year after its completion.