Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-12-17
OUR RIVERS and HARBORS
United States Agent Smiths
Annual Report.
THE CITY'S MARITIME BUSINESS
Over $ls, 100000 the Value
of Merchandise Handled.


From the report of General William
+. Smith, United States agent in charge
OF the improvement of rivers and
harbors on the Delaware Peninsula, for
the year ended July 30th, 1891, the fol-
lowing extracts are taken;
lmprovements-Wil harbor ice
harbor Mt New Castle, APPOINTMENTS
river, Smyrna river, st. Sones' river. Mis-
pillion creek, Broadkiln river, inland
water from Chincoteague bay to Delaware
bay, Susquehanna river above and below
Havre de Grace, North East river, Elk
river, Fairee creek, Chester river, Chop
tank river, Cambridge harbor, Wicomico
river, Manokin river, Unancock harbor,
harbor at Cape Charles City and removing
sunken vessels or craft obstructing or en-
dangering navigation.
Examination and Surveys-Linchester
river, Nanticoke river, Tangier harbor
Broad Creek river, Turner creek, La
Trappe river, Warwick river and Broad
creek.
Harbor Lines Establishment of harbor
lines at New Castle.
The river and harbor act of September
18th, 1880, appropriated $4,000 for the i'm
provement of this harbor, and on January
DIST, 1891, a contract was made with the
Atlas Dredging Company of Wilmington,
Del, for dredging, in accordance with the
approved project. The contract price 8
cents per cubic yard, measured in scows, is
an unusually low one and permits of re-
moving larger amount of material than
was contemplated.
Operations began OH February 1lth
1871, above the railroad bridge of the
branch of the New Castle cutoff, below
the mouth of Brandywine creek, at a point
where dredging was suspended. at the close
OF operations in 1889. At the end of the
fiscal year 235.3i0 cubic yards had been re-
moved and SIT, ll3 80 had been expended,
making channel 500 feet long from the
place OF beginning to point GOO feet above
the Third street bridge, $50 feet wide and
10 feet deep ut mean low water. The
dredgcd material was mud and was de
posted in cove Of the Delaware river
below Edge Moor. The work is still in
progress and will be completed, il is ex-
pected, by August lst, 1901
The approved project is for a l5-foot low
water channel, $50 feet wide from the
mouth of the Christiana river to the roll
ing mill wharf, 4,750 feet above the outer
end of the ietty; 100 feet wide from this
wharf to the Delaware d Western railroad
bridge, and 70 feet wide from this bridge
TO the pulp works; also channel u feet
deep and 50 feet wide from the pulp
works to the Delaware railroad bridge, and
the construction of a jetty at the mouth of
inc river. rms PROJECT was recommended
by board OF engineers in 1881. at an esti-
mated cost Of $l75,551. The construction
Of the jetty and dredging operations were
begun the following year. On page 662,
annual report of the chief engineers for
1888, revised estimate is given for the
completion OF the project. This estimate
increases the channel width of the whole
section from the rolling mill wharf to the
pulp works to 100 feet, and makes no pro-
vision for n l2-foot channel from the puln
works to the Delaware railroad bridge, the
total cost being given at S1Dl 1884, exclusive
II the cost of the jetty, which was then
nearly completed.
A change in the plan of the jetty was
made in 1884, providing for an additional
height of four feet and an extension of
322 feet in length.
Up to the year 1871 the general govern.
ment had ut various times expended
S32 356 in improving the nayigablc chan
mel of the Christiana river. Between the
years 1871 and 1881 improvements con.
tinued under project for u l2-foot low
water channel 100 to 200 feet wide, and
$4,000 were expended to complete ii.
Since 1881 Sl70,911.44 have been expended,
making total of S303. 50 al the close OF
the fiscal year ending June 30th, 1891.
The following statistics are given Mari.
time business of Wilmington from data
kindly furnished by e. Kershaw, harDoI
master for the year ending December 3lst,
1880