The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-02-17
FOURTH Edition
WILMINGTON HARBOR.


Have to say About tt-inndeqnAte
For the Business OF the City.
A representative meeting OF tho
business men OF Wilmington wa shield
In the Board Of Trade rooms yesterday
at noon. What made the meeting
more interesting was the presence OF
the commission to consider and
recommend to the Secretary OF War
what improvements are necessary to
Wilmington Harbor, consisting of
of Colonel ID. q. Houston OF New York,
who is member OF the Corps of En-
glneers, U. S. A., and president OF the
commission, Major G. A. Raymond of
Philadelphia, also of the engineering
corps of the army, and Il. Y. Schem-
merhorn, civil engineer of Philadel-
phia and secretary Of tho commission.
There were present at the meeting
among many others:
General james II. Wilson, +. Il. War
ner of the Charles Warner Company,
Job IL. jackson of the Jackson and
sharp Company, William II. Foulk,
Frank G. Simpson, ]. ID. Winslow, J.
X. ID. Seeds, A. $. Reed, Franklin b.
Cotton OF The Atlas Dredging Com
pany, George q. Lobdell of The Lob
dell Car Wheel Company, ID. W. lay
Tor, President of the Board OF Trade;
A. l.. johnson, q. W. Pussy OF The
Pusey and Jones Company, J. Il. Cause,
II. L. Cause and Captain Willard
Thompson OF The Harlan and Hol-
lingJworth Company City Councilman
John w. Hawkins, United States Sena-
tor Anthony Higgins, Ii. NJ. Barks-
dale of The Brandywine Granite Com
pany. Preston Lea, A. L. Reed, engi-
neer of The Philadelphia, Wilmington
and Baltimore Railroad Company;
George W. Stone, George w. Todd of
The Diamond State Iron Company,
City Councilman l.. q. Vandegrift, L.
Chalkley Hatton, first assistant city
engineer
Colonel Enoch Moore called the
meeting to order and presided. After
stating the business OF the meeting he
said the commission was ready for
suggestions from those Interested in
the proposed improvements.
Il. 4, Warner stated that in 1888, he,
with other business men of the Board
of Trade, secured the services OF
Professor Lewis NJ. Haupt, of the Uni.
versity of Pennsylvania, to make a
survey OF the river and make aIeport
OF what he thought was necessary
At the request of the Commission Mr.
Warner read the report, which was
very lengthy, but complete. The le
/ portadvtc ca . ladeepening OF the Chris
ulana water ways and the erection OF
an interior basin, disable ut all tides
for the trans-shipment of merchandise
The physical difficulties are nothing
like those overcome in the Clyde fol
the port of Glasgow. There was only
IL feet at the crest OF the bar at thu
harbor's mouth. The Brandywine Ii
, its present status Is very injurious t.
tho Chrlstiana. The remedy OF this
which is vital point, could be accom-
plishel Ct relatively slight cost. The
tidal basins banks could be provided
with commercial and mercantile struc
lures, such as arc exactly needed il
connection with the demands of thu
, present growth of the city.
Mr.. Haupt, in concluding his report
said: THE great value of the river a!
well as to the city OF largo tidal basil
, dredged to depth sufficient TO floa
the largest vessels, and Of creating Oh
4 its banks extensive yards and termi
nails for the interchange, storage AM
transshipment OF raw materials ant
manufactured products, cannot b.
ovefestimated. Wherever such facili
, ties exist the growth of tho cities ha
I been phenomenal, almost magical il
1 some cases. and In your city You hay,
: |
r to lnaugufate such IL commercial cen
| tire. The only part the gorernmen
4. could take in this project, however
= would be to dredge out the basin wifi
s Il view to maintain u more permanen
channel i'll the river by the increas al
. volume and velocity of the tidal move
ment. The rest must come from
dedication of suitable site by tn
public.spirited citizens of Wilmington
and this | believe will not be withheld
when it is recommended that the re
4 sis anee by water are so much les
than by land carriage and the cost o
transportation is therefore very niue
less. Such II basin and terminal woul
create II reciprocal traffic for the raj
roads, which should therefore take al
= active interest in its constructions
General J. II, Wilson said that he
: with Alr. Warner and Representative
of the Harlan IL HOllingworth Com
pany some few days ago, made
| sounding of the Chlistiunn from th
phosphate works to Market stree
a Dri iBe and the average depth WAS bu
> ~, teet at low tide. Some places tn
depth WAS II feet. From Market stree
J bridge to the mouth OF the river I'll
average depth was II feet, althoug
some parts were AS deep AS Is feet
, Mr.. Wilson thon told about his yisi
to Glasgow, Scotland, and the in
PROPONENTS made in the river Glyd
there us an incentive to what TIL
Chlistluna might be made. II
thought the removal of 5000, 900 I
4,0OO,0OOO cubic yards of soft mud an
clay would be enough and the co.
would be IL to 10 cents cubic ware
but even ii it costs 70 cents the tot;
cost would be only 100000. Til
would make the channel 93 or "A lei
deep, TO conform to the Delawal
river channel. lie thought poop
p Nould ss surprised TO hear that thel
= were but ~ feet depth of water !
front OF the Harlan Il HOllingswort
Company's works.
George G. Lobdell said he had see
l. this city grow up from 1000 people /
its present size. lie remetnbered
when none OF the Industrial ESTABLISH
ments of the city employed over
dozen men. III 1873 and 1885 va5se
drawing eighteen feet of water loade
at the wharf now occupied by III
Pusey and Jones Company. Tie kin
of matter with wnicil the river Tia
been Milling up cannot be hard t
dredge.
In reply toa question from II. N
BarksIiale III regard TO Professo
liaupts project to form basin, Ger
eiftl Wilson said il would be Il goo
lining but not necessary. I'he rive
ID viii always need aid from the govern
w ment
re In answering a question from II. I
~ Cause, MIR. wilson said lie though
SSs that np-rappng would be preferabl
q To sheet pillng ut the bends of tn
river ....