Evening journal., 1892-12-10
NEW CASTLE HARBOR.
It's Establishment Dates Back
To Colonial Times.
ANOTHER NEW PIER MAY BE BUILT.

The Harbor. In Its Present Condition, Ar
fords the Best shelter on the Delaware
River for Deep-Draft Vessels in Winter.
since Reedy Island Has Become Useless
This Harbor is Now the First One Ves-
sells Reach in Coming Up the River.
Special Correspondence Evening Journal.
New CASTLE, Dec 10-ln General
Smiths report on the work done in the
Delaware River during the past year
the following paragraphs appear:
The ice harbor of New Castle, Delaware, Is
one Of the Oldest in the Delaware River,
its construction for the protection OF
vessels against floating ice having been
commenced during colonial times Since
the beginning of the present century its
improvement has been carried on by the
General Government at various intervals,
the total amount expended up to the
close of the fiscal year ending June 80,
1891, being $223, SOB 10
During the fiscal year ending June 30,
1892 new ice pier was constructed In
the harbor under contract with the Del
aware Construction Company Of VIII
mington, Del. at n cost of 50, 500. The
pier was begun on October and was
completed on December %. 1891. Whilst
this work was going on, the contractor
also removed. under the same contract,
one Of the old piers (li). which had been
in dangerous condition. During The
past year the harbor lines approved by
the secretary Of war on june 26, 1871,
were apparently located.
The existing project as far as It relates
to the construction of ice-piers in com.
pleted. The harbor in it's present condi
tion affords the best shelter in the Della
ware river for deep draft vessels in win
ter, and the necessity for increasing the
protected area is already apparent
The new pier differs in construction in
many important points from those pre-
viously erected in the ice harbors Of the
Delaware river. 10 consists of a Grill
structure 81 feet high filed with stone
and an iron shell superstructure 10 feet
high, filed with large stone and con
crete. The top Of the pier extends Z,
the height Of 10 feet above mean low
water and the bottom rests upon grave
stratum 30 feet below low water. II
reach this depth it was necessary L
excavate through a stratum Of mud Il
feet deep In plan the pier is four
sided. lozenge. shaped, with a consider
able batter from the bottom up, and itl
longitudinal axis, which measure 80
feet on the bottom and 329 feet on tn
top Of the structure is in a direction
parallel with the prevailing currents
The extreme widths normal TO this di
rection are on the bottom and top, re
spectively. 1874 and 90 feet.
All the piers built during the pas
twenty years in Marcus Hook and New
Castle harbors for protection against ic
are alike in kind and form and consist O
wooden cribs filed with stone for
foundation to the height of low waite
level, and of cut-stone superstructurt
partly filed with rubble. extending {
from four to six feet above the plane O
common high water. In plan they pre-
sent six-sided elongated figure. IN
piers at Marcus Hook, eight in number
which are somewhat smaller in generi
dimensions, have cost from Sl0,2i7 {
sec, 600 apiece The four piers built a
New Castle during the same period aver
age ihigher in cost, the lowest bein
$l7, ,697 and the highest $22 949. /
several cases two working seasons weI
necessary to complete one Of the abov
ice piers.
Pier o, recently built at New Castl,
has been much reduced in cubical COZ
tents and consequently has less weigh
as compared with the old-style piers.
is nevertheless calculated TO possess su
fcient strength and stability to Will
stand the heaviest shocks of ice or YES
sels. It's economy in and rapidity {
construction are also features whic
recommend a more extensive applicatio
Of this form for ice piers
The project for the establishment {
an ice harbor at New Castle dates bac
TO Colonial times and was suggested b
the necessity Of providing place
refuge for vessels during prevalence
ice In the Delaware river Since the L
harbor at Reedy Island, ten miles furth,
down the river. has became useless fro
decay and lack of water. this harbOr
now the FIRST one vessels reach in comir
up the bay. The number Of vesse
seeking refnge during winter is We
great, and the enlargement OF the harb
is only a question Of time Attentii
was called In las. years report 20 d
practicability Of materially enlarging {
area of the harbor If an additional nj
was constructed on the thirty io
contour at the point of intersection