Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-04-06

puIlu
There is majority and also minority |
report. OF the four Pennsylvania COM
missoners, three-Henry Lehman. Benja- |
min Lee and AndrewOsborne.s sign the ma
jority report and one, John Huggard,
signs the minority report. Both of these
documents are of extreme interest to Della
wareans. The three commissioners are III
favor of the location at Bombay Hook
while the one is in favor OF Pennsyl'
vania site.
The majority report considers three Della
ware sites-Pea Patch Island, (Eort Della
ware), Reedy Island and Bombay Hook.
PEA PArcH ISLAND.
tfThe first of these, Pen Patch Island is
under the control of the United States
government and is at present employed
principally as depot for warlike stores
Although the members OF the commission
are not prepared, Of course to pass jltdg
ment upon the value Of points for strategic
purposes. it is generally understood that
the fortress now located upon the island is
not of great value as n means of defense.
The firm ground of this island is about
one.half mile in length by Onefourth mile
in breadth, and the center of the island IS
approximately one and one.halt miles
from either shore. Delaware City is located
on the Delaware shore opposite the island,
the territory on the New Jersey side is but
sparsely settled. Although the river is.of
considerable width at this point, the avail
dDle VII slut VI bIlc IL
narrow for distance Of many miles The
channel. between the island and the Della
ware shore. is not much over one-fourth OF
mile wide, from point two miles i'll
straight line below the island to point
two and one-hall miles above it. The
channel between the island and the New
Jersey shore is always used by vessels from
foreign ports. Its nearly a mile wide at
a point Two miles below the island, mar
rows to half mile opposite the island,
and becomes even still narrower at q
point known as Bulkhead ShOal, about
three miles above the center Of
the island Though the areas of the
island and the ship channel are thus
seen to be small and inconvenient, yet it is
10 be noted that there IL quite as much
room for the anchorage Of vessels opposite
the island as there Is opposite the present
station, and that the inside channel has At
no point, according to the chart of the
coast survey, Il less depth than 10 feet at
mean low water, and will, therefore, serve
for the anchorage Of certain classes of yes
sells. The main ship channel is somewhat
shallow ut point a little more than mile
below the island, but immediately oppo-
site the island is recorded us having a
depth Of 50 feet at mean low water. In
some respects Fort Delaware presents ad-
vantages us a location for quarantine, and
it is not unlikely that in an emergency,
such as has occurred during the past sum.
mer, it could be employed as Il station for
detention of passengers and distinction,
for which purpose the present buildings,
having been constructed for the purpose
OF maintaining a considerable garrison,
would doubtless serve, and could be sup
plemented by tents and barracks.
ut would seem not difficult to locate on
the island efficient dlsinfecting apparatus
and to provide point of landing for the
boats employed in the quarantine scr vice.
REEDY ISLAND.
l. !. q
4 below Fort Delaware (l'ea Patch) on the
Delaware side of the ship channel. The
extreme length OF the island is about
miles, and its greatest width is not more
than one-fourth Of a mile The channel
between 1t and the Delaware shore is com
parativeiy shallow, having rarely depth
of over % feet at low water, and much less
depth at the upper and lower ends, so thai
vessels Of over 10 feet draft could not entel
it. The ship channel, in which there i.
abundance of water, is a straight line from
point three miles above the centre OF tht
island to point ABOUT the same distance
below it,
'From coast survey chart No. 125 from
which these data are taken, II appears tina
the firm ground on Reedy Island does no
exceed in area that of Pea Patch Island
while the approaches are no more con
Venient to the back channel and far les
serviceable. Reeuy Island has the advan
tageS of decidedly greater room in the shil
channel, of being located in less popti
lated portion OF the territory, the onl1
settlement OF Importance being Port PEN
(Which is on the Delaware side abou
three-fourths of a mile from the centre o
Reedy lsanu), and also OF being furthe
down toward the salt water area of til
bay,
'The commission has been given t
4 understand by the Delaware commits
| sioners that grave objection would
4 made by the authorities OF that State t
the occupation of Reedy Island far quarar
tine purposes, by reason of its proXmit
to Port Penn. 1t may be said here tha
experienced pilots have generally agree
that as far as the management Of shippin
II is concerned, Reedy Island would be sui
able for quarantine station, The shi
II channel approaches close to the islam
which would permit bringing the vessel
III to- wharf-a matter of considerable in
Il portance in dealing with passenger steam
ers from infected ports,
HI 1t IS stated by Major Raymond, of til
MI United States engineers, that the land cor
posing Reedy Island is sufficiently firm fl
building purposes, although possibly
protecting wall might be required at som
II points. 1t does not appear, however, tlIi
w this location will meet the requirements
ri quarantine construction i'll the light 1
M present methods. Much greater area
M needed than this island furnishes. and i
view Of the close proximity of thrivin
"A to expend money in the construction
such works, when at no great distance b
ga low this an island exists that fllfils, i'll a
IN exceptionally satisfactory manner, almo
,E every requirement for quarantine on Il
IA largest SCALE and permits of adaptation
by some not difficult engineering oper
M lions, in most complete manner. This
M Bombay Hook Island.
M BOMBAY HOOK ISLAND.
NA "Bombay Hook Island is located
A Duck Creek township, Kent county, Del
ware. II is u narrow strip of land abo
seven miles long and varying in Wild
from mile to much less separated fro
the mainland by narrow stream of wat
and considerable marsh, 1t includes
its entirety, the commission is informe
about 5000 acres, of which about on
third, say 1000 acres, is firm ground Su
able for all building purposes. Since 81
tirmer portion of the island lies iowa
the bay side, it is obviously in q positit
for utilization. A considerable portion
the island is wooded; another conslderal
portion is arabic land. The creel; separi
~ ing the island from the mainland, althouI
narrow, is sufficient, with the sOmewh
marshy shores, to prevent communicate
with the mainland except over causewaN
pne of which now exists for the purpt
of carrying railroad on the island. +
mainland, adjacent to Bombay Hook,
very sparsely settled, the nearest coll,
lion of population of any importan,
Smyrna, being eight miles distant frc
The centre of the island So far as t
danger of conveying infection is cons
cred, therefore, there does not appear
be the slightest reason for alarm. All /