Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-08-31

of a contractor are now such adolorous,
unitarian blot on the peaceful land
scape of Lewes and Rehoboth hundreds |
back from the seas that there is no fur
ther doubt about the commencement of
work on the canal connecting the Della
ware bay with Rehoboth bay, which is
the first necessary step toward that
project, the inland waterway, which is
TO connect the lower Delaware bay
with the Chesapeake, the contamination
of which has been long wished for by
coasting captains as well as the "land-
lubbersn of Indian River and Baltimore
hundreds through which the new water
way will pass.
The sight greeting an arrival here as
his train passes through the impressive
grove of gnarled and mighty oaks which
forms the natural gateway to Rehoboth
and which not so very long ago re.
sounded with the deyotions Of a great
Methodist campmeeting, is nne that
would more than ever convince the |
great critic and teacher, John Ruskin, |
that the latter part of the century is in
deed most "hideous nightmare"
"Here," he would say, sis group of |
mighty wooden affairs which God has
planted for His uses and as symbols of
His power; but which you hew down
that you may send muddy sewer and
damned traffic where once their eter-
nal roots were"
But governments and government
contractors do not read Ruskin and
would have little respect for his turgid
English, even should they "giye their
days and nights" to him. Yet there is
hardly nature lover who does not dep
recates the necessity which has cut
such a great swath through the oaks
mile back from the beach in order that
the canal may be excavated. The route
of the canal lies right alongside of the
old and disused station Of the D., III.
& v. railroad, which will have to
cross 1t by a neutrality-suspicious. ele-
ment of delay to be taken into consld-
GRAFTON in reaching this seaside resort.
II will be seven miles along between
Lewes harbor and Rehoboth bay, one
half of which will be through solid
ground, 400, 900 or 100000 cubic yards
of which will have to be removed before
water can be brought through. Even
this will be but the commencement Of
the work. After a current of water is
got through it an additional appropria-
ton from the government will have TO
there will remain great deal of dredg-
ing to be done in the numerous inland
bays before the nayigable waterway be-
tween the two bays IS an assured fact.
THE ROUTE OF THE CANAL.
The route lies through Rehoboth bay,
which is a beautiful body of water about
six miles long and four miles wide, with
an average depth of six feet. Il is con.
nected with the ocean by an inlet several
hundred feet wide through which the
tides ebb and flow. But because of the
narrow width of the inlet and the extent
of the bay the tides are quite small in.
side. This bay is the principal fishing
ground around here and sbounds In
soft-shell crabs. The effect Of introduc
ing direct current through this ant
other bays which the canal Will traverse
will be TO make them unusually finl
oyster grounds, 1t being well know
that oysters require current TO thrive
When this way is opened oyster-raisinl
will become most f1ourishing industr,
down here, and numbers stand ready t
invest large sums of money in planting
beds.
THE AVAILABLE APPROPRIATION.
AS it stands now, there is an availa
BILE appropriation of about $4,000 10
the prosecution of the work, and thi
will almost connect the above men
toned bays. The contract has been SC
cured by McManus d Riley of Phils
delphia, who, for the last few week
have been getting their plant in prope
shape. The have also two steam shovel
on the ground, which commence opera
tions this week and within very shol
time will have 800 men at work an
will continue with this force until th
contract is completed, which will likel
be about Christmas. This firm is on
of the largest contractors in Pennsy
vania, and with unlimited resources
secures most of the large contracts alon
the Pennsylvania railroad, having onl
recently put through the numerol
Pennsylvania railroad tunnels in We
Philadelphia. Their plant here, und
the direction of Daniel Brennon, wi
move about 10000 cubic yards da
and there will soon be plenty of wol
for all the idle men in this neighbc
hood, which will indeed be godseI
this winter TO the laboring class VIII,
farm work is slack.
II is the intention of the superinte
dent to employ local labor as much
possible, there being few if any foreig
ers on the work. The headquarters
Superintendent Brennon and Char
NJ. Bird, the supervising engineer
the government, are at the Dougl,
House here which will likely rerns
open all winter, or until the canal
completed. The payroll will like
reach 81 900 or 81 500 week--much
which will remain in Lewes and 81
rounding country. Altogether ii is /
largest public work of the kind und
taken in the county for many years a
when ultimately completed will be
vast benefit in very many ways,
opening up immense oyester grouI
and transportation facilities for the p
Pile Of Indian River and Baltimore hi
dreds, now many miles from railro
There is every reason why the Cove
ment should speedily complete
whole project for the benefit at least
coastwise shipping.
The growth and needs of our n
navy are also beginning to deman
system of communication between
sea board cities through natural {
artificial inland waterways so that G
boats and smaller war vessels in case
emergency can be sent from one city
another without being compelled to
out along the coast. In rough weat
it is quite dangerous for these mod
armorod vessels to go out into the sci
the case of the bombardnent of N
York or Boston for instance, by
edgn naet, any delay attending the r,
foroenent of such war vessels as mi
happen 70 be at these places would
most disastrous. For year or two