Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-12-20

Editor Gagette ,G JU,pnaI. VIII You allow
me little space in your paper for few
words on the much discussed subject of a
ship canal connecting the Chesapeake and
Delaware bays? Our Baltimore friends
: seem to be very wroth over the recon-
mendation of the commissioners appointed
to report with recommendations To Con-
gross. think their objections arc in
consequence of their not fully understand
ing the situation and conditions, and |. in
my humble way, may be able to throw
some light upon the SUI ject.
lt has been proposed to make tidal
canal, or, in other words, canal without
locks. 4 gentleman in Baltimore re-
marked that "a canal with four feet fall
would do much to save EXPENSE" he
means that current would do much to
maintain the depth of water. This is
mistake; current of any kind would
cause bars to form across the canal and
would wash the banks, and a current that
would be caused by four feet fall in the
distance between the two bays would be
SO rapid that it would be impossible to
MAINTAIN control over large ship in
narrow waterway like II canal. They
seem to think there is u uniform rise and
fall i'll the tides of the Delaware of about
four feet, which is an erroneous idea. The
fact is the average rise and fall of the tide
at Reedy Island, Del, is within an inch of
six feet, which would send u very rapid
current through u straight ditch.
Another thing which seems to have
escaped their notice is the difference be-
tween the heighth of high water in
heavy easterly gale and the low water
mark in q heavy northwest gale; they may
be astonished when | say that the diff
K ference is over 10 feet, fact which the
Z writer knows from actual and personal
observation. The variation in the depth
of water caused by this one thing alone
would render tidal canal useless. Owing
to the nature of the soil canal through
tins Peninsula cannot he maintained with
AN even depth of water unless it has lock
at each end so rs to give slack water nsvi-
CATION.
Now, as to location. The routes pro-
posed by way of the Sassafrus, Chester
and Choptank rivers having their termini
on the Delaware, beginning on the ChesG-
peake in rivers of fair width and good
depth soon becoming narrow, shoal and
crooked: then tine canal proper through
sandy land and swamps to the Delaware
bay; thence with flats of mud and sand
varying from one to three miles in width
to the deep water of the bay. Simple
dredging of these flats across the current
Will not maintain u depth of p feet from
the shore to the channel. and canal
could only be carried from the shore to
deep water by the construction of a stone
dyke or ietty upon each side of the cut
leading into the canal and this cut would
be liable to fill up more or less i'll every
q etDrin. Inc COnSLFllCLlOlO l UIlGSe dykes OIL
jetties would cost millions OF dollars, and
the handling of large ships between thesC
stone piles would be a very hazardous
undertaking. Wood would not answer in
The construction az the salt water worms
would soon destroy il.
The inlet into any canal constructed be
low Reedy Island owing to the width Of
the bay would frequently be in very rough
water and canal i'll either of the three
routes named would have the dsadvan.
. 1.
would cost not less than S2O,OO0,0OO, and
the longest propably $35,00O,000. The
route by tile present Chesapeake & Della
ware canal and Elk river would have the
advantage Of being the shortest ant
cheapest possible route between the tive
bays. The deepening and widening of i
hasno engineering difficulties, and during
construction traffic need not be interrupted
Il day. The excavation could be don
wholly upon one side Of the canal, that j
4 by removing one bank. The canal coulC
a be Strengthened considerably ut no ma
VI teEial increase of cost, and should b
Y brought down to Il Underwater level havin
a lock at each end. By dispensing viii
the upper level the supply OF water cou
be very easily and cheaply maintained
The dredging of Back creek and Elk rive
would not Of itself be Il very eNpensiv
Job, and the conditions would makeit cas-
+. To maintain any depth Of water desirable
The Delaware terminus is within i,uOO fee
u =
N feet and by dredging u Short distance
channel can be reached where there is
permanent depth Of from $50 Ofeet; til
dredging being in the Of the currrr
it would not readily ill up.
BY comparison II will be readily see
n that the line of the present chesapeake
Delaware canal is the most practicable an
sQf advantageous route, for the followin
H reasons 1t is the cheapest and shortes
~ the character of the soil and the lJcatiu
Tftn hot Ia
lively smooth water, and steamer lclyir
Baltimore could come up the Chesnpeal
bay, 20 through the canal and down II
Delaware TO the BreaSwater in less tia
~ half the time it could reach the Bret
y water from Baltimore by either of Il
other routes. This may seem strange, b
n will explain it by saying many prrsu
suppose that large steamers can pa
N through Il canal ut the rate OF 10 or
.til miles an hour This is great error. T.
- fact is, steamers average speed in
canal would not be more than y miles
hour, and unless under favorable Cifcul
stances not more than =, which would Il
u steamer IN this present route seven iiui
in the caaa; whereas, by one of the Otl
routes, She could not go through i'll Il
than 24 hours and perchance 10
There mas been some objection ma
against the upper or present route, on
count of distractions BY ice. | Will 5
right here that only in the severest wln,
is there any considerable obstruction
this canal by ice and at any timcthe Che
peakg bay Is nayigahlG this short route {
be Kept open There Is never Il time /
what IL steamer OF good power could lea
Delaware lity and go 10 sea on one Z
tide fAere would be II much grel
difficulty in keeping open " long CHI
than shorter one, As vessels can M
readily force their way through ice in "
~. - water than III gpse or narrow watcr-w
The length OF the canal proper by
present route Is less than fourteen mil
the construction Of the entire route wOl
cost about $7,509NO.
Viewing the subject from all points
lieve the report and recommendations
the commissioners are unprejudiced q
fair, and shows they haze given the mat
careful and intelligent consideration.
DELAWARE
DELAWARE CfTY, Dec. Il, 1884.
Curbstonc Market Rule.