Democratic messenger., 1894-02-10
THE INLAND WATERWAY.
And other River and Harbor Improve
ments i'm which Congressman
Bratten is Interested.

IL Is well-known that Congressman
Robert +. Bratten who represents this
district is unable Ia attend To his
duties IN Congress on account of poor
health. lie has, however. compiled
the improvements he desires for
Eastern Shore rivers and harbors and
on Friday Of last week Congr, ssman
Fred Talbot of the Second District
submitted them for him
The briefs prepared by Mr. Bratten
pointed out the necessity of appropri-
ations for Mauokin. Wicomieo, Chop
tank, Warwick and Chester rivers
For continuation of the work on
the Monokin river he asked for
$4,000. to be expended in cutting Il
channel through the mud flats at the
mouth Of the river. bv which it> navi.
CATION is greatly impeuded. About
81 900 has thus lar been expended in
improving the river, and its commerce
has been greatly Increased thereby.
For the Wicomico river Mr.. Brat.
ten has asked for Sl3,i00. 20 be-
expended in widening and deepening
the channel from Salisbury to Fruit
land and in clearing out the channel
which has already been dug. An
elaborate statement was submitted
showing the great increase to the
commerce of the river since its
Improvement began, twenty wears ago.
The appropriation asked for Chop
tank river is 10 be expended on the
channel from Denton TO Greensboro
and Black Mills.
Appropriations were also asked for
Warwick river, La Trappe and Chester
rivers
Mr.. Talbot was told by Chairman
Blanchard OF the committee that
every effort is being made to keep The
appropriations for rivers and harbors
down to the lowest limit possible. and
that the bill to bc submitted to the
House would not call for more than
SlO, 900 900 or 81 .000, 900: that the
estimates for rivers in his own and
Mr.. Brattcn's districts would have to
be greatly reduced. and that they
would he fortunate il they received
one half of the estimates.
Representative Bratten is also
greatly interested in the inland water
way now under construction from
Chincotca.ue to Delaware bay. The
original project looked forward to Il
channel seventy feet wide at bottom
and six feet deep at mean low water.
This would have opened up 81 com
merce for acertain class of vessels
between Chinco,cague bay aud the
Delaware river of great service To
commerce and the inhabitants who
are to-day far from railroad or other
direct cheap communication with
important markets.
The depth. however. was deemed
too little for class ot vessels that
might wish to extend their voyage to
the Chesapeake bay, As there would
be about sixty miles of ocean navi.a.
tion from Chincotcague inlet to Cape
Charles, in Virginia.
\ cut from Chincoteague bay into
the Pocumokc river above Snow Hill,
a. is proposed. would open up at once
Il commerce from the sounds of North
Carolina. the James. Potomac and
York rivers and the whole uf Che>a-
peakc bay. with the Delaware river.
and bv class o: vessels not fitted for
ocean navigation, at which iher,
would he none by this route. II is
urged that il would also materially
increase the flow Of tides in Chinco-
league bay and cause the flood tides
from Chincoteaguc aud Cape Charles
To meet somewhere about the upper
end of Pucumoke SOUND. Ii Is uraed
that such route rs proposed would
benefit the people of Nortn Carolina.
Virginia. Maryland. Delaware, Penn
sylvania and New jersey.