Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-12-13

I7s Feet Wide aud 100 Feet Wide at
Bottom.
Under the recommendations of the War |
Department the route of the Delaware & |
Chesapeake canal has been reported TO the |
House of Representatives us Il part of the |
line of the proposed great inland national
waterway.
As the canal passes midway through the
State tho great commercial advantages and |
Opportunities of the splendid new water
way will be reaped by the citizens of Della |
ware. In particular, Delaware City, lying
at the head of the Delaware IL Chesapeake
canal, at its outlet to tho great estuary of
Delaware bay and river, will reap untold
advantage.
1t is quite within tho possibilities of that
location becoming an emporium Of local
commerce and exchange and, in addition,
an important inland port.
The report of the commission appointed
10 examine the surveys for a canal to con
meet the Chesapeake and Delaware bays
was Tuesday sent to theiOuse by Secretary
Lamont. The report discusses ut length
the various proposed routes and ends in a
recommendation that in the Judgment of
the commission the most feasible one is
the Back creek route. which is substan-
tally located oil the line of the existing
Chesapeake and Delaware canal. This
route, IL believes could be constructed at
gested. and besides offers the additional
advantage of being better adapted for ma
tional defence and will give greatest facil-
ity to commerce.
The report, among other things says
1.-The subject of the connection of the
Chesapeake and Delaware bays by Il canal
has long been under consideration, There
is one which has been for years in use
joining the Chesapeake, by way of Back
creek and Elk river, and the Delaware
river at Delaware City. The construction
of this canal was begun in 1924 and the
water was let in July 4th, 1920. The total
cost was 81, 2o0,O 0O of which one-ffth was
paid by the United States, 100000 by the
State of Pennsylvania, $780, U0 by the State
Of Maryland and S25,uOO By the state of
Delaware, the remainder by citizens OF the
three States. The canal is Iva miles long:
width at water LIE when constructed, Is
feet; width at bottom, 80 feet; depth OF
water 10 feet; depth of excavation at sum
init, 20 feet; length of LOCKS originally, 100
feet-Since extended to 30 feet and the
width increased from % TO ~ fee:. The
canal has tide lock proportiOned for a
use of six feet above low water at Della
ware City, liit-lock Of III feet ut st.
Georges and u lock oil III feet lift descend
ing into Back creek on the Chesapeake
side. The summit level, about 10 miles
long, is supplied by pumps ut Back creek.
The average cost of pumping is about
$1,000 annually: cost of maintenance aud
management, including Ill expenses, about
S50OuU per annum.
This canal came to be deemed INSULT
cient for the objects which u canal con-
meeting these great bays should suDserye.
The pressure for the construction of u
canal to connect the Chesapeake aud Della
ware bays came mainly from the Chesa-
peake side and from Baltimore, the great
commercial centre of that bay. Baltimore
was interested not only for herself, but lor
other reasons. She is nearer the great
cities Of the West Chicago st. Louis, Gin
cinnati and others, than Philadelphia,
New York and Boston, her great contest
ants for the trade of the West, but her
situation at the head of the Chesapeake
bay requires her commerce to take u
longer route to the ocean than is con-
venient; that is, through the whole length
of that bay.
"a canal will facilitate water.borne
commerce, but II may also serve to Ubstruct
lnud-Dorne by the Interruptions due to
bridges that must be opened when the
canal traffic is not carried on in barges
alone. The Peninsula to be pierced has Il
width across the lower end, near the most
southerly route. of about 56 miles at
the upper end il is about One-fourth this
width The number of bridges, both
highway and railroad, which would bC
called for diminishes the more nortncrIv
the route. But the selection of the more
northerly route IS especially indicated
when its adaptation for national defence Is
considered. The matter of national de.
ence involves more than the transit OF
'essels of war from bny to bay. The
quite itself must be defended, and its
Ciefence involves the construction of forti
iications so located as To guard the cana
entrances.
This board is not required to base its
selection on considerations of cost. Never
theiess it cannot refrain from inviting at
a Al.
route effects Saving OF time OF l03 hour:
at an estimated cost of lG1 millions OF
dollars while the air line, Queenstown ant
Centrevillc routes effect savings OF / ant
l6l hours, at cost of 3It and Az millions
dollars. The additional expenditure in
volved would not seem to be justified by
the slight gain of q and 3 hours in tn
time OF transit. Ii simply the saving il
time be considered, it is seen that til
maximum saving exceeds the minimum
by only four and fonr-tenths hours, 1t i
thought that the ice will present no insur
mountable obstacle to continued use 0
any one route.
ITO conclude, after examination of tn
surveys heretofore made under the direl
ton of the War Department this boar,
determines the most feasible route for I'll
construction of the Chesapeake & Della
ware canal to be the Back creek route
which is substantially located upon til
line of the existing Chesapeake ~ Della
ware canal In the judgment of tn
board this route will be best adapted 70
national defence and will give the creates
facility to commerce.
THE Cost of widening and deepening
the existing canal was estimated by til
engineers of the United States Army
from surveys made more than ten year
ago, at 81, 605, 47l.S9, not including the cos
OF the present canal. The estimates prt
vide for canal the same level through
out, without locks, except tide locks 1
each end 6UO feet long and 90 feet wild,
The canal to be y feet deep, IFS feet wild
at low water and 100 feet wide at the bo
Z tom.h
4 The report is signed by Thomas Lncol
Z Casey, brigadier.genera, chief of eng
neers, chairman Il. 7. Alexander Mendt
Il Cohen, George Dewey, captain, Unite
States Navy; William L. Craighill, colone
corps of engineers.
"a GREAT Good TO DELAWARE