Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-01-18


1t goes without saying, that never in
the history of the State of Delaware
has there been gathered on this soil such
a numerous and distinguished aggrega-
tion of legislators from the halls Of Con.
gress.
Distinguished and important as the
gathering was, the cause of its presence
here was of not whit less importance
Tor the decision that the national legis-
lators may arrive at, or more exactly
speaking. upon the action they may
ultimately take depends the commercial
life or death of Wilmington.
TO the worthy and patriotic theme of
more securely establishing and of re-
doubling the city's future commercial
outlook, the rivers and harbors commit
tee of the Board of Trade has addressed
itself, and to their exertions the pres
ence of the large Congressional repre-
sentation on Saturday is due.
IMPORTANCE OF THE WORK.
For years it has been noticed that the
channel of the Christiana, the main
commercial stream of Wilmington has
been gradually but surely Swallowing.
This has continued until at length that
fact has acted as definite cause of the
reduction in the annual volume of COM
merce OF the port. This alarming con
dition of things has been demonstrated
to every resident of Wilmington in the
picture Of the idle wharves and ship
yards along the Christiana, and the
numbers OF families throughout the tity
without regular work and who are de-
pendent on whatever chance may throw
In their way to earn a livelihood.
now THE PEOPLE SEE IT.
The common comment was that il the
channel of the Christiana were deep
enough larger ships could get up here,
larger ships could be built, and from
this there would come work for the thou.
sands that are now idle.
The depth of the Christiana along its
commercial line at low tide is at pres.
ent l5 feet. With an addition OF six
feet for tidal rise, there would be a
depth of 81 feet. But the trouble is
that as soon as heavily laden ship ap-
pears at the harbor's mouth the com.
plant is that she cannot come in, the
river is not deep enough, and the ship
has to be lightered. Every time such
an Incident happens, the port of Will
mington "gets black eye." 1t means
that wherever that ship goes in the
future, the tale goes with her that there
is no use sending a cargo to Whining
ton, Del, as the harbor is deep enough
only for coasting vessels.
wILMINGToN's POSSIBILITIES.
AS has been stated recently in these
columns, at the last meeting Of the
Congressional commission in this city,
appointed for the purpose of consider
Ing the question of deepening the
Christiana, Colonel Houston the chair
man OF the commission Of engineers put
the question to j. Taylor Cause, presi.
dent of the Harlan & Hollingsworth
Company, as to whether if the river were
deepened to the necessary channel
depth he would be ready to bid for
government contracts. That gentleman
arose Immediately from his chair and
replied in the affirmative.
Mr.. Causes reply puts the point to
the whole question out of which grew
the visit on Saturday Of the Washington
legislators.
U nder the existing "project" (as the
engineers call it, OF the government the
idea is to give the Christiana a depth of
10 feet at low water and width of 15O
feet. These measurements exist from
the harbor's mouth to the Delaware IL
Western bridge. What Is now proposed
is to have depth from 81 to "a feet
along the same water route and width
OF 200 feet. And it was to impress the
desirability of that improvement that
the congressman were invited here in
order that they may personally see
the needs of this city.
The movement was initiated some
months ago by the Board of Trade who
gave the work into the hands of tile
rivers and harbJrs committee of that
body. President ID. w. Mullen, Secre-
tary Il. L. Warner and Captain Willard
Thomson were the persons through
whose executive ability and enterprise,
combined with the efforts of Hon. John
w. Causey among the members of the
rivers and harbors committee of the
House, the success of the visit is to be
ascribed. The advantage of tho presence
OF members of the Senate committee on
commerce Is due to the exertions OF
Senators Gray and Higgins.
OUR NEEDS WELL UNDERSTOOD.
So far as it was possible the visit of
Saturday was a complete success. There
is no doubt that the members of the
rivers and harbors committee thoroughly
appreciate the position of the local
Board of Trade upon the deepening of
the river. In personal conversation
with Mr.. Blanchard of Louisiana, chair.
man Of the rivers and harbors committee,
on Saturday last, the representative of
The GAZETTE received full proof of
that. Mr.. Blanchard is as completely in
formed on the status of the question,
how matters are now, and what the citi-
zens of Wilmington need, as any resi-
Gent of this place. A few minutes con-
versation would convince anyone on
that head. Some one or other has posted
him on the subject 10 its full needs.
Immediately on the arrival of the
visitors from Washington they were es-
corted to the King street wharf, where
the steamer IJlrlca law r. ~ Warnar