Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-12-31
DELAWARE sTREaMS.
Sc. Jones Creek to be Examined = ma,
Smith Reports Against Oadar Greek.

SC. Jones Creek to be Examined - Major
Smith Reports Against Cedar Creek.
The Washington correspondent Of the
Public Ledger in writing of River and
Harbor matters Gays:
St Jones river, Delaware, is another
stream for which provision is made in
the River and Harbor act for examina-
tion. Major William #. Smith, who
made the examination, reports that the
demands of commerce warrant it's i'm
provement and estimates the cost of a
survey at Sl,050. This recommenda-
tion ia concurred in by the Chief Of
Engineers. Major Smith gives inter-
esting facts in connection with i'm
provements made in St. Jones river
during the past 10 years. He says ::
"The original project for the improve
ment OF this river waa made in 1880 1t
provided for a three-foot low water
channel 100 feet wide across the bar at
the mouth, protected by ietty, at an
estimated cost of $4,000. The project
was enlarged, in 1884. to include the
removal of the shoals in the river to
Dover to depth of six feet at mean
low water, and it was further modified
in 1889 by dispensing with the jetty
and substituting banks thrown up along
the sides of the cut. The improve
ments were begun in 1885 and we're
completed in 1890, and the result was
six-foot low water channel inside the
river, nowhere less than 40 feet wide,
and a channel of the same depth and
100 feet wide across the flats at the
mouth, the total amount expended
being $40. 900.
sin 1892 tho channel at the mouth
haI 81. lA1 ,,r H. E.... H.
four feet, and an examination of it
having been ordered by the River and
Harbor act of July 18th, 1892, it was
whore necessary to its original depth,
six feet. a
The River and Harbor act of August
18th, 1894. appropriated S6, 500 for the
Murderkill river, Delaware, and author
lied the expenditure of 81, 500 thereof
in removing the bar and distractions
at the mouth Of the st. Jones river.
With this appropriation a uut go feet
wide and six feet deep was made dur.
ing the summer Of 1895 through the
Bhoal portiop of the channel mt the
mouth of the river
Major Smith also made prelimi-
nary examination of Cedar creek, Della
ware, and reports that toe locality is
not worthy OF improvement by the
Governn ent. Cedar creek is in the
eastern section of Sussex county, and
flows northeasterly into Delaware bay.
1t is about 16 miles long. The lower
four miles ara nayigable for small
vessels at high water. at may once
have baen," says Major Smith in his
report, "a much more powerful tidal
stream than now, but it has Lost this
power and it's capacity to such an ex-
tent that about 20 years ago it's origi-
nal outlet, which was situated "a
miles south of the present one, was
nearly closed by sand rolled in by
waves of the bay" In view of these
facts, and judging from analogous
cases in Delaware, it is thought the
small commerce on the creek would not
Justify any expenditure on il by the
Government ~ do not know" says
Major Smith what improvement is
desired but assuming it TO be a chan
mel Of the smallest dimensions for the
schoonors that are reported to ply in it
the amount of dredging necessary in
side tho creek would be very large and
it would still leave the entrance unim-
proved which is at present obstructed
by shallow mud flats extending for
more than mile into Delaware bay. "