Evening journal., 1896-05-05
PHILADELPH HANS ACT.
Congress MemoriaIIze on tn c
Delaware River Matter.
WANT TIE FULL APPROPRIATIONS

Philadelphia Commerce Committee OPP
poses the ProvIso OF Senator Gray Re-
gardinR the L'ston's Point Dyke. Though
Nothing is Said About It in the Memoir
ial to Congress,
The fight Is on in earnest with the
representatives. OF the business associa
tions OF Philadelphia for the $500. 600
appropriation for the Improvement OF
the Delaware river channels
The joint executive committee on the
improvement OF Philadelphia harbor and
the Delaware river met In PhilAdelphia
and adopted q memorial to the Senate
and House of Representatives setting
forth the necessity Of appropriAting the
full amount of $500. 600 for Delaware
river improvement. The memorial states
that the 20 feet depth over some Of the
bars In the lower Delaware places an
embargo on Philadelphia commerce and
has necessitated the withdrawal OF steam
ship lines adapted to It's trade. The city
Of Philadelphia and State OF Pennsylvania
have appropriated 50 500 COZ during the
past Eve years for the improvement and
development Of the Delaware.
The attitude Of Senator Gray and other
Dslawarsans in refusing to permit the
work Of building the jetty at Liston's
Point to go on is thorn In the side Of
the Philadelphians. They claim that the
proposed d7ke would not affect the Ap
poqulnimink or Bltckbird creeks.
The proviso of Senator Gray. as IL at
present stands would stop all of the work
on the dyke as 1t involves both prsseut
snd past appropriations. which are to be
withheld until the project can be pasrsd
upon by Board OF Engineers M,jor
Raymond is said 10 be OF the opluion
that such board would permit the work
to proceed, after a consideration Of It's
merits
This report Of a board Of engineers
which considered the work WAS pre-
sentsd to the Senate ou April 90.
"The Resdy Island and Listons Point
dixie, when completed according to
existing proisct, will be about 26 600
feet long About 8, 500 feet Of this was
built down stream from the foot Of
Reedy Island Ia 1889. and the construc
tion Of about 10. 500 feet more Is now
under contract, this latter point begin
ming at Liston's Point aud extending up
stream, with 450 feet opening opposite
the mouth OF BlGckbird creek There
will be q gap Of about .. 400 feet between
the ends of these two portions OF the
dixie when this contract is completed
THE work on the lower portion Of the
dixie is nov being vigorously pushed. the
last report showing that the mattress
sill has bean laid for 700 feet OF the lower
part of the dixie
ut is evident. then, that the compile
tion Of the portion OF the dixie now
under contract cannot iniuriously affect
the tidal hoW between the dixie and the
Delaware shore
"But when the dixie Is conpletad It
may be necessary TO raise it above high
water, In which case the opening OF $50
feet opposite the mouth Of Blackblrd
creek may prove too small To avoid
the possibility Of having to tear up part
Of the dixie, the board Is Of the opinion
that It would be we'll TO leave an opening
OF 800 feat This can be done without
interfering with the existing contract.
The opening can be reduced In size
whenever found advisable.
The other questions referred to the
board are OF such a nature that they
would require more investigation and
confederation than the board Is able to
give them In the time at it's disposal,
ouA bncAn4olo buo DIhl0 10 VI lho opiuiuu
that It would be well to have the section
OF the River and Harbor bill relating to
Delaware river improvement amended
by adding the provlsO proposed By Ssua
tor Gray"
While Blackbird creek Is admittedly
not Of such grest Importance Appoquini
mink creek is. The creek from It's mouth
to the head of navigation at Odessa
trsVerses nine miles
1t is from 100 to 200 feat wide, aud at
Odessa there is a depth Of four feet at
low tide, with four feet rise Of tids. Ia
1887 1t Is reported that the commercs
consisted OF 300 to $50 bsrges 300 to 800
tugs, 800 to 400 steamers and 100 to 400
schooners
At the mouth OF the creek, the indls.
tlnct channel, having q low water depth
OF Az to 6 feet traverses the mud fats In
a down stream direction for a mile aud 3
half before reaching deep water There
is a rise Of tide at the mouth Of about six
feet. What channel there is from Black
bird creek joins the one from Appoquini-
mink
The effect OF the 800 feet opening in
the dixie, which Is close to the present
channel from the creek is expected by
the engineers to divert the channel to the
opening ard deepen It, but It Is hardly
thought that that would be the case