Evening journal., 1897-07-21


ARE ENGAGED IN SHIPPING.
Major c. w. Raymond United States
Army. engineer in charge of the i'm
provements to rivers and harbors in
Southern New Jersey, Delaware river
and bay, and the waters tributary
thereto made his annual report to the
chief OF engineers yesterday. That por-
tion Of the report which relates to the
Improvements of the Delaware river is
divided into four heads: First, exami-
nations or Periwig bar, Kinkora bar,
Five Mile bar, Mifflin bar Schooner
Ledge and Bulkhead bar and stimuli
taneous tidal observations. Second,
improving the survey Of Cherry Island
fats. Third, improving the survey Of
Dan Baker shoal and Duck Greek flats.
Fourth, rebuilding and enlarging the
dixie on government reservation at the
junction of the Schuylkill and Delaware
rivers at Fort Mifflin.
Under the first head the report states
that a recent examination at Periwig
bar shows that the channel through the
bar has a depth OF six feet at mean low
water and a width of from seventy-iive
TO 200 feet. An appropriation of $4,000
made last year has not been touched,
as the channel has not shOaled suffi-
ciently to be an inconvenience to navi-
cation. AS there is now no evidence Of
shoaling il is proposed to widen the
channel to 200 feet for its entire length.
Recent examinations at Kinkora bar
show that the channel through the bar
has a minimum depth Of Sla feet at
mean low water. At Five Mile bar
there is shown to be a depth of % feet
at mean low water over its entire
width. Mifflin bar has now a depth OF
23.4 feet, and Schooner Ledge mini
mum depth of "a feet. Bulkhead bar
shows a minimum depth OF 29i5 feet at
mean low water
On the 18th and 18th of August, 1896
simultaneous observations Of the height
of the tide were taken on the Delaware
river between the Breakwater and
Trenton at twenty-seven different sta
tions, and cross-sections of the river at
each of these stations were carefully
measured.
Referring to the improvement anc
survey of Cherry Island flats, the report
states that a hydrogaphic survey was
made of that part OF the river extend
ing from Old Mans Point to the mouth
of the Christana creek, for the purpose
-
determine the changes in progress anC
the effects of improvements. A con
tract was entered into on September
%. 1896, with the Morris & Cumming
Dredging Company, of New York, foi
dredging the channel on the west sid'
of the flats to a depth of 26 feet at NEAR
low water. The work under this con
tract was commenced October 81, 1896
and continued to December 20, 1896
when the dredge was run into and sunl
by a steamer Operations were re
sumod on April 20. 1897, and are still
in progress. There have been removed
1863 ,235 cubic yards of material unde
this contract
Dning the fiscal year the survey o
Duck Greek flats was completed.
A board of officers OF the Corps o
Engineers appointed to consider and re
port on a project for a dixie betweel
Reedy Island and Liston's Point mad
its report on December T. 1896, a re
sumo of which was published in tn
Evening Journal last December. Majo
Raymond's report states that the rec
concentrations of that board havin
been approved by the secretary OF wal
the adopted project for the improve
ment of the river was thereby modiiie
so as to provide for the enlargement O
the channel from deep water at tn
head of the bay to deep water abov
Dan Baker shoal by dredging instea
of by the action OF dikes.
In pursuance of this change OF pla
the contract with the Delaware Con
struction Company for the constructio
of dikes was annulled, and on Febru
airy 26, 1897, a contract was made wit
the Morris & Cummings Dredging Com
pany. of New York. for dredging tn
channel with least depth of 26 feet a
mean low water and a least width {
600 feet from deep water at the hea
OF the bay to deep water above Da
Baker shoal. The estimated amour
of material to be removed during th
current season is 100000 cubic yard
Work under this contract was con
menced April 2, 1897, and is still pre-
crossing. At the end of June 1861
cubic yards had been removed. On Jur
is the contract was modified so as
provide for the formation of a chann
600 feet wide and 26 feet deep at mea
low water from deep water above Da
Baker shoal 10 deep water below P'
Patch Island, by the removal of abol
500 600 cubic yards of material. q
work to be completed on or befo
June So 1898
ID also gives an account of the in
prOvements of the Delaware Brea
water, the iron pier near Lewes and Il
harbor of refuge in Delaware bay.