Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-08-12

meeting Tuesday to consider the resu-
lutiops concerning the Wilmington
barbor, which were recently adopted by
the Board Ut Port Wardens
After about two hours discussion 1t
was decided to have the chair appoint
committee of three to confer with
Gen. Smith and ascertain the correct
fgures and other data connected with
harbor improvement In the past. Until
the committee reports. nothing will he
done with the resolutions.
Among those present were Gen. W.
+. Smith. Gen. James II. Wilsun, Col.
A. q. McCausand, Il. 4. Warner,
Charles w. Pusey, George W. Todd,
George NJ. d. Cam, Captain Willard
Thomson, O. D. purdy, George b.
Moore, Daniel ". Taylor. Alvin II.
Morrison. Daniel Ross, DR.. Il. Il. smith.
and Others
Tho mesting was called to order at
8. 90 o'clock, by T.. Il. Warner, and on
bis motion q. w. pussy presided.
Presidsnt Lawton being absent. Tho
call for the meeting WAS read by Score
tary D. W. Taylor, after which he read
the following, which were offered by
. Alvan II. Morrison:
Whereas, The Board of Port Wardens, q
body OF city officers in charge Of the harbor
iof Wilmington and Chrstara River Della
ware. has passed resolutions us follows:
Whereas, The Christiana River and vii.
mington harbor IL seriously in need and well
worthy of Improvement, and the best utten-
tion OF the U. 5. Government, and
Whereas. The engineer in charge reports
In June 1896, that he has q we'll defined
channel IL feet deep at low tide, from the
Delaware River to the mouth OF the Brandy
wine, Notwithstanding the fact that in June
and lima La tu1 hat
was a channel 10 feet deep from the Della,
ware River 10 Third street bridge, and since
that time tho U. s Government has appro-
priaied slyo,G57.4 AZ for the Improvement Of
the Cbristiana River and Wilmington har-
Dor. After the expenditure OF which il APP
pears that the depth of water grows less,
that is. from Is TO Ii feet IN ten years, and
Whereas, III June 1896, there was actually
only 0 feet Of water at low tide between
Third street bridge and the mouth of the
Brandywine, instead of 10 feet as reported
In 1885 and
Whereas, The business appertaining to
the Christiana River and Wilmington har-
Dor is so managed, that of the appropria-
tions made and other moneys available be-
tween June 3Oth, 1885, and June both, 1895.
amounting to Si!D. Bh7.4S, only about Sl23,-
900 90 has been used in actual work, the re-
maiDder being required for Office, engineer
ing and contingent expense, said expense
being about 10 per cent of the appropria-
tions,
Therefore be ii resolved, That we petition
the Hon, Secretary of War to place the
christiana River and Wilmington harbor
in the hands of some person who will thor
nngy identify himself with the CONNER
cial interest Of Wilmington and the needs
of the Ghristiann River and Wilmington
harbor, as we believe this harbor will never
be properly improved or sufficient depth
Of water secured so long as its affairs remain
under the present management and are con.
Quoted as they have been in the past, IN ex-
empliticatOn of this we have TO say, that
according TO the engineers report of June
1885. there was an actual channel Of IL feet
Ut water at low tide in the Christiana River
from the Delaware River to Third street
bridge, ard In June 1897, there was less than
feet between the same points.
Whereas, project was adopted in 1881,
for u 10 foot low water channel from the
mouth of the liver to the pulp mill, and
revised in 1883 as to the width from the
Delaware railroad bridge to the pulp mill,
at q total estimated cost of slDl 3Si.O0, and
Whereas, The U. s. agent in charge, did
from time to time, between the years of 1855
ana 1875, report to the Secretary of War,
the progress of the work, and the estimated
cost of completing the project as follows
in 1855 estimated cost II complete. SlGd, 3sl on
il 1850 eetlmHted cost tn complete. lA1 ga nl
y issS estimated tost TO eonplota,... ll7,h9,.Gd
in 1893 estimated cost u complete. 1894 OF
In 1895 estimated cost 10 uomplete..... 22,63i.0l
And Whereas The U. ;. agent in charge,
did report to the Secretary of War in June
1891, that the project was completed from
the mouth of the river, to within 70 feet of
Market street bridge, except over the rock
at Third street bridge the removal of which
was thenin progress and estimated that the
work could be completed for Si7. GA, 90, and
Whereas, In June 1885, the u. S. agent did
report to the Secretary OF War, that the pro
jec was all completed from the mouth OF
II The river, to a point 2.5l5 feet above Market
street bridge and all that remains to be done
was to widen the cut from this point, up the
river for distance of l,TS0 feet at an est
mated cost of S22.6Si 90, and
E Whereas, There never has been q channe
w 100 feet wide and 10 feet deep at low tide
from the mouth of the river to point 2,5l,
feet above Market street bridge, and in DE
y cember of 1895, the U. 3. agent made n con
n tract for dredging from the mouth of tht
# river toward the pulp M ill, to obtain |.
feet of water at low tide, there being then
NJ less than . foot channel 100 feet wide, be
tween these points,
Therefore, Be it resolved, that we cnncu
in the resolutions adopted by the Board o
Port Wardons.
MIR. Morrison moved that the rosolu
tionH he adopted and spread upon th,
VA minutes and copy sent to tho Secre
f tary OF War. The motion was not sec
onded, whereupon Gen. james ii. Will
III son snid that while he would almi
that the harbor bud not been properl.
.t improved, no did not think the boar
should adopt any such resolutions. III
defended Gen. Smith, and said tina
gentleman was entirely competent +
~ take care of the work in this district o
any similar work. He considered th
\ expression contained in the resolution
.S very serious arraignment of Gen
1e& Smith. He held that there is rothin
f easier than to criticise the work Of a
, engineer and nothing more diilicul
MA than to criticise such work intelli
gently.
'l The fault, he held, was with the syH
tenn and mt the engineer.
Gen. Wilson, who said he had mad
.|f1n perscaal examination, said that Wi
ming,Sn should be satisfied with tn
saInI depth OF water as PHILADELPHIA
n and as Philadelphia needs so feet {
M water Wilmington also needs 30 feel
aud with 30 feet it can get it's share {
the commerce. The general brande
as false some reports which had bee
circulated abort Gen. Smith. 1t ha
M been reported that Con. Smith ha
IA stood In the way of the uss of the bi
MI appropriation. lilo declared this 10 |
NJ untrue and said ex-senator Iliggir
hnd informed him that Gen. Smith ha
81. endsavOred to have it made available
Ri He said Wilmington harbor woul
have received proper recognition ha
TIA the representatives in Congress- dor
t& their duty. lie hold that the peop
OF tho community are TO blame for n,