The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-08-04
THE WILMINGTON HARBOR.
The Board Of Trade Committee Wants an
Appropriation.

The Board OF Trade and the Board Of
Port Wardens will mako warm fight
next winter to got an appropriation from
Congress Of si,O0o,000 for improving the
Christinna River. The Port Wardens
have adopted resolutions stating that there
is only about nine feet of water in tho
Christiana between Third street bridge
and tho Brandywine whersas there was II
depth Of 10 feet be tween those points in
1885.
Tho resolutions say that tho business up.
pertaining to the river and Wilmington
harbor has been SO managed that of the
appropriations made between June 50,
1885 anl June 30, 1856, amounting to about
100000, only S123, 900 was used in tho aC-
tual work Of improving the river, while
the remainder Went for office expenses
The Port Wardens nsk the Secretary Of
War to place the affairs Of tho river and
harbor in the hands of Some person who
will identity himself with this city and
its business Interests. Tho Board con-
dems tho present management.
General w. i. Smith is now in charge of
the harhur. Tho Board of Trado Commit
tee approves Of tie Port Wardens' action,
and u special meeting 1s tho Board was
called for Augus6 10 to consider tho nattor.
The resolutions will be acted upon by tho
Board Of Trade cn next Tuesday evening
when meeting will be held. The resolu.
tionS arcn rs follows:
"Whereas The Christiana River and
Wilmington ilarbur Is seriously in need
and well worthy of improvement, and tho
BEST attention Of the United States Govern
lnpnt, and
"Wherens, The Engineer In charge re-
ports In juno. 1898, that he has well de-
fned channel 10 feet deep ut low tide, from
the Delaware river 70 he mouth of Bran
dywino, Notwithstanding the fact, that IN
June, 1855, and June, 1886. he reported,
that hero WAS channel Is feet deep from
tho Delaware rivor to Third street bridge
aud since that tlme tho Uni
ted States government has npnropria'
ed llyN,65 ~ fol- the improvement Ct tho
Chris,ianm1lver and Wilmington harbor,
after the expenditure Of which it appears
that the depth of tho water grows less,
that is, from 10 to 10 feet in ten years. and
"Whersas, In June, 1895, there was acln.
ally Only nine faet of water at low tide DO.
tweon Third street. bridge and tho mouth
of tho BrnnIywine, Instead OF fifteen feet
as rep )rtei in 1883. and
"Whoreus Tho business appertaining to
the Christians river and Wilmington har.
Dor Is SO managed, that Of tho appropria.
tions made, md other moneys available
between Jure 30, 1885, and June 80, 1896
amounting to $I90. 657 4S, only about sl23,.
go has been used in aotual work, the 70.
manning being required for oflico expeEse.
| said expensD being about 80 per cent Oh
| tho appropriations: therefOrd be it
Resolved, That we petition tho Hon.
| Secretary Of War To place tho Christtaa
| river and Wilmington harbor In tho hands
| Of somo person who will thoroughly idth.
| tity himself with the commercial Interest
| Of Wilmington, and tho neads of the Chris
| tiana river and Wilmington harbur, as we
| belisye this harbor win never be properly
| improved, or sufficient depth Of water SO.
cured, SO long us its affairs romnin undlr
| the present management, and are conduct
| cd AS they have bsen in the past. i'll czoIn'
| piincation OF this, we have to say, that ac-
| rurtliug to the engineers report OF juno,
1888 there was an actual channel OF fifteen
fset OF water, at low lido In tho Christinha
| rlycr, from the Delaware river to Third
strest bridge, and in juno, 1887, thero was
less than niue feet between tho Same
points"
For full particulars Of Eagles excursion