Evening journal., 1897-08-10
DEEP WATER CHANNEL
Major Raymond is Now Max
ing the Survey.
IT WILL COST THREE MILLIONS

I 1
BOR OF REFUGE AT THE MOUTH
OF THE BAY is BEING EXPE-
DITED AND THOUSANDS OF TONS
OF STONE ARE BEING DUMPED.
THERE.
The survey Of the Delaware river,
with view to obtaining a least chan
mel depth Of thirty feet, in accordance
with the provisions of the River and
Harbor bill Of June, 1896, is in progress
under the direction of Major G. w.
Raymond, United States engineer of
Philadelphia. The act directed the sec
retary of war to have survey made
with a view to obtaining channel
thirty feet deep and 600 feet wide, from
Philadelphia to deep water in Delaware
bay, and also provided that an estimate
of the cost of securing such a channel
should be made.
This is always the first step in the
improvement of a river or harbor, and
usually, but not always, commits the
government to the carrying out of the
improvements projected, unless it is
disapproved by the engineer depart
ment Of the army.
The surveying party, which consists
OF eight or nine persons, is taking
soundings and observations from the
United States engineer steamer Mer-
maid, below Duck creek flats, at the
head Of the bay. The party will work
its way up the river and it is expected
that the survey will be completed dur
ing the present season. A rough esti-
mate based on previous surveys of the
river and the data at hand at the pres
ent time, is that the construction of a
thirty feet chanenl, 600 feet wide, will
require the removal Of about 30 900, 900
cubic yards of material by dredging,
and cost about $3,O0O,OO0. II is thought
that the work could be done in five OF
six years, as the continual improve
ments to dredging machinery would IA
ciltate the operations very much
The work of improvement under the
present project-that of securing q
channel twenty-six feet deep at low
water and 600 feet wide, is progressing
rapidly at Dan Baker shoal and Duck
Creek fats, under the contract with the
Morris and Cummings Dredging Com
pany, Of New York. The company has
four dredges working at Dan Bakei
shoal and has completed more thar
lone-third Of the deep channel.
The completed portion is probably
one mile and a half in length, and Il
al the upper end of the shoal on thu
Firms Point range. TWO cuts hav'
been made Through the remainder o
> the shoal, on the middle line and aloni
the Reedy Island and Port Peni
ranges.
The new channel, TO all appearances
is holding we'll. Dredge No II brok
the record for a days work in the Del
p aware river On June 2S, taking out 3,
p 403 cubic yards OF material. A sunkel
. wreck was found in the channel mid
} way of the Reedy Island range, whicl
Will be removed. It was imbedded be
low the bottom Of the river not yer.
far from the 19-feet knoll.
There are two dredges at work OF
Duck creek flats, and two cuts hav
been made along the entire length o
the range en- The west side. The Gu.
5 are about three miles in length an
, the width is about 50 feet. Each cut
r a little wider than a dredge or abou
e 35 feCe. The estimate of material !
be removed at these two obstruction
D was 100000 cubic yards, and up Z
July 81 a tclsal of 1049 600 cubic yard
had been taken out.
Hughes Brothers & Bangs, the con
i tractors fer the construction OF IN
= lharbor CT refuge at the entrance to IN
h bay, have deposited nearly 10000 ton
r Of stone at uhe site of the work. Abut
e 500 feet Of the sub-structure is pract
J. ( cally completed. ami at the upper en-
Il the stcne shows above the surface
r low water.
About half the work of filling in th
gapway of the Delaware Breakwaler
the height of the remaining portion I
> the structure has been completed b
the contractor, john F. Donovan, WI
has deposited between 1,2OO and l,5'
% tens of stone in ihe opening.
st. Patrick's excursion to Cape Ma