The sun., 1897-12-13
ovML REASONS WHY.
A River Captain Writes Concerning
The Muddy Christiana.

A River Captain Writes Concerning
The Muddy Christiana.
The following letter was received from
a river captain of several years exper-
ience with the Christiana. 1t may be OF
interest.
WILMINGTON, Dec. 9th, 1897.
Mr. EDroR:-Why is it, that the
Christiana Creek, fills up SO rapidly, that,
if it is not dredged out every few years,
it becomes so shallow as to impede navi-
CATION?
This question, which many Of the
citizens of Wilmington are asking at the
present time, may have been discussed
before; but as it has never been answered,
and as the cause OF the trouble has never
been removed, it will bear further dis
cussion.
The answer to the question is two
sided one. Some of the citizens claim
that the trouble is caused by the soil
which is washed from the banks of the
river and carried up the creek by the in
flowing tide. No doubt this he ps the
filing up process, but the friction of the
river water against the banks breaks
them down so slowly that it would take
great deal longer time than a few
years to fill up the creek so as to impede
navigation.
The other view OF this question, is
taken by a great number OF citizens, who
have given the question serious thought.
Their opinion is, that the sewerage Of
the city, which empties into the Chris
tiana, is directly responsible for the fill
ing Of that creek. They claim that the
city is improperly severed, and that no
refuse from the city, should be dumped
into the creek, on which all of our
harbors are located.
One citizen has advanced plan for
the draining of this city. The plan is
to build large sewers on each side of the
Brandywine and Christiana creeks, and
allow all the small sewers'to empty into
these four large ones. The large ones to
be conducted to the FUNSTON Of the two
creeks, and there Joined together into
one mammoth sewer. This sewer, to be
carried, under the bed of the creek to
~. II Il, fn nj
where 1t may empty without annoyance
to any one The work OF building this
sewer, would, OF course, ncccasltate the
expenditure OF a large amount of money.
But, on the other hand, the necessity Of
dredging the creek would be abolished
and the large amount OF money, which
is expended every few years for this
purpose, need not be appropriated, or
if appropriated, could Lo used for some
better purpose.
Another plan for the iacilitaton OF our
manufacturing and shipping business,
was proposed Il few years ago. 1t was
the building Of a road to the river. Those
With understood the geography OF the
Delaware, dec are that this yIan is not
a feasible one. At all the points on tt {
river show, which are accessible to thi>
city, the river is too shallow to allow the
building Of Il wharf near the shore. Con-
seQuently the city wo,iId have te build {;
pier reaching far enough out into the
river to obtain the necessary depth &
water. Tni, would npccsstatr the spend
in Of millions OF dollars. Where woul,
the city ct 50 large al amount ol money
The public would not be willing t. idrn,
jSll il.
Ihcn again, granting the fact that the
road and pier We're built, the pier wouI,
be 50 far out in the RIVER, that it woul'
be exposed to the heavy caStrrly storms
which 50 frequently lash the river int
fury. The calgocs, also, would be cX
posed to the storms, and unless the,
were removed inland, as soon as dis
charged, would be completely destroyed
by them.
The majority OF the citizens express
the opinion that the creek is the propc
place for our harbor, as it furnishes tit
necessary protection against storms
They also express the hope that some
thing will be done very soon to preven
the dumping Of refuse in the Christiana
simply because the rcicse not onI,
makes the creek filthy body Of water
but also makes it good medium for TIN
breeding Of disease.