The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-09-14
WORK ON DELAWARE RIVER
Congressman Bingham After New Ap-
preparation.
Washington, Sept. 13.-Congressm an

Washington. Sept. 13.-Congressman
! Bingham has given another proof of his
great interest in the Improvement Of the
| Delaware river and Philadelphia harbor
| by addressing letter to General John II
Wilson, chief of engineers of the United
States Army, making inquiry as to tho
progress made in the surveys OF the Della
l ware river with view to securing a deep
water channel from tho bay to tho port Of
/ Philadelphia.
General Binghams object was to secure
! such information respecting tho stnte of
| this work as would enable the Committee
on Appropriations of which he Is mem
| ber to make suitable provision for 1t In
the river and harbor bill, which Is likely
| to bo passed during the coming session OF
| Congress. The correspondence In the
case. including major Raymond's report
and General Wilson reply, follows
Spring Lake, n. j., Sept 3-Brigadier
General John NJ. Wilson, Chief Of Engi-
neers, U. S. Army.
"General--I have tho honor to REQUEST
that l may be informed OF the progress
made by your bureau in the surveys of the
Delaware River with view of Obtaining
a channel six hundred feet wide and thirty
feet deep from point at or near the city
of Philadelphia to the deep water OF the
Delaware Bay. From my several personal
interviews with you during the past sum.
mcr you were of the opinion that the S6'
feet low water channel could be completed
at an early date and requiring but small
additional appropriation.
Tits usual for Congress during the first
regular session to pass river and harbor
bill. II the revenues of the Government
admit n bill will pass during tho coming
December session. I am most desirous
that your surveys may be SO advanced
hi ,I, ~ ti,y,n taG
being submitted to Congress for tho inl-
provement and become part of tho ap-
propriations river and harbor works.
Honor me with an early reply, as desire
to consult the Secretary Of War upon the
necessity Of deeper channel and its great
importance to the commerce of our port at
Philadelphia Very truly yours,
''HENRY H. BINGHAM
MAJOR RAYMoNDs REPORT.
"Unitcd States Engineers Office, Phila-
delphla, Pa, Sept. z, 1897:
.'Brigadier General John M. Wilson,
Chief of Engineers, U. S. A., Washington.
d. c.
'Goneral-I have tho honor to return
herewith tho letter of Hon. H, II. Bing-
ham, NJ. G, dated September 8, 1897, in
quriEg what progress has been made in
the survey Of the Delaware River with u
view to obtaining channel 600 feet wide
and 80 feet deep from point at or near
the city of Philadelphia to the deep water
of Delaware Bay. In compliance with in
structions continued in first Endorsement
thereon have the honor to report as
follows:-
'Ths survey has been In active prog.
ress during the present season, and Is be.
ing pushed as rapidly as possible. Tho dis
tance to be covered is 81 miles. About 81
miles are covered by previous surveys
leaving 26 miles of channel to survey this
year. About eight miles have already
been surveyed, and, with tho present rate
of progress, it Is believed that tho entire
field work will be completed on or before
November !, 1897. 1t Is expected that the
plotting of The work aud the computation
Of the estimates will be completed by De.
cember l, 1897.
1.-THE original project of 1886 for the i'm
provement of the Delaware River contem
plated the formation Of a channel "A feet
deep ut mean low water, with greater
depth II found possible during tho progress
of tho work. The success OF this improve
mcnt has been so remarkable that tho pro.
ject has gradually been expanded so as to
provide for q depth of 26 feet. NUtwith- /,
standing the great difficulty which has
been encountered in finding places for the
deposit of dredged material, the improve
ment has been carried on at rate rarely
100000 cubic yards having been removed
from the channel Of the river during the
past six months.
80 far as I am informed. no engineer
officer has ever expressed tho opinion that
it would DO possible to establish and
maintain greater depth than 20 feet in
the channel of the Delaware river. The |
depth of 20 feet has been considered the |
extreme limit, The work now in pro- |
gress to create this depth must still be |
considered great, costly and uncomplet- |
ed experiment. /
1T is now proposed to expand the pro- |
iect so ;ls to provide for an increase of four
feet in this depth, before it is known that
the smaller depth for which We are now
trying can now be maintained. am very |
far from the opinion that tho greater |
depth is impossible Of attainment and that |
1t ought not to be sought. On the con- |
trary, have strong hopes, basod upon the |
results of our work, that afavorable re- |
port upon tho project may be justified. 1t |
cannot be reported upon until 1t has been |
fully Investigated.
'"The Investigation will bo mado as
rapidly as possible, and as soon rs the |
necessary data can be obtained. Ifreport- |
cd upon hastily and with present infor
nation, the adoption of this project at the !
present time could not be recommen led. |
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
&c. W. RAYMOND,
"Major, Corps OF Engineers.
GENERAL WILSON'S REPLY
coffee of the Chief of Engineers L. S. I
A., Washington, b. c., Sept. 9, 1897.
Genera! II, H. Bingham, NJ. G, Spring
Lake, n. J.
"Sir Il am in receipt of your lcttor of
the 81 inst, respecting survey Of Delaware
River from Philadelphia to Delaware Bay,
being mRdo under requirements of the
river and harbor act OF June 3, lS9G,an in
reply have to say that Immediately upon
receipt of your communication called up
on Major G. W. Raymond, Corps of En-.
gin6ers, for report of latest Information in
regard to the matter, and I have now tho
pleasure to furnish you the accompanying
copy Of Major Raymond's very interesting
report of September on tho subject.
lido not anticipate that there will be
any trouble in getting tho report Of this
survey ready for presentation to Congress
at its approaching session, but can assure
you that in any event it will BE- submitted
10 the Secretary of War at tho earliest