The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-06-11
A Trip Through the Delaware and Chesa-
peake Canal, June 9Th, 1905

by invitation OF L. j Cleaver, collector
and superintendent of the Delaware and
| Chesapeake canal. l went to Delaware
City Wednesday, June Sth and met Mr..
| Cleaver and his son, DIR. Harry Cleaver.
We left Delaware City ut Il o'clock iu Mr..
Cleaver's yacht We had on board u tiu
box full OF good clean crisp green backs,
2J's, tens and tves, and many bright and
| shining silver dollars worth one hundred
cents each, no buying forty-six cent dol.
lars, as the United States does not iss ue
| dollars Of paper, or silver, except such dol
| lars as are worth one hundred cents. No
| bogus dollars, are issued by this great
United States. There was 10 gold in tho
| box, IA gold Is only used by spectators
and Wall street Bankers. The money was
paid out to workiLen along the canal, and
they were satisfied TO receive their pay in
lawful money CT tho United States OF
America. Wages of laborers were one
dollar and twenty cents per day, 50 the
money was paid out at different points TO
workmcn. and all were well pleased.
Below Delaware City southof tho tow
path, great coves extend out into the coun-
Try; in some places these coyes extend
half mile, other places several hundred
yards SO the canal looks like river up to
st. Georges. Here Colonel VIM. N. Stuck.
ert, secretary OF the Board Vi Health,
joined us, and we did not feac of being
robbed when the braveC Colonel Was around,
There were few dead fish in tho wGLerf
and In few days they will be thing 0
the past or until next year. All the
springs and running streams Of water are
drained into the canal. and there are no
stagnant ponds OF water TO create malaria
or annoy the farmers or interfere with
any person doing business in any person
doing business in any Of the towns on tho
canal. After leaving st. Georges we soon
came into the deep cut at summit Bridge;
here the canal is about G6 feet wide AFTER
passing through the deep cut 1t grow
wider. ~
In and below the deep cut for some dis
tancc there are are no fish, except cat fish,
eels and snappers, other fish die because
tho water Is polluted with sulphate VI cop.
per and mica is mixed with the earth this
Gun be seen Oozing out from the banks
along the deep cuts; iron is also found
here. A portion Of the high banks is de-
void of vegetation, other parts aro covered
with growth of trees Of various kinds.
All along tho canal mari is to be found, ii
Is said the strata arises in New jersey cI-
tenls doYg the Peninsula through Mary
lard and into Virginia Be!emuite is
found in the mari q FOSSIL sholl pointed
like dart A cylindrical calcarous
fossil, about as large as the finger, taper
ing 20 point at the other end the thun-
der stone. 1t is, the Internal bOne of an
animal related to tue sepia and belonging
to an extinct family OF cophalopods The
specimens are found in rocks Of the Juras'
sic and Cretaceous ages. So we have some
rare things to bo found in the soil of Della.
ware. At. st. Georges J ii. Colder has
charge of the locks. he in years past furnish
cd icU cream at the old camp meeting, held
In the woods Mt Red Lion he gave largo
plate for a flip, (64)
Since that time he wandered west, and
lived in tho Rockies, su5ssting for a time
on bear meat, but this living did not
change his nature; he is still kind and ten.
der hearted and will not refuse poor man
a mess of fish W hen they are to be bad. At
Chesapeake City l was taken through the
pImp house, where water is pumped or
lifted by IL wheel having buckles, and
when .he buckets are at the centre of the
which empties into the canal. Ono hun
dred and thirty tons of water is lifted per
minute. The engines are like a steamboat
engine; they were erected in the stono
building in 1857, and look as good Us new.
HI sht hundred pounds of coal Is used
every day. and the fires are banked
at night. The coal consumed in bank.
ing must be added to that consum.
ed du;ing working hours. Everything
uDoup IIiS ihb houoo Nho IL II op'A'too
order. The length of the canal is thirteen
miles and five eighths Of IL mile 1t was
| think, in 1924. 1t is four
miles from the Locks to Elk river. Wo
took n ride out back creek into Elk river
some distance in arug boat; 1t was de-
lGhtful ride. A number of wealthy per-
SOUS reside about this point, tho Junction
OF Back creek and Elk river, fine resi-
dcnccs are in view on he high hills.
For the year ending June first. the re-
ceipts Of tho canal company were $685..
9466 go. The expenses Wore s4j,49743. tho
liabilities are 81, 6l1, ,25i.47 So after the
interest Is paid on tho bonded debt and
all expenses paid there Is quite surplus
left, and this is because OF the judicious
and careful oversight of Mr. II. j. Cleaver
the Superintendent. AT Delaware City
met Mr.. Clement Reeves; lie Is about 70
years old and very active and hoalthy; he
said his farm just below Delaware City |
contained SONG 200 acres; he has owned it |
for sixty years and in the dwelling house
now standing there were born 81 children
and but one death occurred in tho house.
His children numbered thirteen l believe |
and ten are now living. Mr.. Reeves says |
Delaware City and vicinity is a very |
healthy spot. Ireturned to Delaware City |
tho next day in the same boat. arrived |
home at o'clock p. III. we'll pleased with
my visit. Depth Of water in the canal |
from 0 to 10 feet). Z. B. FRAZER.