Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-01-13

Philadelphia Ledger, Thursday.
Major O. ". Raymond, United Staten
engineer in chargs OF the Improvement
OF the Delaware River, sent his report
upon the proposed 30ieet channel for
the Delaware River to the Chief of
Engineers OF tho Army, at Washington,
late yesterday afternoon week.
The report was made in accord
ance with an item in the last River
sud Harhor bill, dirsctlng survey of
the Delaware River with the idea OF
ACQUIRING a channel 80 feet deep. The
survey was made during the past sum
mer and fall, and entailed considerable
work. The report is project in detail
for the proposed channel, and it is &C.
companied by maps and data.
Major Rsymond's estimate OF the
cost of securing a channel 80 feet deep
at low water aud GOO wide, between
Petty's Island and deep water in the
bay, is little mure than S., 300. 600.
OF this amount mora than 5000, 600 is
for the removal of rock of Schooner
Ledge and in the harbor between
retty's Island and Cramps shipynrd.
A small ledge was discovered at that
point during the progress of the work
OF improving tho harbor. The amount
Of mud, sand, gravel and clay to be re-
moved is estimated at something more
than 80. 600, 600 cubic yards, and there
lie, in addition, GO, 000 cubic yards OF
rock.
The project submitted by Major Ray
mond provides that no material shall
be deposited in the river, as has been
done during the Improvement of the
harbor and some of the river improve
ment. The estimate is hased upon the
material being placed on shore or de.
posted in the bay, the plan being that
the material removed from the upper
part of the river shall be placed on
shore, and that removed from the lower
part taken down to certain localities of
Delaware Bay and deposited there. The
work will require several miles of
dredging. Most OF this will be between
Chester and Wilmington and across the
Dan Baker and Duck Greek shoals, at
the head of tbs bay.
The work of dredging the 26.feet
channel was suspended last week for
the winter at the various points where
the contractors for the government have
been at work. There as been secured a
channel &c feet deep and from 500 to
600 feet wide across Dan Baker Shoal
and Duck Cresk Flats, the worst OBJ
structions in the river. But it is not
in use yet, because the Lighthouse De
partment has not placed the buoys to
mark it. A depth of &c feet has been
secured at Cherry Island Flats. but not
the full width. There Is now therefore
channel &c feet deep at low tide and
of navigahle width between Philadel
phia and Delaware Bay, except Ut
Mifiiin Bar and Schooner Ledge Shoal.
AT Schooner Ledge there is plenty o
water in the western part of the chan
mel, but the width is not great. There
is foot or two less than &c feet al
Miffiin Bar.
1t was expected that the harhor i'm
pruvement work would be entirely com
pleted by the end Of the year, but float
ing ice during the week after Christ
mas SO interfered with ths dredges tina
, it became necessary to suspend opera
tions, with only very little work re-
naming to be done. This great i'm
provement is practically finished, and il
more than year ahead OF thu esti
mated time required by the engineers
More than 2l,oO0, 600 cubic yards O
material have been removed in the fivl
years since tho work was commenced
and the cost has been nearly SO. 800, 000
There ia 26 feet of water at low It'd
where Smith and Windmill Island
once stood and a. slice of 100 acres ha
been taken of Petty's Island. AlonI
the Philadelphia front, from the Penn
sylvania railroad bridge, at Brides
burg, to Kaighn's Point, there is
channel at least 26 feet deep at 10,
water and 1000 feet wide. For Jesse
width there is depth exceeding 80 feet
From the east side of the 26 feet chan
mel, there is depth sloping up to l
feet at tho Camden shore.
During the dredging ledge of roc
was discovered opposite Cramps shiI
Yard, lying below the old bottom of th
river. which will have to he remova
by another appropriation. FortunateI
the ledge lies well over towards Petty
Island, and is not an inpedment
navigation.