Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-12-08


The joint executive committee on tho
Improvement of the harbor of Phila-
delphia and Delaware and Schuylkill
Rivers, Friday, resolved to urge upon
Congress the necessity and Importance
of dredging channel from the city to
the sea of depth of at least 80 feet at
low tide.
In the general discussion of the sub
iect of improving the channel L. Y.
Schermerhorn made a statement of the
conditions existing in the Delaware
River channel at the present time and
compared them with the conditions at
other Atlantic ports, taking occasion
to give the low water depths and
widths of the channels leading to the
ports he mentioned. At tho principal
point where there is less than 26 feet,
Dan Baker Shoal, the channel was
dredged to that depth last year, but,
as was feared, has shoaled greatly, the
depth for about one-quarter Of the dis
lance across the shoal now being about
20 feet. Fortunately, this is very soft
mud, which has been carried in by the
tide from other parts of the shoal and
is not the obstruction which it might
be expected to be.
Ellis d. Thompson, first assistant to
Col. Raymond, detailed the work car
ried on during the season Just closing,
and in describing the present condition
of the channel spoke in substance as
| follows:
| At Greenwich Point, Miffiin Bar and
| Schooner Ledge channels have been
dredged and rock is in process Of re-
moval to a least depth of 26 feet by the
city of Philadelphia. From Schooner
Ledge to Marcus Hook Ice Piers a
channel 200 feet wide and 26 feet deep
| has been dredged by the city Of Phila-
delphia.
From a point 6, 200 feet above Cherry
Island Flats and extending down
stream dredging is in progress by tho
| United States to secure channel 400
feet wide and 26 feet deep. At Cherry
Island Flats the channel has been
dredged to a depth of 26 feet ovor a
width of 400 feet. At shoals below
vile and Bulkhead Bar, there is a
similar channel.
At Bulkhead Bar the width OF the
dredged channel is 600 feet and depth
26 feet. OFF Salem Cove the dredged
channel has a length of 1850 feet, width
of 400 feet and depth OF 26 feet.
| AT Dan Baker Shoal the channel was
dredged for a length of %, 900 feet over
width varying from 800 to 500 feet
md to depth of 26 feet. About 5000
feet of this channel, as before stated
has shoaled to a depth of 20 feet. At
Duck Creek Flats the dredged channel
has length OF 10000 feet, width of
400 and depth of 26 feet.
The work remaining to be done to
secure 26 feet of water from Philsdel-
phia to the sea is the redredging of the
shoal in the channel at Dan Baker and
the dredging of channel between
Marcus Hook ice piers and the head OF
the channel now under construction on
the Compass Range, above Cherry
Island Flats, the distance being $500
feet, and the present depth of water
from 90 TO 26 feet. Some Of the exist
ing channels will, however, have to be
widened to secure the full width, viz
GOO feet, provided for by the 26 foot
project.
Tho committee heard with much
satisfaction that the channel across
Duck Creek Flats, at the head of the
bay, dredged last year, had maintained
its depth. That shoal and Dan Baker,
just above it, have caused much delay
to shipping IN the past.
mittee on the 30. feet channel was re-
quested to consult with Col. Raymond
in regard to the ACCESSIBILITY of again
taking up the question Of building
bikes in the vicinity of Dan Baker
Shoal for the purpose of maintaining
the channel, and if his views are favor
able, the committee was further in
structed to interview the Congressman
and United States Senators from Della
ware and see what can be done to over
come the objections to the bikes. The
committee was also instructed to take
steps to urge upon Congress the neces-
sity of appropriations for improving
the channel.
| Col. Raymond, in his report on the
proposed 30-feet channel, sent to the
Secretary of War last January, and by
the Secretary of War to Congress, esti-
mated that the cost of securing 80
feet channel, 600 feet wide, would be a
little more than So, 800, 900.