Evening journal., 1898-12-03
WORK FOR DEEP WATER
Determined Movement Started
to Deepen the Channel.
GREAT BENEFIT TO WILMINGTON


NECESSITY AND IMPORTANCE
or THE FURTHER AND PERnnA-
NENT IMPROVEMENT OF THE
DELAWARE RIVER.
An earnest and determined move
ment to advance the interests Of the
port CT Philadelphia, which will also
be Of equai benefit to the port Of VIII
mington, by urging Congress to au-
thorize the deepening of the channe.
OF the Delaware river and bay by the
UniJ states government to depth OF
thirty feet at low water was started
yesterday by the joint executive com
mdttee on the improvement of the har-
Dor Of Philadelphia and the Delaware
and Schuylkin rivers. The committee
held a ms citing last February. A snort
time alier Cosonel Raymond, United
States engineer in charge OF the chan
mel Improvements. reported on pro-
tect for the thirty feet channel, and
took eteFs to impress Congress with
the necessity and importance Of the
Improvement, but it was soon found
that no river and harbor bill would be
passed. SO the pushing Of the project
was postponed.
There win be river and harbor bin
this session, and every influence possi-
bic is to be brought to induce Congress
to recognize the Gains Of Philadelphia
and authorize continuing contract
for the work Of deepening the channel
to thirty feet. and appropriate suffi-
clent money to make good beginning
next season.
Yesterdays meSting was held at the
rooms OF the Board Of Trade. Philadei-
phia, and the subjects of the thirty
feet channel in the Delaware and hur-
Their imprbveme nts to the Schuy.lil
river channel were discussed for near
ly two hours. There were present the
following members OF the committee:
Representing the Board Of Trade, l.. Y.
lSchermerhorn and Joel Cook; Com
mereiaI Exchange, President Samuel
lC. WoCiman and James b. Candy;
Maritime Exchange, c. r. Giller, z. X.
lSharwood and Frank L. Neall; Manu-
facturers' Club. John G. Croxton; Gro
cers' and Importers Exchange, Henry
A. Fry and n. j. Smucker; BOaru OF
Port Wardens. l.. w. Moore; DRUG
Exchange, N. H. Rittenhouse, joe
lCcok, president Of the Board of Port
! Ward Ms, was elected permanent chair
man, succeeding Benjamin S. Janney
who died last February, after having
been chairman Of the joint committed
for a number Of years.
CHANNELS AT OTHER PORTS.
In the general discussion OF the sub
ject OF improving the channel Mr.
. Schermerhorn made a statement Of tn
conditions existing in the Delawar
river channel at the present time, an'
compared them with the conditions a
, other Atlantic ports, taking occasion &
, give the low water depths and width.
Of the channels leading to the ports h
q mentioned. AT Philadelphia Mr.. Scher
> merhorn showed that the channel Of III
f, Delaware river, except in two places
has a depth Of &c feet at low water
but the width is less than 600 feet. A
the principal point where there is les
, than 26 feet, Dan Bakers shoal, tn
o channel was dredged to that depth las
year. but, as was feared, has shoale
= greatly, the depth for about one-quar
ter of the distance across the shoa
J now being about 20 fest. Fortunately
: this is very soft mud, which has bee
carried in by the tide from ether pant
of the shcal, and is not the obstrucdo
! which it might be expected to be.
10 Mr.. scherm Thorn stated that at Bos
: ton the channel is 2S feet deep and /
600 feet wide; at New York, 30 fe'
deep and 1000 feet wfde; at Baltmor
: 80 feet deep and 500 feet wide; at No
folk, from Hampton Roads TO n
. Portsmouth Navy Yard, % to 80 fe
/ deep and 45O fest wide. The NOV
= ments on loot in New York to secui
is a channe. Sc feet deep. and in Bah
le more to secure width OF 1000 fee
D. wsre recited by MT SchermerhoI
o. also.
e. Ellis D. Thompson, first assistant
lg Colonel Raymond, was present, Colon
OF Raymond being unable to attend d
as meeting. He detailed the work carrie
s on during the season just closing, al
n in describing the present condition
er the channel spoke in substance as fC
r. lows:
d At Greenwich Point, Mlfflin Bar al
Mt schooner Ledge channe.s have be-
to dredged and rock is in process Of
NJ moval to a least depth of 26 feet
the city of Philadelphia.
From Schooner Ledge to Marc
Hook ice piers a channel 200 feet wi
- oe root doa, l,eu 1nan drpdQed