Evening journal., 1898-02-14
DUCK CREEK CHANNEL.
Navigators Want the New Cut
Properly Marked.
PLANS ARE SUGGESTED


PORT PENN RANGE LINE
OBLIQUELY, AND THE BUOYS
WILL BE ONLY A TEMPORARY
EXPEDIENT-CHANGE NECEs-
sARY AT SHIP JOHN LIGHT.
Maritime interests are anxious that
the 26-foot channel dredged across
Duck creek flats, the shoal in the river
at the head of the bay, shall be marked
by buoys without delay so that It can
be used by vessels entering and leaving
the port. This cut was made across
the shoal last season, and Il has a
depth OF 26 feet at low water and a
width of from 400 to 600 feet The work
was completed before Christmas. The
newly dredged channel does not follow
The course usually taken by steamers
In crossing the flats, which Is marked
by the Port Penn range lights, and pill
OTIS and captains OF steamers do not
know where the new channel Is. The
river Is more than four miles wide af
this point, and the dredged channel is
nearly three miles long, so that II is
| impossible 20 find the cut without the
guidance of buoys.
The United States engineer office OF
| Philadelphia, under whose direction
the channel was dredged, suggested
| that buoys be placed on each side ofbOth
| the upper and lower entrances to the
dredged channelan q buoyon each side
l OF the channel midway between the
two entrances. Commander Train, the
| lighthouse inspector for the Philadel-
phia district, upon whom falls the duty
OF placing the buOys which are TO mark
the channel, Thought at first that the
proper way would be TO anchor buoy
In the middle of each entrance TO the
cut.
Secretary Sharwood, OF the Maritime
Exchange. said Saturday that the Mari
time Exchange does not approve of
either suggestion. He pointed out that
the channel of the river, as II existed
before the Improvement, was deep
| enough for all vessels OF ordinary
draught that come up the bay, and that
such vessels will continue 10 navigate
/ the river at Duck creek fats according
TO old rules. using the Port Penn range
lights as a guide. If buoys are located
as suggested by Major Raymond. three
Of them, Secretary Sherwood said will
be close to the line of the Port Penn
range, and will be in danger OF being
run down by the vessels which will
continue to use the range, especially by
night, so that II is feared they will
often be cut adrift. Commander Trains
| plan, Mr.. Sherwood said, Is not ap-
proved, because OF the fear OF vessels
| striking the large rocks to which the
buoys would be anchored, and which
l would be in the middle OF the channel.
A committee OF the Maritime Ex-
change had a conference with Com
Ias. f,,i I.rI
what would meet the temporary neces-
4 / sties OF shipping would be the placing
d 1f a gas-lighted buoy on the Delaware
: / side Of the upper entrance to the cut,
and similar gas-lighted buoy on the
. New Jersey side OF Hhe lower entrance.
/ This plan, Mr.. Sherwood said, will 10,
cate the buOys away from the range
Inc, at points where they will not be
In danger of being run down and
o / where the anchors will not be In the
/ channel, and will permit deep draft
s / vessels to use the new channel at night.
Commander Train recommended this
y ! plan to the Lighthouse Board several
Z / days ago, but no authority has
been received thus far TO To-
cate the gas-lighted buoys as
desired. Everyone hailed the compile
tion OF the channel as the removal of
y, one of the handicaps on the commerce
A l Of the port, but It is of no use until il
v Is so marked that vessels can find It,
The channel across Dan Baker shoal
a l the obstruction above Duck creek fats
was dredged on the range lines. that
course being found to he the line OF
deepest water and the best place OF To-
cation for the improved channel. As q
| result vessels have no difficulty IN
= navigating the Dan Baker channel, but
In the case of Duck creek fats Il war
y found that to follow the line OF thf
= Port Penn range would make a mucl
= longer and more expensive cut than e
dredge across the narrOwest part Of th'
shoal. Moreover, TO dredge across th'
narrOwest part Of the shoal was to fol
low the line Of the deepest water anS
% the direction OF the currents, and To-
I these reasons il was considered beS
not to follow the range line. In addi
n tion to this, Il is understood that th'
location OF the 3O-fOot channel will b
40 the same as the 26-foot channel jus
In dredged
10 The new channel crosses the Por
OF Penn range line obliquely land. conse
to ouently. the buoys with which It is pro
ig posed to mark It will only be a tempo
es rary expedient. II will be necessar.
'n to change the range lights to max
NJ them conform to the new channel.
se change will be necessary also in tn
red sector of Ship John Light Fol
lowing the cut down, the red sector O
the Ship John Light shows full befor
the vessel is out Of the cut. It is tn
Of rule in running down across Due
a creek flats to follow course that jus
keeps the light tinted red, and a chang
should be made so that the light doe
Mt not show red before the end of the Gu
=. Is reached.