Delaware gazette and state journal., 1899-11-23
FOR HARBOR IMPROVEMENT
A Better Waterway to the At
lantic Ocean May Mean
DEEPER CHANNEL FOR CHRlSTlANA
From the Mouth as Far up as
Business Warrants.
Inspection Of the Delaware River by tho
Members of Congress From Delaware,
Pennsylvania and New Jersey-Ride Over
Course OF Contemplated Channel.

WNIb5 tfhuld Abl NOW cNISt1s
who participated in the inspection trip
on the Delaware River on the steam
boat John A. Warner on Saturday are
now fully acquainted with the needs of
that great waterway, and it is likely
that all of them will use their best
effotrs at the next session of Congess to
have that body appropriate money
enough to have the channel deepened
to 80 feet from Philadelphia to the At.
lantic. Ocean. 1t is also likely that
they will favor the project to make q
similar improvement in the Christiana
River from its mouth as far up the
stream as the business thereon will
warrant. The harbor improvement
committee Of Philadelphia, which pro-
vided for the trip and engineered it
want the support of all OF the members
of Congress from all three States, and
1T was learned, from remarks dropped
here and there during the TRIP, that
the movement to further improve the
harbor of Wilmington will como in for
its share of attention along with the
Delaware River project
Until recently the Christiana River
has received only scant consideration
on the part of Congress, hut the per-
sistent efforts of Deaware's members
of Congress in recent years and the
Board of Trade and business people
generally of the city have resulted in a
change for the better. Congress has
begun to realize that Wilmington is a
city of great Importance and that the
maintenance OF good harbnr here is
necessary, and as result liberal
appropriations for permanent improve
ment have been made during the past
few years. The good work of i'm
proving the harbor is well under way
and is likely to be continued along
with the Delaware River project. pro-
vided the support of the Pennsylvania
and New Jersey Congressman, which is
confidently expected as result of
Saturdays trip, is received
In the past the lack of attention
given the Christiana River has been
an annoyance 70 masters and owners of
large boats plying on tho Delaware
River. as bars accumulated at the
mouth of the stream and pilots mad to
be exceedingly careful to keep out of
their way. II 30-foot channel is
dredged in the Delaware the mouth of
the Christiana must be about the same
depth, or the old trouble will return
mud will wash out into the channel
and bars and fiats will be the result.
The improving of the Christiana lis
therefore a necessity if the Delaware
River improvement is to be permanent.
The itinerary of Saturdays trip.
which began at New Castle, where the
party boarded the steamboat, included
all the shoals and lodges which make
the ascent of the river impossible to
vessels of deeper draught. The whole
course of the contemplated channel was
gone over. Plans were laid before the
passengers and an inspection of the
New Castle, Finn's Point, Reedy
Island and Port Penn Ranges were
made. Dan Baker Shoal and Ducl
Greek Flats, whore the first improve
ments are to be made, were examined.
The various other flats and shoals were
called to the attention Of the party. AL
of these points figure in the proposed
plan for the digging of 30-foot chan
mel from Philadelphia to the sea-
Chairman Joel Cook, after the yesse
had turned its head homeward, placed
before the party the advantages tina
would accrue to all three States from
its waterway and made an earnes
appeal for their aid in securing a sub
stantial appropriation. He pointed t,
the fact that the plan was an excellen
one. That it had been passed upoi
favorably by the United States Engi
neers, by the Chief United State
Engineer, by the United States Engi
neering Board, and that finally Con
greas had already committed itself t
the project by an appropriation 0
$500. 600 voted in the recent River an
Harbor bill. In conclusion he intro
duced Senator William f. Sewell. o
q
the fact that the great problem Of
great country Is transportation--th tn
facilities for getting over great di:
tsnces for small charge. The railroad
have solved the land problem til
Delaware waterway would sclve th
water transportation question SO far Q
Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jer
sey were concerned, The energy di!
played by Philadelphia in femovin
the islands from her harbor was til
first step. The channel should have
depth OF 30 feet, and he saw no diff
Guilty ahead in securing it. He ht
lieyed that Congress would Iecognis
that the Delaware River is not
muddy creek. but a great nation
waterway. In conclusion he pledge
his support to the project. He wi
followed by the junior Senator of Ne
Jersey, John Kean, who spoke in muC
the same tenor.
Senator Kean was followed by Sem
tor Kenney and Congressman Hoffeck
of Delaware; Mayor Ashbridge,
Philadelphia; Congressman Henry /
Bingham. of Pennsylvania; Congres
man Henry G. Loudenslager, of Ne
Jersey; Congressman Robert Adam
of Pennsylvania: Congressman W.
Daley, Of New Jersey; Congressm;
John j. Gardner, of New Jersey Go
Voorhees,, of New Jersey ex- x-Congres
man Brumm and Congressman Butle
speech was fairy representative of Il
ones following. Every member Of Co
gress-in fact, all present--pledg
their hearty support.
During Mayor Ashbridge's rcmar
he referred to tho great value of
waterway accommodating all ships
to ahe country, both in peace and til
OF war. A point brought out by {
speakers was the fact that the benef
acuruing from the new channel wou
be national, and not confined TO I
three States bordering it. The increa
in trade would benefit tho VIII
country, both in the imports viii
would be carried as far as the Gre
Divide, and in the exports that eel
be shipred directly from this port.
Such interest in the project
never before been manifested, and |
joint committee is more than sangui
OF receiving substantial appropriate
from Congress the ensuing term viii
will push the work far ahead. Ma
of the members are in favor of havi
the ranges changed at once. as th,
will no doubt he Litigation cnncnr nj