Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-12-14
DELAWARE WATERWAYS.
Progress of Work ON tho NavIEablc stronm
During the Year.

Progress of Work ON tho NavIEabis Streams
During the Year.
According to the annual report OF
Gen. W. r. Smith, United States en-
gineer, the work in Delaware streams
below Wilmington during the last fiscal
year resulted as follows:
Appoguinimink Riyer-The amount
expended on the Improvement to the
close Of the fiscal year 1898 was
$40, 990.04. Uudei the contract dated
july I'd, 1897, work was begun on July
18th, 1893. As conyeyances of the land
required for the projected cutoffs at and
below Thomas Landing were secured
early in the fiscal year the dredging
required thereon was included in the
contract work, Operations under the
contract continued unit March 31st,
1899, and during this periud the chan
mel was dredeed and shoals removed to
at moan low water as follows: AT the
upper point OF and through Quarter
Mile Reach; from just below Polk's
wharf to above the lower corner of the
steamboat wharf at Odessa in Wind
mill Reach and Toms Bay Reach !;
below Windmill Reach and in the reach
Just above TIM one leading to New
Bridge; the cutoff at No Man s Friend
Reach was widened to from GO to 10
feet through the straight portion of it
and still more at the ends, which were
made fdp-shape; a cutoff 625 feet in
length was made through the marsh
at Thomas Landing, and another, $50
feet long, through the marsh Just
below. Tho aggregate length of dredg
ing done in these operations was about
5000 feet At the mouth of the river
cut 30 feet wide. and 8 feet deep at
moan low water, was made for length
of ], 100 feet through the marsh from
| the 5-foot depth inside the river to the
5-foot depth in the slough outside,
through which deep water in the Della
ware River is reached Juet below Black
bird Creek The quantity of material
| removed was 6o,091 cubic yards. These
| operations resulted in channel so feet
wide and 8 feet deep, at mean lew
waf.r. frnn the uprer an0 ri Quarter
Mile Reacn 10 he ninutn ot he liver.
!. win some si,gnt exceptions. At the
| reaoh aG hew Bridge, where IL Is PIC
posed to make a cutoff as soor as the
| right Of way for it can be obtained.
and at shoal just below, the channdl
is bnt 6i., feet deep, and there are
slight shoals IN Rock Reach and two
| between there and the mouth of the
river. The maximum draft that could
BIZ carried June 30th, 1899, at mean
low water over the shoalest part of the
river was feet. The river and harbor
act Of March Sd, 1899, appropriated
| $4,000 for continuing this improee-
menr. 1t is proposed to expend the
amount asked for. il appropriated, in
continuing work under the project.
Following is the money statement:
July lst, 1898, balance unexpended,
$1,000. 96 ;amnunt appropriated by river
and harEor act approved March Sd,
1899, 5000; total, s14, 009. SO; June
Both, 1859 amount expended during fiscal
year, .5S,9S6. Ga; July LIST, 1899, balance
unexpended, s5.023. 32 amount testi
mated] required for compilation Of
existing project, sli. 9S3: amount that
can be profitn nbly expended in fiscal year
ending June 30th, 1901 for work of
Improvement. $1,000: for maintenance
OF improvement, S1,G00; tctal, $1,000.
Smyrna River Total amount ex.
4 pended on this improvement to June
\ a0,h. 1925. was $50 96l .6, of which
s;25, 36l. iti Is On the present project. No
work WAS done on the project during
| the past fiscal year. The expenditures
were for payment of outstanding liabili-
| ties and amounts due un contract at
| tho close of last fiscal year. The river
| and harbor act of March 3d, 1899, an
| propriated 81, 600 for continuing thu
| Improvement. Following is the money
statement: July lst, 1898, balance un-
expended, Sl,03S. y; amount appfo-
priated by river and harbor act ap-
proved March I'd, 1899, $1,000; total
| Sc, 035 u June Both, 1899, amount ex-
4 nended during fiscal year, 81, ,033 73
| July LIST, 1899, balance uneypended,
50, U9I. 0l amount iestimateuI required
for completion OF existing project,
81, 395: amount that can be profitably
expended in fiscal year ending June
S0th, 1891 for works of improvement,
| 81, 1885,; for maintenance of improve
ment, sl,OU0; total, c5,365.
Murderkill River--The amount ey-
pended to june Both, 1898, was SIS,
4S2. 81. LIN addition 10 this, 81, 800 was
expended in removing d shoal at the
mouth of the St. Jones River, in ac-
cortance with the requirements OF the
liver and harbor act of August 18th,
1894. No work has been done on the
Improvement during tine fiscal yeaI.
The expenditure reported was for an
examination OF the river. The river and
harbor act Of March I'd, 1899, appru-
priated $1,000 for continuing this i'm
rloyement. The amount asked for, if
appropriated, will be expended iu
dredging at the bar and in the rive
in continuation Of the project Fol
lowing is the money statement: July
1st, 1898, balance pended. SIT. -
amount appropriated by river AID har-
1 .p,1 o. +,
total, Sa0l7. 10: June 3Ush, 1889,
s13.35; July lst, 1893, balance uneS-
pended, s5,0Ol. 10; amount (estimated) j
required for completion of existing
project, 1927, 764; amount that can be
profitaby expended in fiscal year
ending June both. 190l For works OF
Improvement, 5000: for maintenance
Of Improvement, Il 1000: total, IS, GOO.
Mispillion River-Ihe amount ex.
pended to June both, 1898, was SIS, :
SS7. ~, of which s2l, SS7, AZ is on the
| Iioseptl project. No work has been
done during the present fiscal year: the
expenditure WIS for liabilities out
standing ut the close Of last fiscal year
Tba MAXIMUM daft that could be car
ried june 10Th, 1888, ut mean low
water, over the shoalest part across the
mouth Of the river was feet Tho
4 river and han hor act of March .'d, 1899,
appropriated $500 TN this improve.
ment. The commerce of the river con
sists principally of lumber, railroad
tics, eIain, canned goods, lime and
fertilizNrs, and is reported to have been
the same last year as the preceding
4 year, when it was stated rs S3, l29 tons,
and valuation of SI,676, T0i. Follow
ing is the money statement; July lst,
4 1898, balance uiexpended, SIP. IS