The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1901-06-05
COMMENTS OF THE DAY.
Inrrove the Delaware ship Channel

| H. work 0I improving the i''IiiN uIt ShP
channel in accord on thisShrdu shrdn
channel without further delay The ship
pins interests, business classes and city
officials appear to be thoroughly in nc
cord On this main point, yet the matter
still fingers in the first stage of discus
sion In the meantime the condition OF
the channel is retrograding rapidly.
How fast this change for the worse Is
taking place is proved by recent inyes-
legations Since the twenty-siN foot
channel WAS completed. little more than
a year ago the depth Of water ut low
tide has decreased from six inches to
four feet III the danger points. Five
wears ago il was possible to take deep
drnught vessel to the ocean on n single +,
tide Today two and sometimes three
tides are required to float u ship drawing
more than twpnty-three feet of water
over the numerous shoals between the
city whalyes and the head Of deep water
III the hay. President tiriScom has stat
ia that two new transatlantic steamships
~ the International Navigation Company
which were built expressly for trade with
this city. have been transferred 10 the
New York run because nf the state OF
the river Other Shipowners nrc hegin-
ming to divert their vessels to better
pnrts from fear of the dangers of the
waterway At the same time the ocean
arriving business calls for larger and
lrcnrr vessels, and what vessels venture
here must enter and depart light LOADED
~ take IN coal down the river,
The Federal government AMI the city
| hnvc expended more than $6,00O.0OO on
| he harlor and channel during the last
sixteen Years. ana dredging has been be-
run on the thirtv-fnot channel. Never
| threSs thu state Of the channel is grow
| 'ug more dangerous to navigation. Cor
eSpnndingly the needs IF the port are in
| rriSing. This is Il condition Of affairs
| hat demands immediate correction. The
| rfllSal of Congress Ia pass the river and
| harhnr act nj the last session makes
| hr situation the more serious. The
| appropriations authorized are already
.nvrrpd Ivy existing contracts. and before
nnre funds will hc available work on
| he channel will Ice brought tn Il stand
| till, Every day that the municipality
| md State postpone action adds to the
| .ity'S loss
| With lie assistance " Pilots Virdrn
| md Wallace The North American has
| conducted m independent investigation
/ ~ ii'' 'Hhillfi llbHi Wv hl'A'' - ~
| Schuylkill river to Dan Baker Shoal,
near deep water in the hay. BY extern
| i've seundtngs il has confirmed in detail
VERY measurement set forth iii the report
t thr hnrior anu navigation committee
| Y lie Trades League. The two pilots
| Who accompanied the North Americans
/ ,Npediton ara among the most eNperi-
| need riycrmen on the Delaware. Pilot
| NirhcG is president Of the Pilots Assoc
! ~, iatia aud his. natrolled the windings
. IN MIS- fttrf stotus, -, ..:::.: ,','"s
| Il century Pilot Wallace is treasurer
| II the association and ranks Mt the top
| " his calling.
The fnlingS made under the direction
| If these practical experts are rs reliable
is and more up-to-latr than any official
figures. The drpths Of water 1T mean
'ow tidc. established hy Careful soundings
IN sunday last. ranged from 25.5 feet NJ
Ninin Bar. schooner l.rdgr ana Bulk
head Bar. tn 2l3 feet nj Cherry Island
Flats. ami l6.5 feet nj Dan Baker Shoal.
NJ Cherry Island Flats aud Rnlkhraa
Enr Shnalei water was found in places,
hut the mean dcnth may H. taken aS mn
lvnrage. Dan Baker Shuu offers the
pa<t serious obstruction in the river
Before, any work Of Improvement was
l,nc IN tie Delaware channel this
huil carried twcutv-fuur feet Of water
II tha lower extremity If Prnn's Point
I.rlgr. Al the same point today. accord
. mg e. h" official report there is only
g ~iAtrrli feet If WATER. and il j. necessary
l u follow i narrow. iortunuS and iii
chart,.l course Ia grt Twenty-Five Zee
which i altogether 100 little FOR any YES
i "a ~ more than ordinary capacity. cvct
within the limitations Of this port.
These simple Facts speak for them
selves They explain sufficiently the r..
i 'utancc Of decp-Sca captains 10 hazar,
their shirS in tErSr waters. With an ~
"ellrpt system IL docks and the hos
y facilities for loading Philadelphia mus
2 II RELOCATED ~ il secondary position rs
II maritime port 80 long AZ il is approaches
II hrnugh an uncertain channel with
shifting bed Nut only is there constan
! hunger of grounding. Int The loss Of tim
: Incurred hy the Necessity Of waiting III
- tluud tide iii entering ANA lpaviu. III
Il harhur mran> the sacrifice Of hundred
~ dollars IN every shipload of fIrigh
When 10 this is added the fact thar rh
NJ lHigcr steamers still plying the river ar
81 obliged 10 come and 20 only part lnadr,
~ il hrcnmr~ obvious why The trade
Philadelphia 10y Sca has NOT kept iii,
:" with The industrial ANA commrrci;
II growth If the city. The effect of the,
u obstacles could not be- better summe
M than has been don" hv Pilot Nirlr
in the following statement IL The Mort
~ Amellcat:
~ Phinrdrlphia should be one Of Il
in greatest. il not tie greatest commerc
Il. civ III The United States. Her locatia
4, hGr vast industrial Development. MS W,
l. -