Evening journal., 1902-07-25
IMPROVEMENT
OF THE RIVER
What II Means TO DOIaEaFe'S
ShipbniIding Industry
SPECIFICATIONS ARE REVIEWED.
Captain CO,hV Reports 10 War Dt-
parImeat Of the HOrk Already
Accomplished
SPECIFICATIONS lRE REVIEW wa

There are few Delawareans who Will
reaisye the benefits which will come 10
our business industries by the deepen
ing of the Delaware river channel, and
the dredging and bulkheading of the
C,hristiana creek. The Delaware river
improvement Is designed chiefly 10 inn
prove the shipping facilities OF the port
Of PHILADELPHIA. but in time IL viii ad-
vance the shipping interests OF this port
TO condition never thought Of.
Wilmington shipbuilders Will. OF
course. derive the greatest benefit from
tho improvement. lt viii make II pos
sible for them to build ships OF deep
draught. a work, which. at this time.
is impossible because Of the shallow
water OF the Christiana creek. II also
NAV lead to the establishment Of
shipbuilding plant on the river front
What such an industry would mean 10
this city Is easily Conjectured.
The principal towns OF the State on
other tributaries of the Delaware river
also will derive great benefit from the
Improvement and already the builders
of small crafts there are planning TO
enlarge their plants so that ships OF
much larger dimensions can be built
The Work to be Done
Some OF the interesting sections Of
the specifications providing for the
thirty foot channel which work Cap
tain Spencer Cosby. OF Philadelphia,
is now in charge Of are:
The shoals TO be dredged under this
contract are designated as Duck Creek
fats and Salem Cove shoals. and their
upper ends are about forty-eight and
hn1FIu
Philadelphia. The total length Of the
channel to be dredged to a width ol
600 feet and a depth OF 80 feet at mean
low water is about 81 APO feet, as fol-
lows. Duck Creek. 42240 feet; Salem
Cove shoal. 1880 feet.
The total amount of material to b.
removed is roughly estimated at TO-,
100000 cubic yards. scow measurement
of which amount about S.212 900 cubic
yards are to be removed from Ducl
Creek Flats shoal and about 2,6SS O0l
cubic Yards from Salem Cove Shoal
No guarantee is given. however. as q
the actual amount to be dredged from
each locality. or as to the total amoun
TO be dredged.
The minimum depth of channel to bl
dredged is two feet and the depth o
nine feet Side slopes Of about one ol
three will be allowed and paid for.
Special Conditions
General Proiect-The adopted pro
ject for the improvement OF the Della
ware river provides for the formation
OF a channel GOO feet wide and thirt
feet deep at mean low water fror
Christian street. Philadelphia, to dee
water in Delaware Bay opposite a poin
little below Bombay Hook. Tn
river and harbor act of June 13, 100,
authorizes the Secretary of War to en-
ter into a contract OF contracts fc
such materials and work as may I
necessary for prosecuting the proje
not to exceed in the aggregate $4,000
O00 10 be paid for as the appropri;
tions may from time TO time be mao
by law. Six hundred thousand dollar
OF this amount has been actually az
prOpriated and is available for this an
other contracts.
The work already accomplished III
der the project is the dredging of
channel about 20.5O0 feet long, 400 fe
wide and thirty feet deep through q
upper part of Baker shOal and the co
struction of about one-third OF q
bullShead to form the partly enclosl
basin. Under work now in progre
the existing channel to Baker she
Will be widened to 600 feet with
depth OF thirty feet and a cross bar
rising to a height of two feet abo
mean low awter will be construct
across the upper end Of the partly c
closed basin.