The evening Republican., 1902-07-11
CHERRY
ISLAND MARSH.

The following circular IS being
sent to owners of Cherry Island
Marsh and will explain itself:
The directors of the Cherry Island
Marsh Co npany are considering plans
for the better drainage Of Cherry Is.
land Marsh and making the land
suitable for manufacturing purposes.
1t has been found that in times of
freshet, the two sluices. the one
leading into the Brandywine river
and the other into the Delaware
river, are entirely inadequate in
passing the great volume Of water
which comes chiefly from Shellpot
creek; the result is that the entire
marsh is covered at such times
with several feet Of water of
and a number Of days usual y
passes before it finds its way throug Ii
the sluices.
1t has therefore, been decided to
cut channel on the line Of what is
known as Mud creek, having width
Of 100 feet at the top and 10 feet at
the bottom. and throwing up banks
on each side of said channel to Il
height of ten feet about low water
In the Delaware river. AS a chanrel
Of this size has a cross-section area
of four or five times that Of the two
sluices combined, it should at all
times take care Of the water of Shell
pot creek and the filling of the
marsh would thus be avoided.
At the present time the marsh
land cannot he used for any purpose
whatever, nor can ill., be disposed of
at Il reasonable price, owing to the
causes above stated. About 80 per
cent. Of the marsh is owned by the
=. W. & B. II. r. Company, who
are now filling in the bulk OF their
holdings fer the purpose of construct
ing freight yard and Car shops.
This means that the balance OF the
marsh land will suffer to a great
extent by floods on account Of the
decreased area in which the water
will have TO spread out.
At some time in the near future
dredging will be commenced along
the Delaware river front, and the
marsh land can then be filled in at
little or no expense by the pumpage
Of mud from The river bottom. How.
ever, whcn this is done it will be
necessary to erect banks to take care
Of the water Of Shellpot creek, and
retain the water and mud pumped
from the river on the marsh road
With deep channel on the Della
ware river front, and the improve
ments now underway by the 2. W.
& Il. Il. II. Company, the marsh
property could I've made into valuable
manufacturing land, The first step
in this direction is to provide proper
drainage. 10 construct canal, as
showH on the enclosed sketch, exclu-
sive of the portion the J.. w. 4 B.
r. Il. property, which no doubt will
be taken care Of by the railroad com.
pany, will cost about $4,000.
1T was decided at meeting of the
directors of Cherry Island Marsh
Company that ansassessment Of So 90
per acre should be levied on the
marsh property to assist in building
the canal, subject, however, to the
approval Of the marsh owners. 1t
was decided That the opinion of the
board be made known to the p. w.
& B. II. r, Company, and that the
said conpany be asked to pay the
balance of the cost and, also, take
charge of the work.
A meeting OF the marsh owners
will be held in the Board Of Trade
rooms in the Equitable building
corner Ninth and Market streets,
Wilmington, on Wednesday, July Is,
1902, at 3 o'olock p. M, for IL dis
cussion Of the drainage question and
future development of the marsh
at which you are earnestly
to be present.