The Wilmington daily Republican., 1902-01-03
THE RIVER
AND HARB0R.
Board of Trade committee
TO Confer with Con.
gresham.

The improvement of river and har-
bor was the subject discussed by the
members of the Board of Trade at its
meeti ng last night, and as a result a
con ference will be held with Congress
man Ball this ,eyeping, who will be
informed as to just what it is need
ed.
President Lawton called to the
fact that Wilmington succeeded in
getting on the last river aud harbor
bill before Congress, but 1t was wiped
= n by the committee. The question
now to be considered IS whether this
tity desires to make another struggle
for the purpose Of securing recogni-
tion in the bill to be passed by the
present congress.
A. s, Reed asked if the members
of the board knew what to ask for.
Mr.. Lawton suggested that the
committee ask for the same appro.
prlation which was looped off last year
namely $50. 900. tobe used in continu-
ing improvement Of the Christiana
river and harbor. Colonel Raymond
recommended that amonnt in his re-
port when he was In charge of this
district. Mr.. Lawton continuing said
that there was once channel twenty
one feet deep in the Christiana, but
! from conversations with riyermcn he
had conclusion that there is not more
than fourteen feet of water In some
places In the river at theprcsent time
Joseph L. Carpenter Jp., asked if
such was the usual results of improv-
ements.
Mr.. Eawton replied that the city
was dumping considerable sewage in
to the stream. According to the re.
port of the government engineers the
city is dumping 80. 900 cubic yards of
matter into the stream every year.
W neither these figures are cor
rect or not they stand against the
city. lie said it was also the inien-
tion to ask the government the bulk
head the stream at a cost of $40O. 900,
Mr.. Carpenter asked If this would
help matters and Mr. Lawton replied
because much of the filling has been
caused by the banks along rhe side of
the river caving in after the dredging
ind bulkheadlng would stop this, and
would also keep the stream cleaner
because it would he confined to Il
narrower space.
II. +. Pickles also asked some qncS-
tions concerning the reSullStu be OBJ
tained by bulklleading.
Mr.. Reed did not believe that much
OF bulkhead could be obtained for
$400. 900, but it was stated that the
government engines had made such
All estimate.
1t was also brought out in the dis
cuSSion that undcra law passed by the
last General Assembly the city is to
appropriate Onc-tcnth of any amount
given by the government to assist in
the work. provided that the share Of
the city does not exceed $50. 900. 1t
was thought by those present that
this would remove the objections that
Wilmington is filing the Christian
with sewerage without making any |
provision to take ii out.
1t was decided that Secretary Tay-
lor should send letters to the mem
bers OF the river aud harbor commit
tee requesting them to he present
and confer with Congressman Ball
this evening and it was also urged
that all the members of the board
Interested in the improvement of the
harbor be present 1t is also likely
that the matter of buikheading the
Delaware river front from the mouth
Of the Christiana to Edge Moor will
be cal ed to the attention Of DR.. Ball
and that he will be asked to Join
with the representatives. from Penn.
'ylvania in urging that dppropra tion
as it would benefit the commerce OF
Philadelphia by narrowing the Della
ware river at dangerous point and
thus giving deeper water and would
also benefit Wilmington by giving it
\ river front>0n tho Delaware as well
Is ON the Chrlstiana.