Evening journal., 1903-09-18
THAT CHANNEL
i To THE ATLANTIC
lcOntInued fr0m FIrst Pags.l


sequence of injunctions in some in.
stances, a new board Of engineers was
appointed TO modify the plans once
more and provide for the enlargement
OF the channel by dredging
instead of by the action of dikes.' Thus
history repeats itself. This change OF
policy resulted in a suspension Of ef-
forts to regulate the currents by con-
traction work. for the time being, and
a return to dredging alone.
In the Philadelphia Times Of August
10 1902. the statement was made that
between 1898 and 1902 there We're de-
posted in the bed of the river 21,632,0 900
cubic yards of sediment dredged from
other sections.
This statement will serve to illus
trate the extent of the deposits and ex-
plain In part why when the twenty-six
foot project was reported 70 be com
pleted. and the project was enlarged,
the results We're so unsatisfactory be
cause of the fact that the depths on the
ranges in some instances We're less than
before the work was commenced and
the channels had shifted off the range.
1t was therefore cause for congrat-
ulation when an order was issued that
thereafter 10 more material should be
deposited in the river, and there was
hope that the dredges would be able to
secure a permanent channel; but un-
fortunately the expedient was adopted
Of creating an artificial island at the
mouth of the river capable Of holding
about 100000 yards of the 35,000,000
to be removed. and it was recommend
ed that the balance be placed in the
-. = 4
wash Of the tides.
An eminent authority on tidal waters
in referring to this recommendation
says: ITO deposit the soft material in
these holes is simply TO invite the cur
rents to SCOOP it out again and rede-
posit it uIon the shoals and in the chan
nel TO be again dredged out.
The inability of the river to maintain
the cuts which have been dredged
through its shoals is strikingly illus
trated in the case of the Cherry Island
Flats concerning which the last official
report gives the depth at 2O.5 feet and
which it is now proposed to improve by
a dixie Of nearly two miles I'm length,
extending obliquely in a straight line
down the river. To procure the best
conditions in a tidal river the channel
HHVAA0 hE RAOU0IAlOIlEu 10 lIlE ItclcL-
ance which the bed offers to the incom-
Ing tide. If the bed is too wide and
deep, or, in other words, the cross sec
tion too large. the river will attempt to
remedy the evil by deposits. which il is
useless TO dredge, since il only aggra-
Yates the defect; If too small Il scours
and deposits both above and below in
the larger reaches; IL too crooked. the
ill., -.
cave banks. and the flood and ebb tides
pursue different paths. leaving a middle
ground or crossing bar at the points OF
infection. 1t viii be seen. therefore
how little permanent relief may be ex-
pected from dredging these bars without
regulating works to modify the condi-
tions Of the currents forming them. I'm
less a powerful fleet of dredges 4,
maintained TO remove the silt as fas
as It is shifted by the tidal currents
no permanent adequate channel car
be secures. But already very nearl,
$4,000. 600 has been expended on tn
channel below the city independent o
the larger sum spent by local authori
ty on the harbor.
The logical conclusion is reached tina
the board Of 1879 was correct in prohib
iting redumping in the stream, and tn
board of 1855 was right in recommend
ing regulating works to secure perma
nent results.
The British system divorces thei
river and harbor works from polite
and places them in the hands of loca
but permanent boards of Representative
commissioners, with authority to secur
results, which they find no great diff
nculty in doing.
The condition Of the Delaware rive
may therefore be ascribed to the prev
alent system of conducting our publ
works, and not to any defects in tn
4 personnel Of those in charge or to an
abnormal or occult operation of physi
cal laws.