Evening journal., 1904-01-04
WILL RECLAIM
PEA PATCH ISLAND
Fort Delaware Will Be Trans
ferred From Swamp to
Fertile Land
WILL BEGIN WORK IN SHORT TIME

Pea Patch Island haven Of REFUSED
for he mosquito and upon which Is situ-
latcd Fort Delaware. Will shortly be trans
formed from swampy. malariai meadow
into high. fertile land. The reclaining OF
the island. as planned by Captain j. c.
Sanford. will entail an expenditure OF a
little over 5000. and at the same time
provide a convenient place for dumping
materials dredged from the bed of the
Delaware river. At the present time the
greater portion of the island is a wash
at high tide, making a perpetual maiarial
swamp.
/ Work will be begun within the next
few weeks 20 raise the partially-con-
structcd entertainments along the shore OF
The lower portions OF the Island to a uni
form level Of six feet above high water.
lIt Is expected that these will be COM
pleied by the end OF March. The space
behind these entertainments will provide
an immense area on which material taken
from the channel by the American Dredg-
ing Company will be deposited. A pipe line
from the island TO a pumping dredge
close to the shore viii suck up the mud
dumped into an artificial basin and de-
posit &c OF tire meadows.
Several projects have been brought for
ward at different times TO reclaim the
swampy portion Of the Island. one Of
these, advanced some years ago, provided
to do the work at a cost OF {i22,ooo. Ac-
cordlng to the estimate made by Captain
Sanford the present scheme will save the
Government about Sii5,O00.
! The great quantity of broken ice IN the
Delaware has so impeded the work Of the
suction dredge Cape Fear. that Captain
Sanford has decided 10 return her TO
Wilmington. n. c., her regular station.
She will leave here either today or to-
morrow after taking on coal and pro-
visions sufficient for the voyage. The
Cape Fear. since she was borrowed on
October 2, has been at work deepening the
channel, through Cherry Island Flats. Her
Operations have been so successful that
the channel for about mile through the
shoai water has been deepenod two and
a half feet
The Cape Fear was a new departure in
the Delaware dredging work. Heretofore
an the work was done by means OF the
old-fashloned scoop dredges, operated un-
der contract. The Cape Fear, on the other
hand. Us owned by the Government. She
takes up the mud by means of scrapers
from either side Of the vessel. Powerful
Pumps suck mp the material as soon as IL
lis loosened. depositing II In the mold.
Boats OF the Cape Fear type, according
Ito engineers. are far more desirable than
the dredges OF the scoop type. The mode
Of operation permits her TO move up and
down the channel under her own steam
lenabling her TO avoid interfering with the
business Of the port. The scoop droiges
are anchored while az work, sometimes
directly In the channel.
Wants Drsdges Back in Spring.
Captain Sanford said yesterday that the
work OF tho Cape Fear had proven So
satisfactory that he would make appli-
lcallon 10 have her returned to the Della
ware IN the spring. Efforts VIII also be
p made 10 hive one Of the new dredges OF
the same type now building assigned "a
this port until the boat 10 be constructed
Especially for this harbor is completed.
Notwithstanding the Indictment weather
the dregde Hell Gate succeeded IN work.
ling for a short time last week on schoon-
Ter Ledge. Considerable loose rock was
liified from the bed Of the river In tho
laws Of the monster graphing basket.
The PROV of the boat has been shcathcd
so 40 20 resist the ice. and II Tho river is
reasonably clear she will be flowed down
today and anchored On the ice harhor
Lad Marcus Hook. As soon as the weather
permits she VIII resume work on schoon-
er Ledge