Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1904-12-02
.CHRISTIANA AND
ITS SEWAGE
Topic of Discussion at Board
of Trade Meeting Last
Night
WILMINGTON LIKELY TO SUFFER

Will LMINGTON LIKELY TO SUFFER
There was another long discussion at
the Board Of Trade meeting last night.
over the Christiana river and the sewage
that goes into 1t. The matter was brought (
up by Captain Horace Wilson, chairman
Of the committee on navigation and trans
portadon, who presented the following .
report.
By reason of the report of Engineer |
Smith on the filling in Of Christiana river 1
being largely due to the sewage system /
of Wilmington, Congress has banked on 7
appropriations for our harbor and river ,
In 1901 this was in a measure anticipated /
by act of the Legislature directing the I
city Of Wilmington to make appropria- |
tions, etc.. but in the Congress Of 1902 it /
was clearly shown by the committees I
recommendations that Wilmington would |
have TO change their sewerage system or /
do something else TO placate Congress TO /
Offset the sewage deposit. So that if we
have not got sufficient strength with the
River and Harbor Committee to convince
/ them that they are laborlng under a
wrong impression, then the city Of Will
mington must get rid of the sewage or
pay for its removal by dredging If they
want deep water up to their wharves.
It has been stated that the intent OF the
/ legislation act of 1901 was for that pur-
( pose; but the act approved March .,
1901 is about as follows:
The mayor and council of Wilmington
are authorized and directed to pay to the
/ Federal Official in charge Of the improve
ment Of wilmington Harbor. not to ex-
ceed 10 per cent. Of the sums expended by
the United States on such improvement,
and not to exceed $4,000 in any one year
or $4,000 in the aggregate, for additional
work on such improvement
The engineer Captain Flagler, states
that this act is not in shape to make the
sums intended by the Legislature for i'm
provement Of Christiana river effective.
In other words the engineer department
could not accept the money under the
conditions Of the act.
Now therefore it seems to be necessary
that in order to make this money avail
able for purposes intended that the next
Legislature should be requested to change
or amend the act
1t is the opinion of the Committee on
Navigation and Transportation that it is
desirable for the Board of Trade to APP
point some one, preferably a lawyer, to
take up the subject Of the act of Della
ware Legislature approved March Q, 1901,
with the engineer now located at Will
mington with a view TO drafting a bill
2 containing the intent of original act and
so changed as to make it operative.
After some discussion the above report
+, was referred to the legislative committee
! and Captain Wilson then presented an
other report as follows
The Christiana river has been dredged
] including removal of rock from bed OF
same by the U. S. Government to a depth
Of p feet under the project OF July /,
1S9S at an expense of Si50.OOO all spent be-
tween 1898 and 1901. Since that time the
depth of p feet has not been maintained.
a few months ago, dredging under the ap-
preparation amounting to $25OOo. of June
3, 1902 was commenced This will only re-
move two or possibly three of the shoal
places but the amount was not sufficient
to cover the accumulated deposit since
1901, though 1t might have been if used
Immediately after the bill had passed.
In order to dredge at these points and
assist to maintain the channel to the re-
quired depth, it is necessary for Whining
ton Harbor to have expended between
now and July /, 1906, about 100000 This
estimate is based upon Captain Flagler's
printed report, which is as follows:
July /. 1903. balance unexpended. .S57, ,Ss556
June 30, 1904, amount expended
during fiscal year, for mainten-
ance of Improvement. 41762
July 1, 1904. balance unexpended.. 7,4779l
July /, 1904, outstanding liabilities 10000
July /. 1904. balance available...... 49,477.94
: July /, 1904. amount covered by
uncompleted contracts. ........ @. .300.0 90
/ Amount that can be profitably ex-
pended in fiscal year ending
June 80. 1906 for maintenance of
improvement, in addition to the
balance unexpended July 1, 1904 S0.0o000
Submitted in compliance with require
= ments Of sundry civil act Of June T.
n 1887, and Of section of the River and
;. Harbor act of 1899.
You will see the engineer In charge OF
+ this district has recommended TO the De-
e partment Of Corps of Engineers, u. S. A,
e that during the year ending June 30. 1906
= there could be proitably expended in ad-
dition TO the funds atp resent unexpend-
q ed, the amount of $4,000.
The Chief Engineer of the Corps OF En-
gineers U. S. A.. has cut this amount
r down to $4,000. (See page 1851
Now it is Of vital Importance to the
city Of Wilmington to maintain the Il
foot channel and the Committee Of Navi
cation and Transportation recommend
that Board of Trade urge the Represent
tives and Senators for the State Of Della.
ware TO use their energies with the riyel
3 and harbor committee for such an appro-
priation as will be sufficient to keep oul
harbor to q feet at mean low water.
The ship building and other industries
1, Of Wilmington require this and our up
: wards of sS5.O00 900 Of commerce annually
3 more than justihes the comparatively
= small sum for which the United States
2 Engineer states our harbor needs.
3 On motion a copy of the report was or.
dered TO be sent TO each Delaware Repre-.
sentative in Congress.
Football at South Side Park.
< The Phoenix and Brandywine football
Z game will be played at South Side Parl