Evening journal., 1906-07-27
D. &C. CANAL WOULD
COST $l3,OOO,OOO
General AenuS Declares Viii
minetOn Would Be Bene-
fitted By the Waterway
ONLY TWO ROUTES
ARE In VIEW

The Engineer Bureau Of the War
Department has prepared list Of all
the maps. surveys and other material
available for the use Of the new Ches-
apeake and Delaware Canal Commis-
sion in the preparation Of the report
ordered by Congress. The estimates
Of cost for such canal have hereto
fore run up to about s1s,O0O.OOO. but
that depends to a considerable extent
on whether "the largest ships" Is taken
to include the largest warships. II II
does, the cost will be greatly increased.
The purpose OF the canal. from the
point OF view Of Government advan-
tage, is TO afford an inside line of
Communication FOR warships, so that II
by any chance an enemy should OBJ
struct the route by way Of the Vir-
lginia Capes communication would not
lbe cut or The far greater value OF
such a canal is that such a canal viii
lanord Baltimore q much shorter and
more convenient as well as less danger
GUS outlet TO deep water. It is con-
THAI Il win also be OF great benefit
to Philadelphia and eastern Pennsyl-
lvania. But the main beneficiary would
be Baltimore.
The old canal was begun In 1924, and
the water was turned In on July 4.
l1S29. II cost about s2.250 600. Of which
the government paid 100000. Pennsyl-
lvania 100000 and Maryland $780, II
soon became insufficient TO meet the de-
mands Of the constantly increasing
shipping. and will serve for little more
than a guide line for the construction
lof a canal (which win accommodate
the largest ships" as contemplated by
the resolution authorizing the present
commission. Tile present commission
Is authorized TO ascertain the value OF
the present canal IN case the Govern
, ment should determine to purchase IT,
Choice Of Two Routes.
When asked as TO the precise duties
Of the Canal Commission, General An
, lgus chairman OF the commission said:
"To determine the desirabillty OF one
OF two routes. We are limited to two
routes By Congress-the present Chess
lapeake and Delaware Canal and Is only
a ditch fourteen miles long and nine
feet deep. The question to decide is
whether It viii be better for the gov
ernment 10 purchase and enlarge II or
. whether the Sassafras route. twenty
miles south, ought 10 be chosen The
3 flatter Is said TO possess many advan-
tages over the present waterway Our
6 estimates viii be based on a canal OF
sufficient depth and capacity to accom-
modate the largest vessels anoat. It
is TO be n free waterway"
! Aid to coastvise Trade.
Naturally the canal will stimulate
the water carriage and bring safety
20 the coastwise trade" continued Gem
eral Agnus. 'While II would be diff
hcult to calculate its advantages now
D I have no doubt but that commerce
generally viii be greatly benefited Il
win reduced the distance from Baiti-
more to Philadelphia by water at least
4 $50 miles. II win benefit both cities.
G as we'll as Wilmington. and points on
the Delaware and Chesapeake Bays"
From carolinas to Cape Cod.
General Agnus is confident that there
viii be. in the not remote future. an
inland waterway from the Carolinas to
Cape Cod, and that the proposed ship
canal viii be an important link in the
chain of sheltered waters. While he
regards the value OF the proposed canal
from a commercial standpoint as great.
because It will be constructed large
enough to accommodate ships of the
deepest draught. he holds that its chief
usefulness will be as a means Of ma
tional defense. 1T will enable an Amer
lean fleet TO mobilize IN protected watt
lers, and would require an enemy TO
divide his forces in order to keep track
lof an American fleet that had a means
of transit between the two bays. 1t
will bring Baltimore within 105 miles
s lof Philadelphia. and if a canal were
L built through the low counties Of New
7 Jersey. New York would be in line OF
Communication OF an inland waterway.
y reaching from the Carolinas to Cape
Z Coo.