Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-03-28
HARBoR IMPROVEMENT.
United States Engineer Flagler Suggests
That the City Cooperate.

That the City Cooperate
United States Engineer Flagler has sent
the following letter 10 the Board Of Trade:
Wilmington, Del, March 18th, 1906.
Thomas II. Savery President OF the
Wilmington Board Of Trade, Wilmington,
Delaware.
Dear Sir. l desire to invite your atten-
ton TO the advisability of utilizing the
provisions Of the Act of the State Legisla-
ture Of March 9th 1901 for the improve
ment of the upper harbor OF Wilmington
during the coming season. The act is as
follows:
"secton l. That, from and after any
future appropriation by the Federal
government for the purpose of the im-
provement Of the Christiana River. as
hereinabove designated, the Mayor and
Council Of Wilmington be and it is hereby
authorized and directed TO pay to such
person or persons placed in charge of the
such future proposed improvements by
the United States government a sum or
sums OF money not exceeding in the aggre-
gate $4,000.
Provided, however, that not more than
$4,000 shall be paid on said account in
any one year; and further provided that
prior to any such payment SO to be made,
the person OF persons placed in charge
OF said proposed improvement by the
United States government shall render
TO the said Mayor and Council of Viii
mington a detailed estimate as far as
possible OF all amounts to be expended
in the course of said improvement; and
further provided, that no such payments
so to be made by the said Mayor and
Council of Wilmington, shall exceed in
..N
sum then already expended, as shown by
the statement of the said Federal Official
in charge.
Section 2. That the said sum or sums
TO be paid by the Mayor and Council of
Wilmington, as authorized and directed
by the preceding section, shall be paid
as other expenses of said city of Whining
ton are paid and shall be provided for by
ordinance or otherwise, as Council may
direct
Section 3. That this Act shall be
deemed and taken TO be a public act, and
that all acts OF parts Of acts inconsistent
herewith be and the same are hereby
repealed"
Since the passage Of the Act, appro-
priations amounting to S750 600 have been
made by the Federal government for the
improvement OF the harbor. OF this
amount there has been expended to date
S35, ,271S2. IL would therefore appear
from the above Act that the city Of Will
mington is called on to appropriate for
the improvement of the harbor SS3, ,527. rs,
and the wording of the above Act would
indicate that such amount should be paid
to me by the Mayor and Council. after
due appropriation thereof, upon my sub
mission Of a detailed statement of the ex-
penditures above quoted The tenor of
the Act implies that after this money has
been turned over TO me- il shall be eX-
pended by me for the United States in
extending the improvement of the harbor
Unless it is not legally proper, il would
appear to me very much more advisable
that this m oney should be expended by
the city upon plans approved by the
Secretary of War. and that il should all
be expended within the limits Of the
harbor on the Christiana River above
tho Third street bridge This, because
the present appropriations, by Con-
/ gressional limitations, can only be ox-
pended below the Third street bridge.
| II the city desires to follow this suggested
method, l will have an examination made
| promptly of the portion of the stream
above the Third street bridge and submit
] ~ IANINANf anu IT ANAIANNNNMf hlnW NINNIIlU
/ specifications for the expenditure ofthe
/ funds in the best interests of the harbor
| This examination can be made with funds
now in my hands, and il is my opinion
that the work could be most cheaply done
by the Bowers Hydraulic Dredging Co. 5
plant now in the river.
You will remember that the paragraph
approprating money for the improve
ment Of Wilmington Harbor in the last
River and Harbor Bill March 3D.. I9O0
as presented TO the House of Representa-
| tives specified that no portion of the
money appropriated should be expended
unless the city Of Wilmington made satis-
! factory provisions for maintaining the
/ harbor at the project depth of 2l feet
! above the Third street bridge. and further
more, limited the expenditures of the
Federal appropriations TO the portion of
the harbor below that bridge. Through
the eXertions of the Delaware representa-
/ tives both Of these provisions were stricken
/ out OF the bill in the Senate committee
but on conference, the provision limiting
the work to the portion of the harbor
below Third street bridge was reinserted.
| This action indicates the advisabiitv of
the city's eXpending such funds as IL
| properly can on the improvement Of the
upper harbor, II the River and Harbor
Committee of the House is to be con-
WINGED OF the importance attached to the
harbor by the commercial interests OF
Wilmington Il is practically certain
that Congress will not pass O River and
Habror bill at its present session. and at
the next session such bin will be passed
] therefore consider il of the most vital
Importance If ANYTHING is to be done bv
the city TO the harbor, that the appropria-
tion Of funds and their expenditure on
Improvements should take place during
the coming working season, which will
require prompt action so that reference
TO the same may be made by the Della
ware delegation during the next session
when endeavoring to obtain the much
needed appropriations for the .harbor.
] will be glad 70 have an examination Of
| your opinion in regard 70 the best steps to
take IN this matter, and will be glad to
furnish az any time any such assistance
as ] properly can 70 further YOU in such
work, ii you should decide Co take il up.
MN Yours very truly,
G.. A. r. Flagler.
Captain. Corps of Engineers.