Evening journal., 1907-03-26
DREDGES BUZZ
ON THE CHANNEL
Work On Path 70 the Sea Re-
Sumed With Much
VieOr
QUICK COMPLETION
NOW LOCKED FOR

predges are buzzing with renewed en-
ergy digging away at the big thirty-foot
channel in the Delaware river TO the sea.
Now that the Ice and other signs Of VIM
ter have left the waterway tbs work has
been taken up with a will and viii bc
pushed as hard as II is possible TO do so.
Last week the American Dredging Conn
rany put a big force Of men cat woiiS
on the uncompletcd section of channel
and two Government drcdges viii be
placed on the river during the early part
Of tho present week. The American DrcGy-
ing Company holds a contract, the funds
for which are provided for by a Joint
appropriation of Philadelphia ana Penn
sylvania. The company has three channel
sections 10 complete. One Is from the
State line up to Ridley Creek, and the
other two are between League Island and
Christian street. About Si00o00 Is being
expended for this work With tho COM
plotion of the channel OF the stlte line
TO Deep Water Point, "a section which viii
be finished in the course OF the next
month. the United states Government viii
be free to ask bids for widening the cham
mel throughout this stretch to the fun 6oo
Gees
Between the state line and Bellevue the
width is only $50 feet that being as much
as could be obtained with the money FIRST
appropriated Il is also probable that
Major Sanford wll In the near future
call for bids on widening to 1900 feet the
bend la Goose Island FLATS. below Now
Castle. This viii require the dredging Of
about 95O.OO0 cubic yards. None of tho
other twelve channel bends an of which
are to be widcnod to 800 feet. afford
enough work to make Il necessary 10 call
for new contracts. The Government vii
DO most Of this additional work with its
own plant.
Estimates place at 7i8o0o cubic yards IN,
amount Of dredging which win be roqulr
ed to widen the 90 foot channel at an it'
bends Tho last Rivers and IIarbors BIZ
allows up. to 100000 for this work. AZ
Schooner Ledge it has been decided e
move the channel 25 feet farther pa
from the Pennsylvania bank Of the rive
IN order TO avoid two heavy ledgos. Th
rock is being hlasied to 30 feet and vii
be removed 90 allow a fun sS feet OF watc
depth. SO as to insure absolute safety q
vessels counting on a so-foot channel. TIL
upper range at the Horseshoc win ha ear
ried little over toward the New Jersc
shore, because Of the strong tendency
shoal on the Pennsylvania side Of th
RIVER Between Fort Delaware, up
which point the 3l-foot channel has bee
completed. and Doep Water Point s..
miles. two contracts will require tie who
of tho present season TO complete. Frol
Fort Delaware up 10 Now Castle there
now a channel POO feet wide
The most important ohnnEcs which ha'
hccn made since the plan was. FIRST taxi
up Is the widening of the curves and q
granting Of authority % pay for materi
dredgcd down to a depth Of 80 feet und
all future construction and maintcnan
contracts. Including the appropriation
made in the Rivers aad Hasbors hil
passed by the last Congress and the une
pended balance Of the Joint appropr
items of city and State there is az q
present time available for the cham
work over s2oOo,oOo.
To complete the work under the cham
ed plans will require the dredging OF abo
- il.000Oo0 cubic yards OF materials ~
natural securing of the stream can
> counted on TO carry out some OF the m
terial which stiI remains to be move
In order to make the work already cor
pleted more valuable 20 the shipping 3
terosts Of the city. Major Sanford Intent
during the first part Of April TO put Il
? powerful Government dredge Delawar
which is now being used In New Yol
harbor. on the sub-sections OF the rlv
work at Duck Creek Flats and Bak
: shoal. where shoalng has taken place ]
10 % feet When the channel shall ha'
n been cleared for heavy draught vesse
7 leaving this port. az they now await his
tide to pass over obstruct'ons at the
nants.
:. Up to Fort Delaware the 30-foot cham
= was completed. with its fun width OF q
feet. IN 1904 This Is a continuous STREET
: Of lTS miles, and required the excavati'
Of nearly l3500.O00 cubic yards of mate
ial IL Is most likely that the dredi
> Delaware will be put on the two poln
where shonlng has occurred before beh
4 put on the two sections Of the cham
T between Ridley Creek and League islam
which the Government plant Is drcdsll
: under contract with Philadelphia.