Middletown transcript., 1909-03-06
CHEs APEAKE 1 DELAWARE CANAL
IIonss camnIItsa Fayorl Purshase b

/ House Committee Fax0fs Purchase oil
Il Waterway and Appropriates Money
WASHINGTON, March 2d--An important
| steiSip slle great work Of providing an in.
land sterway from Boston TO Beaufort
and hesond was taken yesterday when
the lTouse Committee on Railways and
/ Cana : reported favorably the bill Of Re.
preventative Burton, OF Delaware, direct.
ing the Secretary Of Warto buy the Chesa-
peake and Delaware Canal. The bill
provides that If the works, franchises,
properties, claims and holdings of every
kind Of the canal can be acquired by vol
untary agreement for sum not exceeding
50, ,5l5, 900, the Secretary Of War is direct
ed to purchase the canal, and that sum is
specifically appropriated for the purpose.
But il it cannot be purchased by volun.
tary agreement, then the Secretary is
authorized TO institute and carry to com.
pletion condemnation proceedings, and
the snm of S.. 600 is appropriated to pay
the cost of the proceedings, and when
fiual Judgment is entered the Secretary,
in his discretion, is. directed to draw
warrant on the treasury for the amount
of the Indebtedness.
As soon as the canal passes into the
control OF the government the Secretary
of War is directed to maintain il as free
and open waterway and the sum of $780,
600 is appropriated to operate the canal
until the Sectetary can proceed to the con-
struction of tide water canal with adepth
of not less than so feet in strict accordance
with the plan and project formulated by
the Agnus commission.
In the report Of the commission ap-
pointed by President Roosevelt two years
ago, of which Gen. Felix Agnus was
chairman; Major G. A. F. Flagler, Of the
Engineer Corps, representing the Army,
and Lieut.. F. T. Chambers, representing |
the Navy, it was held that the govern. |
ment should pay no higher value than |
81, 514, ,2S9.70 for the works, franchises,
bonds, real property holdings and all |
other claims of the canal except certain |
outside buildings, which have been de-
Quoted.
The ommission recommended tide
level canal, and the bill passed is based
ON that recommendation. The commiss-
ion recommended a canal of 35 feet
depth, and estimated that the total cost
of such cana, including the 50, ,514, ,289.70
for the purchase OF the canal, would be
500, ,621 ,323.70, but it also submits an es-
innate for 30.foot canal for which the
the cost was estimated at $l7, 1872 064.70.
This estimate also included the purchase
price Of the canal, and further estimate
Of 1925, $50 for 903 acres of high land
and SIS, 900 for 750 acres Of marsh land,
total of $2,sl5, $50 70, leaving the cost Of
the actual construction of the 30-foot
channel at $l4, 1884, ,9l4. 1t will be seen,
therefore, that the bill recommended
leaves a margin of more than 81 800, 900
for contingencies unforeseen, but which
all careful engineers recognize as possible
in construction work.
Any additional land or other property
which is required TO carry out that pro.
ject is to be purchased or obtained by
condemnation, and the sum of 81 200, 900
is appropriated to begin the work of con-
struction, including the purchase of the
additional land that may be needed
and at the same time the Secretary
Of War is authorized to enter into
contract for the entire work for a sum
not to exceed in the aggregate SIG, ,315, 900,
exclusive Of the purchase money of the
canal.