New-York tribune., 1910-06-24
TO IMPROVE sHEEPSHEAD
Deeper Channel at Mouth OF Bay
Proposed.
lFrom The Tribune Bureau.l


washington June 23-The chief of en-
gineers Of the army has reported on the
project OF increasing the depth of the
mouth Of Sheepshead Bay. The examina-
ton was made by Colonel w. M. Black,
corps of engineers, who Is in charge OF
river and harbor work at that point 1t
appears from information recently FUR
nished by Matthew Coneys. resident OF
the locality, that at the present time
considerable amount of fish and small
quantities of lumber are landed on the
wharves in Sheepshead Bay: also that
these waters are used by three yacht clubs,
having a total of about three hundred
boats. Extensive improvements are, now
ever. now being made by private interests,
and this section is rapidly becoming one
of the most important summer resorts
within the limits of New York City. A
deep channel has already been made
throughout the length of the bay by local
interests. and though the low water depth
through the present entrance channel is
probably not more than three feet. with a
range of tides of about four and hall
feet. many small pleasure craft and fish
ing boats use this deep water as an
anchorage, and passenger service Is
maintained to Rockaway Beach on Ja-
maica Bay In the summer.
The chief of engineers concurs with the
district officer that Sheepshead Bay is
worthy of Improvement by the general gov
ernnent in the manner proposed and adds
This locality has been under improve
ment by the United states heretofore, a
channel 100 feet wide and feet deep at
connect the east end of the bay with Dead
Horse Inlet. This channel failed to main
tain itself, and having contracted to a a
width of 60 feet and an average depth OF
5la feet AT mean low water, an interior
channel of these reduced dimensions was
constructed in 1889. extending it for dis
town of Sheepshead. In 1898, as the result
of a severe storm, this work was obllt-
Grated. and the improvement now desired
is channel to connect deep water IN
Sheepshead Bay with deep water in the
ocean,
The district officer presents plan Tor
dredging channel approximately 2,200 feet
long 100 feet wide and 6 feet deep at mean
low water, extending from the 6-foot con-
tour in the ocean to the corresponding
contour in the bay, crossing the bar about
500 feet east of the bulkhead of the Man
haitian Beach Estates swinging to the
westward and entering the bay near its
north side. The estimated cost is $4,000
but no trustworthy estimate for main
tenance is submitted
He states that correative with the de-
sired Improvement by the United States Is
a project of much greater magnitude con-
templaIed by the city Of New York, viz:
Tho construction of a drainage canal TO
connect Sheepshead and Gravesend bays
and the probable addition and improvement
of Jamaica Bay as a terminus for the New
York State barge canal He is of the
opinion that 1t would be unwise for the
United States to adopt any permanent or
extensive project which could not later be
made TO harmonic with a system of gem
eral md permanent Improvement of the
waters of New York Harbor, but the small
improvement now proposed is worthy OF
being undertaken, at the present time.