Evening journal., 1912-06-05

Map Showing Various Stages In the
Delawa
river and bay possess characteristics
which tend to discourage water-borne
commerce. The water is generally
shallow. the fore-shore consists large
ly OF shifting sands. and the fast
land, as it is known locally, is gener-
ally several miles inland from the
shore line proper.
Between the fast" land and the
shore line lie great marshes averag-
ing several miles in width and rarely
rising much above tide level. The
drainage Of such marshes is accom-
plished naturally by bitches secured
out by the water, uniting into chan
nels and finally into navigable water
ways maintained by the tides.
Man has assisted the drainage in
many places by digging bitches as
straight as possible across the mead
ows TO the nearest channels, thus af-
fording more direct escape for the
surface water and az the same time
subdividing the land into areas suit
able for cultivation when the salt
water can be excluded, or for harvest
| ing the natural growth of marsh hay.
"The larger channels are remark
ably permanent i'm location and pos
sess depth enough for navigation by
small boats, but they are very tortu-
Gus and consequently difficult "a
travel for boats Of sufficient size 70
carry caroges. and the actual distance
/ traversed between two points on q
stream is often many times the dist
ance in a bee line.
Although settled early in the 17tf
century, the country bordering thu
marshes. except where reached by
railroad, has remained until recen
years in a somewhat primitive condi
tion. Blessed by nature with
fertile soil and a good climate, farm
lands capable of Welding untold wealti
have lain idle and unproductive be
cause no reasonably economical wa,
was available to transport product
to market
Except for few desultory effort
10 relieve the difficulties IN some O
the channels, no serious work Of suf
fcient scope to affect the real siau
alton was undertaken until recen
years, principally within the last de
cade; and so for nearly three cen
turies the territory under consider
alton has awaited the touch necessar.
to cause It to spring into life AM
TO Weld I'm abundance the fruits OF Ii
great resources.
The short section of coast mention
ed, about 65 miles in length, has som
ten channels OF commercial import
ance. OF these we may select on
as a type. in order to point out som
interesting features of the engineer
ing problems presented and the ply
sical and commercial results OBJ
tanned.
The Murderkill River will servo a
an example. II has been under i'm
I provement longer than most Of tn
other streams. but this serves {
, make more complete the lessons
. teaches. II lies in Kent county an
: empties into Delaware Bay about 2
miles above Cape Henlopen and S
miles below Philadelphia.
Originally its nayigable porto
6 was about l3 miles long and extremel
/ crooked (see Fig -. traversin
\ marshes or meadoms and touchin
q last land at only a few widely SCI
r aratod points. The head Of navigatio
Is seven miles from the nearest raj
h road, TO which the sandy soil make
8 hauling by wagon difficult and costl
o The excellent farming country SUI
t rounding the town of Frederica ne;
d the head OF navigation is therefor
almost wholly dependent on the riv,
for transportation to suitable ma
kets At the mouth OF the river is
: summer resort Of considerable loc
importance. known as Bowers Beac
which is the headquarters Of the Fl,
4, and clam industry of this section
7. Many years ago, efforts were MAJ
" by private parties 20 improve q
river by cutting canals across n
y marshes to avoid some Of the most di
/, ficult bends and by providing a cha
m mel across the flats at the mouth
s the river. These efforts were cont
= ued from time 10 time, causing a pr
n gressive hetterment Of condition
10 Even 30 years ago a commerce esi
10 mated 10 he worth about a quarter
b. million dollars year existed
In 1892 the United States Cover
= ment assumed the duty of improvil
- and maintaining the channel b
funds were supplied IN small appr
y priations so that the Improvement h
been gradual and has only recent
10 reached a stage which enables
o. steamboat 20 run regularly betwee
* Philadelphia and Frederick without
~ gard 10 the tides. From now on {
~ full benefit Of the long years Of lab
and effort should be derived. and
y ready the commerce has reached
'' value of million and a balf dolls
=. Annually.
{, We NAV pass over the impro'
. ment of tho mouth OF the river
4 stating briefly that II involves dred
aE ing and maintaining channel acre
In the fats. A jettv should be constru
n ed. but at present the bank of mat
ial dredsed each year serves as
nj jetty un. levelec by wave and III
he and the cost of annual redredging.
Il- ing less than 3 per cent Of the es
NJ mated cost Of a ietty does not WI
e. rant the construction Of the lat
We under existing conditions The I
nroven,eri of the river Itself cousi