Evening journal., 1913-08-14
URGES BUYING
C. and D.CANAL
War Departments ReCOmmen-
datiOn Is Now Before Con-
ereSS for Consideration
INLAND WATERWAY
SCHEME OUTLINED

WASHINGTON. Aug. 14.-Acting
Secretary of War Breckenridge yes
terday sent to Congress the recon
mendations Of General Bixby. chief OF
engineers of the Army, urging the inn
mediate purchase of the Chesapeake
and Delaware Canal, and its deep
ening to % feet for use as a sea-
level canal between Philadelphia and
Baltimore
This recommendation was made in
connection with report by the War
Department urging upon Congress
the expenditure of $2O,OOO,OOO in the
immediate future to complete the pro-
posed inland waterway from Boston.
Mass, TO Beaufort, ~ c., and was rec
commended to Congress by the Wer De-
partment The plan also contem-
plates the construction of a 12-foot
canal, with 90-foot bottom width. to
be later improved to a sea-level canal
across New Jersey. from New York
Bay to Delaware River. with a 25
foot depth and 125-foot bottom width.
Cost Of G. and ID. Canal.
The Chief of Engineers recon-
mends that the Chesapeake and Della
ware Canal be bought Immediately by
the government at a cost not exceed
ing $2,514.291. that II be improved to
a depth of u feet and a width of 30
feet as soon as possible by the govern
ment, and that later it he progress
lively increased in depth to 25 feet.
In his report to Congress. comment
ing on the report of the army en-
gineers, General Bixby said;
Regarding the further improve
ment of the already recommended
waterway between Chesapeake Bay
and Delaware Bay the Chief of En-
gineers concurs with the special
board and the Board of Engineers
for Rivers and Harbors i'm the opinion
that il is advisable for the United
States TO buy the Chesapeake and Del
aware Canal at a cost to the United
States not exceeding S2.514.291 and
to then enlarge it to a sea-level
canal Of 12 feet depth and 80 feet
bottom width, with the least inter
ference practicable to existing trafic.
following in general the methods in
dicated by the special board at a
cost which. including the first years
maintenance, amounts in round
numbers to sS,000.O00, Of which So
100000 should be made available by
the first appropriation, and eco
nOmioal work will then require sub
sequent appropriations of from $780,
600 to s1,000,0 900 per year.
The chief of engineers concurs with
the Board of Engineers for Rivers and
Harbors in the view that the further
deepening to p feet of the Chesapeake
and Delaware canal, at an extra cost Of
81 500. 600. should await further obser
Nation as 10 the commercial changes re-.
sulting from the first increase in canal
depth and especially the release from
canal tolls Moreover. the chief of en-
gincers is of the opinion that the general
public benefit will be that due to the in
crease of commerce by use of barges in
tows and of medium draft boats. and
that the added benefits will be mainly
local and consequently should await CO.
operation by the local States or those
most directly benefited. As the work
to be done is progressive, und as under
the present Federal laws the engineer
department can always receive and ex-
I pend local funds for such purposes, it
will always be possible to increase the
project depth above l2 feet up to 25 feet
as fast as local cooperation furnishes
the funds"
Proposed Improvement.
In other words General Bixby recon-
mends that Congress buy the Chesa-
peakc and Delaware canal and develop to
depth of 70 feet with 90 feet width,
but that tho government and the States
cooperate later in the further deepening
Of the canal to y feet The oonstruc-
tion of the proposed sea-level canal to a
depth of u fcct. as recommended by
General BiXhy and the special beard Of
army engineers, involves:
J. Deepening and widening the pres
ent summit canal and bringing its bot.
tom 10 the same level as that of the
lower reach of the canal
,. The removal of the St. Georges
lock (which has q ten-foot lift making
single level throughout the canal, Il
feet deep with locks of seven feet lift
lt each end.
3. The deepening of the whole cana
gradually throughout
4. The removal Of the locks az both
ends of the canal. making IL a l2-foot
deep sea level canal throughout.
These are to be the progressive steps
in the improvement and will not inter
fere with the progress of the present
shipping through the canals while the
Improvements are in progress.
The War Department in previous
partial report on this inland waterway
scheme recommended an immediate i'm
iprovement between Beaufort and Nor
folk. immediate purchase of the Chesa
peake and Delaware canal and It's early
enlargement. and advised against Fed
eral construction Of any inland route he
tween New York bav and Fishers Island