Milford chronicle., 1918-12-20
GOVERNMENT TAKES
over D. And c. CANAL
This Canal Connects the Tive Greatest
Estuaries on the Atlantic
SeabOard

Senator Willard Salisbury, in speak.
ing on the fact that the u. S. Govern
ment viii take the Delaware and
Chesapeake Canal, is quoted by the
= Sunday Star as follows:
The Chesapeake and Delaware Cana
Company and the War Department OF
the United States Government have
agreed that the Government shall take
over the Chesapeake and Delaware
Canal for the sum of $2.514,2S9.7O.
The canal connects the two greatest
estuaries on the Atlantic seaboard
bearing ships carrying about a hun
dred millions tons per annum.
The present canal permits only the
slow passage of boats drawing feet.
having "a feet beam and 223 feet in
length. The size OF the locks abso-
lutely limits the capacity OF the boats
that can be used.
There is no doubt when the canal
shall be taken over it shall be deepen
ed TO a sea-leyel canal not less than
% ice, ard possibly 30 TO 35 feet deep,
which will permit the passage OF all
seagoing craft.
The new canal will shorten the dis
tance by water between Baltimore and
Philadelphia 30S miles. 1t viii shorten
the distance by water from Baltimore
70 New York about $50 miles. 1t will
probably pay TO the people OF the cOun-
try 10 to 20 per cent on the cost Of
a 25-foot sea-level canal. the estimate
for which is S12,424 500.
Nowhere else in the United States
aa "a 1rra of laortar -as saf Ist
demonstrated at so small an expense
and this canal will be the final nee
essary protection atforded to one OF
the greatest manufacturing sections Of
the United States against injury in
time of war. My statements are the
conclusions of competent military
boards There is no fact unknown re-
garding either the construction or the
probable amount OF commerce through
the canal.
Ten lives, on an average, will be
saved each year, which are now lost
on the rough outside passage between
the Delaware and Chesapeake Capes.
Tie demonstration of the great use
fulness Of this canal when improved
will bring about the construction of
a canal from the Delaware River
about BOrdentown to New York Bay,
a distance of only 81 miles, and with
this completed We will have the best
defended seabOard OF any country in
The world as well as the greatest in
side channel for water-borne com
merce in the whole world. The i'm
Detus given to manufacturing is al
most incalculable
. 81,
ldd hundred miles at least of the
inest manufacturing sites which can
,e conceived to the now congested |
greatest manufacturing area in the
United States. Skilled labor, iron. /
.Oai, oil, are probably more readily
'btainable along the lines of these H
anals than anywhere else in the ma
ion.
Congestion on the North and South 4
ailroads from Virginia TO Massachu- n
etts Will be relieved, freights will be II
)wered, lives will be saved, marine in II
urance cut down to a minimum III
mount, and millions upon millions OF III
lns OF commerce will be freely eN- III
hanged where now only a fraction of III
lat amount if found profitable III
] have never doubted this work III
Ould ultimately be done Nowhere III
Sc is there such opportunity TO dem III
Isrrate the great benefits of water XII
ansportation The work undertaken III
1w VIII endure for all time and its iii
suits will justify the reports and I'LL
Unions of the highest government III
perts which can be shown In null III
ude of official reports.
The naval. military and commercial III
lue of the canal when extended iii
ross New Jersey will make the Kiel I|l
mai look like a chlds toy. The llI'
wer of concentration given our naval iii
-ces for defense Of this country will llIl
multiplied many times. With III
fe inside passage, our commerce can Till
.regard the dangers of U-boat and ll
ne planters, and the added powers OF INl
fense TO the whole section will rem lII
r our great manufacturing cities IIllI
ictically impregnable to attack MI