Evening journal., 1919-07-09
PLANS TO DEEPEN
old ca D. CANAL
They Are Discussed on Trip
Through the Waterway
Yesterday

Plans for a deeper and wider Chesa-
peake and Delaware Canal and It's ulti-
mate Transformation into 35-foot ship
canal were outlined yesterday by
Colonel J. p. Jeryey, United States engi-
neer for tho Wilmington district, and
George W. T, Miller, principal assistant
engineer, during a trip through the
waterway. Greatly interested In the
explanation Of the plans were General
James II. Wilson. L. ;. A., retired, who
constructed the keokuk ami other
canals I'm the West, General Felix An
gus, chairman OF the commission ap-
pointed by the late President Roose-
welt 10 survey the several available
canal routes across the peninsula and
TO recommend the most feasible, and
Andrew C. Gray. counsel for the old
C.. and ID. Canal Company whose prop
erty was recently acquired by the
United States government under con
demnation proceedings before the Fed
eral Court at Wilmington.
The patty left Wilmington at o
O'Clock yesterday morning on The
steamer Jennett Of the United states
Engineers Department, and arrived at
Elkton at 23O o'clock In the afternoon
with the exception Of General Agnus'
who returned 20 Washington through
the canal
As the steamer began her return Noy-
age and farewells were said. 10 WAS de
ciared the next trip would be through a
35-foot canal and In the near future. too.
Half a Million i'm sight.
Colonel Jeryey explained That the sum
OF $4,000 in sight will be expended In
cutoff at the Delaware entrance 10
the canal. the waterway being shifted
DO a terminus south OF Port Dupont.
and in Strengthened curves. The half
a million appropriation by Congress,
with which TO make a beginning, viii
be available as soon as legal obstacles
In the way OF the payment by the gov
ernment OF S2.5ii,S i,S996i, awarded the
bond holders under the condemnation
proceedings shall have been removed.
he explained will be sufficient with
which 20 make a start. He has In hand
the surveys and soundings made by Ma
ior Flagler and Lieutenant Chambers,
both distinguished engineers OF the Ag-
nus commission, which he and Mr.. Mill
Ter have supplemented other work
along the same line. The plans, as now
proposed, call for a canal ~ feet deep
and 100 feet wide.
why do you make two bites OF
the cherry?" asked General Wilson.
"Why not dig a 35-foot canal at once?'
"A canal OF this greater depth and
i25 feet wide is our ultimate aim.
said Colonel Jervey. we find, now
ever, that in order 10 obstruct traiilc
as little as is possible we must dig
by sections. II we started out 10
dredge a canal OF the designed depth
and width we should put a stop 10
navigation. which would cause large
losses and inconvenience. According 10
our plans we shall delay traffic less
than two weeks In blowing up The
first lock 10 be removed. When we
get down 20 II feet we shall have a
sea level water way. Before we reach
that depth. however. we shall have had
a f2-foot canal. We shall dig six feet
deeper 10 IS feet, then TO %, TO 30, and
then 10 3J feet. We shall encounter
an obstacle in the inflow Of a strong
current from the Susquehanna river,
which will deposit sediment, as tho
canal al. 80 feet viii really be deeper
NAuM AlAN hINA AUuAAAAa ~ AAAA AfAAHaNt HN-AtH
Bay entrance.
while we are ambiii0usly planning
we must await appropriations by Con
gress. II the funds are PROMPTLY forth
coming we should be able to complete
a 3j-foot canal in five or six years.
Delaware will do its duty" said Mr..
Gray. "The enterprise is too vitally
important to be permitted TO lag When
the Kansas farmer becomes convinced
that ne can put his wheat in Liver
pool two cents a bushel cheaper,
through a ship canal 10 be construct
ed. than at present. he will become our
valuable ally in pushing the project"
Views Along Canal.
Down the Christiana Creek and then
down the Delaware River to Delaware
City. the eastern entrance 10 the canal,
members OF the party viewed with in
terest the factories along the banks
and the well-tilled farms beyond. When
New Castle was reached Mr.. Gray,
whose grandfather. Andrew e. Gray,
was president OF the old canal for "A
years. and was the historian OF the party
told OF the antiquity OF that town, that
It's courthouse, constructed by William
Penn 300 years ago. Is the oldest in the
United States, and that It's Episcopal
Church afforded such a desirable living
at one time that a rector Of Trinity
Church New Xork. resigned his
charge and accepted that at New Castle.
Passing through the canal its tree
and shrub-llned banks. the old tow
path. now a tangle Of underground
and weeds the banked waters OF the
St. Georges Creek. the neat villages
the locks and other sights interested
the party.
When the Creator completed His
work" said Mr.. Miller, Gle threw
the scraps along what is now the
route OF the canal. We have all kinds
OF clay-black. white and red. We
have sand in abundance. Glacial rocks
are under the surface. While making
boring at a point about midway OF
the canal we found a sunken forest.
To add 10 the variety OF trees and
shrubs a Scotchman imported heain2r
frbm his native land and plantCi 70
along the banks as a protection @glins.
the wash by passing vessels. The
heather has survived and still strug-
gles for existence along the banks.
Mr.. Miller pointed out scores OF cot
tages occupied during the summer by
campers. But few lows were en-
countered. Mr.. Miller explained their
scarcity 10 TIE Communicating Of
bsrees by the government and TO a
strike Of the barge men.
TABLET GIVES HISTORY.
At a bridge spanning the canal the
steamer tied up for a few minutes