Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-03-03
DEI AWARE RIVER
DUL KHEAD LINE
MAY Be Changed
Subject Discussed at Public Meet
ing Held by United States
Engineers.
HARBOR COMMISSION
OUTLINES ITS VIEWS

Differences between the United States
Army engineers and the Board of Harbor
Commissioners as to the proposed inn
movements in port terminals and fa-
cilities here do not seem to be irrecon-
cilable. and following hearing this morn
ing in the Council Chamber, il is ex-
pected that a decision on the points dis
cussed viii soon be given by the engineers,
and that the board will then have full
libeI of action in the drawing of plans
and the asking of bids for the construc-
ton of the terminals.
The hearing this morning was before
Col. William +. Ladue, of the Philadel
phia L. S. engineer office, which has
charge of the entire Delaware river, and
Col. ]. p. Jervey, L. s. engineer in charge
Of the Wilmington district, which includes
the Christiana river.
All the members of the Harbor Board
were present except Mr.. Warner, who IS
out of the city. Besides the members OF
the board and its secretary, Charles III.
Cant. there were present Frederick JAS
persen of Philadelphia. assistant chief
engineer of the Philadelphia Il Reading
Railroad George Rommell, Of the local
offices of the +. 4 r.; John Meigs of
Philadelphia, advisory engineer of the
local Harbor Board; J. w. T.. Miller,
principal assistant engineer IN the local
T.. s. engineer offices; Judge David t.
Marvel. " F. Mahaffy, U. s. District
Court clerk George III. McGovern and
others.
The hearing is n continuation of the
one held on February Is.
After the object of the hearing was
stated by Col. Jer,ey, there was a brief
discussion OF the tentative plans OF the
Harbor Board with reference TO the To-
cation OF hulkheads. John Meigs, the
boards advisory engineer, outlined to
the engineers the plans OF the Board, with
reference to the location Of bulkbeads and
pierhcads.
II was announced that the Philadelphia
Office had decided to accept the plans of
the board as regards the Christiana, but
It was probable that the proposed line of
The Edge Moor bulkhead would be chang
ed TO some extent
The objections Of the United States
Army engineers to the combined bulkhead
and pierhead line was stated, and after a
discussion Of the matter, suggestions were
offered that the bulkhead line as proposed |
by the Harbor Board, at 600 feet back of |
the pierheads. might be changed to ex- |
tend back possibly as far as loo feet. |
1t is possible that dustance somewhere |
between 900 and 1000 feet may be fixed. |
TO EXTEND PIGEON POINT PIER.
Frederick Jasperson, assistant chief
engineer of the Philadelphia q Reading
railroad, told of plans that had been pre-
Dared by the p. 4 r., for the extension Of
their pier at Pigeon Point, and of the in
fercst the p. e. r. had in the fixing of
the line. George Rommell, of the local
Offices of the P Il r. told OF the construc-
ton of the pier and of its extension later
about 300 feet toward deeper water, and
of the trouble that had been met with IN
filling. Mr. Jasperson favored establish
ing the line further out than was contem-
plated by the engineers.
Mr.. Speakman and Mr.. Bancroft of
the board made brief statements with
reference TO the boards plans, and state
ments were also made by Judge David
T. Marvel
w. G. Mahaffv made inquiry as TO
plans with reference to land north of the
Christiana. George II. Mc(sovern asked
if the tentative plans Of the Harbor Board
had been approved officially by Gen.
Black, and Mr.. Speakman said the matter
had been placed before Gen Black in an
unofficial way, but had his approval
There seems to be very little difference
between the plans of the Harbor Board
and the views of the engineers. The
principal divergence is with reference to the
location of the bulkhead lines. The plans
of the Board provide for their location
500 feet back of the pierhead, but the
army engineers seem inclined to think
the line should be further back, possibly
1000 feet
An early decision on this point is looked
for. and is desired by the Harbor Board,
as all their plans are held in allegiance
until this point is settled. As soon as the
army engineers have decided, MIR. Meigs
will at once complete the plans for the
board, and bids for construction will be
asked for.