Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-09-29

mefts are necessary preliminary 10 sLhft-
ing work on the new project.
The pier head line fixed for the l)clnwarc
river frontage is from 500 to l,2uO ieet
from the edge Of the 35-foot ship channel
of that stream and will require rcason-
able but not an inordlnatc amount Of
dredging TO create in front OF the new piers
the same depth Of water cxiste IN the
channel. The estab lahcd pier head line
Tor the Chrstiana river frontage oil the
proerty will be coincident with the edge
of the povernmentally improved channel
in this stream when the contemplated inn
proycments thereto are completed, and
no dredging expense will dcvolve upon the
city in connection with the maintenance OF
navigable depth along this side OF the
property.
Approximately one-third OF the $50
acres in the entire tract above described,
or I75 acres. has already been acquired
by the harbor authorities. This acreage
| which il sufficient in extent To fully cover
the initial stages of the port project, IN
| clides the whole Of the Chrstiana river
| frontage of more than 5000 feet and APP
proximatelv 800 feet Of tho Delaware
| River frontage The remainder oi the
| tract is left for later acquisition when the
progress of work under the general de-
| velopment plan makes it advisable.
| GENERAL acopE or COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
| This comprehensive plan contemplates
| the eventual improvement OF both the
| Christiana and Delaware river fronts oil
the property along broad lines, which,
! while it trepresents an unapproved preiirni~
nary study, \ approximately corret IN
genera. lines and proportions, though sub
iect TO possible material modification IN
detailed features.
The general type of development for
the Christiana frontage has been defl-
nitely adopted by the commissioners
the precise dimensions and shape OF
the bulkhead sheds being still IN abeyaneo
however. The system Of projecting piers
and re-cntrant slips indicated for the Della
ware frontage, for later construction alter
the completion of the Christiana improve
ment. Ia in accordance with the engineers
recommendations but has not yet been
approved by the Harbor Board.
The quay system. where IL a adaptable
has some manifest points of operating ad
vantage over pier and slip arrangement
in the avoidance of the dead ends ol
land traffic. which arc inevitable IN conr1ec
,ion with piers. and also, IN this case, y
more economical in providing III the inn
tial stages of the Improvement the maxi
mum possible amount of accommodations
for the minimum expenditure ol funds
The Christiana lends itself admirably 10
quay development rs II ls comparatively
placid stream with but little winter move
ment OF ice and practically no wave action
whereas IN the case of the Delaware front
age. the occasional heavy movements @
aoe-ice in severe cold seasons togethe1
with the wave action from northeast gale
to which this exposure is subjected, wonlC
make highly desirahle-if not absolutelR
necessary IN order To insure their reason
able safety under IA atmopsherln eondi
the more complete protection whlcf
rp-entrant slips Afford 10 Vease'
brethed therein.
It's proposed then hy the Harhor Com
mission. 70 improve the 5 900 feet of front
are on the Chrlstiana river 10y the con
str,Iction of continuous quay wall Q
unbroken direction. and on the 9 900 fee
Of Delaware river frontage IT has beer
further recommended by tho engineer
that there he provided a series oil nin'
piers. ranging from 200 10 GOO feet Il
width and from 1000 20 LOO ieot u
length On the extreme upstream END
the Christiaua quay VIII te located ~
opon or uncovered wharf for the handlinl
Of heavy cargo not requiring protection
from tho weather, and over the balano'
sheds will bc built in rear of the bulkhea'
for the accommodation OF general or mis-
, | ccllancous cargo.
: On the Delaware river frontage, a por
ton of the plors recommended thereto
: | would be covered for the Use of genera
cargo vessels; and those designated 10
the accommodation of special commodi
tlcs-mainly humber, ore, coal and iue
oil-would be unshedded. provided wit
appropriate special facilities for handlin
: and storing these particular classes 9
cargo.
! The balance Of the area in rear Of Tn
! quay sheds and piers will be utilized 10
extensive railroad car yards, storage ware
!, houses, grain elevators, power plants an
: industrial and loft buildings. The tota
cost of the intensive development OF TIN
entire tract will be upward of Sl00,OoO,
: 600: and if used intelligently and 70 It
? fun capacity, the total waterfront facihtie
! possible to construct would be capable @
! handling a commerce as great as that
| the entire port of Philadelphia at the pres
: | ent time. The full consuumation OF TIN
, | plan naturally cannot be looked torwar'
!: ! 10 for period of Years, or even decades
! but. having had ocular demonstration 0
the mistakes that have been made IN tn
older ports of the country by lack OF !
comprehensive plan to work toward, tn
Wilmington Harbor Commissioners ar
convinced that a proper general plan OF de
velopment should be adopted now, pre-
vious to any expenditures on the prolec
whatever, and adhered to as closely a
, possible-for the Eext half century, |
, necessary complete balanced an'
; genuinely efficient port development i
achieved.