Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-05-04
CANAL PROJECT
OF GREAT VALUE TO
LOWER DELAWARE
Opposition Satisfied and Plan
to Straighten Mispillion River
Goes Through.
WILL ALLOW OF BOAT LINE
Special Correspondence Every Evening.

Special Correspondence Every Evening.
Milford, May 4.--Announccmcnt wns
made, yesterday, that the right-of-way
had been secured for the canals which
will straighten the Mispillion river
and make that stream navigable for
passenger and freight steamers. Sew
eral attempts have been made in tho
past 10 run freight and passenger
steamers from Milford to Wilmington,
Chester and Philadelphia but all were
practically failures owing TO so much
time being consumed I'm getting out OF
the Miepillion river which runs from
Milford to the Delaware bay. Tho riv-
cr is deep enough. but the time was
lost in turning the bends. 1t Ia SOW
en- miles, In straight line from Mil
ford To the rivers mouth, but the
stream Is about Is miles long. due to
the circuitous route II takes.
Surveys were made by tho Federal
government and an appropriation oh
| teined TO dig canals across tho bends
that would shorten the distance to the
mouth. but there has been much op-
position from farmers and land own
ers whose property would be effected
by the outs, and the project has been
tied up" with litigation for many
months.
A committee was appointed by the
governor of Delaware. as n last EFFORT
to secure the right of way I'm some
manner without resorting. II possible.
| TO condemnation proceedings. The
committee IL composed OF Captain
/ Wilson y, Ninyard. President OF
| Town Council: ex-Sheriff Frank w.
| Reddy and Iowder n. Hearn. all OF
Milford.
! In making the six cute, or canals
! that would be necessary 10 straighten
| the stream the lands OF Mrs Henrietta
Holmes. Frank Potter, Willard Potter
and Medford Jones were involved. In
several instances the canals will sep
arate from the main farm large
stretches of marsh and grazing ground
which will he Inaccessible and sur
rounded by water after the cuts are
! made.
IL was f'rvt intended TO remove the
dirt with a clamshell dredge, but thit
would have piled high banks on each
side OF the cuts thus isolating tbs
| lands with walls. The committee pre-
/ vailed upon the engineering depart
ment of the Federal government e
Use blowers. as these will spread the
rich earth from the bottom OF th'
river over many acres OF marehland
making much ~ the foWner waet,
ground tilleble and OF value TO th'
landowners. This change was lnrgel!
responsible for the owners changing
their Intentions and withdrawing thei
opposition 10 the project
Yesterday, Mrs. Holmes. Frank an,
Willard Potter and Merford Jone
, signed the deeds that brought Joy 4
many business men and farmers 81
this section. Their signatures wer
the last straw in the way OF the i'm
provement and work will now com
!. mence at once. According 10 the gov
J ernment engineer. digging will actual
~ begin about the middle of July.
4 Already several promoters are lay
ing plans for forming steamship line
between this section and Wilmington
Chester and Philadelphia. and lowe
Delaware viii now be assured OF
passenger steamer in tho course OF
year.
!. After the canals are completed
- steamer will be able 10 make tho Del
I aware bay in one tide. which hae bee
J impossible in the past thus gettin
So produce and perishable fruits into IN
!. city markets promptly and in 600
= condition.