Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-05-10
S2,5OO,OOO NOW
AVAILABLE FOR NEW
WORK ON THE CANAL.
This viii Permit Of Dredging.
Bridge Construction and
Land Purchase.
PROJECT is UNDER WAY

That an appropriation Of $4,000, 900
has been made by the United States
government for improvements to the
Chesapeake & Delaware canal and
that preparations for this work ire al
ready under way. was the announce
ment made today by Colonel Earl |.
Brown, United States Engineer, VIII
mington district. Confirmation of the
appropriation. according TO Colonel
Brown. was contained in COM
munication which he has received
from tho office OF the chief OF engineers
at Washington.
The improvements 10 the canal, for
which work will be started IN full with
in the next few months. includes the
building of six all-eteel highway
bridges to span the canal; the dredg-
ing part of the Deep Cut and the pur-
chasing of additional land for the
widening otatAa canal.
1t is estimated that 81 900, 900 Will
be required for the bridges alone. OF
the appropriation OF S2,500.0O0. ac-
crding 10 Colonel Brown. s1.70O ,0OC
will be utilized for the dredging OF
the Deep Cut section.
a contract has been made with the
firm of Harrington, Howard & Ash
consulting engineers of Kansas City
Mo. for the designing Of the six ALL
steel bridges. Engineers from this
firm are now making preliminary in
yestigatiops.
N ha of 90 T,-s.
Engineer. Sixth and King streets
plans and specifications are now being
prepared for the dredging and exca-
walton of the Deep Cut sector. The
contract for this work, as well 5 for
the bridges VIII be awarded late in the
summer. Colonel Brown said. This
work will be carried on between St
Georges and Chesapeake City. Md.
and includes the removal of approx
mately 100000 cubic yards of ma
terial. There is a total of 10000 .00C
cubic yards of earth to be removed
from the waterway to secure a depth
of II feet the entire length of the
canal at low tide.
Negotiations are also well under
way, Colonel Brown declared. for the
purchasing Of additional land for the
right Of way for widening the canal
BY October, he said. the work will be
started in full. He believes that nj
least 500 men will be employed On the
Job.
Upon the completion of the Deer
Cut section, the next step will be or
the Summit level, with either ten feet
or % feet of earth 10 be removed. This
will eventually be followed by the re.
moval OF the locks at Delaware CITY
and the lowering Of the sills of the
locks at Chesapeake City. Two gates
Will then remain, one at Delaware City
end and the other at Chesa peake City
end. In order to then reach a minimum
depth OF twelve feet al low tide. an.
other thirteen feet will have to be
dredged from Delaware City TO Chesa.
peake City. This will then permit the
removal of the locks at each end OF
the waterway and then the stream
| Will become an actual sea-level cana
between the two bays.
Although the appropriation In it:
entirety Is not sufficient 70 cover The
building oe the bridges and the drede
ing and purchasing of extra land. Col.
onel Brown says considerable mnneS
is still on hand from the last appro
priatlon. This money will be used witt
the appropriation made for the new
| fiscal year,